My husband is the envy of many men. I wish I could say that it's because he has such a stunning and amazing wife but sadly, it is not. It's because of his garage. The Garage Mahal, as it is fondly known around here. It has as many bays as some professional garages and I'm not kidding. At this moment he has three cars (all project cars), a giant boat, two freezers, one refrigerator, tools and implements and things too various to mention, and all of the things you see in that picture. Golf cart, Go Kart, two lawnmowers. Today he needed space to work on a car he recently bought that he plans to drive to Tennessee so he had to move all of those smaller riding things out in order to move the car in. When I went outside to clean the hen house this morning, the sight of all of those...things? made me laugh and so I took their picture.
Here's another picture I took.
Miss Dottie decided to explore the porch today. You may be able to see that there is a dog door there and underneath it, a torn screen. The cats come in, not through the dog door, but through the screen and this morning my curious little hen made use of the hole herself. She did not stay long as there was no food here but we had a little chat before she left to join the rest of the girls.
Jessie and Levon also came by for a visit today but they came in through the kitchen door as usual and they did find food. We had another lovely leftover buffet of leftovers from the veggie platter I got at the Greek restaurant yesterday and the enchiladas we had the other night. Levon had part of a leftover pancake with peanut butter on it but he wasn't very hungry and didn't eat it all. He still has his cold or whatever it is that all of the grandchildren have had recently and dammit, I am almost certain I'm coming down with it too.
It was inevitable. Jessie and Lily have been so thoughtful about offering not to come out or let the children be around us but I just can't say no when it comes to being in their presence. When I went over and stayed with Lily's children last week for a little while, Maggie was just coming down with it and Lily had warned me and said that if I didn't want to be exposed she could try and get off work early but I told her, "Nah, I just won't get too close to them," and then of course I snuggled up with Maggie in the bed and read her a book. I cannot keep my distance from them and if they want to snuggle, well, we will snuggle.
So I was asking for it and here we are.
Ah lah.
I've made a huge, huge pot of turkey soup today. Hell, I even bought a turkey breast yesterday at Publix for it because when I boiled the carcass from Thanksgiving, I realized it had hardly any meat on the bones. So I cooked the breast and added the broth from the skeleton and it's now a nice soup with celery and onions and garlic and tomatoes and green beans and corn and greens from the garden. Also juice from one of Jessie and Vergil's giant Meyer's lemon-like citrus fruits. I just added a few handfuls of brown rice and we're going to have that for supper because there will still be a goodly plenty to send up to Tennessee. Tomorrow I will make the soul-sustaining cookies I always send him off with and yes, a loaf of sourdough.
It was inevitable. Jessie and Lily have been so thoughtful about offering not to come out or let the children be around us but I just can't say no when it comes to being in their presence. When I went over and stayed with Lily's children last week for a little while, Maggie was just coming down with it and Lily had warned me and said that if I didn't want to be exposed she could try and get off work early but I told her, "Nah, I just won't get too close to them," and then of course I snuggled up with Maggie in the bed and read her a book. I cannot keep my distance from them and if they want to snuggle, well, we will snuggle.
So I was asking for it and here we are.
Ah lah.
I've made a huge, huge pot of turkey soup today. Hell, I even bought a turkey breast yesterday at Publix for it because when I boiled the carcass from Thanksgiving, I realized it had hardly any meat on the bones. So I cooked the breast and added the broth from the skeleton and it's now a nice soup with celery and onions and garlic and tomatoes and green beans and corn and greens from the garden. Also juice from one of Jessie and Vergil's giant Meyer's lemon-like citrus fruits. I just added a few handfuls of brown rice and we're going to have that for supper because there will still be a goodly plenty to send up to Tennessee. Tomorrow I will make the soul-sustaining cookies I always send him off with and yes, a loaf of sourdough.
I've been listening to a Mormon Stories podcast on and off all day long and it's an interview with a woman who was sexually abused by her father when she was young. A Mormon Stories podcast can be hours long and that's one of the things I love about it. John Dehlin gives his guests plenty of time to tell their stories in depth and it is the stories that I am so interested in. People's stories. As Yoko Ono said, everyone has a story to tell.
And this woman definitely has a story to tell. As she says in the interview, "Everyone's experience is unique," and that is true. The details of every molestation are different but there are truths at the heart of all of them and as I've listened today, I have pondered that and as always when I hear a survivor's story, I am able to see my own story through a sharper lens. And one of the most important aspects of this woman's story is that secrets are what allow these things to happen and that secrets are what prevent healing.
And this woman definitely has a story to tell. As she says in the interview, "Everyone's experience is unique," and that is true. The details of every molestation are different but there are truths at the heart of all of them and as I've listened today, I have pondered that and as always when I hear a survivor's story, I am able to see my own story through a sharper lens. And one of the most important aspects of this woman's story is that secrets are what allow these things to happen and that secrets are what prevent healing.
That is a powerful and eternal truth.
Another day in my life. The joy of it, the ordinariness of it, the ridiculousness of it, the glory of it as I've noticed how the sun seems to light up the Japanese Maple all through the day, making it glow with almost preternatural beauty.
This life is something, isn't it?
This life is something, isn't it?
Love...Ms. Moon
For someone coming down with a cold, you're certainty a cooking powerhouse! That garage proves that the more building you have the more vehicles you can acquire. Or possibly the reverse.
ReplyDeleteMore cooking today, too.
DeleteThe garage is like my purse theory- the bigger the purse you carry, the more stuff you seem to need to carry around in it.
Yes, dear Mary Moon ... This life is something else! We must each live ours the very best way we can!
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't get too sick from cuddling your kiddos!
Well, totally worth it, cuddling kiddos.
DeleteIndeed it is...I hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you, sweet e.
DeleteWe finally had to tell our daughter to let the kids over when they were sick. But then they lived next door so we got to see them all the time.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that's what Mormon stories were about. We have two young Mormon men who volunteer at SHARE. It's a rotating two. The individuals stay for awhile and then are replaced by someone else when they get reassigned. Right now one is from Utah and the other from Missouri even though there is a church here in town. I joke that they all have the same first name because when you ask them their name they always reply with their title Elder and their last name. I find the title Elder to be a joke in itself as these young men are always 20 or 21.
That isn't what Mormon stories are about. It's about EVERYTHING having to do with Mormonism from archeology to DNA studies to people losing their faith in the church to Mormon theology to...well, it's a lot. This lady's father was a big guy in the church and so her story involved how the church handled the abuse which is to say- they swept it under the rug.
DeleteYeah. Calling someone an Elder at that age is ridiculous but that's how they do it. And I bet anything that those are the nicest young men ever. It seems to me that if there's one thing the Mormon church does well, it's to produce NICE people.
Yes they are, especially one of the young men with us right now. He won't let me carry anything. Some of the boys aren't very self motivated. They'll will do what you ask but some of them you have to ask. One pair every week I had to ask them to flatten the cardboard boxes. You'd think after the first time or two they would just do it. Too busy on their phones. I wouldn't necessarily agree that the LDS does a better job of producing nice people than any other religious group. Of course many are, but they are human beings just like all of us. My niece converted and the first thing they did was separate her from her non-Mormon family. She really tried but eventually she left as she felt she was never really accepted.
DeleteHope you stay healthy - that turkey soup should help! Sounds delicious and full of good things to keep you strong!!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you share your thoughts and stories with us. It really helps me! Thank you!
Well, the healthy ship has sailed but I'm okay. The soup was pretty good. I ended up putting too much rice in it. Oh well.
DeleteThank you for saying that what I write helps you. That means so very much to me.
I love you taking a moment to look around and notice all the everyday things that make your life so special, and your husband admired by many men—and women.
ReplyDeleteI think most guys really like Glen. He's a kind man with a good heart. And a huge garage.
DeleteI would have anxiety if I owned that much machinery. But then, I am not a machine person. Bummer about the cold -- but I guess it's a case of acceptable risk vs. certain reward!
ReplyDelete"Acceptable risk vs certain reward."
DeleteExactly.
I don't think secrets are good for families either. It sounds like Mr. Moon will eat well while he's away. It's a good thing he's so tall, otherwise the poor man would be round:)
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better soon.
It is a good thing he's so tall. And naturally thin. He doesn't really eat giant portions of things. Which might explain the natural thinness.
DeleteGarage Mahal, I LOVE it! I'm totally stealing that Name for my RV Garage, the envy of all my Picker Friends in the Industry... yes, I don't even own an RV, but it's the main reason I bought this property.
ReplyDeleteYour husband is indeed a lucky man. Oh the Boys' Toys are wonderful I'm sure, but he also has a wife who loves him dearly!
ReplyDelete