happy birthday to a shooting star

We were sitting at the kitchen table, Mel and I, when a quick step sounded behind us, then passed us and was gone to the other side of the house. In that moment we'd both snapped our heads to the side to watch the figure whose step it was as it clipped past and followed it with our eyes until it was gone. 

Melody observed then, with her head on her hand, "Anne's just one of those people you whose personality you can't help watching." 

That was several years ago, yet it's a thing I've often called to mind, how true Milly's words were. A.G has one of those radiant personalities that we watch as closely as we would a comet or shooting star. {if you've seen her walk, then you know her pace nearly matches either of them.} She's one of those Bright People whose beauty shines from deep down and makes the rest of her fairly sparkle with loveliness. It's a loveliness too that makes other, shallow types whose Pretty is only skin deep, look shabby.  A.G reminds me {often with a pang of remorse and shame} that no matter how you patch up the outside, no amount of prinking will stand the test of beauty that comes from the soul. 

I'm thankful for this shooting star that I've been blessed to have as a sister and best friend for 23 years. She knits us all together and brings laughter and depth of thought; she challenges our ideas, habits and bodies {this you know right well if you've ever endured one of her grueling workouts}.  Though A.G loves to make everyone laugh,  no one laughs more effectively and heartily than Daddy does when A.G goads him.  He gets so tickled and merry when she turns over his laugh box that the house fairly rings out with hoots and shouts of laughter - not only his, but ours.  We laugh at Daddy laughing at Anne, because, really, there is nothing more laugh-provoking than Daddy when he's tickled. 

Happy Birthday, A.G - you bright, wonderful thing, you. 

elevensies

We had two of them, to be exact.  Friday morning was spent shaking rugs, vacuuming, washing clothes, dishes and bathtubs, sweeping, and dusting until near eleven, at which time we abandoned all and rushed to the kitchen for tea pots, biscuits, whipped cream, coffee, and jams. At eleven we played the shire theme, Dawn read a passage from Tolkein's Fellowship of The Ring and Mama stopped her work, and Natalie came so we talked about Georgia islands, wild beasts and babies. {the latter being an inevitable necessity being in the world of midwives.}
   But then the other crew came and we lamented to them that they'd missed elevensies, so it was suggested that we just have it again at the next hour of eleven, which we did.  We stood by the kitchen clock and counted down, and when it was eleven sharp, we rang a bell and shouted and commenced promptly. Again, we had coffee, whole cream, shire music and reading from J.R.R., but this time it was read by Matt (for which Mama especially made a point to come hear, as we all like to hear him read aloud, especially from Jeeves and Wooster, but really anything). Also, it was Baby Beauchamp's first Elevenies and Androph tried to feed her coffee and pie, but couldn't quite figure how to get it to her, so he patted her instead and we all wished her a most hearty happy first celebration of Elevensies. Mrs. Sherri had brought a peanut butter pie that day, so we saved it and had it that night (oh my…it was DIVINE).  And that day was divine and so was the whole weekend. So what more can be said?

first elevensies 

second elevensies.

goodnight.

the exception being tuesday

NOTE. this was written on tuesday even though it's labeled as wednesday and this is for the simple reason that it actually was posted on wednesday. at's what happens when you fall asleep at night instead of finishing blog posts.


for it was exceptional.  i liked everything about today.  i liked the weather - chilly and sweet and fresh. i liked my work, the people i worked with, the people i talked to, the brew of coffee i had.  i liked being by myself for part of the day, and mixing with people the other part of it. it's just been a very good day. and i like that.
  this morning i rode in an ambulance - a retired one, at least. but i had never done that before, and for some reason it felt momentous. i met all of anne's bcm friends on their last night of the season and that was climatic.
at supper the other night daddy got cracked up about a birthday card he almost got for u.z but didn't.  he said he really just couldn't, and he never told us what it was, but for about 10 minutes he was on and off laughing so hard he couldn't swallow and was turning red.  but he always does that when he laughs hard.

 dawn making hobo-glyphics.

  

the hobo party was ridiculously fun.  i might post more pictures later but for now, so long.

robin egg saturday

we had our first egg hunt ever today and it was ridiculously fun. mama got all the dyes and boiled the eggs and made our baskets with edible grass and jelly eggs. and we decorated eggs, listened to music, and then chris, daddy and mama hid them...felt like christmas in spring. i'm sold. it's an official fulmer tradition for the grey submarine from now on. the red robin egg hunt. i remembered as we were looking for eggs that i used to believe if i would only lie on an egg and keep it warm enough it would hatch. it's been a good good saturday.  after daddy grilled steaks, dawn and i grilled porkchops and hot dogs and then all of us girls climbed the maple tree. so sad. it's going to be cut down. i think also, that my caterpillars are dead, which is too bad. they would have been nice butterflies.  i hope they'll still come out of their cocoon.  here are lots of pictures from today.

venus, dawn's turtle. apparently he's lived in her garden for a good while now, but 

it was only today that we girls discovered dawn even had a turtle at all.

his legs were so rubbery and funny. 

and the way he looked from behind when he walked

was adorably comical.

poor maher.

Easter

  Today was the best Easter I remember. I got up early and read the 20th chapter of John.  Mary was the first one at the grave...I wondered how much sorrow she must have felt, been bowed down with as she went there that morning.  Then getting there and thinking someone had taken his body...But when we he said her name...'Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.'
    I like how John never speaks of himself in the first person, but refers to himself most of the time throughout his account as 'that other disciple whom Jesus loved', or 'the other disciple'.  The urgency he and Peter had in reaching the sepulchre 'So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre...'  Makes me want to be more that way in my relationship with Christ.

  Daddy was blessed this morning to preach an incredible message on our victorious Savior.  Then we had 35 people over to our house and we all ate lunch together.  Caleb Apollo caught bugs and told us about the first time he held a baby and how he thought the kid's head had snapped.  Ahh!! And the weather today was perfect. Absolutely.  Sweet, light air.  Honeysuckles in thick vines by the house and garden.  It's just been one of those incredible days, tailored just so in all the right ways to make it sublime.

st. valentine's

valentine's day is the bomb. 

 the pinks and reds are like dissonances, 

and it's fun to watch the guys in the stores grabbing 

boxes and crinkly bundles of flowers.

i imagine their women being very happy.

today an older guy came up beside me

as i was walking on the side walk.

golf cap, black jacket, black cane,

he smiled and winked and said 

happy valentine's day. i said it back to him and asked him if he 

had any special plans?

'Nah. Nothin except gonna go home, drink a little wine

listen to some music.

Whitney, Ray....'

i came home to cards.

on my bed and nightstand and table.

moriah wrote me a card

and diagrammed the sentence.

i knew grammar was

 paying off.

mama made chickin

 fettucini, salad, green beans

fruit salad,

cheesecake...

yeah. 

mom is awesome.

goodnight.

oh. 

and daddy's input on love for today was

'Son, cookin' meat is kinda like

loving a woman.

Ya gotta think about these things before hand.

Ya gotta prepare for it...

gotta marinate it, 

butter it up...

You gotta give it some lovin'...'

so there it is. now you know the secret.

happy cookin.