Advent and Experiencing God

Our church is presenting a weekly small group series on Advent. Last night was the first session, and the text was Luke 1:1-25, which is the account of the priest Zechariah, and the news from the Angel Gabriel that he and his wife Elizabeth will soon have a son. This son will become John the Baptist, who was to prepare the people of Israel for the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ. Zechariah and Elizabeth are childless, and are also quite advanced in age, so when Zechariah hears this news he questions Gabriel.  As a result, Zechariah is struck mute until the child is born. 

Having grown up in the church, I've heard this story hundreds of times, but God always has a way of teaching me something new about His Word. One thing that I learned from this passage is that God is faithful. Zechariah and Elizabeth had probably been praying for many years for a child, yet remained childless. Finally, when they had most likely given up all hope, they are blessed with a child. As Gabriel tells Zechariah, "Your prayer has been heard."  God heard the prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and answered them in His perfect timing. How many times I've prayed, and when my prayers weren't immediately answered given up, assuming that God didn't care or was too busy with more important things. This passage shows me that God does hear our prayers and answers them in His own time. It reminds me that I have such a small view of God's Kingdom; yet God, who is omniscient, knows what I need, and when I need it. 

One of the biggest lessons I learned last night is that I often miss the presence of God. Zechariah was alone in the temple offering incense to the Lord when the Angel Gabriel appeared. What a privilege to be in the presence of the Angel of the Lord! Now that we have the Holy Spirit, we are able to be in God's presence at all times.   But how often do I take this for granted?  How often am I too busy to spend time In prayer and reading His Word, and when I do, how many times am I too distracted to focus on Him?  And even more so, how often am I too busy talking to him rather than listening to what He may be telling me?  How many blessings have I missed by not being present to God?

The last lesson I realized last night is the importance of studying God's word with others. While my own individual Bible study is valuable and instructive, it is also beneficial to meet with others to study His Word.  Here is where I learn new things, and gain new insight into the scriptures.  This is one reason why it's impossible to be a Christian without the church, and one reason why the Lord created the church- to teach one another and to build up one another so that we may be ready for Christ's return. 

Twenty-Five Years Ago

Working in the Periodical Room circa 1992

Twenty-five years ago tonight, I walked into the Deerfield Public Library to begin a new job. I'd just spent 4 1/2 years as a preschooler teacher in Evanston, and now that my son was starting Kindergarten I needed a part-time job that would allow me to be home with him after school and during the day at vacation time. I saw ad for a library page, and the hours were perfect- 5-9 Tuesday evenings, and 1-5 every other weekend. After about a month I added Monday evenings to my schedule. 

For me, this was as close to the perfect job as I could get.  I was surrounded by books, and was able to satisfy my sense for order. I quickly remembered the Dewey Decimal System I learned while

working in the Hastings College Library, and became an efficient shelver. I also spent a great deal of time in the Periodical room, fetching magazines and newspapers for students and other researchers.  

After five years working as a page, I was ready to move onto something new. An opening came up for a full time Circulation Assistant, and as my son was now entering fifth grade, I felt it was something we could handle. I enjoyed my time at the Circ Desk, and learned so much about how libraries work. 

After six months at the Circ Desk an opening came up for a Youth Services Library Assistant. I was hired, and moved down there in February of 1996. I knew I was finally where I belonged. It was challenging at first; I had no computer skills, and my knowledge of children's literature was extremely limited. But through perseverance, and by taking stacks of books home every day, I eventually developed the skills needed to succeed. 

In 2000, I finally took the plunge and started working on my Masters in Library Science at Dominican University. Jack Hicks, the Director of the Deerfield Public Library, was especially encouraging in this endeavor, and the library was able to provide some financial assistance, for which I am eternally grateful. 

Going to school while working full time was a challenge, but I loved it, and learned so much. After graduation in 2003 I became a Youth Services Librarian, a job I held until we moved to Maine in 2006. 

Twenty five years ago I had no idea that my part-time job would lead to a lifetime career, and that I would eventually become the Director of a Public Library. I am so thankful that I was able to find a job that not only met our financial needs, but would allow me to use my gifts and talents.  There have been rough patches along the way, but for the most part I have loved working in a Public Library. 

I'm retired now, and whenever I visit my local library I'm reminded of how much libraries mean to me, and am grateful for the opportunity to spend so much of my life in them. 

Random Thoughts on a Spring Day

Our Backyard - April 24th

I'll admit that over the past few weeks I've been down in the dumps. It's been cold, I'm missing my friends, and the back pain that my Dr. had diagnosed as "disc slippage" continues to plague me. 

Adding to my dark mood is the fact that our backyard still looks like the surface of the moon. Granted, it looks better than it did last summer when it was overrun with weeds, but I'm so used to my garden in Maine where crocuses and daffodils would be poking through right about now. There's a lot of work to do, and it gets a bit overwhelming at times, but I try to remember the words of a friend, "It's a marathon, not a sprint."

This morning Steve and I dug out the dead arbor vitae bushes, then I went to the library and for a walk.  Near the library is a small pond

The Pond with Walking Path

with a walking path around it.  Next to it is a xeriscape garden that is tended by volunteers.  The volunteers were there today weeding and cleaning up.  

My Turnaround Point

After a couple of loops around the pond I decided to try the paved bike path that runs along McCulloch Boulevard  I walked for about 15 minutes then headed back to my car. This was the view at my turnaround point.

On the way back to the car I started thinking of the past weeks and my dark mood.  I realized that while things aren't always sunshine and skittles here, I do have many things to be thankful for.  I've been richly blessed, and there is much for which to be thankful.  As I walked, I compiled this list:

Grandpa and Grandson

1. Family.  The reason we moved here was to be closer to our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.  And every day that I get to spend with them is a blessing. My husband is happily retired, and enjoying our new life.
2. Health.  Even though I'm still dealing with slipped discs, I'm in otherwise good health.  And my family is healthy as well.
3. Home.  We had the good fortune to find a lovely home in a quiet, rural area.  There's space for a garden (eventually), and there's plenty of room for guests. It's warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and comfortable year-round.
4. Food.  There's plenty of food in the cupboards, and if I run out I can easily get to the store and get more.  There are places in this world where people can't say that.
5. Faith.  I have the ability to worship God freely.  Again, there are places in this world where this is not possible.

There are so many other things I could list.  Friends, extended family,a long bike ride,  ice-cold watermelon on a hot summer day...

At the xeriscape garden
after my walk.

This morning during my quiet time I read this from Psalm 121: I lift my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  Psalm 121: 1,2 (NIV)

As I walked on the path today I lifted my eyes to the mountains and remembered where my help came from.  And I was filled with joy.

Reading List 2014

A new year is beginning, and like everyone else, I'm taking a look back at the year now behind us.  For me it was a year of big changes, mostly good. After recovering from the cross-country move, I was able to get down to some serious reading. When all was said and done, I managed to complete 61 books in 2014.  There were some excellent books, some not-so-excellent, and a couple of hard-to-get-through.  There are a few that I'd read years ago, and read again this year, either for book discussions, or just for fun. 

Here are a few highlights of my reading year:

• I read my first James Patterson novel,NYPD Blue and found it not terrible. I picked it up because the co-author was Marshall Karp, and I've enjoyed his Biggs and Lomax mystery series.  I don't know if I'll continue reading the series he writes with Patterson, but I do now see the appeal that Patterson has for millions of readers.  
• I discovered a new author.  A co-worker had told me about Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret, but I'd not had a chance to read it earlier. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and eagerly picked up her latest, Big Little Lies, which I liked even better.  I also learned that Moriarty's sister, Jaclyn, is the author of some of my favorite YA novels.  
• I discovered a not-so-new author.  A couple of years ago when it was discovered that J.K. Rowling had written a mystery novel under the name Robert Galbraith, The Cuckoo's Calling. I started it, but time did not allow me to finish it.  I picked it up again and really liked it. I then read the next book, The Silkworm and am looking forward to more in this series.
• I had been wanting to read Ken Follett's The Century trilogy, and I was finally able to read the first two volumes.  The third volume was released in September, and I'm hoping to get to it this year.

Here's the complete list of books I read in 2014. Let me know if you want any more information about any of them.  Also, please feel free to let me know what books you read this year that you loved.  I'm always looking for suggestions.

1. Berg, Elizabeth              What We Keep
2. Joyce, Rachel               Perfect
3. Cather, Willa                  My Antonia
4. Verne, Jules                  Around the World in 80 Days
5. Anderson, Neal             Victory Over the Darkness
6. Kingsolver, Barbara       Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
7. Beaton, M.C.                 Death of a Policeman
8. Batstone, David             Not For Sale
9. Diamant, Anita              The Last Days of Dogtown
10. Cleave, Chris                 Little Bee
11. Denise Brennan             Life Interrupted: Trafficking into Forced Labor in the United States
12. Kingsbury, Karen           Divine
13. Nguyen, Bich Minh        Pioneer Girl
14. Cook, Kevin                  Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America
15. Ackerman, Diane           The Zookeeper's Wife
16. Zevin, Gabrielle             The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
17. Caletti, Deb                   He's Gone
18. Patterson, James          NYPD Red
19. Lively, Penelope            How It All Began
20. George, Alex                 A Good American
21. Gladwell, Malcolm         David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
22. Bryson, Bill                   One Summer: America, 1927
23. Yancey, Preston            Tables in the Wilderness
24. Paton-Walsh, Jill           The Attenbury Emeralds
25. Heyer, Georgette           Why Shoot a Butler
26. Heyer, Georgette           Death in the Stocks
27. Heyer, Georgette           They Found Him Dead
28. Benjamin, Melanie         The Aviator's Wife
29. Smokler, Kevin              Practical Classics: 50 Reasons to Reread 50 Books You Haven't Touched                                             Since High School
30. Hustad, Megan              More Than Conquerors: A Memoir of Lost Arguments
31. Weiner, Jennifer            All Fall Down
32. Galbraith, Robert           The Cuckoo's Calling
33. Moriarty, Liane              The Husband's Secret
34. Hosseini, Khalid             And the Mountains Echoed
35. Galbraith, Robert           The Silkworm
36. Chast, Roz                    Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant
37. Follett, Ken                   Fall of Giants
38. Follett, Ken                   Winter of the World
39. Kemelman, Harry           Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry
40. Rowell, Rainbow            Landline
41. French, Dawn                Oh Dear Silvia
42. Lockhart, E                   We Were Liars
43. Von Bremzen, Anya       Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking
44. Todd, Charles               A Matter of Justice
45. Wood, Naomi                Mrs. Hemingway
46. Todd, Charles               An Unmarked Grave
47. Crombie, Deborah         To Dwell in Darkness
48. Moriarty, Liane              Big Little Lies
49. Kinsella, Sophie            Shopaholic to the Stars
50. Winspear, Jacqueline     The Care and Management of Lies
51. Baldacci, David             The Innocent
52. Chesney, Marion           Snobbery with Violence
53. L'Amour, Louis              Lonesome Gods
54. Trollope, Joanna           Sense and Sensibility (The Austen Project)
55. Campbell, Jen               Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores
56. Trollope, Joanna           Brother and Sister
57. Pym, Barbara                Some Tame Gazelle
58. Bryson, Bill                   Mother Tongue
59. Hillenbrand, Laura          Unbroken
60. Valentine, Genevieve     The Girls at the Kingfisher Club
61. Brett, Simon                  The Cinderella Killer

Thoughts While Watching TCM

After moving into our new house we signed up with a satellite providers for subscription TV. One of the channels we receive now is Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In the last few months that has become our default channel, and we've enjoyed several old favorites and discovered many movies we'd never seen. 

Yesterday was Hitchcock day on TCM, and one of the films was "Shadow of a Doubt," starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotton. We came in about halfway, but a quick check of the plot on IMDB got me up to speed. 

My favorite scene was where the Teresa Wright character wants to get to the library so that she can check the newspaper to see if her uncle, Joseph Cotton is a murderer.  The library closes at 9 p.m., and it's five minutes before 9. As she walks up to the library, the lights go out, and the door is locked. She pounds on the door, and finally the librarian (a stern looking older woman) tells her that the library is closed. Teresa begs to be let in, and the librarian relents and tells her she has three minutes. 

This is where Hitchcock's genius is apparent. How did he know that my recurring work dream is where it's closing time, and people keep coming into the library and won't leave?  I just had that dream the other night, and it's been almost six months since I've worked in a library. It's like he knew everyone's worst nightmare. 

This morning we watched "Between Two Women," one of the Dr. Gillespie series starring Van Johnson and Lionel Barrymore. I find those entertaining as it gives me an insight as to how the medical profession, or at least the Hollywood version of the medical profession has changed in 70 years. Case in point: in today's movie, Van Johnson is treating a woman who refuses to eat by using psychoanalysis. To try to learn what trauma is causing her condition he goes to the nightclub where she works and gathers all the employees together to see if they had any insight into her condition. So much for doctor/patient confidentiality.  Thanks to HIPPA, we'll never see that scene again.  Unless Dr. House makes a return. 

Saying Goodbye

It was an emotionally draining day as I walked through the rooms of our house one last time. After 7 years, we are leaving Maine and heading west to be near our son and his family in Colorado. And while I know that I'm going to love being close to our adorable two-year old grandson and his parents, it's still hard to say goodbye. 

When we moved to Maine in 2007 it was a difficult adjustment. The job I took here turned out to be much more stressful than I could have imagined, and the stress of being far from family and friends was almost more than I could bear. But through all the difficulties, this house was my sanctuary. While sitting on the deck or in my backyard or in the den, I was able to put aside the drama of work, and feel a deep peace. I've always felt that it was a gift from God, a place for rest and sanctuary. 

The deck in autumn

Enjoying the backyard with friends

Once we decided to sell it, we embarked on a flurry of activity that allowed me to not think about the consequences of the process. Even after we accepted an offer back in April, it still didn't feel real. Over the past two weeks I've been saying goodbye- to co-workers, friends, and our wonderful church family. And as hard as that's been, I know that I'll see many of these people again, and will be able to stay in touch. But leaving the house, that was tough, because it's like leaving a part of me behind. 

Today at the closing, we met the new owners. They are delightful, and totally in love with this house. The moment they walked in, they knew they loved it. The wife is of Swedish heritage, and when she saw my Swedish-style kitchen with the Swedish cookbooks and trivet, she knew it was right. Then as they walked through the house, and saw the color scheme we had done, they were sold. As I sat through the closing, I was assured that my house is in good hands, with people who will love it as much as I do. 

Now I know that a house is really just a shell, and it's the people who live there who create a home, and I know that God will provide a home that will be just what we need in our lives right now. But I will always be grateful for this gift for the last seven years, and how it helped nourish and replenish my soul. 

I'll also be eternally grateful for the people who were put in my life here in Maine. There were so many of you. I already miss you, but know that you'll always have a place in my heart, and in our new home. Thank you for your kindnesses, your grace, and your friendship. I appreciate it more than you could ever know. 

Life Interrupted: Trafficking Into Forced Labor in the United States by Denise Brennan

For the past year I've been interested in the efforts of those who are fighting to end human trafficking around the world. It's a serious problem, and there are no easy solutions. Earlier this year I read Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade- and How We Can Fight It by David Batstone, the founder of Not for Sale.  In it, he described the ordeals of specific individuals who had been enslaved. It is an eye-opening work, and I suggest that everyone should read it. 

Thus it was with great interest that I discovered   Life Interrupted: Trafficking Into Forced Labor in the United States by Denise Brennan in the Net Galley list. Brennan is an anthropology professor at Georgetown University whose research focuses on human trafficking and immigration reform. In Life Interrupted Brennan outline the experiences of several women and a few men who were enslaved here in the United States. The experiences of these people were different; some were forced into the sex trade, some were farm workers, and some were domestic workers. However, despite these differences, the one thing they all had in common was the lack of freedom. Eventually all the people Brennan describes were able to achieve freedom, but for many that was not the end of their difficulties. 

Once they were freed from servitude, they then faced the bureaucratic and legal issues experienced by many immigrants who do not enter this country legally. Many are able to receive a special visa for trafficked individuals, but many remain in limbo. Once those hurdles are overcome, they then have to adjust to life in a totally alien country with no means of support. For many, the circumstances of their past make it difficult to reach out to others from their home countries, and many lack training and skills that would enable them to find jobs. 

Brennan outlines these problems and describes many of the organizations and individuals who are reaching out to those who were trafficked. At the end of the book is a lengthy appendix with sources of information on how we can get involved in the fight to end human trafficking and how to help those who have been freed.  

While I found Brennan's accounts of the trafficked individuals compelling, I felt that this book is a bit too academic to appeal to those who are just becoming aware of the issue.  There was extensive footnoting, and in many places the narrative became bogged down and a tad repetitive. I do think, however, that anyone who is passionate about ending trafficking and has a good grasp of the issues should read this book, especially for the appendix. For those just learning about the cause, I would suggest David Batstone's Not for Sale.

 

My 2013 Reading LIst

Something happened to me this past year that I thought would never happen.  I hit a reading wall. The year started out with such promise, reading-wise.  I read 10 books in January, and I thought for sure that I'd surpass the number of books I'd read in 2012. But then last summer I got to the point where I just couldn't read another book.  This is something that's never happened to me, and I found it quite discouraging.  

So, I took a bit of a reading vacation.  I decided that I would only read the books that I wanted to read, and would not worry about how much I read, or about reading the books everyone's talking about.  I started this at the end of June when I was going to be spending a lot of time in airports and on planes.  I'd been wanting to read Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall for some time, so I decided that would be a perfect  book to bring along.  I got about halfway through when I returned from all my traveling, and managed to finish it over the next month.  For the rest of the year I've continued to read, but have slowed down the pace. Now I'm focusing on the books I need to read (or re-read) for book discussion, and the books I really want to read.  

As much as I love being a librarian, I think that one of the problems inherent with the job is the danger of losing the joy of reading.  Keeping up with the reading interests of our patrons is an important part of the job, and can become a chore, rather than something done for pleasure. So my  goal for 2014 is to not worry about how much I read, but to slow down and savor each book. 

With that introduction, I'm presenting the list of books I did read in 2013.  Feel free to ask me about any of them; despite my sluggish attitude this year, I do still love talking about books. Happy New Year, and Happy Reading.

Books Read - 2013

1.      Smith, Amy - All Roads Lead to Austen

2.      Martel, Yann - The Life of Pi (Book Discussion)

3.      Hoffman, Beth - Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

4.      Evans, Rachel Held - A Year of Biblical Womanhood

5.      Manzano, Sonia - The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano (Juvenile Fiction)

6.      Dallas, Sandra - The Persian Pickle Club  (Re-read for Book Discussion)

7.      Bradley, Alan - Speaking from Among the Bones

8.      Donovan, Jeremy - How to Deliver a Ted Talk

9.      Taub, Patricia - The Mother of My Invention

10.  Kidder, Tracy and Todd, Richard - Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction

11.  Pym, Barbara - A Glass of Blessings (Re-read)

12.  Martin, Demetri - This Is a Book

13.  Grissom, Kathleen - The Kitchen House (Book Discussion)

14.  Wodehouse, P.G. - Right Ho, Jeeves (Re-read)

15.  Patchett, Ann - Bel Canto (Book Discussion)

16.  Crombie, Deborah - The Sound of Broken Glass

17.  Jennings, Ken - Because I Said So

18.  Fuller, Gary - The Trivia Lover's Guide to the World

19.  Haruf, Kent - Benediction

20.  Clayton, Meg Waite - The Four Ms Bradwells (Book Discussion – skype with author!)

21.  Haruf, Kent - The Tie that Binds

22.  Beaton, M.C. - Death of Yesterday

23.  Moore, Edward Kelsey - The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

24.  Close, Jennifer - The Smart One

25.  Fforde, Jasper - The Eyre Affair (Book Discussion)

26.  Lipman, Elinor - The View from Penthouse B

27.  Sloan, Robin - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

28.  Semple, Maria - This One Is Mine

29.  Fowler, Therese Ann - Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

30.  Arsenault, Emily - The Broken Teaglass

31.  Wein, Elizabeth - Code Name Verity (Young Adult – audiobook)

32.  Barnes, Julian - The Sense of an Ending ( Book Discussion)

33.  Hainey, Michael - After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story

34.  Koppel, Lily - The Astronaut Wives Club

35.  Sedaris, David - Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls (audiobook)

36.  Potok, Chaim - The Chosen

37.  Cullen, Lisa Takeuchi - Pastor's Wives

38.  Ryan, Tom - Following Atticus (Book Discussion)

39.  Gaffigan, Jim - Dad Is Fat

40.  Salzman, Mark - The Soloist (re-read for Book Discussion)

41.  Grabenstein, Chris - Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Juvenile Fiction)

42.  Mantel, Hilary - Wolf Hall

43.  Lethal, Mac - Texts from Bennett

44.  Lutz, Lisa - The Last Word

45.  Moran, Johanna - The Wives of Henry Oades  (Re-read for Book Discussion)

46.  Goolrick, Robert - A Reliable Wife (Re-read for Book Discussion)

47.  Paton, Alan - Cry the Beloved Country (Re-read)

48.  Steinbeck, John - Travels with Charley: In Search of America (Re-read for Book Discussion)

49.  Thompson, Jean - The Year We Left Home

50.  Bradley, Alan - The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

51.  Skloot, Rebecca - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Book Discussion)

52.  Mantel, Hilary - Bring Up the Bodies

53.  Pullman, Philip - Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm

54.  O'Flynn, Catherine - Mr. Lynch's Holiday

55.  Steadman, M.L. - The Light Between Oceans (Book Discussion)

56.  Faulks, Sebastian - Jeeves and the Wedding Bells

57.  Zierman, Addie - When We Were on Fire

58.  Smith, Alexander McCall - The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon

59.  Setterfield, Diane - The Thirteenth Tale (Re-read for Book Discussion)

60.  Semple, Maria - Where'd You Go, Bernadette (Re-read for Book Discussion)

61.  Attenberg, Jamie - The Middlesteins (Re-read for Book Discussion)

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

I'm a huge fan of the Flavia deLuce mystery series by Canadian author Alan Bradley.  At the

end of the fifth book in the series, Speaking from Among the Bones, there was a major cliffhanger, and I  could not wait until the next book appeared.  

Several months ago while browsing NetGalley, I saw that I could request the advanced ebook of The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches.  I did so, and quickly downloaded it.  When I downloaded it there was a note that reviews could not be published until closer to the release date, so I'm just now writing the review, but actually read the book several months ago.  I was afraid that I might forget key elements, but I have to say that this is a book that's sticking with me.

Often in a long-running mystery series the author starts to run out of steam.  At the end of the 5th book I was a bit concerned that this might be the case, but I was pleased to find that this is not so.  

I don't want to give too much away for those who read the previous book and are eagerly anticipating the resolution of the cliffhanger, so I'll try to be careful.  The story starts with the entire deLuce family at the train station waiting for the return of Harriet, Flavia's mother who disappeared when Flavia was a baby.

At the station a stranger gives Flavia a cryptic message, then is immediately killed by an oncoming train.  Long-lost relatives with secrets also make an appearance.  Flavia discovers a home movie that may provide clues to these events, as well as answer some questions about Harriet and her family.  Flavia's Aunt Felicity is also on hand to fill in some parts of the family story.

By the end of the novel, Flavia is ready to face a brand-new adventure, and I look forward to joining her.  Bradley has taken a series that was starting to become a bit stale and reinvigorated it by resolving many questions and taking it in a different direction.  I wish that more mystery series writers would take this approach.

How to Make an Apple Pie

1. On a nice sunny day in October, visit a local apple orchard and purchase a bag of Cortland apples with the intention of making pies in the next few days. 

2. When you get home put the apples in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. 

3. Whenever you open the refrigerator tell yourself that you really do need to get those pies made. 

4.  Repeat number 3 several times over the next month. 

5 Around Thanksgiving, bring your fancy apple peeler/slicer up from the basement and tell yourself that you will definitely make apple pies for Thanksgiving. 

6.  Decide to bake a Mrs. Smith's Pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. 

7. Whenever you open the refrigerator check the apple to make sure they're still good. Notice that they're starting to get a bit soft, and tell yourself that you really need to get those pies baked. 

8.  Twelve days before Christmas, when you have 17 other projects to finish in the next two days, take time to make 3 pies.  Bonus points if you do this immediately after scrubbing the kitchen floor.