Evening at Home

Today I've kept busily inside (mostly). I did manage to stop by the NEX on my way home after dropping off my dress blues at the dry cleaners and trying out that little Filipino restaurant next door. But other than that, I've stayed home. Took out the trash, swept the porch, put up a new flag, built my other bookshelf, organized my movies and books, and finally, heated a frozen rigatoni & chicken dinner, had a P&J and milk, and lastly, coffee and cookies. This may sound very hum-drum to a civilian, but to me it's like a vacation.

Jw

Bit of rain water standing where the trash bins were. Took it a while to sink in.

Day at the Races

It started off kind of slow... I did my laundry. But it was the first loads of laundry in our brand new washers and dryers! So in a way, it was exciting. Had frosted mini-wheats for breakfast (woke up at 9!) and PB & honey on wheat around 11, and a salad at the galley for lunch.

Thought I had a dental cleaning this afternoon, but it ended up just being the doctor confirming that I needed one. So I was able to take off for Del Mar pretty early, at 2:30. Got there around 3, and the first race started at 4. I asked an employee about which gate to enter (I was in front of the club entrance at the time) and he gave me a free pass to get in the ($6) general admission gate. Wandered into their store to look around, found nothing, and then saw the paddock from a back window.

The rest of the time I spent between the paddock and the front rail of the racetrack, at least for the first three races. I had a hotdog for dinner, then caved in for a giant oatmeal raisin cookie. The next two races I saw from the different levels of the grandstand... and between races I wandered around and looked at all the neat old photos that were displayed everywhere.

I had pretty good luck... 1st race, my pick (#8 Hy Lime Time) got 3rd. 2nd race, my pick (#7 Dance With Gable) got 1st! 3rd race, my pick (#6 Money Lover) got 3rd, except he led the pack until the final stretch. 4th race I got skunked, but my pick (#1 Sabe) led the pack same as above... got 4th or 5th, or something. 5th race I got 1st again (#2 Battle School), but I wasn't paying as close attention. Two 1st's out of five... not bad. Too bad I didn't actually bet on some of them. :)

I didn't watch the 6th and 7th races because I wanted to get back to Point Loma in time for my small group meeting at the Presbyterian church that's starting up again for the fall. We're reading Richard Stern's (president of World Vision) "Hole in Our Gospel". It was a lively discussion to kick it off. And they were all very happy to hear that I was getting married so soon (it is a young married's group, after all). :)

Jp

Studies

What a couple days I've had!

After work let out Dad took Mom and I out to Red Lobster in Lynnwood for a fabulous lunch with a coupon he had. Yuuuuum! Shrimp & Crab pasta!

When we got home, I needed to sit down in a bad way (because of the time of month) and I opened up the copy of a set of sermons that I printed out on Thursday. It was something recommended by the pastor that taught my Bible class. It is all about the importance of worshipping God "in spirit and in truth" like Jesus says we should in John 4:24. It is really nice to have a researcher point out what relatively vague phrases like this mean in connection with the rest of scripture. Wow!

After a couple hours of reading 3 sermons straight through, I needed a break. We stuck in a Thin Man movie... and oh, was that nice! "Another Thin Man", I think. Just love Powell & Loy.

Today I've had a lovely day. But it started at 6 am with lots of cramps. So I quietly went into Mom & Dad's room to get the heating pad and stayed awake in bed for a few hours, listening first to an hour of music, and then the book of Revelation straight through. There's nothing quite like listening to Revelation right after studying worship. The two are so tightly entwined.

I finished all that around 9 am, and found that cramps were gone. It is always good to lie still for a long time. It happened to also be the time Mom was getting up too, so after washing myself up a little, we all sat down to a really nice breakfast of oatmeal, egg and spam. Yum!

Mom and Dad took off to see Grandma this afternoon, so I had the afternoon to do things I've wanted to do for a long time: cancel that card that I already got the benefits from before the annual fee kicks in, close that extra checking account I got for the same sort of reason, get my car fixed up: change the oil, rotate the tires... and by the time I got home, Mom and Dad soon returned. We watched two Reilly episodes and a WENN, just for fun, and in the theme for the night... :)

Jp