|
|
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
|
carol_da_queen
|
|
|
Wonderful visit with Becca~
Rigel cuddling with Kona!!
Last meal together before Shauna and Sarah headed off to the airport.
The new year is off to a good start...wish I was sleeping better...but oh well. Mantra remains 'beauty and simplicity'...
Hugs to Erin as she goes through some medical tests...never any fun.
Hugs to Sarah and Shauna as they get back to the chilly east coast...
I bought a surprise for Rick today...will post pics in a few days when it arrives! He is very hard to shop for...and this I know will be a big success!
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
|
sidur_mishpacha
|
|
|
My grandmother turned 96* on December 29. (Just for the record, her seventeenth great-grandchild was born the previous day and attended the party at all of 26 hours old.) Anyway, I hadn't gotten anything for her or even sent a card--I simply couldn't think of anything that wasn't rote and she and I don't do rote. But I called and talked for quite a while and in the course of the conversation, realized that there was something I could do: get her hard copy of Deborah's blog. She simply doesn't have the opportunity to get on line to read it.
Over the last few days, I've been working on that. Deborah has written 34,000 words so far. It was a real treat to read from beginning to end and see the journey--not just physical, but in all ways, taking shape. There really is an arc developing that is the classic hero's journey/quest. She's posted a bunch of pictures as well, so I downloaded a bunch and inserted them into the text. Spent a lot of time playing with format, but it came out really well. What is most fun is that Deborah wrote a post this morning about her new housing arrangement. It's dated January 4 (because, of course, it January 4 in Australia). So I have the book printed and mailed before part of it was even written. Feels very time-travelish.
About that "mailed'--went to the post office and used the automatic print-your-postage machine. And knew that there was a weight limit. And was so sure the book didn't weigh more than a pound that I ignored the print-out saying it weighed 1 3/4 pounds. So tomorrow I'll head to the post office to head off the bomb squad or whatever (Dave was so insistently negative about the odds of rescuing it that I yelled at him. The mail doesn't get picked up until noon. I'm sure that if I get in when it opens, it will still be sitting there. The hazards of being married to a pessimist (even one who claims to be be a realist).)
This evening I went around to my neighbors delivering fudge. I had made a mess of it to bring to a party, but I made so much extra that I was able to deliver four little plates. The delight in everyone's eyes! Can't wait to do it again.
Jan 4 Edit: I stood in line at the post office this morning for a long time, finally made it to the clerk, who dug up the package and asked me what the problem was. I explained that I thought I was supposed to hand it to a clerk because it's over 13 oz. She looked at me like I was a few cents short of adequate postage and told me that, no, since I'd purchased the postage at their little kiosk, it was fine. Seems silly, although I just realized that it's probably because I used my VISA card--that is, it's traceable. Anyway, a complete waste of time.
*![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) bjohnson has written about keyn aynhara a bit, so it's on my mind. The phrase literally means: like (k-) there is no (eyn) eye of (ayn) the evil [one] (ha-ra), and is a way to ward off evil in the face of good fortune. If I were another generation, I would have inserted that phrase at the asterisk. It feels a little risky somehow to rejoice in the good without acknowledging the possible evil. I don't have any particular belief in evil as an active force in the universe, but certainly know how precarious existence is, so it seems a way to acknowledge that precariousness. And writing about it as a footnote is a way to both say and not say the words.
|
|
Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, January 1st, 2010
|
erinubear
|
|
|
Dear Friends,
It is January 1, 2010! Wow! I want to wish everyone all the best for the New Year - good health, which is such a precious thing....times of happiness and enjoyment.....times of togetherness with people you love.....and peace, peace, peace.
Love,
Erin
|
|
Comments: Read 6 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
|
carol_da_queen
|
|
|
Walking the labyrinth tonight under a huge full moon. Candles and luminaria creating soft shadows, Anonymous 4 playing gently in the background. Picked up a word card, as I sometimes do, when walking the labyrinth. This one said 'Beauty'...not what I expected somehow, but the idea of focusing on beauty in 2010 has some appeal. 2009's word had been courage, and with the illness, and death of my Mom in June, courage was indeed required.Tonight had the feel of a beginning, rather than an ending. Not sure why. Walking in my down coat, hands tucked into my pockets for warmth, beauty and simplicity felt like good themes for the coming year. I want to literally and figuratively do some major cleaning out...20 years of adding stuff has meant that we have much that should be shared - donated and or given away.
The indoor labyrinth is smaller, and softer, walked in socks quietly. The scent of the candles is lovely, and the music fills the space perfectly.
Wishing all a peaceful and mindful start to 2010.
Now to go write the correct date on my next 5 checks so I don't have to correct them.
Farewell to the 'oughts' or naughties or whatever this past decade was...
the little male Anna's hummingbird sipping fresh nectar on New Year's Eve
|
|
Comments: Read 7 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
|
iandjones
|
|
|
Hi all, remember me? LOL.
I wanted to write an actual blog entry here because, well, the 140 characters Twitter allows doesn't feel like it's quite enough - and I'm still only (very) tentatively using the Notes feature over on FB... So here goes. Heh, I've become so lax in blogging that I don't really know if anyone reads this anymore. "Hi" to those who are still here.
Since my last update here on LJ, I've had surgery to implant the Vagus Nerve Stimulator, manufactured by Cyberonics. This, you might remember me bringing up, was done to help control my seizures - and cut back on the medications. A lot of people (~80%) have had some level of success with the device, so I figured the odds were in my favor. So, being undeterred from the vocal minority... I decided "nothing ventured, nothing gained." In other words, I gave it a shot, almost a month ago now. The surgery was uneventful, recovery was good 'n normal. Nothing unexpected. The only hiccup during the whole process was that my doctor ended up having her vacation soon after the surgery...so we couldn't turn it on quite as soon as we'd hoped. That was disappointing. I kept feeling like I had come so far only to have to wait a bit longer....kind of like a long drive somewhere only to find your destination's closed for lunch... Then the doubts started to creep in about if it was even worth it. I kept having to remind myself that this'll give me some (sense of) control over my seizures. That kept me going until we turned it on.
I'm pleased to say, the waiting ended today - it was turned on. It's currently programmed to go off every 5 minutes for 30 seconds, sending .25 milliamps of electricity up the vagus nerve to the brain. I had no idea what it would feel like when it stimulated the nerve...I'd heard it was sort of a sore throat feeling - and maybe it is, once you get up to the higher range of dosage... But at .25 mA, I only feel like I've got to burp. I can live with this, totally.
How it works, they're not sure. That's often the case in the medical field... They just know that for 2/3 of patients, it does something.
So, today a new leg of my adventures begins with my seizures...hopefully, this will be a happier part of the journey. We'll see, though, whatever happens. Between my schoolwork, FB and Twitter, I may not be here as much (you've probably gathered that by now...) but when I think of it, I'll blog about how things are going with this device. I'm excited to see how it performs.
|
|
Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
|
carol_da_queen
|
|
|
Shauna and Sarah helped today with cleaning out the linen closet that has also become home to all the wrapping paper and gift bags. Lots. In fact I suspect they have been multiplying in the dark. I also cleaned the sewing room...much neater, much yarn found that I can donate, and several nice projects unearthed and now lined up to be finished.
Had fun looking at the photos of slides from our childhoods...Margie had them put on disk, and I took a trip down memory lane today with the girls. Wish Rosie could have been here as well.
Carol at 3 or so
and now present day peeps
Hugs
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
Monday, December 28th, 2009
|
|
Saturday, December 26th, 2009
|
casner6
|
|
|
I'm not sure how to link to my gallery, but if I link to one picture you should be able to see the gallery:
|
|
Comments: Read 5 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, December 25th, 2009
|
carol_da_queen
|
|
|
A lovely holiday together. Ornament exchange at the Alexanders last weekend which netted me a gorgeous red glass lobster ornament. Shauna and I making cookies... Shauna working on her beaded jewelry gifts and commissioned pieces...Rosie arriving and the dogs go into orbit.
Lively brass choir at the services last night- made the familiar carols really rock. Rick's birthday went well- great food and company. Up this morning, opened presents, ate our traditional orange rolls, lolled about. The dogs loved the whole thing. We then went for a tapas/appetizer supper at Rick's brother Jim's. Great to see the cousins enjoy each other.
A few pics of the festivities-
|
|
Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
|
sidur_mishpacha
|
|
|
I've been sick the last few days, but--in addition to antibiotics--nothing makes me feel better than a good rant. So I'm attaching my critique of Jacob Neusner's very public decision to return to Reform Judaism. Don't know who's likely to read this, but it's got academic, Jewish, and post-modern references for anyone who likes that sort of thing. And, actually, all you Jews of the younger generation--might not be a bad introduction to some of the issues y'all are facing and will continue to face.
( In which I hate on Neusner... )
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
themeadowlark
|
|
|
Nothing says Christmas like making your mom's christmas cookies for the first time all on your own and calling her at least three times (so far!) to ask questions :) The house is starting to smell of cinnamon and allspice :)
Merry Christmas everyone!
|
|
Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
|
firstofive
|
|
|
After a good night's sleep, I'm up early, excited by the magic of the day.
we're effectively snowed in, with a foot or so of snow. Will post more pictures when the sun is up! Don't yet know if we will be able to get out to have Christmas with Twila!
|
|
Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
contemplative.
peaceful.
contemplative.
creative.
amused.
content.
argumentative.
awake.