Saturday, January 10, 2009

Saturday Six or Seven


One. Deb sent me this picture that she took of Cali and Ray as they came out of the temple right after being married and sealed for eternity. I love their faces. I still can't think back to that day without feeling peace and happy.

There had been tremendous storms for two weeks before they got married and we woke to a blizzard the day of the wedding. It was treacherous driving. In fact, Ray and Cali drove off the road just a half mile from the temple and feared they were going to roll as they were on an embankment. They said they sat there stunned for a minute and then a man pulled up to see if they needed help. Ray jumped out and threw the guy a tow rope and after he'd pulled them back on the road, Ray said, "Thanks Buddy, I'm on my way to get married!" The day was blessed from start to finish.


Two. Last night Calvin and I hosted a "Thank you" dinner for those who helped fix and serve the food at Ray and Cali's reception last week. Calvin fixed Soup of the Seven Seas for the appetizer. It had mussels, clams, shrimp, crab, octopus and two other things that float in the sea that I don't remember (I should have suggested he put the lone beta fish in it). It was a great conversation starter. How can someone not comment when there is an octupus strung out over the bottom of his bowl? We served the more traditional food of steaks, baked potatoes, spinach salad, green beans and hot rolls with it. We squeezed all of us around our extended table and had a good time eating, laughing and visiting about everthing from Vietnam to girls' camp.


Three. Calvin and I have a friend who has the most generous, perceptive and kind soul. Everyone loves him. Several years ago when he was in his mid-forties, he had heart trouble and died of an enlarged heart.

We also know someone who has difficulty loving others or seeing good in them. Life and people are burdensome to her. She is currently in the hospital. The doctor said she is suffering from a cold in her heart.

Irony. Sweet irony. * Please let me die of a soft, enlarged heart.

Four. I have dozens and dozens and dozens of dishes to do today. Costco had nice plastic dinnerware and silverware-looking plastic utensils available before the holidays so that is what we used to serve the meal at Ray and Cali's reception. However, seeing the little asterisk on the price sign, I knew it was a seasonal item and once they were gone wouldn't be restocked. What if we have another event before next Christmas? I had the servers scrape them and load them in a rubbermaid bin until the dishwasher and I had time to clean them. They've been refrigerated out in the garage until today. Today's the day.

Five. I love cloudy days. It instantly lowers the expectation of the day. It's like the sky says, "I think you should stay inside today. I'll close half an eye and let you do the things that you want/need to do today."


Six. I won a prize. I am not lucky by nature.

Once, right after we got married, I won tickets to a Chris LeDoux concert. Still fumbling over saying my married name smoothly I told the announcer what it was. He got on the air and teased, "Folks, you will never believe the name of the person who just won those tickets. Jane Payne. That's right She's a rhymer. I'm not making this up. How would you like that name for the rest of your life?" The concert was fun and free and that was what mattered.

Another time I won a $50 gift certificate to our little grocery store. It was rigged. I was the mother of four hungry-looking little kids. I bought $50 worth of flour.

Stacy at Big Picture Scrapbooking asked for a popcorn memory in her comments and the winner would receive registration to an on-line class. My memory got picked. Go popcorn!


Seven . . .


Okay . . . the sky is going to quit winking if I don't get those dishes switched . . . if I think of more random I'll add it throughout the day . . .

(*Edited. Someone was offended at my term "sweet irony" so I removed it. Apparently the anonymous commenter isn't familiar with the term or that it is often used when referring to any irony; rather it was interpreted as a personal attack and that I rejoiced in the hospitalized person's situation. Since it is not my intent to attack or offend and I don't rejoice in suffering, I removed it because it was not properly understood. However, I have learned that removing it caused offense also. I'm taking my lesson that people who wish to be offended will be offended no matter the word choice and putting it back in as originally posted.

This human behavior observation seemed to have struck a sensitive cord; interesting, given it was simply an observation of irony and no attack was implied or given. Discussion of "sweet irony" closed.)

10 comments:

Amy said...

What I love most about their fresh-from-the-temple pic is how completely absorbed they are in each other. And your "heart" irony really has me thinking. I hope to die of the former, as well.

Best of luck with all of your aftermath...

Anonymous said...

And can I just say.....

Thank heavens for dishwashers! I hope it all gets done today so you can put that off your list.

Jill said...

I think the candid shots of bride and grooms coming out of the temple are the best! Their real happiness shows and it's something that can't be recreated. Cali and Ray look great!

How amazing to be rescued from a snow bank on your wedding day!

I'm with you, "Please let me die of a soft, enlarged heart."

melanie said...

You will most definitely fall into the category of a soft enlarged heart. Wait, that sounds all wrong. I hope you know what I mean...:).

Cali and Ray are just glowing in love and happiness. It's quite endearing.

I love, love your description of a cloudy day. I echo the exact same thoughts and feelings. I so hope it's cloudy before church tomorrow.

jenny said...

I was so happy to click over and see beautiful Cali and Ray with your wedding updates.

The heart irony. Wow. Like Amy, it makes you think about so many things....

Good luck with getting back your groove. You have been one busy lady!

Kim Sue said...

love the randomness of this post it really paints a picture of your day!

Unknown said...

Jane, I'm sure when you die, they'll wonder how that HUGE heart fit in that tiny little body!

I struggle with Blogger and spacing, too. It drives me crazy some days!!

I love that pic of Cali & Ray, perfect peace, yet ready to take on the world.

Anonymous said...

That picture is so beautiful. I love her dress and hair. And their expressions :)

I hope to die with a soft enlarged heart, calloused hands, dirt under my nails and a weak back from serving others.

I can only imagine the dish loads you had to do. But when you need them again, all that work will have been well worth it.

I love a good cloudy day- esp in the summer.

So when are you going to post your prize winning popcorn story? The way you tell your life, it is no surprise you won!

Ande said...

Oh Mom I loved this blog. I REALLY loved this blog. Will you please e-mail me your popcorn memory?

michelle said...

Beautiful, Jane. I for one would be happy to go through life with that name!

I love that the wedding day was blessed from start to finish.

I too wish to die of an enlarged heart.

I am not surprised at all that you won a MEMORY contest! You have the best memories and such a way of telling them.