Oh man, now that I’m doing a regular Sunday Letter, I’m even more aware of how quickly time is passing. BUT. While the week flew by, the waterlogged days felt long.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the rain. All week, my view has been this:
It’s called cabin fever.
Between storms, we walk Lucy and Annabelle. Between storms, we look for signs of spring in our lenten roses beginning to bloom, in the birds that sound so incredibly cheerful.
How do you push through the end of winter blahs? I’ve been reading, cooking, writing, and watching the Olympics. And I bought an orchid to add a bright spot of color to the house.
Things We Lose:
While I was typing this very post, I could tell something felt different about my wedding band. So I investigated and found a stone is missing.
A tiny diamond. Lost.
My band has had nine diamonds evenly spaced around it. Now it has eight. Somehow, the hole left behind looks larger than the diamond that was there.
As Gracie Lee once said, “things don’t just disappear.”
A million years ago at a junior high football game in Luxora, my Momma lost the largest diamond from her ring. The next morning, she called the school principal and offered a small reward. The principal sent a group of kids out to search for it (I think a P.E. class?), and a kid found the diamond in the gravel under the bleachers.
What are the odds?
Playing Jacks:
Speaking of losing things… how about the ability to play jacks?
On rainy days during elementary school, we spent recess time inside the classroom playing jacks. (The girls did, anyway. I have no idea what the boys did. We excelled in ignoring them.) My friends and I had mad skills when it came to jacks. Onesies, twosies, pigs in a pen, cherries in a basket, over the fence, around the world, what else???
So.Much.Fun.
My friend, Becky, game me a bag of jacks this past New Year’s Eve. I’ve sorta lost my touch, but I think if I practiced, I could get most of my skill back. One thing I know for sure—playing jacks is still a great rainy day activity. If more kids played jacks, maybe this world wouldn’t be quite so messed up. Lucy and Annabelle didn’t know what to think of it.
School Kitchen Tip #1:
Recently, I found The School Kitchen Textbook at a vintage store. Open the cover and enter the world of our grandparents. (Think advanced home economics.) Written by Mary J. Lincoln, this treasure trove of homemaking information was published in 1915. The book is extremely detailed (over 300 pages) with entire chapters dedicated to categories such as sweeping the floor, shelling peas, and afternoon tea.
The book is dedicated to beginners in the study of cookery with the hope that it will inspire them with enthusiasm for further knowledge and an appreciation of the dignity of home keeping.
Well, yeah.
Now that I have this gem, how can I not include a Kitchen House Tip each week in my Sunday Letter?
Tip #1:
Personal cleanliness, of under and outer clothing, and of the entire body is not a fad; it is a vital matter, and should be cultivated until it is as natural as breathing. If you have any of the following untidy habits, strive to make yourself perfect in this respect;
- Do not use your handkerchief, or apron, in place of a towel or holder.
- Do not work with sticky or floured hands.
- Do not lick your fingers.
- Do not put your hands on your face, or your hair, or use your handkerchief at your nose, without immediately wiping your hands on your towel.
- Do not use the hand basin for food.
- Do not taste with the mixing spoon. (Ch 1, Intro / Personal Cleanliness)
Keiser Tornado:
Keiser, my hometown, took a direct hit from a tornado last night. From what I understand, the people are shaken up but okay. The buildings suffered quite a bit of damage, including First Baptist Church. People are gathering there this morning to begin cleaning, assessing needs, and helping one another.
I was in Keiser a few weeks ago. It’s funny (not haha funny but odd-funny), that when I was there, I took lots of pictures of my favorite places and started working on an essay about Keiser, sort of my personal version of “Our Town”.
No matter where I live, Keiser is home to me. It’s where I played jacks at recess, where I reluctantly played dodge ball and laughed through home ec classes. It’s where I was Halloween Queen!
It’s the only place I ever played Spin the Bottle ?.
This morning, my heart is with Keiser, a place I never want to lose.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Another Sunday Letter! #nostalgia #sundaymorning #Keiser [/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lookin’ Out My Back Door
Love your Sunday letter. Hope you keep it up. I think the Bat Cave “dodged a bullet” one more time.
Thank goodness! Scott Chandler called this morning and said everything was ok. He walked around the house. Only a few limbs down.
Talya, I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying your Sunday letters. Thank you for having such a wonderful idea. I cannot tell you how long it has been since I received a real letter in the mail. Even Christmas cards are not as plentiful as they once were, but our mail service is not what it once was either. I am still waiting for my insurance statement that was mailed to me on June 25, 2012.
Haha 2012? You have patience. I’m happy you like my Sunday letters!
Loved, loved this!!!!! Life is definately about changes but nothing can take away all the beautiful memories of growing up with you and Staci. Love you♥️
I look forward to your g,g,g blog, I don’t care what day you publish it. Except for the jacks, it reminds me of when I grew up. At recess the boys always went out and played baseball. I always wanted to be like Micky Mantle because he was left-handed.
Thanks, Ken. What did the boys do during stormy recess days?
Thanks for your Sunday letter post . Jacks was a favorite. And Keiser is a special place
So sad the damage but no injuries. Keep up your post . Love you sweet cousin
Thanks! Love you too!
I grew up playing jacks at school as well. We had one teacher who would let us into her classroom quite early so we could play. We had all sorts of creative challenges. I can still do several of them today.
I remember how crowded it was trying to play jacks between school desks:)
So, so happy to have caught your Sunday letter, Talya! I’ll be sure to check back each Sunday from now on. Do hope the dear folks in Keiser will recover from the storm soon!
Blessings to you, and no, I never played jacks. 🙂
Thank you Martha! I’m glad you enjoyed it (and found it)!
I LOVED playing jacks too! And I so AGREE on your thoughts about kids these days needing to play more games like Jacks! I could write an OP-Ed on that and other stuff! The book made me laugh out loud. So glad to hear Keiser will be ok and that the bat cave survived too! Keiser will always have a special piece of my heart! Love your letters! Love you all!
I consider the book a real find for fifty cents! Full of wisdom. Love you too.
Loved playing jacks!
I’m a lot late, but I didn’t want to miss out on your Sunday Letter. I feel the way you do about my hometown. It is truly “going home,” even though I have no immediate family there. I also played jacks, love old books, have lost a diamond from my wedding ring and found it. And sometimes I drive around Searcy to see what’s still the same more than what has changed. I’m glad Keiser didn’t suffer much from that tornado.