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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas.. !!!!

Where:  Butterfield Stage Theater, Gainesville, TX

When:  Mid 1990s, somewhere around 8 pm.

For:  Butterfield Stage Players performance of "A Camp Howze Christmas"

Starring:  (among others)  one of my sons

My mom was sitting beside me.  I'm not sure whether she had ever been to a Community Theater before.  She was a little nervous and seemed a little unsure of herself.

The lights dimmed and a spotlight was beamed on the table of a small cafe' scene on stage.  The songs began and she laughed along with me and everyone else as Jim and a couple of his singing buds appeared on stage with WAC uniforms, wigs and stuffed bras that kept falling down..lol  Then there was the jitter bug that she had been sooo good at dancing. (As a child, I loved it when she would hop up from a chair and suddenly begin be-bopping around...lol )

Mom had been a young waitress during the last months of World War II in a tiny little Texas town called Lorenzo.  The scenes were all too real for her as we watched "the home front" replayed through the songs of that period that were so well done by the young singers and actors. 

The lights went way down... a back lit silhouette became visible behind one of the windows high up on the wall.. it became very quiet in the theater and the soft sounds of music began as Jim began to sing...




I heard a small sound and looked at Mom.  There was a tiny tear falling down her cheek. 

Friday, December 24, 2010

Today In My Life... December 24, 2010










Today is:  Friday, December 24, 2010

I got up this morning:  feeling a little down.  It's Christmas Eve and none of the kids are able to come home.  It forces me to remind myself of all those holidays... when my children were growing up or I was unable to get time off on the holidays or there was a  lack of money for long trips... and the tons of other reasons that my Mom or Dad had to spend their holidays without us there.  It's true... we never understand or appreciate our parents until we are parents.. and in similar circumstances.  ;o)

As I look out the window:  the flock of crows that greet us every morning by doing a fly-by of our window have not shown up yet.  In fact, none of our morning greeters.. sparrows, wrens, chickadees... have shown up.  Wonder if they are hiding out in preparation for the cold front moving through.  Supposed to get really cold (at least for us..lol.. don't point, Phillip!)  ;o)  

I am hearing:  my sweet DH in the shower.  He (and I) have loved that shower that our sons put in for us.  Really will miss all the wonderful memories that have come with this house.. ;o(

I am thinking:  that perhaps I feel a little like Monte Walsh.   We went to McDonald's yesterday morning and had  breakfast.  Someone had left the Herald Democrat  newspaper on the table.  It's about 1/2 as wide as it used to be, has about 1/10th the number of pages and reminds me more and more of the very old newspapers of the Wild West that had no pictures.  And now with the e-readers, I'm afraid the same will be happening with "real" books.  I'm afraid the world as we know it is changing much too rapidly for me......

I am thankful for:   magic markers and corn cob ink pens.. ;o)

Creatively:   thankful for Joe Camilleri of Mangiare .  Wonderful chef who unselfishly publishes on his blog some of the most mouth watering recipes imaginable.. woo hoo!






Just a thought:  Colors... like friends.. beautiful each to itself.  Colors.. beautiful in a mish mash of random shapes... each close and making each other shine!


 

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Today In My Life ... December 22, 2010











Today is:  Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I got up this morning:  and it seemed quite cool.. not terrible, but cool enough that I went and found a toboggan cap as I sat here surfing the net and waiting for sweet DH to get up.  Found some socks, wrapped up in my fuzzy robe... never realizing that in the heat of the "blazing 70° " of yesterday I completely turn off the heater... as in "OFF"!  and never thought to turn it back on... hmmmph

As I look out the window:  the sun is just rising with just a hint of pink on the horizon. The trees look a little forlorn with their bare, dark limbs slightly swaying against the steel of this morning's sky.

I am hearing:  the patter of coffee cup against coffee pot as DH finds another cuppa.. ;o)

I am thinking:  very little of any consequence this morning.  My brain is doing that ADHD thing and there are so many to choose from it's just not worth spending the time deciding.. lol

I am thankful for:  all the ups and downs in my life ... like everyone else... that lead us to become the persons we are.  However... some days I think I might like to be "just a little bit" of someone else.. ;o)

The one thing I learned this week:  is that I love the idea of a dream catcher.  I would love to think that all the bad thoughts and dreams would become enmeshed in a web before they made it to my dreams.. ;o)


Reading:  but still mostly not.  Seem to be in a reading, creative, hand craft dip.  Hmmm... what's up with that?

Creative news:  Linda B. over at Chloe's Place   is back after a very busy absence.  So happy to see her blog busy again.  She has the most wonderful ideas and lovely crazy quilt embroidery.

Not much else happening during the holiday season.  Seem to be very busy with the details of building the house.... I suppose those decisions could be deemed creative.. ;o)

Am crocheting the edging on my Pi shawl.  Seems just could not figure out how to do the cast on  and knit back for the knitted edging that I really wanted to do.  Anyway, here's how it's coming along...
It's laid out on top of a large crocheted afghan and the pink of that distracts a bit, but if I ever get it finished I'll make sure I take a really good pic.. ;o)

Plans for the rest of the week:  It's the Christmas holidays.. what else is there to say.. ;o)

A picture thought: 

 




Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.  ~Author Unknown








Merry Christmas, everyone!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Today In My Life... Saturday, 12/18/2010










Today is:  Saturday, 12/18/2010


I got up this morning: and wondered how my sweet DH can sleep with all the accumulated accouterments that I now have on my side of the bed.  I guess the lack of my snoring all night must make up for the lack of stretching room.. ;o)  I hope so anyway!

As I look out the window:  I realize the shades are still drawn and the vision of Christmas lights I see so clearly stems from times past when my mom and her husband spent days putting lovely lights all around the house (as did every other house on their block)... and then the wait began.  The wait for the shining eyes, glowing cheeks and laughter as each child in turn was awestruck with all the glittering wonder of the Season. 

I am hearing:  the clock that was made with such care by my sweet DH as it chimes softly the 3/4 hour...telling me that it will soon be 6:00am...

I am thinking:  that it doesn't really matter how many classes you take, professors you listen to, interviews you take part in, spend your days working with... you will never understand a geriatric patient and their thought processes until you are one.

I am thankful for:  old things that are stashed away gathering dust and cobwebs.  The old glasses that allow you to see while that "forever" period passes and new ones are made... the old mouse that still works when the new one dies... the old keyboard that may not be so "ergonomic", but still fits the fingers like comfortable old shoes.

The one thing I learned this week:  isn't just one.. ;o)  But the one that I remember as of this moment is that shea butter is a wonderful thing.  I bought some a couple of years ago..along with many other ingredients...to make my own hand creams.  I did make the hand cream and now have all these ingredients left over.  Shea butter..on it's own.. slathered over the back of very dry hands at night makes a huge difference when you wake up in the morning.  Mine is a tad old and the smell may not be wonderful, but the hands are clapping "thank you"... ;o)

Reading:  but mostly not... I just cannot seem to find a new author that I really like.  I will think I've found one and then it just fades away.  Back to reading David Baldacci's  "The Camel Club"  for the fourteenth (at least) time...

Creativity news: continues to be centered around the Pi shawl I am attempting to make and the most enjoyable friends that are growing into the Red River Fiber Arts group.

The Pi shawl is coming along, but I'm afraid I won't have enough of the New Zealand wool yarn to make it as large as I wanted to make it.  I suppose I could spin  up some Romney in a natural color that would match, but haven't decided yet.  I have started to take it off the knitting needles using a crochet stitch.  Considering doing a very large crochet edging to add another 4" or so to each side... that would add 8 inches to the diameter.  Will see about that..  




Red River Fiber Arts group... see the smiles on the faces and all that food on the table... there is nothing more to add...lol   (Except the secret of the pounds gained... ;o)  What a wonderful, talented and fun group of ladies.







Plans for the rest of the week:  ... hmm.. there's not much week left.  Today is laundry day and will certainly include .. ta da... "the mopping of the floors"....that sounds like it should be some kind of mystic holiday... ;o/ 

A picture thought:  




When you leave a place, leave a small piece of your joy behind as seeds of contentment for the next persons who live there.



Christmas is almost here and regardless what it's called or how much rigmarole is presented by the press... Christmas is a personal thing for each family... they can't change any of that.  ;o)  So have the happiest of times during this Season.  ;o)

Monday, December 13, 2010

Today in My Life... 12/13/2010










Today in my life:   December 13, 2010


I got up this morning:  a little slowly and resentfully.  Between being cold and waking up way too early (2am) ... I was just not in the mood..  But the robe is furry, the socks are wool and the coffee is wonderful.. so all is good.  :o)

I am hearing:  my sweet DH swishing his coffee around his mouth... just like I do.  Something about that swish... just makes it taste better all around. ;o)

As I look out the window:   I see only darkness.  Between the time change and season change, that lovely warm sunrise that we see through the office window comes later and later each day.  Looking forward to another equinox and the changes that will bring.

My one thing I learned this week:   is that when recommendations are made by the doctor, there is usually a really good reason.  Ages back, the Dr. said I needed to sleep with my head raised... just could not see that happening until this week.  My sweet DH bought me a wedge for the bed and guess what... amazing... no more snoring and a massive decrease in heartburn.  But never let it be said that I act on such recommendations in a timely manner.. my reputation would be destroyed...lol

Reading...or current book... or ??? :   I just cannot seem to read more than 2 pages at night without my eyes closing.  Guess my "book" books will just have to take all year to read.  But as for the magazines... ah hah... I've read all my Spin Off magazines at least 4 times this week. I love the part that compares spinning for crochet as opposed to spinning for knitting.  There is a difference. 

Creativity news:  Have finally begun to spread the wings a little bit with my knitting.  Began another Pi shawl using the New Zealand wool hand spun that I did earlier in the year. It started out the same as the other shawl, but for this one I added a very simple (yo k2tog) row followed by 2 rows of stockinette.  These 3 rows repeated make a lovely shawl.  (Got the idea from Pat Blankenship of Confessions of a Fiber Enthusiast.. ;o)  Thanks, Pat. )

Plans for the rest of the week:   Seems no matter how hard I try, I cannot make my hair stop growing.  That means another trip to the beauty shop for the buzz of the shears.  A pot luck Christmas (almost..;o)  dinner with the girls at the RRFA... can't wait for that!   And as for plans for today... wishing daughter Bev the happiest birthday ever... !


And here's a thought:  One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.  Don't clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney