Rhonda’s Ramblings

Yesterday I went to the river with Colleen and her two boys. A river day with them has been long overdue…with the crazyness in both of our lives. (Her house recently burnt down, and she has an almost 3 year old, a 10 month old and another on the way.) It was great to catch up with her and play with her adorable kids.

So, after leaving her house, I decided to stop by the Salvation Army on the way home. (I love thrift stores.) And guess who I ran into? My mom. Which is more random than it may seem. I rarely see her, since I work evenings and she works days and we live in totally different towns. So, after we both completed our shopping, we went out to dinner together. (I got a dress and some overalls, and some red boots??…at the thrift store, not for dinner.) And I think I got a love for thrift stores from my mom.

We had a wonderful time at dinner discussing our struggles in life and jobs and love and guys and beating them up. Okay, maybe we didn’t talk about beating them up, but we did talk about giving them a good talking to. And my perpetual singleness. Which seems to be a hot topic lately. At work and on the board and at dinner with my mom.

And if you think you might know the/a reason why I am still single, then tell me (I mean something that is “wrong” with me, not “because it’s God’s will”). Seriously. I want to know what my glaring flaws are. Because I really am baffled that I’ve never been on a date. (This is not a “I suck, I’m single, and life is horrible” statement. It’s just curiosity.) I like to ask for trouble.

Yesterday I took the postal service exam, along with about 150 other people. And ours just one session of eight being held in my area. There were 15 choices of post offices to workat, ane wed could only choose three. Once you pass the test, you are put on a list for future employment at those offices for the next two years. And when jobs come up, you are given preference according to your score. So, I’m not sure how many job openings there really are.
But I was surprised at how rude and stupid people are. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but I still am.
First of all, they told us about 25 times to make sure that our cell phones are off. But did people turn off their phones? Of course not.
And people just can’t listen, I guess. Because they couldn’t follow simple directions like “Don’t open the book until I tell you to.” Or “Sit in this seat”. Plus people are just rude and dont’ treat people with respect.
My favorite moment was when one of the test takers wanted to get the attention of one of the men who was helping to administer the test. So, he called out to him, “Hey, old man!”. Nice. Do they not realize that they are trying to get employment? The funny thing was that the head test administrator heard him say it, and chastized him in front of everybody, and then told us that they were also a part of the interview committee as well. Nice way to make a good impression.\

In other news, I went to Walmart yesterday to return some things that my sister got at a wedding shower. Apparently, you can only return items without a receipt 3 times a year. And you only get store credit. Apparently this discourages people from stealing things and then returning them. So, they take your license number and put you into the computer. Well, when the cashier looked at my license, and said, “Oh my word”, I knew what was coming. Some comment about how I look so young, or how I look so different, or is that really me. I knew this was coming because I have received omments like that so many times in the past couple of months. But never before….though I have had this license picture since the week before my 21st birthday…so, a good 8 1/2 years. But apparently I have aged a lot in the past couple of months. Every time I use my credit card or go to Blockbuster, I am reminded of this. Granted, I look very sad in my picture. I don’t know why. And I do look quite young. I’m just curious why this is suddenly noticeable to everyone who checks my I.D.

In other, other news, I have taken up a new habit. Well, it’s not a habit yet, since I have only been doing it for three or four days. But I have been riding my (sister’s) bike to the post office at night. It is not very far, but it is all uphill, so my legs are like jelly when I get there. But nothing beats riding back down the hill. The wind at your face, the blanket of stars above you the crickets cricketing. The last two days I did it a tiny bit after dusk, when there was still light in the sky. But tonight, I rode after I got home from work at about 10:30 and it was much darker but enjoyable.

And in other, other, other news…I have lots of tomatoes and I don’t know what to do with all of them.

The House

Front Porch

Overgrown sunflowers in the backyard.

Porch Swing

My vegetable garden

Rose bush in the backyard.

There are lots more, but that will do for now.

I’m not super creative or artistic. But I am crafty. And there is a difference. I can’t take a blank canvas and create some beautiful masterpiece. I can’t envision something really artistic and then create it. But I can make greeting cards or scrapbook pages with stickers, paper and embellishments that I buy from the store. But I pretty much do variations of the same thing every time. Nothing extremely creative.

I spent yesterday evening making cards, and it reminded me how much I enjoy doing “crafty” things. I haven’t done much lately, mostly because it’s summer, and I don’t love spending my free time inside. Or because we were planning a wedding. But that’s one thing I like about the winter. I can stay inside on the cold winter evenings and work on craft projects. I need to be more crafty.

So, tonight, one of my waitresses walked out at the beginning of her shift. (I don’t even know why…some dumb drama with a cook) That left just me and a new food runner (it was her 2nd day) on a Saturday night. And then I got 2 parties of 8 and a party of 10. Plus all of the regular parties of 2, 3, or 4. So, out came Super Waitress. OK, not really, but I am a good waitress. What a great thing to be good at. My food runner was amazing and Carlos (my boss) helped pour beer and help the guys at the bar. And I it all worked out fine.

But, it means that I probably won’t be able to go to the reception that my sister and her husband are having in his home town. I don’t like being in charge…and therefore having to cover when there is nobody to work. I’d rather just go back to being the lowly waitress at the bottom of the totem pole. But then again, I probably wouldn’t be able to get the time off that I want.

I read The Third Summer of the Sisterhood today. And I was trying to decide which character I most relate to. And I decided there are pieces of all them that resonate with me.

But a couple of quotes really stood out to me and hit me where I’m at, thatI immediately related to situations in my life.

She’d (Bridget) rather go through her life doubting that such a thing was possible than knowing it was real and she couldn’t have it.
What a pitiful waste she was. She was willing to give away, to throw away, the very best she had. It was one thing to sacrifice yourself for a great cause. It was another to destroy yourself for a person who didn’t even want you. It was an act of self-immolation, a sacrifice nobody wanted, that did nobody any good. What could be more tragic than that?

She thought she was independent and strong, but she got one small taste of love and she was hungrier than anyone. She was ravenous.

And another one from Bridget;

I didn’t know if it (friendship) would be possible after what we did two summers ago, but then it happened. I was happy. I loved being your friend. I admit I may have had some other thought too, but they didn’t matter to me nearly as much as being your friend. I was happy to be close to you on any terms.

And I relate this one to the same situation.

She (Lena) was still waiting for him to come back to her, even though he wasn’t going to. She was still holding out for something that wasn’t going to happen. She was good at waiting. That seemed like a sad thing to be good at.

Release me, she begged silently.

She needed to be free of him. She needed to get on with her life. Maybe even to fall in love again. She had a candidate in mind

(except I don’t have a candidate in mind)

:sigh: Yeah.

But this one isn’t deep at all. It just made me laugh.

Carmen made attempts to clean her room while she waited. In truth, she did that spasmodic, surface rearranging, like putting the random AA battery into her sock drawer to get it out of sight, that would only make the job bigger when she got down to real cleaning.

For the record, I really love these books. They are very real, and even though they are about teenage girls, I still really relate to them. Maybe that says something about my maturity level.

I feel like my life is not nearly as out of control if my house is neat. So why is it messy so often? If I would just make sure to straighten it every day, then I would feel so much better. Sometimes I think when there is so much to do, it’s overwhelming, so I just do none of it, rather than take one thing at a time.

So, today, I did a lot of those little things. And it feels so good to come home from work to a clean house, and knowing that all my bills are paid.

My yard is out of control. But some neighborhood kids raked it today for me for a couple of bucks. Which made me happy and made me feel like there is one less thing for me to do.

I will never be the kind of girl who has it all together and whose house is spit-shined, which is okay with me. But I would like my life to be a bit more organized.

Well, I suppose a blog entry is long overdue.

But today, I picked up two books that were on hold at the library for me. The Third Summer of the Sisterhood and the latest Harry Potter. I was disciplined enough to straighten up the house before reading the first few chapters of the Sisterhood. I know if I start Harry Potter, I will be entirely unproductive tommorow, so I’m trying to be good.

My sister got married last weekend, and it was a wonderful wedding. A couple of people have said that it was the best wedding that they have been to. How fun is that?

And my computer keeps freezing while I’m trying to write this. It’s quite frustrating. So, that is my short little update for now.

So, a couple of years ago, I made a list of 30 things that I wanted to do by the time I turn 30. I ran across this list the other day, and realized how much I have to accomplish in the next year and a half.

They are in no particular order. Some are vague and some are specific. And only a few of them have been accomplished. The ones in bold, I have accomplished. The ones in italics, I am on my way. The other ones…not even close. So I had better get cracking.

1. Visit 30 countries (I’m at 17 right now, I think)
2. Make a quilt
3. Visit Africa (I went to Kenya for 2 ½ months last year)
4. Visit South America
5. Learn to knit
6. Make sandals (I have the leather to do this)
7. Visit all 50 states (16 to go, I think)
8. Learn to play guitar
9. Pay off student loans (I’m on my way)
10. Learn Spanish
11. Get married (not even close(
12. Memorize the book of Philippians
13. Take a pottery class
14. Take a photography class
15. Share the gospel more
16. Read through the Bible
17. Have no credit card debt
18. Make a mosaic
19. Read 300 books
20. Read 50 of “The Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels”
21. Lead people to the Lord
22. Buy a house
23. Plant a garden
24. See a Broadway show
25. Visit local swimming holes and waterfalls (it’s a process)
26. Go on a backpacking trip
27. Learn to kayak (I bought a kayak last year)
28. Whitewater rafting (I had the opportunity to do this for free the other day, but couldn’t fit it into my schedule. )
29. Make new friends but keep the old.

30. ?????

I only have 29 things on my list. So, maybe that one could be: Get addicted to an internet message board. Get my heart broken. Grow beautiful flowers. Clean my house. Make meaningless posts on my blog. Things like these that I have already accomplished should fill that blank.

Or maybe it should be filled with something that I have never done. Or rarely do. Like get a manicure. Wear makeup. Turn in my library books on time. Have a beer.

What do you think should be number 30? What are some of your goals? How many do you think I will reach by the time I’m 30?

I am kind of a pack rat. I save everything. But a lot of it has meaning. I have been going through some old boxes of stuff that has been packed away at my brother’s house for the last 7 years. And it has been fun. There are lots of old letters that people wrote to me…some hilarious ones that Vanessa wrote. And I found some crazy old pictures. Though I didn’t find my prom picture which is what I was originally looking for.

I was trying to be good and get rid of a lot of junk. But it’s hard to do. I did pretty well, but there are some things that I probably should have gotten rid of that I ended up keeping.

My last semester of college (which I not so affectionately refer to as my “semester from hell”), I worked in a first grade classroom. That same semester my dad died. So, I found 20 letters from the little first graders. Most of them copied the words off the board, but some wrote their own notes. You can’t help but smile when reading the painstaking printing saying: “I’m sorry that your bab bieb.” That whole b and d mix up is great. Also, the drawings can only make you smile. Such as the one that looks like a man with really long armpit hair.

Needless to say, I kept those letters. Maybe in another 5 years I will be able to get rid of them. But not yet.

Today I was thinking about which books have impacted me the most. Which is a really hard question. I have been a reader for almost as long as I can remember…starting with memorizing Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss. And my mom used to ground me from reading, because I would be reading so much. But in thinking about what books have been important to me, I decided to fill out this book baton.

Total Number of Books I Own:

I have NO idea. In my house right now I would say that there are least 300…probably a lot more. But most of those belonged to my grandpa. My books are spread out among my mom’s house, my brother’s house and my house. So, I can’t even estimate. My brother brought over a couple of boxes that I had been storing at his house and most of them were full of books. A couple of hundred, probably.

Last Book I Bought:

I rarely buy new books. I use the library a lot, and borrow books from friends. And if I buy them, they are usually used. I bought a few books at the thrift store recently. A couple Garrison Keillor books (since Trey recommends him so highly): Lake Wobegon Summer 1956, Wobegon Boy, and We are Still Married. At the same thrift store, I also bought Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris,.

Books I’m Reading Now:

A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa by Howard W. French.
Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton. A friend lent me this with high praise and told me that I must read it, but I must say it has taken a back seat to books from the library, because they have time limit.
A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, Lives, And Inspiration by Michael Shapiro.

Recently read:

Glittering Images by Susan Howatch (recommended by Kari…I really liked it.)
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris.
And The Little House on the Prairie series

Up next:

Well, I have the third Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on hold at the library and also the 6th Harry Potter. But who knows when either of those will be available.

Books That Have Been Important To Me:

Well, There is no question in my mind about what would top this list. (Other than the Bible. I agree with Kari when she says: “Oh, and I think saying “the Bible” is totally cheating. The Bible is more than a book.”)
The book that has impacted me the most in my life is Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot. I can’t even count how many times I have read it (at least 15) and it never failed to convict me and challenge me and encourage me.

I read The Pleasures of God by John Piper at a time in my life when I was experiencing the most spiritual growth and felt the closest to God. This growth was not due to this book necessarily, but the book helped me re-evaluate my understanding of the character of God…and my character.

This is a hard question, because so many books have meant a lot to me.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Though my favorite book that she wrote is The Blue Castle

Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey was quite good as well.

Most of the books that I listed that mean a lot to me have impacted me spirtually. But there are also many books that I have reread many times just because I love them. Like A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins. I don’t know. There are so many more, but I will have to think about that question some more. So, the question that led me to fill out this has not even been answered.

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. -John Lubbock

My sister and I had a lazy summer morning on Tuesday. And it was magnificent. My sister asked me if I wanted to ride my bike along with her as she went running. And we finally found a swimming hole that is quite close to home (within walking distance)…Catfish pond, which also was full of cattails and frogs that we named “kitten frogs” (because they sound like kittens when they croak). After overcoming our fear of being eaten by the fish that swarmed around us, we had a nice refreshing swim. I love summer. And the multi-colored dragonflies, the fluttering butterflies, the deer crashing through the bushes, the ducks, the cows….and exploring God’s amazing creation. And it’s all just a hop skip and a jump away. I’m so glad I live in the country.

I have been mulling over the idea of community lately. Well, it is always a dominant topic in my thinking, for some reason. And I have lots of thoughts, but never take the time to write them down.

But today, I witnessed an amazing example of community and the body of Christ. And was very encouraged by it. I have been attending a tiny local church for probably 6-8 months. (By tiny, I mean there were 15 people there on Sunday.) My sister has been living with me this summer, and has attended church with me for about a month. And the ladies of the church threw her a bridal shower tonight, though they barely know her…and they really don’t know me that well. And I thought that was such an amazing blessing. These ladies, who I’m sure have SO much else going on in their lives…took the time to come to the shower, and spent money to buy her gifts. And I was very blessed, as I’m sure my sister was.

And just because I am behind the bar, and am being nice to you, doesn’t mean you should ask me out. And when I say no, that doesn’t mean you should ask me out again. I am just a nice girl, and it is part of my job to be nice to my customers. It is not flirting.

Just because I am standing behind a bar (where we serve only beer and wine), why does that make people think that I will find vulgar and crude statements humorous? I won’t. So, don’t bother.

Well, I have a lot to say. But I probably won’t say any of it.

I had a wonderful somewhat old fashioned 4th of July with the family. BBQ, homemade ice cream, homemade pie, a cheery summer sun-dress, a straw hat, a ride in the 1961 convertible, fireworks, sparklers, and family and friends and celebrating this great country that we live in. What more could one ask for? Well, except for hanging out at the river…that’s what I really wanted to do and wasn’t able to.

I’ve had lots of thoughts that I’ve been wanting to write about…but somehow they never get typed up. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about poverty, in America and around the world. But you will just have to wait to hear them. I have also been reading quite a bit. I just finished the first book in the Mitford series, and a book of selected writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and am now reading Cry the Beloved Country.

And speaking of books, can I say that libraries are possibly my all-time favorite invention? Free books and free cds. How amazing is that?

I am currently making zucchinin bread. I don’t know why I am making zucchini bread so late at night. It seemed a good idea at the time, but it takes an hour to bake. And I am tired. But as soon as it’s done, I’m going to bed. And by the way, if any of you all need zucchini, I have an over-abundance.

I decided maybe I didn’t want the whole world to read my previous post. But if you want to read it, PM me or email me or leave a comment, and I’ll probably let you have the password.

So, I think that I mentioned that I won first place in a pie-baking contest at our local rodeo. I saw a request in the local paper for pies that they then sell to make money for the rodeo. Since I love to bake, and don’t really have anyone to bake for, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised and quite proud when my strawberry rhubarb pie won first place…and happy to receive a $100 gift certificate to a kitchen store and a blue ribbon that now hangs in my kitchen. But word travels fast in a small town. The next day, everyone at the bar knew that I had won the contest. A couple of the guys were judges. So, it was kind of fun.

But then last week, Doc, (one of the judges), asked me if I would be willing to bake four pies for a Jr. Rodeo barbecue they are having this weekend…and asked me how much I would charge. I told him that of course I wouldn’t charge anything, because I just enjoy baking. Then he talked about how he was going to advertise that he would have pies from and “award winning pie baker”. Which made me laugh. Because that’s dumb. But it also worried me. That’s a lot of pressure. What if it was just a fluke that my strawberry rhubarb pie was so good, and they are really disappointed in these next pies I make?

And then, Bob, a kind older man who brings my sister and I fresh fruits and veggies on almost a daily basis, brought me some blackberries last week and requested a pie. He later reported that his pie, was “out of this world”, and better than the ones he makes. He asked if I could make him four pies to take to a church social this weekend. He brought me almost 5 gallons of blackberries to use and offered to pay me to make them. That’s a lot of blackberries…and 8 pies is a lot of pies to make. But I think it will be fun!

Though I’m not sure how I got myself into this pie making business.

You can be one too.