Musing on Dusting

Who in their right mind actually enjoys dusting? It seems to be an effort destined for failure, as the day after sweeping over all my furniture and objets d'art (a.k.a., knick-knacks) it is already adorned with new dust. However, I recently realized how enjoyable this household chore can be. The key? Memories and gratitude. For example, the other day as I was dusting, I thought of my maternal grandmother and how much she loves me as I dusted the Japanese vase she had passed along to me. The glass starfish reminded me of the trip my husband and I took to Hawai'i a few years ago. And the furniture? Some of the pieces are family pass-alongs (loved and not-so-loved), and some are purchases made by my husband and me. Each piece reminds me to be thankful that we have them and have a house in which to put them.

From now on, I pray that dusting continues to be a pleasurable blessing, not a chore to be dreaded and endured. And I pray the same for you. :)

She's BA-ACK!

So. Quite a few things have changed since I last posted. I returned to teaching American Sign Language to goofy high schoolers, my husband started a screenprinting business, and I had a baby. Baby girl is now 8 months old. Where does the time go? (By the way, her aunt gave her the Easter bonnet -- or tea cozy, as my husband called it. I wouldn't have ever picked it up, but it is awfully cute, isn't it?)

Given these changes in my life, I've had a bit of an identity crisis, I think. As part of my processing of all this, I've decided I need to begin blogging again. As my husband said, I am more complete when I'm writing regularly. Very true. So I am going to aim to post weekly. My therapist (God bless her) would be proud. And thanks to my old blogging/writing buddies, for getting me into blogging in the first place. I'm trying to get back in the game, ladies. :)

Here's my thought for this first post since my blogging hiatus: Facebook rocks. Just signed up about a week ago. Reminds me of how far I've come since I was the painfully shy girl in high school.

Wish me luck at my weekly blogging goal!

Things That Make Me Happy #17

Swimming. Love the sun, love the water. Just love, love, love it. If only it made sense to turn our whole backyard into a sandy "beach"....

Things That Make Me Happy #16

Chick Fil A's milkshakes. Particularly the cookies 'n cream and mint cookies 'n cream shakes. Yummm-o!

Things That Make Me Happy #15

A good country song. I mean one of those that has lyrics that make you laugh, cry, or both, while also tapping your foot or keeping beat with your hand on your thigh.

Recently, my hubby and I bought the Live at Texas Stadium CD, which was recorded at the May 2004 concert featuring George Strait, Jimmy Buffett, and Alan Jackson. The CD is awesome. King George is awesome (and gosh, he's pretty). Alan Jackson rocks. And Jimmy, of course, is near and dear to so many hearts. George and Alan's hit "Murder on Music Row" is on the CD. Good stuff. George also sings "Milk Cow Blues," which I love. Alan Jackson's "Five O'Clock Somewhere" and "Where I Come From" are also featured--both good ones. George and Jimmy have so many "hit ya riiight thahre" (that's my phonetic representation of a good ol' drawl) songs, I just won't even begin to list all their great songs. Oh, one of George's more recent songs, "She Told Me So," is a great example of a good country song. Here's a sample: "I'm her world and she revolves around me/Just being close to me makes her love grow/Each night she thanks God for the day she found me/Why, when she came home this morning, she told me so/And there's roses blooming in the Arctic Circle/Icebergs in the Gulf of Mexico/And there's not one star in Heaven/Or a sunrise every morning/I'd believe it if she told me so." We can just be so stupid in relationships. But what I love about country music is that it makes it a little easier to get over the hurt with clever lyrics such as those. When I was growing up, one of the local country radio stations had a "Cryin', Lovin', and Leavin'" show for listeners to call in and request songs. I love that after a few years, they changed it to "Cryin', Lovin', Laughin', and Leavin'"--gotta keep your sense of humor, right?

Oh, and guess what...I was at the Texas Stadium concert. Once-in-a-lifetime shows make me happy too.

On a side note, Brad Paisley, hubby of Kimberly Williams-Paisley, is pretty good at penning some of the good country songs of our time. Check out "Flowers" and "I'll Take You Back" on Time Well Wasted. And then there's Lyle Lovett. Oh, I love Lyle. Jimmy Buffett sang "If I Had a Boat" (by Lyle) at his concert in Frisco, Texas, a couple of weekends ago. So exciting. :) I recommend Lyle's Live in Texas CD. Listen to "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)" and "Church," and see if you don't love him too. One of his singers, Francine Reed, sang "Funny How Time Slips Away" with Willie Nelson on his Milk Cow Blues album. Love it. Love them. And then there's Guy Clark. He's such an amazing songwriter, I just don't know what to say. He wrote "Out in the Parking Lot," "Boats to Build," "Texas Cookin'", among others. These songs have been recorded by other musicians in recent years, but you gotta hear Guy Clark sing them--gotta honor the man who created 'em.

So, then there's the blues. Just the phrase "the blues" sends shivers through my body in a soul-deep kind of a way. I don't completely get people who don't get the blues. Saw Buddy Guy at Billy Bob's a year or so ago, pretty much on a whim. Oh. My. What a guy. And then there's B. B. King....Well, all I can say is thank God for country music and the blues. Think I'm gonna go sit on my back porch and listen to some tunes....

Things That Make Me Happy #14

Croissants with butter and guava and strawberry jelly.

Haven't had this for a while for breakfast, but I did daily when we were in Hawai'i and for about a week or so afterwards.

Better add croissants to the grocery list.

Things That Make Me Happy #13

Books.

I love how they feel, how they look, what they hold inside.