Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Year in Review Party

Cindi is hosting a Year in Review Blog... Hop yourself over and see all her wonderful entries. Here, in no particular order... are some highlights of 2009. Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings throughout the year!
The year has been a mixture, a collage if you will, of wonderful and of sometimes difficult passages.

Springtime is a part of me now throughout the entire year. For the first time ever, I fell in love with each progressive season instead of biding my time through a summer I detested. I loved spring and summer this year.


Trips on a daily basis to Mom's Radiation therapy for breast cancer were not as bad as we feared. We actually made it through that ordeal okay. The aftermath has been difficult for her, but through it all she has consistently demonstrated a grand strength of will and determination I would do well to emulate.

No Review without my Dartha!!! The "pretty" duck who lives in Rothwell Park and gobbles any crumbs I send her way...
This fall marked a loss and a re-gaining of a pet! My Sal who lives with Gerred went on a little kittykat mystery trip for over two weeks. Clawless and never once in the outdoors in her eleven years, she managed to fend off the coyotes and the predators and return triumphantly and affectionately to his kitchen! Praises!!!!
This shopping trip to Randolph Mercantile started the year off right on January 10th. Hmmm.. Just in time to use my gift certificate again, huh?

My first year to actually work at raising flowers... Usually I have one or two and they die due to irresponsibility... Mom instills a sense of that! hahaha... to say the least. Ours were lovely this year.


I had an apron party for my cousin's 60th birthday in February... What fun.

I fell in love with THE GILMORE GIRLS. Alas, I didn't finish the series yet.. I never want to be done with some things... Also I read some things about the last seasons that made me sad... I wanted it to work out better!!! Unlike life.
Easter's Eggstravanza...

I bought a Cricut and began making cards... something I want to pursue in 2010... It brings out the artiste in me... and the happy child.. I love it!
Mom and I took many a Saturday and daily trip to Chance's Gardens, Amish land, and just here and there.. We had lots of adventures and fun
Fall's mornings see me back headed to the schoolhouse where I've taught most of my 35 years of teaching... Will this be the last? Still to be decided.
Fall's decorations are always high on my list of priorities.. I began a little in late August...
See my loot from birthday and Mother's Day gift certificates to Randolph Mercantile???? I love that place....
Still dreaming of having that perfect pot of hot cocoa for Christmas... My vacation is almost over... Mom's still not feeling well, and tomorrow I'm fixing fantail shrimp and mini steaks, baked potatoes, and salad ... plus a little bit of cabbage for wealth!!!! My son is coming over, and I hope Mom feels like coming to the table. If not, we'll take the table to her in bed...
I have no plans for tonight... I am a bit melancholy and a bit excited... I am in the midst of a NEW bible study from Beth Moore called The Inheritance, and it totally is awesome.. I plan to watch the next installment of that tonight and drink a pot of coffee... I stay up all night anyway, so midnight isn't really much of a hurdle!!! Hugs to all.. Happy 2010... Thank you to all of you who read my humble blog. It truly makes my day...

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Storm rising


Snowbound. Well, not really, but it feels like it. My son's car is out of commission for who knows how long, so during my week off from school, I've decided to loan it to him and accomplish my favorite kind of week... housebound.
I imagine I might go stir crazy after a few weeks, but since I've worked outside the home and been called to be busy/busy most of the summer, I can't imagine anything more delicious than burrowing in with good books, a pot of delicious soup, and delightful candles and scents througout the house... My last venture into the world was December 23rd, to that lovely Italian party... and if I had to stay in until January 4th, the looming date when I return to school and society, I'd be fine with it...
Mom is a bit under the weather, so I'm going to try and do something with her in her room to be cheerful and pass the time for her. Any ideas???? She doesn't have a television in her bedroom, and I heard her in there with the radio fighting with the stations. First I heard something very Conway Twitty-ish, then "Old Time Rock and Roll" and then something that sounded like Snoop Dog... Then, the click! haha.. NPR isn't around these parts! Have a wonderful day... Snowstorm predicted for tonight and tomorrow... "Stay safe and snuggle in," is my advice.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Not disappointed. . .




Well, I promised you I'd share the name of the movie we watched. My dear friend gave my mother the DVD, Julie and Julia, and a copy of Julia Child's cookbook that inspired the blog that inspired the movie... We. Loved. IT!!! It was a can't lose kind of movie, and I'd been thirsting to watch it all year since I saw the first preview in the spring. I think I even blogged about the anticipation of it all.. Then I missed it at the show, so this was just the perfect gift for us. Mom loved it, too. What's not to love? Julia Child is an absolute one-of-a-kind, and Meryl Streep is pure Julia, as Meryl is with anything she does. We loved the part about Julie, too. Cooking movies are a passion with me, a la Chocolat, Like Water for Chocolate, and many, many more... Plus... it's about the therapeutic and healing solace of blogging!!! Touchdown!!! If, perchance you haven't seen it, and you like any of those things, you'll enjoy it. We loved the behind the scene interviews with the cast, too. I can't believe what went into this movie as far as crew, set, etc. Amazing. Until we meet again, Bon Apetit!



Sunday, December 27, 2009

Amazing Grace




philosophy: how you climb up the mountain is just as important as how you get down the mountain. and so it is with life, which for many of us becomes one big gigantic test followed by one big gigantic lesson. in the end, it all comes down to one word. grace. it's how you accept winning and losing, good luck and bad luck, the darkness and the light.
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And so, from the inside of my new philosophy packaging comes another voice telling me what I need to do... I love this quote. I believe it to my core. Last night my mother and I had the honor of watching a very special movie.. No, I'm not telling about it in this post. That is saved for the next one! Today's is about philosophy. True, they love, absolutely LOVE their own products because they have ascribed a pricey little tag to each item. However, it was Christmas, and my mother decided to pamper her daughter with this lovely box to "layer" it on...
Layering the philosophy of acceptance and gratitude, I am beginning to make my resolutions for the upcoming year. I have made huge lists before, and I have ignored the advent of a new period of time and gone blissfully as I've done before. Another of my favorite quotes is, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got." (apologies to the author and if I messed it up). I love some of the aspects of my life so I need to keep on doing those things... And truth be told, I abhor some aspects of my life... so an obvious choice is this. I've been given the test. Then the lesson.
My bible study right now with Beth Moore, (what a girl!) is The Inheritance. It's all adding up... I want to be better at "math" like that. Outside the snow continues to whirl and polish the windows with its glistening flakes of winter. Grey skies meet grey trees on the horizon. My mother's cat has abandoned the front porch, but we see her little kitty cat tracks around the bowl. She comes to eat, but she had left her post by the door. Somewhere she's snugly curled, waiting for a warmer day to give us the "grace" of her love... (do kitty cats love?) Have a beautiful Lord's day. Hugs...

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas Night Greetings!

Before the snow really hit this morning we had a skiff and a slant of sunlight. Later the snow came with 30-40 mile an hour winds, 12 degree temps, and plenty of gratitude for a warm home and loved ones all tucked in... I hope everyone is okay!
Waiting for time for Santa Claus! My son slept in a little, and the "elves" here at the home from were simply pacing!!! haha... No, actually it was a fun morning! And a beautiful afternoon.
Sugartown Precious Moments...
This little church is a gift from my grandfather to my parents when they were first married. It lights and plays music. When I was little, we put it on the mantel with a collection of angels, carolers, and pinecones... It was a yearly tradition to decorate the tree and the house while Daddy was at work, wait in anticipation for him to arrive down that long road in his pickup... When we saw the lights at the end of the driveway, we had a quarter of a mile to light the tree, turn out the house lights, wind up the music box church, plug in the little window lights... and hide... He'd open that back door, and pause... Then we could hear him say, "Well.... what has been happening here? Where is everyone? Look at all this Christmas!!!" I'm sure he never imagined to see Mom and me pop out and scream, "Merry Christmas!!!" What a beautiful time of life that was.

My dad built my mother a Santa closet with lights and a lovely place to store her collections. During the holidays she opens the closet and enjoys her pretty Santas and the Snow Village from Precious Moments. I know you all also enjoyed your day with families and friends. Blessings to you all!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Italiana...

Today (Wednesday) I was invited to attend a Christmas/birthday celebration at the home of one of my sweet Italian friends. What a treat! As you can see, her table was filled with festive pottery, wonderful HUGE, and I mean GIANT bowls of fresh food, and the extra bonus of standing servers who generously filled our plates with the extravagant delicacies. We had oven fried chicken, a beautiful Italian salad in a bowl about the size of a rug (no lie). We had Tortelache (a tortellini filled with spinach and tossed in a garlic butter sauce) which had been made only this morning! There was homemade bread, fried carrots and onions, and raisin pie for dessert. The food was surpassed only by the extravagant love and friendship we have shared for so many years. I have been so blessed, and I know it! Have a beautiful Christmas Eve. My cousins are coming for a soup luncheon at our house. I just set the table and am taking a quick snooze before I get up early and make the soups and desserts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please also say a little prayer for my son who has been ill. We went to the doctor today and picked up some heavy antibiotics, so I'm praying he will be fine in a few days... or sooner! Hugs to all!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Light a single candle.... or a dozen more....

Bevier's proud coal train...
The reason we celebrate!!

My friend's mom has beautiful lights...
Downtown Bevier.... What a sight!

And there you have it....

My hairdresser's pretty home
All aboard for Christmas?
This guy has it "goin' on" as my friend's niece says...
Simplicity reigns at this beautiful home.

A white winter paradise...
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Mom and I took a mystic night ride and viewed the pretty holiday lights. Some of these turned out better than others, but the houses were really pretty. We took most of these in Bevier, but a few are in Macon.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Week Visiting...



My best wish for all of you is that you find peace and love and joy in this holiest of seasons. We have been blessed with visits from friends and family since Saturday, and that has been a glimpse of glory! I enjoy seeing everyone, and the weather is perfect now, despite the predictions for later in the week. Tonight two of my dear friends and I are going out to dinner and then we're all coming here to open gifts. Peppermint ice cream and delicious cookies and candy, gifts from neighbors, friends and family!!!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Yes, Virginia... there is....

Teachers and students head on out for 16 days of Christmas vacation.... I'm already thinking it will be over way too soon! haha..
My juniors brought their favorite game, Guitar Hero, and hooked it up to the wall-sized SmartBoard. How fun... plus a couple of woofer/booster type speakers. Can you say..... Metallica? My kids brought me wonderful gifts, candies, homemade kettle corn, candles, books... I was blessed!

There is a light at the end of a tunnel, and this time it isn't a train coming!
I planned a couple of lessons today and gave one hapless class a final exam. Other than that, it was pretty much a fun day for the kids.... I have had about all the fun I can have, as that saying goes, and I'm headed to bed.