The novelty has definitely worn off

Last week, painting was pretty fun.  I was stiff and sore and dead tired at the end of every day, but it was pretty nice working outdoors.  I enjoyed it. 

Today I worked from 8 to 5:30 with about 45 minutes off at lunch time.  I was prepping one part of the house--scraping, washing, rinsing.  That took almost all morning!  It seemed like a 12 hour day.  I had to switch from the 6 foot to the 8 foot ladder and it seemed as though I must've climbed that ladder 500 times today!  I'd get it moved into position, climb up with my putty knife and heavy cleaning bucket only to discover I'd left the sponge below.  Back to the top of the ladder with the sponge and, oh. . .forgot to carry up the Simple Green.  Back down the ladder, grab the Simple Green, back up the ladder, reach out with the putty knife only to discover that I couldn't quite reach as far as I needed to. . .down the ladder again with all the supplies, reposition the ladder, carry it all up again. . .it seemed like that was just the pace of the day.

Some days are just like that.  Hopefully, tomorrow won't be one of those days!

Sunday Hymn: According to Thy Gracious Word

According to thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember thee.

Thy body, broken for my sake,
My bread from heav'n shall be;
Thy testamental cup I take,
And thus remember thee.

Gethsemane can I forget?
Or there thy conflict see,
Thine agony and bloody sweat,
And not remember thee?

When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
And rest on Calvary,
O Lamb of God, my Sacrifice,
And not remember thee?

Remember thee, and all thy pains,
And all thy love to me:
When thou shalt in thy Kingdom come,
Jesus, remember me.

Trinity Hymnal #360

This and That: Catching up--again

Wow!  It's been another whirlwind week!

Just a few 'notes to self' for posterity:

The garage is almost done, but a rainshower this afternoon sent Sam and me scurrying to lid up our paint cans and get everything put away before it poured.  The downpour didn't last long, but the sky is still threatening and it's Friday and I'm tired and I've got a wet load of laundry in the washer from yesterday or the day before and I haven't cooked a decent meal all week and I have to do the church bulletin so I'm done painting for today.  Actually, I'm done painting until Monday.  Tom and Sam will paint tomorrow while I clean the house and finish the laundry and do the church bulletin and generally catch up with my normal stuff.

Some of you have asked for pictures.  Here you go!

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the house color is a nice shade of chocolate milkshake, the first trim is brilliant white, the second trim is a nice, dark brown-gray woodsy color and the accent is a lovely wisteria.  The trim color that did not work was a soft off-white taupe that just didn't have enough contrast.  The new woodsy, mousy brown is very nice. I'll have to take pictures again on a sunny day because the colors look too gray for some reason. (also, you can see that one of the garage doors is not finished--yet, but hopefully, you can get an idea.)

Here you can see the painted garage and the unpainted house together for contrast.  It's quite a bit darker than what I had before.  I think it's going to be nice.

Do you remember when I transplanted all my daisies into their own bed last year?  As you can see, they've filled in nicely.  I've always thought that shasta daisies go well with white picket fences, don't you?

Poor Eve stumbled down the front steps yesterday and now has a sore foot.  She has taken to lying on the sidewalk in the sunshine, soaking up the sun.  I think it feels good to her old bones.  But when she finally gets up, she's stiff and sore.  I can totally relate!  Crawling up and down the ladder and stooping to paint the low spots--I can feel every one of my 53 years.  I keep thinking it's going to get easier, but  so far, I'm still stiff and sore at the end of every day of painting and I fall asleep by 8--unable to read more than a page or two.

Elliott was here for a few hours last night while Beth went to see Harry Potter.  He is such a little energizer bunny--he never stops!  Tired myself, I finally put him in the bathtub to play and play, he did!  It's such fun to watch a little one hiding his toys in a cup and pouring them out, over and over.  Tom came in the bathroom to see what was going on and Elliott chucked a toy at him.  We should never have laughed that first time because soon Tom was being pelted by dripping wet bath tub toys.  Elliott enjoyed it tremendously. (so did we--we're just not sure how much his mom and dad are going to enjoy it if he does it again tonight when he gets his bath at home).  Elliott is at a delightful age--he loves patty-cake and watches carefully when I sing the 'Itsy Bitsy Spider'.  I could see his little hands moving absent-mindedly as his eyes are memorizing the hand movements--not missing a thing.  Soon he'll be doing the motions with me.

Oh, speaking of Harry Potter!--I forgot to 'review' it here.  Oh, I loved it!!  I am puzzled by some of the choices they made with the plot lines, but all in all, I thought it was wonderful.  I can't wait to see it again when it comes out on video.  I continue to adore Alan Rickman's Snape--I think he is PERFECT, so I was surprised when Tom told me at breakfast yesterday that he had read an article that said Rickman had never yet read the books (nor had the actors who play Dumbledore and Voldemort.)

Well, I better get off the computer and get busy.  Have a nice weekend, everyone!

Quote of the Week: Kidner

God's patience is not placidity, any more than his fierce anger is loss of control, his laughter cruelty, or his pity sentimentality.  When his moment comes for judgment, in any given case, it will be by definition beyond appeasing or postponing. . .and there is no refuge from him, only in him.

Derek Kidner, Tyndale OT Commentaries, Psalm 2, pg 69,70

Guess What!?!

Elliott is going to be a big brother next year!

Woohoo!

Uh, oh. . .

About a half hour before it was time to clean up and come in for the day, it happened.  I spilled a can of paint--all down the front of me.  Thankfully, most of it hit me and the ladder and the drop cloth, but some of it splashed on the freshly painted garage. I was dripping with paint, and couldn't really walk too far without spreading the mess, so I called Sam on my cell phone and he helped me squirt down the side of the garage with water and get the most of it cleaned up.  What a mess!  The garage will need a bit of touching up, but other than that, it wasn't that bad, all things considered.

What is bad is that the trim color is totally unacceptable.  Can't use it.  Don't like it.  Not sure how I ever thought I would now that I see it.  So now I have two cans of custom mixed paint for which I will have to find a use.  Maybe I can use it in the basement or something. . .

So now I'm choosing a new trim color--again.  The good news is I LOVE the color of the house itself, as well as the accent color.

Tomorrow will be a day off from painting.  We've got errands to run in the morning and a movie to see in the afternoon.

This and That: Catching up

After many months of waiting, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is finally arriving at midnight tonight. It's been a long wait, but from reading the reviews that have been cropping up in newspapers all over the internet, it sounds like the wait will be worth it.

This morning I read a review in my daily visit to the Washington Times:

The best way to think about "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is not as the sixth film in the franchise but, rather, the first film in a new trilogy. The first five chapters were all prologue to what happens in this picture and its sequels, the two films Warner Bros. is making out of the seventh and final novel in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

I think that's the PERFECT way to think of it!  Sam and I are the Potter fans in this household, but we always take Tom along for the ride when the movies come out.  Other than the time I read Sorceror's Stone aloud to the car on a family trip, he's never read the books.  Sam and I insisted he read Half-Blood Prince before seeing the movie this time, so he's been reading it over the past week or so.  What a Dad. We'll be going to the matinee tomorrow afternoon.  I can't wait!

We're painting the house this summer.  Yesterday, I spent a solid 8 hours scraping and scrubbing and painting.  I felt every one of my 53 years when I came inside.  We ate at Wendys.  I could no more rustle up a meal as rustle a herd of cattle.  I did find plenty of energy to play several hours later, however, when Elliott came to visit!

I'm listening to a very entertaining book on tape while I paint:  The Thirteenth Tale.  This is the perfect book to listen to instead of read, since it tells the tale of a world famous author and story teller who is finally 'telling the truth' to her biographer.  I recommend you listen, too!

We had a whirlwind trip last weekend.  My niece got married in Toledo on Friday afternoon, so we packed up, took the dogs to the vet, drove around Chicago and across Indiana and into Ohio, got to the hotel with an hour to spare, quickly ironed shirts, changed clothes, fixed make-up and made it to the church on time.  It was a lovely wedding and a fun reception.  We got back to the hotel late but got up EARLY, jumped in the car and made it back to Chicagoland in time to pick up the dogs from the vet before they closed at noon.  Whew!  It was fast!

While Eve was at the vet, they discovered another one of her mouth tumors.  She had scratched it open (that's usually the way we discover them) and they had to immediately take her in and do a quick laser surgery to stop the bleeding.  She's got a few stitches that'll need to come out in a couple of weeks, but seems fine other than that.

I have not worked at my drawing board for weeks.  I haven't had any work for hire for a while (haven't been pursuing it since I knew I'd be working on the house this summer) but I usually at least find time to practice.  I miss it!

Well, I'm going to go get dressed in my painting clothes and get out the cans and brushes.  Hope you're enjoying your summer!  I'll pop back in tomorrow to take the HP countdown widget from my sidebar and let you know what I thought of HP and the H-BP.

Sunday Hymn: Christ, of All My Hopes the Ground

CHRIST, OF ALL MY HOPES THE GROUND

Christ, of all my hopes the ground,
Christ, the spring of all my joy,
Still in thee may I be found,
Still for thee my pow'rs employ.

Let thy love my heart inflame;
Keep thy fear before my sight;
Be thy praise my highest aim;
Be thy smile my chief delight.

Fountain of o'erflowing grace,
Freely from thy fullness give;
Till I close my earthly race,
May I prove it "Christ to live."

Firmly trusting in thy blood,
Nothing shall my heart confound;
Safely I shall pass the flood,
Safely reach Immanuel's ground.

Thus, O thus, an entrance give
To the land of cloudless sky;
Having known it "Christ to live,"
Let me know it "gain to die."

Trinity Hymnal #437

Paul's Advice for Troubled Times

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

The Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,

1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

What a comfort scripture is! It is so easy to become worried and fearful every time the newspaper is opened or the news is on, but how good it is to retreat into God's Word to gain comfort and perspective!

. . . but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Happy 500th Birthday, John Calvin

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

We must be faithful, and stand fast in our liberty; we must follow the rule which is given us in the Word of God, and not suffer our souls to be brought into slavery by new laws, forged by men. For it is a hellish tyranny, which lesseneth God’s authority and mixeth the truth of the gospel with figures of the law; and perverteth and corrupteth the true service of God, which ought to be spiritual. Therefore, let us consider how precious a privilege it is to give thanks to God with quietness of conscience, being assured it is His will and pleasure that we should enjoy His blessings: and that we may do so, let us not entangle ourselves with the superstitions of men, but be content with what is contained in the pure simplicity of the gospel.

John Calvin, The Word our Only Rule

Recipe: Sourdough Bagels

I had to use my sourdough starter this morning, but I didn't want to bake bread; I wanted to try something new. I googled until I found a recipe for Sourdough Bagels. They were fun to make and very tasty! Here's the recipe with a few adjustments.

1 cup sourdough starter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

Combine all ingredients and knead until smooth. Let rise until
doubled in bulk, about two hours. Divide into eight portions, and shape.

Place on a floured surface and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Boil the bagels 3 minutes on each side. (as many as you can fit into the pot without crowding--I did four at a time)

Drain and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in center of oven at 435 about 10 minutes, flip and bake on other side for 10 minutes more.  Turn off oven and leave the bagels in the oven as it cools--about 10 minutes.

As you can see, I didn't take time to learn how to properly shape a bagel until AFTER I made them.  All I can say is, they taste better than they look!

These are easy and fun.  Next time, maybe mine will even look like bagels!

Rockabye 'Birdy' on the Tree Top

I've been watching another Robin's nest--this time in the crabapple tree outside my kitchen window.  The nest is more hidden, so mostly what I've seen is the mother in and out with food.  Every once in a while I got a glimpse of a beak or two.  I have no idea how many fledglings are in the nest.

Evidence directly under the tree this morning signaled to me that if I wanted to get some pictures of this  nest, I'd better do it quickly before the babies fly away!

As you can see, the nest is out near the end of the branch.  These little birdies were constantly rocked in their nest as the branch swayed in the wind.  I was worried several windy days, but Mama Robin stayed with the nest on the windy, stormy days.

Here you can see one perky little head peeking out of the nest.  Tomorrow or the next day, the nest will be empty.  I always feel a little sad when the nest is abandoned--its purpose fulfilled. 

We also have an English sparrow nesting in one of our birdhouses on the side of the garage.  I see the Papa sitting on top of the bird house or the garage roof from time to time and I can hear the peeps, but I haven't seen them yet.  Honestly, I hope they grow up and fly away soon because we're painting the house and garage and the bird house will get a coordinating coat of paint as soon as the coast is clear.

Quote of the Week: J. I. Packer

Christianity is the true worship and service of the true God, humankind’s Creator and Redeemer. It is a religion that rests on revelation: nobody would know the truth about God, or be able to relate to him in a personal way, had not God first acted to make himself known. But God has so acted, and the sixty-six books of the Bible, thirty-nine written before Christ came and twenty-seven after, are together the record, interpretation, expression, and embodiment of his self-disclosure. God and godliness are the Bible’s uniting themes.

J. I. Packer, Concise Theology

Sunday Hymn: Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Languid

ART THOU WEARY, ARTY THOU LANGUID

Art thou weary, art thou languid,
Art thou sore distress'd?
"Come to me," saith One, "and, coming,
Be at rest."

Hath he marks to lead me to him,
If he be my Guide?
"In his feet and hands are wound-prints,
And his side."

Is there diadem, as Monarch,
That his brow adorns?
"Yea, a crown, in very surety,
But of thorns."

If I find him, if I follow,
What his guerdon here?
"Many a sorrow, many a labor,
Many a tear."

If I still hold closely to him,
What hath he at last?
"Sorrow vanquished, labor ended,
Jordan passed."

If I ask him to receive me,
Will he say me nay?
"Not till earth and not till heaven
Pass away."

Finding, following, keeping, struggling,
Is he sure to bless?
"Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs
Answer, 'Yes.'"

Trinity Hymnal #389

Vote for Your Favorite

Two of my favorite comedy clips of all time. Leave a note for me in the comments and tell me which one you like best!

I can see for miles and miles. . .

Not content with having the tallest building in America, the owners of Sears Tower in Chicago have installed four glass box viewing platforms which stick out of the building 103 floors up.

The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's Skydeck.

Check out the photos at the link.  It's really remarkable.  The photos are particularly spectacular. 

I'll be traveling downtown in a few weeks, but you can rest assured, you won't find me out on that crystal ledge. . .

What about you?  Would YOU step out onto that platform?

Happy Fourth!

A secret revealed. . .

For more than 200 years, buried deep within Thomas Jefferson's correspondence and papers, there lay a mysterious cipher -- a coded message that appears to have remained unsolved. Until now.

The cryptic message was sent to President Jefferson in December 1801 by his friend and frequent correspondent, Robert Patterson, a mathematics professor at the University of Pennsylvania. President Jefferson and Mr. Patterson were both officials at the American Philosophical Society -- a group that promoted scholarly research in the sciences and humanities -- and were enthusiasts of ciphers and other codes, regularly exchanging letters about them.

Read all about it. . .

Fascinating!

Atta Girl, Helen!

Helen Thomas

Recipe: Sourdough White Bread

I tried a new Sourdough Bread Recipe today. Mmmm. As you can tell, there are several pieces missing already. Wish you could smell this bread baking. . .

5 cups unbleached flour

3 tablespoons white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sourdough starter

Egg Wash:

1 extra large egg

1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Warm milk in microwave, about 45 seconds. Add milk and butter. Stir in starter. Gradually mix in rest of flour. (You may need a little more.)

Knead on a floured surface 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, flip to oil top of dough, and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place in buttered loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled (about 1 hour.)

Brush with egg wash or butter

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Top should be brown and make a hollow sound when tapped.