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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Week That Was
This week started out cozy with me reading in my "sleep chair" with a warm cat beside me while it was cold and rainy. I enjoyed it and felt good being able to do it. But then as the week on inactivity wore on, I'm now ready to do more. I guess that happened just in time since Brendan will be here tomorrow night to spend the night while Brian and Melissa go out. I'll definitely be busy and have things to do with him here! Not sure what we'll do, but we'll come up with something. Next weekend he'll be here from Friday afternoon until Sunday night while Brian and Melissa go to Sewanee for their college reunion weekend. This is three weekends in a row I'll spend time with him and will get to see Brian and Melissa.
10:26:00 PM
Lottery
I won $21 in the lottery. My plan is to clear $21 million, so I just have to do this a million more times. Right? :-)
10:23:00 PM
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Harry and Haggis (not)!
I got back tonight from the Highland Games at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. Brian, Melissa, Brendan, and I drove down together. They stayed with her brother and his wife while I stayed at a nearby hotel. Melissa's mother drove in from Alabama, and her father lives in Atlanta and attended, too. Her family is descended from the Urquhart clan, so we spent some time in their booth which her brother set up and hosted. Many clans had exhibition tents, and there were vendors selling clothing, geneaological information, food, and gifts.
I really enjoyed the border collie demonstrations. They herded ducks and sheep, but not at the same time. Those dogs are so intelligent (highest (IQ of dogs, they said) and focused. It was really neat to watch them. I also liked watching the athletic competitions such as the caber toss, sheaf toss, stone put, throwing weights for distance, and hammer toss. I wonder where the idea came from to pick up a long wooden pole, hold it at arms length and balance it on your shoulder, run with it, and toss it so that it flips over right in line with the direction you're going. They judge the caber toss based on degrees and a clock, for example, they'll say it was a 12 o'clock which is the ideal. Interesting to watch but odd.
Of course there were pipe and drum bands and many bagpipes. Lots of bands and dancing. It was so much fun. I ate meat pies, bridies, and sausage rolls with HP sauce but no haggis. There were British women there who made the most delicious baked goods. They had scones, shortbread, toffee bars, and many other goodies.
I finished the last Harry Potter book last night and am sort of at loose ends since since I read them one right after the other. I've been absorbed in those books for the last couple of months and don't quite know what to do with myself without Hogwarts. I wanted the epilogue to be longer because I wanted more information about their adult lives and other characters. J. K. Rowling announced over the weekend that Dumbledore is gay, so maybe she'll divulge more information about more of them.
11:56:00 PM
Friday, October 12, 2007
Book Festival
The Southern Festival of Books was disappointing this year. Tina, her mother, and I were especially looking forward to seeing Elizabeth Edwards, but she cancelled. I hope she wasn't sick. There was a smaller crowd there than I've ever seen as well as fewer book publishers. I hope they'll be able to continue having it, but based on thiss turn-out, I'm not sure.
It took us a while to get there. We stopped near Tina's house for her to get some sweet tea. For those of you not from the South, that's iced tea made with sugar when it's still warm in order for the sugar to dissolve better. The bottom split off the cup and spilled all over her, so I turned around at the next exit to take her home to change clothes. There was a wreck which blocked her exit, so we had to drive farther and back-track.
We all enjoyed spending time with each other no matter how the day started and progressed. But we wish Elizabeth Edwards had been there.
10:21:00 PM
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Fall Weather At Last!
The weather is cooler and makes me feel great! I just love it when this happens. Fall is my favorite season and wish I could live where it's spring and fall all the time with maybe two weeks each of summer and winter.
This weekend is the Southern Festival of Books, and I'm planning to go with friends tomorrow and Saturday afternoons. More about that after I have something to report.
There are so many activities in October. What are you doing?
1:36:00 PM
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Susan Lucci no more!
After writing quite a few emails to Craig Ferguson's show, he read one from me tonight! He'd just read one from a woman in Nashville and then mine. He said it was Tennessee night. I think he probably thought I was about 10 years old based on my question. I asked if he'd read any of the Harry Potter books, and if so, which character would he like to be. After saying, "No, I haven't read the Harry Potter books ... because I'm male and 45 years old." He smiled, raised his eyebrow, and added, "Uh, of course I have read the Harry Potter books - for demographic reasons - and I'd like to be Old Grumbly Dumb because he's so wise with his spells and magic." So when the rerun is on with Jimmy Smits on it, watch and hear him read my email. I hope some of you watched last night and saw it when it happened like I did. :-)
Now I can win the lottery.
2:36:00 AM
Monday, October 08, 2007
Son Day
Yesterday, Tina and Matthew, her son, met Brian and Brendan at Centennial Park for the Celebration of Cultures. It was well-organized and had many vendors with crafts, gifts, clothing, and food. We enjoyed it but would have had a better time if the weather hadn't been so hot and humid and had been more like real October weather is supposed to be. We spent most of our time sitting at a picnic table in the shade visiting with each other and being entertained by Brendan, the little casting director. He told us what role we'd play in several movies, the funniest being Matthew as Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music. Brian told him that was a bold casting decision.
I really liked the cultural event and wish we could have done more. We did visit several booths and had a good time. Afterwards, we went to Cool Springs and ate at the Red Lobster and did some shopping. Good Sunday!
6:08:00 PM
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Question
To those of you who have read the Harry Potter books, which one do you like best? I'm on the fifth one now, Order of the Phoenix, and can't say until I finish them all. I am so engrossed in them and enjoy them thoroughly. It's not just that Rowling makes this world seem real, it's as if I'm there. The first year at Hogwarts is like any first experience going to a new school or place. Then with each new year, we become more and more familiar with the teachers, other students, courses, and customs. What amazes me is Rowling's imagination. It's a constant surprise to discover the names, new experiences, methods of communication, problems, and so much more! Love the books! I'm going to order the British version of the books from Amazon because I'd like to have those.
What about you? Favorites? Comments?
8:35:00 PM
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