Inspired by a little-known picture book from the pen of Bethany Tudor, this is a diary, of sorts, where I document some of my thoughts, activities, and ideas as I explore the challenges met by the characters in the story: hard work, the care and nurture of others, housekeeping skills, life changes, charity, community, and cooperation, among others. Like Samuel and Samantha, the ducks in the tale, I struggle and succeed, cope and celebrate, work and play, handling the tasks that come my way. I invite you to join me on my journey.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Angel Gabriel

Tonight, while my daughter attended a dance party, I headed to Starbucks for some quiet study time with The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther. While in the coffee shop, these words came over the stereo, accompanied by music (of course):
And I’ll shout and I’ll dance
And I’ll rise up early in the morning
I will rise and rub my sleepy eyes
When old Gabriel comes blowing on his horn
I was curious about where these lyrics originated, so I looked it up when I got home. They are from a folk song titled “Angel Gabriel.” You can read the rest of the words on this page of the Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics section of the Traditional Music Library website. Enjoy!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

A Cavity and a Resolution

Last week, I had my regular six-month dental hygienist appointment. You know the one: where they clean your pearly whites, take x-rays (if need be) and, generally, tell you that all is right with the world. Well, apparently, all is not right in my universe because I have a cavity! That’s right, a cavity. Even my dentist seemed a bit surprised. The little lovely is located between two of my molars, so I will now have to get two fillings. Not one. Two. Ain’t that just grand? If I opt for the silver amalgam version, the cost is $41.30 after insurance; if I decide to go with the white, matched-to-your-teeth variety, the price is ~$193.00 post insurance. The fillings are for my molars. Who will be looking there? I think silver. Then again…

Today, one week later, I had the filling installed. I cheaped out and went with silver. The dental assistant explained to me that the silver amalgam fillings are a bit stronger than the white ones, and that the location of my cavity would fare better with a stronger material. It really was a no-brainer. Two shots of Novocain, some drilling, and 45 minutes later, my teeth were “back to normal.” Hopefully, they will stay that way.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Fall is Coming

Today, as I pulled into the parking lot of the church where my daughter practices the organ, a bit of a breeze began to blow. Looking across the property, I saw a cascade of yellow leaves falling from one of the many trees surrounding the churchyard and it occurred to me, all of a sudden, that fall is coming. It really is on its way. In recognition of that fact, I thought I would post this, "Falling Leaves" by Bet Briggs. Enjoy.