Window Washing Project

Too many days recently were either rainy, too cold, snowy or otherwise not conducive for hiking - not for lack of trying, though. We went out on Tuesday to a park nearby.  Starting off on the trail and across the bridge, there was no sign of snow.  But as soon as the bridge ended, the trail was impassible - just a frozen mass of ice. It was actually dangerous and we didn't want to risk falling and lying who knows how long with broken or sprained who knows what. So back home we went to wait for warmer weather.

Thankfully, the rest of the week saw temperatures in the 50's nearly every day and the snow and ice quickly disappeared.

Yesterday was a rainy day...all day. I came up with a project for us to do. I had read somewhere once that it's best to wash windows on rainy or cloudy days since the sun can cause streaks when you clean them. Our living room windows open to the east and to the west. Consequently, that room gets a lot of sun. And when the sun shines in, I can see how dusty dirty those windows are. The windows are double-hungs, supposedly easy to clean. Just tilt them in and you can clean the outside without going outside. Well, I've never been able to do it myself. Andy has to push on the frame so hard before the window is able to tilt in. The grills are also very difficult to get out. So it's definitely a two-person job with the second person having bigger muscles than I have. 

I've been feeling like Andy is doing pretty well and have been trying to think of little projects for him to do so that he will feel useful and productive. Hence, the window cleaning project. But even that job, with me providing direction was an exercise in frustration. My first instruction was to take the grills out of the windows. He proceeded to open the windows and take out the screens. So I told him that was ok, but I needed him to take out the grills. He said, "I did." I had to explain that he took out the screens but I needed him to take out the grills. He still didn't seem to understand, so I had to demonstrate. I started to wonder why I ever decided to do this job. But we kept going even though it didn't get any better as we went along. Into the second window, the window somehow got crooked and when we tried to shut it, it came off the track. Ugh! What several years ago would have been a simple matter for him to figure out and fix was now - no idea what to do.  Oh, he tried but I had to also try to figure it out. Somehow we managed to get the window closed but I think I'm going to have to ask a handyman to look at it. 

That tired Andy out, so I sent him to lie down and finished the job myself. I don't know why I didn't do this from the beginning, but the windows are all on the first floor and easily reached from the outside with a step ladder. And I was also able to get the grills back in myself. I guess you can do all kinds of things if you have no choice.

I was feeling a little bummed out after this and had to remind myself of the truth this morning. There is nothing that can separate me from the love of God. "He redeems our pain, sin, doubt, need and suffering and reshapes the landscape of our inner lives through Jesus." (The Answer to Our Cry by Rick McKinley)



I just finished the book above. He says that "living into the love of God is a life journey. This means it may take decades and generations. Soul formation is process oriented..." As long as I'm still living in this world, I will still need to grow, mature, become more and more like Jesus. And sometimes this is painful, but it is so necessary because I have a long way to go. But as Paul prayed for the Philippian Christians, "he who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

The rain finally stopped during the night. So of course we had to get out today. The temperature was only 44 degrees and it was pretty windy. In fact, there were 40 mile an hour gusts. Brrr! But we put on our hats, gloves, scarves and LL Bean Maine manufactured winter coats and away we went. 

It really wasn't too bad as long as we were in the woods but you could hear the wind whipping up in the tops of the trees. We had to laugh as we went through the parking lot. Only one car was parked there. Yes, most people know enough not to go hiking on days like this. 
 
 
But really it was a beautiful day. The water was running swiftly in the Rancocas Creek from all the snow melt and rain from yesterday. 
 

 
 We have been to this park many times but had never seen this broken down house across the creek. It looks dangerously near the water.



Even though the trees still seem dead, there is a lot of green in places: holly trees, rhododendron and laurel bushes.

It's mid-March. Surely it won't be too much longer before we'll be seeing signs of spring a-coming. I've already seen plenty of robins in our yard, but then they've been here all winter.

Andy has been working on another puzzle. I have pretty much been letting him do it by himself and he says he is really getting into it. He is patient and persevering and is having success. I'm proud of him for being such a good sport about it. He said he didn't think at first he would enjoy it, but it's becoming addictive! He says he already feels smarter! ha, ha - still has that Andy sense of humor.

He's also a good sport for letting me take his picture all the time, but what a handsome guy!