Cathy's Grace Notes

More of this and that.... and it's cold

Kind of a few busy weeks -- Mom is mending and we return for another appointment to the doctor tomorrow. Hopefully we will get a good report that the antibiotic has done its job.

After 14 years, my paraprofessional is student teaching and her daughter in law is her substitute while she is on leave. Talk about feeling out of sorts! I am sure she will do a great job, but she is/was my right hand and so I am having to regroup. After having someone in the same room for half of your career, I knew it would be an adjustment.
And it is.

I know you folks up north think it is hilarious when we think it getting down to the teens is frigid when you all are having even colder weather, remember we are not equipped to handle the cold!

I am trying to start reading again after about a month hiatus. Hopefully I can get into blogging also --- ever feel a dry spell???

Bundling up for a cold couple of days here -- what are your plans for this weekend?

Here I am... not that anyone asked!

I think this is going to be a blips and dots post....

• A coworker passed away after a valiant battle with breast cancer. She has now gone to be with her Maker. She will be missed.
• I am trying diligently to feel and observe Advent with my body and soul. (and mind). It's not easy. School is packed with "how can be make this season be merry with as much stuff as we can pack into a couple of weeks, plus there is so much we can do and it is is the end of the semester and the children are all worked up because tis the season to be jolly, and oh if we could complete these activities because it is the season and let's not forget the Christmas program ... and.. and.. and... get the picture???
• Knitting gifts. My loving family... hear this.. you may get a ball of yarn as a gift for that incomplete project, but I am going as fast as I can.
• Several people I have reconnected with on Facebook, one I haven't had contact with for 40 years. How's that!
• Seven more school days before we are out for the Christmas holidays.. but who's counting?
• Not going to make my 50 books total for 2008.  I'm ok with that. Sort of.
• And what are you up to this week/month? Let me know you visited.

Sunday Evening Blips and Dots

This weekend I was basically computerless because my power cord died. Husband brought his power cord for me to use this evening from his personal computer at work. HOpefully my new one will be coming in a day or two. In the meantime...

I got lots of knitting done.

We had a domestic goddess come into Mom's apartment and with her magic touch gave it a fresh new look. Mom has had a double whammy this week with some dental problems and foot surgery. Having both sides in pain is NO FUN!

I watched more tv than usual and it is still basically the same....mostly boring.

Our service was an All Saints' service. For All the Saints to the tune of Sine Nomine is one of my favorites. Here is it played on the organ.

Please keep our pastor in your prayers. He was not able to continue the service because he was not feeling well and there was slurring of speech as has happened once before. The service continued with a member of the congregation, a postulant to the diaconate, continuing the service as it transformed into Morning Prayer.

For some reason, I can't seem to to much more than spilling out blips and dots lately. 

Hectic Week!

A little crazy here in terms of a week.... however, today....

Work - adding two little girls - adding students to my room always makes it interesting. But the fact we had two girls is evening out the gender distribution.

Yesterday Mom went to the podiatrist. She has hammer toes. Today we go in for some in office surgery to correct one of them. She has more, but we aren't foolin' with them unless we need to.

Day before yesterday, Mom went to dentist. Let's just say that more dental work is in the works. Before that we need to get some antibiotics in her.

I am having problems with my power connection on my computer, so I may be sans computer if it has to go into the computer hospital. It looks like it is heading in that direction. I feel like I am always working on borrowed time.

So..... it's just plain been busy. Hopefully things will slow down...

After the trip to the beach

After five days at the beach, some thoughts.....

• the price of staying at the beach is about the same, if you don't eat. If you eat, hold on to your hat.
• Fall is a much nicer time to visit the beach - less people and the temperatures are kinder.
• Simple pleasures.... a 10 cent kite entertaining a 2 year old (ok, it entertained us also)
• The angle of the sun during the fall makes things look and feel different.
• Knitting too much makes my hands hurt.
• Taking a nap after you get home from vacation feels good.

Glad to be home.

Sunday Evening Blips and Dots

Seems like what most of what I do are blips and dots these days - because I can't think any further than that.

• I walked with a walking group here in our little town - it's been a while since I have walked the trail. But it was a good walk, though it did get a little hot towards the end.
• saw a movie last night - Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona - meh.
• We had the office of Morning Prayer this morning. Makes for a shorter service.
• Fall Break begins for us at the end of this week. I am excited. No plans firmed up, but I hope I can get some R&R.
• Busy day tomorrow with meetings.

That's all folks.

Because

My middle daughter called me and told me I was letting down my readers by not blogging this week. Thank you, dear one, for reminding me I need to blog. Though nothing in particular has been keeping me from blogging other than some unbloggables and focus on work, I just thought that whatever I blogged was probably repetitious and really dreadfully boring.

• There are times where an anonymous blog would be advantageous to write about some interesting stuff. For. real.
• I have had a really strong urge to get to the beach and do absolutely nothing but look at the water.
• We have updated to the newest version of Microsoft Office at school and I must say the calendar feature of Outlook is pretty cool. That calendar really saves me at school.
• I personally do not see how some people are making ends meet with the price of everything rising.
• I have a good friend who reads this blog who is suffering from depression. Please say a prayer for her.

I also just finished a book this week. I'll post that. I don't think I will get to 50 this  year, but I will keep on truckin'.

Saturday morning thoughts

• I knew it wasn't muscle by the way it felt.  I know muscle pain. Seems to be the thought right now is that it is a pinched nerve. Xrays, some type of electrical treatment that feels pretty good, and an adjustment were part of the lineup for the appointment.
• Does it feel better? Some. I have better range of motion of my neck. That is good!
• I am sending thoughts and prayers for those in the path of Tropical Storm Hanna, that it only brings needed rain.
• I feel like I have been way out of the loop with folks, especially with the blogs I visit. Work has consumed me. It's a good thing in some ways, but like I said in a previous post, my desk looks like a bomb has detonated. I know my GOOD PEN is missing, so there is a good chance it will be unearthed there.
• Married daughter is preparing our house for a baby shower this afternoon.  House will definitely be tidier than it has been in quite some time!

How was your week?

Tuesday Update - Blips

Rain total exceeded 16 inches in my back yard. Could be more because when I dumped it in the morning, it had already reached the top.

School resumes tomorrow. This is a good thing.

Both mornings I had the opportunity to have coffee with a friend downtown when it first opened. I think I could enjoy doing that on a daily basis with friends. Or near 'bout daily.

I have a hurt foot and I don't know why.

Tonight's menu - collard soup with kielbasa and cornbread. YUM YUM YUM.

Somewhere down in the Caribbean is Hurricane Gustav. We want no repeats, please.

The sun is shining. The first time in almost a week. Thank you.

Mushrooms, Tropical Storm Fay, and homes

Well.. there is a mushroom convention in my front yard. I bet there are at least 5 different kinds of mushrooms scattered in my front yard. These were the most photogenic of the bunch.

In other news, as of this moment, our local college is closed because of Tropical Storm Fay, but not the local school system. Wish they would be on the same page and do it jointly, but alas, they do not.

Just saw on the news that McCain could not answer how many homes (well, they are probably just HOUSES and not homes) he and his wife owned. Turns out there are seven. Mercy, how many does someone need? According to the news, Reagan owned two homes, Clinton owned 0, Nixon and Bush own/owned 1.

I, for one, own one home, and feel very rich and fortunate.