Happy Easter!
Tulips at home on the sun porch – morning light
Have to pull out the fancy socks for holidays, you know.
Almost Easter
I was going to wait and post this picture on Easter, because it partly speaks of Easter to me. You see, it has a lot of the right elements.
Water
Green
A glowing white flower
Life, birth
White in the midst of dark.
Hope & promise in the midst of despair
Spiritually, it feels right.
But emotionally, it doesn’t quite fit. Overall, it feels too dark, and not celebratory enough.
Therefore, I’m posting it today, in this in-between day.
My feelings about today may or may not be in line with how the church (universal) would like me to interpret the significance of today. But one of the great things about Christianity in the United Church of Christ is getting to interpret the bible in my own way and not being told how to think or feel about it (and not needing to worry about if my thoughts are ‘in line’ or ‘out of line’ with someone else’s interpretation of the bible).
In trying to interpret what today may mean, I have been thinking about the first Christians, the disciples, and I’ve been trying to imagine how they might have felt. I imagine that having just seen Jesus crucified, they were likely in mourning and were terrified that they might be next.
However, I cannot identify with those feelings. Since I know the resurrection is around the bend, I always feel like this in-between day is not as sad as Maundy Thursday and not as celebratory as Easter. Thus, it never feels quite like a true day of mourning to me. It feels, well, in-between.
I hope this makes sense. I know a fair number of my friends (and some family) are not Christian, so hopefully, you know enough of the story to understand what I’m trying to say.
Sometimes, more than others, I struggle between writing and photography to simply document my own thoughts and feelings and writing as a way to have a conversation with you.
(Note: I took this pic with a Sony Cyber-shot and did not photoshop it at all.)
Self-portrait Day – at work
pic taken with self-timer
I heard, through the grapevine, that today’s Self-Portrait Day theme was to take a picture of yourself at work.
Well, I was originally not going to do the photo, until Ladybug’s post reminded me of my daily breakfast (at work) of CHEERIOS.
YUM.
So, now you can envision me every weekday morning while I’m sitting at my computer, eating my cheerios and drinking my tea (white cup) and water (green cup).
—————-
On the subject of work, Ladybug and La Pixiatrix asked me about how my job stuff turned out (via email), which reminded me that I never posted anything more about it all.
To make a long story short. I had an initial gut feeling about how one of the positions seemed to fit my interests better than the other. I took a week to contemplate it and discuss it with a few people (family & friends). Every time I vocalized my rationale for leaning toward one over the other, I would feel more confident about my decision of choosing that one over the other.
In the end, that is the one I chose. I accepted the position last Monday (in the midst of the new blog design and the shout-outs by Zoot, Ladybug, and Honestyrain, which is why it got lost in the shuffle a little bit). I am very excited about the work I’ll be doing and am particularly pleased with A) the collaborative environment that they’ve established and B) their willingness to support me as I develop an independent line of work. I also really clicked with the woman who will be my boss, which is a nice bonus.
I feel pretty good that at least one (major) aspect of my future is settled.
Books – tag
I was tagged by Ladybug (who was tagged by Susie, who was tagged by Bucky Four-Eyes.
1. What book would I like to be?
Heck if I know. I looked around Amazon for a book focusing on life balance, tea, and chocolate, but you know, it just doesn’t appear to exist. The life balance ones look far too kooky.
I did find one called “Tea and Chocolates” and one called “Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Brain”. Those will have to suffice. I can be a brain (be brainy) and have my tea and chocolate too.
2.Have I ever had a crush on a fictional character?
I think one of my first loves was The Man In Black (i.e. Westley) in The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
How can you resist the wry humor of a strong, male romantic lead in a book/movie with this on the back?
(note how the Girlie is inching her way into the photo)
3.What is the last book I bought?
Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie
It wasn’t quite as good as Faking It or Welcome to Temptation, but a good read.
4. What is the last book I read?
Same as 3 above; I tend to read them as fast as I buy them.
5.What am I currently reading?
The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland. I haven’t gotten very far in it yet, so I’ll have to post something about it when I finish. It is a historical novel about Emily Carr, who was an artist (painter).
6. What 5 books would I take with me if I were stranded on an island?
I have decided to treat this question as, which books am I willing to read over and over again (and have read over and over again), and not which books would actually help me survive on a deserted island.
1. Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati. I’ve gotten a number of friends hooked on her books. If you like movies like The Patriot or The Last of the Mohicans, you’ll love this story. If you like reading Diana Gabaldon’s books and wish someone else wrote as well as Gabaldon, well, you can find her equal in Sara Donati. This book has humor, history, romance, drama, excellent characters, and beautiful storytelling.
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I made the mistake of starting this series the week before finals in college. It was all I could do to not keep “taking a break” from studying to read “just a little bit more” of Outlander. Thank goodness she’d only published 2 books at that time.
3. Lady of the Forest by Jennifer Roberson. I don’t know how many versions of Robin Hood I’ve read, but this is my favorite, and I re-read it every few years.
4. The Stars for a Light, the Cheney Duvall, M.D. series by Lynn Morris and Gilbert Morris (a father, daughter writing team). I started this series because it reminded me of Dr. Quinn (the TV show) in that a woman becomes a doctor in an era when women doctors were few and far between.
5. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve read A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. Doesn’t it look well read? It is next to some very strong contenders who didn’t quite make the top 5 cut. Born of the Sun by Joan Wolf, the For the Roses series by Julie Garwood, and Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts (first one in the Irish Trilogy).
7. What 3 people am I going to tag and ask to answer these questions and why?
La Pixiatrix – she is the first person from the dooce comment board who reached out a hand to me via email. We bounced ideas off of each other back when we were planning our blogs and she has been supportive of my blog and photography. I’m also really curious what her answers will be to some of these questions.
Part-timer – she has such a fun-loving spirit about her. She has been supportive of me and I think she will see this as a fun blog post.
Amanda B. – she also has been supportive of my blog and has sent me emails of encouragement and friendship. I’m curious to hear her answers.
Girlie-girl, the early years
I’ve been wanting to tell a couple of stories about the Girlie-girl, but I’ve also known that her stories need to be put into context.
I haven’t always been a cat person. In fact, I was strictly a dog person for the first, oh, 22-23 years of my life.
I took this pic of our Yorkshire Terrier, Nipper, with my first camera. (I took a digital picture of the print, which lowers the quality, but I’m working with what I’ve got here, cut me some slack.)
Wasn’t he cute?
I was very young when we got him as a puppy, I think I was 4. I have many, many memories of him. Someday I may tell some of them; it still hurts a little to think about him being gone.
He was with me through all of my growing-up years.
Mom took this pic of him.
My only exposure to cats during those years were cats that were none too friendly. These included my grandparents’ Siamese cats (Some had friendly moments but were mostly not friendly to me.), my friend’s pissy, mean black & white cat, and the pissy, mean black & white cat that belonged to HB’s family. The only good cat experiences I’d had were with my grandparent’s farm cats who seemed to be pretty happy-go-lucky, loved to be loved on and would purr and purr.
Jump ahead a few years, to when HB and I are in college and engaged (and are separated by 250 miles). I am in a dorm and have good girl friends, but HB is all alone in an apartment. The winter/spring before I am set to graduate and we are planning to get married, HB is getting more and more lonely. Someone he works with has a cat that has kittens and he really wants to get one.
Now, remember that my experience with cats was all fairly lukewarm. And I am fully aware that if he gets a cat, this cat will be with us and not just him, in the very near future.
How can I deny him a cat? So, I tell him it is okay to get a kitten with a few rules
1) The cat must learn to not get on end tables and tables.
2) The cat must learn to scratch on a scratching post and not the furniture.
3) He must play with the cat every day, no matter how tired or busy he gets. (Because I was convinced that cats get bad attitudes from lack of attention, especially when they grow out of their cute kitten phase.)
4) He is in charge of the litter box.
5) I’d really rather it not be a black and white cat.
When she is old enough to leave the momma cat, he brings Miss Cuteness home to his apartment.
I never got to see her during her kitten stage, but I still love looking at these old pics that HB took of her climbing on the headboard of his bed.
“Um…. so about that black and white ‘rule’…”
He played with her every day. He taught her to scratch on her scratching post, and stay off of the tables. And as she grew, she stayed very well behaved (and we’ve gone through a lot of scratching posts).
Her favorite toy was her koosh, and she loved getting on anything that was black (she still prefers black or dark objects over light).
The only thing we didn’t think of ahead of time, was the sleeping arrangements. You see, while HB would sleep on one pillow on one side of the bed, she would sleep on the other side of the bed on the other pillow.
Now, jump ahead to July/August of that year. HB and I get married and the 3 of us move to a new city and our first apartment together. And where do I sleep? Well, on the other side of the bed, of course.
The side that She had been sleeping on. I was on Her Pillow!
And she had a plan. Just as I’d fall asleep, she’d attack my feet and legs. I’d push her away, and she’d stop for a while, until I fell asleep… and then attack my legs again.
We’d close her out of the bedroom, and she’d rip at the carpet under the door.
“Shit! We just paid how much money as a security deposit and she’s ripping up the carpet! Quick! Open the door!”
Fall asleep, get attacked. Fall asleep, get attacked.
It was a rough month or so. To say the least.
Finally, she started sleeping between HB’s legs and would leave me alone if I kept my feet inside the covers.
To help her accept me, I became the one who fed her and petted her nicely. She always thought of HB as her play buddy. Not to say that he didn’t pet her or I didn’t play with her; it was just the roles we fell into the majority of the time. In fact, this pic is me playing with her koosh and getting her to jump and twist.
This was back in her thinner days, when she’d jump in the air to play.
And if a flicker of sun caught her eye up the wall, she’d jump up to bat at it.
With time though, she gained weight.
She went on a diet. And just became less active. And she’d gain weight.
And we’d cut her food more, and she’d become even less active than before. And she’d gain weight.
But well, we can’t all be slim and trim, right?
And as you probably know from my previous posts, our relationship has grown and grown over the years.
She waits for us until we come home. She follows us around, hangs out with us, and is friendly to visitors (as long as they only pet the dark areas!)
Her white belly may look soft and cuddly, but it is the venus-fly-trap belly.
Current pic of the Girlie-girl
I’m pretty sure that she loves us as much as we love her.
She is my cuddle-buddy.
Melting
Look! Look!
Our yard finally has a bare patch where the snow has melted.
Maybe Spring really is going to arrive…
… in another month.
Note: I am fully aware that the ‘first day of Spring’ is tomorrow. However, I am not a big fan of what I refer to as ‘calendar Spring’, because well, Spring means new growth on trees to me, and I’m just not seeing it yet. (although, I’ve noticed a few trees trying to put out little itty bitty new brownish/reddish/orange shoots). But the majority are still hibernating.
Oh, and did you notice how the neighbor’s yard across the street has way more exposed grass than we do? What is that about the grass being greener on the other side of the road? hmmm?
Flowers for Friday – purple and orange orchid
Isn’t this one unusual?
I don’t think I ever mentioned it before, but last year at about this time of year (i.e. when everyone is sick and tired of snow and winter) there was an orchid show on Cape Cod.
There were an incredible number of sizes, shapes, and colors of orchids (which, of course, provided great fodder for photographs).
enjoy!
I’m feeling crabby
grrrrr…
Due to HB’s and my crappy schedules this week, we haven’t had a decent phone conversation for the past few days. And now there is a possibility that he could get stuck in Minneapolis over the weekend due to an impending snowstorm.
I’m not in the best of moods, to say the least.
Watch out for that right claw. It’ll get you every time.