Grey October Sky

A random bit of writing: 

Too much. The world was too much. I stepped outside to get something from the van. The mossy pavement met my bare feet with a cold embrace. Delighted, I looked up at the street lights. The world was dimming, and no one was out to see it.

 

The clouds of the sky seemed like an endless amount of eye that looked right into my soul. It was a sea, and I, desperate to swim in it, was held back by my bonds of earth-hood. I looked to the door. No one would miss me. And so, I ran. I ran through puddles, my feet striking hard against the asphalt. I ran past houses, without a thought or a care. 

I ran beneath a Grey October Sky in the month of April. The day was misplaced, and there was no time! I came to a bend in the road, and I wondered which to take. My hair became wet in the mist as I waited. I made the choice to continue on, wondering what I would find there. My hair stood on end... would it be Someone Important? Or Nothing at All? Perhaps Something I Couldn't See! 

I ran wholeheartedly into the forest, where the pavement grew thin and the light grew darker. I held my breath at the middle of the path, wondering what I had found, wondering at what had found me! My heart sighed for that which is beyond my feeble words, and the mist comforted me. I walked in this, I delighted in this. Then I  laughed within myself and my feet flew down the road once again. 

As I entered the glow of my own porch lights, the world was still ever heavy. But the clouds rumbled with laughter, and said to not fear, for I have never been Atlas, nor shall I ever be. I know the Atlas of the world, and He is the Atlas of my Soul! 

Lets Have A Ball!

So... since I had no intention of ever going to my senior prom, and we always have a terrifically fun party to kick off the Summer at my house, I thought "Hey, lets have a ball! Not just a dance, but a real ball!" This idea caught on with my sister, and it grew until it was about 8 people large. Lexie (also known as Loo and Doab, or Daba) wanted to start planning in May, but at the time I was up to my eyeballs in school work, and barely had time to take a breath, let alone plan a party. We also had a few scheduale setbacks, so the party kept getting pushed further and further into the future until it looked like we were never going to have the ball!

But, at last, a date was settled upon! July 21-22! We were going to have the time of our lives! But first, we had to plan... I've always loved hosting things, and planning parties. We started with the decor. First, we moved all of our living room furniture into the dining room (which was so cozy and sweet looking that it hence became one of the favorite rooms in the house!). We put our long dining room table in the living room, put it up against the window, and planned on putting a vase of lovely flowers on it. So that was taken care of. A while back, Lexie and Daddy painted the room. It was really in need of a new coat, and now it looked nice and clean.

Katie had come up with the idea that it should be a masquerade ball. I thought that was a terrific idea, because it would not only make the ball look more sophisticated, but the mask would make a great memoir. Katie, Lexie, Rachel (Roo) and I made these darling little masks, I'll have to take a picture of them. They were pretty easy to make. I just made a paper template, cut out cardboard, and then we covered the cutouts with beads, fabric, and lace.

Katie and I had done some previous food planning since we wanted to have a seven course meal. So, it went like this...

Salad

Broccoli Cream Soup

Bread Sticks with Brochetta or Delightful Cheese Sauce (the "delightful" cheese sauce was a reference to a show Rachel and I used to listen to, hence everything at the ball had to be "delightful!)

Chinese Hoisin Noodles

Steak or Chicken with Cooked Vegetables (sweet potatoes, zucchini, sweet peas)

Lemon Ice

Fruit - Watermelon balls, pineapple, strawberries

Dessert - Ice Cream Balls, Chocolate Mousse, Cream Cheese Cookie Rolls, and Cookies

We had some good eatin's... =9 I love food probably a little too much =) But we tempered and measured everything so you got a few bites of lots of things and were full but not stuffed. It was "a parade of taste."

Loo and I had assembled a good list of dance music, and much of it was the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack. You know, the only problem with that soundtrack is that its too short... Mamma did lots of hair and makeup. Rachel got me flowers to stick in my hair. I had great fun!

We watched Pride and Prejudice since Katie had never seen a Jane Austen movie (for shame!) and then afterwards, we went outside, hoping to see the stars but only seeing a thick blanket of cloud hanging in the night sky.

The next morning, we had a little"bed & breakfast" meal, with teacups and teapots and the works. Tip I found out; if you want to cheaply add color to an arrangement, buy cute napkins =)

Mamma went to Grandpa's that day, so we were left with an empty house, an almost empty fridge, and a pocket full of memories...

Ball

Pretty Poses, Funny Noses