Ran across a letter from my grandmother to my mother dated Apr 14, 1964, excerpted here:

About my poetry - as of now, it seems short lived but perhaps it will return. I'd written a sixth one that I didn't have typed up when you were here.... Have you gotten the operetta written yet? Busy life, isn't it?



4th.

    If I have not wealth or fame,

    need I feel ashamed?

    If my life be true, brave, and clean,

    then on the Master I shall lean.

    If I seek to do his will,

    then I must listen for his voice so still.

    If I become weary, troubled and sad as I walk this land,

    then Lord let me feel the touch of the Master's hand.



6th.

    If I see not beauty in the grass.

    If all his love I forpass.

    If I feel not his presence in the wind that blows,

    ere I see not from whence it comes or where it goes.

    The tasks of life so great would be,

    if in the end I would not my Saviour see.



I'll explain this poem to you. I was washing so had to walk back and forth to the garage in order to turn the washer off when the pump would start. I was a little weary, then suddenly I saw the grass, it was such a beautiful green blowing in the wind. The wind blew against my face, the soft warm breeze of a spring evening. Then I thought of Dad, how he would explain the spirit was like the wind that you couldn't see where it came from or where it went. But you knew it was there, because you felt it. As I had said or asked in my fourth poem, I had felt the touch of the Master's hand.



I had to go right then and write the poem, was nearing supper time so I felt pressed for time. Maybe it would have been better had I taken out a little more time. I thought I could add to it later, but nothing else came. Perhaps my poetry ends here, who knows!



Love,

Mama Tee

My grandmother's house as I remember it around that time had a concrete block outbuilding for the washer, dryer, and freezer behind the house, with the garage and pump house for the well about 20 yards off on either side. When I saw the how the kitchen and laundry at Destrehan Plantation were in outbuildings behind the house to control fires, it reminded me of my grandmother's house, although she never had any servants. She always worked hard, and reading this puts the little things in perspective... how easy we have it! I also forget how intelligent she is, just because she is 93 years old and got all of her formal education in a 1-room schoolhouse... I can only hope my mind is still as clear and sharp as hers when (and if) I'm 93!

Susan posted something about yoga for geeks in Toronto which had a link to the ultimate guide to workstation ergonomics.

Possibly the best Ford commercial ever, Ford Sync - Objects is hilarious.

Treadmill On... (Ungh!)

Blinds Close... (Cover your eyes!)

Door Open... (Ka-Squish!)

Not everything responds to your voice like Sync....

One of my coworkers just got a new Focus with Sync, he says it rocks hard, he actually didn't order the car with it, but now they'll get it away from him when they pry it out of his cold dead fingers. I can borrow his, but also want to go down to the dealer and check it out... official site at syncmyride.com, feel free to contact me if you want a friends & family discount.



We also need the Trunk Monkey (pediatric edition). Hey Shane, next time you're in Sandy, OR, pick up free trunk monkey gear. I wonder if trunk monkey is compatible with Sync?



Oddly, they also have a video of "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me" by TISM.  "Greg! The Stop Sign!!" is also very good.

Some time in the next ten thousand years

a comet's gonna wipe out all trace of Man,

I'm banking on it coming before

my end of year exam.

The rich kid becomes a junkie,

the poor kid an advertiser;

what a tragic waste of potential,

(being a junkie's not so good either).