The First Box is Out the Door

Here are the first of the woolies

going to Frida.

I spread everything out and then Don came in behind me and rolled everything for packing. He's a great packer. Legendary in fact. The man can load a C-130 transport and, in fact, has.

We have about half of what you see here in the first box. I'm bringing another box home from work tomorrow. The second box will go out on Thursday.

It's amazing how much you can get into one smallish box when you pack it right. Being somewhat cautious, I covered up our receiver's address however I can tell you that our receiving angel is a civilian worker with a Lithuanian army unit.

I've actually completed a few things

It occurred to me today that I made a list a while back of things to accomplish on a variety of fronts. Considering the amount of time some of this takes to complete, the details, the waiting, the savoring (in the case of the books), I've actually managed to complete a few things.

The most important two things on my list now is finishing the kitchen painting and reinventing my studio. When these get crossed through, it will be a very, very BIG DEAL day for me.

Mom work
Take money from F&M - Completed 1-7-07
$5K to WF, $25K to CD - Completed 1-7-07

Work work
HEADS - Completed 1-22-07
ESO2 - Completed for now 1-23-07
To Do items from 1-10-07 meeting - Completed
Room use/teacher schedule conflicts now resolved - 1-26-07

Take Time for
Read "There are No Accidents" - Completed
Read Rosebud - in progress
Read "Reading Lolita in Terhan" - In progress
Read "The Bookseller of Kabul" - Completed
Read "The Reluctant Tuscan" - Completed
Start a new blog on spiritual life - Completed 1-19-07

Places to go. Things to see.
The list is short but it speaks for itself. The list will grow but . . .
Go to San Juan Bautista. Francine is almost home. This may actually happen.
Go to Placerville to meet up with Vicci, Biene, Maryellen, and Lisa - Done Jan. 20th
See Lindsey Buckingham next Friday - didn't happen

Good Things Treasure Chest - Jan. 21-27

January 21st
It was a peaceful day

January 22nd
Back to work after three days off. Busy, winter retreat, home looks good. It was a peaceful evening.

January 23rd
I rediscovered Leonard Cohen today thanks to Daisy Lupin.The woolies for the children are pouring in.

January 24th
Today Judie at Little Art Room inspired me with her post to rename this weekly report. This isn't just a report, it is a place where I can place treasured memories, some great but most just small little bits of daily life that are too easily forgotten.

January 25th
I met with Fr. Silva today and began the next step in my spiritual journey.

January 26th
Today I have an address for Frida. Woolies go out on Monday.

January 27th
Spent the afternoon with Don shopping for new appliances. WhewHoo. Fridge, washer/dryer/dishwasher/oven. Amazing.

We also prepared the woolies for packing. Don typed up an inventory for the box. It looks like Tuesday will be the actual shipping date. Monday he goes to the post office to talk with my contact there, Larry, and determine the ideal box size considering the destination.

Surprises

I drove around the lake at school today for the first time in a couple of months. Physical plant is emptying it once again and the bird life is making do with much less water. This egret and its reflection was a nice surprise and I was lucky enough to catch a picture before he got nervous and flew away.



Later at home I found a surprise in the mail from Deb Lewis, a little random act of kindness in the form of a handmade CD case. She could not have known how needed this was considering the stacks of CDs I have a work tucked away in envelopes. This is so much nicer.

Thank you Deb for this lovely surprise

Hats for Kids - Update #2

Good news. I have just heard from Frida and have a contact person and address for the woolies. I plan to send the first box out on Monday. For those of you who will miss this mailing, not to worry, there will be a second box going out as well. I will post timelines on that one later. Diana, your gift card will be included in the next mailing along with a parcel I am expecting from Tennessee and additional items that will be arriving from some local friends next week but after Monday.

Our contact person is a civilian worker from Lithuania. Our effort continues to be a truly international and collaborative effort.

Blessings to all,
Annie

Hats for Kids Update

Children frozen out

Ghor is perhaps the province most affected by the worst Afghan winter for 15 years. Many people have died in temperatures as low as -30C. Some observers say thousands may have died, with children worst affected. Firewood is in short supply, and many have frozen to death.

Text by Tom Coghlan, pictures by Veronique de Viguerie

Just a quick note to all. The response to my request for wool goods for the kids of Ghor in Afghanistan has been wonderful. Several hats, gloves, scarves, and mittens have already been received. Frida wrote yesterday and indicated that she has an APO address for me to ship to; we are only needing a contact name at the APO end which hopefully I will have by tomorrow. Frida will be gone for a week after that.

I have learned a lot from this effort most important of which is the awareness that life in most other places does not move at our speed. Growing up as a Navy brat and then as a military wife, I learned early the meaning of hurry up and wait but waiting U.S. style is not the same as waiting, international and I am working in a war zone environment, style. So I continue to wait for the one critical piece of information. When that arrives, the woolies will go out - perhaps in two days or perhaps in two weeks.

Either way, I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have sent gift cards, funds, woolies, warm wishes and prayers. You are an amazing and generous group of women and I am proud to count all of you as friends. You have all very much enriched my life.

Happenings!!! Part Three

The Old is New

I couldn't finish off this fun afternoon without talking a bit about Placerville and the big place it has in my heart. Placerville is an old mining town in the California Gold Country. Over the past 25 years, Don and I, with the kids have gone up countless times always attached to a visit with Barbara and Jeff. Our kids have tramped through the woods exploring knot holes and tree nooks; built treehouses, played pirates, caught fireflies, camped, and explored mines. We've made the annual trek up to Apple Hill enjoying cider, fritters, and mile high pies.

I used to think that moving there would be just about perfect. But time and rising real estate costs, not to mention increasing numbers of people moving up from the valley, has made that idea all but impossible. So now as we approach retirement, we look farther north to other possibilities. Don wants the mountains. I want the ocean. Sounds like coastal Oregon to me but that will be saved for another story.

In the meantime, I enjoy showing off Placerville to Biene and Lisa - the antique shops, yarn store, old bookshops, art galleries, and all the places where coffee can be had. Biene explored the yarnshop in great detail; Lisa found a vintage pink apron that she could not live without. And me? For the first time in memory, I went home empty-handed but heart full of memories as my old favorite became new again as I watched my friends enjoying it all.

Placerville Tour

Happenings!!! Part Two

Girlfriend Chop Suey

Once Biene and I realized we were going to be more than two on the 20th, we started figuring out meeting points. B is on the mountain. I'm in the valley. Lisa is in the South Bay. The logical meeting point for all of us was the Wal-Mart parking lot on Hammer Lane in Stockton.

Hammer Lane is a major exit point on Hwy 99, north and south, so finding it would not be a problem. Well, not a problem if you don't have major construction making the exit all but invisible and it's only mid-morning and the sun is out. The last sign I saw was Hammer Lane, 3 1/4 miles. Good, I'm thinking. That's less than five minutes and traffic was light. So, six minutes later I'm wondering where Hammer Lane has disappeared to. Eight minutes later I'm exiting at Lodi and pulling into an AM/PM mini-mart. Short of police and taxi drivers, the perfect person to give directions in a tow truck driver and there he was. I had indeed passed Hammer Lane by five exits so with a big thank you and good-bye, I headed south. Hammer Lane construction was not nice but I negotiated the confusion and pulled into the parking lot. There was a Mini-Lube. Biene and Lisa could not be far away and then - There they were. I hopped out of the car, let the door hanging open, said "first things first" and was hauled into a big bear hug by Lisa. Oh my goodness, does that Lisa know how to give a hug.



Lisa is an adorable bundle of energy and verve. She is laughter come to life. After the predictable laughs and giggles, we transferred my stuff into Biene's car and off we went. I consider the first official laugh of the day post-greetings to be when Lisa told me she crimps her hair to get it to look like mine looks naturally and of course that was the day I flat-ironed my hair to calm it down thus taking on HER natural hair look. Confused? Well, we weren't. We totally GOT the whole girl thing about hair and I don't think we shut up the entire drive.

Speaking of the drive up, be sure to read Lisa's account of the, as she so delicately put it, directional navigation between Biene and I. I will defer to Lisa's observation of the true and honest account of events regarding that bit of wrangling. After all, she was Switzerland. Biene will have another story to tell, but don't believe her. Biene, I was NOT whining. LOL


And finally, there we were at our destination. Maryellen of the to die for short short hair was outside and greeted us. Few people can wear hair that short but Maryellen has it nailed. Great shape to the head. Great bone structure. Here she is with my Biene.

One of my most long time and dearest friends is Barbara who lives in Diamond Springs, a tiny town just above (literally) Placerville. We have known each other since 1981 when she had two toddlers in diapers and I had one. Her family eventually grew to four and I added one more. We have been through the entire range of family experience together - births, high school and college graduations, severe illness, weddings, the death of a child (her eldest at age 24), and the passing of our moms and the advent of grandchildren (hers). She is a rock; a quiet center of calm authority and good common sense. In a stormy world, she is the anchor you want at your back.

I felt totally strange about going up to Placerville and not seeing Barbara. In fact, it felt downright unnatural. After all, Krista was on her way up to visit her son Paul (son number three and her best buddy) but no Annie in sight. What's with that?? Barbara asked later. Anyway, out came the cell phone and low and behold, she could join us for lunch. Here she is with Vicci (on the right) I've known Vicci through a Yahoo group for a couple of years and we had met on a couple of other occasions, but now I was finally about to get Barb and Vicci together in the same place.


Vicci is the most productive and prolific person I think I know. She has an enormous heart and is the heart of her family. If anyone could be described as a warm hearth of comfort, it would be Vicci. She quietly sat at the table, the noisy cheerfulness washing over her and just soaked it up. She has a lot on her plate caring for her 91 year old dad and I'm sure the energy around that table charged her battery for the rest of the weekend at least.



We were there for food but it became, at least for me, almost an after-thought. I don't know about anyone else, but I was almost unaware of the food. I know I ate but the warmth, sharing, and girlie chop suey that was being served up might have filled us up without the food itself. Well, may not Lisa. She was starved. LOL.

And finally, too soon, our happy lunch came to an end. Maryellen and Vicci needed to leave so that left B, Barb, Lisa and I to explore the Main Street of Placerville. We gathered up our piles of gifts we exchanged (see Happenings Part Three) and headed out the door with promises of seeing each other again soon. The comfort of this afternoon was amazing. I related to these women as easily as if I had known them for 25 years. There was no shyness. We all seemed to fall into the natural expressions of our personalities from quietly observant to boisterous and lively. It was a delicious chop suey of friendship.

Happenings!!! Part One

So much is happening so fast. My head is spinning so I need to make a LIST to just get it all in order -

1. Pillows
2. Morphing Meetings
3. Girlfriend Chop Suey
4. The Old is New

Pillows
There is a fabric store in town called Rainbow Fabric. It is owned by a couple of Mexican ladies and the shop is filled with upholstering material, soft flannels, buttons and adornments, wedding/quinceanera supplies and more fabric flash than you can shake a stick at. In the flash section, they have a gorgeous selection of Asian prints. I'm not a sewer by any means though I do like to dabble with a needle and thread occasionally so it is a rare time that I get out of there empty-handed. There is always a 1/4 yard of some Asian pretty that I just have to have for some future something. Two years after purchasing this pretty red fabric, I used some of it to make mini pillows for Biene, Lisa, Maryellen, and Vicci.

Morphing Meetings

Biene and I plot and plan our get togethers with minute precision. She lives in the back of beyond up a mountain. I live in the valley. Our meeting ground is the university where I work and she is a grad student. We've known each other now for about five years.

We are in winter term now so Biene comes down the mountain much less frequently. We planned a get together day in Old Town Sacramento for the 20th and I asked if she liked the idea of inviting Maryellen to lunch since she lived in Sac as well. This was agreed upon and I fired off an email. The upshot of that inquiry was a day in Placerville and the evolution of a simple one on one meet-up that morphed to include Vicci, and our Oceandreamin' Lisa, and my dear friend Barbara who lives in Diamond Springs, just above (literally) Placerville. Anne and Biene Dayhad turned into Anne and Biene, and Lisa, and Maryellen, and Vicci, and Barbara. Whew.

End of Part One

Good Things Report - Week of January 14th

January 14th - Kind words from Jeanne that warmed my heart: I will never forget how you understood and embraced the book project... other people give lip service to 'Good Causes'... you are willing to actually DO something about them... you are one of the few people who actually Live their religious ideals... if everyone in the world were more like you, it would be a greatly improved planet for sure!!

January 15th - I'm met David for coffee this morning at Starbucks. We used to do this alot when mom was in the final stages of her illness but less so since then. Meeting him this morning for no other reason than we are important to each other is a Good Thing.

January 16th
I was at work yesterday and was relentlessly cold. Then I got home and continued to shiver and freeze, not to mention the nausea. No dinner to me, thank you very much. Don buried me under blanks and quilts and I laid down on the couch, my head in his lap. He takes such good care of me.

My first donation of hats arrived on my doorstep today. Thank you Kris.

January 17th
All better this morning. Well sort of anyway. Well enough to go to work.Work - The HEADS report is all but finished. This is a nightmarish report that I have to submit every year to our accrediting body. Parts of it go really fast, others are statistical and make my head swim. Tomorrow it goes in for review and then it's out of my hair. Yahoooooo.

January 18th
I got an address from Frida today. The goods will be on their way.
I started reading the most outstanding book - Asne Seierstad's The Bookseller of Kabul.

January 19th - Today I was given a spiritual advisor. I will meet with Fr. Silva a couple times a month for the next six months. Then he will be gone but I will be prepared for something else by then. Life is good.

January 20th - The meet-up at Placerville happened. I'll have our adventures and pictures posted tomorrow.

Making Progress

I didn't go to work today. What with two medical appointments (eyes and dental), it seemed all the running around back and forth just wasn't worth it. So I quilted together the pieces of a day that turned into a very satisfying picture.

9 a.m. - got my hair cut. Well that really means a trim and shaping it up since I'm letting it grow out. DH is very happy about this.

10:15 - eye exam - one year overdue. I definitely have had some changes in my vision but overall the health of my eyes are good. And the good, good news is that there is no evidence of the glaucoma that afflicted my mom. This has been in the back of my mind for a while.

Don, Kris and I met for lunch and heard about Kris' job interview. She is looking for another job, one that provides full time hours and benefits. She learned later that she didn't get the job. Not enough medical front office experience. All her work since graduation has been patient oriented. But she's not disappointed. She will simply keep looking.

I went to the post office to get information about shipping to Afghanistan. I was impressed by how manageable the amounts seems. Larry, the postal guy, also suggested networking into some of the local (read that California) non-profits that send barrels of goods. It's a thought I will bear in mind for the future depending on how this idea of Hats for Kids grows.

Next stop was the endodontist. For the uninitiated, this is a dental specialist for root canals. You see, I have this bad tooth so off I went for an evaluation. Can this tooth be saved? Sounds like an article for Red Book magazine doesn't it? LOL Anyway . . . no root canal for me. The tooth is too far gone. Next stop is the periodontist and gum treatment. If that doesn't work the final option is good-bye tooth and hello implant. This isn't as undesirable as you might imagine since DH has nine!!! of them. As you can see, I'm very familiar with implant technology. So, maybe . . .

On the way home I stopped by church and checked in with Fr. Silva. He arrived at All Saints two weeks ago and I knew immediately that this was the person I was looking for as spiritual advisor. This is something I've been thinking about for a long time and like so much recently, changes and opportunities have been finding me.

I knew that with mom's passing life would change in a big way. What one cannot anticipate are the how's of those changes. For me it has been an opening up of space within me. For five years mom was the focus. Every decision I made was predicated on how it would impact my mother. Now that space is open for so much more. Afghanistan's cry would have never been heard six months ago; I would not have recognized Fr. Silva and what he might give for my spiritual growth; I actually find myself eating better. So many unexpected and unanticipated doors are opening.

This day seems to have formed an emotional peak of sorts. Now I'm at a plateau and will be walking along for a while. I'm sure there will be a climb somewhere else along the road again.

One Deep Breath - Reflections

Good people surround
A splash of hope dashing forth
Warmth. Smiles. Laughter.

I've GOT an address

OMG!!! I am so happy. Frida has contacted me with an address for mailing the parcel(s) to Afghanistan. They will go to an international relief organization is Kabul and from there will be flown to Herat and into the arms of our wonder woman. I am SO!!! excited that I'm doing a happy dance at my desk. Thank you, thank you, thank you, God.

Turlock to Santa Nella and Back

I drove out to Santa Nella today to visit mom and dad for the first time since mom's interment last month. Our weather has been windy, rainy, and icy cold. We expected all three but were gifted with clear blue skies and no wind. The rain had backed off for a couple of days so even the mud was no more. The little gold leaf is something I found in my pocket. Of course, I forgot flowers. I'm not good about these sorts of details. If Don had been there, the flowers would have been there too.

On the way to Santa Nella, we passed a small herd of Brahman cows and calves. I've never seen baby Brahmans before and of course the camera was out of sight. We stopped on the way back but by this time most of the herd had relocated and the babies were in a far corner curled up on the ground. However there was one pretty lady by the road and she posed very nicely. I am impressed with how pretty the females are. They are very different from the Gurneys and Jerseys around here.

Years ago I had noticed this barn whenever we passed this way to Hwy. 5. I always promised myself I would find this barn again and take pictures. Well, the day finally arrived. The barn seemed much brighter than before. The farmer was out working and told me they had painted it a few years ago to brighten it up. I don't think I'm the first person to take pictures of his barn since he didn't seem very surprised to see me clicking away.

Linda and her son David and I arrived home and settled on lunch at Bistro 234. Bistro is one of those place the reeks of atmosphere, serves good food, and in the end always disappoints me. I'm not picky but for me it is all in the details. I don't like it when the bill comes and I'm surprised by extra and unexpected charges. I also don't like it when all I get is an apology and a gee I'm sorry you didn't understand. I!!!! didn't understand? Hard to understand when the details of the extras aren't explained and no one else at the table heard them either. I had told Linda that Don and I had been there a couple of times and I always left feeling vaguely disappointed considering the dent the place always leaves in my pocketbook. Well, after a two year break, I've been reminded again that there is a reason I don't go here very often.


But even aside from the Bistro disappointment, I had a memorable day. I had a happy day. Brahman babies, Pepsi barns, clear crisp weather. What more could a girl ask for??

Sunday Scribbles - I Have An Idea

This topic is such excellent timing and allows me to once again send out the message of a request for wool good to send to Afghanistan children. I got the idea after reading Frida's account of her visit to an orphanage in Ghor.

Another idea I had this week was to keep a daily account of at least one thing that made me happy each day. At the end of the week I'll post the Good Things Report. The idea is to remind myself of the good things that happen on a daily basis and not get caught up in negative thoughts.

Short and sweet this week but Big Ideas. I'll see what else the week brings and perhaps add to this.

Good Things #1

Please click here for my first weekly

Good Things Report.

Hats for Kids

I have become quite a fan of Frida and would like to send her a shipment of hats, scarves, and mittens for the children she serves in Afghanistan. If you can donate to this endeavor, please write me for my mailing address. I hope to gather up enough to get a box out to her while there is still much cold weather need. Also, please feel free to link this request to your blog so we can get the word out. Thanks, Annie

One Deep Breath - Subtle Change

A dim inner light

A boost of friendly support

Inner light blossoms

A Random Act of Goodness

Occasionally things happen in life that are so unexpected, so unsought, that when these events occur the surprise is overwhelming. Today was such a day. I arrived home from my second dental appointment in so many days and found the mail had already been brought in. Krista had come and gone. The mail rested on a box addressed to me.

OK, it's post Christmas; I don't swap hardly at all; and I had not ordered anything. The return city was Aurora, OR but the box came without a name or address. The gift inside was meant to be anonymous so I can only express here how incredibly happy and humbled I am to receive the beautiful manger that is pictured here and the heartfelt note that is signed "A Friend". I can't begin to express how deeply moved I am to receive this gift.

In past blogs I have written: " I was amazed by the wealth of friendship out there and discovered that friendship itself had been redefined". . . and . . . "We all send out ripples and for the most part we have absolutely no idea how our thoughts, words, or actions may effect someone in some future. It's almost a mystical experience to acknowledge that a word or action now could have consequences years from now." But to receive such tangible evidence that I have caused someone, though heavy-hearted, to smile, someone I don't even "know" in the traditional sense, almost moves me to tears.

So, dear FRIEND out there, I want you to know that this manger is more than a manger. It is a representation of Christ's message of Love and I intend to keep it up year 'round. I wish you endless blessings and lightness of heart in 2007 and beyond.

First Kiss

Fifteen and eager.
Fifteen and fearless

Fifteen and immortal.

On the beach bonfires burn
Music plays
Laughter
A meeting of strangers.

False names
A friend's urging
They're so cute

What's the harm?

Canyon dark
Unfamiliar sounds at my back
Fifteen and fearful
Fifteen and curious

Closed mouth
Awkward
Eyes opened, eyes closed

First kiss.

Good Things Report - Jan. 7th through 13th

January 6th
As I reflect on 2006 and think of what I would like to see happen in 2007, it occurred to me that I needed to keep in mind that there is always at least one good thing that happens for me everyday. I have been so weighed down by family responsibilities and work obligations that I lose track of the good things that are given to me. I don't want to overlook them and forget them this year. I don't want the good moments to be lost in the web of daily life. Often the bad things that happen are so upsetting that they live in our minds to plague us long after the fact. I would like to change that cycle and keep a list of the good things, the unexpected things, the unusual out of the norm things that I might do or experience. So with this introduction, tomorrow will be the beginning of my Good Things Report. Every single day will mention at least one good thing so that I can focus on the good rather than the bad, the sad, the frustrating.

January 7th
Mass this morning was really satisfying. We have not had a regular, assigned priest since early this past summer and will not have one until June. Fr. Mike was here for six months at the 9 a.m. Mass and now Fr. Robert Silva will be here through June. Both of these men would make excellent pastors and between the two of them, the priest who will finally be appointed here in June will have some big shoes to fill. Both Fr. Mike and Fr. Robert are excellent speakers, intelligent and articulate. They are warm and friendly and humorous. Sunday morning was not a disappointment at all.

January 8th
It's cold and crisp today. The smell of burning fireplaces fills the air. I love my Winter.

January 9th
I received an email today from one of my Amazon customers. The CD wasn't the one he was actually looking for but because the cover was the same, I had no way of distinguishing. As it was, he really liked the CD and we wrote back and forth a couple of times. I rarely get such excellent and thoughtful feedback. Instead of getting mad at me, he thanked me. Made me feel really good and he lucked out and received an unexpected CD that he is really enjoying.

Also, The unexpected gift of a manger from an anonymous friend. Click here for the story.

January 10th
Today was one of those screwy days. Not good, not bad, just . . . well . . . it just was. Some days are like that. However by the end of the day I had really gotten into the meat of Groeschel's There are no accidents. I'm loving this book. I borrowed it from a friend but I MUST buy a copy for myself to add to my library.

January 11th
I just learned that I will be meeting a blogging friend the end of February. I'm so excited. I'm keeping the name a secret until it happens.

Today has been a terrific day. I woke up feeling good. Have felt upbeat all day. Smiling like a goon. LOL. Don't you love it when days just inexplicably are wonderful days?

January 12th
I've been reading Benedict Groeschel's, There are No Accidents and the first part of the book is his interview with John Bishop in 2002. There are many things in the interview that are cautionary, illuminating and downright humorous. Most humorous to the point that it had me laughing out loud was when B mentioned a particular conversation with Mother Teresa (they were friends for 32 years). She was needling him about something and B noted that being needled by Mother Teresa was like being harpooned by Ahab.

January 13th
Today I go to visit my mom and dad together for the first time since her interment last month. I don't feel at all sad. I actually feel joyful because I know they are now together again.

I am grateful and happy for the initial outpouring of support for my wool goods collecting efforts for Frida in Afghanistan.

Building Blocks

I started my blog as a way to keep my memories and family stories for my children. It grew into a place where I could share my deepest feelings as my mother declined and then died. I was amazed by the wealth of friendship out there and discovered that friendship itself had been redefined. All the writing I wanted to do finally had an outlet and in the meantime my world was opened up as I met people in Afganistan, Turkey, and Africa. Their words and thoughts expanded my view of the world and this expanded view became another part of my ever-evolving blog. From family memories to broad world view, it has been quite a journey in a short period of time and I'm looking forward to more in 2007.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Things to do

I have to remind myself sometimes that this blog is not only a place for memories, poetry, photography, shared thoughts, etc. It is also a place where I can organize myself, write for myself, remind myself in a concrete way of what must be done to keep life moving forward. So, today will be an entry more for me than for anyone else to enjoy. Comment if you like but this is really just about trying to lasso in my chaotic thoughts and give it all some sort of order, a starting place, so to speak, an anchor.

Eight hours of my day are taken with work. I wake to thoughts of work and the necessities of work are very much in the midst of my Necessary Work. The weight of these necessities holds me back and much of it is just taking the time out to do it. But the weight of it holds me back. So, today I move forward and take care of two things - bank stuff and PERS.

Last night I threw away six things in the linen closet. I looked at this junk and thought "What was I thinking?" More tonight and every night until it is culled down to only that which I truly want. The rest somehow goes.

HEADS starts in a few minutes. I'll spend two hours on it today. ESO2 follows for two hours. Meeting list - two hours, Room use the remainder of the day. Work at it until all finished.

Necessary Work
Take money from F&M - Completed 1-7-07
$5K to WF, $25K to CD - Completed 1-7-07
Fill out final PERS paperwork -
call PERS for paperwork. Can't find originals. Bring mom's ss# to work tomorrow.
I called but have not received replacement paperwork yet as of 1-22-07
Clean out linen closet
Remove all old, never completed project and send to Good Will
HEADS - Completed 1-22-07
ESO2 - Completed for now 1-10-07
To Do items from yesterday's meeting - Completed
Room use and conflicts - Completed
Finish kitchen

I escape into light reading or crossword puzzles at night. There rarely seems to be the energy or desire or ability to focus on serious reading. Lord knows I have a stack of serious reading that I tackle from time to time but for me it seems to still be all about escape. Questions: What do I avoid by escaping? What would I achieve if I paid more attention to the serious reading?

Take Time for
Read Intro to Devote Life
Read There are No Accidents - Completed
Read Chesterton
Work on Smoke poem
Read Rosebud - in progress
Exercise
Read Reading Lolita in Terhan - In progress
Read The Bookseller of Kabul - Completed
Read The Reluctant Tuscan - Completed
Read Improv Wisdom by Patricia Madson

Places to go. Things to see. The list is short but it speaks for itself. The list will grow but . . .

Immediate Dreams
Go to San Juan Bautista
Go to Placerville to meet up with Vicci, Biene, Maryellen, and Lisa - Done Jan. 20th
See Lindsey Buckingham next Friday - didn't happen

Fog

Winter is the time when fog grips our area. When the fog arrives, our world remains in an overcast haze for weeks. Mornings are dangerous depending on the fog's density. These pictures are from yesterday around 7:30 a.m. This mornings's fog was even more dense. I drove away thinking I should change my route to work so I would cross traffic at lighted intersections. Of course, thoughts and actions often don't line up and today was no different, so this morning I was nearly hit by a car coming out of the fog. The driver had not turned on his headlights. Such a simple thing that could have had such terrible consequences. Tomorrow I will reroute myself.

One Deep Breath - New Year

Silent reflection.
What awaits outside my sight?
Energy. Hope. Life.