What a lovely November Day this turned out to be. 

Last year I went deer hunting for the last time.   I decided that it is usually too cold and I am not officially and "older person" who should consider these things.    Today would have been lovely.  The temperatures were in the upper 40's and though it did rain, the rain came late in the afternoon.   A perfect year.

Home this morning, I got a LOT done.   I am working on Christmas presents and also trying to catch up on writing and communicating with dear friends who attended the IBAM or just have been sending messages to me.

Like my sweet Vikki , a niece from my 2nd life who is so very special to me.   I am also behind on acknowledging birthdays.   Not to bad, as Jacquie and I have been running late off and on for years.

I enjoyed lunch and two walks with my sweetheart today.   He did very well.   I think I told you he will be home for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving and I am SO excited.  Roxie will be beside herself.

I left Rocky Knoll at about 1:30PM and drove to Kate Herman's house for our CWI book discussion.  It was a lively afternoon, I must say.   We discussed the book, and lots of other things.   Deciding when we closed up to read Wild Girls by Patricia Monaghan for our next selection and gave a suggestion for those who wanted to, to get John O Donohue's Anam Cara for a daily meditation book.   We are going to "book club" four times a year as this was do successful.  Kate had a lovely afternoon snack table of sweet breads, fruit and tea for us to enjoy.   She is such a good hostess.

I was home at 5 and had chili for supper.   It is good chili.   I thought I might have to spice it up a bit but it really tastes good as it is.

So tomorrow will be a rather quiet day.   I talked to Shane this evening.   The hunt was quite successful.   Three deer in the party.   a doe and two bucks.   I will be getting the livers.   Yippee.   Of course, Dick will not approve of them, but venison liver is about the best there is.

So until tomorrow.  God love you

Mary

Tonight is a lonely night.   I wish my sweetheart was home.   BUT ---- he will be here for a few hours on Thanksgiving. I talked to his therapist and the nurses and have made arrangements for him to be transported on Thursday at 11:30AM to be here for our dinner, which I am serving at 1PM.   He will be picked up again at 2:30PM.    I figured that this is long enough for him to be home, but short enough that he won't get too tired.

This was a good day for therapy.   He seemed really exhausted but still managed to do some strengthening exercises and pushed himself to walk for two long walks.    I am so proud of him.

I made a big pot of chili today.   I am hungry for chili and that does freeze well.   So I decided to do it.  Then I will have a "couple or three" meals all ready when Dick comes home.   I am sure the chilly weather is what has make me hungry for the meal.

I can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving already.   I  have the meal all planned and have already begun to prepare those foods that can be prepared early.   Bobbie is bringing Hickory Nut Pie which is SO good.

I intend to spend the rest of the evening just cleaning up my desk and corresponding with people that I need to touch with.    I need to send my Lavendar Cookie Recipe to the Fairy Queen.  I think I will post it for you too.

God love you

Mary

Lavender Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2  cup butter - softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose-flour
4 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl cream the shortening, butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.   Beat in extracts.   Combine the flour, lavender, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.Drop by rounded teaspoonsfull, 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with nonstick spray.   Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Cool for two minutes before removing to wire racks.

4. Store in airtight containers.

Servings: 24
Yield: 24

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/24 of a recipe (1.3 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. One of the recipe's ingredients was not linked. This ingredient is not included in the recipe nutrition data.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 162
Calories From Fat (47%) 76.75
% Daily Value
Total Fat 8.62g 13%
Saturated Fat 4.3g 22%
Cholesterol 28.06mg 9%
Sodium 124mg 5%
Potassium 19.95mg <1%
Total Carbohydrates 19.47g 6%
Fiber 0.32g 1%
Sugar 10.47g
Protein 1.77g 4%

Recipe Type: Cookies

Today was another Yahoo day for Dick as far as walking and transferring.    After the one poor day on Tuesday, he seems to have really improved.

I worked at home until about 10:30Am, then ran a couple of errands before meeting him in therapy at a bit after 11AM.     We then had lunch together and then played a couple of games of Rummy.    I won the first and he won the second.

Then I cam home and tried to nap.   That did not work too well so I am going to bed really early tonight as I did not sleep well last night.

So this is short and sweet.

Everybody enjoy your Friday and I will hopefully be more chatty tomorrow.

Love

Mary

A very successful day, I thought.  

Slept until after 7AM.  Then I ate breakfast and spent the morning preparing for tonight's poetry circle and cleaning.

I left for Rocky Knoll at 10:30AM.    Dick's walking and other therapy went VERY well today.    Corrie trained three of the CNA's as to how to walk with Dick and he got onto the bed from the chair and back again.   When the first walk went so well he told Corrie and me call Tim.   I think I told you that yesterday, when Time was there to see how Dick was walking, he was SO tired and in pain and couldn't do too much.

We had lunch together again.   There were a LOT of visitors, so I sat on a corner again, which works just fine when I bring my own food.   Nice that there are visitors.

We both took a bit of a nap after lunch, then I left at 2:30 so that I could go to Just Jane's to that Jessica could cut my hair.   I feel much lighter now.

Then home again for time with Roxie before I left to pick up Sy Regan for the Poetry Circle that Karl Elder hosts at Mead once a month during the school year.   We had a lively bunch tonight.    Several veterans poems - really impressive.   I read the poem that Dad wrote for me  and one of my own.    They were both much lighter and a nice note to end on. 

I was delighted that Karl said that he thought my poem had native American undertones. The Irish and the Native Americans have similar beliefs.

I will post that one at the end of this post.    It is a bit late for me now and I still have to exercise.

God love you

Mary

An Áit Anam

I went to the eating place

To nourish my body.

I went to the sleeping place

To rest from the toil.

I went to the growing place

To plant and to harvest.

I went to the learning place

To fill up my mind.

I went to the healing place

To bind up my wounds.

I went to the loving place

To be with my love.

I went to the friendship place

To share with companions.

Finally, I searched for the praying place

And found that I had been there all along.

I am glad that today is winding down.

Trash day.   So I couldn't dawdle in bed this morning.   Then I went grocery shopping next.  Didn't need too much but one must keep a schedule.   At least, it works for me.

I made it to Rocky Knoll at about 9:45AM so that I was there when Tim from Wisconsin Prosthesis came.    That did not go as well as expected.    Dick was sore and achy today and was not able to walk as much as would have been useful for Tim's observation.    But we know that the stump is still shrinking and that the healing is good.   Tomorrow will start another day.

I came home shortly after 1PM and took a nap.   It was not enough.   But then I had a lot to do around here.   I did some sewing, some baking and my exercises.  There is always something.

 I often wonder how anybody can possibly get bored.

So until tomorrow, which is supposed to be a beautiful day.

God love you

Mary

I don't know how to do the video,   This is one panel.

Mary

Am I ever glad that today is winding down.    I am still tired for the weekend and this was a quite busy day on its own.

I thought I had Writer's Club this afternoon.   I was wrong, it is next week.   But because of that I left the house shortly after 8AM to visit Dick because I figured that I would not be able to get there until 2:30PM or so and missed him because I had not seen him since Friday.

I got there while he was still eating breakfast and stayed until 9AM when I headed for Blessed Trinity and Bible Study.   We have finally, after about a year, finished the first book of the Little Rock series on Psalms and now are starting book 2.    We figure that we are now fast approaching our 10th year as a Bible Study group.   No wonder we are such a prayer help for each other.


I then went to Mom's and we got a lot of things done.   She is looking great and healthy.   She always says that she is "just the same", meaning weak and tired, but does perk up when we are with her.   There is always a lot to talk about.

I went over to visit Dick at 2:30 and came home at 4PM.   I have everything from the weekend put away and the bills paid so now I just need to rest up from all the excitement.

It was, as I said a truly lovely weekend.  I was able to get part of my presentation recorded with my camera.    The disc was not big enough for it all but part is better than none.     I will post it after I am done here.

The two readings that I had went well.   Of course, when I look at the recording, I think 1.   Who is that old woman?   and 2.   my goodness, speak up, Lady.   But the audiences seemed very receptive and I was told by some of the audience that they related to individual poems, which always makes me feel that I am doing OK.

Sunday, I really did not get to see much else,   A bit of the Yeats poetry recited and sung,   a couple of good lectures and some really good poets.

Saturday, I did see more what with the dancing, a musical presentation by my friend, Jimmy Keane, a couple of panel discussions etc.    Too much to do, too little time.   Isn't that wonderful?   I told my friend, Maureen, who booked and managed the Literary Salon that I would obviously have to call her to really be able to talk.

My friend, Cincy Matyi was there.  So was Dolores Whelen.   Cindy, a Celtic artist, and Dolores, a Celtic Spirituality educator, have combined  with a perpetual calendar, which I purchased and have a give of one for Mother too.   She will find it interesting.

I met several authors too.   Mary Pat Kelly was there and we reconnected.   I met Patrick Taylor who wrote the Country Doctor series that I love.    I got my barm brack recipe from his book.  It was an over saturation and I loved it.

So, I met a fellow poet at the announcement of the winner of the poetry contest.  (I did not win but Jerry O Neill, who I met two years ago at the first IBAM, did win.   We traded books then and were glad to see each other again.   His poetry is full of simplicity and a raw honesty that makes you really think.)  He was tied for 2nd place.   I also met a woman who said she just started writing poetry and had sent one in.    I told her that it did not matter a whit if she won or not, her poem was probably just as good as the winners anyway.   Judges are looking for certain things and they don't always choose the best.  OR all are the best and they just have to choose.  She said that that was encouraging.     I told her about one poem that I had read earlier that had touched a woman in the audience and that is when I feel that I have written something worth while.   I gave her my blog address and will put that poem at the end of this blog.   It is now time for this to end.

Hope this lovely November weather continues for just a bit more as I have a couple of outside things yet to do.

God love you

Mary


Here is the poem, Linda


TONY

He left while I slept

Without a sound.

Sometimes I think

He might have stayed

If I had only heard.

How could I have missed his leaving?

I was there at his coming.

Would he have stayed

If I had only awakened.

Just a note.    I am home from IBAM.   An absolutely wonderful weekend.    My readings went very well.

It is late, I am going to bed and will tell you all about things tomorrow night.

God love you

Mary