Sickies

That's what we are -- a house of sickies. Adam got it first and gave it to me. (I knew I shouldn't have kissed him. Ah well.) Kara and Philip are here too, and she has the most appalling cough. Even puppy dog Charlie is under the weather!

Here's what I'm using to combat the vile bug this time.

Adam drove to the store one evening to buy me my own bottle of saline spray, not something you really want to share. He uses saline spray all winter; I find it utterly repulsive, like drowning in the ocean. But this new bottle design is a wonder! You push a button and it sprays on its own! I must confess, it helps so much. I'm a convert.

What's that bottle on the right, you ask? So old,  so very old. It's Mentholatum, and who knows when we bought it. I'm not sure if they still sell it. The other item, Chloraseptic, is wonderful for a sore throat.

It only expired 10 years ago -- exactly!

Sunday night was our community Thanksgiving service.

 It's at the Catholic church. They always do a beautiful harvest display. The Pamlico Chorale sang.

 The preachers all did their various roles in the service. There's Adam, in a bow tie.

 I played the piano. I'm not used to these high tech keyboards.

 Sunday morning was so beautiful, I took pictures of our church.

 Then I asked Philip and Kara to pose.

 I'm trying to rest as much as I can before Thursday's dinner. Last night we watched this movie because Kara had never seen it. Can you believe that? It's a favorite.

Today Julia comes home.Then it'll get rowdy around here! Oh, did I mention we have 6 dogs here now? P & K brought theirs. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Seashell Wind Chimes

Last summer on one beach trip I deliberately collected shells with holes in them. I wanted shells I could crochet into a chain to make seashell wind chimes.

I made one last summer, hung it on my front stoop (because this house does NOT have a porch), and it grew on me. At first I was nonplussed with the effect, but now I like it.
So tonight I pulled out the other two sets of shells that I'd organized months ago, and I laid them out to peruse their possibilities.

This group of shells is mostly gray. I chose a dark yarn with metallic material running through it -- kind of purple and gray and maroon.

I made one and hung it up to study it. For some reason it reminds me strongly of the witches in Macbeth.

You must admit, it's rather odd. But since mine grew on me, I figure somebody else out there will be strange enough to like this and buy it at the market. If it hangs there week after week ... eventually it'll sell. I've found this to be true. The unusual things sell. The blah things? Not always.

I had another set of shells that are lighter in color, more beige. So I chose a silver yarn that sparkles. It turned out rather pretty.

So I'll take them to the market tomorrow, hang them gingerly from my tent, and let their light clacking sound attract their future owners.

Performance Weekend

It's Sunday, right in the middle of the Pamlico Chorale performances. We sing under the direction of this wonderful lady:

 She's a retired high school choral teacher and very gifted director. The chorale (a volunteer community group) has worked hard this semester preparing a quite diverse group of songs for our spring concert.

The first concert was last night, and the second will be this afternoon at 3:00. Then I'm FREE from worrying about musical rehearsals and concerts until next fall! Yay! I do enjoy it, but it's work and a bit of stress (in a good way). I have a small solo in one song ("Shall We Gather at the River"), and I play the piano on two very fun pieces (a Broadway medley, and "Always Look on the Bright Side") when our usual accompanist is playing her saxophone with an ensemble band. It's a busy, fun concert. The audience was quite pleased last night.

I inadvertently took a bit of a blog break. What else has been going on? A bit of this:

 After riding this:

 With this girl:

 Eating this:

 Ahhh. I took along my iPod shuffle and earbuds, and the mellow-voiced Andrea Bocelli and I enjoyed the calming effect of the waves and sun. Too cold still to swim, but it was lovely nonetheless. My family is sick of hearing Andrea Bocelli, but I will never tire of his voice.

Did I tell you Adam is teaching an astronomy class at the local community college? Finally the skies cooperated and shuffled their clouds away, and he held two star-gazing classes this past week. This is the moon and Venus.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning he sat with a faithful handful of students in a dark field and watched the Lyrids meteor shower.
And he continues to ply his hand at boat improvements.

The bright white deck looks quite nice with the new wood.

He's fitting all the wood in temporarily and then will secure it down with sealant.

Rub rails and toe rails going on:

Checking the location of the motor mount:

A boat has so many important pieces of hardware. Each one must have its little wooden block.

Adam had me sit on the back of the boat at my usual spot at the tiller. I used to straddle a cleat uncomfortably, but now he'll place the cleat differently so I can sit easier. Climbing up into the boat is a little tricky -- up a ladder. I know the boat is heavy, on its four stands. I know it's not going to tip over with my weight. But stepping gingerly onto the edge of the deck, and reaching my foot over to the ladder, takes a little bit of Piglet courage :)

Have a grand day, you all! I'll be back when I have a chance. Julia and I are finishing her school year and will get her applied to the dual enrollment program at a community college near here for next year. Wedding preparations are in full swing. Lots of travel and fun ahead for our family. And the summer promises to be rather busy with Anna and Peter both home, and a local move perhaps in the works for us! Stay tuned!

A Rare Way of Life

Last night I had the pleasure of performing with the Pamlico Community Band.

We live in Pamlico County, NC. It's a small county, and a poor county. Its population is about 13,000. A few wealthy retirement communities with sailboats and big houses snuggle along its watery edges, but otherwise it's rural and rather poor. Surprisingly though, the county has a community band!
I sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables. It was fun, and I'm so glad they asked me to do it. The song is set extremely low  for a soprano (singers, I had to do a G-flat below middle C), and I'm not used to being accompanied by a 50-piece band, but it went well.

Oriental's Old Theater is a rare place -- an old building rescued by a few devoted people in the community and faithfully used for all manner of artistic events. Seating allows only about 250 people. It's a small, intimate venue.
But Oriental (and Pamlico County) is a small intimate place.
I was struck last night by the people around me. The place was packed, with standing room in the back. I'd guess that I knew about 75% of them, just to look at their faces -- people I see regularly at the local grocery, or at the farmers' market, or the Bean, or at other local events, or church gatherings, or just walking or biking around town. Quite a few, of course, were personal friends. But all the dozens of others are that rare group these days: neighbors.
I live in a place where neighbors know each other. Not by name. Not by which house we own. We recognize each other around town. We acknowledge that we share the same streets, the same stores, watering holes, parks. We nod in familiarity. But included in being neighbors is an element of trust. I know you, we think, as we see each other. I trust you. In other words, You are not a stranger.
I live in a place where I can go to a concert three doors down from my house, look out from the stage, and know that 75% of the people there are not strangers. I've seen them dozens of times before. Although we may never be on a first-name basis, we're friendly and greet each other. I ask about their dog. They ask how Adam's boat-work is going. I love being surrounded by people who are not strangers. It feels a little closer to the New Earth.

Small town life like this is the stuff of a 1950's movie, but in reality it's rare in American life today. If you live in a town of 1000 people or fewer, you probably are experiencing it. If you live in a town or city of 5000 or more, you may think you have a sense of "small community," but it's really just a fragment of your community -- a wedge, if you like, of people like you.
Small-town life is a treasure, and one I don't take lightly. I'm so thankful for the simple friendliness of it. I don't have Trader Joe's, World Market, Whole Foods, or Starbucks. It's a trade-off. But I think I am richer for possessing a kind of life that urban existence, with all its glitz and variety, cannot touch.

2012 Blog Recap Carnival

Some bloggy friends are doing a walk-through for 2012, recalling the high points of the year. (Click on the cute button at the bottom of this post, to find the others.) I thought I'd participate, since it's been a banner year for the Christiansen family. First, I want to remember a family member who's no longer with us:  Tasha, my mother's Corgi.

When 2012 started, we were living with my parents in their lovely home outside Brevard, NC. They are such dears! And good-lookin', I'll add.

During 2012, the Willows Trio continued their around-the-world trip. Thank you, Pom! The Willows are finishing their journeys abroad in New Zealand, and will soon be back home again in Colorado.

Early 2012 saw Adam and me visiting a small coastal village in NC. He'd preached here a couple of times and continued to do so. We were smitten with the beauty of this place, but could not imagine we'd ever be blessed enough to live there.

We had only two kids at home.

Anna came home from college fairly often. I enjoyed seeing her mature so nicely at school.

As Adam and I visited Oriental, the church seemed to like us, and then they told us they were considering Adam as a pastoral candidate.

Adam continued to tend his bees.

I continued crocheting.

In the spring, Adam, Julia and I visited Chattanooga to see Philip and hear him sing in a few concerts.

In May Peter finished high school, looking classy as ever.

The dear church in Oriental decided they wanted us! We were thrilled! But it meant saying good-bye to this precious group of knitting ladies.

We also said good-bye to the mesmerizing mountains.

We moved to the coast, and soon Adam was being installed as a pastor, ordained at last!

They have continued to welcome us beautifully.

Philip and Anna came to see where we'd landed. Philip stayed for the summer, but Anna had to go back to work.

We experienced the ferry and the beach. What wonders!

I decided to try out the farmer's market. What could it hurt? I liked it very much. I started with one basket of soap and a few washcloths.

We dashed back for Peter's graduation.

We were happy to get back to the most beautiful undiscovered spot on God's earth. Well, we think so.

And I found a new group of knitting ladies! Isn't God good?

I helped Peter pick a college. Yes, that makes three college kids.

I watched my little girl become a young lady.

Adam and I are happy, very happy. He has a job he loves, and I have a husband who's happy. That's a recipe for a good life.

Philip worked for the summer and went back to school.

Anna went back to school in August too.

Peter hugged his dear grandma and went off to college too. When I got back home after delivering three kids to three colleges, I said I would not leave again anytime soon. And I haven't.

Adam discovered that yes, he does love sailing.

Among other fun activities, Julia took some very beneficial art classes.

I could write about dragon boat races and watermelon-eating parties and parades and Croakerfest and regattas and so many thrilling local events. In the quiet of my mind though, I often considered my children. Especially the boy who'd just left, and what a precious blond-haired munchin he used to be. I missed him.

Peter eats a pan of fresh strawberries on our steps at Cono in Iowa.

And my youngest. It seemed just yesterday that I was wrapping a green towel around her shoulders and cutting her long, wavy hair for the first time. My life changed a lot this past year, my roles and habits. My children are growing up and leaving, and although my job with them is shifting quickly, I also have the joy of seeing the fruits of my years of labor.

What should I do with myself? Teach again? No ... instead I opted to crochet, make soap, lip balm, and hand lotion, and hawk my wares to the public. And I thoroughly enjoy it!

All through the summer and fall and now the winter, the precious little church has continued to be a joy to us, a comfort, and a great fellowship. If you're lonely, find a loving church. If you're still lonely, you need God too (of course) and be sure your church helps you meet Him.

So, God gave us a beautiful place to live, and new friends, and a wonderful job and hobbies too. Then, as if that weren't enough, he added a free boat.

And He brought all those children (plus one!) home for Christmas, safely.  I'm very blessed!

He has blessed us with a sea of diamonds when we did not deserve any of it. We are very, very thankful.

Good-bye, 2012! You've been an amazing year.