when they pull the plug...

So what exactly do you do when the lights go out? I was just finishing up lunch yesterday when the power went off. The coffee was still hot and the conversation was still good...but once lunch was over...reality set in. I could not go back to my work in the office...the Revenue Canada web page had long since disappeared!

I decided to call B.C. Hydro and inform them of our outage. Oops...the cordless phone was not working...nor was the office phone working...

...but I did manage to find a bedroom phone that was just a plain old-fashioned no-frills phone...with a dial tone. (It wasn't actually the phone in the picture...but I wish I still had one of those!) So, after being informed that the power would be off for a few hours...I tried to think of things to do that didn't require electricity. Hmmm...I came up blank! Well, I could always make phone calls...from the bedroom. And so I did. The numbers I needed were on the computer...but I found I still knew how to look them up in a phone book. Several times during my phone conversations, I ran to the office for the required information...and returned to my wired down phone. This was far too much work!

Well...since I was in the bedroom anyhow...and I had a drawer full of books waiting to be read...why not just take a reading break until the power was restored? Just as I was contemplating which book to crack open...

...the power came back on! It looks like the books will have to wait for another day...but I'll show you the options. I keep books in my nightstand...though I'm not sure why, because I don't do a whole lot of reading in bed.

At the top of the pile is a John Grisham book...and now that I'm reading the jacket, I know why I haven't yet read a Grisham book that's been out there for more than a year! It's about football...and I could think of other topics I'd sooner get into.

Next is an Elizabeth Goudge book called "the Dean's Watch"...which I have started...barely. Elizabeth Goudge writes historical novels...'enchanting and something of a fairy-tale' so it says on the back.

Then is "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I bought the book after seeing the author interviewed by Oprah...and thinking it was the story of the love between a father and his son. I have never read it, since both my son and son-in-law informed me it was rather dark...and not likely something I would enjoy. Now I've put it back on my reading pile after having it recommended by trustworthy sources.

Lois Hole's 'Perennial Favorites' has been in my nightstand since we started landscaping almost four years ago. It's fun to spend a few minutes in her book now and again...there's always something to be learned from our Canadian gardening expert.

And at the bottom of the pile is a brand new book called "Bill Vanderzalm...For the People"...the autobiography of British Columbia's 28th premier (a most colourful character). It's a book I ordered for my dad...who happens to be one of Bill's greatest fans...and arrived complete with Mr. Vanderzalm's signature. But, if I treat it with the greatest of care...I should be able to preview it just a wee bit before passing it along.

So those are the books that I may...or may not...be reading sometime soon. The lights are back on...as is the dishwasher...the television...the computer...and all those blinking clocks that I need to re-set. The books will wait! But go over and visit In a Garden ...who is hosting a 'what's on your night table' show-and-tell this week.

Have a wonderful day...

life is funny that way

'The Pink Shack' may not mean much of anything to most people...but if you attended senior high in this city back in the 60's and 70's...you will know that it was affectionately known by that name. It was back in the day when girls still wore dresses (however short!) and smoking was encouraged by providing a venue (known as the quadrangle) for all who wished to smoke. I may not remember much about Wakely's biology class...or Midzane's English class...or Martinuk's chemistry 12 class...but I do recall having a ball at CSSS. Most of my senior high fun involved my very good friend...Carol. Much of our spare time was spent together...or chatting on the phone. Those were the best of times...and I could not have imagined that after grad our lives would each take a very separate path.

I still remember the day we shopped for these dresses...we never thought they were too short at the time. Thanks to the 'crop' feature...we'll skip the legs today. We had a fun grad...which included a girl's camping weekend (well, we actually stayed in a hotel). Immediately after grad, Carol left town to take a summer job...and never returned. Within weeks she met the love of her life...who happened to hail from Quebec...and soon after they were married and settled on Canada's east coast. We wrote the occasional letter...and made every effort to keep up the friendship...but the distance between was just too great!

Over time, Carol and her husband moved back to B.C....and settled in a community nearly an hour away. We started our families at much the same time...and visited with each other on occasion...and shared family news between visits. Over the past few years we have met several times by accident...and intentionally on other occasions. It's always easy to visit...we just pick up where we left off last time! But Carol still lives an hour's drive from our community.

Imagine my surprise at meeting Carol and Paul in our church foyer on a Sunday morning awhile back! They were visiting their son and daughter-in-law, who recently moved to our community...and were attending our church. With a choice of seventy churches to choose from...landing up at the one we attend was not a given! Yesterday morning I met Carol once again as she arrived for the morning service....for her daughter-in-law's baptism. Her son shared his story as well...and together they made a commitment to join our church family.

So I am thinking that I may just be connecting with Carol a little more often than I have in the past. With kids and grandkids living out here...I'm sure she'll be out this way often.

Carol always loved sports...and was a track and field star back in the day. We learned to play tennis together...and she loved playing softball. So why am I not surprised that she now is a personal trainer...and runs marathons?

She completed the Boston marathon last year...how special is that?

We were friends a very long time ago...our lives have taken us on different journeys...and now it seems those separate paths will be crossing a little more frequently. Life is funny that way...and I like it!

Happy Groundhog Day...there's no shadows to be seen out here!

who are you cheering for?

But encourage one another daily...
as long is it is called Today.
Hebrews 3:13

We have no problem picking out our favorite team...or our favorite player...and cheering them on in their game. In many cases..we cheer for people we don't even know. We are not always quite as enthusiastic about offering our encouragement to those we are 'doing life' with. We need others to come alongside of us...and they need to hear us cheering for them. So throw your support behind the team of your choice for the Super Bowl...but don't forget to cheer for those who need a little encouragement in the game of life.