Several years ago when we were in the midst of raising our 7 children I would try various places around our yard to have a vegetable garden. We had a triple sized lot so there was plenty of space. There were also tall pine trees so sunlight was limited.
I recall one particular garden spot. It started as weedy lawn. My husband had bought a heavy duty tiller. First step was to overturn the sod into lumps of overturned sod. Then he let it dry out. Next was go through again and break up the dried out overturned lumps of sod. Then came "refining" the dirt.
Wisconsin has lots of rocks in the dirt. I recall on many occasions there would be rock picking sessions. Lou would be busy going around and around with the tiller. Several little kids would be out in the dirt---to pick rocks. "ROCK!" "ROCK!" "ROCK!" "ROCK!" would be the shout of the wild tiller driver. The kids would scurry to grab the rock and throw it outside the garden patch, sometimes hurrying out of the way of the tiller. It would take many times around the garden to get sufficient rocks out before it could be planted. The kids were not happy about the chore, but obediently worked at it.
I remembered that scenario earlier today when I was thinking about the many tasks that needed to be done before I can move. I could hear in my head---"ROCK!" "ROCK!" "ROCK!" "ROCK!" I don't enjoy the chore but if I want to prepare for things to happen I need to pick those rocks----there are many aspects to deal with in closing the store, the recital to prepare for, stressful personal issues to resolve. I got the final ads in the paper and an announcement for the recital; there were phone calls to customers and a last order to my supplier. Rocks!
I stopped in at a gift shop this morning. I needed to order flowers for the recital. The owner is the mom of 5 adopted Chinese kids---all from different families. They had taken lessons from me
awhile back. She and I talked a long time about my move and about potential piano teachers. She, too, wished me well and said I will be missed.
This evening I attended a rally at my church. Lauren Bohn, a survivor of the high school shooting in Colorado in 1999, came to speak to the local high school students. She also spoke at my church this evening. She told how faith in God kept her safe, but that she also had to deal with nightmares and panic in the following years. Again, it was faith in God that bought her through.
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Today was Saturday. My daughter in Vancouver sent an email that opened as "Happy Saturday"----a good way to say hello. She is excited and eager for me to close on the house I am hoping to get. She'd like me out there by early summer, but I think it will still be late August. I won't have time to do ANY packing until the store is closed and lessons are discontinued the end of May. I am looking forward to being partially "retired".
I spent the morning do more rock pickin. Doing the financial "bookwork" on the computer takes a lot of time---for both the business and my personal needs. I also needed to fit in a few trips up and down the basement to do laundry.
I did go shopping for a new outfit for my recital next Sunday. I like to reward myself with something new for all the work of the past winter and getting ready for the recital. There is only one shop in town that carries nicer clothing. With me being short and a bit round it is a challenge to find something that looks well on me. I did find something that I think is attractive, but I am not sure yet. Need to make a decision SOON.
I have pains in my stomach and intestines today. (Thought you might like to know that.) Don't know what is causing that. It did give me an excuse to sit and watch 2 episodes of Star Trek on BBC America. They were ones I hadn't seen before. I just need to get my Star Trek fix occasionally---but then maybe it's really a Jon Luke Pichard fix. WOO! WOO!
This coming week the entire focus will be on getting the recital prepared, which includes fine tuning the piano songs I am going to perform at the end. It will be a mini concert that I have thought about for over a year. 18 months ago I realized I had not composed a piece featuring Park Falls; I wanted something to honor this area as a goodbye sentiment. The Problem? I found it hard to make "Park Falls" poetic---"I left my heart in Park Falls"? I will post the words of my goodbye song next week after the recital since it is meant as a surprise to the local folks. Coming soon!
This has been 2 good "rock pickin" days in the life of Grandma G.
"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:2)
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