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April 30, 2005
Saturday, Sweet Saturday
I made like 3 bucks at the yard sale today...but that's ok. It inspired to me to get rid of some junk. Karen, the mastermind did really really well. Great strides were made toward her wedding gown. I just don't own that much stuff to have enough to really sell, I guess.
I just found an Atkins paradise at Amelia's Grocery. Cheap cheap shakes and bars. Yippee.
The rest of today is devoted to going through some paperwork and try to get rid of stuff, vegging, reading, and sleeping. Tis' a perfect day for such hoopla.
The last two nights were spent watching my brothers new band. I am Im-pressed and so happy that he gets to do what he loves again, with some guys who seem really great. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead for him. He is so full of potential.
I started talking to a friend about possibly getting an apartment together at the end of July. We're getting together for dinner on Monday night.
So much planning to do. What a year!
Posted by stacey at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2005
Celebrating Some Good News
I really like my car. I was hoping to be happy with it, but I actually do feel like it's pretty cool. It's kind of retro looking...yet sporty. His name is "LeBob LeBaron" or Bob for short. Karen picked the name out. She's all about naming vehicles and I think it's fun.
My friend Heidi got engaged this week. Yay, more good news. Nate had won my approval immediately...he came with her to visit me when I was in the hospital...any guy willing to do that is a gem, I say. : ) Seriously, though, great match. I am very happy for them.
I got very irritated today waiting like 20 minutes online for my staples order to go through. I finally ended up calling. I have NEVER had good luck with ordering online from them. I politely let them know.
Oddly enough...today seems like Monday to me. I think all the car excitement yesterday made it feel like a weekend. The Oldsmobile did last a long time for a car I bought from my parents for $500, but I shed no tears in parting with it.
Posted by stacey at 05:25 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2005
Wheels
Welp, today I did it. The wheels are in motion for my purchase of a "new" 1988 Chrysler Le Baron. White, 80,000 miles, AC, sunroof...and a whole lotta love. I should have it in the next day or so.
Posted by stacey at 12:29 PM | Comments (3)
April 22, 2005
Gaining Knowledge
Posted by stacey at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)
Trivial
The naming of towns, roads, etc is very interesting and strange. I was just thinking about the names of these towns:
Willow Street...no it's not a street, it's a town
State College...no, I'm not talking about the college, I'm talking about the town the college is in, silly
Then I started thinking about street names...orange, lemon, chestnut, walnut, spruce, lime, etc. etc...why all the plants?
I need to do some research on this.
I guess we need some April showers, but I already miss the sunshine.
Posted by stacey at 01:01 PM | Comments (2)
April 18, 2005
City Mouse Country Mouse
I'm sitting here with a dish full of what my grade school called "scrambled hamburg" with cheese, some barbecue pork rinds, a diet pepsi and a pocket full of phone numbers for apartments for rent. I went for a great brisk walk in downtown Lancater up and down Walnut and Chestnut Streets..well from Duke West on both...taking down apartment for rent numbers along the way. The weird part of the rental dance is finding that window of time that works between the end of lease and opening of new apartment. We'll see how it goes.
I am feeling trepidacious about the whole thing...finding one the right price, in the right neighborhood, with the right lease. It's not that big a deal, but it always seems like one to me...like this monumental decision. I should pray about it. I want to be positive about it. I'm still not sure if I"m going to move downtown or stay in the outer radius. Is it possible that I am both country mouse and city mouse? Anyone remember that story? I really don't think I'm suburb mouse, though, am I?
Hey Jess and Elisabeth...can I be a side project...Operation Lancaster...?
Posted by stacey at 07:02 PM | Comments (1)
April 16, 2005
Back to Square One
Ok, I can officially feel good about my weekend, now. I spent all morning outdoors and have started cleaning the apartment with the worst first...the bathroom. Woo hoo. Now there are honeydew melon candles lit and it's sparkly clean. One question, though...if the toilet seat is broken...is it the landlords responsibility or mine to get a new one? I will call and ask later...I always procrastinate on such things.
This morning my brother and I went for a great walk in Lancater County Central Park. It was a great walk along the river followed by a stop at Square One for some iced coffee. We had some good conversation, a lot of which revolving around the fact that we are going to be looking for our own apartments in the next few months. I wasn't surprised when the topic came up because up until everything hit the fan with my surgery stuff...we were starting to make plans for this...but now it's really time.
It seems that my life is all about change these days. In the past I would have considered myself one who thrives on change...loves it. But, I am finding that it is really painful for me. Again, the faith is being tried and I am needing to cling to my God more than ever. (not just because of getting a new apartment, mind you).
That positive part of me is pushing its way through, though. I know there has to be some really exciting stuff around the corner. I am just trying to see the bright hope at the other side of what seems like swirling chaos in my life.
Posted by stacey at 01:52 PM | Comments (2)
April 14, 2005
While Walking
Another beautiful day! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been taking advantage of them for the most part and going for walks immediately after work. Whew, tonights was a good one. My legs are pulsating.
If it weren't for these walks, I may have either lost my sanity or jumped ship on my diet. So far so good.
When I go walking, I always think I'm going to see someone I know. I go through the scenario in my head of what I would say if they pulled over to talk to me. How, if they offered a ride, I'd politely decline and tell them that I was enjoying my walk.
Another weird thing I do is I now look for treasure along the side of the road. After spotting a dollar bill last year and all the crazy things my friend Brian scored last year on his jogs, I figure I'm bound to find something. Today, I saw more trash and bottles than anyone should ever see!!! In VT, the bottles don't stay on the roadsides very long because we have the deposit money. There was always someone picking bottles on Carter Hill Rd where I lived. The bottle drive was a typical youth group fundraiser. We went house to house to see if people would donate their bottles. I think it's a good idea to have the deposit system, and wish we did that here.
One last useless bit of information about my walks...I've been having fun varying them. One day I'll walk in the neighborhood behind my office, another downtown, and then some days like today I walk the route/complexes surrounding my apartment. I think this weekend I'll have to venture to a park or trail. When it rains, I must pull out the old Leslie Sansone or...the gem of all gems, Richard Simmons Disco Sweat.
Posted by stacey at 06:10 PM | Comments (1)
April 13, 2005
Thank God for Sunshine
Today I am very grateful for the sunshine, chirping birds and blossoming trees. God gives us great gifts. Perhaps it's self centered to think this way...but I feel like He knew I needed a sunshine filled week.
I can see Ann's screensaver from my desk and it's a really beautiful woodland scene. I want to go there and take a nice walk. Maybe it's dry enough at Tucquan Glen. Hmmmm.
One of our volunteers, Jenn, brought in some of her old CD's for Phil. RIght now I'm listening to her Hokus Pick cd. It's peppy.
Posted by stacey at 01:20 PM | Comments (2)
April 11, 2005
Good Reminder
This song, influenced by "Great is Thy Faithfulness" is really powerful. A reminder that I need today.
"He's Always Been Faithful"
by Sara Groves
Morning by morning I wake up to find
the power and comfort of God's hand in mine.
Season by season I watch him amazed, in
awe of the mystery of his perfect ways
All I have need of his hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me
I can't remember a trial or a pain he did
not recycle to bring me gain. I can't
remember one single regret in serving
God only and trusting his hand
All I have need of his hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me
This is my anthem, this is my song, the
theme of the stories I've heard for so long.
God has been faithful, he will be again.
His loving compassion, it knows no end.
All I have need of his hand will provide.
He's always been faithful to me
Posted by stacey at 08:29 PM | Comments (2)
April 04, 2005
Ups and Downs
I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning.
I went to the gas station and it took way longer than I expected it to to get from there to work.
I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the office and find that the flowers on my desk had not perished over the weekend...of course then I went on to spill coffee grounds all over the kitchenette, but Ann came to my rescue. (what is it with me and spilling coffee these days...oh wait...I'm clumsy....not being self deprecating, just stating the facts)
I went to the Post Office and I couldn't find a parking place. I went inside and it was crowded. It smelled terrible in that place, but then I was happy to find the mail I was looking for had arrived.
I was working on a mail merge that I couldn't get to cooperate, but then when it did, it printed much faster than I anticipated.
I got email from a friend who I haven't heard from in a while...and he actually mentioned having read my blog. I have NO idea who is reading this thing. (Hi Jason and Nicole)
Little things make up a day. I'm trying to take notice of the UPS and the downs.
Posted by stacey at 05:23 PM | Comments (1)
April 03, 2005
More Over
My brother and I went to see Over the Rhine at Messiah College tonight. It was a free concert!!! Thanks to Kristi, otherwise I wouldn't have known about it. Once again, I was amazed. My brother gained a deeper respect for them...up until now he had seen them at Purple Door, but you HAVE to see them in a more intimate setting, at least to me...You know a band is amazing when they can hush a college student union.
Being at a college student center, I looked around and thought...gee I am at least 10 years older, if not more, than most of these people. GULP. Oh well, nobody looked at me too strangely, except when I spilled my coffee on the counter when I went in their little cafe. Oops. : )
What a nice way to end a weekend.
Posted by stacey at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2005
Moments to Enjoy
I got April fooled twice on Friday. It says my name next to gullible in the dictionary. Both tricks were done online..go figure. Another sign of the technological times, eh.
It's "spring ahead" night and it's raining. All the rites of passage into the new season. I'm looking forward to the blossoming trees, green grass, and receeding mud. I don't want to rush this year and its seasons along too much though. There are going to be a lot of special moments in the lives of my friends and I don't want to look too far ahead without enjoying the moments as they come.
Posted by stacey at 10:22 PM | Comments (0)