Beauty That Cannot Be Captured

Tonight I sat alone in the "family room". (How ironic is that???) Larry has been gone for the week and I've been here alone keeping the home fires burning--or something like that. I was supposed to be working this week, but, alas, not all that glitters is gold!

Last Friday I got a phone call that informed me that I would be "on-call" instead of at work, beginning Monday, August 11th, and the job would start "no later than Thursday". Immediately I suspected the job was not going to happen after all. Nonetheless, I have determinedly set my alarm eah night for 5:30 A.M. to be up and ready for work, ready to leave the house by 7:00, just in caae they should call and say, "We're ready for you to come in." I have waited ever so--no, not so patiently each day for the call to come, but no, it has not come. Today I finally called to check on it, only to have my suspicions confirmed--the temporary job has been cancelled--no need for extra help after all! (How do you spell what I felt?)

Let down
Disappointment
Relief
Sadness
Frustration
Gladness
Relief
Disappointment
Peace

Oh well.

Who cares?

Tonight I saw beauty in the skies--over and over, it just got better and better! I tried several times to capture it with my camera, but it just would not allow itself to be captured by camera lens. It was only available to the naked eye! It was mine alone to ogle and enjoy and marvel at!

Trust me--it was true beauty of God, for

Going Back to Work

Yea! I have a job!

It may only last three weeks, but I'll take whatever God gives me. I'll be working for Hollywood Entertainment. It's the same company that has the stores called Hollywood Video all over the country. My job is at the corporate offices, about half hour to 45 minute drive from home. The pay isn't great, and being only a short, temporary job isn't great, but I'm just so glad to be going back to work!

I start on Monday, August 11th, and will most likely work through the end of August. After that it's back to the drawing board unless they like me enough to find a way to keep me. I plan to knock their socks off!

Larry's "Unspectacular Quirks"

OK Here is a stab at my quirks:

1. I’m not a blogger. This is about as much as you will probably see me write. Since I don’t have a blog, this response has to be on my lovely wife’s.

2. I can effectively multitask - surf the net on the laptop, watch TV and say uh huh at the appropriate times.

3. GM is the only company that survived me working for them. (full list below) Every other company I have worked is no longer in business (and GM had a scare a few weeks ago with the stock dropping under $10). Sears almost counts, but it was bought out by Kmart to avoid closing a few years ago. Hopefully the state of Oregon will change my record.

4. I like gourmet cooking. Since my recent change in diet (and the extra time I had while unemployed) I have started checking out new recipes and doing a lot of the cooking (and grocery shopping).

5. I have always taken care of breakfast on Saturday morning. When the kids were home it was out to get doughnuts or pancakes with one “S” and “J” pancake initial on the plate.

6. I don’t need a lot of sleep. I quite often wake up before the alarm goes off, and turn it off before it rings. I could go to bed at midnight and get up at 5:30 without trouble. Not the same for Jeannie, which causes a need for compromise for bed time.

List of casualty companies in order:

*Hutto’s Mobile Gas Station
*Landscaping (with my dad while in school)
*Montgomery Ward
*Grinnell’s Music stores
*Pontiac Laundry
*Capitol Savings and Loan
The ones above closed after I left ( they couldn’t get along without me). The ones below have all closed while I was still working there.
*Cal Fed Bank
*Southern Pacific Funding
*Meritage Mortgage
*NetBank

Besides these, the Christian school that started a year before I started Kindergarten and closed 2 years after I graduated from high school. I like to believe they couldn’t get along without me.

A Day in the City

Welcome to
Portland!

I rode the MAX train (metro rail) into the city this morning to meet my husband for lunch. (He's been working in Portland all this week.)


After we had lunch down at the river front (oops--I forgot to take a picture there), and Larry went back to work, I spent the afternoon wandering around on my own.

I browsed the beautiful, downtown shopping mall (3-4 floors tall), finding nice little spots to stop and rest, and enjoy the bright sunlight flooding in through the domed glass ceiling in the atrium center of the mall.

During one of my rest stops, with shoes off and legs stretched out on a long wooden bench, I was enjoying a cell phone chat with my daughter in Montana. I noticed a mall security officer come by and pause to glance my way. He had a look on his face that told me he was unsettled about something he was seeing, and the object of his displeasure was obviously me. He kept looking from my face to my feet, motioning something that I figured must mean he didn't approve of me having my feet up on the bench. Strange. But, at least he was showing consideration for the fact that I was on the phone. It seemed that he didn't want to interrupt me, but he wasn't about to walk away either until he got this serious business taken care of. So, I paused my conversation with my daughter, to ask him what was wrong. Get this...he wasn't happy that I was barefoot! I quickly held up my shoes which were sitting right next to me, in plain sight, to show him that I was fully clothed and in my right mind. With that, he nodded his approval and moved on.

Then I hopped back on the MAX train and went to the library--a very charming, vintage building, that I've noticed, but never entered before. I slowly browsed the entire 3-4 floors of all that is kept in very large libraries, including exploring all the nooks and crannies that always intrigue me in these old buildings, while admiring all the beautiful, ornate woodwork that used to lavishly trim the insides of such buildings.

Then it was back onto the MAX train to head back over to Pioneer Courhouse Square. See the train in the top (far back) part of the picture?

This place is always full of activity. Throughout the work days, and during many weekends throughout the year, it is home to a variety of ethnic festivals and outdoor concerts--just a really fun, place to hang out in downtown Portland.
Here's the courthouse (Appeals Court) that gave its name to the "Square". I tried to go into the courthouse for a tour, but they had just closed when I entered the doors. I'll be sure to go back there someday.
Well, since the tour of the courthouse didn't work out, and I had extra time to kill, waiting for Larry to get off work, I just enjoyed some people-watching, soaking up some sunshine, while sipping on a tall glass of raspberry iced tea.
Oh, by the way, that guy with the umbrella, in the previous picture, is a life-sized statute depicting the "normal" weather around this part of the country--lots of rain! However, with nine months of rain, there's also beauty!

Oh--Larry just informed me that the building you see in the top left corner of this picture (the pretty glass building) is the building he has been working in this week.

Unspectacular Quirks

Okay, since I've been "tagged" to list my quirks (six, only six), I'll be a good sport and share my peculiar (yet unspectacular) traits.

First this: The Rules
1. Link the person(s) who tagged me
2. Mention the rules on my blog
3. Tell about six unspectacular quirks of mine
4. Tag six fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

My quirks:

1. It's not unusual for me to laugh (without intention) just as I am falling asleep. Often times, just as start to enter dream land, something seems very funny to me (in my half asleep state), and a laugh (out loud) just rolls out. When that happens, it wakes me up. The dream instantly disappears (without any memory of it), and then I can't help laughing at the fact that I just laughed out loud.

2. My husband chuckles over the fact that I prefer cleaning up the kitchen and taking out the trash, to going grocery shopping. So, he is happy to do the grocery shopping for me! I love it!

3. I evidently have somewhat contorted knee joints (like my daughter has contorted elbow joints). I find it very comfortable to sit with my legs extended and knees turned in toward each other, flat to the floor (or bed).
4. Although, I am frequently told I have beautiful hair color, my hair is still it's own natural color. It has never been artificially colored in any way, yet, at nearly 59 years of age, it barely shows any gray or white.

5. My baby toes have no toenails! (never did--never will, I guess) Actually, there is a tiny edge of a nail that occasionally grows out, just enough to feel, but it is so sharp, I keep it trimmed off.

6. I seem to fit in as easily in the high-polished, executive business world, as I do in the fun-loving, down-to-earth, country-bumpkin life. My life style must be ambidextrous!

Now, it's time for some other fellow bloggers to tell their "unspectacular quirks" -- I tag:

Cary, Debbie, Rebecca, Cindy, Pam

Oh dear, I can only come up with five names! Maybe I can get my husband to join in the fun, and put his quirks here on my blog. Okay, Larry--tag, you're it!

A Little Update

One more sleep alone till my honey comes home--about 24 more hours from right now, if all goes as scheduled. He has been in Palm Desert (California) all week, taking a class related to his new job.

His job is going well for him. They seem to really like him and respect his insight and expertise in the world of bank loans.

I continue to search and respond to job postings, but nothing has been offered to me yet. I've lost count of the number of resumes and applications I've sent out. There are mixed feelings about this situation: We need the added income, but it's been so nice to be at home during the times we've had company staying with us this summer.

Our house has been up for sale (by owner) for a couple of months now, but no serious interest has been shown yet. We plan to have one more open house this weekend, and then if there is still no interest shown, we will probably list it with a realtor.

Our Heavenly Father certainly knows our financial situation, yet has not shown us His remedy. Still, He continues to take care of our needs. He has always taken care of us before, and will continue to do so. We will continue to trust Him, no matter what it looks like.

Family Ties

Today was a good day! Got the house all back in order...laundry done, bed sheets changed, things put back where they belong, left-behind items packaged up to mail back to the owners, kitchen cleaned up, etc. Even got in a visit with a friend, and a phone call with my daughter.

However, the house is still a lonely, quiet place. One might expect that a quiet house after a week of company would be a welcome sanctuary, but...NO! I like it better when it has the noise and fun of the younger generation--namely, my daughter and grandchildren. I love them; I enjoy them, and I miss them when they're not around.

Maybe communal living would be a nice thing. Maybe families should stay in close proximity. Maybe this thing of stretching our wings and doing our own thing is not how it was meant to be. But, then, where would the line be drawn between families and extended families, and both sides of families that just keep growing with in-laws being added.

Oh, how I long for Heaven and home!

A B C' s

I am up late tonight; all alone. My husband is away on business. My houseful of company (family) for the last week is gone. The house is way too quiet. There is music playing (I got tired of the TV interupting my thoughts), but it's still way too quiet.

I am simply alone with my own thoughts, reminiscing the visit with my daughter and grandchildren over the last week--the sights and sounds of happiness during the last six days. Where did the time go?

Why do families end up living so far apart. Of course, there are good reasons why this happens, but those reasons do not comfort me when I miss them.

Silly me! I resorted to thinking through the alphabet--all of the family names, middle names etc., etc., etc. . . . I started writing them all out on this blog post and then realized how incredibly lengthy it was getting. So, I deleted all of it, although it was a fun little exercise!

I must be desperately lonely tonight! From such a noisy, busy household for six days, to a completely empty house! It's a good thing I have Jesus to talk to--"a Friend who sticks closer than a brother".

Moments to Remember

They left for home (Montana) this morning, but after six days of fun and many special moments, I'm sure the afterglow will remain for much longer than six days. It was a wonderful visit, and they will be muchly missed!

Enjoying the Visit

Arriving today . . .

Drum roll, please . . .


....
Please hurry, Sherry! I really need to see my grandchildren (and you too)!

Beach Party!

If "life's a beach", then it should be a beach party! And, what's a party without lots of people? Okay, that limited time offer has been extended -- all of my family and friends are invited!

Now we just need to figure out the details and the financing of it.

Life's a Beach!

(just dreaming)

Anyone want to run away with me?

..H A P P Y ...B I R T H D A Y ...U. S. A. !