the impending solstice

alskdf;alskdfa sd;flkasjd;flkas dfkalsjd;flkajs ;lk ;lk j ;aksljdf;alskdjf lksldfkj lskdjf sdlfkjsldkfja;lkj;lsdkf jlksdjf lkj sdlkfjlk jlkj ;kl a;laks;dlkf; lksl;dkjflkdjsfl kjalk jlsdk;flk ;kfldsjlfkj lskdf jsldk lsdkf jsldkf jsldkfjlsaksjdflaksdlfk jlaksjdfl kjsalkdfj sd;lkfj lkjsd lskdjf lkdsjflk j;lskj ;alksj;laksdjf;lsdkfjlksdjf ;lkj l kj l;kjsd;flkjlfkj lkfj kj fkj fkj fkjlsdf;alskdjf;asldkfj lkasjd flksdjflka;a;lskalkaslals;aslal;slkjaskdj sdkjskdl sdlkls dlks dlskd;aklskdjflksdj flksjdlfk;alk sdlkfj sdl;k;lk jlkjs dlkj s;dlkfj sl;dkjf ;lkj ;alks;dlfka sd sdlfk j sdlkf lkdfj jlkj ;lkjsdlfkj lkjsd flk jlksjdlfk ;lk j;lk asdkfjlksdjf alkjsdlkj lkj sdf

worthwhile ramblings

Worthwhile is cutting up your grapefruit in its own bowl rind, preparations laid for the eating experience, vesicles severed for the efficiency of feasting on the delectable fruit.  And oh, reader, isn't it so with our life's undertakings?  That what we do is worthwhile, when it takes time, when it lays preparations for the big event, when it makes the next thing all the easier?

We're working on this house, see, and it is coming together.  The interior, is, perhaps, half done, depending on how much the remaining half drags out.  It also depends on how much time I spend on making things like bed frames and stairwell rail gates, and so on, instead of doing only the necessary items.  I know the "mud room" is going to take some attention.  It will be our last room--an added 'office' or 'sun room' which "opens up our house to the wildlife preserve of the backyard".  We will add a door to make it more functional as a porch and back entrance, and we have yet to see what we will do with the windows.  I'm thinking we'll get some monsters from our local Restore and totally reframe that wall.  We'll see.  That is the part of the house that has suffered most from deferred maintenance and some storm/roof damage.

The living room, where I am sitting now, will also take some work.  it seems like these walls have a quarter inch of texturing on them.  It looks pretty bad, and sloppy, and I am not all about making it look absolutely gorgeous, but it needs some serious attention.

I am pleased that the parents are coming in in a week.  Really, they are coming to see their new granddaughter.  But since that only takes a few moments, I get to rope them into doing a lot of work.  I'm looking forward to getting these living room walls painted.

I read this China Study book, and I am surprised to find myself mostly convinced that my animal-based diet days are mostly behind me.  A number of factors have pointed me in this direction over the years, and I have the feeling that I'll get more serious about it.  We'll see.  But the main points for my personal choice are these:

Health.  What's good for the bowel is good for the body.
Peace.  No more death to animals on my behalf, or contributing to big business animal production.
Simplicity.  It is cheap, which I like, to not buy meat or eat out, and it ties one to nature to eat like a tree elf.
And now, again, Health.  It turns out that animal protein seems to be associated with the major diseases of affluence (heart disease, cancer, ...), so why do we consume so much of it?

This list wouldn't be complete if I left off that it is cool to eat whole foods, plant-based veganish, and so of course, that's really why I am doing it.

Unfortunately, I have a spouse to convince that it is cool to eat a whole foods, plant-based veganish diet, or I'm not going to have much luck with this new lifestyle.  We'll see how that goes.

It turns out I've written much more than I expected.  Bonnie, the spouse, is done with a curtain so now it's time to call it a day.

Thank you for reading.

tomorrow's "to do" list

We are getting more and more excited about the impending arrival of family to these southern parts.  The last few days it's been rain by the bucketfuls, and now we're looking forward to family members arriving by the twos or so.

Tomorrow on my list of things to do:  

Paint baby room trim

Finish the bathroom.

  sublist:  shower fixtures, pedestal sink, towel hangers, hang cabinet, hang mirror, beginning to install light/fan is optional), 

Help Bonnie load things around 10.

We will go to Cliff's house to work on his laundry/storage room and maybe other various things.

I will go get a paycheck between 9 and 3.

Finish the stairwell rail

   sublist:  glue remaining joints, bevel top edges, sand smooth, schedule staining and finishing

Install mini shelves

Check out a possible tree job at Evan's

Go work on remaining trusses or

Taizé service at 6:00

coat #2 on baby room trim, touch-ups

May your Advent season be pleasant in all the right ways.

Christmas Spirit and miscellaneous updates

I admit: I wanted to get a Christmas tree today. Yessir, I feel the old Christmas spirit, sure enough. But I think we'll settle for some free pine cuttings. We did hang up some lights, and the boys' newly finished room is looking festive enough. We even set up the stereo to play Christmas music while the boys drift off to dreams of sugarplums and ginger cookies.

But this is not the northern Christmas of sleigh rides to Grandmother's house, or even coats and mittens. I need to mow the lawn.

I went fishing Friday, and enjoyed a good day with Jeffery catching a haul for dinner and more, with various fish biting all day long.

I have one week to read book of The China Study before it is due. I found it today--it had been lost for a while in our heap of displaced things, things being moved from room to room while we renovate the house we're living in.

President Obama eased my nerves today about sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Bonnie looks exactly like usual, except for the half globe protruding from her front like she's trying to sneak around a bowling ball under there.

We made Advent wreaths the other day. Ours turned out pretty well but it didn't last too long. I mean, it still exists, but Isaac took the first opportunity to drag it through the house by the candles. It lost a little splendor on that one.

We seriously need to get in gear with collecting our memories and making some photo albums of some sort. Well, there's a ton of stuff that needs doing, isn't there.

Probably the best story to report is of going to the urgent care clinic the day before Thanksgiving to get a tetanus booster and some stitches. I cut my wrist because I just couldn't take it any more. Just kidding, of course. I cut my wrist because I was using a bad nail-puller. It pulled through over the one finish nail head, and my wrist went onto the next finish nail head. the nail head punctured my skin, but the inertia of my wrist also meant that the nail head was to pull through about an inch of my skin before the wound delivery was over. Luckily, I avoided great injury, but it was in a bad place to heal on its own, and the three stitches have helped it heal nicely.

Health is a good thing. Thankfully Great Granny "New Knee" Carson is healing well. We look forward to seeing her in the Spring. As for the Idaho Becker family, I guess we'll see you in a few weeks!