Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Monday, February 02, 2015

Life interrupts blog Daybook


Each week I have the best intentions to blog, to keep caught up with laundry, to keep my house cleaner, even take my dadgum vitamins. Name it -- I have the best intentions to do it better, or should I say, more consistently. What gets in the way? I can't even answer that question. Sleep? I'd have to give up several hours and I don't think even that would help, and it's not an option anyway. I need my sleep. I could give up the little bit of skipping around the internet, but, really, a half hour in the morning and the evening isn't that much. If you have an answer to this age-old question -- how to get more done each day -- by all means, please speak up!

In the meantime I'm mixing up my Daybook to include some tidbits I'd blog about if I could ever get my act together.




In the garden...
...snow, ice, slush -- it just depends where you look. We thought we were going to get a big snowstorm yesterday, and Noah was seriously counting on a snow day, but we got rain instead. Central Ohio is usually just about 30 miles south of most snow storms. So sad for the school kids.



photo by Faith





I'm thinking about...
...unlike last week, or was that two weeks ago? my mind is racing. If only my body would catch up. I want to sew dresses, stitch scapulars, knit booties, make rosaries, read a book, and watch a movie. Instead, I'm sitting here while my student pokes through the day. The only thing I do is get up and switch the laundry loads every 45 minutes or so, and make a cup of tea. 


I am wearing...
...a gray skirt, a black v-neck, a periwinkle gray shawl and my brown Haflinger clogs. These shoes are getting so old that there are holes developing in the wool. And last week I caught myself running errands and wearing them. They are technically not slippers,  but they feel like it to me. And they are wool, so they really shouldn't get wet. I felt a bit like an escaped Alzheimer's patient.



I am reading....
...speaking of Alzheimer's patients, I just finished Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. It was a really terrifying glimpse of early onset Alzheimer's Disease. I may be forgetful, but I haven't forgotten where the bathroom is. What an absolutely awful disease, which really goes without saying. I know that God, in His infinite wisdom, allows such things, but it is such a mystery. The person suffering from Alzheimer's can not become stronger, nor do they often even know they are suffering, so there is no redemption in their suffering. The caregiver can become stronger, but what an incredible cross to bear.

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us." Romans 8:18

I am listening to The Garden of Letters, by Alyson Richman, but it is a very sad story of the resistance during WWII in Italy. I think I need some lighter reading.



I am creating...

...I am stitching a lot of scapulars. I had an order for nine, and then two more were purchased in my Etsy shop. I have since deactivated the listing because I can't handle any more. 

I have some booties on my needles -- for my future project (no, not a grandbaby!). It's mostly just knitting therapy.

I also started on the dresses -- yay! I have the under layer of one dress finished and I am anxious to get the lace layer attached so I can finally see a finished dress.

I also committed to sew hip hop pants for the dance studio (no--don't throw tomatoes!). I will only sew when I am going to be at the studio for Faith's classes anyway, so it's really not much of a commitment.



In the kitchen...
...there's been lots of cooking lately, especially yesterday. Faith said something funny that got me thinking. She said, "I always remember the difference between the Rose Bowl and the Super Bowl is that the Super Bowl has Super food!" Too funny. Yes, it's all about the food, and the ads, and rarely the halftime show (sadly Faith had to leave the room during last night's show, which was ok by me because we were watching Nanny McPhee upstairs -- just love that film!). Anyway, what she said got me thinking about the Rose Bowl, and the Rose Parade which is held on New Year's Day, also the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. I don't know much about the history of the Rose Parade, but as Our Blessed Mother is often connected with the rose, I thought how coincidental it is that the two events are on the same day.


"Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous." Thomas Merton

But back to food. I tried a new recipe for bread. This is absolutely foolproof, honest to goodness. If you are afraid of baking yeast breads, you should really try this one. It is one of the best breads I've ever had. 





Peasant bread recipe here, and I followed the directions to a T.





I also thought I'd post the link to one of my men's favorite dishes -- Pork Scaloppine. It was on the menu last week and we had some happy men at dinner. It's actually an easy and quick dish to make, and if you're gluten free, a little gluten free flour mix would work just fine -- it uses very little.

I'll share all the links to last night's "Super" feast later in the week.

For the rest of the week:
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: buttermilk waffles, sausage and fruit -- it's the feast of St. Blaise but I don't think I can tie waffles to him. Maybe we'll enjoy these treats for tea time.
Wednesday: Baked Steak in Tangy Tomato Sauce, mashed potatoes and broccoli
Thursday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, bread and salad -- it's the feast of St. Agatha and though I'm not making rolls in the shape of breasts, we are having red sauce for her martyrdom
Friday: grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
Saturday: pizza


At the school table...
...a math test, lots of English (which my student complains about greatly), the Crusades in history, botany in science, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Commandments in religion, and The Silver Crown in reading. Extras include Latin, maps and geography, sentence diagramming, dance, and sketching.


Plans for the rest of the week...

...a meeting at church tonight, an appointment at the coumadin clinic Wednesday, and a doctor's appointment on Friday. Other than that, business as usual.



Thought-provoking stops around the internet...
...a new friend, Janelle -- someone I get to see in real life -- got me thinking about adoption and our obligations to help the poor, homeless, hungry, thirsty, naked -- all things orphans are. The Corporal Works of Mercy should be practiced always. How can we help orphans? Prayer, contributions to faithful organizations, and even helping those who are not truly orphans, but are spiritual orphans -- all food for thought and action.
...this beautiful post by Kim at Starry Sky Ranch 
...and this update by Elizabeth DeHority -- prayers for a miracle needed



A few of my favorite things...

...a crackling fire in the afternoon
...knitting booties (and dreaming) :-)
...clean laundry (I do love it clean, just not actually cleaning it)
...mittens (not gloves -- mittens)
...my Blue Spruce and elderberry candle (by Thymes)
...new tools for school -- I just found these white board sheets for teaching math; I also bought the DIVE CD because I'm tired of being blamed for "not teaching the math." Now she has a new math teacher. :-)








Prayers sent heavenward...
...for my husband and children, to do God's will every day
...for all priests and religious, especially our priests Fr. Sill and Fr. Schmit, and for Fr. Howe
...all babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion, for a change of heart
...for friends who have asked for prayers


Photos for the day...



photo by Faith




photo by Faith


I'm linking up with Jenny at The Littlest Way this week.








15 comments:

  1. Praying all goes well at your appointment tomorrow--I know Coumadin is a delicate balance.
    I read that book; it was terrific and sensitively written. My mother-in-law is slowly slipping away with Alzheimer's and it is so difficult and terrifying for her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Each appt at the coumadin clinic is interesting. As I am considered "young" for lifelong coumadin use, my numbers are all over the place. I think the elderly are more stable in their activity levels and meals so their numbers stay stable. Mine can go as low as almost normal to dangerously high. Faith slammed my hand in the door a week or so ago and I still have the blood "pillow" under my skin where it leaked. It's lovely. ;-) And that was the same day as the paint spill. Oy.

      I am so sorry for your mother-in-law, you, and your husband. It is such a terrifying disease, and no amount of fighting beats it.

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  2. Hi Barbara!!! It was so good to catch up with you! I have been missing in action also. Just no extra time it seems. All of your pictures are lovely, especially your food pictures. They are making me hungry! I am going to try that pork recipe. Yum!

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    1. Hi Kirsten, no not a minute to spare, which makes me sad. Is it too many interests or too many interruptions? I hope you enjoy the pork. You can do it with veal, too, but I don't eat veal.

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  3. A couple of things grabbed my attention right away...
    1. I can never remember my vitamins either!
    2. Faith's pictures are just BEAUTIFUL!
    3. The breast comment for St. Agatha...glad you stuck with red sauce ;)
    4. How busy your hands are!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patty, there are bakeries (mostly in NYC I imagine) that sell breast cakes on her feast day. Kinda sick.

      Yes, I am slightly addicted to being busy with my hands. Something I need to work on, but it's mostly work for the Lord, and that's good!

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  4. Those birds are so beautiful! Lovely, lovely pictures. You certainly are busy in the handcrafts department! I'm always astonished at all of your projects. That bread looks wonderful - thanks for the recipe. Hope your week is going well.

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    Replies
    1. I am grateful I still have full use of my hands, since my one leg doesn't allow for a lot of leg work! I guess I am making up for not being able to walk and stand for long by busy handiwork.

      I hope you enjoy the bread.

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  5. Great photos from Faith! I especially love the juvenile cardinal.

    Isn't it amazing how some people can dawdle through the day and we have so many things we want to get done, both for pleasure and duty?

    xo

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  6. Hi Barbara. So sorry I missed getting a Scapular! But you closing the listing is a good problem to have. I loved all the bird pictures in this post. My kids keep begging me to buy bird seed.

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    Replies
    1. They'll be back...some day. But probably not until eight bridesmaids dresses, a flower girl dress and wedding veil are complete!

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  7. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I use my rosary all the time. It is lovely!

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  8. I love all of the birds you get to see! Birds have not returned to our neck of the woods yet. And we don't have many trees in our yard for them to make their homes. I hope your appointment went well ... And you are feeling better? (I owe you an emails about all of our health issues.) I do think it is wonderful that you keep busy with beautiful things, like knitting. I never get around to doing that. I want to make time for it, but I just can't figure it out!

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  9. Love the birdies!! My grandmother and her twin sister, both had Alzheimer's. Have you read Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter? It is a very good book. There is solid research that shows that eating grains causes Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. Realy fascinating! I bet your library has it.

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!