Snow, Snow and More Snow

And my Dad working away to clear it. I have shoveled the walks several times and take Benji out of course, but that is my limit.

The first morning of snow, Benji stood at the glass door and woofed at it, quietly and uneasily. Then he would not stay out long enough to do his business. I had to carry him to the barn to do it. Dad thought that was hilarious.

It should be over for this trip though.

Cambridge, OH

To dinner at Ruby Tuesdays and to the Cambridge court house for the light show with my Dad.

Great Day with Brother Dave and Family

I had a great day with Dave, Cristen and Becca yesterday. We had lunch at Cosi, then went to the Franklin Park Conservatory.

I had driven over to Columbus and stayed with Katrina Friday after seeing my rheumatologist at OSU, Chris Hannan for massage, and a party with her friends until the wee hours!

David Tolley Piano Concert at Liberty Church in Powell, OH

Beautiful place!

Nice Welcomes

Beef stroganoff made by Chris and left in the freezer for me. A favorite! Yum! Thanks Aunt Chris!

Cinnamon nut cake from cousin Pam. Delicious! Thanks Pam.

Shari's Berries from Uncle Milton and Kathy. Wow. The UPS guy thought I was kidding when I said I had hoped it was berries. Not!

Here begins my holiday eating.

Dad's Christmas tree. And the traditional Miller nativity.

And I can still feel Mom's love. It's everywhere I look.

Home for Christmas

Benji and I arrived at the Pittsburgh airport today at 4:30. Miracle of miracles, Dad is waiting in the cell phone lot with his cell phone on. This is a big step for him. I am so proud.

A man was taking photos of Benji at the airport today. He is just too cute in his Christmas garb.

Tucking In

Benji amd I are tired out this evening and headed to bed early at the Residence Inn in Phoenix.

Fireworks

Benji watching fireworks out the back window just now. The country club back there has them fairly often.

Dave's quilt

My brother Dave and his wife Cristen, with my little name-sake, Becca, are moving into my Canal Winchester condo.  He found a really good job only seven miles away.

Dave sent this photo of the master bedroom yesterday.  They picked this quilt top from among many king-size ones Mother had made and stashed for gifts.

I think it may be the most fabulous I have seen.  This artistry is just one of the many things the world lost when it lost Carol Miller.

Galileo

Here is another "poem" (actually song lyrics - Josh Groban sings it) that I love.

An Antidote for Holiday Stress

The Peace of Wild Things


When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.


— Wendell Berry

Awesome Green Idea for Picnic Cutlery

Remember those wooden spoons you used to eat your ice cream cup at school?

Now they have these on Etsy -

 

I Did It Myself!!

Mom said I used to shriek, "I'll do it myself!" back in toddler days when learning to dress or get in the car. Those of you who know me now, I am sure, can not imagine I would have started that so young. ;)

Yesterday I completed another do-it-myself project. I assembled a bathroom cabinet from its tiny pieces. The entire time I was struggling with the drill or putting pieces on backwards or trying to decide which way the hinges go, I kept hearing my son in the background going, "Mom! Do it this way! No. That's not going to work. Try it... Oh... What are you...oh, I can't watch this!" He has rather a condescending attitude when it comes to me and tools. When he was about ten he was surprised to learn that I knew how to use a screwdriver to remove and replace circuit boards in our server at work.

I could just imagine his pain. But you know, there are things that dads and brothers and sons just don't bother to teach their daughters and sisters and mothers, whereas they share knowledge with each other generously. It's as though we are not worth the bother, not worth the investment because we are not capable if learning that sort of thing.

I have found this in the workplace as well. The most notorious example that comes to mind is the DBA walking past me looking for "the guys" to go tell them that the database had gone down. I was working intensely on a large SQL job at the time, but it had not crossed his mind, although I was co-leading the data warehouse project, that he should share that news with me. I was utterly amazed. That was not 30 years ago, it was 2008.

Anyway, I am still learning, and yes, I learned new tricks. I know how to use cam bolts now. I had never seen those before. And the cabinet turned out great!

All's Well in Phoenix

Here's Benji at day care today. he is the life of the party. After 3 hours of nonstop play they were worn out.

The Paradox of Choice

Hi.  A friend shared this link to a lecture with me.  It's all about how we assume, in our capitalistic and industrialized world, that more choice is a good thing, always.  This psychologist, Barry Schwartz, talks about how too much choice often stymies us, wastes our time on non-essential thought, and makes us less happy. 

I really liked this.  It has me thinking about all of the times I've been lost wandering the aisles of a store because I'm overwhelmed and can't decide what to buy.  Which facial moisturizer, which jeans, which salad dressing, which paint, which wallpaper, which couch?  We are influenced by advertising to think that we can express ourselves by our clothes, our hairstyles, our home decor.  It all boils down to wasting too much time thinking and laboring over things that really don't matter much. 

Wouldn't we be happier with fewer choices?

http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html?quote=132

"Winter Grass"

The gardner guys came to the door about two weeks ago and asked if I wanted "winter grass".

I said, "I don't know, what is it?"

They said, "It's grass you put down in winter, to make it green and pretty."

I said, "How much does it cost?"

"Seventy dolla"

"OK. Sounds good."

So they put it down and set the sprinklers to water several times a day. It looked like hell at first because they roughed up the existing turf.

Now I have this. My friend Kendra's dogs who visited last night found it to be a wonderful and curious thing.

Catch-up Post for My Birthday

Thanks all for the great wishes and presents.

I partied hardy and had more alcohol than I'd had in two months!

Hilarious card from my friend Page.

And amazing hand-crafting from my sister. A beautiful hand-woven bead bracelet.

Pumpkin Carving Party Yesterday at My House

It was a great time. Three dogs, seven people and six pumpkins. And "bloody truffles" made by Kendra. They had red velvet cake inside and knives sticking out of them, with bloody red frosting.