2010 Week 34: The Routine and the Unexpected

Life is a constant mix of both. This week was a stark example.

Monday Night meal has become our normal routine. Always a fun time with friends and family, a varied group each time. The food is often a surprise new culinary experience along with the anticipated chai and fresh baked bread. Joking banter is the norm as the evening progresses. This time we were also entertained by Chef-son and protege Kayla's swaying and singing with the radio pop tunes as they prepped the food. Glad to report no one was hurt!

Kayla J (who now lives with Stephan and Karen and is not to be confused with our granddaughter Kayla) had started a new after-school job at a flower shop, so beautiful centerpiece-bouquets may become routine. We will never grow tired of  these discarded samples of God's creativity!

Tuesday we received the most unexpected shocking news of the passing of niece Elizabeth's husband. Sadness prevailed.

Wednesday was a very long day. I didn't know why I had awakened so very early and accomplished a great deal of the usual reading/writing/responding before mid-day, until son Sam needed help with transportation to take his car to Warsaw and bring back a truck. I was able to spend a few hours with Mother and watch her use the new birthday gift. Amazing! She reads all our blogs and e-mails now with ease and is loving it.

Also that day I received an urgent plea offer from Ivy Tech Community College to teach a Spanish Level 1 class beginning next Tuesday! I spent much of Thursday trying to decide whether this was right for me/us at this time. Then went to the Muncie campus to accept and pick up the necessary materials and information. Hopefully this new assignment will not interfere with writing and blogging which have become an important part of my routine.

Mike continues to work at the Red Barn. They estimate the work will be finished in the next week or two. A large donation has allowed them to go this far. The regular after-school program began this week. The youth will be grateful for more space and an art room.

In his spare time, potter-Mike continues to experiment, create and fill up his shelves with a variety of unique pieces. Here he is using horse hair to decorate raku-fired pots.

Saturday I spent all day working on a syllabus for Spanish 101.
In the late afternoon, we dusted off the tandem and rode to Payne's Coffee and Custard for a light supper.

Today we traveled to Warsaw again to celebrate with Mother and Dad their 68th anniversary. All the cards on the bulletin board were different and made by Elizabeth but this one is special because it was signed by Mike, hr husband, before he died.