Author: Monica

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Christmas Prep

Christmas holiday preparations are in full swing and on track at our house – at least I think so anyway.  The exterior is just about done.  I went outside yesterday afternoon, taking advantage of the last warm sunny day on the horizon, and put a few finishing touchs to the greenery and wreath.  As I dive into the pile of boxes stacked in the garage I may find a few more “finishing touches”, but for now, I’m satisfied.

Inside, it’s still ordinary time.  The holiday baking has commenced along  with its unavoidable Christmas kitchen counter clutter.   This in itself makes the idea of dragging extra stuff into the house seem wrong.

I did pull one item out and decorated Izzie so technically, whichever room she occupies at any given time is decorated.  Since she moves freely inside and out, she never clutters any area for more than a few hours and then, unlike the other clutter, she will move at my say so.  If only the rest could be so easy!  Maybe that’s why “Bewitched” was such a popular program in the ’60s.  The very thought of being able to just wiggle my nose and have the entire house right itself is just amazing – and of course – too good to be true.

Happily, though the inside of our house may be lagging a bit, I can honestly say that my heart is fully decorated and in the spirit of the season.  I am happy where I am and with what I am doing – at least for today! TTFN

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Decorating the Porch

Saturday morning Dave and I decorated the outside of our house for Christmas.  In past years this consisted of sticking a wreath on the front door and calling it a day.  It just didn’t seem worth taking the time to garnish our exterior with anything else.

This year my huge front porch with white spindled railing seemed to beg for greenery.  So Friday afternoon on my way back from town, I stopped by the Corner Store and picked up two rolls of white pine roping to be ready to decorate first thing the next morning.

At first Dave wasn’t as enthused about the project as I was.  I don’t think decorating the porch had been on his agenda for the day.  Things went from tenuous to dicey when he attempted to unroll the first bundle.  We both misunderstood how the thing came to be rolled up in the first place and spent a good half hour untangling the thing before we could be started with the actual “fun”.  After watching Dave fumble with the knot for awhile, I decided that with my expertise in untangling yarn, that I was better suited for the task.  Wrong.  The tangle of wire and cording caught and twisted in the evergreen boughs was no match for me either.  Finally we decided to make a cut and move on.

The tangle behind us, we debated artistic vision for a few minutes and then moved on to the actual winding the greenery around the porch rail.  Eventually we achieved a rhythm and finished up in no time.  I took a left over piece of roping and wrapped it around the light post while Dave added some clear twinkle lights to the greenery.  He plugged in the lights and miracle of miracles; they worked!

Later that evening as we slowly backed out the drive on our way to the company Christmas party, we admired our handiwork.  It was beautiful and oh so welcoming later that night when we returned.

I’m glad I decided to go the extra step this year, tangles and all….. on to the inside!

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To B&B or Not to B&B

There have been times in the past when Dave and I have fantacized about opening a B&B in the mountains.  We imagined it would be a quiet life, welcoming travelers to our home, offering an oasis of peace and serenity from the world.

Well, that part of the deal is rewarding as well as a lot of fun.  The flip-side is that there is also a great deal of work involved!  This past Thanksgiving weekend provides a case in point.

Because we are beginning new traditions in our new home, we invited Maggie’s boyfriend, Jan’s family to join us in our Thanksgiving celebration.  Invitations accepted, menus determined and the “who’s bring what” negotiated, our guests arrived last Wednesday evening.  There were Jan’s parents; Arwed and Teresa, his sister, Isolde, Maggie and Jan and their two cats; Rupert and Ivan.  Total in the household – seven adults, four cats.

The holiday celebration was awesome.  The weather was unexpectedly warm.  We spent most of Thanksgiving Day sitting in the backyard listening to the birds and watching Izzie and Rupert explore.  Rupert discovered tree climbing in a big way.  Izzie was just delighted to have a playmate to share the outdoors with.

The relaxed atmosphere took me a bit off course in terms of meal planning so we ate dinner several hours later than planned.  In retrospect, I am happy to report that instead of spending hours in the kitchen to produce a perfect meal, I spent a relaxing day with family and friends and produced an acceptable meal.  The nourishment of the soul was so much more rewarding.

That evening we built a fire in the yard and sat around it, watching it blaze, our stomachs pleasantly full.  When the fire died down, we retreated to the family room where we huddled around the TV, the modern “fire” and watched a very odd movie.  It was all very cozy, the way Thanksgiving evening should be.

The rest of the weekend followed in step.  We were all very relaxed with each other and enjoyed the absence of any type of schedule or itinerary.

So you’re wondering, where’s the work?  It sounds like a vacation, doesn’t it?

Well, it is if you’re not the person responsible for making the coffee, taking out the trash, cooking, loading and unloading the dishwasher and keeping the bathrooms stocked with TP.  Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that bad, but it was work.  Then there are the mountains of sheets and towels to wash and beds to remake.  The truth be told, although I enjoy a clean home, I don’t really enjoy cleaning  my home – at least not to the level I like it to be when guests arrive.

So, I guess I’m going to scratch the whole B&B idea off my list – at least owning one.  I would love to do some travelling and stay at one, or two….

Oh, there goes the buzzer on the dryer, gotta go!

 

 

 

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Thanksgiving Thoughts

Well the house is almost clean, the turkey is almost thawed and I’m planning on baking pies this afternoon.  In a few minutes I’m going to take a break and head off to the gym to pump up for the big finish of preparations.

Before I head out the door, I thought I’d just take a few minutes to express my gratitude for all the people who have contributed to the richness of my life…..

… for my parents.  I was fortunate to be born into a warm, loving, hard working family where I was nurtured and encouraged to develop my gifts and share them…

… for my husband.  Our start had some rocky moments, but in all my “prince charming” dreams I never could have imagined anyone who would suit me so perfectly…

… for my children.  Although not the cookie cutter soccer kids of their generation, Maggie and Andy have surpassed imaginary children my sister and I used to chat about at our tea parties…

… for my grandchildren.  What a wonderful surprise to have gained a whole family in the adoption process!

… for my extended family.  I have been blessed with such a diverse tribe of brothers, sisters, in-laws, and cousins which together form a crazy quilt of races, religions and nationalities singing in an imperfect harmony.

… for my friends.  There are so many of you!  I’ve moved around a lot and have always found kindred spirits along the way.  You are all so dear to me.

… for my four legged friends.  It’s been so wonderful to have something furry to cuddle – or not.

…. for the beauty of God’s creation.  I’ve listed this last, but it is so not the least.  I am thankful for the whole lot – the sun, rain and snow, seashore, mountains and deserts and so very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given to see them all.

Thanks for listening to my gush.  May your Thanksgiving provide you not only nourishment for your body but also for your soul.

 

 

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Kitten Rescue

Last night while Dave and I were catching up on the DVR, Andy called with a question only his mother could answer.  “Mom, a kitten showed up on my doorstep.  What should I do?”  In the background I could hear the quacking – mews of a kitten mixed with loud purrs.

I know how much he loves cats.   Except for the three years we lived in Hawaii, we have always had at least one cat member of our family.

When he was home in October, he went with me up to the SPCA to look at dogs.  Seeing the wall-to-wall cats, we decided we really wanted another cat instead of a dog.  Andy and I fell in love with this little guy, who we were going to name “Ralphie” (because it looks like he shot his eye out.)  When I went back, Ralphie was gone, and Purrl came home with us instead.

Knowing how irresistable a kitten can be.  I told him that he really should look for its owner.  He is already caring for two cats in the apartment he sublets and will be moving back home next months for an extended stay.  He suggested he could leave some food for the kitten on his porch but was afraid a coyote might get it.

I pushed for finding the owner.  “Okay,” he said, “I’ll call you back.”

About fifteen minutes later, he called back.  He’d found the kitten’s home.  While he was walking through his apartment complex he came across a guy and his kids.  The fellow didn’t know where the cat lived, but the kids did.  They ran off to the kitten’s home with their dad and Andy in tow.  Andy said they found a door cracked open with a dish of cat food on the stoop.  A very relieved young woman and toddler met him at the door.

Andy was very happy about the reunion.  He definitely had to go outside his comfort zone to go door to door looking for this kitten’s home, but his desire to insure the safety of this little creature out-trumped his shyness.

I think there is a lesson there for the both of us.  Sometimes leaving our comfort zones can lead us to great joy.  Carrying a fuzzy kitten certainly helps…. Maybe that’s where the idea ov

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Wrong Time, Right Place

Okay.  I admit I’ve been away for a while.  I suppose you want to know what I’ve been up to this past week or so.  Well, here goes.

Most of last week I struggled with my cold.  It didn’t slow me down too much, but I did take naps most afternoons.

Friday morning, I decided to go to Harris Teeter to pick up my 47 cents per pound turkey before my Prayer Shawl meeting.  I took my time going up and down the aisles, filling my cart with their specials knowing I had until 11:00.  After a while, I glanced down at my watch and discovered it was 10:50.  I hurried to the checkout where I stood behind an older gentleman with a few items in his cart and many questions regarding his receipt.  I realized patience was my best course of action since nobody would care if I was late.

After loading my groceries into the back of the CRV, I climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.  I happened to glance at the clock and noticed that it read 10:15.  Oops!  Apparantly I never adjusted my watch when we fell back with the clocks a couple of weeks ago.  As my reality sinqed with the real world, I realized I would be really early for meeting instead of late.  I decided to head over to Starbucks for a latte.

With my latte and lemon pound cake in hand, I drove across the street to the church and gave my friend Sarah a call to kill some time.  As we were talking, I happened to notice some steam or smoke coming from the engine.  Glancing at the temperature gauge, I saw my engine was hot – something I’ve never seen on this car.  So, I said goodbye to Sarah. popped the hood and gave Dave a call.

My phone was apparantly in the process of updating something and promptly dropped my call and froze the touch screen.  By this time, some of the ladies were beginning to arrive for our meeting.  Soon my friend Carol approached the car to take a look with me.  I gave her the rundown and she called her brother.  A few minutes later, a fellow who works with Dave showed up to see if he could help. (Dave was interviewing a prospective hire and would be tied up for the next hour.)  For the next ten minutes or so Carol, her brother, Dave’s associate and I debated on what my next course of action should be.  Since it appeared that the problem was with the radiator, we decided to let it cool until we could add some water and then I would drive it to the garage around the corner.  Knitting in hand, Carol and I went into the church together. So, I actually was late for my meeting after all!

An hour later, Dave arrived.  We transferred the groceries to his car and he followed me to the repair shop.   

Some might think I was just lucky to have been at the church.  I prefer to think it was God’s way of reminding me that I’m not alone.  After all, technically, this isn’t even my  church, but these ladies are a big part of my community.

As for the CRV, it needed a new radiator

 

 

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Chilling with Izzie

Today is a bonafide gorgeous day.  I am feeling just a bit under the weather; trying to get the better of a cold that is trying to get the better of me.  My workout this morning with Lorenzo was tough, but not as much of a struggle as it was to just get up and get going out the door.

When I got home from the gym, Izzie was waiting for me at the door.  Sounds cute, except she wasn’t waiting at the door I was entering – she was by the back door waiting to go out.  Lately she’s shown signs that her fur is being rubbed the wrong way by having Purrl around.  I think she was under the impression that the kitten was merely visiting and in Izzie’s mind has long outstayed her welcome.  I decided to go out with Izzie and spend a little quality time with her.  As I headed out on the lawn behind her, she turned and flopped down on the grass in front of me.  I sat next to her and began to pet her.  Soon I was totally sprawled on the grass, just like Izzie, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the view of the sky.

I was a little concerned that one of my neighbors might catch a glimpse of me and worry that I’d taken a fall or just plain croaked in my yard, but not enough to jump up.  I made sure I moved occasionally, just enough to let an on-looker know that I was on the ground by choice.  I wish I’d had my camera, to take some shots of the yard from Izzie’s perspective.  Together we watched some leaves fall and a tufted titmouse land on the feeder.  Then Izzie spotted something in the distance and was off to the woods.

I decided I’d better get up before the paramedics arrived.  Next time, I will grab the camera when I go out.  It’s an experience too good not to share.

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Sunday Traffic

What a difference an extra hour of morning light makes! I guess I just didn’t realize that the dark beginnings of my days were dragging me down.  Now the world is awakening when I am.  Best of all, I can let Izzie out earlier in my day (although to her I’m sure nothing has changed.)  No more caterwalling at the back door while I drink my coffee!

Yesterday morning as we were driving out of the neighborhood to Mass, Dave abruptly stopped the car.  I figured he’d forgotten something and we were about to turn and head back to the house.  Then he said, “Well, are you going to cross or what?”  I looked out the windshield and there, on my side of the car stood a beautiful doe.  After we all shared a moment of “deer in the headlights”, she turned gracefully and disappeared in the brush.  That’s the kind of traffic I like to see on my way to church!

 

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First Frost

Jack Frost arrived this weekend!  Sunday morning I looked out the front window and was treated to this pristine view across the crisp lawn.  The photo doesn’t do justice to what I saw, but Angela has trained me to grab my camera when I see something worth sharing!

Monday afternoon I finally put out my Halloween decoration – a resin jack-o-lantern with built in light bulb I’d picked up at Target.  For weeks  I meant to pull out one of my pretty fall wreathes but wasn’t able to scale the mountain of stuff in the garage to pull them out.  I’m afraid the same held true for my ceramic pumpkin.

During my morning walks  I’ve admired my neighbors’ porches, beautifully decorated with pumpkins, straw, and corn stalks.  I knew I had to do something to alert trick-or-treaters that I was going to participate in the festivities.  No way was I going to be stuck with four bags of yummy candy!

I really enjoy Halloween.  It’s about the only night of the year when you can go to a stranger’s house and be welcomed without question and likewise, open your front door after dark and not be afraid of who might be there.

Dave and I usually sit outside with our candy.  We enjoy watching the parade of trick-or-treaters and especially the parents as they call out to their witches, cowboys and princesses to slow down, say thank you, keep off the grass and watch out for cars.  They bring back so many memories of the times we said the same to our kids and even before when we were the ones being reminded of our manners.

Yesterday I put my jack-o-lantern on the top of the pile in the garage, bagged up the left over candy to send to the office with Dave and went to the gym to work off some of the treats I helped myself to.  As we turned down our street, I noticed that a house across the street already has snowflake lights hanging above the door and a group of illuminated white wire deer are arranged around a white wire conifer.  Really?

 

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Exercising With Mom

I had my second session with Lorenzo, my personal trainer this morning.  He’s a pleasant man with a nice smile and positive coaching style but he finds the most challenging things for me to do!  So far his most effective means of torture has been this elastic band that I have to step into and strap around my ankles and then walk sideways up and back the length of the gym, all the while maintaining tension on the band.  Sounds easy enough huh?  It is a killer!  About one quarter of the way through my paces, my legs begin to burn.  It’s difficult to say just where it hurts the most because the pain is almost everywhere from my waist down.

This morning, as I was “feeling the burn” I thought of my Mom.  She had her second knee replacement surgery yesterday.  I spoke to her a bit this morning.  She was groggy and in pain.  We chatted for a short time and she compared the pain to what she experienced last year when she had her first surgery and remarked that it seemed much worse.  When I thought about the pain she is currently experiencing and the kind of PT she’ll be dealing with in the next four weeks or so,  I thought that maybe during my next few weeks with Lorenzo as exercising with Mom.  Maybe I can’t take on her pain for her, but I can certainly stop the whine on mine.