Miscellaneous

. . . A person knows she has reached a new level of Tired when she gets slightly sick and doesn't even mind because it means she can have a night at home! Bonnie and I went to the cemetery today for the annual meeting of the AFTBOTGOOGD. But first we had a delicious lunch at the new Asian Fusion (whatever that means) restaurant in town. We were nearly to her house on the way home when I realized that I really was not feeling well at all. I was supposed to go to the book club tonight where some new form of amazing beverage was to take a higher priority than the book. I had the good sense to phone the hostess and tell her I did not think that I should attend. I like the women in the book club very much, but tonight it was not the worst possible thing to have to be home.

. . .The book to be discussed, River, Cross My Heart by Breena Clarke was an easy read and I'd give it about a C+. An Oprah pick, it is yet another about Black oppression. Recent reads for the book club have been less than totally cheerful, centering on the life of women in Afghanistan, life in Iraq, etc., and I guess I was just ready for something a little more upbeat.

. . . My girlfriends, the Good Guys, a group that has been together for more than 25 years, gathered one night last week to have dinner and exchange gifties. We don't get together as often as we used to, and this particular night was so comfortable and nice. I made a lasagne and everyone brought something to contribute. The gifties were varied and delightful. I had bought everyone an olive wood spatula when I was in Greece this summer. My favorite of the gifties I received was Kathy's, a pair of the softest imaginable socks by Life Is Good. Made me think of You Know Who!

. . . A nice surprise this week was the receipt of a Barnes & Noble gift card from the Upper School Director. She was appreciative of the things I do to help keep her division running smoothly. For once, I know exactly how to use the gift card! About fifteen years ago my friend Bill gave us a copy of Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It was a wonderful book -- if you read Rutherfurd at all, you'll understand when I tell you this book is like one of his. It is about the building of a cathedral over many, many years and generations. Now I have learned that Ken Follett has written a "sequel" to Pillars. I'm going to get it -- yes, in hardback even -- and put it on the nightstand. Then in January I'm going to re-read Pillars with the hope of getting to World beginning in February! What a delightful thing to look forward to for one of the hardest months of the year!

. . . The purses that I'd placed in the school store back when school started did not sell. So I retrieved them earlier this week. One of them is the popular chocolate and aqua combination that Vera Bradley is showing. I'm going to give it as a Christmas gift to a young woman from our church. I've long enjoyed her sweet nature, her pretty smile, her charming demeanor, and was just tickled when her name was the one I drew for an Advent prayer partner. We are supposed to tell our partner who we are close to Christmas, and I have decided to give Sarah the chocolate mint purse as a little gift.

. . . The Christmas shopping is finished, the wrapping nearly so. The cards are in the mail. Now comes the baking and cooking and entertaining. Which starts tomorrow. It will all get done. It will.