More Beauty and Slowness in My Life

On Sunday morning we gave our microwave to our college-age daughter before she left on her long trip that will take her back to school. When she voiced a desire for a microwave in her dorm room, I said, "I'll give you mine, and I'll go buy another one." 

The microwave left in her car, but we didn't go buy a new one on Sunday. Adam looked at our local WalMart, but they only had large ones; we need the small size. Here's a photo from 2 years ago when we redid the kitchen:

It was a shelf just made for that microwave.

Anyway ... now it's Tuesday and we still don't have a new microwave. We were thinking of driving to Morehead to look for one there, among other errands. 

I asked Adam, "What do you use the microwave for?"

"Melting butter," he answered.

I use it for heating my chai in the morning. I never, ever make microwave popcorn; I make it on the stove. I began to wonder (you knew this was coming) ... do we really need a microwave?

The answer: no

I also wondered ... do I really want a microwave?

A microwave adds speed. I don't need to add speed to my life. Doing things fast and efficiently has been the theme of my life (and often its bane). I always, always need to slow down. Why would I want a machine in my life that helps me speed up?

We agreed to forego a microwave, at least for now. I'm heating up spiced cider on the stovetop for my mid-morning beverage.

I heat my chai in that same little pan. It's a leisurely, pleasant morning habit. It's soothingly fiddly, steams, and makes the house smell good. Plus, I'm not convinced the microwave fit well with my kitchen vibe. Here's what we did with the shelf:

I'm wondering if any of you live without a microwave? Or if you have one, would you like to get rid of it?

Good-bye, Christmas

On Monday:

 One last picture of this year's Christmas tree. I took down all the Christmas decorations. It's all boxed up. 
It rained in the morning at last. Our weather for all of Christmas week was stunningly warm and gorgeous. Rain is perfect for saying good-bye to Christmas and putting things away.

 I tidied up the guest room. Six people have slept in that room since Thanksgiving!

 Adam washed his silvery hair, put on a dress shirt and new bowtie ... to go to work! He's starting a Youtube "show" channel (which I'll tell you about another time), so he has to look spiffy. 

 You can't see his right pinkie finger, but some of it is missing. It was caught in a door Sunday morning, and a big chunk of it was ... well, caught in the door. Quite painful, and then he had to get it under control so he could preach. 
I played around with some new tube paints Adam gave me for Christmas.

 To end, here are a few more photos of sweet little Isaac, everyone's darling. He was an utter delight. We could not have asked for a better Christmas gift than to have a little grandbaby in the house.

 Baby selfies are challenging!

The Morning the Relatives Left

Dear Gramm and Anna,

I'm sorry I missed saying good-bye to you this morning, and baby Isaac. I'd planned to wake early enough to see you before your 6:00 flight. I must've been sleeping soundly. Thank you for leaving the guest room so clean!

I did wake though, at 4:57 to Trixie barking really loudly -- "woof!woof!woof!" She was demanding help. I got out of bed, realized I'd missed your departure and I was alone in the house, and went to find the dog who had to alarm-bark at such an hour. She wasn't in the living room or dining room or kitchen, or on the back porch. I decided Daddy had put her outside already before driving you to the airport, but wondered why her bark sounded so loud in my sleep.

I walked back through the quiet, dark house. You were gone. The baby was gone. I felt sad. The guest room door was open, so I stepped in. "The baby is gone," I whispered to myself, and held my hands to my heart. I missed him so much already. I stepped further into the room and turned to look at his little crib.

There was Trixie, in the porta-crib. Sitting there, quivering, looking at me as if to say, "Mama, I can't get outa here!"

Actually, that dog has springs in her legs like Tigger and can jump over a cattle fence from a standing position, so I'm sure that porta-crib was no prison for her. She wanted to be in there. She was fascinated, captivated by the baby the whole week you were here, always wanting to know where he was, paw-punching Daddy every time he woke and cried. At last, after you left, she had a chance to go in your room and conduct a thorough baby investigation and smell all the baby smells. 

I suppose she'll want a porta-crib for her puppies if she ever has a litter. But for now, I wanted you to know how much your sweet, perfect, delightful child is loved and missed here in our home, even by the dogs.

Love,
Nana

A Christmas Prayer

Deliver us from evil

 by the blessing which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry

with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy

to be Thy children,

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds

with grateful thought,

forgiving and forgiven,

for Jesus's sake,

Amen

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

This past year Adam has included prayers in the church bulletin each week from various authors, prayers he's found and recorded over the years. This is one. Most have been short and easily memorized. I plan to memorize this one too.

Christmas Day

 Christmas Day was very fun! The weather has been absolutely gorgeous -- perfect Southern Christmas weather: sunny, nearly 70 degrees. We took baby Isaac outside.
He sported his Santa Suit all day long. Adam bought this for him after seeing one at the farmer's market.

 We opened presents, lounged around and nibbled a little, eating our big Christmas dinner at 2:00. Adam decided to make my mother's Sunday roast dinner: roast beef/gravy cooked with potatoes and carrots, asparagus, yeast rolls, and cole slaw - and he added stuffing too. I was in charge of cole slaw and was quite sad when we were out of mayonnaise and Adam informed me that ALL the stores had closed at noon. Then he said, "That's okay. I'll make you some mayonnaise." Which he did, and all was well. He'd made 2 batches of chocolate truffles, plus leftover cookies of various types, so we enjoyed all of that for the afternoon. Isaac was fed by a very cute elf.

 My amaryllis is blooming now.

 As Adam prepared dinner I set the table. I decided to dig out my wedding china and crystal and set a pretty table as the afternoon light filtered in from the west windows.

 Afterward, Julia and Anna crashed on the living room couches. 

Gramm decided to get the burn pile going in the pasture and spent the rest of the day (and evening) fiddling with fire, which is fun. Adam and I took Isaac outside to watch that for a little while. He loves being outside and calms right down when he's out there.
I got to chat with Kara and Philip, who are spending Christmas in Peoria with her folks, and I enjoyed talking with my mother, who is doing so much better after all her dealings with cancer this fall. I think she's on the mend at last!
Adam and I did dishes, and a silly movie was enjoyed in the living room while I played the latest "Myst" computer game ("Obduction") on my laptop. I haven't played one of those in many years.
Merry Christmas to all of you!
As I age, I realize more how important it is to embrace the Christmas that fills one's heart with comfort and hope: the infant Savior. All the Santa and presents and traveling and feasting in the world only leave a hollow place; it's fun, but it does not scrub away the sorrows of life. Somehow knowing that God Himself came to this harrowing world stripped naked, chased and threatened, a refugee, the lowest human -- yet in Him was the key to heaven for me. That is hope. Nothing in His poor life could extinguish the divine power of saving us. He overcame. He says, "I came that you might have life, and have it more abundantly." That is hope. Merry Christmas!

Advent 25

Advent 23

 Picking up the grandbaby at the the airport. He brought along his devoted parents too. 

 Now we're relaxing at home. Ahhhh.

 Meeting Auntie Julia!

Riding Auntie Julia like a horsie!

This week should be a delightful series of days in which we do little, eat a lot, and enjoy each other's company. Merry Christmas!