Category Archives: Creativity

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 25, 2016

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For Today… December 25, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. We still have some of the snow we got on Friday.

I am thinking… about the coming week and what we’ll be doing with Daniel at home.

I am thankful… for an amazing Christmas Eve Eucharist last night. I definitely arrived home filled with joy at the birth of Christ.

One of my favorite things… NCIS reruns.

I am wearing… jammies. Clothes for today were a long-sleeved black shirt from Lands’ End and jeans from Kohl’s.

I am creating… some socks for my mom.

I am watching… an NCIS rerun where Gibbs returns to his hometown for the first time since he left to join the Marines. I heart Gibbs and Abby.

I am hoping… the pharmacy is open tomorrow so I can get my Effexor refilled.

I am learning… that Patons Kroy Socks Yarn is a pain to unravel.

In my kitchen… shrimp pasta, salad, garlic bread, a homemade gingerbread stout cake, and maple ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel is off until the 3rd.

Post Script… this piece on defeating terrorists with religious extremism is amazing.

Shared Quote… “The movement in our relationship to God is always from God to us. Always. We can’t, through our piety or goodness, move closer to God. God is always coming near to us. Most especially in the Eucharist and in the stranger.” — Nadia Bolz-Weber in Pastorix

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 20, 2016

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For Today… November 20, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was chilly today with some scattered showers and temperatures in the 40’s Fahrenheit. I am really hoping my boots arrive from L.L. Bean before the snow comes!

I am thinking… about some of the political news and how to deal with it appropriately.

I am thankful… for the chance to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law later this week when they come up for Thanksgiving. There will be football involved as the Apple Cup is happening on Friday and there are some inter-family rivalries between the UW and WSU. My cousin Sarah is the president of the WSU Marching Band and my parents are UW alums so Facebook should be really fun this week!

One of my favorite things… Daniel calmly curled up asleep. I’m enjoying the quiet time to blog before I go back to sleep.

I am wearing… my Online Debate Team shirt and black capri sweats. (In other words, my jammies.) Church clothes from this morning were the usual shirt from Old Navy (charcoal today) with my black slacks and cardigan from Kohl’s. When I got home, I switched out the slacks and cardigan for jeans and a light grey hoodie.

I am creating… Excel files for my Practical Accounting homework and Access forms for my online class. Whee!

I am watching… The Big Bang Theory re-runs.

I am hoping… the advising thing I have to attend tomorrow isn’t a brain-numbing waste of my time. I’m going because it’s a hoop I have to jump through in order to register for classes but I’m not happy about being forced to do it.

I am learning… about employer taxes.

In my kitchen… we chose to just get some pizza for Sunday dinner tonight with my aunt, my uncle, and my grandmother.

In the school room… Daniel’s speech is exploding.

Post Script… someone shared this 12-step program for responding to president-elect Trump.

Shared Quote… I wrote one of my college admissions essays on this fragment of an Enya song:

My life flows on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing
— “How Can I Keep From Singing”

A moment from my day… I love this Audrey Assad cover of “How Can I Keep From Singing”.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Five Day Weekend!

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Halloween costumes. I couldn’t find kitty ears and a tail anywhere else so I finally broke down and went to a Spirit Halloween superstore. I was able to find a tail and ears without a problem as well as a black hooded cape for Daniel. I’m trying to figure out what he should be. Ideas?

— 2 —

Checking out the feline angle. I think this is further proof that cats exist in a liquid state.

What acute kitty!

— 3 —

Some Halloween grammar Nazi fun. I think this is a lovely illustration of a common grammar mistake.

Some good old-fashioned fun with grammar.

— 4 —

Almost done. I only have 5 posts left for the Write 31 Days challenge. I’m glad I was able to go all month this year (I had to bail after 17 days last year because of my unplanned move to northern California) though I’m also kind of glad that it’s ending because it’s been hard at times to find time to write on days when I have a fair amount of homework.

If you haven’t read any of the entries, go here.

— 5 —

Update on the mutant death virus. I’m definitely better than last week but all the crud in my chest has exacerbated my asthma enough that I went to see the doctor this morning to see if we could formulate a plan to keep me out of the ER. She took one listen to my lungs and announced that she would be putting me on a Z-pack and that I would need to be taking my inhaler every 4-6 hours for the next week. (Yay inhaler shakes!)

Prayers for healing of this mutant death virus would be appreciated. Please and thank you!

— 6 —

More adventures with my “pretty notebook”. Various people commented that I needed psychiatric help when they saw how detailed and colorful my Chapter 4 outline was for my Accounting class. Well… it paid off for me because I had to miss class last Thursday due to illness but had no problems doing the homework because I had drawn all of the necessary diagrams in my notebook. 😀 I also managed to put together an Excel worksheet for three of the problems with formulas that could be copied across multiple columns. #winning

— 7 —

Double rainbows. The storms we had on Tuesday and Wednesday brought some amazingly brilliant double rainbows. It’s been fabulous. 🙂

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: October 2, 2016

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For Today… October 2, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was allegedly 70F but felt colder. It’s down in the 40’s right now.

I am thinking… about what to write tonight for the Write 31 Days challenge.

I am thankful… that my boys (the Giants) clinched a play-off spot. (Yeah yeah yeah… the Dodgers clinched the NL West but I don’t give a crap about that.)

One of my favorite things… Tillamook ice cream.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes were my indigo shirt, black slacks, my black cardigan, and black flats. I traded the flats and slacks for jeans and a hoodie after church.

I am creating… Excel files to submit to my Excel teacher.

I am watching… The Big Bang Theory re-runs.

I am hoping… my boys win the NL Wild Card game!

I am learning… how to do T accounts and various kinds of financial statements. I have a test on Tuesday!

In my kitchen… Mom made stroganoff and apple pie tonight.

In the school room… Daniel continues to do well and his teacher is smitten with him.

Post Script… Here are some American foods that foreigners find absolutely disgusting. I knew about some of these from the various exchange students that I interacted with in two of Jon’s parishes.

Shared Quote… From Nadia Bolz-Weber several years ago:

Reporter from the Grand Forks Herald: “what would you say to the folks who think that tattooing the body is a desecration of God’s temple”

Me: “that they should for sure not get any”

A moment from my day… I was telling someone about Tim Hawkins’ “hand-raising church” schtick today.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 25, 2016

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For Today… September 25, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was in the low 60’s today and very nice.

I am thinking… about how to structure my study time this week.

I am thankful… that they arrested a suspect in the Cascade Mall shooting.

One of my favorite things… Homer being a snuggly kitteh.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes today were a black cardigan and jeans from Kohl’s, a black t-shirt from Old Navy, and my black flats. I ditched the flats and cardigan after church. I was also wearing my 49’ers necklace that Rebecca made for me so I could rep my boys at church.

I am creating… plans for Write 31 Days.

I am watching… “Lock-Up: San Antonio — Extended Stay”. I’m kind of addicted to police/jail/forensic shows.

I am hoping… the Giants make it to the wild card game!

I am learning… how to write and solve problems with T accounts in my Practical Accounting I class.

In my kitchen… Mom made Guinness stew tonight.

In the school room… Daniel continues to do well in his autism program.

Post Script… I love this piece on how to live through anything.

Shared Quote… I seriously feel like this is a fitting quote that refers to everyone who tells me that Daniel’s autism is due to us vaccinating him. (For the 1500th time, vaccines do not cause autism.) Let’s also not even get into the political applications of it…

A fitting quote for these days.

A moment from my day… I’m enjoying the various videos on bullet journals out there. I would love to have one but I am too much of a perfectionist and I lack the ability to draw a straight line.

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 12, 2016

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For Today… September 12, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny and in the 70’s. It was cold enough in the house this morning that I had a hoodie on over my jammies while getting Daniel ready for school and on the bus!

I am thinking… about the classes I’m going to try and take this fall.

I am thankful… for a wonderful alto part in the anthem we sang for the offertory yesterday. It is so rare to find one this good in regular choral music.

One of my favorite things… my iced grande vanilla latté from $tarbux.

I am wearing… a green striped shirt and jeans. I’m barefoot as usual.

I am creating… various things with yarn.

I am listening to… one of the classical channels on Dish Network. (I think it’s Ensemble?)

I am hoping… to get all the application and registration stuff done in time for Fall Quarter.

I am learning… what my stomach will and will not allow me to eat. IBS stinks!

In my kitchen… my mom made beef burgundy yesterday and we ate it over some squash that my aunt brought. Dessert was plum clafouti and ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel continues to enjoy school.

Post Script… I am totally *NOT* surprised that vaccine critic Dr. Robert Sears is being charged with gross negligence and about to lose his license to practice medicine. Seriously, why would you trust a doctor that does not do his due diligence and do something as simple as REQUEST THE FREAKING RECORDS for a kid he is about to exempt from vaccines, endangering the life of this kid (for whom there is no proof that he actually had the problematic reaction in question) and the rest of us?

Seriously, I cannot understand the complete stupidity of some people.

Shared Quote… This isn’t a quote but an observation. My parish has two congregations sharing a building and we’ve been worshiping together for most of the summer, which means that worship is in both English and Spanish. Yesterday, our first hymn was “Amazing Grace” which is “Sublime Gracia” in Spanish. I find the idea of grace being “sublime” to be an interesting thought. 🙂

A moment from my day… One of my favorite classical pieces — the Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos in C major BWV 1061 (Vivace). I will never have advanced enough piano skills to play even one of the parts but I love the piece. It showcases the intricacy of Bach’s music and why he is the composer whose music I go to mentally when I need a happy place.

Closing Notes: I came across this on Facebook and I recommend checking it out as the pictures of the athletes in their native dress are stunning.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 4, 2016

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For Today…

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… partly cloudy and in the 60’s. An absolutely gorgeous day.

I am thinking… about this prayer someone posted in one of my Facebook groups and how it describes a couple people with whom I no longer have a relationship.

A Narcissist's Prayer

I am thankful… that the Decadron from last week is finally out of my body — lots of BAAAAAD side effects though they were almost worth it to not end up in the ER again from asthma issues.

One of my favorite things… soft grey kitties like the one in my window. 🙂

I am wearing… an indigo v-neck shirt and jeans.

I am creating… this entry and trying to motivate myself to work on various crocheting projects.

I am reading… Just Desserts by G.A. McKevett and Arriving at Amen by Leah Libresco.

I am hoping… my throat heals soon and this cough goes away. I’ve had it for the last month and it is miserable!
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I am learning… not to try to eat past when I’m full. Holy serious stomach aches, Batman!

In my kitchen… my uncle is bringing Grandma for dinner tonight so my mom has made lasagna from scratch, sourdough bread, a pear-gorgonzola salad, and a fresh apple pie for dessert.

In the school room… the kidlet had a good first week of school and we seem to have worked out all the transportation issues.

Post Script… This is the fruit of all the helicopter parents and participation trophies — kids get to college and can’t deal with failure of any kind.

Shared Quote… This fits the election this year!

My thoughts on the 2016 election.

A moment from my day… Because it’s all about the short-necked Peruvian mongooses!

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