The last day.

Is this the last day of giving thanks? I hope not. It is, however, the last day of November. It has been a good month. Less posting. More living. And giving thanks. Appreciating the joy of the present.

Bad storms are the story of the week around here. No damage, thank goodness. We welcomed the rain that came with the winds that blew through.

Last Sunday we began celebrating Advent. I am not in a rush to take out all the decorations. I did take out our advent wreath. Then I placed our nativity scene on the piano. But first I made up my mind to set about a change in myself. I'm trying to let go of negative thoughts and just be kind. I have already failed. But I have not given up. Change doesn't come without setbacks. I can do this. Because. I can do hard things. You see, love does win. 

Peace on earth. Good will toward all.

After glow.

Thanks have been given. We enjoyed an abundant feast and a mostly quiet day. 

With the onset of evening a happy chaos arrived. In numerical order our children, and their children appeared. Laughter was shared. Warm bodies found their nooks to sleep in. Breathing was premium. The next morning it was reported that our oldest granddaughter hums in her sleep! 

After a big breakfast on Friday we all made our way over to the local state park. Though it was damp and chilly, we stayed and played some of our calories off. Silly selfies were the order!

Miss Cecilia was a little out of sorts...but she sure enjoyed the wide world of outdoors!

After lunch our children and grandchildren kicked off my 60th birthday celebration! (Actual birthday not until next week.) DIL baked the yummiest almond/amaretto birthday cake. There were candles and sparklers on the cake - and a good loud singing of the 'happy birthday' song. I guess this was the first birthday party I have had since I was in elementary school. 

We went outside and played a long, fun game called sardine. We hid. We laughed some more. 

I was sorry Cc missed this photo op. 

Mr. Macho and Beach Boy raked a big pile of leaves and the kids had a blast playing in them. 

After dark a rousing game of spotlight was the ticket. We will repeat these games at future gatherings. 

Saturday. Bacon and pancakes for breakfast. Some of us took a walk in the woods, some went for a quick shopping trip, the rest of us just played outside for most of the morning. 

Leftovers for lunch and it was time to pack the cars for return trips.

Then it got quiet. Sheets and towels have been washed. A quick vacuum on some of the floor. Then we settled in to enjoy primo rivalry games. All in all I will say it was one of the best Thanksgivings we have had in a long time. 

We will continue to dine on the leftover for the rest of the weekend. We might rake some leaves tomorrow. The house feels empty. Our hearts feel full.

We are so thankful. 

Guess who came to breakfast?

When we finally rolled out of bed this morning I went in search of grits...thought I had some in the cabinet. Alas, no grits. Mr. Macho opened the kitchen blinds and it looked a sunny day. I settled on oatmeal and after taking the box out the cabinet I passed the window and looked - a fog was rolling in. I was amazed. I got Macho and we stepped out on the back porch and watched it. Talked about it. Then we went back inside. I got the oatmeal ready and was about to put it on the table...I glanced out the window once more. And? It was gone. The fog was gone. It was the strangest fog I have ever experienced. Period.

At breakfast I brought out the old video camera and we watched and listened to Macho's dad recount his childhood. It was from Christmas 2003.

And so begins our day of giving thanks. For the past. For the present. And for the hope of the future.
Thank you, Lord.
Amen.

Offspring.

Just now I went out to put a letter in the mail. I smelled rain. Then I saw some drops on the mailbox. Oh thank goodness. We've been in the "scary drought days" for months now. We need this rain.

This next bit is for my children. So if you aren't one just bear with me.

By some miracle of parenthood we won the offspring lottery. No earthly reason that our three have grown into the wonderful, strong beings they are today. We certainly were partial ingredients, but the credit has to be given to higher powers. It isn't because we were such great decision makers or that we knew just what we were doing all the time.

Our discipline probably dipped on the positive side of the meter. We protected, sometimes too much. We provided, hopefully what each one needed. It wasn't always equal. I hoped it was fair most of the time. We made so many mistakes. So many wrong turns. I think, for the most part, they have forgiven us? The thing we did right was we loved mightily.

We are so proud of each one of our three children. Each one is smart and strong. All three are funny. They love each other. And somehow they still love us.

I thank God for you my children.
Peace.

Natural light.

Early morning sunlight in the trees. Clear skies. Cold air. Leaves on the ground.

The promise of a full house at week's end.

Thankful for the abundance of my life.

Namaste.

Buzz.

The week of Thanksgiving has begun busy as a bee hive. It has started just as I suspect it will end. With a flourish of activity. 

Two batches of blonde brownies are cooked and wrapped. I am a member of the cookie patrol (it is as fun as it sounds) and we are delivering tomorrow to the men's recovery house here in town. 

My sweet potato casserole is put together except for the topping. That will be last minute add on. 

I am cleaning floors, fans, and tweaking my feng shui. Vacuuming, steam mopping, dusting...a table has been moved from living room to back bathroom in  hopes that my new table will arrive before Christmas?! 

Out-of-Town Son dropped in for a quick visit and a sandwich for lunch. He and his family will be back Thursday night. I love the unexpected drop ins. Always welcome. 

I needed to sit for a few minutes and that is why this is getting written. 

I am thankful that if finally feels like Thanksgiving. We went from shorts last week to heavy frost and freezing temps over the weekend. About time! 

Back to the grind stone.

Namaste. 

Skippidy do dah.

So I skipped a few days. I'm not sweating the small stuff.

It is a thankful-wonderful kind of day. I hope it just keeps on going until I fall asleep. The slow wake up was delicious. It didn't feel cold in the house. Weatherman said possible storms last night, but that didn't happen. I ate my usual cereal and cooked Mr. Macho bacon and eggs. It makes the house smell so good. The bacon. After breakfast we got our clothes on and drove to town with several "to do's" on our list.

First stop - the Holiday Farmer's Market. A variety of local vendors sold their wares. I was hoping to get an idea for a Christmas gift for a friend who is hard to buy for. Well bless my soul! The first booth I came upon was a renowned local artist with small acrylic paintings. Perfect for my friend. Done. And done.

We visited with many friends and the Christmas spirit shimmied her way into our hearts. Second purchase was a huge cream cheese pound cake. We ate a slice after lunch then I put most of that in the freezer. You just wouldn't believe how big this cake was.

At the suggestion of my friend, Margo, I made my way over to a crochet artist and purchased, for 75 cents apiece, three pot scrubbers. Margo says that are just the ticket for those dirty pot jobs.

Last purchase was a quart of local honey. Had the wind not picked up, or had I been wise enough to bring an insulated jacket instead of a windbreaker, we would have shopped longer. But the cold air hurried us back into the truck.

Second stop - pick up the cooked Boston butt we ordered last week. Our church men's group does this every year as a fund raiser. This was our main course for lunch. Once again, I froze the rest.

Third stop - to purchase new light fixture for the kitchen. One of our old ones had bought the farm. So we purchased a box of two. After lunch Mr. Macho installed them and voila! They have good light. And can you believe it? There is no light bulb?! I know. Crazy right? And. These are much more attractive than the florescent fixtures that were there. Happy? Yes, thank you.

We have filled the rest of the afternoon with picking up some wooden boxes from the estate, cleaning up around the garage and shop, putting plants inside due to impending freeze tonight.

Finally we are getting some cold air. Maybe that is adding to that Christmas feeling.

I have chopped some vegetables and beef and put it all in a pot for supper tonight. Soup. On a cold night.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Thank goodness!
Be sweet.

The hump.

Do you ever doubt yourself? Some days I do. I don't know if it is the ghost of old hormones. Or static electricity. Or what. But some days there is this feeling of almost dread. Like if I take the wrong step it will wreak havoc. Maybe it is the book I'm reading. Maybe it is the fact that during lunch yesterday my girlfriend got bad news. I'm worried for her daughter. I didn't sleep so good last night. Maybe it is a combination.

For instance just this morning I typed an email. There wasn't anything negative in the email. Just a 'hello, howz it going...what do you think about blah, blah, blah' type email. I just doubted that I should send it for fear of how others would receive it. So. I deleted it. Better to be safe than put you acorns out there. Right? No? I don't know.

Anyway. Let me try to accentuate the positive. I exercised this morning. My back feels good. It is two years ago this week that I had surgery. I washed my car windshield this morning. I washed glasses and dusted my top shelf over my desk in the kitchen. Sometimes it is the small simple routine things that get me back in alignment.  And so it goes.

Bringing the butter beer fudge to bunko this morning. It is okay, but the pecan pie fudge last month wins. I have to try new things, though. Or where would the adventure be?! Right? Right!

Grateful for adventures. Large. And small.
Namaste.

Warp speed.

How did I get to Tuesday? Where did Monday go? This week is a fast track week!

Yet. I am filled with thanks that I have friends to share it with. Mr. Macho and I were both tired before we went to our dance class last night. Not to worry. Everyone else was in the same boat. Even our teacher - who taught at a workshop over the weekend - was on slo-mo last night.

I did get a pan of cornbread put together yesterday. Am hoping to finish my dressing this afternoon. After I lunch with my girls. This morning I am constructing butter beer fudge to take to my day time bunko tomorrow. I am getting my hairs cut, too.

And. I almost forgot...this is important...drum roll...WE. HAVE. RAIN!!!!! It is a soft, gentle rain, but the ground is wet. That counts. Thank you Lord!

Peace out.

Don't panic.

Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away. And. My cornbread dressing is not made, yet. But. My shopping list is. I hope to get it done this week. 

Sunday has been good. Church. Roast beef dinner. Oh, I love carrots cooked with roast beef. They are so good. That is what I am thankful for today. Carrots. 

Mr. Macho asked me to go to the movies. A date! We went and saw "Hacksaw Ridge". It was a WWII movie. It was pretty good. 

We are hunkered in for the evening now. I'm about to delve into a new book I started this afternoon. 

Busy week ahead. 

Be sweet. 

Quiet.

Dropped the grandchildren off at the half way point. Already...I miss their noise. There is a little empty space here in my heart. I fill the void with busy-ness. 

It feels like a Fireball kind of evening. I am thankful for mellow evenings. Like this one promises to be.

Namaste. 

Noise.

I am thankful for the noise of our three visiting grandchildren today. Yes. It is exhausting. But. It is a joy.

My heart is full.

Namaste.

Can you say "recycle"?

I do believe in recycling. We actively participate in recycling our reusable refuse. Mr. Macho carts it off every other week or so to the local drop off dumpster. And. I consider leftovers to be part of my conservation plan. Tonight I recycled a previously served meal. It is good for the environment of our marriage. And I am thankful for that.

That's it. Short and sweet.

Namaste. 

Out with the old. In with the new.

Not enough emphasis on how glad I am that we are past November 8. I may never admit for whom I voted. Secret ballot. Thank goodness. I don't want to defend my decision to anyone. Let us move on.

Strike one on my Christmas shopping. I was hoping to get some ideas for the grandkids today and set out for town. I visited both craft stores, but totally struck out. On a happy note I came home with some nice punkins for my fall decorations.

The old box is from father-in-law's shop. Mr. Macho said he thinks he built this when he was in high school. I scraped the dirt dobber's nests off and cleaned it up. I added the punkins, pine cones and leaves from my yard. And voila! 

I also cleaned another old wooden tray that I brought home from the estate. I cleaned a pantry shelf of old jars that I won't use any more...and now I have my potatoes nicely housed in my pantry. (Instead of on the kitchen floor!)

I am most thankful for this day. The motion of it feels forward. And. That is good.

Namaste. 

Give us this day our daily bread...

Election day. I won't even apologize for missing the past two days. We have slow forwarded to this day. This day. This day? Oh Lord, this day? It feels like a 9/11 event. CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC - all media have participated in creating a doomsday atmosphere. As if. As if the world will end with either candidate. Both majors parties are culpable. If we don't vote for their candidate, we will not recognize our beloved country in the years ahead, they say.

That may be. We are broken. We need change. Was it Glennon Doyle Melton that said 'we are all broken. But that is how the light gets in? Through the cracks.' (Something like that, anyway.)***

I will quote another of my favorite authors, Anne Voskamp, "Because eucharisteo is how Jesus, at the Last Supper, showed us to transfigure all things - take the pain that is given, give thanks for it, and transform it into joy that fulfills all emptiness." Perhaps this day, this moment is our eucharisteo. Our moment to take this painful process, give thanks for it, and work harder to transform our country/community into one that fills the emptiness of those around us.

Please dear God, do not forsake this nation. We need You. I thank you for this great nation that we live in. I thank you for our democracy. I pray for your transforming love to soften the heart of whichever candidate is elected. Lead them in your Way.
Amen.

***Leonard Cohen, actually. "Ring the bells that still can ring/ Forget your perfect offering/ there is a crack in everything/ that's how the light gets in." Thank you, Daughter, for this information. 

Sunny Saturday.

Lazy Day. Cecilia has come for a visit. She loved being outside. She made friends with our metal chicken, Beyonce. She kicked the ball around. She played in her grandaddy's shop. 

These curls!

She found a dip in the ground and sat in it. Then she laid her head down and stayed that way. The grass was cool. And damp. 

I am so thankful for time spent with this grandchild. She is so sweet. 

Be sweet. 

Missed that one.

What? How did I let yesterday slip by me? Oh well. I'm over it.

Last week I created a monster. I took muffins to the group of little old men at the YMCA that sit in the lobby and drink coffee. This week, both times I walked through the lobby, the men gave me a hard time about not bringing something. So. This morning I have a skillet of almond coffee cake baking to drop off on my way to church. They will love this one, too. It is one of my favorites.

I have also put together a potato casserole to take with me to our church senior First Friday Mass & Brunch. At present, I am the fearless leader of this group. I love them. It is an easy job. Everybody shows up and is responsible. They help set up and clean up without being asked. It's like having a wife.

Today I am thankful for these friends that I like to feed.
Namaste.

Hope

Day #2. There are clouds in the sky today. I think it has been 2 or 3 weeks since we had 5 minutes worth of rain. We haven't seen this many clouds in like forever.

Hope is a powerful thing. It can make you show up. It can keep you in the game. It can make you look forward to next time.

There's always hope.

I'm grateful that there are clouds today. I hope it rains soon.
Namaste.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Just finished Daughter's #inktober challenge... 31 days of drawing pictures and posting on instagram....and now I'm jumping into my routine of 30 days of gratitude for November. A month of thanksgiving.

So, here goes.

Day 1.

I am so grateful to live in this United States of America. I feel safe. I am well fed. I am free to travel.

Thank you, God, for this wonderful land of yours.
Namaste.