What better way to spend a dreary, cloudy day in early January than to reminisce all day long? I have no intention of wasting time, necessarily, but rather passing the depressing time of recovering from festivities and colds…
{Oh, never mind…}
Now that I am getting around to finishing this post two days later, the weather has cleared. It has become gloriously refreshing. I am determined once more to gravitate towards optimism, resolving to be prepared to do great things this year. I want an excellently successful day every day of next week and so forth that all stems from gleaning from the pages of GOD’s WORD…
{Never mind again…you weren’t listening anyway.}
It is now yet another day later, and the weather is once again rainy and dreary. I am still trying to remain zealous regarding the time CHRIST will be giving us next week – the time to use that HE gives us every week, but now my aspirations have become somewhat clouded at the moment. I don’t know how to pick up again. I have spent a good deal of my time putting together a large portfolio of all of my accomplishments, academic and otherwise. I am trying to organize the jumble of credits and creativity that I developed starting from over a decade ago.
The portfolio is a big, black, Avery three-ringed binder notebook. It already has a story behind it. A few days before New Year’s Eve, Mom went grocery shopping. She brought Beth, Ben and I along. As we began to tour Wal-Mart to gather the necessary food items, Mom strolled along to the aquarium section, remembering that I mentioned that the addition of another fish or two to our schoolroom aquarium would be nice.
Our previous Plecostomous (the “algae eater” fish) had frozen to death, due to the fact that we had no heater in the aquarium, which happens to be in our basement. We picked out one, and decided that a heater would be a worthwhile investment aswell.
But remembering that we only had that one Black Molly from Dad and now another granite shaded “sucker fish”, I asked to get another fish to add some more color. My eyes were drawn to the Electric Yellow African Cichlid. I had always wanted a Cichlid fish anyway, so it was just as well. It took the man employed to the aquarium task quite awhile to catch the fish. “I burned some calories on that one,” he remarked.
Next was the office section, as Mom remembered that I also wanted to acquire some portfolio supplies. I chose a black notebook instead of one of a lighter shade, as I remembered the inevitable dinginess and scratches and scribbles that acquire on such from my previous homeschooling experiences.
Bethy Linda got very sleepy, and the grocery cart simultaneously got very heavy under the weight of the food products used to feed the multitudes around here. I managed to push the cart around without busting the fish bag (I started pondering the fact that those African Cichlid fish can be a little on the aggressive side). Ben is always good. He is an unusually calm baby.
When we finally left, we headed towards Pizza Hut, as Mom decided that would be a break from meal preparation (we already had all this merchandise to unload). To her surprise, the Pizza Hut announced that we should wait around 45 minutes.
How should such time be used? Mom didn’t mind making a trip to the Java Jolt Coffee house. The van (this was the Pewter colored van that Dad usually drives – the 8 passenger) threatened to act up with its alarm system, but then stopped.
Mom and I each had a cappucino and we got some cookies to share with Beth. Ben is always good. We chatted and sipped the minutes away, and then returned to the hyper-sensitive-security-van. The alarm system acted up, and Mom’s keys did little good to stop it. The siren would not turn off.
Thus, despite the embarrassment, we drove down the street with the siren blaring and lights blazing, while I held a bag of water containing a Plecostomous and Electric Yellow African Cichlid fish and two babies in the back seat. Of course, we also had the large amount of groceries, including some that were frozen.
Needless to say, we received many stares. Mom called Dad on her cell phone for advice. It was suspected the her set of keys needed new batteries. We pulled in the parking lot of a food outlet. Mom managed to stop the alarm temporarily, but the vehicle, assuming that it was still locked, would sound off when the door was slammed shut.
A young man came by to assist Mom with the problem. After much examining and figuring, the problem was found to lie with the key’s button that needed to be pressed down harder in order to activate. By then Elizabeth was ready to jump out of the van, and Benjamin required a diaper change. I managed to handle both in the backseat in the dark.
At least we arrived home safely, the fish survived, the groceries were manageable and the pizza was good. We also took down the Christmas decorations that evening.
Every time I flip through my large portfolio, I will have more than one reminiscence.
GOD BLESS,
~Amanda~
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Comments
Sunday, January 7, 2007 – a note from Rose
Posted by Rose
Hello Amanda,
your posts are always so interesting! That must of been awful with the car alarm! I hope you had a good Christmas (as apparantly you did according to your other posts)
Come check out my latest Post: Pride and Prejudice,
Love to hear from you,
Rose
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Monday, January 8, 2007 – Untitled Comment
Posted by Jocelyndixon
Hello Amanda,,, it seems like forever since we’ve ‘talked’… I hope you are doing well!! God Bless!
Jocelyn
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 – note from Brielle
Posted by BrielleCostumes
Dear Amanda,
Thank you for your comment…It is fun to know that we both share a love for the “EverAfter Gowns” I would wear them every day if I could. Yes, I have been the the everaftercostume website…infact I visit it quite frequently. I must say I think that the “wine velvet gown” is on of my very favorite too (it is on my to make list) ,but of course I adore the wedding dress….lets just say I love the them all!
I enjoyed reading your post….
I hope you have a wonderful day! God Bless
Sincerely,
Amanda Brielle
P.S. do you sew?
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Saturday, January 13, 2007 – HEY!
Posted by LadyRachel
Hey!! Why’d you put on the one ring? Now it is clearly impossible for me to see you. Hopefully you’ll take it off before you’re obsessed. }:D Oh, and Emma & Ashley saw your blog…They almost cried looking at the kitty picture. Awww! Okay, farewell!
~*RACHEL*~
TO PUBLIC: Notice, I am an inside joker.
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Monday, January 15, 2007 – Untitled Comment
Posted by Jocelyndixon
Hello Amanda
I hope you get all your Chemistry done before April. I know what you mean by not blogging and doing school instead – it’s such a bore some times!! LOL
I’m glad you liked the avatar. I found it off a blog but I had to have it. It was so us since we don’t shop at wal-mart!!
Well, I hope to talk again. If I had time to yahoo, I’d talked to the closer friends on HSB – you being one of them.
Love,
Jocelyn
