"I wish you were here"

    A year ago I got this message from Levi: "I wish you were here this week." It was his family's annual get-together, which means about 60 people cramming into three houses for days of laughter, conversation, food, and lots and lots of noise. But good times, nonetheless. Last year they had planned a paintball fight between the cousins (his nephews and nieces) but the girls backed out last minute, being sensible creatures. I was one of the friends that had convinced them to do it at all in the first place. Anyway, the incident stuck with me, and this past week, as his family got together again, I couldn't help but remember the message. 

I wish you were here this week, too, Levi. 


*Not all is glum and sad for us. We have our Hope, and we will see Levi again, no matter what.

Goodbye work, hello school!

Yesterday was my last day of working at the bakery. In some ways I was sad to leave, but in other ways I am excited and relieved to be moving on. I learned a lot there, from kitchen skills to people and communication skills. I am welcome there whenever I want to put a few hours in, or come Christmas when the order sheet gets to be very long. So perhaps I will work there a few more days this year.

For now, I have about 11 days of resuming home life before I commute to the nearby (nearby as in an hour away) college for PSEO classes again this fall. It's looking like I'll have 12 credits. If I do well again this year I may, possibly, hopefully, make it on the Dean's List. That's being awfully optimistic, though. I'll be taking speech, economics, academic writing, orchestra, and piano and harpsichord. All the classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and orchestra is for sure on Tuesdays. Lessons will vary. Tuesdays will be looooong days, no doubt. I'm going to be working at getting better at note-taking in class --- so Wednesday morning when I go to do homework I remember what actually happened in class. Any tips on note-taking?

I'll technically be a senior in high school, which is a funny feeling. Senior pictures and recitals and all that are on my mind. . .

Fruit flies be gone!

It's getting to be that time of year again... When it gets warm and the fruit flies are in your kitchen looking for food. We've always had clementines or apples or bananas out on the counter in a fruit bowl, and we've always tried those fruit fly traps, or the vinegar mixtures to catch them. But we found those weren't very successful. 😕

Well, we finally found something that works, and so I thought I would share it here. Take it or leave it. 

WASH your fruit! The bananas especially, we've found. No more fruit flies! 

I start work tomorrow so I might be absent for a bit as I get into my new routine! 

Teach Me, My God and King!

Teach Me, My God and King

Teach me, my God and King, 

in all things Thee to see,

and what I do in anything,

to do it as for Thee.

To scorn the senses' sway,

while still to Thee I tend;

in all I do be Thou the Way,

in all be Thou the End.

All may of Thee partake;

nothing so small can be,

but draws, when acted for Thy sake,

greatness and worth from Thee.

If done t'obey Thy laws,

e'en servile labors shine;

hallowed is toil, if this the cause,

the meanest work divine.

~George Herbert, 1633; recast by John Wesley, 1738

This is a new hymn to me, and I really love its honesty and simplicity. Have you heard it before? Our hymnal has it set to the tune Festal Song by William Henry Walter, 1894

Baking and de-stressing

I made gluten-free chocolate donuts yesterday, and right now I have cookies in the oven! There's something about baking that I really enjoy, and I usually find it relaxing --- something about the warmth, delicious smells, creating yumminess out of plain ingredients. 

The gluten-free donuts were okay --- the glaze for them is amazing, but the donut itself is more like a regular chocolate cake. It's not quite as dense as a donut should be and a little dry. I'm wondering if adding some sour cream to the batter would help with both of those. But otherwise they're quite enjoyable. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being horrible and 10 being the best) I'd give them a solid 8, I think. 

I am making the cookies (chocolate chip) partly for my Dad, who can tell when things are gluten-free and doesn't really enjoy them, and partly for the farrier who is coming later this week. I'll throw some of the cookies in the freezer to keep them fresh for him. And Dad will eat the rest 😉. Well, my sister and I will get some too. We'll need the chocolate to help our brains on the finals and the concert. 

What's your favorite kind of cookie or donut? 

P.S. Yes, I spell doughnut, donut. It just fits better.