Thoughts from Our Walks

We've been trying to get outside more. Edwin and I, that is. So far the past two days have found us in lots of layers feeding the ducks at the pond. Edwin has even been doing some walking home on his own. Yesterday there was more snow on the ground, but today it's pretty soft and melt and muddy. Today, after feeding the ducks, we came home and sat in the side yard looking at the little fish pond. I think this might become a more regular thing. It seemed like a nice place to practice sitting quietly. We also walked to the post office and went to the grocery store, forgetting to go to the bakery and circling back, which ended up putting Edwin over the edge of sleep at the perfect time.

Now I'm back and thinking about all the things I was thinking about on my walk and where to start. There's so much that seems in need of getting done, for example, planning our trip. I need a better way to map out what we are doing and when. We have to start putting firm dates on things and yet, how do we do that for 4 weeks from now?

The quilt, the quilt. That's being worked on this afternoon by John. We have to make a template for the border's quilting.

We've been talking a lot about gun control and the tax code. Just generally coming up with ideas. I want to write about John's idea for guns, but don't think I'll do it justice. Maybe later. He does this to me all the time. We talk and he talks his ideas out so clearly. I tell him he should write it down or that I should record him so that I can write it down. I'm glad we talk about these things.

We watched the inauguration. It's so weird how God is so infused the whole way through, how the structure of the ceremony is like a religious service, and how celebrities are a huge part. John said "How could a person who sang a song called "Bootylicious" end up singing the national anthem?" I was commenting how, though it feels classist in some ways, I thought Yo Yo Ma was a much better musical pick. John would have liked to see musicians who no body knows, just to give them a chance. We don't need to see James Taylor up there, nor any celebrity who already makes a ton of money. Well, now you know what we think.

I forgot to mention on Skype that I had finally bought buttons for Edwin's sweater. I think they were a good choice. I wish I had the capacity to make buttons. If you ever see some good buttons second hand, you can always buy them and save them for me for Christmas! He's not too happy about not being able to touch the camera. He's loving electronics, unfortunately...