Fall, Books, and Grandchildren

The first day of Fall came and went. It hasn't made a huge dent in the Kansas weather, although temperatures in the 80's are better than 90's. The winds finally blew in some rain, below an inch, which was very welcome. I drove home from my daughter's farm in a heavy shower Thursday night. I managed to keep moving without incident. I'm not as used to driving in the rain at night, but since we moved thirty miles from our daughter it's necessary sometimes.

I commemorated this Fall by going to one of my favorite places in Wichita, after a doctor appointment. I could spend hours at Bookaholic just browsing. They take books and give trade-credit, selling them for half off the original price, and giving half-credit for the marked-price of books I want. The prices may not be as good as our local resale bookstore, but the local store doesn't give credit for donations anymore.

I knew what I was looking for, the Holly Clegg cookbook that Cindy mentioned in her http://realpersonproductreviews.blogspot.com/ Her honest review and the facts she shared about the book sold me. I'll for sure continue looking for it because I didn't find it at Bookaholic.

I didn't come away empty-handed, however. I found a book by Emilie Barnes, Time Began in a Garden. It's similar to another one of her many books I have, If Teacups Could Talk. These are both coffee-table quality books, but I usually have them on the night stand by my bed or wherever I want to pick them up and read for inspiration and comfort.

I found another book I've been wanting to own: Life Recovery Bible. I didn't find the Bible, but the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. This will suffice because, If I have to, I can use the complete Life Recovery Bible from our Church Library. I usually hesitate adding another Bible to my already extensive collection, but the Topics indexed, the Relections and Insights at the end of each book, all tied to the Steps of Recovery, are what I've been looking for.

Lastly, I bought a book I think I or my daughter will enjoy in planning menus and cooking activities for the children, The Pampered Chef Kids in the Kitchen. I haven't invested in a lot of Pampered Chef products, but Amy has quite a few. It's a little awkward for me to read the recipes around all their listed bold-faced products, but the recipes are tempting enough to try. If I get tired of it, I'll pass it on to the grandkids when they read enough to use it.

Enough about books.

Yesterday, I went to spend the afternoon with Amy and the kids. She spent most of the afternoon resting and napping while I entertained the three cuties and picked up in the family room. I put some toys away that more often end up cluttering than being used purposefully for play. I hope they stay locked up in the cupboard so I don't have to go through the same aggravation next time I'm there.

While I was there, the 5-year old was struggling with a lose tooth. She wanted it out so she could enjoy eating an apple and roasting ears. But the fear of the process, be it pain or a few drops of blood, was scaring her. Both parents tried to talk her into giving up this useless little tooth, that was just hanging on by a thread, but had no luck.

Later, when she and younger brother were playing a game of "puppies," she suddenly exclaimed, "Derek, you knocked my tooth out." I thought, oh, oh, for Derek. But, no, Alana was delighted that he had accomplished what no one else could. Little brothers are alright sometimes. The tooth went into the fairy's pillow where I'm sure there will be a prize in return.

A couple of days earlier she lost her other front tooth. That means that there's a big gap in her smile. Daddy said that she should be singing that old song, "All I want for Christmas," which prompted Mommy to get out a Christmas CD. Alana practically had it memorized by the time I left. I know what I'll be singing the next time I visit.

I tried uploading cropped pictures from Picasa 3, but copying the pathway refers back to the uncropped photo.

About Being Offline

It's so great to be back online. I've spent the last couple of days catching up on my blogger friends. If I didn't have time to comment on each one I visited I'll try to do that the next time I stop by. You all are my online community and I've missed you.

What did I do the last three months I was offline? Luckily it was Spring and Summer which are always busy since our daughter married a farmer and is Mom to three lovely, active, children. I'll share some pictures below so you can get an idea of just how beautiful they are. Of course, I could be prejudiced since I'm their Nana!

Being offline was not as ugly as I had always imagined it might be. I wish I could say I started that book I've always threatened everyone I would write someday, telling our family secrets through imaginary characters or some other disguise. However, everyone is safe as not one sentence has been uttered on paper.

With all that time on my hands I wanted to get rid of the clutter and unnecessary stuff around our home to reach my goal of living the simple life of a minimalist. But, alas, much of it is still staring me in the face when I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night. I keep wondering where I found the time to write a blog, check on friends and family in Facebook, and do research on the internet.

I could have made a dent in some of the books I've been intending to read, but I kept checking more out from the library and buying one or two from the thrift shops. Now I have to decide if I'm ever really going to read my collection and, if not, whether they're just clutter too. How dare I call my books clutter! Every book feels like a close friend whether I've read it or not. I fall in love with the cover or the subject, or the artwork and pictures inside. I find it excruciatingly hard to part with these dear friends. I guess that makes me a hopeless bibliophile. There, maybe I've finally accepted it, even though I may get teased and upbraided for all my books--I won't name any one of my loved ones who might do that; or who, when I'm in a shopping mall with them will vigorously steer me away from the bookstore. If I have to choose, I'd rather buy a book than eat.

Quite a bit of the time I was offline, I enjoyed studying the Bible. Our church pastoral team has been giving a sermon series on Romans 8, my favorite chapter in the whole Bible. When I'm having a difficult time in my life Paul's message of Christ loving me and redeeming me from sin, and then giving me His Spirit to be my comforter is what I cling to for keeping my faith intact. "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (v. 26) And then that joyful 28th verse: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." God doesn't make junk (I borrowed that from somewhere), which is good to remember when I'm in the dumps. No matter how dirty and difficult life gets, I am right where God wants me to be. Looking back through the years, I can now see that He has made something good out of what happened. I'm so thankful to be reminded of God's incomparable love!

Enough dialogue for now. Here are those pictures I promised.

A couple of days in July, our daughter with her three came over to visit us and a friend of hers in Newton while husband and father went to St. Louis for a farm conference. It was hot enough to enjoy lots of water play.

Our oldest granddaughter, who will be in Kindergarten this year, came to spend a night with us. She came on Wednesday night and right away she said she was going to stay till Saturday. Those two and one-half days were some of the best Papa and I have had this summer. The first morning we ate breakfast at McDonalds. We stopped and bought fresh roasting ears from the Gaeddert Farm stand. But first we had to clean up our "messy driveway." Then we shucked the corn. I let her watch a movie she likes, "The Girl and the Fox." We went to the library and checked out several books to read and a triple rocker to share with brother and sis when she went home.

The next afternoon we went to the water park where our social butterfly had lots of fun with other children who also came to cool off. I know I need to write down more of the clever things she says, but they all come so fast and by then we've moved on to other things. We had to go back to the water park "one more time" on Saturday morning before I took her home.

The baby is trying to fill Daddy's shoes because she loves her daddy. Everytime the back door opens, no matter where she is, she yells, "Dada?"

Father's day we went to see our son and his girlfriend. Our son grilled the most delicious hamburgers and hotdogs. We brought the ice cream freezer and froze vanilla ice cream. Yum! They had just moved from their apartment to a roomy house.

Little brother has to wait his turn while Papa swings big sissy and little sis. It's hard being in the middle

Here is Little Miss Fancy Fanny chattering to whatever is out there.

Once upon a time there was a cute, furry bunny named Oreo. And then there wasn't. It's a sad story we won't go into right now.  Perhaps Old Earl, the farm dog, could offer a clue.  That's life on the farm.

Our lovely, sweet (most of the time) grandchildren.

If you get all three to sit still and smile at the same time, it's something of a miracle. It only happened with two-thirds of them this time. But you can see how they're all members of the same family. I wonder where they all got those blue eyes and blonde hair?

Me Too!

I love Cindy's (Letters from Midlife) Quote of the Day: (11-22-08)
"When I get a little money, I buy books. If any is left, I buy food and clothing." - Erasmus

If I have to choose between buying clothing or a book, buying a book wins almost everytime. Of course, I can go to one of the one-stop-buys-all shops, those that sell gently-used items, and get both. However, if the budget is tight I can always find clothing another time, while that one book, a rare find, may get snatched up before I return a month or two later. It's a no-brainer for this bibliophile.

I know I'm supposed to let at least one to two books go whenever I buy one, but what are the chances that's going to happen! I become attached. "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will set me free from this life that is dominated by...contradictions?" Romans 7:24-25 paraphrased from NLT & Msg.

Even though I want to simplify my life, free myself from stuff and nonsense, I'm a slave to my wants and desires. Between grandkids and the fact that I don't get everything done as expeditiously as I used to, when do I think I'm going to read or study all the books I have?