Mauri and Sherry

Posted by Sherry on January 5, 2009

This little work of art has beautified our office reception area for more than five years now. I can’t say I notice it every time I walk past it, since that might be 15 or 20 times a day, but now and then it will catch my eye and I’ll pause to admire it and remember its origins.

My kids might say I was a decent mother, but it’s for sure I didn’t get it right a lot of the time. Like the time Quinn brought this little beauty, along with several other masterpieces, home from her high school art class. I think I might have chuckled a bit. I’m sorry now, of course. If I were given a do over, I’d probably…okay, I’d probably chuckle a bit. I am who I am. So I covered my parenting failure by putting pens and pencils in one and who remembers what in the others. Eventually the pieces got moved to some less visible location, but at least they didn’t end up in the big can out back.

For some reason they remained in my possession, not hers, so I imagine they were a gift to me. Time passed, she moved out, life changed. I downsized, packed my valuables, and moved to Oregon. So you already know that one of my “valuables” turned out to be Quinn’s work of art. And this one as well…

When she comes to visit, she teases me that I pull them out of the closet just for the duration. But here you can see that this piece has a place of honor in our entryway, holding my mother’s paintbrushes (another valued treasure).

(The globe is from my first in-laws’ estate, the clock from my dad’s, the washstand a Macy family treasure—I’m a sentimental fool.)

I bring this up because today the husband of our new quarter-time pastor to seniors came in to the office so I could take his picture with Karen for this week’s newsletter. As Roy passed by the shelf he stopped abruptly to ask about that wonderful art piece. He admired its color and its composition. He asked if he might pick it up. All the while, I’m snapping pictures, of course, already anticipating sharing this story with Quinn. And while I’m at it—you!

I’m serious, Roy’s attention to Quinn’s creativity absolutely made my day.

Category: family matters, nostalgia | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on January 3, 2009

He was remembering the good old days, not so very long ago, when he would have to drive down to the Barview store and point his car in just the right angle toward the ocean to get clear enough cell service to call me. It was either that or what he dubbed T-Mobile tide, when at the lowest tide he would walk toward China until he got enough bars.

So while he’s out there and I’m back here, I won’t have to worry about forgetting what he looks like.

Category: family matters, nostalgia | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on January 2, 2009

Category: nostalgia | 2 Comments »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 31, 2008

On my way to work this morning I snapped one final snow picture. Thankfully we’ve had some warm (enough) days here in our temperate valley that returned everything to its normal lovely shade of winter green. So it seemed only right to post one final snow picture on this final day of the year. Are you ready?

By the time I got home from work, it was but a memory. We’ll be talking about our big snow for a long time.

Category: in the neighborhood | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 27, 2008

A while ago I issued a warning that I love series pictures and would probably be posting them from time to time. I hope that warning’s still in effect because I have a couple of fun (at least I think they’re fun) pictures series for you. The first one goes back a few years, six or more, when I made a mirror for Quinn. Just before I packed it up for shipping to Denver I took this picture to let her know it was on its way:

Not many days later I got this picture via e-mail,

showing me it had arrived in one piece. (Since then, the glass has warped and could now be used in an amusement arcade.)

Today I added a new series to my collection. It started 35 years ago when Mauri took this picture of baby Rachel and her mom, Margaret-Rose, with a sign she painted (on a stool seat) to express her joy of motherhood.

Now Rachel is anticipating the joy of motherhood (February 22), and it was time to pass along the sign, stored in the attic for such a time as this, to the next generation. Just before we packed it in the box for shipping to Philadelphia, I took this picture:

Everything has to be documented, you know.  =)

The package was supposed to be delivered before Christmas. I could hardly contain my anticipation of its arrival, so large is my love of sentiment. This morning a picture showed up on our cell phones:

Rachel said we’d probably guess this was her favorite thing in the box. Mine too.

Bonus pics with Rachel’s captions:

“Johnny is ready to rock the baby monitor.”

“We are sure our kid will be cuter than this, though the hat really helps cute up a roll of paper towels.”

“What can I say about the sign, except that I love it. When John finds the stud-finder, to the wall it will go.”

Category: family matters, series | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 26, 2008

Christmas begins on Christmas Eve, for me anyway. We were so happy that our weird weather didn’t cause our church to cancel its traditional Christmas Eve candlelight services. An “angel” volunteered to plow our parking lot, a necessity, obviously.

I watched him (Tim Moreland) out of my office window. Took four+ hours, but he finished just in time for early arrivers to the first service at 5 o’clock. Observing his dedication to the mission was one Christmas highlight.

Having unhurried time with Pete and Linsey was another highlight. They live near us but our busy lives don’t allow for much time to just hang out with them. We missed all the others but managed to talk to all but one in our immediate family, even those two vagabonders over in Thailand.

Mom Edna came over to share our big meal, and then she agreed to join in a little jam session in our living room. Here’s a taste:

Yes, she gave a little more than she originally agreed to, but you can see she’s a gamer! That video clip ends with a snapshot of Mauri’s folks. Isn’t that sweet?

We participated in Advent Conspiracy, and instead of gifts we gave donations for diapers and formula to Babies of Juarez. This not only simplified our shopping, but it heightened our awareness of the purpose for Christ’s coming to earth. A highlight for sure!

Category: family matters | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 23, 2008

Just to prove I can write a post without referring to the piles of white frozen rain collecting in our yard, I took a picture of the two people who have “moved in” with us to celebrate Christmas.

We continue to adjust our plans to accommodate the fact that we can’t leave town. Pete brought his radio-controlled helicopter, so you can be sure we won’t lack for entertainment around our house.

Category: family matters | 1 Comment »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 22, 2008

They say it’s been forty years since our little valley has had this much snow. We woke up to several more inches and had to grab our cameras to shoot yet another set of pictures. So if you’re sick of snow pictures, I encourage you to move to the next blog on your reader. But if not…..

Our glass French doors allowed this shot.

This is stage three of the other identical shots.

As I stepped out on the front steps with my camera, I heard a loud cracking sound and captured this resulting shower of snow on film.

I ventured out in my favorite pink boots.

Did you know we have an “old” front door and a “new” front door? This is the original front entrance with its original twist doorbell.

Mauri shot me from the window. Look at our pathetic rose garden.

Out in the backyard “Pete’s tree” (the one he planted on Arbor Day in first grade) sags from the snow and ice.

Pete’s pop to the rescue!

The birds feasted on the bag of seed Mauri scattered near the feeder.

The boss declared the office closed today, so I was forced to watch the snow accumulate with my left eye and “Pride and Prejudice” with my right eye. I suppose things could be a lot worse.

Category: in the neighborhood | 4 Comments »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 21, 2008

You pay the price when I have nothing but time on my hands. Our morning services and evening concert were rightfully cancelled, which opened all manner of potential for accomplishment around here. But no, I figure it’s a day of rest, and rest I will! So I sat in my favorite spot, checking Facebook updates to see how others were faring the “blizzard,” watching Bourne Supremacy and Pride and Prejudice, taking pictures of the only other person in the room, 

baking pumpkin pies, which never look very pretty but are usually edible.

and recording the continuing accumulation of ice and snow.

Some of our Facebook friends suggested we feed the birds, so Mauri brought this home,

but the birds around us have already found a food source.

Too much time on my hands. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Category: in the neighborhood | 3 Comments »
Tags:

Posted by Sherry on December 20, 2008

Everybody, and I mean everybody, around these parts is talking about our weather. This much snowfall in a day’s time is so rare I couldn’t not post some pictures, if only for history’s sake, as in “Remember when schools were closed an entire week before the real blizzard hit?” Here’s the picture I posted a week ago, when things were just getting started:

Here’s the same view from our back window tonight:

I s’pose you can see I never did get that fern plant brought in. Here are some more snaps from around the homestead:

We’ve already cancelled our 9 a.m. service tomorrow morning. Mauri and I are laying odds on whether or not we’ll have any at all. He’s in the living room practicing at the moment and will remain hopeful that some can still gather to worship, even if only a few.

Category: in the neighborhood | 2 Comments »
Tags: