Simple Home Living: 7/6/08

Saturday, July 12, 2008

these shoes

Since my luggage is somewhere in the world and my flip flops and a non-walking pair of slippers were part of my existing wardrobe - I used part of my stipend from Iberia Airlines to buy some shoes and one of God's best - Linda sent me the GREATEST pair of shoes to walk in. Thanks Linda Woman!

These cute little Spanish shoes walked through the town of Biarritz - on Wednesday down to the Miremont Hotel, then to coffee by the Oceanside, then on down to beach - then on to the best chocolate shops in all the world!

The shoes came off. The sand on the beach in Biarrtiz is very hard -harsh sand. Still loved it.

These cute shoes belong to some French girl. Not sure where she was walking to - but where ever it was - it was to get there quickly. Aren't they so cute? I like shoes, can you tell?

These shoes are my Merrill's from Linda - oh my gosh - what a gift! These shoes went walking on Thursday down to the San Sebastian Beach of Onderretta.

Then . . .these pair of shoes went on a grocery shopping trip on Saturday - to Maialen's shop for meat and to Lukas's for spices and cream.

They walked past the bank - that doesn't give you much money for your American dollar - here in Spain. . . thank you very much.

In case you're wondering - these little guys are "fresh" rabbit. Ugh.

Then these shoes walked on - past . . .

. . . the a pretty good bakery in Donostia . . .then on down through the Plaza . . . where Jilllian likes to roller blade . . .

. . . on the way . . .

. . . to Lukas - a fantastic gourment food shop -

where we find great spices and the cream for the coffee that Jenni and I like to indulge in . . .

and then, these shoes walked right past this and the backed up . . . to get a shot . . . of what I thought this was a great idea . . . .to give as a wedding gift.

. . . then these shoes went back by this water park . . .

Then, yesterday afternoon , these shoes (thank you very much - Mrs. Fox) went for a nice rainy day walk to the Parte Vieja - the Old Part of Donostia.

. . . and then the smiling woman in these shoes - :-)

. . . walking behind these cute Spanish girls red high heels - walking on a rainy day. . .

. . . past the Onderretta beach - where NO one was at yesterday because it's cold and rainy. . .

. . . along side many other rainy day walkers . . .

. . . who saw the same storm that these shoes did coming up quite fast . . .

. . . and then these shoes saw and chatted with a group of Americans spending four weeks in Barcelona at the University - and one of these guys "did" the running of the bulls in Pampolona - too much testosterone. . .

. . . and then these shoes scooted under shelter with alot of other shoes. . .

. . . walking right into history . . . the Old Part of the City. . . lovely . . .

. . . .on the way out of the Old Part - these shoes walked past . . . the present . . .

. . . and the very lovely in love . . . my two new friends . . .who walked with me aways toward the beach - after these shoes went with them to Buen Pastor (the Catholic Church) for a teaching in Basque and Spanish. All I know (from Migeltxo) was that the message was in Mathew 16 and Isiah 55.

. . . and then these shoes . . . went back home . . . from a nice rainy day walk.

Friday, July 11, 2008

luggage and attitudes and God

Today was a tad difficult for me. It's silly, I know, but I was feeling shlumpy this afternoon as I tried to begin to write a letter to Iberia Airlines to explain the claim I'm making against them for my luggage (it's just one of those things you do). In order for me to be reimbursed for the daily ration of Euros, I need to write to them and send in my receipts.

The reason I was feeling shlumpy was because I had a bad attitude. Yup. I did. I kinda figured that I'd have levels of letting go of the lost luggage thing and sure enough I have - today.

I have to gather all the receipts, find the place to make copies (and I don't speak Spanish), make a copy of my passport, boarding passes and luggage claim checks and then write this nice letter letting them know that according to the 1999 Montreal Convention, I have certain rights. Yeah, right!

After a while it all seems useless. Everything I've researched and read seems hopeless, and for me to "waste" the time jumping through the hoops seemed equally useless - except that I want to be frugal - I do have a frugal heart - and recoup the expenditures I've had to make with things like - clothes and shoes and personal stuff.

Anyway, like I said, I had an "attitude." I normally don't get "attitudes" because the cup is over half way full and running over in my life. But, today I did. I got one and it was getting me - even to the point that I found myself self nurturing too much with the cherry filled Basque tart I'd bought over in France yesterday. Darn.

So, I decided to humble myself. The Bible says to "confess your faults to one another so that you can be healed."

Nana: Miriam, would you pray for Nana, she has a bad attitude?"
Miriam: Nana, you don't have a bad attitude.
Nana: Yes, Miriam, Nana has a bad attitude in her heart.

Not sure what transpired after those few honest exchanges, but I finished the letter and Miriam and I went outside to the park. Fresh air does an attitude good.

In a few moments, friends that Michael and I'd met in January walked by - the nicest older couple in this part of the world. I mentioned to them that my luggage still hasn't shown up - since June 26th.

Well, this is a man who EVERYONE knows and respects in the world. Literally. No kidding. To preserve the anonymity of this man, I won't say anymore about him except that he's been and has done business in the presence of Kings. For reals. No Joke.

He gave me his business card and told me to email him my information. I coulda cried. He said, "I'll call my agent." I'm not sure what an agent is, but just the fact that he's becoming an advocate - no matter what turns out - I am touched. Deeply.

I think that had I not humbled myself - even to a three year old - and admitted my bad attitude and gotten an attitude adjustment, I wouldn't have headed to the park - in that moment and I wouldn't have connected with this couple and . . . who knows . . .

Either way. I'm thankful and at rest.

a mom's advice on becoming frugal

With the days of uncertainty ahead and the world economy held in a shaky balance, I believe that today's home keeper MUST become a frugal one - a creative, purposeful and biblical one.

That word "frugal" means: thrifty, prudent, economical, sparing, careful, penny-wise, penny pinching, tight, meager.

So, how does a modern woman become creatively, purposefully and biblically frugal?

Follow along with my line of reasoning:
God says home keeping is part of the woman's role. Review the P31 Woman.
The heart of the home is the woman. She sets the tone and the atmosphere.

Being frugal (wise) or being not frugal (foolish) is a way to build the home or tear it down. Frugality, then, is a condition of the heart.

Frugality - is revealed in just about all areas of a woman's life - her time (how she spends it), her money (how she spends it), her emotions (how she spends them).

What you give your time to reveals the issues of your heart.
TV, computer, reading, idle-ness, pampering yourself - OVER board?

What you spend money on reveals the issues of your heart.
Do you have unused left overs in your refrigerator? Do you keep buying "stuff" because you can't find the "stuff" you're looking for - because the "stuff" is in the back of some closet that is over crowded with unnecessary "stuff."

What you spend your emotions on reveals the issues of your heart.
Anger, unnecessary causes, jealousy, bitterness over the past, being stuck in shame, unrealistic expectations toward husband, playing the martyr role - you name it....

The condition of a woman's home reveals the issues in her heart. Sometimes when a woman starts in the exterior aspects of the home - those internal heart issues can self-correct. Sometimes though, an older woman is needed to come along side and walk with that "stuck" woman - to disciple her through those "growth" areas.

My Advice?
Since, the kitchen is the hub of your home - start in the hub.

First: Go clean your sink. Wash all your dishes and put them all away. Wash your counters, scrub your stove and the outside of your refrigerator.

Next: Clean out your refrigerator - get rid of anything expired. Then take out the garbage.

Then: Make a list of all the canned goods in your cupboards, and the food in your freezer and refrigerator.

Then: Go to recipes.com and find a recipe and start making something for dinner.

Then: Set your table - make it pretty with whatever you have. Use little kitchen towels as place mats if you don't have any...but bring out the best you have...and find some fresh floral greenery of anything outside and set it in a glass and make it your centerpiece. The table has power!

Then: Smile, thank God and ask Him to help you become a Frugal Hearted Woman who pleases Him.

Then: Go here and start reading my series.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

traveling tales - a stroll through biarritz, france

The road from Donostia (the Basque name) - or San Sebastian (the Spanish name) is one of my favorites. The first little city you come to is St. Jean-de-Luz. I LOVE this quaint little place.

There's such a different "feel" from the Spanish side and the French side. I can't quite put my finger on it -but it's just different. The French side of life is much more quiet. When you walk through the shopping area of St. Jean-de-Luz you almost feel like you should whisper.

Took this from the car - while buzzing along. Not bad photo, eh?

One of the first sites you see entering Biarritz, France. Another "from the car"shot.

Like I said, there's just something so different about the feel on this side of the Spanish, French border. It's a "lighter" feel. Jenni and the girls heading to the eating/shopping/beach area.

Don't ya love the narrow, quaint roads? I use that word alot, don't I? I just don't know what else to call them. Give me one, OK?

The main shopping and eating area in Biarritz. We're headed to the Miremont Bakery and Restaurant. Jenni's been craving this goat cheese tart with radatouille. Just her talking about it made me salivate.

Yes! The Biarritz coast line. Some of the best surfing in the world, I hear.

I took this amazing picture of our goat cheese tart and salad. The "display" was beyond lovely. And, I'm not sure where the pic went. Oh, well.

Jillian took this picture from the Miremont Restaurant window.

When you first walk into the Miremont - THIS is what stares you in the face. The French bakeries always display these sugary treats that you wonder IF they should be eaten because they are so beautiful to just look at.

On to get a look at the beach. I'm quite nervous about showing pictures of the beaches in Spain and France. They're topless. Yup, they are and the last time I posted a pic from Onderretta I blew up the pic and whoops - took it off as fast as I put it up. It was - let's say - inappropriate. Phew!

One cutie - patoo-nee.

We just had to - I say we HAD to have some coffee - after our goat cheese tart. This place was actually called - Paris Cafe.

Jenni took this pic. Super cool, don't you think?

After coffee, we walked down to the beach and I rented two chairs with the umbrella up on the side walk - for 1.10 euros. Not a bad deal. I took a little walk to the water with the girls while Jenni sat back.

All of a sudden the life guard started blowing this fog horn type of thing. Then he began to motion for people to come back from the water. I thought - oh, I guess it's time for the surfers - it seemed like surfers were lining up. How sweet. They take turns.

As I kept watching, I soon determined that that wasn't it. Then I though - it must be sharks. Someone's seen a shark. The next good thought was "follow the crowd - move with the crowd cause you don't know a lick of French."

The girls and I went back up to where Jenni was sitting and then saw the helicopter. Turns out someone had "drowned" or "nearly drowned" and the copter was being flown in to airvac them out.

We - or shall I say Jenni - chatted with the woman to our right - she spoke French and Spanish and told Jenni that just the day before five people had nearly drowned and had to be airvaced to the hospital. Wow. Intense.