Thankful

About this time just now, my North American friends are all heading to bed with contented tummies and several platefuls of leftover turkey in the fridge. Over the past couple of days, I've enjoyed seeing their Thanksgiving lists of thankfulness pop up around various internet haunts. And, although there are no pilgrim fathers, no Indians, and no candy corn here in Australia, there's always something to be thankful. So, I'm copying my friends.

Right now, I am thankful for (in no particular order):

my wee, fat nephew with two top teeth and two bottom teeth and a vocabulary that is tiny and yet still somehow includes "yay" and "book"; my utterly girly and beautiful niece who, at two-and-a-half, is already a thousand times cooler than her aunty Dee and yet still wants to borrow her necklackes; my two sisters and two brothers, who are excellent in a host of various ways and also make dorkiness cool; my parents, who make sure this buzzing circle of eleven individuals is actually a family; air-conditioning (it's maintaining my mental health right now, I'm sure of it); Christmas music; banana-and-choc-chip muffins; confusion, because it helps us to realise we can not have the answers and yet still survive; T.S. Eliot; the postman; bright nailpolish; flowers in a jar; 2010 diaries with no words in them yet; assignments completed; friends far away with whom I can just pick up where I left off, every time; evenings out; sister nights; friends near (especially ones only five minutes' drive away); the internet, because it helps me stay connected, even while confusing the whole connectedness thing; New Zealand; kind boys who restore my faith in males; public libraries; pictures that take my breath away; phone calls with my mother; pa and ma and nan; the Cosby Show; text messages; my new brother-in-law; bookdepository.co.uk (I'm their best customer); people dear to me getting married; answered prayers; people who take the time; what God has already done.

♥

"Gon out. Bisy. Backson"

It probably appears as though my blog fell into a treacherous, snowy abyss. I promise you it didn't. Just, my cousin is here and we are doing Things and it leaves little time for writing. Also, my computer is being recalcitrant so my web-moments are stolen from other peoples' computers. I'll be back soon!

PS. I've noticed some of you have asked questions in recent comments. I'll answer them, I promise! Feel free to ask any others here, and I'll address them all in a big Q&A post.

What's hot and what's not #1

This week -- and, I hope, in weeks to come -- I'm joining the excellent and inspiring Loobylu in celebrating Wednesday with a list of what's hot and what's not. Beware: this list may get lengthy. For the past week or so I've been jotting down things I've wanted to blog, and this thinly-veiled excuse to talk about anything and everything may get worn down and wrung out before I'm done with it. So, to begin...

What's hot:

New babies -- one of my lovely friends gave birth to a precious new bundle of awesomeness last weekend and I got to have a peek when baby was just a couple of hours old. New babies are just sheer delight.

The University of Danielle -- I love that at my school I can take a uni class outside, sprawled on a beach towel with notebook, textbook, and pen in hand, getting a massive dose of vitamin D and bay breezes and achieving something at the same time (see also 'What's Not' item one).

Poetry -- poetry is one of my subjects this semester and, although prose is truly my first love, I'm finding this all very delicious. I keep uncovering these gems that I've never seen before or never paid appropriate attention to before. Like this, from e.e. cummings:

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

David Crowder has a new blog -- and knowing David Crowder, it will be full of just the sort of silly, frivolous, funny, and strangely thought-provoking stuff I love.

The Desiring God audiobook -- downloadable in November, for free!

What's not:

Ant bites -- I should be getting used to these things, seeing as I've had so many lately. I'll bed outside, merrily lapping up the Spring sunshine and working my way through a textbook like there's no tomorrow, and some obnoxious little blank ant will find his way somewhere he shouldn't, and try and take a big chunky bite. It wouldn't matter so much if the bites didn't go all swollen and sore for days afterwards. Boy.

Christmas carols, already -- I love Christmas, and I love Christmas carols. But please: not yet. Just a few weeks longer. Please?

My poetry -- this differs from item #3 on the 'What's Hot' list because of one simple variation: it (the former) is good, and this (the latter), on the other hand, is not. In fact, the whole reason I am writing a blog post right now is to take a break from forcing words where they do not wish to go.

Failing to buy that excellent vintage dress -- which was only ten dollars, and was a cheerful fire engine red. Why did I not buy it from that excellent thrift store in New Zealand. WHY?