The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

An Ordinary Life

February 26, 2008

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. Let me tell you, I don't know what I'd do without it. It's one of my sure things, every week, and when 5:00 rolls around on Saturday afternoon, and I turn on the radio, everything that's been on my nerves or weighing on my mind just falls away and I know that, for two hours, I'm going to laugh and sing, cry a bit or do my own little dance in the kitchen. It's a comfort and a boon, a respite. A haven, even, some weeks, and something I can count on.

In an ordinary life, a lot of what you can count on isn't all that pleasant. If you live where I live, there are taxes and drizzle, rising gas prices and mud. You can count on phone calls from solicitors, junk mail, salt all the heck over your car, and lint. There's always something expiring in the fridge, and never enough cheese, and you can count on the need for more firewood and ambulances, and flashlights for when the power goes out. The mosquitoes are going to hatch, you're eventually going to get dry skin, or a rash, or lose some hair you hadn't planned on losing, and someone you know isn't going to make it through the winter. It's all a part of it all, and isn't it silly how we get so bent out of shape because, ultimately, we aren't the Boss of Things.

What I find a blessing (luck is an understatement) is that, despite all of the crap you can plan on (and a lot more you can't so don't bother), there's always something that gets you through it. Take this past Monday night, for example. I was out on the deck shaking the rugs just before heading to bed, and I happened to look up, and there they were. Stars. Everywhere. A bazillion stars scattered over the clearest night sky I've seen in a while. And below the sky was glowing snow all the heck over everything. And between the stars and the snow was a silence. The kind of silence that makes you sigh, and think how great it is to be here.

Hang in there, everybody. Spring is on its way. In the meantime, you've got the show to look forward to, and a sky full of stars. And the Easter Breakfast at church, which ought to be a humdinger once again this year.

THE Peanut Butter Cookie

Combine 1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Mix well.

Add 1 cup peanut butter.

Mix well.

Add 2 eggs and a couple drops of vanilla.

Mix again.

Add 3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

Couple of dashes of salt