Today's progress

The dark background is a purple patchwork of hue and texture. The central cross is slated to be clear. Note the wounds are mirrors.

Love Note

My client and I discovered this note in his sweater pocket. Written by a grand daughter.

So Many Pieces

So little time. But with any task, slow and steady wins the race.

It would be nice to find an indoor heated venue to do the grinding. Can't grind glass in the cold. It will shatter. Maybe something will become available.

Slow and steady.

Two Thumbs Up!

Progress has many scales of measure.

I love this project

I was asked to design a window from the stained glass that was salvaged from our church's old front doors.

Limited colors; antique and brittle. To date, I've cracked both thumbs. Still an honor to create this work. Carte blanche. The bigger the better was the only input.

Twenty four hours might not be enough

Today is filled with have to dos and overflowing with want to dos. Therefore the only thing to do is slow down and breathe.

A Sad Day

Got some sad news about a friend, Eddie. Not unexpected, but crushing all the same.

I feel powerless. Maybe that's the blessing.

The Gift

This weekend has for six years of this families life been marked by the 30 Hour Famine. Last minute logistics has moved the event to January.

On any given day someone in this family has to be somewhere, or doing something. Our calendar gets booked up weeks in advance...

But with this scheduling change we have been handed the rarest gift of all: TIME.

A Blessing.

My Own Private 5K

Last July, the carrot to resume running, and an item on my bucket list, was to run the local Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. The motto: Run Early. Eat All Day. In September, after slowly building up my time and mileage, I was running the 3 miles neighborhood loop. Mid October I was looking at knee surgery. Not from the running, but from an old injury that had plagued me on and off for a few years. It was time to get it fixed.

Two weeks ago today I had that surgery. Yesterday, Thanksgiving, with my race shirt on, under my usual two jackets, I walked 3.1 miles. My time 1 hour flat.

And my daughter: She ran in the race finishing in 19.36. Coming in first for her age group.

A Christmas Story

"You should see  how it looks from out here!"

Thankful for Friends

Both near and far

Friends who pop over with soup and stew. Knowing the cook is hobbling. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Friends who gather to knit is silence over tea. Our friendships are golden. Be at peace.
Two o'clock friends whose swan song is: call me, beep me... anytime you'll reach me. Friends who lend a hand first and then inquire about details once the dust settles. Preferably over a glass of wine. Thank you.
For my dear friend who shares the depth of silent meditation. Thank you for your blessings. May they multiple as I pass them on to others.Someday we must visit the Gurumayi.
Disney friends, you keep me young -- even if it's only "young at heart." Remember it all started with a mouse.
Farming friends, thank you for sharing your calves. My life is forever richer is a way money could never buy.
My dear dear clients who are now friends. I love you, as it should be.

Blogger friends who share honey and eggs. While others challenge me to be more organized while growing intellectually, spiritually, and working towards shrinking physically. Your daily words of inspiration help me immeasurably. I have no words to adequately describe the closeness I feel for you and your families; despite our many miles.  It's always a blessing when our paths physically cross, even if it's just to say hi, or head out for a walk around Tinmouth Pond, rather than via blogging comment chains. Though I cherish both.

Thank you.

Mine, Mine, Mine

When we claim ownership, we will always find a way to succeed. Like the Good Shepherd. "I know mine, and my sheep know me."

Today I am thankful for my religious ed. students. For they teach me so much, in and out of the classroom.

Don't Get Mad. Get Glad.

Found out yesterday that the 30 hour famine is being postponed until Martin Luther King weekend. I got mad. For more than a month our Thanksgiving planning has had this important community service project earmarked for Friday and Saturday.

I was irritable. My daughter would be disappointed. She has been fundraising and really preparing for this event, her first famine. What about all the donations already collected? People's checks being held for months... The old jingle: Don't Get Mad. Get Glad. kept repeating like a marque across my brain. That little voice whispered it in my ear.

While out running an errand with my husband I admitted I was stuck in a funk. (Like he couldn't tell...) Admitted I knew better. But knowing and doing are two different things. I also mentioned that I wanted to, somehow during our Sunday, visit my clients.

His solution was to go out of our way to drop me off at their house while he did one more quick errand. He would do that? ... Thirty two minutes later, two very happy clients later, one more at peace me, and I could only be Glad.

And what of the collected donations? We will send them to World Vision with a note that they are for a future event. No problem.

Today I'm thankful for my husband's quick mind.

Gatepost Tours

On an after dark walking tour of Concord, MA where all things spooky and historic were discussed and conjecture proposed. Great Evening. Great Tour Company. Great Friends.

A Mother's Pride and Joy

(Image from Wikipedia)

Three girls

1. Off to DC to join in a rally promoting child safety. You go girl. Be safe.

2. Participating in her first World Vision 30 Hour Famine Friday/Saturday after Thanksgiving. Raising money to fight world hunger. Her goal is to feed 2 children for 1 year. Email or comment if you would like to sponsor her.

3. The little one, too little for DC or the Famine, contributed to the Thanksgiving Food Drive at her school and switched to the bass clarinet in band. It has always been her dream to play something big. She's now playing an instrument that almost matches her heart size.

Food shopping

Don't take it for granted. Don't lament the prospect of having to negotiate the skinny aisles against the carriage tide.

Many would love to food shop but don't have the means to pay for their groceries. Very sad. Make a donation to your local food pantry. Others have physical limitations that keep them home bound. Sad as well.

One week of limited mobility taught me to never take walking for granted. Never. Ever.

Grocery shopping today, with no pain or crutches I felt Liberated. I will strive to remember that feeling every time I have to do the food shopping.

A Burning Desire

A week today since surgery and I have this burning desire to move like I used to, even a week ago. Tied down by pain. (I think it's the arthritis the dr spoke about.) Refusing to dip into the release of narcotics.

Last night I tried an OTC solution. This morning almost pain free. Feeling like this grasshopper when it was returned to the backyard, I'm going for a walk today. Lesson in freedom noted.

Walk It Off

Recovery is a balance between inactivity and activity. After giving resting and a pill the opportunity to make my knee feel better, with limited (truly no) relief, walking gets its chance. And it works.

My knee does not respond well to inactivity. Hence, these sleepless nights. Must get up and pace the floor.

Pain: An Interesting Regulator

The nurse called and asked how I was doing? Great was my reply. The only thing that really hurts is my calf. It feels like its one big cramp.

After giving me the warning signs as to when I should call the surgeon or visit the emergency room her parting words were, "Do whatever the pain allows."

So slowly I negotiated the two flights of stairs in our house with the goal of cooking dinner. Then calmly and with almost a sweeping motion I cleaned up the kitchen. Always listening to my leg. Pain here, a twinge there, reporting back that maybe it's time to rest. No pain meds, or with the goal to postpone them as long as possible. And to keep moving even if it's slowly.

Merry Christmas Mom

Yesterday my middle lovely presented to me a brand new hand knit, by her, scarf. Merry Christmas Mom!

Lucky me on so many levels.

Thank God for knee surgery?

Yes, on so many levels.

HEY BRO' in the background!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUDE!
Love, Your Blister


Can't wait for Thanksgiving Eve. Cooking with you starts the holiday season off right on so many levels.

Blessings of Insomnia

Realized two this morning:
1. Finding great inspiration via social media. Really did you ever think Facebook would be such a wellspring?

2. Figuring out yet another quick class opener activity: Writing a blind group acrostic poem. Hand out the numbered letters H O W G R E A T T H O U A R T

Give the students 3 minutes to write a phrase about how they feel when they realize God is a constant in their life.

When they are done have them write their thoughts in order on poster board.

FAST and to the point. Small but effective.

Can you guess?

We all have to be able to laugh at ourselves. Somedays it's all fun and giggles. Others it's the laughter that carries us through. Can you guess what I caught in this image?

Check the comments for the answer and have a great day.

Again from Facebook

I am really loving how I can grab images on my iPhone. Thank you Apple.

I was comparing and contrasting my two very different Confirmation I classes, one long standing, the other all new students, one settled, the other very active, when I realized the blessing I have been handed. I have two very different wonder filled classes. How lucky could I be? I'm blessed with opportunities to pray, think, and teach way way way outside the box. Last time we met FAITH and juggling balloons. Next time PRAYER. Starting with pizza and a movie. I can't wait to teach.

It is by receiving that we can then give

Out picking up supplies to make care packages for sister Girl Scouts in the NY/NJ area hit by Sandy, the phrase, It is in giving that we receive, was running through my head. That and the fact that Saint Pope Pius X (One of my heroes) would comment something to the effect, "God is great. I give 1 million dollars away in the morning and two million walks through my door in the afternoon."

And then it dawned on me, I have this backwards. For it is in Receiving that we are able to Give. It is in receiving God's greatest gift -- His Grace -- that we are able to see our ultimate purpose here on Earth.

Pope Pius X was the first pope to push for receiving the Eucharist more than once or twice a year. He also lowered the age of receiving First Communion to 7 years.

This Morning

This morning I woke to the smell of heat. If you live in a place that gets cold anytime of the year you know what I mean. It's that smell when the furnace is running and hot water, or steam, is being pushed through the radiators. Heating the house so it's nice and cozy.

And I thought of the people in New York and New Jersey. Many (most) still without heat on this cold morning. I'm sure the stiff upper lip, survivalist mentality, that joy of camping and  outdoor cooking with neighbors and friends wears thin when you wake up and can see your breathe inside what's left of your home.

Say a prayer for those waking up cold this morning.
Now remember there are people, men, women, and children that wake up cold and homeless everyday without Sandy's intercession.

What you do matters.

Monday

Mondays have taken on a new meaning. But like all swords it's two edged. On one side I have the privilege of hanging out with a dozen great youth for just over an hour talking about the importance of a life centered on God. The other side, I'm with 12 youth for 75 minutes acknowledging their questions on the importance of God in their life. See much of a difference?

I love it when I find real world quips via social media. Tonight's topics are FAITH, and PRAYER.

Paradise?

I had the blessing of meeting up with women friends for a coffee and knitting. It was an interesting hour. We've been friends forever. Introduced through our children and school.

Conversations transitioned like a river flowing from children, health, relationships. We hit rapids, eddies, and quiet pools in the conversations that criss crossed the room. I enjoyed observing the tide.

Then home, I appreciate my slice of paradise.

Garden Surprise

Cilantro reseeded and growing. Fresh home grown winter herbs. Nice.

New Project

This is a donation for out parish new kitchenette in the lower church. The glass is from the old front doors that were replaced 6 years ago. There is not much color selection so it will be an interesting study in planning.

It's Here!

How touching. Disney put up these signs to remind the world of my birthday. Yup! Now all I need to do is color my hair.

A Funny Thing About Cows

When calves have the runs their backside needs to be washed. Especially their tails which could fall off when the feces hardens. Cutting off the circulation.

But no matter how gentle a calf is, chances are they don't appreciate someone grabbing them by the tail. So to accomplish tail washing, I rub the animals head and neck first. Some animals love being touched. Others strain on their collar to give them a greater distance. Not letting up, I gently speak to them, and rub them until they relax, then one hand with the warm wet cloth on the tail and the other still on their head, I wash. (Both hands wearing gloves.)

The funny thing about calves happens when you move down the line to wash the next tail, with a fresh and clean warm cloth. For while trying to calm and reassure the next washing victim, who is trying to be at a greater distance, the previously hesitant but now clean calf is butting in, looking for more of that good rubbing.

It's a good thing we don't have calves here at the house. For I would be out there with them, day and night. Treating them like oversized lap dogs. Now that's an image that will stay with you quite a long time.