daybook

october 18

outside my window...achingly beautiful blue skies contrasted by the fluttering orange and red leaves. The last of the apples falling in bright red piles to the ground.

I am listening to...the dishwasher struggling to wash dishes. For us it is a beautiful sound as for more than a month it wasn't working and now, miraculously, it is.

I am wearing...yoga pants, tank top and t-shirt...workout clothes.

I am so grateful for...Radka, our friend and Dan's student, who runs the gym at our tourist town's spa. She got him her discount on a membership and now he can workout there everyday and swim, sauna etc...It is so convenient, just a few minutes walk from our house and it is a beautiful place with tons of amenities. Dan can bring one kid with him for free every time he goes and he can bring me for the whole day 3 times a month for $16. Today as a treat we went and worked out together, swam, went in to every sauna they had and talked about having our next date there complete with dinner as he gets a 15% discount on everything. For those of you who remember, I used to go to the Spa at Pebble Beach once a month. This place rivals that spa and in some ways supercedes it. And you can't beat the price. Check out the website and try to find every mistranslation...we have offered to re-write it for them as the person who did the translation wasn't a native speaker.

http://www.rrc-hluboka.com/

I'm pondering...Psalm 107...see tomorrow's post.

I am reading...Joshua and Psalms in the Bible.

I am thinking..that I need to work out more often. I am concocting a plan to get myself a discounted membership to this gym. Why should Danny have all the fun??

I am creating...order out of chaos...my specialty. This fall break we conquered the garage and attic, closets and entry cupboard.

I am hoping and praying...for clarity when big decisions need to be made, for our friends to see God as their God, Jesus as their Saviour and Friend and for my daughters to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind.

I am learning...French again. I have a tutor from Normandy. He is an awesome student of Dan's named Tomas. He graduates this year and so I hoped I could have one year with him as a tutor. He is very patient with me and doesn't laugh at my poor French. I used to speak quite well but haven't uttered a word of French in 7 years. My first lesson was last Wednesday and it was a struggle. My assignment from him is to translate the first chapter of my grandfather's book "Ma Belle Epoque" and write the new words in a personal dictionary.

I am still seeking out a better way to study Hebrew. I have a couple of friends in the States who speak it and are offering suggestions. This language is a doozy and makes my old brain hurt. But I am up for the challenge!

"Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem."
"You live a new life for every new language you speak."
Czech proverb
Around the house...off to the forest to collect fall leaves, acorns, chestnuts and berry branches to decorate for Autumn. Along with our pumpkins and squashes this should make for some beautiful centerpieces.

From the kitchen...M&M cookies for somebody's birthday!!

One of my favourite things...collecting kindling in the forest. We each  grab a basket and pick up every nice branch, twig and bit of bark we can find and haul them home for kindling. We have to do this a few time before the snow comes.

On the calendar for the week...Cambridge University course for Primary school teachers...I hope to finish it tomorrow!!!

A picture thought...

my absolute favourite time of year