SOMEDAY: Last night as I lay in bed next to a sleeping Jim I started to cry. I wasn’t crying for any real reason… Other than someday we are all going to die. I fear not my own death but those of the people I love. They are my foundation, my earth if you will… What does anyone do without those that they love? I understand the concept of go on, but not really. And as I sat there last night and cried (quietly I didn’t want to wake Jim) I realized something, I am a very lucky person… For many reasons but I am thinking of these ones. I am loved and love so many people. And the VAST MAJORITY of them have been here for the important parts of my life. My parents (whom I love more than life itself) saw me graduate from high school, get my first job, grow up, cry more tears than I knew any one person could cry at once (they have been there for me through this more times than you could believe) have boyfriends, and ultimately get married. Shit my mother was there with me when I decided to live, she’s been there for everything. My Nana was alive long enough for me to love and appreciate a quality homemade dinner the importance of playing games and the peace of a clean home. My Papa was here to see me go into middle school and long enough too for me to love him and not even know that he wasn’t my blood. My blessed Bampi was given as a gift from Heaven and I got to learn to “rope rabbits”, “cut my head off” and know that there is always enough love to go around. Mimi, well she was there until it was okay to go. She waited until Jim told her he was going to ask me to marry him, she waited until Adam was graduating officially, Christy was about to graduate from college, her eggs were all in their nests and it was her time. I have so many other people that I could put in here, probably you! But I chose these people because they are either gone or ill. You probably know that my Mom has stage 4 brain cancer and 2 b lung cancer (and if you want the link to her cares page which I update with changes often send me an email or leave a message here and I will send you an invitation), and my dad has been ill for years… Though lately I feel like I can watch him fade a little more each week, it’s as if mom being sick is literally killing him. All of these people are my rock and someday they are going to leave me… How can I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them?
SOMEHOW: How do I keep them around and at the same time let them know how much I love them? That question is asked and answered within the same question. Look! If you turn is around it says If I show them how much I love them I will keep them around longer. If I fill their bellies with healthy foods, cover their feet and heads with warmness and love, and speak the words they need to hear and I need to say they will be here forever, if not physically then assuredly in my heart. If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near?
SOMEWHERE: If it my heart and actions that make my loved ones immortal then do they need to be near? This is a question that tears at my heart. When my parents are gone do I want to live in the house that has always been “ours”. My address screams to me, it says “I am the happy home of Joy, Jim, Joan and Bob… I am their shelter from the storm. I am the place they come to when they need to shed tears, I am the location of many of their favorite memories, I have been here for a lot of their worst disappointments, I have worked hard to keep them together as a family… I have muffled tears, shouted joys, and spewed forth great gifts from my refrigerator and oven. I am their home.” When it isn’t the four of us anymore will it be home anymore? Or is my home ready to move on too? I don’t know… I guess I will know when the time is right!
For now here is a recipe for you to help make your home a little happier, more productive and well homelike, it’s what I will be doing this weekend.
1 ready made Keebler Pie Crust (I prefer the shortbread, the fat free
Graham Cracker crust is extremely dry)
1 pkg of instant pudding (your flavor of choice)
1 8oz pkg. fat free cream cheese (I use low fat to avoid a lot of fat and chemicals)
1 14 oz can crushed pineapples (in its own juice)
1 container of Cool Whip Free
Combine pudding (dry), cream cheese and pineapple. Stir by hand. Place in pie crust. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour.
I wish for you a peaceful weekend!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
What a day what a day what a day
This one is for Marianne who noted that I haven't been blogging much lately.
Today mom had a TON of doctors' appointments which led to us being in Mass General for many hours 7:00 A - 1:00 P.
What does a person do with that many hours sitting? Well first I got up a few minutes earlier to get an AB workout in. And will run tonight (It is too cold in the morning to run for this heat lover). Then I grabbed my trusty loom and some yarn that mom loves and started the center panel of a 3 panel afghan for her. Today alone I got over 30 inches done! I am SO excited... The loom stitch is a little looser than what I would want for an afghan (not because she will be cold but because I am afraid it will stretch shape) so I have decided that I will edge it in single crochet to keep it stronger. Will that work Tricia? I am hoping so. After I finish this (or maybe before) I need to make 5 pairs of slippers because I promised them to Mom's church for their fair and then I think I will take a break from the constant looming. I have been working hard to get a 30 minute run in daily along with one of my many favorite workout videos. Do you have a favorite workout video? What is it?
This weekend I was able to get a shorter craft day in on Saturday after doing the walk for diabetes it was great and the food and the company was (as always) great. And we now know that Jim loves pumpkin whoopie pies and Marianne's apple crisp.
And Sunday was spent cleaning house and visiting with old friends... Next weekend we have company staying with us (really with my mom) for the weekend AND I might have overbooked myself to boot.
Saturday = Morning - NOTHING
4:00 wedding
7:00 poncho sections of blueman group
AS SOON as that's over Ginette and Patty's LAST party in som'ville
Sunday = Friends coming over for a beading party! I am SO excited about this... For many reasons but MAINLY because you guys will get to read about something other than looming! And then dinner with the guests and the WHOLE (as my Bampi would say) Fam Damily!
So next week there will be pictures... I thinking pictures of crafts being made and done ones too, maybe even a few of the fam.
Have a great one
Today mom had a TON of doctors' appointments which led to us being in Mass General for many hours 7:00 A - 1:00 P.
What does a person do with that many hours sitting? Well first I got up a few minutes earlier to get an AB workout in. And will run tonight (It is too cold in the morning to run for this heat lover). Then I grabbed my trusty loom and some yarn that mom loves and started the center panel of a 3 panel afghan for her. Today alone I got over 30 inches done! I am SO excited... The loom stitch is a little looser than what I would want for an afghan (not because she will be cold but because I am afraid it will stretch shape) so I have decided that I will edge it in single crochet to keep it stronger. Will that work Tricia? I am hoping so. After I finish this (or maybe before) I need to make 5 pairs of slippers because I promised them to Mom's church for their fair and then I think I will take a break from the constant looming. I have been working hard to get a 30 minute run in daily along with one of my many favorite workout videos. Do you have a favorite workout video? What is it?
This weekend I was able to get a shorter craft day in on Saturday after doing the walk for diabetes it was great and the food and the company was (as always) great. And we now know that Jim loves pumpkin whoopie pies and Marianne's apple crisp.
And Sunday was spent cleaning house and visiting with old friends... Next weekend we have company staying with us (really with my mom) for the weekend AND I might have overbooked myself to boot.
Saturday = Morning - NOTHING
4:00 wedding
7:00 poncho sections of blueman group
AS SOON as that's over Ginette and Patty's LAST party in som'ville
Sunday = Friends coming over for a beading party! I am SO excited about this... For many reasons but MAINLY because you guys will get to read about something other than looming! And then dinner with the guests and the WHOLE (as my Bampi would say) Fam Damily!
So next week there will be pictures... I thinking pictures of crafts being made and done ones too, maybe even a few of the fam.
Have a great one
Monday, October 09, 2006
Little gifts
I dropped off little hats I loomed for my friend Jenn's kids last night.
I made a baby hat (with beads) and bigger hats for the bigger sisters and now I am going to make one for Jenn because she fell in love with it!
I will post a picture of Jenn's when I am finished.
I have made a ton of pairs of socks on my loom (they are really more like slippers) and I am convinced that I must make myself a pair of pipi longstocking - esque socks to wear whilst skiing this winter. How much fun (not to mention how cute) will that be?
I could even make a matching hat! LOVE IT...
Also I have gotten back into running. Even with my lost iPod (how sad is that?)
I have gone back to the good old days AKA the 80s and pulled out a cassette walkman) and this morning I listened to Pleasant DeSpain
http://www.storypro.com/
Tell the story about Sri Lanka and the 3 Princes... Pleasant is known for Story weaves and this one was a little hard to follow. Here is a little about the 3 Princes:
Origin of the term "serendipity"
The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip [my note: "Serendip" is the ancient name for Sri Lanka. This is originally a Persian tale] is based upon the life of Persian king Bahram Gur who ruled the Sasanian Empire from ca. 420-440 AD. Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh 1010 AD, Nizami's Haft Paykar 1197 AD, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht 1302 AD), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. With the exception of the well-known camel story, English translations are very hard to come by.
In the camel story, the Three Princes use trace clues to precisely identify a camel they have never seen (lame; blind in one eye; missing a tooth; carrying a pregnant maiden; bearing honey on one side and butter on the other). This result of abductive reasoning is not what is meant by serendipity (the discovery of something NOT sought). Because of their cleverness and sagacity, they are accused of stealing the camel and are about to be put to death by Bahram Gur. Suddenly and without anyone seeking him out, a traveler steps forward to say that he has just seen the missing camel wandering in the desert. Bahram spares the lives of the Three Princes, lavishes them with rich rewards and appoints them as advisors. These rewards are the unsought (serendipitous) results of their sagacious insights.
There are other examples of the Princes receiving unsought rewards (marriage to a beautiful princess, kingdoms, wealth, etc.) from their accidental discoveries. The fact that they can make clever or accidental discoveries and breakthroughs is a result of their intelligence, wisdom and reasoning. The unsought rewards come later. Thus, stumbling upon a captive slave girl in a forest is a serendipitous occurrence. Deducing that the slave girl they rescued is actually a Princess is not the serendipitous moment – rather, this occurs later when they receive lavish gifts as a reward.
More contemporaneously, because we put great value on scientific breakthroughs and insights themselves (e.g., the waxy polymer residue (Teflon) in an uncooperative gas cylinder), these are considered to be the unsought serendipitous rewards of clever reasoning, hard work and luck.
Billie Susan N. 12/16/05
His story that he wove with it was about his father (okay that made sense) and baggage (okay maybe) and then his trip to Sri Lanka (Yup he lost me there)
I love to listen to Pleasant weave and often suggest to J that he learn how to do weaves but this one wasn't his best
I made a baby hat (with beads) and bigger hats for the bigger sisters and now I am going to make one for Jenn because she fell in love with it!
I will post a picture of Jenn's when I am finished.
I have made a ton of pairs of socks on my loom (they are really more like slippers) and I am convinced that I must make myself a pair of pipi longstocking - esque socks to wear whilst skiing this winter. How much fun (not to mention how cute) will that be?
I could even make a matching hat! LOVE IT...
Also I have gotten back into running. Even with my lost iPod (how sad is that?)
I have gone back to the good old days AKA the 80s and pulled out a cassette walkman) and this morning I listened to Pleasant DeSpain
http://www.storypro.com/
Tell the story about Sri Lanka and the 3 Princes... Pleasant is known for Story weaves and this one was a little hard to follow. Here is a little about the 3 Princes:
Origin of the term "serendipity"
The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip [my note: "Serendip" is the ancient name for Sri Lanka. This is originally a Persian tale] is based upon the life of Persian king Bahram Gur who ruled the Sasanian Empire from ca. 420-440 AD. Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh 1010 AD, Nizami's Haft Paykar 1197 AD, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht 1302 AD), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. With the exception of the well-known camel story, English translations are very hard to come by.
In the camel story, the Three Princes use trace clues to precisely identify a camel they have never seen (lame; blind in one eye; missing a tooth; carrying a pregnant maiden; bearing honey on one side and butter on the other). This result of abductive reasoning is not what is meant by serendipity (the discovery of something NOT sought). Because of their cleverness and sagacity, they are accused of stealing the camel and are about to be put to death by Bahram Gur. Suddenly and without anyone seeking him out, a traveler steps forward to say that he has just seen the missing camel wandering in the desert. Bahram spares the lives of the Three Princes, lavishes them with rich rewards and appoints them as advisors. These rewards are the unsought (serendipitous) results of their sagacious insights.
There are other examples of the Princes receiving unsought rewards (marriage to a beautiful princess, kingdoms, wealth, etc.) from their accidental discoveries. The fact that they can make clever or accidental discoveries and breakthroughs is a result of their intelligence, wisdom and reasoning. The unsought rewards come later. Thus, stumbling upon a captive slave girl in a forest is a serendipitous occurrence. Deducing that the slave girl they rescued is actually a Princess is not the serendipitous moment – rather, this occurs later when they receive lavish gifts as a reward.
More contemporaneously, because we put great value on scientific breakthroughs and insights themselves (e.g., the waxy polymer residue (Teflon) in an uncooperative gas cylinder), these are considered to be the unsought serendipitous rewards of clever reasoning, hard work and luck.
Billie Susan N. 12/16/05
His story that he wove with it was about his father (okay that made sense) and baggage (okay maybe) and then his trip to Sri Lanka (Yup he lost me there)
I love to listen to Pleasant weave and often suggest to J that he learn how to do weaves but this one wasn't his best
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