Silent Sunday

I have often thought about taking a silent retreat again. I did this about 13 years ago when I was out in New Mexico for a conference. A workmate and I visited Christ in the Desert Monastery afterwards but only I had the time to stay for a couple of days after she flew back east. It was a wonderful time being out in silence by myself, eventually. The sky was clear and the rare sound was a plane flying overhead. The first day was hard to start but I had brought a bag of Easter peanut M&Ms. No doubt sugar works as a way to numb unpleasant feelings! I got into the rhythm soon after that and felt the calm and the peace. I really didn't want to leave when it was time to fly home to my 'normal' life.

Periodically, I come to Virginia to dog-sit for my family. It's just me and an old, mainly silent dog. He is a faithful companion and does not ask for or need much. It's all about me time and how I want to use it. I've learned to bring less food, to bring fewer books to read, and to have fewer plans of things I want to do while on the this side of the Potomac. I've learned to take time, during these days, to just listen to the silence. At home, I can hear the rustle of traffic through the bamboo leaves and it sound like waves on the beach to me. Here in Virginia, I can  hear the traffic of a major road and the Metro cars but it becomes a rhythmic background sound. I don't have to get caught in the bustle of all that outside my yard unless I want to.

Friday, I needed to get a lens from my glasses put back in. My husband had fixed them once but used glue to secure the screw and sadly that eliminated the ability to put a new screw in. My clerk tried to find the same frame but couldn't. I sat and waited for about 30 minutes, restless at first while she had to deal with a serious paying customer, and then watching the drama of other peoples' lives as they picked frames, talked about this style or that and remained unsure for a long time about just which frame they really wanted. I let go of my need to have my glasses issue resolved and just enjoyed watching life. In the end, the same frame in a slightly different color was found and my old lenses went into a new frame.  My issue resolved in silence.

So will each day here be silent? probably not. A mixture of things I want to do - like watch some Lightroom videos to give myself a basis of understanding before I start to use it, reading a book or two, watching some Swedish Wallander films on Netflix and eventually buying one or two things that aren't available in MD such as the wonderful Lebanese garlic spread I love - but balanced with time set aside in silence to... just... be.  I love these weeks alone especially as I continue to learn how to use them wisely. Oh, I also think it's going to be a stay in the jammies day!

Sleepy on Sunday

I am still very tired, though the cough is mostly gone. I recall a few years ago when a respiratory thing went round and round and it really seemed to take a long time to get over it. I do hope this isn't the same thing. Fortunately, I have virtually nothing on my upcoming agenda that requires a great deal of moving about.  I see more sleep ahead this week. zzzzzzzzzzz

I am happy to report, though,  that my nights with this seem to be over. A useful but not pleasant nightcap.

Lost and Found

Not the food...but the pictures. I had a devil of a time getting them off my phone, but with a lot of resets, eh voila!


I think we need to make this an annual April Sunday event - the Stone Ridge book sale and lunch at Jaleo. Two things dh and I totally agree on, and that in itself is just amazing!

Snow, Snow and More Snow

I thought I had sent all the snow to Australia and French Polynesia ( and perhaps a bit to the Gulf) but you either sent it back or it was the classic - The more you give, the more you'll receive. hmmm

This was the other day. It snowed then eventually the sun came out, it all melted, it got warmer, and then brrr it got good and cold again.

This is today, new snow, sun that gives us a clear line of how far the sun reaches - you are looking due east in these photos. Our daily line in the snow. I'm not even considering what tomorrow or the rest of the week will bring. I will be seriously busy in the house no matter what the weather.

btw, that funny path on the deck must be something the man of the house did on his walk out to the composte bin.

Fisherboy checks in

I had a nice call from fisherboy up in Alaska. He and dgrandson are having a great time. I'm told that dgs's mouth tends to just hang open in awe as he sees the magnificent scenery of that state. They also got to call my ds who is halfway round the world, nearly 12 hrs away from Alaska. Technology...ya gotta love it.



Today the 'boys' went up to Mendenhall glacier which dh and I explored back in 2000. DH says it is receding at the rate of 300-500ft a year, and so they had to do a lot more walking to get to it. I'm soo glad dgs was able to make this trip and I can tell dh is enjoying the company. DGS was 6 when we got married and it's been so nice to have a grandfather to add to me as a grandmother.



Tomorrow they start their fishing - halibut and salmon - and I hope to hear that this 2007 photo has been duplicated.



And what did I do today??? Went to the Farmers' Market and got some upscale food pour moi..rosemary and hazelnut bread, seafood soup. a box of mixed mushrooms, and a berry tart. Betwixt and between working on a lot of ATC cards, I watched a dvd of MI-5 (I'm in the middle of season 3) and reorganized my studio so I can get some of the a/c on the tall work table. A good day all around for our family.

Tomorrow I clean and esp deal with all the semi-hidden areas where dear Sebastian has lost his cookies dinner. Oh yeah...I have to clean defrost one of the freezers in anticipation!