Sunday, September 16, 2007

New blogs

Reading, Writing & Recess My sister's family blog of homeschooling adventures.

I Could Use A Pic-Me-Up My darling daughter's blog of her photography. She was inspired by that blue ribbon.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

A Sigh and a Snooze

I woke up at 8:30am and again at 9:00am, only because the phone rang both times. I was in a dead sleep. In a period of slightly over a week, I: celebrated a friends 50th birthday a couple times, celebrated 22 years with you know who, worked hard for a cause, celebrated my sister's 40th birthday, cried in church, listened to my favorite local band, featuring non other than Emma and My Handsome Prince, worked for my Mom, walked with 7 dogs, taught class after class after class, make a scene in pre-op (5 of us laughing, easing the jitters), watched my Mother go into surgery, wait, worry, pray, knit, visit, numerous trips downtown, got lost, went to a football game at the high school, watched movies with Audrey, celebrated 50 years of marriage of some friends, cried again, numerous phone calls with my Aunt, start a new knitting project. And today, thinking I SHOULD go visit my Mom, discovering she was being discharged, feeling I SHOULD go pick her up, feeling like a looser because I did not think she was going to be discharged, let MHP take the good car, WANTING to go to a free Ozomatli concert in Virginia, instead I sighed in the shower, took a nap, and went to bed early. I guess I needed all that rest.

Mom is resting comfortably at my Auntie's in West Virginia. Typical sisters, Auntie calls and says "Is this the person to whom I am speaking?" Mom gets on and says "Are you home?" Then giggles. The healing begins.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

These Women Rock My World!

My Mom, My Aunt, My Sister, My Niece, My Daughters and me.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Respond to the Call...Again

If you had been driving by Christian Temple early morning or late afternoon, you would have seen a sea of yellow t-shirts. Here is what they said:
This is the way of peace
Overcome evil with good
falsehood with truth
and hatred with love
-Peace Pilgrim

A small group of people, small in relationship to our world, 9 teams of 11 at least, have taken a day remembered for tragedy and turned it into a day of hope and renewal and honor. For six years, this group has responded to the call, to work together, side by side, people of different race and creed, to promote peace in our small section of the world. Hopefully, it will pay it forward. This year all four of us made it a priority, felt its call.
Emma and I worked together for First Fruits Farm. Before going into the orchard, Carol, the owner of the farm, lead us in prayer. We were the estrogen team, a group of 12 women and girls, Muslim and Christian. We picked apples, gleaned the top of the trees and the ground, and along with two other volunteer groups, picked over 150 bushels of apples. The apples were going to various agencies in the Mid Atlantic region, where it was needed. There were still trees bursting with fruit when we left. It was a satisfying task and was rewarded with crisp, juicy apples for our lunch along with a few to take home.










Audrey joined her youth group, working with Civic Works. They split into two groups, one weeding a stone labyrinth and the other weeding a vegetable garden, both formerly vacant lots. My Handsome Prince worked on the Prisoner's Aid house laying flooring, clearing the back yard of weeds and brush, painting and other various maintenance projects. Other groups went to a therapeutic horse farm to paint fences, although some of those kids came back with more paint on them than the fences, I think. We had 3 groups stay back to quilt for Prisoner's Aid, knit hats for premature babies, and put together packages for the National Federation of the Blind that will assist families to learn to read braille. We had a group painting bedrooms and planting gardens at the Children's Home in Catonsville.


Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Our Work


Audrey's photo in the middle of photos at the State Fair














My rug, displayed upside down (which totally pisses me off and baffles me - doesn't it look upside down? Weren't the rings a hint as to how it is to hang?)with a participant ribbon. Once home the ribbon was an Honorable Mention. I'm cool with that, just not the upside down thing.







Emma's creation from an old window. She needs artwork in her apartment, the walls are bare.
















At Eulala's funeral, Shorty wanted a piece of pie but state he would be too full after he finished his meal. Enough said?

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

This week starts the Fall Session at the YMCA. School has started. Summer vacation has ended. I always feel a bit melancholy. I love the lazy days (HA!) of summer but also just seem to get much more accomplished, or at least feel I do, when I am on a regular regime. This week starts a new line of classes for me. I will be up to 17 classes a week, plus 6 hours a week in the gym just people watching. My classes are as follows:
Power Ride (spinning/cycle) 5x a week
Women's Health Center 5x
Dog Walking 3x
Strength, Aerobics, & Stability for Seniors 2x
Power Workout (bodysculpting or strenght training) for beginners 2x

Now don't get too excited and say I'm killing myself. I only guide in the Women's Health Center, so it is non participatory for me, we only walk 1 1/2 miles in dog walking (Apple Sunshine can do 2 but that's it), and S.A.S. for Seniors is very light. The greatest workout comes from Power Ride and Power Workout, but even so, I'm still a teacher and guide and often walk around to check form. I would be pushing so much harder as a participant. Speaking of which, I will start attending Pilates 2x a week. I miss it so.
I was half dreading the start of this week. I'm only two days into it, Monday doesn't count, and it seems like it is going to be just fine. Although, I've had to take a short nap today and yesterday. Now, if I could just find time for Black Betty, all would be well.
The big dog walking class. There were three students (dogs) signed up and only one showed. Doesn't Apple Sunshine look like she thinks she's hot stuff?