Totally random and unrelated musings....
We watch HGTV and are particularly drawn to Fixer Upper. I'm equally impressed by Chip's construction skills and JoAnne's decorating prowess, and the combination of the two is usually stunning.
The other night we watched an episode that prompted me to ask Pam: "Of all the living rooms we've had over the years which one felt the best, the homiest, the most relaxing?"
She thought about it for awhile and eventually said, "I can relax pretty much anywhere," her way of saying they were all equal in that regard. (And if you saw how easily she falls asleep you know her self analysis is spot on.)
I can't say as I've felt any of the eight homes we've lived in over 45 years of marriage (not including two apartments or the motor home we lived in for 3 months) had a living room or primary space that was especially homey, a comfort space. I think the most like that was the parlor in our 100-year old house in Forest Grove, MI. The living room was stunning, and that smaller parlor adjacent to it, behind giant oak pocket doors, felt secluded and cozy.
I wish I had JoAnne's innate sense of creating a feeling through assembling the right furnishings and decorating elements.
Have you had a living space that felt especially inviting and peaceful?
Asante is worse. We've done everything everyone suggested, and his behavior is good, but he's still got a bad case of the scours and isn't gaining weight. I posted again to the forum and one of the moderators said she had the same problem with one of hers. The doe's milk replacer we're using is considered the best of those available, but she said one of her kids also couldn't tolerate it, but was fine once she switched to whole milk from the grocery store. So as I type this Pam's off to Ray's to bring home a gallon of whole milk so we can make the change gradually (all diet changes are supposed to be done gradually to avoid shock to their system).
When I read her suggestion it made me think back and realize that Asante did fine until we used up the 3 quarts of doe's milk Marta gave us and switched to this replacer.
Our sons now swear the spankings they got didn't hurt and that they only cried to convince us we'd had the desired effect. I don't believe that. It stung my hand when I did it that way, so it had to sting their butt, which is more sensitive.
I don't know if we'd do discipline differently if we had it to do over again, but I think we would in many respects. That said, any discipline has to hurt in some way or it's no deterrent for repeat infractions. So is Russia hurt by the President's response to their hacking? 'cause we sure want to deter them from anything like this in the future, and we also want to send a message to China or other countries (Israel?) inclined to the same behavior.
I went to my dr. this morning. Nothing wrong, but I needed some prescriptions renewed and referrals to the cardiologist and dermatologist, both of whom I'm overdue to see.
Dr. Robyn Gilbertson is young, good, and very nice. We met Robyn and Anders at the first church we attended after moving here. They moved to Eugene from Wisconsin about two weeks after we did, so we connected as the newbies in that small church, and ended up babysitting for their two little girls a couple of times. I realized it could get tricky to have a dr. I knew from another context, but a year ago it was mostly important to have a dr., so I took the risk. I'm glad I did.
We caught up a bit during my visit. We left that church 6 months ago and learned this morning they left about a month ago. She's friends with Pam on Facebook and asked if they could bring the girls to see the goats (yes!). And I got my referrals and Rx's.
I decided it's not awkward at all, and in fact I like having a dr. that's a sister in Christ. There's that extra level of connection. I'd rather have a good heathen dr. than a bad believer dr., but in this case I think I got the best of both dimensions.
It's been unusually cold here this season and the next week is supposed to be worse, with highs next week only in the 20's. We're going through firewood a LOT faster than we did last year, and I'm wondering if I'll be able to do my daily run in temps that low. I can layer, but my face will still freeze.
Like most people I find the year-end lists interesting; who died, major events, hit songs.... And 2016 was a big year in the events department.
I heard something today that made me think about what would go on my personal list of the year's biggies.
I'm blessed that no one in my family or extended family died. That's remarkable given the age of many of them and the tenuousness of life at any age. Teaching trips to Puerto Rico and Tanzania go high on the events list, as do trips to see family in AZ, WA, and MI. Losing so many of our fir trees and getting goats is pretty big, too.
Mostly, we've had a year remarkably free of trials (Peirasmos) and remarkably full of pleasantness and blessings.
T'ank you, Fadder.
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