Dearest Rachel – No sooner did I hit ‘publish’ on yesterday‘s letter when two things happened to upend my day. First of all, “Riri” wrote back, right after I got through telling you all the reasons why she wouldn’t. I still promise to tell you more about that, but on top of her explanations (someContinue reading “Screwing Up the Schedule”
Tag Archives: timing
The Missing Third
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another evening of falling asleep on either side of the bed in our separate recliners while watching YouTube together, and another morning that essentially starts at one a.m., whether I mean for it to or not. We’re not still on Israel time, I don’t think, but we’re probably on GreenlandContinue reading “The Missing Third”
Letting Things Unfold As They Will
Dearest Rachel – We didn’t go out on the town last night since, as I mentioned, we really didn’t have any compelling reason to go out. As a result – as well as calling it a relatively early night – we actually woke up this morning before the alarm (which admittedly was set a bitContinue reading “Letting Things Unfold As They Will”
The Return of the Non-Native
The Return of the Non-Native – I’m back here in Israel, but I can’t say I know what to do once I’m here…
Cleared for Takeoff
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned in my last letter that there might be an issue with the actual flight, but it might require a separate letter, because I wanted to send something (which you can read as “continue my streak,” which I’m sure you would be understanding about) before we left, whereas the details ofContinue reading “Cleared for Takeoff”
Leaving Just In Time
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday morning, I woke up to this sight as I headed outdoors on the way to church: I suppose it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise; the night before had me falling asleep to the sound of rain on the bedroom roof, and it had been getting chilly asContinue reading “Leaving Just In Time”
Maybe A Little Too Casual
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned before how someday, I’d like to get so accustomed to traveling that it could be done practically on a whim. I’ve joked about how calling Kerry (my travel agent) up out of the blue and telling her to “book me something before I change my mind,” but it still hasContinue reading “Maybe A Little Too Casual”
Not As Faithful As Some
Dearest Rachel – Ever since before the weekend, I’ve been retiring early – earlier than used to be typical for me back in the day during my work farce days, and for which you used to tease me about now and then – and, for the most part, waking up early in turn. Sometimes, I’veContinue reading “Not As Faithful As Some”
Early to the ‘Office’
Dearest Rachel – You were usually asleep on those many weekdays, but you might have been aware of how early they would start on my side of the bed and room. For the most part, though, you seemed to be able to sleep through the sound of the alarm on my side and the noiseContinue reading “Early to the ‘Office’”
Who Would Believe It?
Dearest Rachel – We’ve had to get out of the house at ridiculously early hours in the past – flights don’t really concern themselves with the schedules of their individual passengers, for instance – so you know I’m capable of getting up early. And, of course, there are the many work days when I’ve beenContinue reading “Who Would Believe It?”
Text Silence
Dearest Rachel – For all that I’ve told you about the more-than-occasional mad rush of messages I get from folks I meet on dating websites, this story is about the opposite side of the coin. Sometimes, you want to keep things going, just to make sure, but things go silent on the other end ofContinue reading “Text Silence”
Not Such an Anticlimax as All That
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure we’d seen the aurora borealis once or twice since the time we did on the night I proposed to you (and you took it as the heavens themselves blessing the moment, as I recall), but you’d think I’d be able to remember and point to the night, especially since it’sContinue reading “Not Such an Anticlimax as All That”
Appreciating the Staggered Schedule
Dearest Rachel – This has been an unusual trip, and I have to say that I kind of like it. I know that you always wanted to go on a transoceanic sailing in order to actually feel the ocean beneath your feet – the relatively self-contained bodies of water like the Mediterranean and the CaribbeanContinue reading “Appreciating the Staggered Schedule”
The Glasgow Experience
Dearest Rachel – They say that it takes one day for every time zone to acclimatize yourself to your destination when you travel. It’s another reason to appreciate cruising; the travel is so slow and gentle that you can only go across a single time zone on any given day at its fastest. However, inContinue reading “The Glasgow Experience”
From the Portable Editing Booth
Dearest Rachel – The thing about taking notes to tell you about while traveling is that I can either write about things to you or film them, but almost never both – and certainly not at the same time. I can show you what’s around us at a given moment, or (given time) tell youContinue reading “From the Portable Editing Booth”
Pretending Everything Is Normal
Dearest Rachel – The last few overseas trips I’ve taken have started off with a ride to the airport first thing in the morning, or even in the wee hours, prompting me to wake up absurdly early in order to catch my flight. Not so today; with the flight scheduled for four in the afternoon,Continue reading “Pretending Everything Is Normal”
You Just Have to Deal With It
Dearest Rachel – Much like any other human, I complain about the the things that go wrong in, or are just unpleasant in my life without bearing in mind that there is plenty of ordinary stuff that makes it so much better than most (and with enough life experience behind me, you’d think I wouldContinue reading “You Just Have to Deal With It”
Primera Mañana
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure what you would’ve thought of this place, honey. I’m still trying to get used to it myself. After yesterday’s travels (particularly the obscenely early start to the day), I retired at what might otherwise be considered a ridiculous hour of nine o’clock, but which you might have at least beenContinue reading “Primera Mañana”
I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It
Dearest Rachel – I have this goal regarding travel that, one day, I’d get to the point where it’s a perfectly normal thing to show up at the airport, get on a plane, and be on my way to wherever it is I’m wanting to go without another thought. It’ll be almost a routine thing;Continue reading “I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It”
One Billion Seconds
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned the other day in passing about large numbers like millions and billions, and told you I’d go into more details soon enough. Well, soon enough has arrived – well, in fairness, it’s already come and gone, and I didn’t notice it at the time, but that’s neither here nor there.Continue reading “One Billion Seconds”
Out of Sync
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably not advisable for me to be writing to you like this at three or four in the morning; it certainly would have been pointless to talk to you like this back in the days when you were alive, as you would have just gotten to bed and fallen asleep, mostContinue reading “Out of Sync”
One Final Trip (part 3)
Dearest Rachel – Now that the busyness of the Easter weekend is in the rear view mirror, I have to get on with things regarding our (and I do mean our; you’re coming along with. In fact, you’re the reason we’re even doing this, after all) trip to the island. I’ve gotten a confirmation fromContinue reading “One Final Trip (part 3)”
Offering Assistance
Dearest Rachel – I honestly didn’t know whether I’d have time to get in touch with you today. Oh, I’ll have hours in which I’ll be doing nothing but sitting in the passenger seat of a U-Haul bound for your hometown, but I think that may serve a purpose in its own right, which deservesContinue reading “Offering Assistance”
Too Early, Too Cold… Too Late?
Dearest Rachel – You won’t believe how early it was when I first wake up. Then again, if you were still here you might not have had to believe it, since we could have been crossing paths (assuming I followed through, in my somnambulant state); you would have seen I was up, and wondered why.Continue reading “Too Early, Too Cold… Too Late?”
Defying the Pattern
Dearest Rachel – You’re probably well aware that the human mind sees patterns where none actually exist. It’s how concepts like pareidolia come into being; we see a pair of similar marks balanced atop a slightly larger mark, and instinctively imagine a face (two eyes and a mouth; there may be more, but that’s quiteContinue reading “Defying the Pattern”
Running Water
Dearest Rachel – And here I thought the most interesting thing I would have to relate to you this morning was the fact that I just received (and was trying out) a couple pairs of cushioned insoles for my gym shoes. This is what happens when I forget about the things that I’ve scheduled weeksContinue reading “Running Water”
Shallow Targets
Dearest Rachel – Some days, I’m at a loss for what to write you because there just isn’t much going on that I haven’t told you about before (or that I can at least put a slightly different spin on, for the sake of offering some amusement). Today is a little different, insofar as IContinue reading “Shallow Targets”
The Lark and Owl
Dearest Rachel – It sounds like some quaint British pub, doesn’t it? Maybe one attached to a bed-and-breakfast in some seaside resort town overlooking the English Channel or on the Isle of Wight. The B&B would service the morning people (the larks), while also providing a place for the night owls to sleep off theirContinue reading “The Lark and Owl”
Different Schedules, Different Paces
Dearest Rachel – The first full day on the ship, and already we were in port again. Not that it’s remotely unexpected – the Caribbean is chock full of islands, in close enough proximity that, unless you have a specific destination in mind, there’s never a need for a sea day between ports. Of course,Continue reading “Different Schedules, Different Paces”
Solved in an Instant
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s not as if it’s the most interesting that could be told, but it’s pretty much the only storyline that’s been going on around me for the last couple of days, so it will have to do; the conclusion (maybe?) to the whole saga of me getting myself basically locked inContinue reading “Solved in an Instant”
Considerations of Timing
Dearest Rachel – I thought it was the wind waking me up this morning around four, like it has been for the last few days. It’s been blowing pretty hard in the mornings, and with it whipping all manner of leaves up throughout the neighborhood, it often sounds like rain against the roof and wallsContinue reading “Considerations of Timing”
Those First Few Realizations
Dearest Rachel – Good morning, and I hope you’re enjoying your forty-fifth month in the Kingdom. I admit to not always acknowledging these months anymore as they pass. Much of the time, it’s because I’m actually preoccupied with what passes for my usual life, and I don’t notice the day has come and gone untilContinue reading “Those First Few Realizations”
The Place to Gather… Eventually
Dearest Rachel – Well, I think you’d be mildly pleased that the house is still a gathering place for the old gang… eventually. It may be as a last resort, but that it’s still considered as such is enough for me to consider it a win in my book. The situation started nearly a weekContinue reading “The Place to Gather… Eventually”
Just As Well, I Guess
Dearest Rachel – While I did manage to get to the gym yesterday morning, I got a late start on the day, and still wasn’t feeling my best, so I didn’t put in the same level (or time) of workout that I’ve been doing pretty regularly over the past few weeks. I’ve also gone backContinue reading “Just As Well, I Guess”
Holiday Week
Dearest Rachel – One of the strange effects of being retired and out of the work farce is that I don’t exactly have my finger on the pulse of current trends. If people are doing things en masse, I’m not always aware of it – or if I am, it’s a very dim awareness, basedContinue reading “Holiday Week”
Dragging Him Out of the House
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably completely unnecessary for me to do this; Daniel has gotten out of the house on a regular basis in my absence. Partly out of necessity, of course, since I’ve not been around to go shopping for whatever the household may lack over these last couple of months, but also forContinue reading “Dragging Him Out of the House”
Lost Hours
Dearest Rachel – We lost an hour on our way here, honey; Japan, it so happens, runs an hour ahead of Taiwan. I set my alarm to go off fairly early, so that it would be a reasonable hour in terms of Japan time, only for that moment to have been part of the hour skipped asContinue reading “Lost Hours”
Too Early And Too Late
Dearest Rachel – Morning in Airlie Beach, and I’m not sure what to do with myself. My excursion doesn’t start until almost half past ten, although they were starting to call off those with tender tickets shortly after seven. On the other hand, I’m still trying to juggle breakfast and a phone call from Lars,Continue reading “Too Early And Too Late”
As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up
Dearest Rachel – My scale didn’t groan when I stepped on it – after all this time, it’s certainly seen (and felt) much worse – but I rather did inwardly to see my highest weight of the year. And yes, I know that’s a ridiculously short span of time, which sounds longer than it is (hadContinue reading “As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up”
Don’t Make Him Tap the Sign
Dearest Rachel – It’s said that there are no such things as coincidences; only moments in which God decides, for whatever reason, not to sign His name to events. We’ve had a few of them in our time, such as that one major windfall shortly after catching up on our pledges to a certain missionaryContinue reading “Don’t Make Him Tap the Sign”
Last-Minute Preparations
Dearest Rachel – As embarrassed as I may be to relate this to you, at least I can take comfort in the fact that you wouldn’t be giving me grief about it, as you were every bit as prone to procrastination (on a regular basis, I might add) as I have been this Christmas season.Continue reading “Last-Minute Preparations”
The Brits Have a Term for It
Dearest Rachel – More than most people, I’m quite well aware about of how we Yanks and the Brits are “separated by a common language.” On this side of “the pond,” my name is just that – a name – while over there, it’s not used as a name for the very reason that itContinue reading “The Brits Have a Term for It”
Creating Unnecessary Chaos
Dearest Rachel – I think I might have told you about how I couldn’t figure out how to get the wall-mounted space heater in our bedroom to fire up and run as this season has grown colder; if I haven’t, I guess I’m telling you now. There’s a pull chain underneath it that would seemContinue reading “Creating Unnecessary Chaos”
In Pursuit of Those Faster Than Myself
Dearest Rachel – So… it begins again. It’s marathon day, and I’m once again going through the stations of the cheering sections (yes, I know what that sounds like) to offer encouragement to the World Vision team from church. That’s what I’m telling myself, and I’m going to stick to that story for now; certainly,Continue reading “In Pursuit of Those Faster Than Myself”
from Rachel: Hearts Broken by Loss
Have you ever experienced a season when you seemed to face one loss after another? If so, describe when and what it involved. “Thankfully, no, not yet. I do dread the potential approach of one now that Mom has joined Dad in the eighties.” Have you ever experienced feelings of grief that surprised you orContinue reading “from Rachel: Hearts Broken by Loss”
Skin for Skin
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember that I try to read a few Bible chapters each day – one from Proverbs (corresponding to the day of the month for easy reference, which allows me to skip yours as often as not), one Psalm (which is a little harder to keep track of), and three othersContinue reading “Skin for Skin”
つづく (To Be Continued)
Dearest Rachel – Well, honey, I did say I was going to have to continue the story I began telling you about on Tuesday, as I wasn’t able to get you over to the jewelers’ that day. It’s a fairly short story, though – at least, for now. But first, I think I need toContinue reading “つづく (To Be Continued)”
Convenient Inconveniences
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know where I heard it originally, but it’s been said that there are no such thing as coincidences; it’s just that God doesn’t always want to sign His name to everything that happens. Considering that some of what happens isn’t exactly what we would call ‘good’ (although, given our collectiveContinue reading “Convenient Inconveniences”
Not There Yet
Dearest Rachel – I keep hearing from people that one of these days, working out will be second nature to me. There will come a point in time, or so I’m told, in which I can’t go a day or two without exercising like I do at the gym. Not so much out of guiltContinue reading “Not There Yet”
Yes, I Have To Do It Now
Dearest Rachel – Shortly after your accident, Pastor Scott reached out to me, and offered to meet me on a regular basis, to keep in touch and “make sure I didn’t do anything rash.” It was a very informal approach to grief counseling, even before I enrolled in the support group (in fact, he evenContinue reading “Yes, I Have To Do It Now”
Easter Morning on Heathen Shores
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned him to you before (and I’m curious as to whether you’ve had a chance to meet him up there), but I’ve always been fascinated by the words of King Agur, perhaps the most obscure contributor to the book of Proverbs, and the Bible in general. One of his prayers wasContinue reading “Easter Morning on Heathen Shores”
Letters to Rachel 