In the two months since we received our things from Paris, we have spent the days trying to establish our new Kansas City life. Having all of our own things with us and creating new things by framing Paris prints and buying new things for small spots, has helped us feel home. Finally.
There have been many times when I wished I'd taken a photo of something we saw or did but, alas, I'm a terrible blogger. Good thing I'm not doing it for money!!! Over the past two months, however, several things have come into focus for me.
Though we're still attending The Church of the Resurrection (COR), the mega church, and love the worship service and small group (which, remember, isn't really small...50 people or so!), several weeks ago we did visit another Methodist Church very near us. We really enjoyed the worship service and want to visit the small group the next time they meet (once COVID-19 is over). While attending a Retirement Seminar at COR, I had an Ah-Ha moment that perhaps God had us there for "training" we could use somewhere else. I don't know...just a thought.
As most of you know, I'm a midwestern girl but have loved the years I've lived in Dallas (Plano, actually). I love the weather (always hot over cold for me), the ease of getting around (Plano) and just the familiarity of having lived there over 20 years (longer than I've lived anywhere ever). I never had any inclination to move back to the midwest...no desire at all. However, having lived here now for nearly five months, I've realized there are things I always loved that I had lost and forgotten. I love living in a older area where houses are made of various materials and in various ways so they're not all just alike, where huge trees (and the leaves from them!!) surround them, where many neighborhoods have green areas with fountains and benches...and where there are pockets of darling little shopping areas with flower shops, small cafes/restaurants and novelty shops. Sound like Paris??!! That's what it feels like to me.
I think I'm really going to enjoy experiencing four seasons. We have loved the winter, snow and all. We don't have to get out so...we don't! If we do, it's because we want to and that's okay. The trees are beginning to bud as our temperatures, on some days, get warmer. Though living here was really David's first choice, perhaps this time he was right...
So, this COVID-19. Who would have ever imagined something like this taking over our lives? We hear from our friends in Paris, and it's worse there. I hope by taking measures now we can avoid the lockdown they're experiencing.
I told David I already feel social distanced since we don't really have many friends yet so we spend most of our time together (good thing we like each other and most of the time get along!!). We love old movies and watch them in our real life and we both read. I'm not crafty and don't really have a plethora of hobbies...so how am I spending my days??
First I baked. Earlier this week I found a new recipe for Blueberry Muffins and decided to try it. Then yesterday I had found a new recipe for brownies (you know I love a good brownie!) from one of my favs, David Lebovitz, "Dave and Kate's Brownies". The "Kate" is Katherine Hepburn (I loved her) and it seems her family lived down the street from David's brother's family though they didn't see her (she lived on the coast). But a mutual friend in Miami had known her and she sent them her brownies every year. Cool. So I made them. And they were yummy!!
 |
| These were really yummy! |
Obviously, we can't eat all this so, for now, we've frozen the extras to eat as we need a treat! I do have my little neighbors, but right now maybe it's not such a good idea to share.
Since I'd been in the house quite a bit, we decided to go for a little drive yesterday. We ended up at Loose Park, a beautiful park where we, in our dating days, had a picnic. The weather was cloudy but not cold and we strolled the paths we'd strolled so many years ago. I can't wait to go back in the spring when everything is blooming and green.
 |
| A good Parisian always has an umbrella... |
 |
| There were geese in some of the ponds |
 |
| Just a little show of the blooming yellow bushes-there were many other trees beginning to bud and flowers pushing through the warming dirt- |
In the background of this picture, you can see a brown wooden bridge. I have pictures on that bridge from our first visit there. Deja vu!!!!
 |
| See the bridge on the right side? |
 |
| Here's this cute guy on that bridge!!!! |
 |
| Can you tell it's the 70's???!! |
After our stroll, we decided to go through the family pictures and get some organization. Now, just to be clear, our family photos have been placed and dated in albums since the beginning. But...I have pages and envelopes of pictures from my mother's albums so it was time...
 |
| Albums of trips, important family events, memories |
 |
| Not enough room to display everything...but precious enough to save! |
 |
| Our lives are in these albums...and our hearts |
Obviously, I also had framed photos I am no longer putting out and multiple albums, some gifts. So...we found a place in the apartment to store the albums (so I can access them when I want to-what good is having them if you can't look at them??!), went through the framed photos and sorted them and kept some of the frames and tossed others, and went through the miscellaneous pics and put them in groups in envelopes. So now each of my children has a not-so-full envelope of pics!!!!
I know some of you are thinking "why isn't she putting these on the computer?" Well....all new photos are put in files on the computer. These old photos...more work than we want to do. Plus, I know I'm showing what an old fogey I am, but I like sitting and looking at an album just like I like to read a real book...not electronic. Sorry! But now if the kids come, I can show the little boys pictures of them when they were with us ..pictures their parents may not have. And I can look back and remember those sweet times with them.....
I guess being "quarantined" isn't all bad.......
No comments:
Post a Comment