GOD, GRANT ME...

I found a new prayer in my reading this morning that I am going to take as a new slogan for myself. I found it in Hazelden Meditations A Day at a Time. Maybe some of you can relate to the spirit of it. It reads, "God, grant me the ability to laugh at myself--often--for I need that laughter to cope with the everyday commotion of living." That prayer must have been conceived by someone in my age group. Aging requires serenity in a big way. God, grant us all more of it.

READ MORE AND WATCH LESS

I think I have lost my impetus for daily blogging. I've been fighting with a cold as well as my pal Arthur but otherwise feeling energized by the season. The decorations are up and activities are beginning. It would feel more like the holidays if we were to get some cooler weather.

For many years I have been avidly watching the show ER. My favorite character on the show, Dr. Abby Lockhart, is hitting the bottle again and is about to get found out. It is almost like having someone that I know breaking sobriety. I know that she will suffer as will all those around her and it almost seems too stressful to have to watch. TV is pretty lame right now. I think I need to read more and watch less. Actually I have two books going and I'm not getting very far in either of them.

BOOKS FOR GROWN-UPS

I've been reading C.S. Lewis in bits and pieces because that is how I best understand his writing. In his book Mere Christianity Lewis says, "There is no need to be worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of 'Heaven' ridiculous by saying they do not want to spend eternity playing harps'. The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them. All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentined because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in the present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendour and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of Heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs."

AFRAID

Today I was afraid to get on the scales after this holiday weekend. So, I didn't. I'm putting it off until tomorrow. I figure that tomorrow it will be 4 weeks until Christmas so I will try to get back on my horse and ride during those 4 weeks and behave as best I can.

It is the middle of the afternoon and I haven't yet done one of the things that I need to do today like laundry, vacuuming, etc. So when I finish this I will see if I can knock a couple of things off the list (imagianary--maybe I would do better if I made a real list.)

Warm weather has returned and I have the air on again today. I think there is some cooler weather in the offing. I hope.

WHO CRITIQUES THE MOVIES ANYWAY?

After writing the blog about how wonderful I thought, and still do, the movie "August Rush" was last night I read a critic from Tacoma who really panned the movie giving it 2 stars. He must have not liked music and had no imagination. Anyway, check it out for yourself and see how many stars you give it. Take a tissue with you.

THE WEEKEND ISN'T OVER YET

I had a marvelous 2 days with my son and wife. I gobbled til I wobbled plus some. Now it is back to basics until Christmas. Is there life after chocolate cake, brownie pie, Toll House pie and pumpkin pie? I couldn't let the occasion pass without trying them all as well as ham, turkey and cornish game hen. We had dinner with Cheryl's family and it was a wonderful time and I didn't once feel like an outsider.

I got home about 8 p.m. and was high as a kite after drinking a cup of coffee before I left. I put away the fall decorations, got out some more Christmas decor and then met my friend Marty for a 10 p.m. showing of "August Rush." I couldn't recommend a single movie more highly than this one especially if you have any appreciation at all for music. Phrases which came to my mind while viewing it were: juxtaposition of styles, caucophony of sounds, child prodigy. The culmination of the plot takes a little stretch of imagination but the music and all of the sounds were glorious. Please see this movie. I have to see it at least 2 more times and then I'll buy the DVD when I can find a previously viewed copy.

I hope your dinner and the company that you kept was as good as ours. The weekend isn't over yet. Wonder what else I can get into.

CHECK THE TRASH

The pies are baked and tomorrow morning I will assemble the green bean dish and the Waldorf salad. It has been a good day with some snags and some surprises. One snag was when I couldn't find my can of pumpkin for the pies. No, I no longer cook my own pumpkin for pies like I once did. Anyway, I looked all over the place and couldn't find it and knew I had brought it in. I decided to check the trash after looking in the refrigerator. Who knows where I might have put it while rushing around. Sure enough it was in the bottom of a sack of trash. I had thrown trash in the bag after setting the bag down with one lone tin of pumpkin in it. This is a good reason to continue to use my reusable green bags which my grocer sells. I don't put trash in them.

The surprise was having my mom and brother come by for a sandwich at lunch. I was glad to have the ham, turkey and cheese. It was fun to have a little time together. I had gone early in the day to the Honey Baked Ham Store and bought a pound of ham and a smoked turkey breast so we could have sandwiches at John's on Friday. Goooood! I plan to eat all that I want tomorrow but I have an idea that I will fill up pretty fast since I haven't been eating so much.

WHAT A DAY!

I'm tired after keeping up with a 2 year and an almost 8 year old today plus a doctors appointment. Luckily I had hardly a wait at all at the clinic and started a steroid dose pack tonight which might help what ails me.

I expect to get a good night of rest tonight and start my Thanksgiving cooking tomorrow. The weather continues to be pleasant so running the oven won't send the air conditioning into high gear tomorrow. MMM!!! Pie and more pie. I'm looking forward to a big dinner Thursday after long weeks of careful eating. I'll gobble til I wobble.

FALLING DOWN

I have fallen down on my 30 days of blogging. Yesterday seems like a brief memory. I went to church and to a movie in the afternoon--"Dan in Real Life"--a touching story about a young widower finding love again. It was sweet--I suppose a chick flick by most standards--and full of "family values" which we sometimes don't get much of at the movies.

When I finish this I am going to take off for the grocery to do my Thanksgiving shopping. I am going to Clearwater to my sons for the holiday and an overnighter and we will enjoy the big dinner at his new in-laws. I have my list of contributions to the dinner from which I will prepare my grocery list. Most of mine goes in the oven so that will be easy--pies and the ever famous green bean casserole. I will also make a quiche for our breakfast the day after. That has become sort of traditional for me at holidays.

My biggest goal for today is to clear my dining table of clutter. That is one of my worst shortcomings. Everything stops at the table--mail, papers, books, DVDs, etc. I think I will dump it all in a laundry basket at take it to my room to sort. Then I can put on the lace cloth for the holidays. Maybe I will then keep it tidy with a nice festive centerpiece. I can always hope.

THINKING ABOUT CHRISTMAS

I've been thinking about Christmas and pulling the decorations from my little 2' x 4' lean to shed. I keep them packed in plastic crates which stack. I pulled out a couple of boxes earlier this week that contain the few pieces of Dept. 56 Christmas Village that I still own. I'm not sure how I actually got it to Florida when I came here but I managed to keep about 6 pieces for which I am grateful. I have had most of it for nearly 20 years now. I finally got those 2 boxes unpacked and set up last night in my garden room on the hutch. Today I returned the boxes to storage and pulled out some more things. I filled a beautiful crystal bowl with some lights and artifical fruit and decorated a tiny tree that I have which is about 24" tall. The rest of the decorating will wait until after Thanksgiving when I put away my fall decorations. It was a productive day and I found things that I had forgotten I have. That makes it feel like Xmas when I find unexpected things.

Tonight I watched my favorite British sitcoms which I have been watching for years and years and which never fail yet to entertain me and make me laugh. There is a new one on now called The Vicar of Dibley, about a young female vicar, which was filmed last year. It is quite cute and full of British humor. I guess that you can tell that my Saturday nights are pretty tame which is really a good thing since I have to arise so early on Sunday to be at church at 7:30 a.m. That means "lights out" for me pretty soon.

COMPLETELY MISSED FRIDAY

I'm not sure what it says about my Friday but I completely forgot about blogging yesterday. I checked everybody's blogs that I read but never thought a thing about writing myself.

SENATOR MCCAIN, I'M ASHAMED OF YOU

No, Senator McCain. It's not good enough for the American people. We should all be more defensive about name calling and bad behavior, especially in a public forum. I am ashamed of you.

COLD FRONT COMING

Today turned out to be busier than I had planned. I enjoyed a country style dinner with friends who are down for the winter. I really ate too much but every bite was delicious.

Tonight I attended choir practice and came home tired. My voice is really not very good right now but I keep trying and enjoy the challenge of reading the music.

Our weather is beautiful and although it has warmed up a little I haven't had to use the air conditioning in over a week. We have a cold front moving in with cooler than expected temps so that will be nice. I may have to get out the heater and the down.

MUSIC WEEK

This is turning out to be music week for me. I have already heard 2 wonderful concerts this week. Last night it was the Southeastern University choral and chamber singers in a classical program. I don't think I have ever heard a more perfectly trained group of singers. Everything was sung with absolute precision. I can only guess at how demanding the director must be.

Tonight I went to the Imperial Symphony Orchestra which is the Lakeland symphony. The program was entitled "Two Fifths of Beethoven." They performed Piano Concerto No. 5 with Howard Kim as guest soloist. I heard Mr. Kim play in a concert a few years ago and he is impressive. It was so enjoyable to hear him again. I was a little disappointed when I first heard that Symphony No. 5 was the other part of the program but once they started playing I was equally thrilled to be hearing it. Sometimes something familiar is just what is needed and that was how I felt tonight when I was transported by the work.

Thursday I am going to a concert featuring the works of John Rutter. He is one of my most favorite choral composers and arrangers. I expect that evening to be the most delightful of all. How is it that so many good things came in one week. Sometimes I go for months without hearing anything impressive. God must have known that I needed a musical lift. Makes me feel like a new person.

MISSED THE DEADLINE

I missed getting a blog in yesterday because I was too tired. I went to early church and then drove to Clearwater to have lunch with my son. Today is his birthday so I took him and his wife for brunch at a nice little eatery that they chose. The food was good and the day was cool and invigorating. I had a "chickichanga" which was a breakfast version of a chicken chimichanga. It was a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, eggs, avacado and sausage and lightly toasted in a skillet. It was served with a fruit garnish and potatoes. The potatoes were unnecessary and uneaten. The coffee was good. I'd like to go there again.

After eating we went back to their home for presents and to visit. I think we all felt kind of lazy after eating. On the way home I shopped a little at some stores I like there and bought a couple of gifts for the holidays. The tired I felt when I got home was a good kind of tired--tired but satisfied and happy. I spent the evening watching the morning news shows that I had recorded.

I'm sorry that I don't get to see the birthday girl today but we talked on the phone yesterday evening. Today I will happily recall the day they were born and the surprise that it brought to the family. They have given me years of such great joy. "Happy Birthday," twins.

BUSY SATURDAY

I started the day with my cup of tea and a trip outside to water my plants before heading out to work a golf tournament that my church holds annually to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. I really love being able to help that cause. It was an amazing day for Florida--sunny but cool. This evening I stayed a few hours with my great nephews so their parents could have an evening out. Now I'm home to watch my PBS sitcoms which I recorded while I was gone.

Tomorrow I will have brunch with John and Cheryl to celebrate John's birthday which is Monday. I won't get to celebrate with his twin sis so I hope that she enjoys the gift I sent if she is ever able to retrieve it from UPS since no one is ever home during the day. I realized I should have sent a gift card after going to all of the trouble and expense to send it. Nothing is easy or perfect anymore.

BABY STEPS

Yesterday was weigh in day for me. I haven't done this in years but I had put on some weight and several weeks ago I decided to try to change my eating--not a diet--and try to take some pounds off. When I began my new eating habits I had already taken off 5 pounds and in the next 4 to 5 weeks I magically dropped 15 more pounds. Then for 4 to 5 weeks I was at a standstill, never losing and sometimes fluctuating up as much as 5 pounds. I tried to stay faithful to my eating plan which, I must confess, is not terribly strict and allows me the freedom to still eat out and not have to be picky or even tell other people. So when I got on the scale yesterday and had dropped a pound and a half from what seemed like a set point I was really happy. It gave me new resolve to keep at the new plan. It is one that I decided for myself and I actually eat quite well. So I will keep on with my baby steps to better health and weight and make more effort to establish my next new habit--taking my Omega 3, vitamin and calcium on a regular basis. I'm having trouble with that handfull of big pills. Gotta go. If you are curious about how I am eating you can ask.

READING BLOGS

I've been reading through the blogs that I enjoy, mostly family, this morning and thinking--that is dangerous--how much more fun blogging is when you all are writing regularly. Johnniebwoy, you could do better for us to stay in the loop. Amanda, get busy and let us hear from you, or do I not have the right blog address? Anyway, I have more to write later but need to get to a meeting. Have a good day all of you. I'm going to seek a cup of coffee on my way at the new nearby Dunkin Donuts--how dangerous. I even have a free coupon.

THE ROMANCE OF LIVING

Occasionally I read something that I like to share with others, usually my female friends and family, but good for the men as well. Today is one of those days. For about 10 years now I have returned to reading a book of daily readings by a woman named Sara Ban Breathnach, "Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy." It was a very popular book for a time in women's circles. I am now on my second copy of the book. I gave copies to my girls and some friends and influenced others to buy the book. Today's reading spoke of where I am currently in my heart and I want to share it here.

"...I was created in a burst of passion, for romance. So were you. Plumb the female psyche and you will find an elegy of romantic remorse--the unobtained, the undone. Melancholy fragments of unrequited loves that stretch from our cradles to our graves. Regrets not necessarily caused by lovers who chose to live without us, so much as by recollections of the things we loved once but learned to live without. It could be the novel you abandoned writing, the art fellowship in Paris you never pursued, the black velvet cape that finally found you at an antique stall but you passed up because, where would you wear it? (Everywhere.) The love you couldn't return, the love that frightened you, the love that you were afraid to express. The loving gesture that died in hesitation. The romance of living that we let slip away every day because real life forces us into prudence."

We can all add our remorses to the list. I suppose one of mine would be the unsung song. Many are still young enough to follow their hearts. Some of us can only dream of what we could have done. We all can do whatever we are still capable of doing. I will always remember the sign we once had on our refrigerator which said that large occasions for serving God seldom come but small occasions come daily. I hope that I continue to take the small opportunities when I hear that small voice within me. I hope that you do to. Peace!

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER BLOG

This was a lovely autumn day for Florida. The grass is green and the flowers are blooming. I enjoyed tea on the patio this morning before making a mad dash for a meeting. I picked up Trevor after school today and he, mother and I went to see "Bee Movie." It was as much fun as Jerry Seinfeld has touted it to be. I'd watch it again.

WRITERS ON STRIKE

When I turned on the news this morning the first thing I heard that there is a writer's strike in the entertainment industry. I guess the writing is left up to us bloggers now and there will be nothing to watch on TV--like there ever is.

I found the news quite amusing, actually, when it was announced that we have a "robust economy" after the newscaster had just announced that the stock market is down, crude (hence gasoline) is at its highest price ever, realestate is in the toilet and the dollar is losing in the world market. How "robust" is that? Is anyone besides me tired of having to stay at home because I can't afford to go anywhere and each month wondering if my fixed income will stretch to meet all my needs--talking needs here and not wants?

Onward and upward this week to all who read me. I will pick up Trevor after school today and entertain him--he usually does his homework. Tonight I am going to a local concert featuring the current "up and coming" musicians in the area.

Bloggers keep up the writing. It is nice that some of us are making the effort to reappear after having been on our own hiatus for whatever reasons. Have a good day.

UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

After being worn out by my two great nephews this evening and coming home and trying to set all my clocks back an hour, I'm up in the middle of the night because I couldn't go to sleep. I'm having a cup of chai tea and some ginger cookies. I'm mostly awake because I was so cold. Two days ago the air conditioner was blasting away at top speed and now tonight it is so cold I can't get to sleep. I have donned some cozy socks and a robe and maybe I will settle down soon.

Went to breakfast on Saturday morning with my mom and then visited some old friends who are visiting from Indiana. It was a delightful day.

We are predicted to have daytime temps in the mid 70's for at least the next week so it should be wonderful weather for us. I will pull out the down comforters so that the nights won't seem so cool. I hate having to turn on the heat in the house and do everything I can to avoid it. I will probably awaken from sleep when it finally comes with only my nose sticking out of the covers. I love it.

So It's Blogger's Month

I'll never make it everyday since it is already the 3rd. It was a cool day today and I entertained my 2 year old great nephew all morning. By noon we were both ready for a nap. I managed a quick shower and lunch with friends followed by a viewing of the newly released movie, "Martian Child." It was touching and had a well crafted resolution from a psychological perspective. I have spent this evening watching mostly the PBS Friday night fare--Washington Week, Now, Bill Moyer, etc. So I'm off to dreamland and the covers will feel good tonight.