there's no place like gnome.

. blog.

. hem a pair and a half of pants.  [a pair and a half?  one pair plus a hem repair on one leg of another]

. clean.

. change my iphone case and protective cover.  [long time coming]

. watch Big Bang.  [I really like Amy F. F.]

. finish decorating my upstairs tree.

. make a move in each of eleven games of Words with Friends.

. give Mabel attention.  [I think she feels neglected because she pooped in the house again AND ran laps around the church like a mad woman.  I think snow is her drug.]

. pay my monthly student loan payment.  [always depressing]
. one word: pinterest.

I guess that’s it.  

Off to the sermon.

I meant to post this yesterday.  You know – on Friday.  But the day got away from me so here is a fun story friday edition on a saturday.

First story.  I went to the Baptist church Christmas tea last week with a car of congregation members.  The program was lovely and then we had coffee/tea/desserts in the basement.  There were super polite – SUPER polite – boys [high school-ish] going table to table, serving the beverages.  One boy stopped at our table, asked if anyone wanted water, and when our table declined his offer, he BOWED and began to walk away.  Until he came back and said this to me: Excuse me, ma’m, might I say that is a very beautiful ring you’re wearing.  *bow*  [Awkward?]

Second story.  I keep a bed pillow on my couch/loveseat.  Mabel uses it like a human.  And she drools.

Third story.  Paige’s house was on the Waseca Christmas house tour.  Friday night was the preview for the home owners and their families, and the committee members.  Paige invited her local family [Lauren, jD, and I] to tour the homes.  Some of the houses were extreme to the awesome and some were extreme to the completely odd.  There were codes to communicate within our family about the atrocities we witnessed.  Lauren would say, “My sister would love that!” and jD would cough if something was hideous.  Lauren’s sister loved a lot of things at certain homes and I think jD came down with something.  There were lanterns in the 1960s pink bathroom tub and the largest Christmas village ever.  Paige has a music room in her Christmas house and so we formed a family band.  I played the accordion.

Fourth.  Paige, jD, and I go everywhere synod-related together, right?  Right.  And so we’re going to send the synod a Christmas card from the three of us.  There was a photo shoot.  Oh yes.  A photo shoot.

Well … first, I have to write my sermon tomorrow during my work day.  But I think it’s completely feasible!   Ideas have been shuffling about my head for a few days; they now need to find their way to the paper.  There are no meetings on the calendar for my Thursday so I hereby declare it an office day of sermon writing and ADVENTure preparing.  With a work-free weekend, I will be happy and –

I will finish decorating my Christmas trees.

I will make this for a dinner.  If only it’s the tiniest bit as delicious as the Thai pizza I had at Moose’s Tooth in Anchorage before flying home in August.  [And while we’re on the subject – remember when I drove to Alaska?  One of the best weeks ever.  I’d do it again at the snap of the fingers.  I think about it all. the. time.]

I will clean the house.

I will figure out how to check out ebooks on my kindle from the Austin Public Library.  [Currently enjoying Little Women for the first time but I’m anxious for something a little faster moving.]

I will begin my Christmas cards and shop etsy-style for gifts.

I may rent a redbox movie.  The Green Lantern, perhaps?

I will finish a batch of cakepops and deliver them to Paige for her house walk tour.  [I should probably drop a business card off with them too?  That means I need a name – help!]

I may make this to keep the backseat of my car Mabel-hair free from this point on.  [It’s pretty disgusting right now.]

I will sleep and veg an appropriate amount, along with a few rounds of cardio and yoga.  

It will be a fantastically wonderful weekend.  I can’t wait.

Things in the life of lindsay are quite lovely these last few days.  

I came home after a day of work yesterday and for the first time in months, I had the energy to do something instead of sit in front of the tv and veg.  It was a good day.  A good night.

There are three different Christmas soap scents in the two bathrooms and at the kitchen sink.  Little things like Bath and Body Works foam soap make me happy.

Big Bang Theory season four on dvd.

Broccoli stir-fry.

Christmas lights on trees. 

A member throwing her arm around my shoulders today and telling me, “You’re doing a good job, kid.”  [I could do without the kid part but I’ll take it.]

The return of the ADVENTure during the Sunday school hour on Sunday.  I love my Advent calendars and the crafting that comes along with the event.

I changed up some liturgy in Sunday’s service to no negative comments.  I’ll take that as a small victory.

I think all those things they say about when-you-exercise-you-feel-better is right on.  I stopped my gym membership [“I want to quit the gym!”  I was Chandler without the screeching.] because the fifteen minute drive one way wasn’t happening; back to the living room with p90x.  It kills in such a wonderful way.

My Christmas cards arrived from my favorite quality paper store, Paper Source.  I love sending and receiving Christmas mail, and can’t wait to put that stack of red envelopes in my mailbox to send out.

Listening to Sermon Brainwave, a podcast on each Sunday’s Bible lessons.  Four of my seminary professors banter back and forth and give me sermon ideas.  It makes me smile.

Once I leave this coffee shop, I’m going to Staples to buy packs and packs of cardstock.  I love paper.

Baby Jesus hasn’t been stolen.  yet.

I put up a Christmas tree tonight.

I’m taking nods from my mother and now have two.  I purchased one at Target today for a good [cheap] price.  It’s going to be my crazy out-there color-coordinated tree.  My second tree – to be put up while watching Elf one of these nights – will be the traditional tree of ornaments from my childhood.

I know, I know.  It’s not even Thanksgiving.  However, I feel great about my decision because I will be gone next weekend [who is going to eat turkey at grandma and grandpa’s?  this girl.] and by the time I would put it up upon returning here, it would easily be December already.  I feel good about this.  Judge me if you want.  [but please don’t.]

No snow here yet, and none in the forecast.  That won’t prevent me from getting the Christmas tree out of it’s box mighty soon and making this as my tree skirt while watching Elf.

Another story about how I’m single?  Oh, sure.  Certain people seem to focus on it so why shouldn’t I?  [read: sarcasm]

But this one is pretty funny.

The same man at the assisted living facility that told me weeks ago that I should get a move on was in worship this past Sunday.  I talked to him at coffee hour and it was evident he didn’t remember the last conversation we had because this one started like this:

Nope.

That’s strange.

Thanks.

with me?

I am so incredibly tired.  

Change of seasons? [maybe.]

Less sunlight? [yes.]

Sickness? [lonliness?]

Red wine? [probably.]

Stress and anxiety? [hmm.]

Laziness? [likely.]

Emotional drain of work? [yup.]

I went to bed by 10:30 last night and slept until 7:30.  [10:30 is early for me.  I used to go to bed at midnight and be up at 6:30 with no huge issue.]  Now it’s not even 10 tonight and I could crawl into bed and fall asleep.  [Part of that may be sermon procrastination too.]

So sleepy.  

Maybe I’m getting too much sleep?  Or, like Banana Kay, I can only get an odd number of hours of sleep to be rested?  Or perhaps it’s just me seeing Mabel sleeping all the time that makes me wish I was in my bed.  

As Amanda, Joe, Kara and I headed to Decorah on Saturday, I had house guests both Friday and Saturday nights since my college amigos traveled in from Minneapolis and Sioux Falls.  

Let me rephrase.  I did not have house guests.  We had house guests, and oh did Mabel please.  

Joe said he would like to take Mabel home.  Even Kara said she liked my dog.  

Joe and Mabel bonded as Joe settled her.  As Mabel got a little out of control, Joe would pin her to the ground, one hand on her head and another on her hind legs, all while saying in a stern voice, “Settle! Settle.”  And she did settle.  Good girl.

She is a good girl.  I can now walk her outside as she goes to the bathroom and not put her on her line.  She was alone for a long while on Saturday as we galavanted in Decorah and she committed no mischief.  

People like her and tell me to not be surprised if she disappears one day.  

Because since she’s so darn cute and awesome, they might steal her.