Terrapin Station

The Year in Review Meme

'Cause all the cool kids are doing it, here are the first lines from my first posts each month this year.*

January:  Yesterday began early for me with that routine medical exam that ends in "-oscopy" and nobody wants to have.

February:  Presbyterian Gal has kindly tagged me for this book meme. 

March:  Attended first part of Vestry retreat Friday night; missed the second part this morning as I had to lead a workshop for my professional group here in town. 

April:  Here is my Mexican cruise souvenir:   

May:  Today a visitor brought us a box from a place called "Yummy Donuts."

June:  I'm "considering myself tagged" by Songbird.  And playing it now because I need a break.

July:  So why am I sitting at this computer?  

August:  Just in from Cedar Rapids.  It was a great trip and I'll be reflecting on it for the next few days, probably post more about it here.  

September:  It's been such a surreal night and day...keeping vigil with those affected by Hurricane Gustav. 

October:  I get fabulous items like this in my e-mail each week from Heron Dance's Pause for Beauty.  You can sign up for it, too. 

November:  I am drinking iced tea.  I like it very much.   I am burning a lavender candle.  Ditto.

December:  Today is the 20th Annual World Aids Day.  How can it be 25 years since I first heard of AIDS - in a Time magazine article not larger than my palm - and it is not cured? 

 *You'd think I'd remember to post something really profound at the first of each month...but, no. 

A pearly day

- Painting by John Evans at Gallery Hennoch. 

It's 43 degrees and sunny,  No, I am not at the beach, but I WISH I was...I am grateful for a (mostly) lazy week past with my dear spouse, keeping him company while he was sick and getting better.  He is still finishing the cough and subject to periods of weakness...has to be careful!  We watched TV, including a marathon of House, slept, told each other jokes, and did a good amount of Dog Worship. 

Memo to myself:  if the white dogs sleep cutely on the red plush blanket all day, it behooves you to do more than admire them and take pictures of them.  Take them out for at least two good runs during the day...because otherwise they will be awake ALL.NIGHT.LONG.  Wanting to play.  Just like kids.

Both dogs had baths this morning.  Josie, my sitting in the sun dog, found herself a sunbeam in the office on top of a box, but it has moved and she has now wedged herself in between the box and the bag next to it...to better take advantage of the sunbeam.  

Tonight I am going back to Weight Watchers (really!) and to a visitation for a sweet lady.  We have been taking communion to her in a local nursing home for several years.  She was never a member of our church and always talked so longingly of her church home of many years in New England. 

Headed to Mom and Dad's - probably on New Year's Day - to help them with some freezer cooking and just general hanging out.  Mom fell last week and broke a rib (AUGH!) so she is moving slowly. 

As I type, my new Rosetta Stone software is loading.  I'm excited!  I've been saying for years that I was going to get back to my study of Spanish (to try to regain & improve on what I learned all those years ago in college classrooms).  This was part of my Christmas present from Ken!  I am looking forward to getting started again.  My hope is that I can progress beyond sounding like "an insane baby," as David Sedaris describes the fumbling efforts of adult language learners. 

Overheard at my house

A lazy Saturday morning.  I am reading blogs and catching up on e-mail. 

Ken comes in and asks me if we missed paying a water bill - there is no water.  "I was going to take a shower," he says, plaintively. 

I remind him that the water bill is paid by automatic draft, so surely that is not the problem...and that I was just washing dishes to put in the dishwasher a few minutes ago. 

I go to the sink - sure enough, no water. 

We peer out the front door window.  "Yep, there are cones out there," he says, and shows me a line of orange traffic cones blocking off the street as for workers. 

"Shall I go out and ask them if they have the water cut off, and how long it might be?" I ask.

- A quizzical look.

"Well, I guess it had better be you, because I don't speak cone."

Cue laugh track.

Boxing Day Friday Five

It's Boxing Day!

Whatever that may mean to you, I invite you on this day to simply share five things that today, December 26th, will bring for you.

I posted this earlier just as Ken and I went out to shop.  So I'll tell you what today BROUGHT.

1) Shopping

2) Lunch at Sweet Basil Thai

3) Afternoon nap

4) Evening viewing of Across the Universe, one of Brandon's gifts to us.  He said it is in his all time top 5 movies, so it was interesting to watch. 

5) Blog catch up!

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

I arrived at church at about 5:30 yesterday evening and left at about 12:30 this morning.  This is nothing when one considers that the priests, organist and choir director were already there, conducting the 5:00 "children's" service. 

The choir sang at the 7:00 and 11:00 services.  A buffet was provided in the Youth room in between (squishy couches! bourbon balls!) and there was lots of opportunity to knit, talk with folks I don't usually get to spend quality time with, and rest.  But by about 9:30, it seemed awfully tempting to curl up for a nap in a pew...

except we were singing the Messiah's "Glory to God" at 11 and did not need a sleepy voice! 

The services accomplished, I headed home and fell into bed!

This morning I tidied the bedroom, did a lot of laundry; otherwise we stayed in bed (Ken is still pretty sick so he's not going anywhere).  Watched "Get Smart" on our cable's on demand feature.  I read the paper and napped.  He coughed and napped. 

A while ago I went to the grocery store for a few things.  Now I have dinner under way:  steaks are marinating, green bean casserole is ready to bake, the  Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes are boiling (hat tip to Songbird for this addition to my repertoire).

Brandon is coming to us in the early evening. 

A lovely, peaceful day. 

In his sermon last night, Father David asked us to consider what the true meaning of Christmas was to us, personally.  I looked around at the sanctuary full of people and thought, "Them."

That "them" doesn't extend only to members of my own parish, but also other Christian friends, including so many that have come my way via RevGalBlogPals.  And, taking another step, all the other people I see, (and do not see) in the world, who may not be Christian but are my brothers and sisters none the less...because of Jesus coming as one of us. 

I honor the indwelling Spirit in each one of you who reads this.  I send a prayer for peace in all the world. 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Gift!

 

Cotched ya!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!

Sickhouse Update

Ken is really sick - he had me call his choir director to say he couldn't make it tonight. 

Please keep him in your prayers tonight.  As we will all of you!

Christmas Eve Items

The dogs are playing and tumbling on the floor.  The sun is shining for what seems like the first time in forever!  We expect temps in the 50's today, lows in the 30's tonight - good Christmas weather, I think.  (It's supposed to get to 74 on Friday; let's not talk about that for Boxing Day atmosphere...)

Ken is very sick with a chesty cold.  He has three services to sing tonight, but at this point I can't see him getting out of bed, much less out of the house.  He broke down and went to the doctor yesterday, which tells me how exceptionally bad he was feeling and how much he wants to be well to participate tonight.  Please keep him in your prayers.  I myself have gotten a little sniffly and throat scratchy, but I think it might just be all the dust from packing the office...

And on that note, finished with the office yesterday.  Left it for the last time.  Very strange.  I have only worked in two places in my professional life, so the last 21 years have been spent in two office suites; the one in January will make the third.  I know this makes me a complete anomaly, but there it is. 

My house is very pile-y.  I hope to approach some of that today (I first wrote "attack" but I really don't want to do anything that violent...). 

I have cookies to make for the between-services buffet tonight - for the altar party and choir.  A few gifts to wrap.  Dogs to play with in the front yard (they LOVE the front yard!!)  A spouse to cosset.  Two services to sing (7 and 11).  A good day. 

Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

O Emmanuel - December 23

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,

the hope of the nations and their Saviour:

Come to save us, O Lord our God.

Don't we need some good hope, these days?  Don't we need a Saviour? 

We always do, don't we...but the timelessness of the message is very poignant this year. 

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
creator of light and darkness,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
As evening falls, you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
May your word be a lantern to our feet
and a light upon our path
that we may behold your coming among us.
Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness
and free our tongues to sing your praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

O Rex Gentium - December 22

O King of the nations, and their desire,

the cornerstone making both one:

Come and save the human race,

which you fashioned from clay.