Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Starbucks Anyone??
I spend several hours packing today. It is an interesting perspective to see your worldly goods condensed down to 3 duffel bags and one large suitcase. I have been preparing for this moment for months - sorting, re-sorting, constantly weighing sentimental attachment and practicality. In the end, a lot of what I chose to take were things that I believe I cannot find in Central Asia. Some of these things may seem silly but right now they are important to me. Some of these things include an extra tube of my favorite lipstick, some Bath and Body Works products(Fresh Vanilla scent!), and, lest you think that all I packed was make-up, a box of Tazo Passion Tea (you know, the Starbucks kind). Humm...I wonder if they have Starbucks in Central Asia. Well, stay tuned for the next episode of 'As Central Asia Turns' - we will have the answer about Starbucks very shortly.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
How to Post
All,
I have had several questions about posting to a blog. For all you non-techies out there (of which I am one!), here are instructions on how to post:
1. go to the bottom of the post that you want to comment on
2. go to the part that says 'Links to Post'
3. Go to 'Post a Comment' On this particular blog, this is in green script.
4. write your comments in the box - sorry, it will only go up 300 characters. I have not yet figured out how to have unlimited characters. If anyone knows, please send me a comment on how to fix this.
5. click on the bubble that says 'annoymous' or 'other.' 'Annoymous' is easier as it does not require any additional information to be entered. However, please sign your comment so that I will know who wrote if you send it annoymous.
6. click on 'publish your comment'
Plesae send me feedback on this if it doesn't work! I am still learning and want to make sure this blog viable!
I have had several questions about posting to a blog. For all you non-techies out there (of which I am one!), here are instructions on how to post:
1. go to the bottom of the post that you want to comment on
2. go to the part that says 'Links to Post'
3. Go to 'Post a Comment' On this particular blog, this is in green script.
4. write your comments in the box - sorry, it will only go up 300 characters. I have not yet figured out how to have unlimited characters. If anyone knows, please send me a comment on how to fix this.
5. click on the bubble that says 'annoymous' or 'other.' 'Annoymous' is easier as it does not require any additional information to be entered. However, please sign your comment so that I will know who wrote if you send it annoymous.
6. click on 'publish your comment'
Plesae send me feedback on this if it doesn't work! I am still learning and want to make sure this blog viable!
Small Town Ramblings
Hello all! I will be traveling to Alice today to visit with old friends. I also planned to see my aunt and uncle near Corpus Christi. It will be a short visit but one that I am looking forward to.
Nothing new in Dilley. It has been almost 20 years since I lived here and I couldn't wait to leave when I was a teenager but age provides pros as well as cons. Here are some ramblings on life in a small (very small!!!) town.
pro - everything is two minutes away.
pro - a traffic jam is waiting for two cars to pass by
con - the highlight of the day is a trip to the post office (seriously, I put on makeup for this!)
pro - my mother and i went to get gas yesterday. I tell her - 'you have to pay before you pump' she says 'It's all right - they know me' - they did - no problemo.
pro - an old friend called last night and we hung out. No appointment, no calendar, just come on over. I didn't even have to give her directions to my house.
con - people want to know - there is a strange car parked in your driveway and it makes the neighborhood buzz.
pro or con? - my mother calls Hwy 35 'the superway' and drives on the access road.
definite pro - San Antonio is only an hour and half way - an hour the way I drive!
con - after twenty years, I see a face in the store or some other locality. The face looks strangely familiar - sometimes I even have a name to match. But I am hesitant to approach - what if I am wrong? Or, heaven forbid, it is a classmate's child - grown and gone but looks just their mom or dad at that age?
pro - I don't have grandchildren. I don't even have children! I ran into someone I went to high school with years back. She had her first baby when we were in high school. That baby now has a daughter.
pro - people know you. "sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name..."
enough said.
pro - you know the dirt on people - even from years ago.
con - they know the dirt on you - even from years ago.
con - the grocery store - everything is way over-priced. There is no such thing as bargain shopping because this is the only store in town. Oh, well.
con - there are two restaurants in town. Dairy Queen and Pacho's. Due to the overwhelming variety, people still cook at home (maybe that should go in the pro list)
pro - both restaurants are air-conditioned.
Nothing new in Dilley. It has been almost 20 years since I lived here and I couldn't wait to leave when I was a teenager but age provides pros as well as cons. Here are some ramblings on life in a small (very small!!!) town.
pro - everything is two minutes away.
pro - a traffic jam is waiting for two cars to pass by
con - the highlight of the day is a trip to the post office (seriously, I put on makeup for this!)
pro - my mother and i went to get gas yesterday. I tell her - 'you have to pay before you pump' she says 'It's all right - they know me' - they did - no problemo.
pro - an old friend called last night and we hung out. No appointment, no calendar, just come on over. I didn't even have to give her directions to my house.
con - people want to know - there is a strange car parked in your driveway and it makes the neighborhood buzz.
pro or con? - my mother calls Hwy 35 'the superway' and drives on the access road.
definite pro - San Antonio is only an hour and half way - an hour the way I drive!
con - after twenty years, I see a face in the store or some other locality. The face looks strangely familiar - sometimes I even have a name to match. But I am hesitant to approach - what if I am wrong? Or, heaven forbid, it is a classmate's child - grown and gone but looks just their mom or dad at that age?
pro - I don't have grandchildren. I don't even have children! I ran into someone I went to high school with years back. She had her first baby when we were in high school. That baby now has a daughter.
pro - people know you. "sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name..."
enough said.
pro - you know the dirt on people - even from years ago.
con - they know the dirt on you - even from years ago.
con - the grocery store - everything is way over-priced. There is no such thing as bargain shopping because this is the only store in town. Oh, well.
con - there are two restaurants in town. Dairy Queen and Pacho's. Due to the overwhelming variety, people still cook at home (maybe that should go in the pro list)
pro - both restaurants are air-conditioned.
Friday, October 12, 2007
The Chronicles of Narnia
I love the Chronicles of Narnia. In some way, they are everything good about childhood - a place where the wicked are defeated, children have the wisdom to be kings and queens, and Aslan is just around the corner. At odd times, quotes will echo in my head, with just the faintest hint of a proper British accent. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the Chronicles. If you have not read these books, you are in for a treat.
" 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Mr. Beaver
"Once a king or a queen in Narnia, always a king or queen. Bear it well, Sons of Adam. Bear it well, Daughters of Eve."
Aslan
"One of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you come to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them; so that Aravis (though she remembered them years later) had only a vague impression of grey lawns, quietly bubbling fountains, and the long black shadows of cypress trees."
The Horse and His Boy
"Aslan threw up his shaggy head and opened his mouth, and uttered a long single note; not very loud but full of power.... anyone who heard that call would want to obey it and (what's more) would be able to obey it, however many worlds and ages lay between."
Polly
"But battles are ugly when women fight."
Father Christmas
""You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve, and that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest begger, and shame enough to bow the head of the greatest emperor on on earth. Be content."
Aslan
Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight.
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more.
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death.
And when he shakes his Mane, we shall have spring again.
"They are a wise, wealthy, courteous, cruel, and ancient people."
of the Calormens
"You are the King of Narnia...You shall not please yourself with adventures as if you were a private person."
Reepicheep
"I've been lessoned but I'll not be baited."
Prince Caspian
"Sometimes, perhaps, I am a little impatient, waiting for the day when they can be governed by wisdom instead of this rough magic.
Coriakin
" 'In our world, a star is a huge ball of flaming glass' said Eustance. 'Even in your world, my son,that is not what a star is but only what it is made of.' "
Eustance and Ramandu
" 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
Mr. Beaver
"Once a king or a queen in Narnia, always a king or queen. Bear it well, Sons of Adam. Bear it well, Daughters of Eve."
Aslan
"One of the drawbacks about adventures is that when you come to the most beautiful places you are often too anxious and hurried to appreciate them; so that Aravis (though she remembered them years later) had only a vague impression of grey lawns, quietly bubbling fountains, and the long black shadows of cypress trees."
The Horse and His Boy
"Aslan threw up his shaggy head and opened his mouth, and uttered a long single note; not very loud but full of power.... anyone who heard that call would want to obey it and (what's more) would be able to obey it, however many worlds and ages lay between."
Polly
"But battles are ugly when women fight."
Father Christmas
""You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve, and that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest begger, and shame enough to bow the head of the greatest emperor on on earth. Be content."
Aslan
Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight.
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more.
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death.
And when he shakes his Mane, we shall have spring again.
"They are a wise, wealthy, courteous, cruel, and ancient people."
of the Calormens
"You are the King of Narnia...You shall not please yourself with adventures as if you were a private person."
Reepicheep
"I've been lessoned but I'll not be baited."
Prince Caspian
"Sometimes, perhaps, I am a little impatient, waiting for the day when they can be governed by wisdom instead of this rough magic.
Coriakin
" 'In our world, a star is a huge ball of flaming glass' said Eustance. 'Even in your world, my son,that is not what a star is but only what it is made of.' "
Eustance and Ramandu
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Texas
I arrived in south Texas yesterday evening. I will be staying with my mother for several weeks. I will be departing for overseas in late October. I picked up Tuesday in San Antonio - he is doing well and seemed very glad to see me, contrary to my fears that he would be really really mad (expressed as feline outrage). He seemed glad to get back to my mother's house and spent a while roaming around and rubbing against tables, chairs and other objects.
While in Houston, I went to the consulate regarding my visa. The application process seemed to go smoothly. I should have the visa by the end of the week. Please keep this in your prayers.
Via Con Dios!
While in Houston, I went to the consulate regarding my visa. The application process seemed to go smoothly. I should have the visa by the end of the week. Please keep this in your prayers.
Via Con Dios!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Life of a Nomad
All,
I am leaving VA tomorrow. Here is my schedule so that you will know where I am. I am driving to GA on Tuesday and staying in at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center near Savannah. I will be leaving there Friday morning and driving Long Beach MS and staying a bed and breakfast there. On Saturday morning I will be arising (probably very early!) and driving to Houston. I will be staying with my cousin Kay for several days. On Monday I plan to leave for Dilley to spend the remaining time with my mother. I depart overseas in late October. Please pray for me that God uses this time on the road to restore and renew me.
I am leaving VA tomorrow. Here is my schedule so that you will know where I am. I am driving to GA on Tuesday and staying in at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center near Savannah. I will be leaving there Friday morning and driving Long Beach MS and staying a bed and breakfast there. On Saturday morning I will be arising (probably very early!) and driving to Houston. I will be staying with my cousin Kay for several days. On Monday I plan to leave for Dilley to spend the remaining time with my mother. I depart overseas in late October. Please pray for me that God uses this time on the road to restore and renew me.
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