Pictures from the Beach

Yesterday we stopped in South Haven on the way to Grand Rapids and had a picnic on the beach. It was a gorgeous day for it! Sunny, breezy, and mid-seventies. It felt so good to bury my toes in the sand and look out over the water. Ross, who has lived on the East and the West coasts, marvels at how like the ocean it is. (Only better, I say.) After eating our lunch we went for a walk and then rested on our picnic blanket in the sun for a while (not long, but long enough for Ross to get a little sun burn.) With the breeze it felt a bit too chilly for swimming, but we are going to try to do some of that when we swing back through on Thursday.

Fourth of July Festivities

Buechner on Patriotism

All "isms" run out in the end, and good riddance to most of them. Patriotism for example....

The only patriots worth their salt are the ones that love their country enough to see that in a nuclear age it is not going to survive unless the world survives. True patriots are no longer champions of Democracy, Communism, or anything like that but champions of the Human Race. It is not Homeland that they feel called on to defend at any cost but the planet Earth as Home. If in the interests of making sure we don't blow ourselves off the map once and for all, we end up relinquishing a measure of national sovereignty to some international body, so much the worse for national sovereignty.

There is only one Sovereignty that matters ultimately, and it is of another sort altogether.

The above quote is from a book of compiled writings, so I don't know when it was written, but I would guess it's at least 20 years old. Still, even with the threat of nuclear annihilation somewhat muted, I think it is very relevant today. Recently we have seen how the actions of a relatively tiny group of people can have a domino effect, creating massive economic havoc around the world. Scientists warn us that the habits of a few nations may have a catastrophic effect on the entire planet. And we've all watched as a virus born in a remote village in Africa has spread to every corner of our world and claimed the lives of millions of men, women, and children. Despite our differences, we are all connected, and if the ship goes down, America goes down with it.

I love my country, but I'm tired of people who use patriotism as an excuse for callous indifference and smug superiority. Jesus makes it clear that he abhors apathy.

"'I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"

As a Christian I believe we are called to use our hands, our feet, our voices, our resources, and yes, our vote, to do the will of God, and God is not interested in the promoting the ease and comfort of Americans at the expense of the rest of his children.

Thursday

Hooray, I survived Wednesday!

We found out that the problem we are having with the Yukon is the same thing they were dealing with back in North Carolina. Comforting to know that it wasn't something I did, at least!

Ross has an on-site interview with a video game studio in Chicago on Monday. This is the same company he's been trying to get an interview with for months and that warned him of a hiring freeze just a couple of weeks ago, so for things to suddenly go this way feels like a windfall. On one hand, we don't want to get our hopes up, but on the other hand, it is a wonderful change to have something so tantalizingly close to hope for.

Meanwhile we're still on for my birthday trip on Tuesday. So if the interview goes poorly, the trip will be our balm, and if it goes well, it will be our celebration.

The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away

What the heck is going on!? First my rose bush was crushed under roofing shingles, then we were plunged back into this gloomy weather, and then the Yukon died in the driveway. If I leave the house, will a piano fall on my head?

I am trying to keep my chin up. I'm playing Motown on the radio...brewing a fresh pot coffee...praying...taking deep breathes...wearing my comfiest hoody...ranting to sister on the phone...

What kind of things do you do when life seems out to get you?

Done!

One of the first things our real estate agent, Dan, told us when we bought this house was that it needed a new roof. The shingles were curling up and on the back of the house big sheets of them had come loose and were sliding down. Unfortunately, our list of "first things" was long and expensive and we kept putting off the roof until this spring, when a guy came by offering to take pictures of our roof and send them to the insurance company. Why not? So one thing led to another and by 10am this morning our new roof was finished!

Behold, the new roof! (We did go with Driftwood, btw.)


The siding looks sorrier than ever, but that's fairly new siding, believe it or not (we had nothing to do with it,) and we have to make the best of it! Eventually we'll put up shutters and maybe that will help. For now though we are celebrating a big improvement finally completed!

Garden Update

An amazing thing has happened. After weeks and weeks of waiting, the Chinese Forget-Me-Nots are starting to flower! I've been warned that the flowers turn into terrible burrs that are impossible to get out of pet fur so I decided that now was the time to move them out doors.
This ugly strip of dirt next to the driveway is their new home. I thought about planting them next to the peonies, by the garage, but the immovable Kia is parked over there and would make them too hard to see. They look a little lonely here but I had to pull out all the violets or risk having them overrun, and I don't really have anything else ready to plant at the moment. Oh well, with time they will fill out a little.
Beautiful!

Birthday Plans

In a little over a week I'll be turning 31 and Ross is taking me to Grand Rapids, where I lived and went to school for two years, to celebrate. It's kind of crazy of us, considering the circumstances, but we've been meaning to take a trip to Michigan for a while now, and since I was too sick on my 30th to do anything special, we're actually celebrating two birthdays in one.

We looked at B&Bs and a bunch of hotels and everything seemed too expensive until we found Hyatt Place. They are doing a summer promotion where you get the second night half off. The hotel is actually outside of Grand Rapids, in Wyoming, MI, but it's only a ten minute drive to get down town and we have the Garmin, so it should be fine.

This will be Ross's first trip to Grand Rapids and I am trying to figure out what I want to show him. We will definitely go to Calvin College. I haven't seen it in almost ten years! I want to show him my dorm, and the building I worked in, and walk across the quad again. (I can remember so many nights walking across the quad after work, the moon overhead and not a soul in sight.) In downtown Grand Rapids we can go to the Gerald R. Ford museum...maybe checkout the Amway Grand Plaza...and coffee at Four Friends (if it is still there?)

We plan on working the lake into our trip too. I'm gonna pack lunch for us (in fact, we are going to try to bring enough food for all of our meals to save a little money) and we're going to stop in South Haven or Saugatuck for a picnic on the beach. We'll probably do the same thing on the way home, and maybe even stick around to watch the sun set.

We try to be responsible, and being unemployed always figures into our decisions, but you only live once!

Ta-dah!

Remember what my rose looked like yesterday? Well, take a look at her now! (((happy sigh))) Did you notice the colors? Those are for real! And she smells good too! I am beginning to realize why some people are rose addicts (check out McKinley's blog linked in the sidebar!) I really enjoyed the peonies, but they burst out one day and are drooping and rotting two days later. The roses emerge slowly and then just get more and more stunning every day. And while the peonies are like big, soft pom-poms the roses have an almost architectural elegance to them. I hope, hope, hope I'll get more!


If you've ever been to my house you know I don't have a beautiful garden. I have a lawn spotted with weeds and I have few designated flower beds that are mostly empty. But I have big dreams!

As Promised, Cats in Yard