Sunday, November 18, 2007

Ahhhh, it's time for Thanksgiving . . .

Vacation time starts tomorrow. For several years now, I've been able to take most of Thanksgiving Week off. It's a great time for a break. With Advent just around the corner, this is my last break away from work until the middle of Spring.

A little garden work, getting flower beds ready by trimming down seasonal plants and putting out a bunch of mulch. Here in Texas, this week may be the last time for lawn mowing. That means draining out gas from the lawn mower and tiller. Time to store them until early spring.

There is a starkness to winter that I enjoy. A time for things to go dormant, for greens to be replaced with browns . . . a time for nature to go-to-sleep for a while.

This will be a week where I will have time to bake home-made muffins each morning, and help get the house ready for Thanksgiving company. This will be a week where I have time to do some "physical work" with my hands. May even ride the mountain bike a few times.

I don't want to sit much this week. I want to fiddle with lawn mover engines, oven thermostats, washing machine timers . . . anything that lets me have a reason to go to the hardware store.

Advent is going to be so busy. Our church is growing, and we anticipate record crowds for our annual Choir Candelighthing Service and later for Christmas Eve services (at 5 PM, 7 PM, and 9 PM). I want to accomplish as many "need to do's" this week as I can. I need to do this, because my focus in December will be our church, and getting ready for Advent and Christmas Day.

It is also a time to break in the new 2008 Planner Pad, and begin planning in earnest for the next quarter. It has been a fruitful year of ministry . . . of friendships . . . for family. This week will also be a time give thanks, but also a time to do some "long range" visioning, to dream about a preferred future . . . God's future.

It's going to be a good week.

I'm better than I deserve! That's a good thing.

Rick ><>

7 comments:

doodlebugmom said...

enjoy your downtime and Happy Thanksgiving!

Rick said...

Mowed the front and back yards. Trimmed the hedges. Cut back all the tropicals and the Virginia Creeper vines, and mulched around plants that will survive the upper 30's we are supposed to have Wednesday night. Trimmed with the weed-eater, watered everything and bagged up 7 large trash bags of grass, etc.

The yard looks great!

However, it was 80+ degrees today, on November 19th!

I need water.

What exactly is down time?

doodlebugmom said...

I thought you were going to bake muffins!
I have no idea what downtime is, I'm a mom :o)
And upper 30's are high here.

Mark said...

I mowed today and started trimming until my trimmer started acting up. Rushed over to Lowe's to buy some mulch for my clematis. Still haven't cut back my cannas.

Arrgggh! That's what happens when I work...no time for the yard!

Rick said...

I made the muffins. Lemon Poppy Seed. Ummmmmm Ummmmmm!

Tonight, I am making meatloaf.

I bet a meatloaf would make Mark feel so much better!!!!

doodlebugmom said...

Mmm, meatloaf sounds good. I should make that since my oldest is home on break.

We had 3 inches of slippery snow on Wednesday afternoon. I had my hubby's 4wd truck (put new tires on it a little early for Christmas), ended up sliding right past my driveway and I was poking along! I was more than a little freaked out, since it was the first time I had driven any truck since I flipped his last one =(

I am never driving a truck again. OK, thats no realistic...but I can hope!

Rick said...

Actually, it was my very first meatloaf, and if do say so myself, I willingly went back for seconds.

When I am not rushed, I am a pretty fair cook. I will do meatloaf again soon.

Speaking of the weather, it was 85 this past Tuesday, and then we had snow and sleet on Thanksgiving. The ground was too warm for any accumulation, but it was sure fun to see all the big snow flakes.

I don't feel dressed without having a pen, pencil and notebook with me!

I'm at the age where I pretty much know what I like to have with me in terms of every-day-carry.   I like 4"x6" sized notebook...