It's Valentine's Day and I'm with friends. I should make this an annual event. Because, really? It's all kinds of awesome. The sleeping- in part is good. So is the going for walks. And the suntanning. And the book reading. And the talking. And just everything.
Today was an at-home day.
We took the dog for a walk this morning and saw some tigers.
Then I sat in the sun (by myself) for a few hours and read. Because READING IN THE SUN = A FABULOUS VACATION.
No one else here does this kind of math. Their loss.
For lunch, Sandra made a fruit salad large enough for 40 people. We'll be eating from that bowl all week. In the afternoon, I got into the (unheated) pool because it was hot outside. And the pool was refreshing. Then I fell asleep on my chair, sitting upright. Because I'm on holidays. No bags under these eyes. I am well -rested.
Dinner was a group effort which are my all time favorite kind of meals.
Sandra made another salad. Again - we will be eating it all week:
Rose made roast potatoes.
I juiced a bag of oranges:
We ate outside, on the patio, beside the pool, by candlelight. The gas fire was adding ambiance and so was the music. Wayne set the stereo to an oldies station and we listened to love songs of the 50's by those great romantic entertainers, the Everly Bros, Righteous Bros, Elvis, and so on. We sang along, and swayed to the rythm as we went about preparing our meal. Conversation meandered all over the place and sometimes it stopped all together, but it was OK.
I felt so grown up, you know?
I kept pausing to savor it. Savor the feelings. The feelings of peace. Of contentment. Of acceptance. Of being a part of a 'group'. Of thankfulness. Of appreciation.
I am fully aware that I am blessed. I'm lucky. I get to live a life that probably 95% of the women in the rest of the world can't. How come? Why did God decide to born me in this time and in this place? ('61 in Canada)? Because of all the times in history, in all the places on earth - I feel like I hit the jackpot with perfect living conditions.
I finished two books so far:
and
They were both perfect, easy reads for vacation mindlessness. I was a little bit inspired/encouraged by the Zipporah story; especially the role of father-in-laws in the lives of their daughter's husbands.
I may have brought too many books along (17). But in my defense, I wasn't sure what I'd feel like reading... so I brought a variety. PLUS, I have a few devotional/prayer books that I refer to almost daily, and I couldn't imagine not having them along. Especially the one that I bought 6 copies of at Christmas. On the off chance that my kids and their girls are actually reading them, I want to be sure that I am too. Those 6 devotionals? Two might be in Hawaii. Two are in Langley. Mine is Mexico. And one is in California. I still like the idea that no matter how scattered we might be in the world, we all read the same Bible words today, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit."
Three things I'm thankful for:
1. This puppy poops and pees everywhere in this house. I am thankful I have only stepped in pee once.
2. Opportunities to learn and grow.
3. Fridges with ice machines. Radio stations with sing-a-long songs. Houses with 10 - 12 foot high ceilings that make me feel petite and feminine.
Shalom,
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