talking about books

I remember, one night in Oxford; we were walking down Cornmarket Street late in the evening. It was brisk out, I believe I was wearing my p-coat and a scarf. I remember passing the little coffee cart on the corner of Ship Street as Danny was telling me how The Brothers Karamozov was one of his all-time favorite books. That I should read it because it changed his life forever. He began explaining to me why he loved it so much and by the time we got to our lectio-divina meeting that night we had had coffee, time to browse in Blackwell's and an amazing conversation. Books and God, that is sort of what our friendship is based around.

All this to say that he is the reason I am reading The Brothers K and that he is a great friend.

P.s. This is my 200th post.

art day

I love cold days in Southern California, and by cold I mean relatively cool.

50 years

So this afternoon I was looking through the Archie family photos. It's Mr. and Mrs. Archie's 50th wedding anneversary this weekend and I am painting a box that Billy bought for cards and letters and pictures and things.

How do you capture 50 years in just a few photographs? Granted, I had 500 to chose from but it was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time. I started looking through them and was amazed by the love and smiles; all of these pictures capture moments, bits and pieces of all their memories together. 50 years of loving one person, making a family with that person and growing old together.

Their story, their family's story is beautiful. There are births, pictures of playing and sleeping on Dad's lap. There are graduations, dances, football games and family vacations. Then there are weddings and accomplishments that they all came together to celebrate. There are pictures of kisses and 25th anniversaries; friends and family. I watch my friend Billy grow up and his parents always seem to radiate love and fun.

On the box I painted some of Kenny Roger's lyrics from their song, "Through the Years". The words of which, with these pictures, tie everything together.

life saver, thats me

So last week I picked up Cristina from the airport, and we had a crazy, all-you-can-eat errands day that ended with PF Chang's. So after we eat we walk around the Spectrum and the kids played by the fountains a bit. Well the big one in the middle they hopped right up on and started walking around.

Of course I couldn't resist, I hopped up there too.

So were walking around and around and I am following the leader, sometimes Caleb, sometimes Rebekah. Well I turn around and Caleb and I are walking toward each other, which presents a problem. Either
A) we run into each other
B) we have to strategically move around each other or
C) I am going to tickle him when we meet, and I don't blame him for thinking this.

He looked up at me, smiled as I was getting closer to him and then looked to his right at the water and

jumped in.


Used to this sort of behavior from him, (last summer at the pool, little stinker) I quickly bent down and grabbed him under the arm and pulled his rapidly sinking self out of the water. John Mark then reached down and pulled him all the way out of the fountain, shocked face and all.

By this point I almost peed myself laughing. Everyone around us that witnessed this deliberate and very wet event was laughing as well. Caleb and John Mark ran to the car, Caleb's clothes so wet that he could barely walk, and JM ended up carrying him the whole way.

Cristina told me last night that Caleb was talking to his uncle and said something to the extent of, "I was in the fountain and Ashee SAVED MY LIFE!"

wanderlust

I have to say I am a little bitter about my nonexistent travel plans for this year. It looks like, as far as right now goes, that I won't be leaving the country in 2009.

I have a friend, a kindred spirit, who spent last summer in Uganda, then traveled through Europe, lived in Oxford for a term and then went to Italy before returning home to surprise his unsuspecting mother for Christmas. Just found out that he is traveling around the United States this summer on a road trip but will also be traveling to China and Tibet this next month.

My friend Christy just returned from yet another trip to New Zealand and Cristina just spent the weekend in El Salvador. I am surrounded by people who are traveling the world right now and I feel a little left out. I wish I had the dollars to just hop on a plane to anywhere, but currently, I just need a job.

not coffee

This afternoon my wonderful friend and Shakespeare scholar Amanda called and invited me to dinner up in La Mirada. Of course I attended, I would never pass up Christy's cooking. So I went up and spent time with the girls and their friends. First, we had Havarti and Brie with crackers and little wine on the lawn. Then we made dinner, with a little more wine (this week was their finals week, so they were celebrating being off contract and completing another year). After dinner we made crepes, and put creamed honey, brown sugar and pecan nuts on them. Divine. Then we sat around in their house, drank coffee, relaxed, and talked about academic things, and not so academic things. Eventually there was another round of crepes.

Amanda and I are going to attend a Shakespeare festival in August. Apparently it is in Utah, so we are going to drive up for the weekend. She is reading a paper that she wrote at some point and it will probably be amazing. I am going to buy a new Shakespeare notebook (as the old one is full) and go to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I am actually really excited for that weekend.

I got back home this evening to find a pretty quiet house; which is surprising because tonight is probably the first time that has happened so far. I laid around for a while, reading. Could there be a better way to spend the evening?

calm

Ingredients: Chamomile flowers, hibiscus flowers, spearmint, lemongrass, rose petals, blackberry leaves, safflowers, peppermint, sarsaparilla, lemon balm, and licorice root.

Space: The dojo*, in my bed with my quilt.

Book of choice: The Brothers Karamazov.

Currently tracking: World traveler and photographer extraordinaire, Samantha May.

*the name I am in the process of coining our new house with, more on that later.

yeee-aaaaahhh

I got straight A's this semester. I am so stoked on that because I definately had to work my butt off to get them.

and now there is internet...

Content with life is what I am in this moment. I am sitting in my dimly lit room, listening to the sound of my roommates fingers plucking away at guitar strings. There are candles lit, and the aroma from them lingers throughout the room.

There have been people in our home all day.

I was standing this afternoon, in Jessi’s room, and looked down into the park next to our house. I saw four of my favorite people playing on the swing set there and a huge smile spread across my face. Friends have been popping in and out all day, to get the tour and say hi real quick (12 in total). I can not begin to explain how happy and peaceful that makes me feel.

This evening I had the kids here. They played with play-dough at the counter, encountered Jason Hardy, and jumped off of the ledge between our split level kitchen and living room. The night ended with Cinderella and kajamas.

I’m reading The Color Purple this week, and I am about to crawl under my quilt and continue reading it. Probably until I fall asleep.

love to hate

So JM and I are sitting on the couch tonight and he tried to watch a video online about some pastor who got tasered. The video started and then stopped like 15 seconds in.

"Aww I hate that! Come on, what are we at Vanguard?"

I died laughing, this coming from someone who works in the IT department.

the week of coffee

This week I have become real familiar with the daily routine of the Robeck house. Most mornings, I have woken up between 715 and 900 to the sound of footsteps on the hardwood floor or the coffee grinder. Either alarm I'll take any day.

I normally roll out of bed and plop down on the couch with the kids, who have long been watching Sesame Street and Clifford the Big Red Dog. "Ashley!" they yell, I love that they get so excited to see me in the morning; I need to marry someone like that. Soon after Cristina says, "there's coffee" and I'm off the couch before she can finish that phrase. Breakfast this week has included "the Giant pancake", honey nut Cheerios, yummy bread and lots of strawberries.

Shower, eventually. Maybe another cup of coffee. The kids go to school and around 11 I finally start the productive parts of my day.

After school the kids come home, and there is hanging out in the kitchen and playing outside in the dirt. So good. Dinner this week has been incredible. Every time.

Baths, pjs for everyone, books, bedtime, potty trips, Caleb laying in bed talking while JM, Cristina and I sit on the couch with our laptops and watch tv- with lots of coffee.

This may have been the most relaxing week of my life.

oh lord jesus

So I don't think I have really been around the Robeck house much when the kids go to bed. Tonight Caleb, as he danced around naked in his room, was being a total goofball. Cristina said,

"Caleb, try to jump into your underwear"
he jumped.
"I can't"
"well then put one foot in at a time."
...
"Caleb, jump into your pants"
"I cant!"
As he put one leg in and then the other..
"Maybe I can jump into that shirt!"

I read them a book each and then apparently his bedtime routine includes laying awake for 20 minutes talking to himself. He's currently standing in front of Cristina and I, (blonde curly bedhead) making funny faces and explaining that he has to go to the potty. Classic.

pseudo-homeless

Everything I own is in my car. Everything. Right now.

moving day

I think one really embraces humanity while cleaning a toilet bowl. There is so much about that that is just...I can't even think of the word. Or using it to brace yourself, on your hands and knees, as you reach around to scrub the floor behind it; something that probably hasn't been done in over a year. Really puts you in your place you know?

"let the wild rumpus begin"

nuf said.

could not get any worse if i tried

So my car. It has literally been weeks since I have washed it. And Costa Mesa has this weird ocean air/ freeway combination that just leaves your car disgusting. Plus it did some weird half rain half not thing the other night, and basically right now, its not pretty.

The inside is gross, the outside is even worse. The only way to make it dirtier would be to throw mud on it.

But at this point in my life I am stressed to the max. As all my other friends are getting done and proclaiming to the world, "I only have one more final!" I am looking down the barrel of three more finals and two papers left to write. Anyways...

I walk out to my car this morning, and ...wait hold on a second. Can you do me a favor? Stretch out your hand in front of you, spread your fingers apart as wide as they will go. Okay, got that?

The size of your hand is literally the size of the crap that some hell bird decided to take on my windshield this morning. I am not even kidding right now. 5 minutes! 5 minutes I sat in the parking lot with my windshield wipers going to get that crap (literally) off my windshield.

sheesh.

chicken and waffles?

Yesterday I went with some friends from Oxford to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, a southern style Southern California restaurant famous for, well the chicken and waffles.

At first I was weary, but then after two bites I held up my arms to stop the conversation and said,

"I now understand this combination".

books books books

I counted the books that currently reside in my room the other day- 68.

Yesterday I went up to John Mark and Cristina Robeck's parent's house in Pasadena, (we had the best day). Their house is amazing firstly. It has all the old character of a house built back in the days when California was just getting going. Big freestanding bathtubs, doors with cracks and mismatched handles, big windows, deep kitchen sinks with old faucets, a porch and a certain homeyness that is hard to find. Plus, like any good house, there are people coming out of the wood works.

At one point John Mark told me to peek into his dad's office. I was astounded. There are books literally covering every space and surface possible. Stacks of books, shelves of books, books piled on the floor and books stacked on the shelves of books. It reminded me of the office one of my English profs once inhabited, only a bit more intense. They then went on to tell and show me that his office at work, he is a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, is bigger. With more books.

One day I hope to acquire a library such as this. My 68 felt pretty dismal yesterday.

these are a few of my favorite things...

It doesn't take much to get me excited about life. Those of you who know me know that I am enthusiastic about a cup of coffee, will jump up and down at the idea of watching a documentary and give me a book and I am one happy girl. It's the simple things in life that count for me.

But there is one thing that reserves a special place in my heart-

Church potlucks.

I went to a shower for my good friends Laurel and Ethan. They are getting married this summer and had a shower at a church Ethan plays bass for. Well, each person who came brought something. Let me tell you there is nothing better than older women getting out their best recipes to share. Pasta and chicken salads, marshmellows, fruit, and lemonade; I think this may be what I would call American food. I fill my plate full of little piles of each kind of dish and slowly work my way around it trying a little bit of everything. I grew up on this stuff, it is so dear to me.

After the party was pretty much done I piled a second plate full and dug around the church kitchen for some tin-foil. The plate is in my fridge, and let me tell you, I am more than excited to eat it for dinner.

endings

This afternoon was my last Worldview class with Dr. Beals. I respect him so much as a professor and I am sad that this class is over, and that he won't be returning to Vanguard next year. After class I went to talk to him and asked him for a reading list from his philosophy class, we are going to email and talk after I do some reading. So good!

Today was also my last class with Dr. Clark, my C.S. Lewis professor. I am so blessed to have been able to study under a Lewis scholar as knowledgeable and humble as he. He is the general editor for the Southern California C.S. Lewis Journal and Blackwell (BLACKWELL!!) publishing asked him if he would write a book on Lewis for them. A publisher based out of Oxford, a city crawling with scholars who are looking for the chance to write a book, asked him to write for them. Amazing.

We had discussion for a bit and then he ended by reading some poems. The last one he said he didn't want to read so he asked for a volunteer. No one was speaking up so I read it, and he said thank you, and then that he was done. I read the last poem, in the last class of his career. I'm honored.