A chilly morning

 But it got up into the 50's later and is supposed to do about the same for the next four days.

This morning, I remembered that I had not got my lottery tickets - Horror of horrors.   Dick probably poked me to remind me.    I did not have numbers for Wednesday - Phew our lucky numbers did not come up.

Went to church this evening.   I am still rather weary and somewhat sore in my bones, but tomorrow and Monday, I should be able to stay home ALL Day.     I am sick of this weakness and want to be my normal self.

Bless everybody this 2nd day of 2021,  

Dia Dhuit

Mary

A breath of fresh thought

Striding through your mind with JOY

Always true to you

What a special morning

Vita and I woke up to snow.   There was at least an inch and a half on the lawn.    I found out that Vita does not mind snow at all.   She just pranced along on her walks.    I had to be careful because there were some frozen spots.    I had my rubber boots so just moved into lawns if it looked as all slippery.

 As our weather people pointed out, snow is water too and will help the drought situation that we have been in for some time.

After the procedure, I feel fine.     Very weary, but I guess that is to be expected and I do get out of breath.   Monday, I will contact the doctor to update and find out if this is all normal. As I seem to be improving, I am not worried.

A very quiet beginning to the year.   I am not complaining.    Hope your 2021 is starting off peacefully and content.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

 

 Time alone is good for the soul.

But only if they accept and embrace it.

Self quarantine mandated by law

Does not bring about meditation and peace.

Everything is fine

 My procedure went very well.   Bart and I got there shortly after 10 for a 10:30 AM Check in.   All was well with that, then we just had to wait my turn.    The waiting is tedious, because my joints and back got sore, but the event itself takes less than 30 minutes.     I will find out ALL the results early next week as he took some biopsies but he did see a problem and did dilate the area that showed the blockage.     We will know in a few days if that will help.   Bart stayed with me for an hour or so after I got home.     Then  I needed a nap, so he went home.

I am feeling tired, but fine and do not have to go anywhere until Saturday night when I go to Mass.   (Of course, I wouldn't go if I did not feel well.   but if this is any clue, I should be well over things by then.)

Happy New Year to you all.    Let's pray that 2021 will be all we hope for.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

BRING ON LIVE

Skitter Scatter

Doesn't matter

If you Dare

To Care.

I dream of singing, dancing, belonging

When high clouds block the sun.

We had chilly weather

and rain today.   We have needed the rain, but the cold is not welcome.    As long as we are able to get out between the rain, Vita does not mind at all.    I keep telling her that is because she has her nice fur coat to keep her warm.  Mary has to layer.

I think I have everything done that cannot wait until Saturday, even meals in containers.    So I can get this procedure done and just rest.   I just hope that I will be more comfortable after it is over.

Happy New Year.    I plan on posting tomorrow, but just in case.   Happy New Year,

 

Dia dhuit

Mary

 

 

A New Year Poem

Wars start.

Does peace start too?

Children play outside in frigid air

Making snowballs to use for fights

OR roll until they are big enough

To build a fort or a snowman.

It's a New Year

Let all it's snowballs be snowmen of forts.

 

OOPS

 I DID tell you that my procedure was good to go, but accidentally wrote Positive for the result.    The result was actually NEGATIVE.    I do not have COVID

Later

Mary

Only two more days left in 2020.

 I will definitely be lazing around on New Years Day after the procedure on my esophagus on New Years Eve Afternoon.     Will be just fine.    I had no plans anyway.    AND I now have been tested for COVID and can tell you as of today, that I do not have it.      I tested positive, so I have been doing, at least, an adequate job of taking care not to get into dangerous situations.    Dick would be so proud of me.   (He told me once that he was always proud of me:)   AM I Blessed\, or what.)

Went to Walgreens and used up the rest of a debit card that I got from Humana.    It is paying for the procedure too.

Tomorrow, home all day.   Best that way.

 Talked to my friend, Joanne, today.     I must remember to call people more, It was so good to hear a voice that remembers so much of what I do.

Be at peace.

DIa DHuit

Mary

 

LIFE
Yesterday's river is gone

empties into the ocean of today.

We swo, ion the choppy sea

toward an ever elusive tomorrow

making our way to eternity.

What a good day

Got to talk to my sister,Nora, this evening.    They are all doing well and we decided we want this mess over so that there will be an IrishFest in Dallas again that we can all attend.    What fun we have at those.   I remember the last one, I brought my Irish Walking stick and people were stopping me on the grounds to ask where I got it.    (Actually, I got it at Irish Fest in Milwaukee and am very proud of it.   I have the one I that Dad had too.)    I have a collection of canes and walking sticks.

This morning I got my COVID test to be sure that I can have my procedure on the 31st  of December.   Won't know for a couple of days but I do not have any signs of trouble so figure it will be OK.

 Dr. Toy, my chiropractor put my back in place again.   

So it was a full day. 

Hope this virus meets its match soon so we can begin being close and comforting again.

Can't tell you how much it means to even talk to someone.   Vita just does not say much.   Actually she has a pretty good vocabulary as far as understanding:)

Love

Dia Dhuit

Mary

 
GIVING THANKS from my Seeking book

Express Gratitude!

I told the trees this morn ing

That they smelled lovely.

Can't Believe

Only four days left in this most difficult year for the whole world.

Well,    the vaccine is out and becoming more available each month.   Hopefully, this will drop the COVID illnesses and places will open up again, which will get people back to work again and eventually we should have some semblence of "normal".     Whatever that turns out to be:) 

I was home all day today.    Nice.   It was a good day for the walks that Vita takes me on.   I didn't need a jacket after noon.    The sun was shining and it was SO pleasant.

Bart and Barb stopped by this afternoon.    They got me a Zoom camera.   I could not do it with my computer and Barb fixed my sound which I had somehow managed to lose. 

It was just SO good to have someone real in the house to talk to.    They are doing well and I gave then their candy and some cookies.   

Tomorrow, two appointments, but they will both be short.   Have to get a COVID test before my procedure on Thursday,   That will be in the morning    Then in the afternoon, i see Dr. Toy.    I can tell I need Dr. Toy, my hips ache.  He'll put me back in line.   

You all take care of yourselves.     I love you all.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

DREAM CATCHER

(From my book Seeking)

I feel in my sleep
A dream flying over me

Waiting to be caught

Hi everybody

 I am getting to the end of my day.

Caught up on my was today.  Walked Miss Vita LOTS of times.   Went to Mass at 4:00PM   Mass starts at 4:30PM but I was an usher so had to be there early.    I really like that because I get to see and say hi to more people and get to know them.

Dick would find that odd.    But he accepted that I was a people person an finally resorted to sighing and rolling his eyes:)

It was a pleasant day weatherwise.    Had a nice telephone visit with Bobbie.    They are doing well. 

Everybody/   Stay well and be kind to each other.

Love you all

Dia dhuit

Mary

Lets look forward to spring.    A poem from one or my chapbooks.

RESURRECTION

Sap pulses to the fingertips of naked twigs

Tiny buds erupt on reaching branches.

Signs of life affter monthe os dormancy.

Hibernation

Sleep and 

Death

Do not last forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a

I went to Mass this morning at 10:00AM

I was really surprised that there were so few people there.   We have all the seating marked so that we are not closer than 6 feet and still, all the available spaces were not filled.    I was ushering so felt useful for Jesus Birthday too.

It was a quiet day.   Talked to most of the kids and will contact the others tomorrow when the Christmas obligations are over.   Am fixing a nice dinner for myself.    Ham, Green Lima Bean Casserole, and cranberry relish.    Num Num   If you can get here by 9, it will still be warm enough to serve to you:)

Sad about Nashville bombing today.     Everything else seems to be aiming towards peace.   I wish people would stay home for ONE holiday.    It could make the difference in thousands of lives from the COVID.   Each life is somebodies mother or father or brother or sister or child and so on.

Be safe and keep well.   I pray for you all every night.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Elm Trees

Standing Tall

Stripped of their summer leaves

Their roots DEEP into the earth

Naked

Home again

 Home all day.    Bart and Barb stopped by this evening to take the Adam Beniot's presents and candy to them.    That's not, of course, why they were going, but at least I know that the girls know that I remembered them again this year.     Sent a bit of candy, because I have SO much

Bobbie sent me a vast array and I am loving it.

Tomorrow I will go to Mass at 10:00AM and usher.   Glad to be a part of Jesus's birthday celebration:)

Will get together with Bart and Barb to give them their presents sometime during the day.    I am fixing a ham steak, a lima bean and mushroom casserole and a salad harvested from my Aero Garden.   Have plenty to share if you want to come over.

Happy Birthday Jesus

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Just a Irish comment for our times:

May those who love us, Love us.    May those who don't love us, may He turn their ankles.   So we will know them by their limping.

Home all day and tomorrow too.

I managed to keep busy or at least amused most of the day.   Had a call from my friend, Barb Sadler, who always makes me feel good.   We have been friends for over 70 years.   WOW.   That even sounds forever to me:)

• Wrapped the last of my presents today and just did some reading and writing and stuff like that.   It was not too cold today, but the wind was awful.  I actually was stopped in my tracks when I turned to walk back home from down the street.    Easy to walk with the wind pushing you!

 Only two days til our Lord's Birthday.    I used to bake a birthday cake for Him.   I wonder if the boys remember.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

 

Sonnet

Do you believe in angels"

The shepherds did.

They heeded the angels call

And found the babe

Lying in a manger, as promised

 

Do you believe in the stars?\

The Magi did

And followed the star

From the East

To find the child, as promised.

 

We are all truly blessed.

We know the truth

We just need to believe.

What happened years ago

That God love us so much

As to send his SON

To save us for himself.

A fruitful day

Kerry came and cleaned my house this morning, so I am ready for Christmas.

Packages arrived from Bobbie and Bill (Nummy Candy) and from Bret and Janet, lots of nice things, including masks which say "I love you"

Went grocery shopping this afternoon.   I do not intend to go again until next year.  The store was packed.   Did not expect that, don't know why.  But I am set for a long time.    Remember there are only me and Miss Vita in my house.

It was sunny most of the day, though the wind was typically Oklahoma and it was not comfortable to spend much time out there.

Have scheduled things to do tomorrow at home, I don't want to go out.   Will try to get in touch with a couple of people i have been thinking of.    It is amazing how, people that you have not talked to in ages, are also thinking of you.

We are a funny people.    And I love you all

Dia Dhuit

Mary

 

Life is all out of order.

But slowly falling into place

Will the new decade bring sanity

One can only hope. 

I baked Lizzies today

Too bad that it is too late to enclose them in the packages.    Lizzies for those who may not know are cookies very much like fruitcake.    You soak raisins in bourbon or whiskey and then add all the other ingredients and bake.    SO GOOD>   Got the recipe from my Mother, bless her soul.   I smile every time I bake them.

Had another plumbing issue.    Mike says that he is sure that he has it now.    There was a backup where he did not expect it would be the last time.

Vita went to PetSmart today and had her bath.   She is,of course, gorgeous and very irritated with me.    She smells good too.

That was pretty much the day.

Tomorrow is quiet.   Will do my last shopping before next week and I think that Kerry is coming to clean.

Then only two days til Christmas.   I am ushering at the 10AM Mass on Christmas Day.   Sure glad that I feel well enough to DO SOMETHING.

Have a good week

Dia Dhuit

Mary

 

A poem from some time ago

NOLLAIG SHONA

Nobody will believe what happened last night!

Openings were not available at my Inn or anywhere else in town.

Late at night they came and she was ready to deliver her child.

\Landlord that I am, I offered the stable, warm and safe.

Angels started singing on high and waking up the shepherds.

Into the stable swarmed the local women, my wife at their head,

Giving advice and aid to the young couple.

\

Soon, the child was born and peace settled on to the tired family.

Humming softly, birds in the rafters sang the child to sleep.

Over the hills came the shepherds, summoned by the angels.

Never have I seen such a sight

A child born in a stable the center of so much love.












o

We had SUNSHINE

Vita insisted on too many walks (I know, I know, I spoil her.)   Today I really didn't mind too much.    It was sunny and warm.   I took her without a jacket.   The sweatshirt was enough.   Ran into a couple of neighbors too so had SOMEBODY to talk to for a minute.  

Worked on my book a bit.   Know what graphics I have to input.   Now I have to find them and remember how to put them in.)   Adding to my memory of that, my  g-mail was not receiving or sending properly.   I don't know why, but the 4th time I rebooted, it finally jerked itself into sync.    Like Jim said, Maybe it was that glitch that Google had.    Anyway it is working now.

Tomorrow Vita gets a bath and I get my plumbing flushed AGAIN.   I am going to make Lizzies too.   Got to have SOME fun.   I decided I need something with a bit of bourbon in it.

Also.   I wish I could send the picture.    My Christmas Cactus is blooming beautifully.     (It is sometimes called an Easter Cactus depending on when it blooms.}    I will send a picture as soon as I remember how:)

Bless you all

Til tomorrow

Dia dhuit

Mary

 

Mary was ready

For the birth.

Fresh hay in the manger

Fresh woven lines to cuddle

The God

The Lord of Creation.

A gentle day.

 I even saw a couple people today.    The Boykins, My neighbors across the street were out this afternoon so I got to visit a little bit and see their sweet granddaughter,Heavenly.

Bart stopped by with some protein for me too and we had a good visit.    I am always so glad to see him.   
Barb is doing well,  but after their shopping, which included my protein, was tired, so Bart let her stay home after they unloaded the car and brought the protein by himself.

Am working on my book again.    Want to get it ready to have someone edit it for me.    Have to remember how to input the pictures.

Went to Mass today.   I am so pleased that I cannot leave church anymore without talking to SOMEONE I know.   I am a part of the faith community!!!

Home all day tomorrow.    I think I will bake some Lizzies.

Dia Dhuit

Mary

Would the star that led

The WISE MEN been in the news?

Would the angels singing to the shepherds

Been recorded

In our world today?

A week from Christmas

Can you believe it?   Today, I met with my Lawton Celtic at the Lawton Country Club.    Boy do they have good food.    I had a gyro with sweet potato fries and have plenty for tomorrow.    There were six of us there, not too bad with the virus and everything.    We shared  Christmas traditions and bread recipes and just enjoyed the time together.

This morning I was busy washing and discovered that the washer is not draining properly again.    Called American Shield and the plumber will be here on Monday.    Sure sick of that.

All else is well.

Dia Dhuit

Mary 

Joy will die if you allow.

Sorrow will block it out

Let memories of sweetness fall

Into your life as if a shout.

A sunny mild day

I feel good about today.

I saw a doctor, Dr. Bartlett, about my swallowing difficulty and he has scheduled a procedure for me on New Years Eve at 3PM.     I do not do anything anyway on New Years Eve and this will leave me with a good financial benefit that I would lose on January 1st.    My angel is watching over me.

Sent out a lot of Christmas cards today

Tonight went to Writer's Club.   The last one until Next Year.    All my groups are meeting next year.   It was fun.  I read an older Christmas poem that they had not heard.

Tomorrow is Celtic Club.

Dia Dhuit

Mary\

 

VITA

Vita;

Is this creature

That came to live with me

At my home:)

Neither Rain Nor Snow but Sunshine

 We were blessed today.    Rather cool, in the 40's but when I went out it felt good with the sun on my shoulders and here being hardly any wind.

Went to Bible Study today.    I told you we are reading., together, a book called The Jesus We Missed by Patrick Henry Reardon.     Love it - it does some explaining of what things meant in Jesus time which helps in understanding.

 I also did all my shopping today.

I was thinking today.   When we were children, at least the first few of the nine of us, Mom and Dad would put us to bed and then decorate the tree.   As I recall, that stopped eventually because as we do now, it was too much and the kids like to help anyway.    But I do know that each Christmas Eve, Dad drove to both grandparent's houses and picked up the presents which were arranged in little piles around the living room.    We all just had to look for our name:)

Dia Dhuit

Mary

I am so blessed with

My home full of memories

Of a Love-Of Life

It was a gloomy day

Vita and I were home all day except for our walks.     It there was a bit of a flurry this morning but by noon there was little if any precipitation.    A mist, we have agreed, is minor:)

Yes, I am talking to the dog.

Nobody else is here:)

I made a Waldorf Salad today.   Boy does that taste refreshing.   I am trying to eat more fruits and veggies.   It is hard because they spoil on me.   A head of lettuce, for instance, is several days of greens for one little old lady.

 

Cleared up my end of the year bookwork.   Soon enough it will be time to start thinking about taxes again.   EEEEEWWWWW 

All is well here.   Kind of afraid of the Christmas surge of covid.    Oh well, sufficient unto the day.   I am home anyway except for very thought our gatherings of less than 10 people.

Be well.

I miss you all.

Dia dhuit

Mary

If patience was a cure

Then I would surely lose

As it is hart for sure

For me to calmly cruise.