mutiny

i lost my mouse.  it's gone.  this is how i did it: i fumbled amongst the billowy waves of my duvet, clutching for it.  i knew it was there, i had just felt it's telltale lump at my hip minutes before.  i clutched, i grasped, and i shoved and yet it eluded me. "tiresome mouse, you irritate me.", i grimaced, groaned and rolled out of bed.  "fine! if that's the game you are playing..." i muttered as i picked up the corners of my duvet, "if you aren't in there--prove it." and heaved the duvet up into the air sending what was once crumpled heaps, sailing.  i didn't see it, but i heard it.  a bounce and a thump.  "aha!" i thought, "outsmarted little mouse, outsmarted."  but alas, it is i who was outsmarted.  because i can't find it.  it shouldn't be that hard, there aren't that many places to go... but as of yet the tricky little mouse has remained hidden.  our game continues.

i woke up at 3:30 am this morning, with a sore throat and a general lousy feeling.  i cannot be awake now, i thought.  this cannot be.  i curled into the fetal position and concentrated on heavy slow breathing.  that's when my nose started bleeding.  and that was it.  i was awake.  i had allotted at least 7 hours of sleep for myself too.  after dealing with the bleeding nose, which i blame on the dry cold weather, i did some mindless computer things, while listening to talks on the mormon channel, then a feeling of sleepiness washed over me and put the computer aside and snuggled down.  but sleep never came.  just weariness.  at the last possible moment i dragged myself out of bed and got ready for church.

there are several methods to choosing a church outfit.  one is build up from knee-high sock of choice.  i tried this first.  it didn't work so i changed to build from skirt, the more conventional method.  after i was done, i was presentable, but not to be congratulated if you know what i mean.  i dind't put my heart into it.  my heart was in my bed, snuggled under the duvet and snoozin'. (raaachel....thomas!! you're supposed to be snoozin'!!) anyways, today was my first ward conference visit and it was in mom and dad's ward in surrey.  we had ward council at 7:30am.  before i left i stood in the bathroom and looked at the closed cabinet.  should i take a cold and flu pill?  naaa, i thought, it's just a sore throat.  half way through ward council, on the back row, penned in on both sides with a watery nose, i realized my mistake.  note to self, wash your pink sweater with the super absorbent cuffs.

i gave myself several savage pinches in a desperate attempt to stay awake during sacrament meeting.  but it was a losing battle.  the best part was an 11 year old girl who sang I Know that my Redeemer Lives, in the sweetest, purest voice.  she was very solemn. it was very powerful.

then we went to primary. and then we met with the primary presidency and then we went home.  i had barely a word with any family.  a nod and salute with jordan, a quick hallway hug from tracy, a candy from maria, a wave to jane, a smile at isaiah and a look exchanged with mom on her way up to sing in choir.  next week we do surrey 2nd, and i think emilce's the president.

i've been to wreck beach two days in a row and my quads are letting me know their displeasure. don't enlist us in a forced march up 500 odd stairs two days in a row and expect us not to give you pain, they smugly seem to say.  i have made several february visits to wreck beach.  february because it's light enough after work, and because it's too cold for any nakeds to nudie the beach.  i don't know how many times i've told people "there's no nakeds in the winter!".  this is typically after a raised eyebrow or a credulous "you go to wreck beach??"  so i was there yesterday at sunset and it was gorgeous but there was a price to pay.  and the price was the biting wind. which i felt more after getting up from the wet sand, where i had been laying prone on my belly and side.  what.  as if you don't.

we were heading back towards the stairs in the purplish twilight after sunset and that's when we spotted them, bare bodies on the stairs.  "are those people naked??" we asked one another.  evan said "no, they've got underwear on."  just then i saw a girl fling off her bra and let it fall on the stairs.  "but they're taking them off!" sure enough the group of nudies discarded their underthings all over the stairs and ran, streaking down the beach in the buff, holding their privates, which i thank them for, and into the shallow water.  "see, i told you." said evan who was at wreck for the first time.  all my nonudesinwinter protestations were now null and void.  i passed their things on my way up the stairs and considered hiding them.  but i didn't.  i have a personal rule about touching stranger's ginch that held me back.

wreck beach really is vancouver's most beautiful beach.  it's a jewel of loveliness.  i'm glad i get to at least enjoy it in the winter.

i told evan my bridge story which strangely he had never heard.  he said i should write a book called memoirs of a clutz.  "i'm not a clutz! i'm accident prone!" i was quick to object.  he laughed just like katie does when i say that.  there's a difference ok?  besides the bridge story has nothing to do with any accidents...

i got my cable hooked up for the olympics yesterday.  for some reason the tech took 3 hours to do it.  no joke.  i got a lot done during that time though, so i can't complain.  i watched the sisters win gold and silver and i watched some team figure skating, and that's all so far.  tomorrow i can plant myself in front of the olympics and edit photos and sniffle and have a family day to remember.

this has been my first weekend with no extra work in quite a while.  it's nice. it's nice except for my cold, but i guess it's best to be sick on your days off.

i felt my cold coming on last night.  i didn't dare believe it.  i tried to deny it.  i drank some lemon ginger tea with some honey and extra ginger.  i have got to do something to boost this sad and sorry immune system of mine.

good neighbour judy just clomped up the stairs with a plate of food for me.  roast beef, potatoes and carrots, and two yorkshire puddings all sitting in a pleasant flood of dark gravy.  yesterday she clomped up the stairs with two chocolate chip muffins just when i was wishing for something sweet.  as i ate my gift meal, i thought about all the people i have in my life who are so good to me.  and i was thinking about life in general.  life is like that--it's teeming with crappy stuff and it's teeming with blessings and they're all together all wrapped up with a bow.  and i can choose which thing i'll focus on.  when i think about how blessed i am, i am much happier.  and sometimes when crappy stuff is right in my face, it blinds me to all the good things i've been blessed with that i just take for granted.  and the crappy stuff really does exist and i can't deny it.  but if i think that God has put me here in a pile of poop with no roses, i'm not only wrong i'm so ungrateful.  his gifts to me are everywhere.  one thing i'm grateful for today is the generosity of kind and clomping neighbours.  and i'm grateful for gorgeous evenings like the one i found joy in last night as i lay in the wet sand and marveled at God's creation.

uh...i've lost my phone now too.  mutiny.