Posted in About Me

You'll have to excuse my bedroom. Currently, there are twenty-seven books in two slightly untidy stacks beside my bed and spilling out of wooden bedside book holder. Meg Cabot perches on top of a biography of Richard Sheridan's wife, Elizabeth Linley, while A Tree Grows in Brooklyn cuddles next to the Louise Rennison novels. Nearby sits a large plastic bag of sixteen paperbacks borrowed from my mother, all thrillers like Dean Koontz or Michael Crichton. On my desk are fourteen more books--Christian biographies, Lamplighter classics, and some Pride and Prejudice sequels-- begging to be read.

In the CD player is the book of Isaiah, almost finished, with Ezekiel next in line.  The Bible study book for Sunday school sits in its bag, waiting to be completed.  The desk, where working on devotional studies is pleasant, is currently stacked with miscellaneous piles of things waiting to be filed, returned to others, or just thrown away. 

Oh, I didn’t make the quilt on the bed. It’s from JC Penney's.  But I did make some of the other quilts in the house decorating the walls.  The half-pieced sawtooth star with flying geese border in Amish colors hanging in the laundry room closet is a five year project still undone, but maybe I’ll get to it this winter since I won’t be teaching AP Language and Composition online this year.

Stepping over the massive piles of laundry in the laundry room, we can walk into the kitchen (where there will more than likely be some homemade chocolate chip cookies unless I've eaten all of them--again!) and then into the living room.  "Oh, have you read this one? Are you studying the Vikings? This is a good book."  If you escape my house without a book or tape or a recommendation for one, I must be having an off day. 

The living room also contains the computer, my link to many friends and more.  Should I check my email or my blog?  Should I work on that talk or write that recommendation letter for the former student?   Should I just shut the whole thing down and go write a letter?

The drawers of my desk are bursting with all types of cards and stationery. One drawer of my desk is stuffed with letters from friends and family, all tied up in ribbons and labeled with the names of the senders.  "Dear Linda, Dear Corrine, Dear Andreana, Dear, Dear, Dear..." Also in my desk is a drawer full of journals dating back to 1983, those awkward days of junior high.   The current journal lies somewhat dusty in the bedside book holder, neglected more and more as the blog entries have become more frequent. 

Would you like to come and see my garden?  Yes, those tall ones are weeds, but they're kind of pretty, too, aren't they?  These are daisies, those are Sunrise Coreopsis, Moonbeam Coreopsis, gallardia,  lamb's ears, snapdragons, carnations, lupine, scabiosa, dianthus, rudbeckia, Cupid's Dart, oh, those?  Those are wild blackberries that I planted in the middle of the garden, and they're spreading. There's just something about being able to pick blackberries in your yard.  Those are Michael's giant pumpkins and my four tomato plants. No tomatoes or pumpkins yet, but we're hopeful!

Would you like to walk around the neighborhood with me? It's a very peaceful two-mile walk to make the loop.  Or, we could go swimming in the pool.  I just vacuumed it, a chore I enjoy.  Oh, it's starting to rain. Why don't I just make us some tea (sugar and milk, please) and we'll sit and talk.  So, what are you reading lately?