Goose Honks, Anxiety and me…o

I wanted to title this blog:  Way to condition the nose hairs.  But then I decided I didn’t really want to post that title for the world to see; only my dear friends that miss my every day antics and the Northern Neck peoples that haven’t gotten (ew.. stinky English but I’m tired) to see that side of me yet.  

This is a day in the Life of Cheryl. 

First, I didn’t fall asleep until after 4:30 a.m. when DH arose to go hunting.  In preparation for his trip to go bird hunting, he serenaded me all night with what Katy has named:  the goose honk.  It is much worse than regular snoring; trust me on this one.  Then I had to get up early to go to the doctors.  Well early for me when I haven’t slept.  This is a good doctor but you must allow several hours for your appointment as he takes his time with his patients.  And I mean he takes his time; trust me on this one too – but hey, this is the Northern Neck and they have a whole definition of time.  It’s called a northern neck minute and it can be a long minute; kinda like when you tell your kids to wait a minute…. 

A short review of my doctor’s appointment is (and I only break doctor/patient confidentially b/c it’s part of my day today):  He prescribed medicine to temporarily slow my pulse down b/c when it’s fast, it creates anxiety which creates higher pressure… well you get the picture.  I’m not a germaphobe; technically, but probably close.  As the doctor is leaving I ask if he has something that will help heal the cracked skin on my thumb.  He examined it, closely, and then said (didn't ask, just stated):  you wash your hands a lot with soap.  I agreed.  He then told me to just “wash” them with water.  Soap and those alcohol hand sanitizers strip the oils from your hands.  So, to review my appointment, I was prescribed medicine to lessen my anxieties and then told to not use soap, like that won’t create anxiety for me!  I used the restroom before I left.  I looked at the sink, the soap, and the paper towels and carefully recalled the doctor’s words.  And….  haha gotcha!   I washed my hands; I’ll deal with the cracked skin. 

Before dinner Katy and I were going for our daily walk.  We decided to take the dog.  No words are necessary; after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Now finally, on to the incident that pushed me to write this little tale.  I was taking my shower (yeah, I ignored the doctor again and used more soap) and only wanted to condition the ends of my hair.  Since I just bought one of those fancy 2 shower heads one of which has a long flexible hose, I bent over to rinse the ends.   But apparently I didn’t aim right and the water and conditioner ran right up my nose.  And that my friends, is a day in the Life of Cheryl! 

Prayer Shawls, God's Will and one stubborn Cheryl

Tonight the Lord was truly on the second floor of the Material Girl Quilt Shop in Reedville VA!  I have thought for the past 18 months that God had decided to move me (a little unwillingly I might add) to The Northern Neck of Virginia to help start a "crisis" pregnancy center to give girls and women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy a place to go for help.  However, after 3 hours tonight on the second floor of the Material Girl Quilt Shop I have to wonder if that pregnancy center was really my will and just maybe not God's.  Tonight was the first meeting of a new group (we forgot to name ourselves) of ladies who love to quilt and eat.  There were 7 of us tonight; from Episcopalians, to Baptists, to Methodists, to even someone that doesn't attend church right now, but all alike in our desire to quilt prayer shawls for hurting people.  We are an ecumenical group of ladies (from 18 to ah shucks, somethings are just not necessary to reveal) brought together by God's hand in His timing.  We prayed, we talked, we laughed, we ate and at next month's meeting we plan to even sew! Afterall, that was the whole point of getting together tonight - to sew prayer shawls.  We just didn't realize how many things had to be ironed out first - haha get it - ironed out? Ok, so I'm a little punch happy after a very long hot day! 


About 5 years ago, just by chance (haha we all know it really wasn't chance!!) I was substituting in an office of the Gettysburg High School and there was a lady who was crocheting a prayer shawl during her lunch break.  I was intrigued and immediately a sweet church member that was dying of cancer came to my mind.  Off to the store that night for yarn, I began my journey with prayer shawls.  Two weeks later, I delivered it to their house only days before she died; her family was so touched by the prayers and I was hooked on making prayer shawls.   It gives me a way of touching people when I don't have the words to.  Months later we had changed churches but again, a dear lady received a cancer diagnosis.  You know the lady at church that knows everyone and everything going on?   That was Ginny. Once again, I was deeply moved by how touched someone was from simply 3 skeins of yarn bound together with prayers for their recovery.  It seems like such a small thing.  I learned a very valuable lesson that next week.  Never mention an idea to the pastor if you don't want to do it!  Well 2 and a half years, 100 shawls later, when I was called to move 4 hours away, I had to leave behind a wonderful group of  energetic, talented ladies that had knitted, crocheted, and woven many many prayers into beautiful treasures for hurting, sick, and grieving people. 


Fast forward to my first year on "The Neck".  I was so sure of God's will for me that I have kept ignoring what I now think has been His will all along.   Prayer shawls, prayer shawls and more prayer shawls.   Over the past year, I supplied our pastor with a few prayer shawls anonymously.  Well, one of the first things to learn in a small community where everyone is either related to, married in to the family or friends with them is that nothing is anonymous!  Still sure that I was not supposed to start another prayer shawl ministry, I have kept plugging along trying to figure out how to get this other thing going.  At my church, there are already 2 ladies (plus me)  making prayer shawls and yet I have still been sure that I wasn't supposed to do prayer shawls, because there was this other ministry that God wanted me to start!


Fast forward once again to a "chance" day at the quilt shop when everything fell into place at once to line up this meeting tonight where 7 woman gathered and prayed, and talked, and laughed, and ate, and planned together to do God's will.  


And tonight I felt close to God; more so then any day since I moved here.  Funny how that happens when you stop running from Him!

Technology. Me. Sigh…

 Heck, skip the sigh; and come laugh with me...

Since I don’t really have any neighbors within hollering distance; haven’t made many friends yet; my daughter went and grew up and now works for a living; and my DH is having a little trouble with hearing, I find myself frequently carrying on conversations in my head.  I didn’t really think it was a problem because no one could actually prove it was happening.  This past week I thought I really needed to get busy and write some blogs; my friends are putting me to shame with all their blogging.  So as DH and I spent last week cutting up dead trees and stacking the firewood, I wrote several fantastic funny blogs.  Then the next several days I spent wondering, why I hadn’t heard from my friends about these great inspirational blogs I had written.  Even kind of pouted and and threw a pity party for myself.  Then it hit me; yep, had written them in my head and promptly forgotten about actually putting the words to paper and posting them.   So after a great laugh, I began thinking about some of my techno bloopers and realized they happen on a regular basis - kind of another aspect of "Life with Cheryl"!  Maybe you even have caught yourself with some of these. 

            Listening to the radio and when you miss what someone said you reach toward it to hit the rewind button? ….  Although if you don’t have DVR on your TV you won’t understand this…).

            Watching a show and when the commercial comes on get frustrated with the clicker because it won’t fast forward and then you realize it’s live TV and not recorded.  If you haven’t done that you must not have the DVR option!

            Take the time to write a newsy email to a friend and get a little irritated when you don’t hear back from them only to log in to your email account several days later  and notice:  drafts (1).  To make it worse, I think, hmm why do I have a draft….?       

            Put a delicious dinner on the table one night and find the gravy in the microwave when you go to make your oatmeal the next morning?

            Had my car keys in my pocketbook and while trying to dig them out managed to push the “alarm” button while groping around so the alarm screeches while you’re in a panic still trying to pull them out of your pocketbook?

Was so proud of myself when I figured out how to make my friends ringtone the snappy tune from Mama Mia, only to realize during the pastor’s benediction on a Sunday morning that I hadn’t remembered to turn my phone off that was in my purse under the pew…

Wondering why no one commented on some of my really funny FB status' and just figured out the other day I somehow had set ALL my status updates to only be published to 3 particular people.  Even worse, I can't imagine what I would have originally posted (or how long ago I did it) that I only wanted those 3 particular people to see...

Some things are funny now but weren’t at the time.  Take for instance the time I was backing into our driveway, looking in the little side mirror and doing a superb job of backing up straight.  Quite impressed with myself I was, since the neighbors were all outside and could witness my fantastic backing up skills (this was in PA where I had neighbors within hollering distance…).  I should mention 3 important things to this tale :  I have dyslexia so things frequently are reversed in my mind; DH had a big van; and I had those nice little back-up sensors remember?  Then B A N G: I was confused; the neighbors were all gawking; those dang new high-tech sensors were apparently broken; and oh dear, dear hubby’s van was in my space not his. $1500 dollars later, I still maintain it was not my fault he was in the wrong parking position, but I also no longer rely on that one little piece of snappy technology.

And today I was at a proper English Tea at our local library.  It was nice – delectable goodies, tasty tea, a harpist playing away.  Suddenly one of the ladies at our table kept asking us if anyone else was feeling the vibrations.  One by one they were all feeling it and I even joked about more aftershocks.  One lady across the table kept moving her hand around and all of a sudden said:  Here, it’s coming from here.  Here happened to be right in front of me.  In my cute little black (borrowed from my sweet daughter) clutch.  Yes I had silenced my ringer but didn’t give a thought to just how loud the “vibrate only” option would be.

And tonight takes the cake – I was talking to a friend while driving home and all of a sudden she kept saying can you hear me?  Are you there?  I kept telling her I could hear everything she was saying and I could hear her tell her daughter she must have lost me.  I kept hollering I can hear you; I’m not in a dead zone; you didn’t lose me – why can I hear you and you can’t hear me.  Looked down at my phone (in confusion) and learned I have a “mute” button that works real well when pressed against your cheek.

I know there are many other adventures and knowing me I’m sure there will be many more to come but for tonight I bid you Adieu! 



p.s.  If you see some words highlighted in yellow just ignore the pretty perky color  - I hit spellcheck but now can't figure out how to ignore their suggestions......  I rest my case!!!