Castles, late books, and expats galore

Sunday, October 20, 2024

We get no sabbath, which we miss. Today continues yesterday's discussions about potential security issues for those who live abroad.

I pluck some greens off a tree and put them on the table to unknot my mind as we review potential dangers.

We enjoy lunches with other expats and make new connections. People who live globally have interesting stories.

One day we eat wonderful Chinese food. Another day we try a Peruvian restaurant housed in a classic Springfield building. We eat leftovers from each place for at least one or two more meals. The bill is normally $30-40 for the two of us. We keenly feel the sticker shock; we'd feed a small group for that back home.

Look at this tin ceiling and the old chandelier.

The wood carvings on the old bar are intact.

We walk back to training and spot a wasp nest forming in a painted doorway. Most Midwest construction is brick, unlike the wood used on the West Coast. Despite attempts at revitalization, few shops and restaurants are open Sunday or Monday.

For another lunch, we eat Dutch crepes served with smoked sausage, potatoes, raisins, and bananas. I take a picture so I can replicate the unusual mix when we get home.

The rose bushes along the parking lot are fragrant in the hot afternoon sunshine.

By the time we're headed back to the hotel, it's often dark.

W is curious about Bucky's, a midwest "thing." So we go in one day after work.

Its shelves carry high-calorie snacks and ranch-style souvenirs. In the center, some guys are barbecuing beef and chopping it for sandwiches. They make a noisy production of yelling at each other and slamming down the knife. Must be a boy thing.

Want the Western look? You may find it here. We leave empty-handed.

Tuesday

We fly to Seattle late Monday night after a final day about practical risk management. We unlock the door to our flat and haul in our luggage after 1:30 a.m., toss in a load of laundry, and fall asleep after 2:00.

We wake up this morning in our own beds, eat breakfast, and open the mail. My book series arrived while we were gone, too late to take along for those who asked for a copy. (We forgot to order them before we came - too much to do back then?) I'll stash them until our next visit.

It's a chore and pre-packing day. I start to refill a bottle from the tap in the laundry room and forget about it, flooding the floor. Mopping up the dust accumulating in the corners over time is an unexpected win! hehe We toss wet carpets and towels into the washing machine.

W has caught a cold as usual after travel. I avoid close proximity for a day or two. I don't want it! We prepare for Sunday's talk and sort through books.

The guys brought a bookshelf from upstairs into my basement office. The grandkids carry down loads as I take them off the upper shelves.  I'm deciding what to keep, rehome, or toss. The books make me smile: they contain memories of what I've learned, seen, and absorbed on their pages. I make a few giveaway piles and shelve the rest.

Kirsten is sorting her photos and finds a pic my Dad sent to our kids years ago. He included this tagline: Wow! Too bad you didn't know her sooner (= me as a little girl.) Lucky for them: I was a tomboyish whirlwind in pretty dresses, thanks to Mom. Looks like that day, Dad was preparing for summer by putting away the storm windows.

The younger grandkids sleep over tonight. They fall asleep quickly and without fuss. Good kiddos! (or Good Parents!) Their older sister is at orchestra practice and their older brother is browsing a book we bought at Windsor Castle (think: real knight armor, castle photos, and turrets.)

Wednesday

Sleepover is a success. The kids and W are sick so I sleep on my office sofa. I hear the hacking and coughing a few times in the night. (I'm trying to prevent getting ill as I have one more chance to see my mom who is very frail. That's this weekend.)

We empty two bookshelves from upstairs. The kids run down our books as I pull them off the shelves. What a boost! If I had to run them down, it would take a lot longer. I shelve mine of put them in giveaway bags.

The kids pile W's books and magazines in heaps before I get downstairs. Unfortunately, his office is completely full; when I come down, they've stacked his books in my office until he gets to them.

The kids head up to lunch, which their mom made before heading out to work. (She's amazing.) I tidy up, remake the sofa bed, and cook lunch for us: an omelet and a chopped salad. W is "under the weather" so he takes a shower and preps the PPT for Sunday's talk before resting.

I clear my books and W gets to his after a few days. The library card catalog is still going strong; art and office supplies are easy to find.

Read more:

*You are my witnesses, says the Lord. Isaiah 43:10

*Jesus said [to his followers], “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

Moravian Prayer: Lord, you said you are the vine, and we are the branches. You ask us to carry your message and share it with those we encounter. At times, the mission is arduous, but your grace and our faith in you is constant. Be with us. Amen.