Easter, The Beach and Weather Or Not

It has been a while since I have written about the little that I know. Here is one thing that I did not know:

There is sand at Lake Michigan!

Now, where I come from, there is dirt at lakes. There is sand at beaches. This threw off my equilibrium for a while when I visited Lake Michigan with my roomie over break. 

In fact, I talked about it during the entire time I was at the Lake, and with anyone who would listen afterwards (those of you who know me, you know this is true). 

Just to prove I was there, here are some pictures for you. It has been WAY TOO LONG since I have posted pictures and this photographer is ashamed. I'll try to do better....

 Okay, so this is me, still in shock and thinking that this looks a LOT like Anne of Green Gables, thus the pose...

Katy and her friend Katie (yes I know) who came with us, laughed at me constantly while we were there...and really the whole time we were hanging out...

I convinced Katy (who hasn't seen Anne) that we needed to take pictures of us on this beautiful dune. Although it is not as Anne-esque as many, I find it amusing...

 This picture (taken by my also photographer roommate) symbolizes my jump into the unknown of the future, or something like that...(isn't it cool?)

Over Easter, I was taken in and treated like a part of the family. If you've read some of my posts on the topic of hospitality before, you will know how greatly I prize it.

This was no exception.

It also gave me time to think, pray and work, and work through. There was time, and part of that time I couldn't avoid facing myself. As much as I don't like doing that, I am, and I am finding that the enemy is myself, which is what I have both known and feared for all of my life.

Good.

Now God can deal with that.

Life at the reference desk has been fast-paced since I got back. I've been a little ill, and perhaps my patience is not what it could be, but my humor seems to be improving. Here is an example, a real live question that I got this week...and my answer:

"Can I take a reference book upstairs?" (this question was asked sheepishly, by a young man who was with a friend, another guy)

I nodded and he exploded with excitement while his friend said "I told you, man." 

I then said: "Actually, you can't remove them from the shelf, if you touch them, they begin to vibrate, giving you an electric shock. You see, we don't actually want you to look at them at all, which is why they are here."

He laughed. His friend laughed. The other girl standing at the desk laughed (she also murmured: perhaps that could explain my $50 fine).

I am feeling a little under the weather and being reminded of a painting which I purchased from the senior art show of a friend this year. It shows a little figure reaching from the top of a rickety ladder. It's called "Weather or Not."

  I feel a little like that little person. I am reaching for Home (or even home on this earth)

However, I am "under the weather" I can't escape from this place. 

When talking with the artist, I often use the titles of her pieces in conversation as a sort of private joke, weather or not it fits with the thing we are talking about. 

She will be famous someday, but I will never part with my own three paintings from her show. 

Someone told me today that there are a lot of allergies going on right now. I am not usually prone to such things, but I have to admit that my symptoms fit. When she started talking about the LAYERS AND LAYERS of pollen, well, my sinus headache got worse. 

I didn't think that it was possible. 

Oh well. One day I will be out from under the weather, eh? And you too. 

Here's to that day. And to this one, the only one we've got.