Adventures with the Book of Concord

Once upon a time there was a beautiful and intelligent woman who was trapped in the highest tower of DormCastle in the countryside of PLTS high in the hills of Berkeleyland. The woman, Lehcar, loved to study and to make practical applications of classroom theology in the way that she lived her life and interacted with people. One day, while she was reading her enchanted Book of Concord, she came across this statement related to the definition of adiaphra which gave her pause:

"Analogously, if the style of German clothing is not an act of devotion to God necessary for righteousness before God, it follows that it is possible to be righteous and children of God and the church of Christ even if they wear not German, but French clothing."

Lehcar laughed and laughed and remembered watching episodes of 'Allo 'Allo which indiscriminately made fun of Germans, Englishman and the French ad nauseam. So Lechar thought it would be a good time to take a break from writing papers and reading theology to utilize the communication of magical spiders to share her message and and her laughter to lands far and wide via the world-wide-web. She knew that her new understanding of adiophra had radically altered her views on liturgy and church tradition and was excited to share these new-to-her insights with the world. Alas, being under the spell of finals she is unable to communicate clearly for any purpose other than writing her essays and what she wants to eat for dinner. However, there will be a time soon when Lechar breaks free of her tower and is sent to the Land of Green, Washington State, where she will recover with her family and hopefully be able to better articulate her theological development by the time she needs to write her endorsement essay in August. The End.

I'm going to be an aunty (again) !! :)

Spending time in Connecticut each year is wonderful, full stop. However, this time was particularly lovely on account of the company of my good friend and soul sister, Tracey. I only with I had more time to spend with Tracey and her little growing friend.; our busy work schedules did not allow for much down time.

I am grateful to be part of the experience of her pregnancy. I fear that because I am relatively in-eloquent and not the best photographer, I this meager blog post does not do justice to my enthusiasm for Russel and Tracey and their little wee baby to be!! Ah, but look at that photo, she is glowing more than the light shining through the kitchen window... pure sunshine. Congratulations Tracey and Russel. <3

Hatch Pond Lakeside Cottage, Kent, CT

For the past 4 years I have had the chance to work in Kent, CT for a few weeks in the Spring. The people with whom I work have always been lovely and the past two years we have also had a place to stay that is also beautiful. This cottage near Hatch Pond in South Kent is a place I would visit just to sit (as shown above) and enjoy the atmosphere. However, there is very little sitting to be done and much work when in Kent. I hope to come back to this place sometime when I am less busy and enjoy this home away from home.

Our host, Michael, is a antique dealer and he and his partner rent this house out to those in the area. I think it is simply lovely and would move here in a moment were it a viable option!

Complete with a wood burning stove. I had a friend who was quite keen on wood burners and though I knew they seemed nice... I thought that perhaps the open fireplace was just as good. I think these few weeks with a wood burner has changed my mind. I love having one around and perhaps one day, when I grow up, I will have a wood burner of my own! Of course, I will also need someone to be living with me that is willing to deal with the spiders that sneak out as a result of keeping wood in the house. :) Ideal!

Airport adventures.

I am not sure if it was because I went to bed at 12:30 last night or that my shuttle picked me up at 3:15 this morning (which means I was up at about 2:45AM) but this morning was such an adventure! The jury is still out, at the moment, but closing in on a conclusion that the San Fransisco Airport is strange place. This morning I arrived on time, lovely people and then in security they have installed some manner of space machinery that takes full body scans as you hold your hands over your head. Perhaps these are the norm at other airports... but I am a frequent flier and this was my first encounter with the magic chamber of security land.

I was a little hungry and decided that I would stay away during the flight (I don't sleep terribly well on planes) so once in the terminal went hunting for food... and Starbucks. It just sounded delicious for some reason, who knows why? (it was 4:30 AM) Would you believe it? There was not a single Starbucks in the terminal. I don't think I have actually ever seen that happen in a major international airport in the United States. Granted, sometimes there is a Tully's or Seattle's Best, etc... but usually some sort of chain coffee shop... not in this terminal. So I noted that as strange and looked for my other food options. Seemed to be a choice between a fairly crappy coffee shop type place, a Hudson news snack special or a pseudo-French restaurant, I chose to dine at "Perry's"

This might be a bit of a rambling post but let me set the scene for you for this place, it was odd. First of all, it was set up like an outdoor cafe in France with checked table clothes and fake shrubbery, but it was not out of doors... on the other side of the picket fence and shrubbery was the bustle of individuals looking for their gates. I chose to sit in the "outdoor portion" and ordered a cappuccino (which I am fairly certain was left over greasy spoon coffee with frothy milk splashed in it) then perused the menu to find that I could have been eating at Denny's... but a Denny's without any vegetarian options (so at least it was French in some ways) I asked the waiter if I could substitute something vegetarian for the bacon/ham/sausage option with every meal. Out came a fruit cup with the perpetually in-season melon and pineapple to which I am allergic. He was nice about the allergy and brought me blueberries and strawberries instead (that was sweet.) I sat to enjoy my greasy spoon/french meal and began to notice the music mix which consisted of R & B which never made the radio and had lyrics such as "Your smile is like a flower in my heart" "I gave you my heart and you put it in the trash" and other such winners... mixed with a bit of Kenny G and the Rolling Stones, because why not?

The good news is that my seat faced the security entrance to the terminal so it was prime people watching, even if I did feel like I was in a fishbowl, so I enjoyed the whole odd morning immensely! Happily boarded the plan to JFK and even splurged on watching the King's Speech along the way. Great choice, good film. If you learn only one thing from this blog post (or anything at all) it would be to go and see that film. It is brilliant.

Okay! time to take this jet-lagged self to sleep!

Beatrice is 1 !

A little tribute to my most favorite niece in the world. But first... check out this cake that my sister made for Beatrice's birthday! Quite the craftsmanship if I do say so myself! Kelly made the cake and decorated it... I say if you can make that cake whilst tending to the needs of a 12-month-old (even one as sweet as Bea) you can do anything! Nice work Kel!

As any good kiddo with Eskesen blood, Beatrice was fully entranced by the fire on her cake. Why wouldn't you be? If you think about it (which I have as I stare off into the distance and try to write essays) how often does one feed fire to a baby in a modern American setting? I reckon it is not too often, but I feel my research incomplete to say for certain. I know that at 29 I only am served fire on my food on my birthday and when I order sushi set on fire at my favorite sushi place in Berkeley on the corner of Shattuck and Channing (blue tiles... it is gorgeous!)

Again, uncertain about the cake and just a wee bit cranky from needing a nap (who hasn't been there?) Beatrice is not in the mood for cake. Fortunately, we were and it was delicious. I like to think that she is high-fiving the cake in the photo above; that is perfectly acceptable.

Even teething and tired, Beatrice is adorable. Though she might not have been in the mood for cake just then... the story was different on her actual day-of-birth-birthday. For footage of Bea enjoying a birthday cupcake that bears a striking resemblance to a duckling (enough so that she quacks at it!!) check out Jonathan and Kelly's blog: oatmealforbreakfast.com and click on the video

The siblings in our appropriate festive hats. Beatrice picked mine out, she has an eye for fashion I think. I was still feeling a bit ill this weekend, but it was nice to be home with my family for awhile.

This is my dad at Beatrice's party. We have often commented in my family that my brother is incapable of taking a picture with a nice smile and a straight face. So far in the 23 years he has been on this earth... it has proven to be true statistically speaking. At first, I thought that this was perhaps a random trait and wasn't sure from where it originated. Seemed out of place (just like me with blonde hair until little bro bro toe-head was born.) However, on Beatrice's birthday I managed to capture the photo above of my dear dad, Ron. So many answers, I just wish that the window wasn't so bright behind him! What is Washington doing with sunshine?

Jonathan and Kelly gave Beatrice a doll for her first birthday. She loves it. So does my brother. (also possible that I put that doll there and my brother who is patient and hungry left it there and allowed me to take a photo.)

Beatrice loves cheese. This is her birthday lunch. Look at those cute little teeth! She gets so grown up everyday! Happy Birthday Beatrice! I love being your aunt :)

Birthday Brunch!

So this is a little belated, but I thought I should document the most excellent Brunch which welcomed me into my 29th year of life :) Above is a picture of the flower crown that my friend, Kelsey, made especially for me and for the brunch. It was beautiful and the scent was better than any perfume I have ever found. Loved it.

I think that this is maybe one of my favorite moments from the brunch when Amanda opened up the champagne for those mimosa's and it absolutely sprayed all over the kitchen and all over Amanda. this is most likely the reason that she is laughing uncontrollably in this photo. I like this picture because it reminds me of the Nelson laugh! Amanda has a great contagious and genuine laugh. :)

Amanda also made the eggs for everyone. They were delicious. As anyone who has lived with me before can attest I love to have eggs made for me. Delicious!

A picture of Maria and me. Maria and Gretchen were nice enough to host the brunch at their apartment and spent hours upon hours doing dishes later that night! I am too lucky.

Some of the spread. It was all so delicious I think I ate my age in blueberries alone.

After the brunch we read poetry that people brought. It was great! I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and the way they shared their time, cooking talents and poetry with me. I was feeling really blessed, and I think that word is over-used so I have taken to rarely using it. However, in Good Poems you can find "A Blessing by James Wright. It seemed to express how I was feeling during the brunch festivities.

Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,
Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass.
And the eyes of those two Indian ponies
Darken with kindness.
They have come gladly out of the willows
To welcome my friend and me.
We step over the barbed wire into the pasture
Where they have been grazing all day, alone.
They ripple tensely, they can hardly contain their happiness
That we have come.
They bow shyly as wet swans. They love each other.
There is no loneliness like theirs.
At home once more, they begin munching the young tufts of spring in the darkness.
I would like to hold the slenderer one in my arms,
For she has walked over to me
And nuzzled my left hand.
She is black and white,
Her mane falls wild on her forehead,
And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear
That is delicate as the skin over a girl's wrist.
Suddenly I realize
That if I stepped out of my body I would break
Into blossom.

a poem for spring.

So I have been under the weather for the past week and am finally... finally feeling oodles better.
I don't remember in my adult life when I have been that ill; was a wild ride and I will write all about it when I am at least a little caught up on my work. In the meantime I stumbled across this poem in the morning with the rain pouring outside my window and the sound of it sloshing through the trees... to my newly *almost* healthy ears like the world was some brilliant tranquility pool (you know the little plastic ones that you can fill with water and plug in and the water runs all the time?) In any case, I have long ago developed a fondness for ee cummings that I think will not soon dissipate. Welcome Springtime :)

here's to opening and upward, to leaf and to sap
and to your(in my arms flowering so new)
self whose eyes smell of the sound of rain

and here's to silent certainly mountains;and to

a disappearing poet of always,snow
and to morning;and to morning's beautiful friend
twilight(and a first dream called ocean)and

let must or if be damned with whomever's afraid
down with ought with because with every brain

which thinks it thinks,nor dares to feel(but up
with joy;and up with laughing and drunkenness)

here's to one undiscoverable guess
of whose mad skill each world of blood is made
(whose fatal songs are moving in the moon

ee cummings