Friday, July 25, 2009

For a number of hours today, I got to hang around with Marilyn as we began the process of fixing up what will be a prayer garden here at Asbury. And it was the most fun I’ve had in a very long time, definitely the most fun I’ve had all summer. We laughed and worked and played and chatted and had a ball. I got to hear stories of how she and her husband met and dated. We wondered around a gardening store and made commentary to one another about the statues. She talked a little about her youngest son who finally just moved away from home (he’s my age) and his struggles that always go along with that. I love hearing Marilyn talk about her children. She is so in love with them and delighted by them, even when they make bad choices.

Today, we pressure washed. I thought this might take an hour at most. Not true. It took the whole time. In the middle of it, we took a break and went for a drive to get some materials and do a little browsing. The pressure washer Marilyn borrowed had a little container on it to put soap in. And so Marilyn went out and bought a big jug of soap. In the process of trying to pour it into the soap container, I got some on me and when I went to rinse it off, I was annoyed that it would not come off. I found that weird, but paid little notice as we powered the thing up and went at it with the benches and the cement floor.

And then at one point, I went to switch my hands on the nozzle because my elbow was getting tired and felt a sudden sharp sting in my finger as if I had just gotten a sliver. It stung so badly that I put the nozzle down and left for the bathroom to wash my hands, wherein I noticed even with other soap, I was hard pressed to get this soap off my hands. I continued with the power washing for a little while longer before Marilyn took over when I needed a break. I sat for a moment and then picked up the jug of soap and turned it around so I could see the warning label. “CAUSES SEVER BURNS” it stated just like this in caps, and then went on to state it should not be ingested and should be kept out of contact with eyes, mouth, and skin. Skin. Yes, that’s what it said. For a couple of hours we’d been spraying that stuff all over. The nozzle was covered in it because our hands had gotten soapy from it and the mist had likely been inhaled by the both of us. Flush skin for 15 minutes, it said, if you get any on it. I told Marilyn to turn off the power washer for a minute and, laughing, read her the warning label. We had a good laugh and she said, “My legs do seem to feel a little strange. Needless to say, that sliver was not a sliver, but a tiny chemical burn where the skin had come off. The sting was the feel of that soap on the rawness underneath.

A small price to pay for having a blast of a day with Marilyn. On our return from the drive, Marilyn dropped me off to power wash some more while she left to drop off the sander she had borrowed and used on the top of the benches. Instead of power washing, I ran off to the post office to get my Victoria’s Secret package I knew was waiting for me. In it were a couple pairs of pants and a shirt, among other things. As I made my way back to the garden, Marilyn was walking in and when she saw me she said, “What is that?” I replied with a big smile on my face, “It’s my Victoria’s Secret package.” “What did you get?” “Some pants and a shirt, I think.” And she smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll power wash while you go try the clothes on and show them to me.” I laughed at her delight in my new clothes and gave her the fashion show she wanted. They are, I should note, some great clothes. Marilyn wholeheartedly approved.

The final bit of amusement came when Bekah and Elissa wondered over to see what we were up to. I can’t remember, now, what we were talking about, but Marilyn commented to them that she and I were a lot alike. Case in point happened only a few minutes later when Marilyn put something in her car and turned back around to head back down to the garden and tripped over the curb and stumbled, in slow motion, to the ground. No harm was done and we all couldn’t help but laugh, and not more than thirty seconds later, I turned back around to walk back into the garden and tripped on my own feet. These are the ways in which you should not be like somebody else. Well, whatever.

Marilyn and I finally parted ways and I wandered back to the dorm for the rest of the afternoon and evening. It was definitely a good day. And so, until next time. There is still much more to be done on the garden. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

written the following day

I bombed out in Hebrew again today. And I sit here and let out a sigh as I think about it. Here's to hoping I simply pass the class!

On the up side, Marilyn walked with me to go find myself some lunch and convinced me to go to Subway and split a veggie sub with her. So we ordered to go and thought to eat outside, but the Kentucky summer was rearing its unpleasant head, so we sat in the student center instead and ate. A good way to begin my Hebrew studying for the day. Always a joy to get to chat with Marilyn. You just never know what might come out of her mouth.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Wednesday was a whole lot of Hebrew. I'm ssssoooooooooooooooooo tired of Hebrew. I've come to hate it. We didn't have class today, so I studied, but it doesn't feel as if I'm getting much of anywhere.

So I took a break and watched So You Think You Can Dance! Which I missed last week. And it had the most amazing dance on it about fighting breast cancer. Brilliant. Watch it.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

written later

Perhaps it’s time to remember Jesus. I seem to have pushed him by the wayside in the midst of this ocean of Hebrew I’m drowning in. One might think that studying Hebrew would bring you closer to God, but anyone who might think that has never taken Greek or Hebrew. It will bring you closer after that fact, but in the midst, it will make you want to shoot yourself. I feel as if one of these days I ought to learn a language that is not dead. Someday, Bengali will fill that roll, and in my dreams, so will French and Italian, but don’t put much stock in that actually happening. I dream a lot and I dream big.

On a high note, I got my glasses! They’re awesome! I’m loving them! And this day is exactly one month till my birthday. Let the countdown begin.

Now back to Hebrew. Ugh.

Monday, July 20, 2009

I should be writing a post that repeats yesterday's post...but I'm not. Because I can't. Because I wore myself out on Hebrew. I tried, I really did, to study Hebrew today, but alas, I didn't get particularly far. We don't have a quiz the following morning, so I let myself slack a bit. Not smart, but maybe needed. Instead, I was able to go get my splurge of the year! My purple Ray Ban Wayfarer Original sunglasses, Bob Dylan style. They are currently at the eye doctor getting the perscription lenses put in. I can go pick them up after my next class is over. So excited. This is a picture of the lovely babies. Morgan got matching, though tortoise shell instead of purple, glasses and we will be taking pictures soon. So wait for some goodness to show up on here. Well, more goodness;).

Sunday, July 19, 2009

I studied Hebrew all day today. And I mean aaaalllllllll day. And it felt a bit like this picture.


Off to bed, now, to do it all again tomorrow.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

I was supposed to pressure wash the concrete and wood in the garden behind the chapel today with Marilyn, but Marilyn bailed on me. This is not particularly surprising. If she doesn’t set something in stone, then it’s set in nothing at all and free for the changing or canceling at any time. And so I decided to go work some more on the labyrinth pattern and hopefully finish it.

Finish it, I did! And it’s damn impressive if I do say so myself! And my quads are killing me because of it. All the standing and squatting and standing and squatting and crawling around on the floor gave me quite a workout, apparently. I was preparing to fold up the labyrinth and carry it over to the garden to see how it would fit when I ran into Marilyn in the student center. This may not seem strange except that it’s Saturday, a day she doesn’t work. But a friend of hers is in town and she was showing her where she works, so Marilyn, excited I was finished, took the friend in to the gym to show her what I had done and to see it herself for the first time, and needless to say, I blew her out of the water. She was shocked at how well it turned out. I mean, this thing is all but perfect. Marilyn was impressed and on her way out of the building, she called back to me, “I owe you lunch!” “You owe me cupcakes, too!” I reminded her. “I know!” she replied and I laughed as I wandered back into the gym to pack up the labyrinth.


A few minutes later, I wandered over to the garden with the pattern and again ran into Marilyn who was telling her friend about the garden and what was going to be done to it. When I got there, I realized I had not taken into account some of the measurements of the place and panicked for a moment that it wasn’t going to fit. These are the times when I realize that as detailed as I can be, over all, I do not have a detail oriented personality. Marilyn and her friend helped me unfold the nearly 15’ by 15’ pattern and to my great relief, it fit perfectly. And Marilyn was excited. It was fun to have her there as I unveiled the temporary version, and her friend gave some advice on how to refinish the currently tattered built-in wooden benches. As Marilyn and her friend got in the car and they prepared to go their way as I prepared to go mine, Marilyn smiled and said, “You know, I have to admit I doubted you.” I smiled with a rather cocky grin and said, “I know, Marilyn. But I didn’t. I may doubt myself in many things, but art is not one of them.” It is good for me to remember that there is something in my life that I am inherently gifted in and as much as I may be unsure about many things, my gifts are something I should never lose sight of.

Later, in the evening, Morgan and I went to Brewster’s to grab some ice cream and then went out to Highbridge and stood on the lookout that overlooks the railroad bridge to the right and a fork of the Kentucky river to the left. I love that lookout. Looking down at that river with the Kentucky tree covered hillsides all around makes me think of Huck Finn traveling up the Mississippi river (or was it down?) in his exploits, because I always imagined it looked like this. It’s always delightful when the things you imagine end up actually existing.

And so I go to bed feeling as if today was a day that filled me well. I am not stuffed at the end of this day, but I am satisfied. I was successful in finishing the labyrinth and was delighted to spend time with a friend. Tomorrow, it’s Hebrew all day. Alas, back to regular life.