he hears kitchen cardboard box crinkles
knows that at any moment now
we will accidentally
on purpose drop a box
just to hear him run
see him steal it
head held high
wagging
tail
Ollie, Our Box Thief Schnoodle
The Zoo Crew Nonet
the zoo crew parades into the den
at first light, ready to go out
for their second morning walk
after the deer have left
the yard for the woods ~
now they’re ready
nose to ground
to sniff
tracks
My Retirement List 41-50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer the wheel and throw away the clock. This is day 5 of 5 that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of the previous days:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
- I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
- I’ll meet friends for lunch.
- I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
- I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
- I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
- I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap.
- I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins for breakfast.
- I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit.
- I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to shut-ins.
- I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
21. I’ll take more impromptu personal field trips to satisfy my curious adventure spells.
22. I’ll coordinate my wardrobe down to the kind where all the tops match all the bottoms and all the outfits have three shoe possibilities – and live more simply.
23. I’ll go on writing crawls, writing in first one place and then the next through the day.
24. I’ll attend more book festivals near me and listen to more regional authors speak.
25. I’ll sit in Starbucks and write just for the crooner music and the perfectly-lit ambience.
26. I’ll carry only a small crossbody bag with my driver’s license, some money, and a tube of Candy Cane chapstick that I buy by the box.
27. I’ll sit on my front porch and pray.
28. I’ll learn more about making salves and tinctures, and take a hobby class on it.
29. I’ll wrap all my wine bottles with twine to create vases and fill them with wildflowers and leave them on random doorsteps where they don’t have Ring cameras to catch me.
30. I’ll take more slow country drives at sunset to see the sun sinking below the fenced cattle meadows.
31. I’ll choose the matinee movies on cold, rainy days and take a blanket to the theater.
32. I’ll read more travel genre books and go to places my feet may never actually walk.
33. I’ll spend more time grooming my dogs with glove brushes because they love it when I place them in my lap and give them the brush glove massage.
34. I’ll spend a few hours each week one morning chopping vegetables and fruits to go in plastic tubs for easier use in omelets and soups and snacks and dinners.
35. I’ll take more writing cabin excursions and map my route on Roadtrippers.
36. I’ll hang my tree hammock in the afternoon shade and read until dusk.
37. I’ll stroll through the aquarium and take the time to really see what I’m looking at, and spend more time watching my favorite critters (the otters) play.
38. I’ll read more blogs.
39. I’ll listen to more podcasts.
40. I’ll sit in silence more, savoring its goldenness.
And now today’s:
41. I’ll take longer showers and make them my prayer time.
42. I’ll do more bird counts.
43. I’ll piddle.
44. I’ll leave the television off – as I have always done.
45. I’ll minimize the social media scroll.
46. I’ll teach my grandchildren to make homemade ice cream.
47. I’ll read more picture books.
48. I’ll eat more charcuterie-style dinners.
49. I’ll write the memories of old photographs.
50. I’ll remember that while I have the opportunity to do more, it’s okay to do less.
My Retirement List 31-40 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer the wheel and throw away the clock. This is day 4 of 5 that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of the previous days:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening, dogs snuggled in my lap by the fire.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
- I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
- I’ll meet friends for lunch.
- I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
- I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
- I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
- I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap – and blow the bubbles.
- I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins for breakfast.
- I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit.
- I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to shut-ins.
- I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
- I’ll take more impromptu personal field trips to satisfy my curious adventure spells.
22. I’ll coordinate my wardrobe down to the kind where all the tops match all the bottoms and all the outfits have three shoe possibilities for my minimal approach – and live more simply.
23. I’ll go on writing crawls, writing in first one place and then the next through the day.
24. I’ll attend more book festivals near me and listen to more regional authors speak.
25. I’ll sit in Starbucks and write just for the crooner music and the perfectly-lit ambience…oh, and the coffee.
26. I’ll carry only a small Travelon crossbody bag with my driver’s license, some money, and a tube of Candy Cane chapstick that I buy by the box.
27. I’ll sit on my front porch and pray.
28. I’ll learn more about making salves and tinctures, and take a hobby class on it.
29. I’ll wrap all my wine bottles with twine to create vases and fill them with wildflowers and leave them on random doorsteps where they don’t have Ring cameras to catch me.
30. I’ll take more slow country drives at sunset to see the sun sinking below the fenced cattle meadows.
And now for today’s list:
31. I’ll choose to see matinee movies on cold days and take a blanket to the theater.
32. I’ll read more travel genre books and go to places my feet may never actually walk.
33. I’ll spend more time grooming my dogs with glove brushes because they love it when I place them in my lap and give them the brush glove massage.
34. I’ll spend a few hours each week one morning chopping vegetables and fruits to go in plastic tubs for easier use in omelets and soups and snacks and dinners.
35. I’ll take more writing cabin excursions and map my route on Roadtrippers.
36. I’ll hang my tree hammock in the afternoon shade and read until dusk.
37. I’ll stroll through the aquarium and take the time to really see what I’m looking at, and spend more time watching my favorite critters (the otters) play.
38. I’ll read more blogs.
39. I’ll listen to more podcasts.
40. I’ll sit in silence more, savoring its goldenness.
My Retirement List 21-30 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer the wheel and throw away the clock. This is day 3 of 5 that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of the past two days:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire, dogs in my lap.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
- I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
- I’ll meet friends for lunch.
- I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
- I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
- I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
- I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap.
- I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins for breakfast.
- I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit.
- I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to shut-ins.
- I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
And now today’s list:
21. I’ll take more impromptu personal field trips to satisfy my curious adventure spells.
22. I’ll coordinate my wardrobe down to the kind where all the tops match all the bottoms and all the outfits have three shoe possibilities – and pretty much ditch the rest to live more simply.
23. I’ll go on writing crawls, writing in first one place and then the next through the day.
24. I’ll attend more book festivals near me and listen to more regional authors speak.
25. I’ll sit in Starbucks and write just for the crooner music and the perfectly-lit ambience.
26. I’ll carry only a small crossbody bag with my driver’s license, some money, and a tube of Candy Cane chapstick that I buy by the box.
27. I’ll sit on my front porch and pray.
28. I’ll learn more about making salves and tinctures, and take a hobby class on it.
29. I’ll wrap all my wine bottles with twine to create vases and fill them with wildflowers and leave them on random doorsteps where they don’t have Ring cameras to catch me.
30. I’ll take more slow country drives at sunset to see the sun sinking below the fenced cattle meadows.
My Retirement List: 11-20 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, but instead always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer my own wheel and throw away the clock. Today is day two of five days that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of yesterday’s list:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire, dogs in my lap..
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
And now for today’s list:
11. I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
12. I’ll meet friends for lunch.
13. I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
14. I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
15. I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
16. I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap and blow the bubbles.
17. I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins with bananas and chia and flax seeds for breakfast.
18. I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit each week because I understand the village we all need.
19. I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to chemotherapy shut-ins.
20. I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
What are your favorite things about retirement?
My Retirement List 1-10 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, but instead always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer my own wheel and throw away the clock once I retire. Starting today, for five days, I’ll list ten things a day that I’ll do when I am officially off contract.
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire, dogs in my lap.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
The Biblical History Center: The Nativity Tour
time with our grandson
sharing a Biblical meal
(he teamed up for pranks)
On Saturday, we picked up our oldest grandson, Aidan, and headed over to LaGrange, Georgia to the Biblical History Center. We’d gone a couple years back and enjoyed the regular tour, so we wanted to take Aidan back to share in the Biblical Meal and join us on the Nativity Tour, which begins November 1 and runs through December. Since he plans to enter the ministry, we correctly predicted that this would be a highlight of his Christmas season (which, by the way, now apparently starts the day after Halloween).
You can read my previous 3-part blog posts here, here, and here.
In true grandfather/grandson style, the first thing they did in the midst of the reverence of the meal was prank my blog photographs (I confess – – I do take a lot of pictures since I like to use them when I write). First, my husband diverted his gaze upward. Of course, I showed it to them and playfully scolded Poppy for messing up the picture. I told them we’d have to take another one.
And look at this. Just look at what these clowns did.! They teamed up to keep the prank going. So of course……we had to take another. People around us were holding back laughter, and I felt at once as if I were back in church sitting by that one friend you should never sit with in church, knowing you might not behave.
Finally, they got it just right. Fun at its best with these two!
We started the meal with our guide, blessing first the drinks and then the food. As she offered the prayer first in English and then in Hebrew, we repeated the Hebrew words. Then, we began passing the food – mostly a Mediterranean diet, starting with unleavened bread (a flour tortilla), followed by eggs, hummus, raisins, grilled chicken (substituted for lamb), spinach/artichoke dip, lentil soup, grapes, applesauce, salad, and black and green olives. We did not use forks, since they didn’t in Biblical times. We drank our soup and ate with our fingers or used our flour tortilla to scoop food and eat it. The health department requires the center to provide napkins, but they explained that in Biblical times, we would not have had them. Additionally, in Biblical times we would not have been seated but actually more laid back on our sides to share the meal.
As we made our way along the tour, we learned the truth about the inn which would have normally been an extra room in a home of a family and not an inn as we think of it like a hotel or British pub with rooms upstairs. A family would not have welcomed a pregnant woman about to give birth, because the birthing process would have deemed the house unclean and they would have had to leave for a month. The place where Jesus was born was more likely a sheepfold, and a manger made not of wood but of stone. Not so much a stable as a livestock barn but more of a sheep enclosure.
This was a fabulous day, and we also were blessed to see the archaeological artifacts on loan from Israel. This is the only Biblical History Center in the entire United States Southeast that has these items, including a coin like the one that the woman in the Bible lost from her wedding headdress. It was fascinating to see the pottery pieces, the tools, and the weaving looms from Biblical times. These items remain in a vault that is climate controlled, behind glass, and no photographs can be taken of them. It was a treat to be able to see the items on display and have a guide who explained their significance. I think that of all the artifacts, I was most fascinated with the beads that were found in an Old Testament tomb. The beads were coiled scrolls that contain the Aaronic Blessing with the message The Lord Bless You and Keep You, The Lord Lift His Countenance Upon You and Give You Peace and be Gracious Unto You. These beads held importance for establishing the significance of the cultural context of the tomb and its place in history.
After a three hour tour including a meal and a narrated historical journey through the center’s outdoor replicas of historically accurate structures – and a t-shirt for Aidan to help him think of his trip each time he wears it – we took a moment to stop at Starbucks for a cup of iced coffee and to chat about our time together. Aidan said his favorite part was learning about the true foot position of crucifixion which is more likely pierced through the side of the ankle than the top of the foot. Briar said his favorite part of the visit to the center was the interactive lighted maps of Biblical places, and my favorite part was watching Aidan’s participation in answering questions that demonstrated his knowledge of the Bible and his passion for all it means to him.
Next up when we return to the Biblical History Center in the spring: The Easter Tour.
To Apple Watch or Not to Apple Watch?
that is the question:
is this watch worth all the hype?
some say yes, some no
perhaps it’s purpose
that I have to determine:
I want to know time
I need to count steps
pinging my phone, a bonus
but the distractions?
I don’t want to be
ever-accessible me
with constant dinging
help me, somebody
I need recommendations
not the “paid reviews”
The Strange People at the Air Show
My stepson, an Operations Manager at Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport, got us tickets to see the Thunderbirds just hours before the air show in Peachtree City, Georgia sold out last weekend. We’ve seen the Blue Angels several times with him, but the Thunderbirds were a first.
Despite the heat, the swarming traffic (shuttle bus service from parking lots), and the throngs of people, the show was amazing! I wasn’t sure whether they would allow umbrellas into the event (they did), so I didn’t take one – – instead, I brought a thin scarf I’d purchased in Europe to cover my head and neck to divert heat and avoid sunburn. I realized during a demonstration of a WW2 plane that the scarf I’d purchased in Germany…..had Berlin written all over it and had images of the Brandenburg Gate and made me look a bit like I was wearing a religious head covering to an air show, standing there next to my husband who’d grabbed the beat up Indiana Jones hat he wears out on the tractor.
I was wearing my darkest sunglasses and trying my best to prevent a bout of vertigo with the interplay of the heat, the light, and noise, and the disorienting focus of trying to keep my eyes focused on the show jets overhead, to the left, to the right, right side up and upside down.
We don’t get out much. We have now become the strange people we’ve always wondered about.
we stood all day in sweltering heat
at the Peachtree City airport
just to see the Thunderbirds
and what a show it was!
the roar of the jets
can’t be described
only felt
in your
soul
Common Threads 