A river runs through it

I read a blog written by a woman that I don't know. She lives in the south and writes about her girls (who wear wonderfully monogrammed clothing and really big bows*), her stay at home life, and her strong faith in God. (kellyskornerblog.com) I don't know how I found her but there's something that keeps me coming back. I'm pretty sure if we ever met we'd be the best of friends. That's how it works right? Everyone is exactly the same in real life as they are online. Right? That's what I thought.

Anyway, she recently wrote a post that was just 10 random thoughts and confessions–a sort of stream consciousness thing–and it cracked me up. I figured I'd give it a go. I'm not sure what all I have to say so I apologize in advance if this river turns into more of a trickle and you have to hitchhike back to your car. Let's begin . . . 

1. Hitchhiking - I've never done it, nor would I ever consider it. I have however, much to I'm sure my parent's dismay as they read this, been in a car that has picked up a hitchhiker. Two girlfriends and I traveling back from Yellowstone Park on a very rainy weekend picked up a man who was obviously boating with friends and needed to get back to their pickup and trailer since the rain was ruining any chance of floating the river. We picked him up and silently I think we all regretted it instantly (only because we realized the chance we were taking). I spent the next 5 miles coming up with a plan of how I was going to take him out if he decided to jump our driver (who he was sitting behind). Since I lived to tell about it, he was obviously harmless. Either that or he figured he probably shouldn't mess with me. I'm going with the former.   

2. I'm considering canceling my subscription to Real Simple. I feel like it's making my life complicated. Seriously.

3. Handel's Messiah makes me cry every time. Something about the sopranos and their high voices. I used to be a soprano in high school but I'm guessing lack of use made my voice lower. I'm now a tenor. Not really. I suppose I could sub in a pinch.

4. I'm very glad it's Christmas. It's such a wonderful time of year, and regardless of all of the stress, people seem to be in a relatively good mood. Either that or we're all really good at hiding our true feelings. 

5. Speaking of Christmas, does anyone out there remember going caroling door to door? Does that still happen anywhere other than a Charles-Dickens-era movie? I'm positive that my family went a few times when I was young but I'm not sure who we would have gone with. I'm beginning to wonder if it wasn't a Baptist thing in the early '80s.

6. While we're on the topic of Baptists, not necessarily in the early '80s, I'm very thankful for the upbringing that I had . . . in the Baptist Church in Whitefish, and the Bible churches in Texas and Wisconsin and for all of the people that we met along the way in each congregation. I've got a head-full of memories of potlucks and summer camps, Christmas parties and Mother's Day lunches and more. Most importantly though there's a foundation to my life that cannot be shaken. For that I am most grateful.

7. Because I said the word 'foundation' in my last note it made me immediately think of building a house. Not that Craig and I are planning on building a house anytime soon but just in case he decides some Monday that he'd like to start building on Friday, I make sure to look at the house plan that is published in the Sunday paper and cut it out if it looks promising. There was a doozy a couple of weeks ago . . . two stories, wraparound porch, gigantic master closet, etc. I almost picked up the phone and ordered the plans.

8. My cat Rosemary likes to lick the outside of bananas. That has nothing to do with note #7.

9. I sometimes wonder if people think I'm a little too vocal about my cats. Please don't judge me. Oh heck, judge away. We've all got a little weirdness in us.

10. I admire my mom very much. As I get older I learn more and more just how BIG her view of people and this world is. She doesn't seem to be frightened off by anyone's 'weirdness' and that to me is wonderful.

So there it is. A bit of info right off the top of my head in no particular order. And now this head is going to bed.

*It takes me back to our days in Texas when I longed for really big bows. Medium-sized bows would have worked too. Heck, any bow would have been fine by me.