Thursday, October 11, 2007

Delighting the spirit

I haven't been homesick yet, although I've started to have twinges for the lovely home I created with Sara and Trudy and then Sara and Erica. I miss small things like my gorgeous walnut dining room set (thanks Carol!) and my soft, white down comforter (thanks Mom & Dad!) and, when I made American-style chocolate chip cookies the other day, I missed my electric hand mixer BIG TIME.

Yet I am happy, oh so happy, because I am where I am supposed to be. Yet I also know how to rejuvenate and relax when it all becomes overwhelming. Here, in no particular order, are some of the little delights that feed my soul and rest my spirit as I live in another country and go through major changes emotionally, physically and vocationally.

Having Internet, a laptop, an iPod and Vonage phone service (allowing me to call America and receive American phone calls for only a low monthly fee) has made a BIG difference in my settling process, too.

1. Scrapbooking, especially while listening to the soundtrack to the new Canadian stage musical
  • Anne & Gilbert
    • based on two of my beloved Anne books, "Anne of Avonlea" and "Anne of the Island," by L.M. Montgomery.

    2.
  • A Prairie Home Companion
    • and
  • The Writer's Almanac
    • , two radio programs featuring Garrison Keillor's familiar, soothing voice that evoke favorite things like poetry, music and Minnesota.

    3. Online radio station
  • Pandora
    • , that lets you build the perfect playlist and discover new artists by responding by your feedback as each new song comes on.

    4. Cycling along the canal path as the leaves change, exploring historic sites like the Nottingham Castle and discovering pastoral beauty in spots like the Nottingham University campus.

    5. Books from the Nottinghamshire public libraries. Just now I'm into
  • Tony Hillerman's Four Corners mystery series
    • and
  • James Herriott's lovely animal stories
    • . Reading James Herriot in the English Midlands, just one town south of Northern England, makes perfect geographic sense. Reading about northeastern Arizona, however, is quite a time traveling experience!

    6. Painting with watercolors, as Mom taught me at Howard Lake this summer.

    7. Playing Scrabulous on Facebook! And updating my blog.

    8. Worshipping and hanging out with my new friends. Kristen and Liz came over today for tea, conversation and prayer and we had a marvelous time.

    How do you unwind?
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    3 comments:

    Christy Merry said...

    Hey girl! I am a big James Herriot fan too, as of this past year when I discovered him! He's great! I'm now determined to get my baby sister into him too, as she's going to college to be a vet. asst.

    Am a big Anne fan also, tho' it's been ages since I saw those movies/read those books.

    Lately, just read The Hunchback of Notre Dame and started on David Copperfield yesterday. Watching The Bionic Woman on nbc.com. And drinking Bourbon Barrel Aged Apple Liqueur from the Warwick Valley Winery (where I went on church retreat last wknd), a bit. Good stuff. :) That & decorating the house.

    4:10 PM
    Shanel said...

    Playing World of Warcraft and drinking beer. Real emotionally healthy, huh? (sarcasm)

    7:13 PM
    Stephanie Fosnight Regester said...

    Well, Shanel, I would be worried about your eternal soul but, I also happen to know that you unwind by: cooking, gardening, reading, writing and speaking to friends, knitting, sewing, watching TV, journaling, praying, singing, taking walks, playing with your daughter...so I think some World of Warcraft and beer is absolutely fine!

    I enjoy beer and a rugby game. Well, not really, because I don't understand the rugby. But I enjoy beer and hanging out in a pub with friends.

    6:40 AM

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