beyond birth order

Toward the end of the month at St. Paul's, my associate Matt and I sign birthday postcards that go out to members of the parish. He mentioned that as he went through the stack for September he was struck by how frequently family members shared the same birth month, or at least proximity. He noted that two of his own children had birthdays within a few weeks of their mother, and that within his extended family there were a number of blood-related kin who also shared birthdates within proximity of each other.

I got to thinking--my father and younger brother are both Februray babies, 11 days apart. My father and his mother are 8 days apart. My mother and her mother were both born in March, 20 days apart. Ken and his daughter are just over a week apart.

We speculated about genetic code. Does the survival of a person to reproductive age give a message to egg and sperm that now is a good time to launch? We have no data other than what was immediately available to us, and no scientific knowledge to back any theory that came to mind. But it sure got us to wondering!

What's the story in your familiy?

heaven has descended

Publix has arrived! This is probably news not worthy of sharing or reading for anyone still reading this blog, but for us this is monumental. We have been waiting for MONTHS for the store to open, and it did, at last, this week. We made our first visit today, and were thrilled with the offerings.

For me, better organic and healthy food choices, and overall, better quality of food (especially the avocados!). For Ken, better choices all around, and the deli section is top notch. We went with a list of three items, two of which we forget to procure, and nonetheless came home with a cart full of food and a steak for dinner.

In other news, I staffed the Pampered Chef booth at the county fair last night, enduring at least 100 degrees at the start, and enjoying a brief, 15 minute thunderstorm just as I arrived home at 10:30. I procured a few promising leads, but my show schedule for the next month is pretty solid, and I've got momentum following a good July and a good month this month. Now if only I could land a recruit! All in due time...

Can't think of what else has transpired because the days have been pretty full of work, and more work (good work, it should be noted, and enjoyable). Our drought and excessive heat (two weeks straight of 103-110 degreees) has led to brown trees and crunchy grass. The landscape almost looks like California without sprinkler systems.

I had a PC show this morning, and two more tomorrow and Monday night, so the next few days will be busy! I'm looking forward to the holiday weekend, even if it does mean preaching (I've had two Sundays of sharing the pulpit with others and it makes for a much more relaxing weekend). Will try to report anything worthy as I'm able.

Stay cool and dry, wherever you are!

h o t

It's all relative. The forecast for tomorrow proclaims that the high temperature for the day will be a full ten degrees cooler than it is right now. A cold front! Well, hardly. Tomorrow's high is set for 100, which means--yes, you guessed it--it is 110 degrees out right now. I have abandoned the plants. An hour of water with the soaking hose is good for about half a day, and our water bill, well, it is making the city happy, but making us poorer. My hydrangeas are the top priority and will continue to get a drink, but the rest are history.

Sigh. The combined summer-long drought and this lengthy heat spell have also doomed many of the trees. Leaves have turned brown and are beginning to drop. There will be no fall color to speak of, and I worry a bit about how some of our beloved trees will put forth buds for next year. Mother nature has been cruel thus far, with the late freeze that killed new growth, and now this unrelenting, beastly summer. How do I spell relief? W I N T E R!!!

variation on a list

Who...What...When...Where...?

1. Cellphone? - purse
2. Your Hair? - needing a cut
3. Work? - great
4. Something you long for? a pleasant summer day (mid 70's, breeze)
5. Summer flower? black-eyed susans
6. Your favorite thing? - birds
7. Your dream last night? - strange
8. Summer drink? - water outside, gin and tonic inside
9. Looking forward to? my next day off
10. The room you’re in? - office
11. Your shoes? - slippers
12. Pizza topping? - pepperoni, onions and black olives
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? - debt free
14. Who did you hang out with last weekend? - the sushi gang
15. What are you not good at? - being out in the heat
16. Muffin? - pumpkin
17. One of your wish list items? - a piece of land
18. Where you grew up? - Connecticut
19. Last thing you ate? - ginger-sesame seasoned almonds
20. What are you wearing? - sweats and a t
21. Recent accomplishment? - achieving my July Pampered Chef sales goal ($3000)
22. Your pet? - Dooley and Juliet (dogs)
23. Your computer? - Dell Inspiron laptop
24. Your life? - better and better
25. Your mood? - content
26. Missing? - friends
27. What are you thinking about right now? - the homily I have to give tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM
28. Your car? - Saturn VUE
29. Your kitchen? - crowded!
30. Your summer? - hot, hotter, hottest, and dry, drier, driest
31. Your favorite color? - depends on if I'm wearing it, or decorating with it
32. Last time you laughed? - a couple of hours ago
33. Last time you cried? - Sunday

the good husband

There are many things about my husband that are good, but there is one, simple thing he does almost every day that warrants heaps of praise: he makes my coffee. Six days out of the week he is up before I am, and when I get up in the morning on those days my coffee is made and I start my day with a sense of being cared for and pampered. I can pour my first cup and head to the computer, where in my preferred morning solitude I can check the news, review emails, and, if I'm early enough, post with my scrapping buddies on the Early Bird thread.

Monday evening I mentioned that on Tuesday I would be spending the day painting my office. This would be round three of that activity in an attempt to get the right color on the walls (a story in itself). Ken told me that he would be through with his plans by noon, and would come down and paint them for me. I looked at him, surprised. "Why?" I asked, knowing that he has a lot on his plate right now. "Because you're my wife," was his response.

Last night I bought him dinner as a thank you for painting the office (stay tuned for pictures once that place gets settled). I try to be the good wife, too.

synchronicity

There are times when you have to wonder what is up in the universe. For instance:

~At St. Paul's we were talking about using technology to view webcasts of programs of interest to the church, specifically the annual, three-day "Trinity Institute" program from Trinity Church, Wall Street. The next day we received an email about this winter's TI program.

~At the office some of the staff were looking at the recent Vera Bradley catalog, and I commented that when I had looked through it I concluded that it was time to indulge and break down and get one of her bags for myself. The next day in the mail a late birthday present arrived--a Vera Bradley tote bag (LOVE it!).

~My colleague and I have been talking about launching a "spirituality and the arts" group at the church, tapping the talent and energy of a multitude of parishioners here who are talented in both the visual and performing arts. We then receive a call from a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University, located a few blocks from us, looking for a place for their "Artist's Way" group to meet.

One of the great benefits of coming to work at St. Paul's is the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with others through regular and ongoing contact. That is something I have missed in the isolation of working form home (much as I enjoy other aspects of that life). Who knows what other synchronistic items will emerge as I have more time and connection with the people in this place?