2015 Week 36: Pleasures and Pains

Those two Ps seem to be the normal mix of life on earth.
Mike has experienced a lot of the latter. A very painful shot on Thursday was an attempt to target the nerve causing the episodes, but after all the xrays and efforts to isolate the culprit, it was unsuccessful. "Come again next week."

Watching the birds that hover around the various feeding stations is one of the pleasures of life in our woods.

Teaching the sounds and basics of the Spanish language has become another of my rewarding experiences. Early on I teach the vowel sounds with skits that associate each one with a scenario. Photos in the classroom of the acting students are constant reminders of the correct pronunciation when tempted to revert to the English sound. As an added (or intentional!) bonus--we have a lot of fun doing this activity. 

Monday's Cast

Tuesday's Cast

Monday Night Meal is a pleasure we both look foward to, only slightly lessened by the fact that we can't ride together. For as long as I am teaching in Muncie I will go straight to the dinner from class.

We had a wonderful surprise this week. Our Chinese friend, Nanxin, has returned after being gone since December. She is now a graduate student in actuarial science.

Wednesday we caught a glimpse of our lovely daughter when we delivered some items to her house. She told us, however, that she was not doing as well as she looked--poison ivy was taking over!
I think she later ended up in the ER.

Thursday I walked again with my tall walking partner. Rebecca did not join us, but I did stop by after to see her.

Fridays, my neighbor-friend and I meet for coffee and a delightful hour-long chat.

Until the end of the growing season and before the cold weather sets in, my next two stops Friday-stops are: Victory Acres, to pick up our weekly share; and the Farmer's Market, to stock up on whatever else is available.
I am so enjoying the sunflowers I bought there and how they fit in one of Mike's ceramic vases.

This is a big weekend in our little town. Saturday is rummage day and crowds come from all over to our "Feria americana"--this American custom of putting out all our excess items and selling them for almost nothing.
SIL Diane really looks forward to it every year, even if she doesn't buy much. This time she asked me weeks ago if I would go with her. So we hit some of the favorite places. I think it's impossible to go to all of the yard sales. We ended up at Leah's where Kayla was selling baby-girl clothes, sizes 0 to 9 months.

Another Rebecca sighting, and Zeus, her favorite doggy.

Rebecca ate some of my "walking taco" and loved it!

More Labor Day weekend festivities to come. I'll report on those next week.