The Clock is Ticking

Mmm...it's Tuesday again. I haven't done a "Ten Things Tuesday" post much this summer. (Okay, without looking at the archives, I'm betting twice, tops). So, here we go...because I'm sitting on a comfy bed, with a warmish dog beside me.

1. I'm thankful for the rain. As late as 9 p.m. last night, tropical storm Eduardo was slated to make land about 40 miles from my house. Well, my mom's house, where The WonderDog and I came to whole up for the duration of the rain. Instead, some time after I gave out and went to bed, it turned a bit and went in much farther up the coast. But we are getting some rain...which we needed.

2. I'm thankful I have a place to hide out in a storm. And I don't just mean those that sneak in from the Gulf. Any storm. We joke that my place is "home" but the house I grew up in is the "homestead." It's nice to know I've got the old family homestead run to when the going is gonna to get rough.

3. Parents that worry. It only took one recorded phone call from our esteemed mayor (who is concerned about me! He said so.) for my parents to call and offer a bed for me and The WonderDog. They just didn't want me to be stranded in my one bedroom across town if it should get bad.

4. I discovered this morning that my little darling dog has adopted my slightly twisted sense of humor. My dad had closed the guest room door after I fell asleep. In the dark, I can't see at all. I got up, and headed for the doorway, and ran into the door. I hear The WonderDog behind me snort. I hit the light switch and he's got this amused look on his face..I think he was laughing at me. Oh well, at least I know he gets me. *grin*

5. Penguins. I don't know why. I keep seeing pictures of penguins lately and I'm just kinda glad we have them around.

6. I've been eating tomatoes a bunch lately. Not raw tomatoes, it's a texture thing and I will NOT eat those. But I roasted a bunch last week and have used them on pizzas, on an egg over easy, on egg sandwiches, and just by themselves. yummy!

7. Lazy days. I've been off work for 2 weeks, this is my last week for the summer. It's been so nice to be able to sleep in, and then play around a bit, maybe spend the day in my pajamas and just relax. I really love days like that.

8. Friends that call out of the blue and validate my thoughts and concerns. I've not been certain lately about some decisions I've made, but they helped me affirm that I was in the right.

9. The Bible in 90 Days program. I'm on day 3. I know I said I was going to start last Friday, but I put it off until Sunday. I have more time to focus then on the video sessions. Right off the bat, Day 1, I "learned" something I don't think I'd ever realized before. When it says that people were "calling on the name of the Lord," it means they were proclaiming Him. Wow..I thought that was just another way to say they were petitioning the Lord--beginning to ask for things rather than just talking to Him.

10. I'm thankful for my Father's Word. I'm so blessed to be able to read and comprehend what He has given to us.

Those are the things on my mind this week. There are so many different things to be thankful for, obviously, but that's where I am right now--the mildly silly to the very serious.

If you want to check out other thankful thoughts, check out the list on Mrs. Brownstone's blog, "XBox Wife" this week.

So, like I said, I've been writing, even if it's not been here.

I've published a few things over at Associated Content. Here's my shameless plug.

Go...read my stuff....please?

The other day, I was reading Quotidian Grace's blog. I like to hear her take on Presbyterian news. And sometimes her dachshund Beatrice guest blogs. Too cute.

I found information about a Bible program I'm starting this evening (thanks to my postal carrier actually carrying the mail today--you have NO idea.). Check out the Bible in 90 Days site. I confess, I caved and bought the leader kit, right after sending an email to our Christian Ed convenor with the info.

I like the premise...in 12 pages a day, using the Bible the program was designed around, you read the Bible cover to cover in 90 days. There's also DVD sessions for each week, and a guide. I'm excited.

Like I said, I'll start this evening. I'll watch the first DVD session, read the first 12 pages, and maybe do the first week's questions. Okay, so if I don't get those done tonight, then I'll do them in the morning.

Like I said before, I've been a bit absent a bit. And I've laid out of doing some of the lists that I like to do--like RevGalBlogPals Friday Fives.

This week, they got red-flagged by Blogger as potential spam. That's all worked out, but not before there was a little franticness. So, Songbird ran with the idea of being locked or, or maybe locked in for the Friday Five.





1) How do you amuse yourself when road construction blocks your travel? I don't amuse myself. I'm not a patient person. At. All. (And yes I know patience is a virtue, I'm quite content to not be a virtuous woman if it's a requirement.) If I'm not feeling rushed when I come across it, and find myself having to sit, I'll usually grab the book in my purse and read for a few minutes.


2) Have you ever locked yourself out of your house? (And do you keep an extra key somewhere, just in case?) No, every place I've lived since leaving my parents' house has a deadbolt that has to be locked with a key from outside. And I'm terrified of losing my keys, so I always know where they are. But if I ever did, my parents have one (thankfully they live 10 minutes away) and I have one hidden safely away for emergencies.

I have locked myself out of the car before. Rather, The WonderDog locked me out. I'd dropped the keys on the car seat while I belted him in and didn't realize he'd mashed the remote and locked the doors. Agonizing 20 minutes in July with a 8 month old puppy wilting before my eyes. Smartly, since I'm a single girl, I gave my parents the spare key to the car for just such reasons.

3) Have you ever cleared a hurdle? (And if you haven't flown over a material hurdle, feel free to take this one metaphorically.) I did finish my masters degree, on my own, under my own steam and funding. Yes, I'm still paying for it, but I did it. As for physical hurdles, I don't do those. That looks like physical activity. *grin*

4) What's your approach to a mental block? I take a walk, I jog (I just don't do hurdles), I sleep, I pray. Not necessarily in that order. But I always get away from whatever's blocked or blocking me. I do the same thing when I write. I either put aside the piece I'm writing and try a different piece (genre even), or walk away completely, taking WonderDog with me.

5) Suggest a caption for the picture above; there will be a prize for the funniest answer!
"I want to see the world to sing, in perfect harmony..."

or

"It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A!"

If you'd like to see some other ideas, check out RevGalBlogPals.

Ugh..this is what happens when you give yourself a break from the things you normally do. You get behind...

My friend Sharon, over at Reservoir tagged me this week. So, I'm not totally behind, but still. I would normally have seen it IMMEDIATELY and responded almost as fast!

So, here goes...

The rules (because they all have rules)

1. Link to the person who tagged you. Done..did you see that link up there?
2. Post the rules on your blog. Ahem...notice?
3. Write 6 random things about yourself. Keep reading
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them. ...
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. ...
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. ...

Hmmmm....

• My favorite place in my house is my bed. I love to lay (lie?) in bed and read a book. With all the work I've done and money I've spent to make it perfect, it's almost the most expensive thing I own.
• I used to long-hand write everything, even my blog posts before I typed them in. But, the more I used my computer, I developed some arthritis in my hands. So, unless I'm willing to take something everyday, there's some mornings I get up and can't hold a pen, unless it's a really, really fat one.
• That's why I prefer to use those kindergarten pencils that are chubby. No, that's just the excuse I use now. I've always preferred those.
• I don't eat raw tomatoes. Ever. It's a texture thing. But I've recently learned to lurve roasted ones. By recent I mean "just this week."
• I don't know how to swim. I'd love to, but I don't.
• I love greasy food...just love it. I know it's horrible for me, as nasty medical conditions that are aggravated by poor diets run in my family, but I can't help it. It's almost like grease is a comfort food.

Anyway, there they are, 6 random facts about me. I don't have 6 people I can think to tag, that haven't done one like this in the recent months...so....I tag anyone who wanders by! Just leave me a comment so I know you played!