October 7, 2010

Bravery Under Fire






Yesterday and Today

Himself: Has been working long hours and mainly between rain storms. The gods smile on him a lot. Brings home less work, and works shorter hours. He's settling in.

Herself: …and the quilt blog too: I’ve saved all the poems as a 8 1/2 x 11 manuscript, and yesterday I sewed the first block only taking out one seam. Today I need to do research on sending mss pages via the internet. No services planned for Lee, but the feasters are meeting for a dinner in his honor. Heard nothing from Marion’s family at all. Lessa is being exceptionally brave, and today she is my role model.

My Babylonian Captivity: Do stop in and read Tugster's experience as a human shield. He writes that, “ i was captured in kuwait (where i was teaching in the kuwaiti air force)….”

Gratitude: Lois McMaster Bujold. Thanks for Miles.

There in my ice box rests a giant pot of bean soup….I shan’t call it a Harvest Soup as I refuse to harvest that many beans in this house. There too rests the too elaborate roast chicken that can easily be broken down into its separate components for dinner tonight.

Perhaps the bean soup will make good refried beans?

I’ve reduced myself to bread and butter for two meals a day now. I feel really good. Cutting life to the bare bones helps allergies. Bread and butter for breakfast then later reading an old Elizabeth Moon on the first bus’s confused new route around the digging for new water pipes in OB. Still reading on the second bus that dropped me right at the Discovery Shop. I ate my bread and butter over dusty books yesterday at the store, and as fast as I could reorganize books and get them out, more appeared. One of the ladies there gave me a five minute ride home…for which I am forever grateful.

I’m rereading the last two Miles Vorkosigan novels to refresh my memory before the latest one arrives on the bookshelves. Miles is my hero….albeit fictional, he embodies all that I would like to represent: humor, intelligence, doggedness, persistence, patience, versatility, and the ability to survive anything and come out on top with a smile despite his handicaps. I’ll even rush out and buy the newest volume in a regular bookstore in hard bound at full price. That tells you something.

In spite of Miles adventures filling my imagination, I managed to get the half sized, chapbook poems transformed to the standard manuscript size. Hurrah, and I got the first block for the new quilt sewn…with many mistakes, of course. But there’s dogged progress on all fronts. I like that.

Now if I knew what a manuscript was supposed to look like, I’d like it more. (Yes, it's a joke.)

7 comments:

  1. Great to have heroes like Miles who do not have clay feet. Blessings.

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  2. Ah, Miles is a wonderful hero. I do adore him as well. I have read through these last three weeks, tearing up, feeling sad, sending you a hug, delighted with you sharing through the storm. My thoughts and comfort from afar to your coast. Congrats on finding your camera and the joy in the moment.

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  3. Great to blessed by favorite books. I love the cozy look and colors in your photo, just what I'm working up to in my home too! Have a round table with four color crayon colored chairs.

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  4. You always do primary colors so well.

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  5. Good to know there are so many people buying books. At the Oxfam Shop I work at, books always do well, even though we often just keep on getting the same books over and over again. Or, maybe that is only my impression.

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  6. Love your love affair with books.

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  7. I am so happy to be reading again, it is my escape. I have not heard of Miles, but I will have to check it out. Always on the lookout for new favorites....and personal recommendations are usually the best.

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