Best-laid plans, and a wrinkle in time

Today was one of those days that takes "home" out of "homeschooling." Brian and I got up, ate breakfast, did chores, and headed out the door before 8:30 for his science class at a local university (yes, on Presidents Day). I was planning to meet up with a friend while Brian was in class, but her doctor's appointment ran long so I spent most of my time knitting on the second pair of fingerless mitts for the GYBP prize drawings.

Fraternal twins, despite my best efforts to measure and plan

As soon as class was over we headed to the Oregon coast – Depoe Bay to be exact – so Brian could attend a friend's birthday party. On the way Brian listened to the Gospel of Mark for a Bible Achievement team event next Sabbath.

The tide was out when we got our first glimpse of the sea; perfect! While Brian was occupied I was planning a delicious solitary stroll around Depoe Bay and maybe down a nearby beach, just me and my camera. But I ended up staying at the birthday party because the birthday girl's mom wanted to chat. So when Brian started begging for a chance to stop and walk on the beach on our way home, I was an easy sell. We turned into the public parking lot at Siletz Bay and walked down the inlet to the vast Pacific and back – just long enough to collect a few photos, stones – and memories.

On the road again, I got a call from Rick. Knowing we were going to be gone all day, I had asked him to stop by the house and let the dogs out if at all possible. He had not made it home and still had a meeting to attend, so I braced myself for the mess I was probably going to face in the laundry room.

To my surprise, the dogs had been able to hold it! So I turned them out and directed my efforts to warming a cold house. We had not bothered to stoke the wood stove this morning, so I sent Brian out to split some kindling while I prepared the firebox. When I opened the door, against all reasonable expectations, there were still coals! Hmmm; had Brian and I 'tessered' to the coast and back, while home dwelt in a wrinkle in time?

(Thinking of Madeleine L'Engle's wonderful books makes me want to drive straight to the library and read every single one of them all over again! Along with C.S. Lewis, she is one of my very favorite authors, and like Lewis, she is a pillar of faith who inspires me.)

That's it for today from . . .