Quiet

I'm at the lake by myself. It's awfully quiet up here.

I'm OK with that.

Last week was hectic at work, (like really busy), with a few crisises thrown in for good measure. (Seriously, I placed the order for magnets ONE WHOLE MONTH EARLIER than they did last year and on delivery day they tell me they didn't purchase the premium metallic Pantone ink - they just thought they'd mix their own? And they're sorry if the colour isn't a great match? What am I supposed to do with that? WE'VE DESIGNED OUR ENTIRE CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN AROUND PMS #10127.)

Haha. When we owned Billie's, I eventually memorized all the Delta Ceramcoat color numbers. Some of them I'll never forget, like Cardinal red is 2077, Christmas Green is 2068, Light Ivory is 2401 ... Well you get the idea. And now? I'm memorizing Pantone colours. Focus's teal? 315.

Anyway, it was a stupid busy week and some projects went sideways plus our department is a little bit crippled because some youngin's moved on to new places of employment. And on top of that I was out every night (Book club and meeting about the suite on Monday night, Bingo and the Pub on Tuesday, Theology class at Northview on Wednesday night, then a visit with my dad and an exploratory trip to Guildford Mall on Thursday evening. And then of course, after I got home each night, my mom and I watched a couple episodes of Friday Night Lights.)


Any introvert reading this know that I didn't get any 'battery recharging' time in there. Time to just be. Time to think. To read. To write. To surf the Internet. To chat with God. To connect with my kids. To go for a walk. To even sleep more than 6 hours a night.


 On Friday at work, I got a text message from my realtor's admin assistant letting me know that they'd just listed a house that they thought was my perfect dream home. "Whoa, God!" I said. "That was quick. You'd just said no  about the suite on Monday night and now on Friday you're going to show me my perfect home? Cool!"

So after work I did a drive-by. I parked in front of the house on first one side of the street, then the other. I drove around the block and looked at it from the side. I checked the street parking situation. I went around back and parked in the lane. I looked up at the deck, the fencing, the patio, then went back to the front and looked at the drive way.

I wasn't feeling it.



But then, it had been a stupid week and I wasn't feeling anything, to be honest.

So I turned my truck east, filled up with gas, bought some groceries and met a friend at the lake at 7:00 pm. I made myself some hotdogs, soaked in a bubble bath for a bit (I really do miss my bathtub), put on my pajamas (yes, I am a great host. I am surprised anyone ever wants to join me here) and settled in for a night of movie watching.

She (who rarely reads my blog and doesn't do Facebook) brought up a movie she'd bought a awhile ago, called The Trip.

(This is what Rotten Tomatoes had to say about it.)
There is a strong theme running through my life these days; and this movie fell right into that theme... Two Northern English actors on a road trip through stunningly beautiful Northern England. Aack.
Incredibly random choice of movies but so perfect for where my head is at.

And after that? We laughed for two straight hours watching season two of New Girl. Laughed Out Loud. For real. Not the LOL version of laughing.

The best part about weekends at the lake (or weekends in general)? Is the sleeping in till noon thing. Again. Why does anyone ever want to spend time with me here? I am so single-minded in my pursuit of Things (like baths and sleeping in) That Make Me Happy.

This afternoon we hiked Teapot. It was a perfect day for sweating and groaning our way up a mountain. As we tip toed our way down the steep slope, I said to her, "This reminds me of Mexico last month, when all day long I just kept saying 'Thank You'. It was incredible there. And it's just so amazing here. Totally different than the beaches and palm trees of the tropics, but still. These trees! This moss! All these crinkly leaves on the trail. The lake. The warm, fresh, perfect Autumn air.  I am so lucky. And I just keep saying, over and over again - Thank You."

Three things I am thankful for:

1. Days of rest. God totally knew what He was doing when He declared we should take a day off once a week.

2. Church tonight. Sometimes you just need to sing Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art, y'know? And be reminded that God already has people there, waiting.  He has gone ahead.

3. Yellow maple leaves. Blue skies. Green moss. Red bushes. Golden sunsets. And having a flat screen TV in my bedroom at the lake. Bring on Vampire Diaries Season 3!

Shalom,