Christmas Party

We kind of missed doing a party for Eli's birthday, so we made up by doing a Christmas party with several of his buds. They played with Legos, watched "Fire House Dog" and decorated cookies. A lunch of hot dogs and chips completed the day. Here are some photos. Merry Christmas to Sam F., Matt B., and Ian K. from all of us!

Christmas decorations

Here are some shots from around the house
with our decorations up. Libby says the wreath
is probably her best one yet. The house looks
very nice at night with single white candles
in each window (very Richmond) and the
front stoop lit up. I'll try to get a picture of
that later. We also have stockings yet to hang,
so I'll get that later too. We got our own
tree this year from a farm (Doug Harrell near Spruce Pine, NC); it's nearly 8 feet tall.

At last

Painting's done. Including the little hallway in the upstairs. The same weekend I finished the painting, I built this bookcase. It did it in between coats of paint upstairs. I tried some mitred edges on the trim of the bookcase. One of the four actually met and looks nice, the others needed a little bit of wood putty. Hate the orange color; it's supposed to be maple. But in the basement it will be fine. Notice it's already pretty much full!

Lazy weekend

Eli had a sleepover Friday night with his buddy Sam F. Nobody's talking, but we're guessing there wasn't a whole lot of sleep at the sleepover. Eli had a second get together at Ian K.'s house Saturday afternoon and night; it was to have been another sleepover, but Eli pooped out about 9 PM. This is him Sunday afternoon. Thank goodness Monday is a school holiday. Briggs has had a cold this week and it was really kicking his butt this weekend. Lots of quality time in front of the TV.

Last bit of painting

I finally have been able to work on painting the stairwell. It took two weekends, but I managed to avoid buying any new equipment. It only felt like it was 75 feet up! You think this photo is dizzying; imagine being 10 up a ladder with brush and pan in hand, cantilevered across the abyss to reach the trim! We used a lighter shade from the living room color palette for the upper reaches of the stairway walls, and then the same trim shade as in the entry and living room. That's a total of three shades of yellow. Fun to look at, but a bitch to clean brushes for each color! The new colors really, really brighten up the stairs. The new fixture we bought months ago now can actually do some good instead of competing against the dark paneling.

That's it; everything's now been painted on the main floors. Nothing to do now but start touching-up the scratches we've inflicted the past 10 months.

Cruising

Briggs has been getting the hang of a little razor scooter all summer. At last he has figured out balance. Here is a video of his progress; don't worry while watching: he stays upright the whole time, and doesn't get hurt! For the longest time he rode with his left leg cocked out in the air. Tonight he realized that he could tuck it onto the scooter and still stay upright. Of course that meant we had to add the protective gear! (Malcolm Burn gave Eli this scooter several years ago; Eli nearly wore it out, and still has a hard time keeping his hands off it when Briggs wants to ride! Thanks, Malcolm!)

Recently Read

I recently read Marilynne Robinson’s book “Gilead” (Picador, ISBN 031242440X) I have to confess I started it three times before I was finally able to get past about page 17. And that was the paradox: I was trying to read it way too fast, when the language required a slow and steady pace, with plenty of time to reflect on the words and images. Once I slowed down, I was able to really read the book and glean much more from it than I might otherwise.

John Ames is a preacher in Kansas, advanced in age, writing a serious of reflections to his young son. His father was a preacher too, and things religious hover around most of the stories in the book. Ames lived in a time when there wasn’t much, and that in and of itself is important for a reader now. The book is for those who can at least appreciate a slower pace of life, even if they have not yet attained it.

John Ames has lived a life attuned to the sacramental presence in all things. In no way a superficial naturalism, Ames' theology sees depth where others see only objects. Casseroles are augurs of communion. Napping is an appropriate prelude to prayer. There is a sacred mystery present in sorrow. Dancing in a sprinkler is as miraculous as the waters of baptism. Ames is so keenly aware of the life around him, and it’s critical import, that Feuerbach the Theologian and Soapy the Cat exists side by side in his estimation, and enjoy the same admiration.

There is a wealth of preach-able material here. And there is a wealth of wisdom for anyone looking to sense the greater part of living. Those who multi-task should walk on by. The meaning of the book will be lost on you if you read while doing anything else. Best to find a rocker on an ivy-clad porch, read a few pages and take a nap. Read a few more in a few days, and over the course of time let an attitude of appreciation for all things take root.