Dumping the contents of my brain in no particular order

Over the last few days I’ve been taking my old paper scrap/photo books and scanning each page into the computer. The plan is that I’ll use InDesign to put these into a pdf file and then use Lulu.com to print it out in a book. Then the kids will have access to these family memories in a form that they are allowed to carry around and spill jam upon. The life-in-review has been interesting.

Among the realizations are the fact that I’m still wearing many of the same clothes that I wore 5-7 years ago, only they don’t look as good on me anymore. I’ve gained weight and the clothes have gotten older. Wardrobe replacement needs some attention over the next year. I was also surprised by how many of the kids’ clothing outfits I remembered fondly. I would look at the clothing in the photo and remember not just the event pictured, but a whole raft of associations. This is why photos and objects can be valuable. They help us remember things we didn’t know were significant until they were gone. Speaking of things gone, the biggest of these is the set of children I used to have. They’ve all shifted and changed so much. The things that were of central importance, no longer interest at all. And yet somehow they are still themselves. But it makes me a little sad to look at them now and know that all too soon these people will be gone too as we move forward to the next new thing.

Speaking of new things, starting next Sunday I’ll be teaching a primary class full of 4 year olds. It will be quite a shift from teaching 10 year olds. I’ll be doing far more crowd control and far less lesson presentation. But it pleases me that the children of several of my good friends will be in my class. I hope I can make church a happy place for those kids so that they are always glad to come. If I can just manage that, I’ll consider it a job well done.

One more week of kids at home all day. I love my kids, but I have a really hard time keeping anything resembling a regular schedule without school as an external structure. I’m trying to focus on making the holidays a good experience for everyone. I want the kids to remember it happily, but it will be a relief to return to a routine. Now if only the kids also respond positively to the return of routine when it arrives next week.

I found a noted quotation from Gleek in my planner. “I like being barefoot because it is more pranceling and barefootly.”

My lily is blooming. This makes me happy. I had to buy it from the store. All the lily bulbs I planted in pots have completely failed to sprout. One hyacinth has sprouted, but I don’t thing it will flower. I do have a couple of narcissus that will flower, but those were bulbs shipped and ready for planting. At least now I know not to waste effort trying to force my own bulbs. I’ll just have to depend on buying commercially prepared plants for my winter garden if I’m going to have blooms in January and February. The winter blues haven’t been as bad this year because I’m under less stress, but I still need my flower therapy as a preventative measure.

The next few days are going to be full of cleaning because we’re having company over on New Years’ Eve. I’ve made lists. The lists are long. I hope I can get it all done.