Memento Mori

Following some sage advice from a krikketgirl, this mother decided to go ahead and start transitioning M to her crib in the other room. First step: portable crib at foot of our bed. This way she's by neither of our heads (specifically mine), but still handy to fetch when nom time cometh. Going to try this for a few nights and see if it helps us (and her) sleep better.

She's continued to be pretty good today, though around lunch time she was kind of fussbudgety and needed a lot of attention. She finally did go to sleep though.

I've had a pretty productive day: did a load of sheets and towels, sorted out her next size of clothes and made them easily available for when we need them (she's already growing out of some of her first sleepers!), made eggplant curry for lunch, washed the dishes, put away the laundry, took the dining room chairs back downstairs, ironed the sheet/pillowcases, finished all my e-mails that I needed to send...

In other words, I've been busy. It has felt good to be busy and not be overwhelmed with fatigue.

Donna is going to come by at some point tomorrow to watch Molly so we can "do whatever". I'm sure Dan will be working; I've been wanting to draw a picture of M though and haven't had a chance, so I think I'll do that while she's here.

I can't get enough of George Winston lately to suit me. I've been giving a lot of thought to what I want on my Labour Music Playlist and good ol' George is going to have a prominent place on there for sure. It's so soothing and yet full of energy. I'm not sure I want a lot of vocal stuff on it, because I'd like it to be something I can tune out easily if necessary, which isn't easy for me with vocals. Should see how much stuff we have that fits my preferences and find out how long a time it will last. Technically... I could always just turn on the Pandora station and let it go.

I have gluten steaks simmering on the stove. I am always shocked at how much they puff up. I made them tiny to begin with and they're like... huge now. And making my pot overflow onto the stove. Thanks, gluten steaks.

Since it's our turn to host Bible study tomorrow night, I thought I'd make pepper steaks to serve for supper for those who want to converge a bit early and eat first. Figured I'd get the steaks made today, since they are a slightly involved process in themselves, so I can not have to worry about that tomorrow when I'll be needing to make bread and soup and such for Sabbath. I also want to get the place dusted and vacuumed today, but we'll see how long my energy holds out.

Dan hasn't decided who he wants to have over after church exactly except Roger and Marla and the Guy Who Sits Next To Us at church whose name I don't know. I also suggested a couple people so we'll see who he ends up calling.

I'm watching the candles flickering here on the table. I don't know why I'm so obsessed with candles lately. I went for a LONG time without caring a bit whether I ever had any lit, and now that fall has hit it seems I want them on all the time. Our wedding candle is still here on the table. It's lasted this long... wondering if we can make it last to our second anniversary? :-) I'm not burning that one just now, though, just some smaller ones.

I suppose I'd better get off here. Steaks are almost done boiling.

Getting a tad of a headache. I'm staying inside to avoid contact with whatever is floating in the air disturbing my sinusi and sitting still to avoid getting too warm. It's 87 out now. Ew. I'm wanting something to eat and can't decide what. Popcorn may be in order.

Brain is foggy but it feels so nice to rest anyway. I don't like the summer heat but I like all the fun things we are planning to do in spite of it, including going camping with Katrina in a couple weeks. With Morningstar hot dogs! and marshmallows! and chocolate! (Dan was groaning, but said since I was So Excited about Morningstar Hot Dogs...........) Camp meetings will be in July and those are always nice although I'm sure we'll just go Sabbath and not other days. Life is good. I like being an Adventist. It is a lovely way of life... and it somehow manages to BE a way of life in spite of not having, say, an external rule book chained to one's ankle. It is pleasant and freeing rather than burdensome. I can definitely handle that. Which reminds me I started a post on something a while ago and never finished it. Someday.

Popcorn... Is it sad that I can consume an entire batch by myself? I think it may be. But I can and do.

Drowsy Jael needs to rouse self to go see what is causing that suspicious noise in the other room.

Well, my energy has returned today after recuperating all day yesterday from Sunday's exertions. I move that it was the cherry pie that cured me.

I even made French toast for breakfast. I learned that I must soak my bread longer in the egg stuff than when using store bread.

Anyway... I started a boy's jacket today because I cut one out the other day from one of the vintage patterns I got on eBay a while back. I'm using plaid flannel shirting in glorious Sperry and McGurk style... it won't be a super-warm coat, but a nice jacket for spring or fall methinks. Taking a break for the moment though as I always do when I get to the parts of sewing I really hate (facing collars and setting sleeves). I also cut out a pair of denim pants to go with the coat.

Kai called me last night and said Misty is having a tupperware party this evening to which nobody was coming and so I guess I'll be going to that tonight with her. Dan asked me if I was going to buy a bunch of stuff. Ih. I doubt it, unless something looks strikingly useful. Kai said it was weird because she hasn't been to a tupperware party since she was a child going with her mom. Ditto for me. I guess that means we're old now.

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And, because this is a true gem that I found on eattheolives's Facebook page and it made me giggle:

Mari has a message for the masses: AVOID SUPERFLUOUS QUOTATION MARKS! The world will be a nicer place. Never, never, never write "French" bread unless your bread is only masquerading as French. Nor should you write "Fresh" pizza unless your pizza is really four weeks old.

Methinks I need a similar statement on my profile, except it would be about inappropriate apostrophes. I saw someone's house this morning had a sign that said "The Tarrant's".

The Tarrant's what? Even if you MEANT it to be possessive, as in "So-and-so's House", the proper apostrophe placement for a home with multiple dwellers would be "Tarrants'". This gets my goat constantly because it is EVERYWHERE. I'm not sure whether this or improper use of quotation marks annoys me more.

I love my fuzzy beast who sits on my lap and makes noiseless mews at me.

I didn't have time to finish the post I made last night because Andrew said he was making food and we went over to help him eat it before doing Bible study. I discovered that I like Stash's acai berry tea a lot.

Anyway, one thing I was going to post about yesterday was Spot. He used to go beside the fridge, squeeze around the corner, and get behind the stove. Yesterday he had to face the unpleasant truth that he is no longer able to do that. I felt so bad for the poor baby. He must have tried like twenty times to make that corner, and every time he'd back out he'd look up and me and cry because he couldn't do it. I tried to explain to him that that was what happened when you grow up, but I am not sure he understood.

The other thing that I've been mulling over, and brought up to Dan yesterday, is the way CS Lewis has so many Adventist concepts, specifically concepts presented by Ellen White, down pat in his books. Existence of other worlds unfallen. Adam and Eve having been specifically warned, as Aslan warned the one boy whose name I don't remember, about the fact that they would be tempted before Satan showed up and got them to eat the fruit. The way Satan's mind works. Just to name a few.

Every book I've read so far of Lewis' seems to present some concept or other that would be familiar to anyone in the Adventist church who is at least a little familiar with Ellen White.

So my question is, was Lewis familiar with her writings, or did he come up with this stuff on his own?

Obviously, I'm not putting Lewis on the same... level, for lack of a better word... as Ellen White. He was not a prophet in the way she was. Still, that would not stop God from giving him some of the same ideas He revealed to her.

Lewis may not have always used the ideas to the best of their advantage, but the ideas are there nonetheless.

It's just really fascinating me, and Dan agreed once I started pointing out specific things that hit me that way, that God is God and truth is not limited to be revealed to just one person.

That being said, I'm really enjoying Perelandra.

I'm kind of feeling like backing out on having anyone over today. I'm just still really tired.