Harapnuik Adventures

Ahhh…. The first mosquito bite of the year. One that stays for a week and is the most itchy. I got it yesterday at airsoft. We are planning to go to Colorado to go biking for the summer. I can’t wait. We are going to go to different places and the one we think is the best we will spend more time there.

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It’s nothing like Westlock’s celebrations, but this was outside my experience in my life so far, so thought I’d share it.

I drove out to a ladies retreat Sat. morn about 45 minutes north of Abilene in Lueder. It was at a Baptist Bible Camp. It was quite a nice drive and the camp was on the banks of a river with trees just starting to change. It was a beautiful day with quadathalons (the last leg was to eat pudding without utensils), rifle shooting, archery and much laughter and eating. It was so warm, 25C, prayer walk was along blooming rose bushes. Nov 14th in Texas.
I made it back into town to go through a Holiday House Tour charity for the Philharmonic Orchestra. This is where it was really wacky. I took a sweater and put it on when we went into the homes and took it off when I came out. The air was on in most of them. The 6 houses that participated were beautiful, but the last was the best. I saw how the 5% of Abilene live (I’d say how the other 1/2 lives, but we all know that the fraction of people who live this way is by far smaller than 1/2). Everyone was talking about the “Guitar Mansion” so I was expecting it to resemble a guitar somehow; either have some in the home or some history about guitars, or something. The architecture was French, Georgian and Colonial inspired (don’t be impress with my knowledge. It was on a plaque), with huge white columns on the outside. Elves slipped CSI booties on my feet at the door and a real ballerina greeted me to introduce the home.

I don’t ever want to own one of these, remember that as I describe it, cause it was so beautiful: crystal and white and glass. The ballroom has 22 foot ceiling with 7 feet wide waterford crystal chandeliers and all white furniture with crushed velvet fuchsia pink cushions. Everything in this house was white, crystal or fuchsia pink, and yes, there was a man in the house. Oh, I found out why it was called the Guitar house. The people who live there: Joan and Pete Guitar.

The outdoor courtyard was surrounding a swimming pool, fireplace and black granite water fountain with girl hosts dressed up as penguins. Too cute. They showed us into the household gym that, yes, was lit by 2 crystal chandeliers and had a wine fridge…hmmm. Then the bedroom, not bad, but the bathroom…nay, the closet, the lady of the house’s closet about the length of our apartment with individual compartments for rolled up belts and each pair of shoes and sunglasses and purses.  The little ballerinas were all in a twitter about this room as it was a teenage girl’s dream. The kitchen was white with white marble and every counter top appliance was in pink: toaster, coffee maker, cutting board and knife block and handles including the tiles behind the stove top. So much more, but I don’t want to go on and on. Perhaps the reason this made such an impact on me is with all the houses we’ve seen, they are all pretty dark or painted a bit darker colors and the whiteness was so uplifting and clean.

From there I went to drive around to look for a home and driving by a bunch of people putting out Christmas decorations. One guy was pounding a Santa plaque into his green lawn wearing shorts and a tshirt. So wacky.

The walk around the yards that day, with blooming hybiscus and fishes in the pools, just one of those days. Guess this is the norm in Abilene, although they do say it’s a bit warm for this time of year. Today Edmonton, Lethbridge and Calgary were all a degree warmer than here. How nice that would be for you all!

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for the last 2 weeks it has been raining and cold but yesterday it was 35c so we went swimming heres a few picks

But today it is 15c at 9 in the morning so it is really coolllllldddddd

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Watch the video and you will understand.

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Today, the day after a day of 41C, I wore long pants!  I think it was about 31C when we met up with Dwayne this morning (he forgot his coffee). I really love wearing long pants, so this was such a relief to be able to comfortably have my legs covered and not be sucking back ice water. Wearing long pants reminded me of fall, my favorite time of year, when you put away the summer cloths that never wear out and you never get tired of cause you only get to wear them for 2 months out of the year. I still wear shirts and shorts from years ago, although I suspect they’ll be used for a longer season down here. Wearing the pants makes me think of cooler days, cooler days makes me think of Canada, Canada makes me think of what we left.

And the wall…well, I hit it. I knew it would come: leaving everyone/thing/place and not having much of a connection here (save the VanDines, blessing above blessing). I was talking with a lady on the phone about the homeschooling organization and the eyes started leaking. I know if, or when, I ever meet her, she’ll remember me for reasons I’m none to proud of, but I’m glad it was her and not a Walmart store clerk .  Not having a chance to visit as many churches, even doing double and triple headers on Sundays,  like we are looking at homes makes me think the search will go on and on, and I think I need to dig in somewhere. The boys went to a youth group on Wed. night and really enjoyed it, so they are beginning the web of friendships and which will enrich this time for them. I know that’s one reason for my angst.  Save a couple of boys that are now in school, they haven’t gotten to know many kids, yet just today Caleb said he was a little bored. 4 weeks and this is the first time I’ve heard a word of complaint. I shouldn’t complain, yet I want them to find exciting and enriching times with others. That’s the reason for the call to the organization. Anything for my kids to do this week? Track at 7 a.m. tomorrow.  Hmmm, newly transplanted Canadians running track in 28C. Maybe later.

Caleb taught me something, though.  He was working on a biking video and struggling to get it the way he wanted, then lost it and it wouldn’t work again. He took off for his room in frustration and disappointment, then got right back up and went at it again. By the time Dwayne was home he was back on the bed with another wave of frustration, but who better to comfort him with a joke than a man who fights with technology all day. Smile and a few giggles and it’s back trying to figure it out. Don’t give up.

Will I get my second wind? I believe I will/have in small things. We went to a season opener ACU football game tonight and we stepped up to the crazy bouncy castle thingy they had for the kids and out popped two of the boys from youth group to say, “hi, come on in” to Levi and Caleb. Thank you, God, for your timing in our lives. Such a simple thing, yet how does He do it? A crowd to fill a stadium, and we find the two boys that Levi and Caleb know. “For I know the plans I have for you…”

Peace.

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No problem with your coffee getting cold in the car. Leave it behind and it’s heated for you when you return. 100F today and the boys are debating with me that it’s not 40C until it’s 104F, so I’ll concede. Lovely day, though. The boys went swimming last night and complained that the water was too cold. I told them we need to buy a cabin on Crowsnest Lake, so they don’t get too soft.

Sorry all this stuff is about the weather. We sure must sound like Canadians!

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