The Remains of the Day

The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. 

Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.  

~ The Remains of the Day

Sunset over Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Rangeley, Maine

Twice in the past few days The Remains of the Day has been on some obscure channel, way up the dial from the regulars that I peruse on any given day.  I've watched it both times, although I only caught the end each time.  I read the book when it first came out and loved it--reveled in the beautiful unveiling of character, the slow, deep contemplation of life.  Looking back on it, though, I don't think I really understood what Ishaguru was trying to say.  1989 was a long time ago.  A few lifetimes ago really.  Then, I had all the energy and ambition of a thirty-something single woman, devoted to her work and her family.  Most of my life was very focused on one geographic location.  I had no idea then how my life and my horizons would expand on almost every level within the next few years:

• 1991--quit my job, go back to school at UNH to work on my PhD, join NEYE (orchestra), begin to travel the world (China-Thailand-Singapore tour)
• 1992--move to Brunswick, Maine to be Kaitie and Christopher's nanny, continue to travel the world with NEYE (Egypt, South Africa, Jordan, Israel), play in Carnegie Hall numerous times
• 1993--move to Boston, take job at GBA
• 1996--continue world travels to England and Russia, begin work as recruiter/fundraiser
• 1998--go to Russia again
• 1999--take spontaneous long weekend trip to Paris
• 2002--take a Western Caribbean cruise
• 2004--take writing course in Aix-en-Provence
• 2005--explore Norway with family, become principal of GBA, take seniors to Peru on a mission trip
• 2010--move to Phoenix to "just" teach
• 2012--go to the Grand Canyon for the first of several times, take on administrative responsibilities at TAA
• 2013--go to Zambia for mission trip, take a cross-country road trip

Sunset outside my back patio

Now, today, I hardly know what it is like to come home at the end of the day and put my feet up.  That is until a couple of days ago when I purchased a rocker/recliner and was literally able to put my feet up at the end of the day.  It was an extraordinarily indulgent feeling, one I've not been familiar with, one I could grow accustomed to. Except that would mean my work is actually done at the end of a day...when in reality, it seems as if it's never done.  Even now, as I sit here writing this, there are so many other things I should be doing--including work.  And the question comes, can I really afford to indulge in what remains of the day?

Sunset over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

One of my academy schoolmates passed away this morning.  I remember her as a quiet, gentle soul.  One who was so kind and soft-spoken.  It had been many years since I had seen her when I got a call from her a year or so after I moved to Phoenix.  Turns out her mother lived very near where I was teaching and she was here, visiting her.  We met at a school program and enjoyed some conversation.  We said we'd have to get together more often now that we were in the same area again.  I never saw her after that.  Life got busy for me and she got cancer.   And now she's gone.  The lights have gone down for her,  her work is done, and she has put up her feet and is resting.  I, on the other hand, have daylight remaining.  I am determined to make the most of it before I, too, put my feet up and enjoy the evening.

The Heavens Declare . . .

Spent last weekend at one of my favorite spots on earth--at my sister's family cabin on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in northwestern Maine.  They've owned it since the early 80s and I've been lucky enough to enough many happy visits there over the years.  The cabin's deck faces west over the lake, treating us to hundreds of amazing sunsets, none of them the same.  Take the two we enjoyed this weekend.  Frist, Friday night's from two perspectives (the first two at the end of the lake, the next six from the cabin's deck):

Then check out the sunset on Saturday night.  For the longest time, there was almost no other color in the sky besides the gold of the sun.  Then, suddenly, the molten gold spread across the sky:

Psalm 19 ^1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies,
    God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
    Professor Night lectures each evening.

^3-4 Their words aren’t heard,
    their voices aren’t recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
    unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.

^4-5 God makes a huge dome
    for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun’s a new husband
    leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
    racing to the tape.

⁶ That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies
    from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
    warming hearts to faith.

~The Message Bible

Still and Quiet

"I feel within me a peace above all earthly dignities, a still and quiet conscience." ~ William Shakespeare

This time last weekend, I was on my way up to Rangeley, ME to spend the 4th of July holiday with my family. Since the girls started college, we don't often get together all 11 of us, so when we have the opportunity, we make the most of it. Usually when we're at the cabin, peace and quiet reigns. This time, with so much change going on with everyone (college for the oldest boy, medical school for the oldest girl, job change for me, potential job change for my brother-in-law, possible school change for the youngest boy), our time together was not as peaceful as it has been.

Still, the surroundings demanded that we let go of the stresses in our lives and pay attention to what God had in mind for us. When He uses the whole sky to get your attention, you have to listen, take note, let go, and let Him do His work in you.

Winter's Tales

My Honors English class is writing short memoirs this week. They're supposed to pick an aspect of their life and create a reflective piece of three to four pages. I've been thinking about what I'd write if I were to do the assignment. There are so many things, but winter has been on my mind, so I think I would write about one of my favorite winters.

It was the winter of 1992-93. I was living in Brunswick, ME and dating a guy working in Rangeley, ME. Most Fridays, I'd drive up to Rangeley, often with a friend, and spend much of the weekend snowmobiling, day and night. If you didn't know, Rangeley is considered the "snowmobiling capital of the northeast" and after that winter, I know why. The town itself is located on the shores of Rangeley Lake, but there are several other lakes in the area, as well as a number of mountains. There are hundreds of snowmobile trails that crisscross both lakes and mountains, making it possible to endlessly explore the wilderness of this beautiful region. The guy, his brother, the guy I'd go north with, and I spent hours and hours doing just that. Sometimes we'd see nothing else but trees and snow. And deer. And moose. Often I'd be cold to the bone, but couldn't bring myself to stay behind.

I loved when we'd go more slowly so I could take in the beauty sur- rounding me. One night, we found our way to the top of Bald Mountain, so called because the top literally has a bald spot, a clearing surrounded by evergreens. Getting to the top, we shut off the snowmobiles and just looked up. Except for the light glow from the snow, it was pitch black all around us, curtained by the dark evergreens. Above, the sky was like velvet studded with millions of sparkling diamonds. It took my breath away. We didn't speak, just looked. Retreated into our thoughts. It was an unforgettable feeling to be surrounded by so much dark and natural quiet. Just beautiful!

Other winter memories of Rangeley include the time we went up for a long weekend and couldn't find the cabin (my sister's in-laws') on Mooselookmeguntic. There had been so much snow and the snow plow had piled up so much more snow along the road that infrequently used driveways were hidden from view. When we finally found it, we had quite the time to get down to the cabin. But what a lovely time we had once we got inside and a fire going!

Another time I was there with several members of my drama group. We would go outside every night and walk as far out on the ice as we could (sometimes for miles, literally). My favorite thing to do was lie down on the ice, look up, and try to find as many constellations as I could. The dark sky, the lack of electric lights made for an amazing experience.

Photos: My niece, nephew, and their cousin skiing at Rangeley's Saddleback Mountain (a quieter way to explore the winter wonderland); Mooselook from Hight of Land--one of the most beautiful views I know of... [Photos borrowed from the cousin's FB album]

Retreat to Rangeley

You'd think that after three weeks of travel that included two weeks of rest and relaxation on an island in the Aegean, that I wouldn't find myself needing more retreat time. But if that retreat includes the whole family, there is never enough time like that. So, last Thursday found my family (except for one who was still on the orchestra tour I was on earlier) en route through a driving rain to my sister's cabin on Mooselookmeguntic Lake (don't you love that name?!) in Rangeley, Maine. It's a place we've been retreating to for nearly 25 years.

My parents, two sisters and their families, and I plus three dogs and two of our nine cats made the trip as well. Fortunately, the rain had stopped by the time we arrived, and didn't start again until we were well on our way home on Sunday. That left three days of beautiful sun lakeside.

We enjoyed just hanging out, reading, sitting in the sun, talking, walking, and relaxing together. And, there was no internet there, so we were essentially computer free as well! As a result, I read three books in two days =) Friday afternoon, we went into town, and I took time to go browse at my all-time favorite bookstore. It's name, "Books, Lines, and Thinkers," has got to be one of the all0timne best names for a bookstore. And the proprietor handwrites recommendations and reviews on post-it notes and sticks them on the book covers. Quaint and charming, I love this bookstore!

Oh yeah, and I added to my collection of beautiful sunset photos of the lake...