Ordinary Life

When I was in grade school, our class took a field trip to the house of another student. I don't recall everything we did there, but I do recall learning to make cinnamon applesauce. It must have been Fall. The lady allowed us each to turn the crank on her apple coring machine. I thought it was the niftiest thing. And I have wanted a machine of my own ever since. They always felt like an indulgence at $20 or even $15 apiece. But this weekend, I found one brand new, on sale at a thrift store for $3. I'm tempted to say my life is now complete, but really it is just a tad more sweet. Apple curls, anyone?

I recently picked up Elizabeth Smart's book at a local thrift store.  It terrified me. As in, check all the closets, lock all the doors, "What was that noise?!" terrified me.  It was not unlike watching a Criminal Minds episode... too late at night... and home all alone.  I finished the book shortly before bedtime and so, I slept with flashlight and pepper spray nearby and I  set up noise traps at RyeBird's windows. She usually eventually ends up in 'the big bed' with us, but for the 45 minutes where she actually slept in her own bed, it was extra peace of mind. I did not sleep in  MY own bed. I just lay there, hyper-vigilant.   ~*~  Sometimes, it is nice to pretend that the world isn't as sick and twisted as it really is, but stories like this deny that charade. The world is broken...very, very badly in some places.  The month prior to this, I had picked up Jaycee Duggard's story at a different thrift store. Also scary. So I am now convinced that...