13 Things

The wonderful Kwizgiver who does more memes than just about anybody I know (I do such a teeny bit compared to her!) does something called "13 Things" each week.  I don't usually do it, but I decided to do it today.  If I remember, it's the same questions each week.

1. Outside my window…
...it is dark and rainy.  Sheila came in a bit ago to lie down under my desk, with her head on my feet.  I reached down to pet her and she was very wetl

2. I am thankful…
...MY NEW MONITOR!!!  In fact, one reason I decided to do "13 Things" today was that I have had such a good time looking at everything on this lovely big monitor that I didn't really do enough to write about.

3. In the kitchen…
...is a big mess that I need to clean up

4. I am wearing…
...my new black shirt covered with white, pink and grey butterflies, black sweat pants, and black socks.

5. I am creating…
... this journal entry, of course.

6. I am going…
... to cook dinner for all the family (us, Walt's brother and sister-in-law, my mother, and Jeri) at my mother's house tomorrow, because Jeri is flying in from Boston tonight for a long weekend.

7. I am reading…
..."Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese.  I just finished "The Christmas Train" by David Baldacci this evening, which I picked up on the bargain table of the bookstore earlier this week.

8. I am learning…
... how nice it is to get a full night of sleep.

9. I am pondering…
... why the Republicans are continuing to pursue this war on women in an election year...and whether American women voters are going to understand how under attack they are.

10. A favorite quote…
Here are two:
"Clutter and mess show us that life is being lived...Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation... Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist's true friend. What people somehow forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here."
~Anne Lamott

Memories are the treasures that we keep locked deep within the storehouse of our souls, to keep our hearts warm when we are lonely.
~Becky Aligada

11. One of my favorite things…
... is being able to spend time with family, so I am very much looking forward to tomorrow.

12. A few plans for the rest of the week…
... other than dinner tomorrow, nothing.  I think Walt may go to Ned's and help him pack up their house (they are moving next week)

13. A peek into my day… Today?  I sat at my computer and wrote, got up to eat, drink water, and relieve myself.  That's about it!  Oh--I watched Jeopardy, Washington Week, and This Week in Northern California, cooked dinner and wrote this journal entry.  Such an exciting day!