Driving Through The Country

We've fallen into a bit of a habit. That is, if you can call something you've done two weekends in a row a habit.

For the second time in less than a week, Cliff and I found ourselves taking a series of turns down backroads through our beloved Middle Tennessee, getting lost on purpose.

Last week, a hike cut short off the Natchez (because of what we're calling "Tick Fest 2009") turned into a house hunting extravaganza - meandering our way through the lesser known areas outside of Leiper's Fork and dreaming about the type of home we want to own in a few years. Small house, big land.

There is nothing quite like spring in Tennessee, especially when you take the time to get out and enjoy it. Even today, with dark skies looming above and rain coming down, it was beautiful ,and we were plum tired of spending the day indoors. We packed up my camera gear and headed east in pursuit of tiny Nolensville and more wide-open spaces. A few wrong turns turned into a few right ones and we, using our trusty sense of "this place sort of looks familiar," managed to end up back in Franklin.

And then somehow we found ourselves back in Leiper's Fork. We just can't get away.

I rather love the pace of days like this, drives like these, and the reminder of how simple life can be when all you've got is land... water... community... shelter... food. Oh, and a little silver Honda Civic to get you out there in the first place.

The Spaces I Inhabit

We just finished cleaning up our apartment. And it was the type of cleaning where everything that needs to get done gets done. Which hasn't happened in a long while. I guess that's what three weekends of travel in a month can do to you...

There's nothing like order, to me. Knowing that everything is in its place and that clutter is at a minimal. All of a sudden it's like air in a closed off space finally has other places to move around and occupy, and because of that, I end up feeling a little bit lighter. Or at least more comfortable.

Years ago I found this wooden sign hung with twine that says "Simplify" at a yard sale. I bought it and hung it up over my sink in my apartment at Belmont. And then my apartment in Green Hills. And now the apartment that is our home here in Franklin. Except the one at home is another version that is a framed cross-stitch that Natalie bought me for Christmas last year. And where's the other wooden one? Over my office computer.

I just feel like I can breathe easier when I simplify the spaces I inhabit. And I become less less anti-social, too. Automatically the thought of having someone stop by doesn't feel so foreign and you find yourself thinking of ways to actually have people over or have visitors in the office.

I guess it's one of those things I'm learning about keeping house and I'm kind of glad that I only have 814 square feet to do it in. Because when you've got an apartment that explodes on itself because you just have so much (again, that's why we need the reminder about keeping things simple)... the thought of being in a house with kids, one day, doesn't seem so difficult.

Today Is A Great Day!

Cliff slowly rises at 5:45 for his ritual of weekly breakfast with Burchett. Today is a great day! He kisses me on the forehead before getting out of bed. Did you know today is a great day? I mumble something rather unintelligible and fall back asleep. He returns to the room to say goodbye after showering, changing, and fixing his little Rubbermaid container of peanut butter (for the honey oat bagel he will purchase at Panera) and a travel mug full of milk. You will have a great day, today, honey, I just know it! Again, incomprehensible utterances fall from my tired mouth and I give him a kiss goodbye. Fast forward an hour and a half later and I'm still droning on in the land of Z's when I awake to his I'm-leaving-Panera-and-driving-to-work-now call. You ready for your great day?! "Sure, sure," I think, "whatever you say" which comes out something like, "I guess so..."

And before I know it, it was like I didn't even have a choice. I finally mustered all of the strength I had regained after resting for so long and got out of bed. I felt sore in that wonderful, yesterday-I-hiked-for-2.5-hours-with-one-of-my-best-friends sort of way. I just knew it was going to be a great day, and not in that peculiar stand out kind of way, but merely the recognition that any day can be a great day so long as you make it what you can. The Lord has made it, so sure, I'll rejoice and be glad in it! I must admit, the last three weeks have been full of great days because I'm finding how simply exhilarating it is to purposefully enjoy and take pleasure in life whether it's people, places, nature, foods, literature, history, etc.

So far this morning I've made a cup of dang-good coffee (I love the simplicity of regular coffee with good ol' milk and sugar), read through the stack of Franklin Review Appeals that have been building on the kitchen counter, sorted through another stack of coupons and catalogues that had also been accumulating, fixed myself a beautiful disaster that was formerly meant to be an omelet (with kielbasa, onions, spinach, mushrooms, AND red bell pepper), and was offered a pretty suh-weet deal from our apartment complex for renewing our lease once it ends in October (only an increase of $25 which we can lock in for eighteen months if we renew by tomorrow!)

I'll be leaving here in a few to head over to Lampo to join in a Writers' Club gathering they have for folks there who are pursuing the craft of writing. I am only a spouse, but I am honored to have been invited, though deeply anxious about the accountability that comes with these sorts of groups. I mean, now I really have to do this. After the gathering, I will have lunch with Cliff, stop by Whole Foods to browse and pick up some home-cleaning goods, and then return home for some tidying and some reading before we head out with the Hartleys to this year's Williamson County Fair! I am SO excited about the fair, let alone the food, the rides, and the chance to take some fun, colorful pictures (I've neglected our poor camera since our cruise).

So, nothing out of the ordinary. But ordinary can be great. It's just how you look at it.

And it goes without saying... (but I will)...

I hope you have a great day!