a host of golden daffodils 04/08/01

 

Of all the mean, raw and miserable days we have had this spring, this morning made me feel like today was going to be the meanest, rawest and most miserable of them all.  

As it turned out, the day was filled with brightness and light and happiness.

The weather stayed the same as it was this morning - grey, with light rain and a chill that went to the bone - but then weather is not everything.   

Elsa brought home a recording of today's Palm Sunday service.  A male trio - Neil Simonetti, Greg Baker and Thane Glenn - did the singing honors and they sounded wonderful.  I could have played, "Ride on, ride on in majesty..." over and over and over.  

Jeremy gave the service, which was filled with wonderful moments.  A real donkey processed through the Society Room and people strewn palm fronds along the way.  I especially liked when Jeremy had the children shout "Hosanna!"  

Around mid-afternoon, Carole arrived for our discussion group (we are reading Your Best Year Yet!), which is always a treat for me.  We were supposed to write out our top accomplishments over the past twelve months and our top disappointments over the past twelve months. 

I have a hard time with that sort of thing.  It is hard for me to be introspective to that degree.  It is easy to say generalities, but this is supposed to be more specific than, "I was more charitable." 

It was wonderful to have Carole and Elsa there, because my difficulty lead to a discussion and both of them made me feel pretty good about myself.  Also, Elsa suggested I look over the past few years rather than just one year, because it can be hard for me to remember what happened in 2000 - at my age the years can run together.  

Carole thought that was a good idea, so that is what I will do.  When I write something down, I am going to ask myself, "Is this general or is it specific?" and if I get really stumped I will talk it over with Elsa or call Carole. 

This working in a group is really nice.

After Carole left, Elsa and I headed off for a drive so I could see the daffodils.  It was still grey and clammy, but the daffodils and narcissus along the banks at Chris and Ellen Asplundh's were a warm gold and white.  

 

We did a review of the "host of golden daffodils" at the edge of the Glencairn/Cairnwood great lawn.  We drove past them going up Huntingdon Pike and then turned around and drove past them going down Huntingdon Pike. We did that several times and I still cannot tell which is my favorite view. 

We drove through the cathedral porte-cochere and admired the flowers. There is a little white flower that I thought was lily-of-the-valley, but I think it is too early for them.  Elsa thought the flower had what seemed like a blue vein in the petals but I could not tell - my cataract surgery did a lot of good but spotting a slight vein of blue in a tiny flower's petals is stretching it. 

There were more daffodils and a blue flower with what looked like a white star in its center and bluebells and even a Christmas rose(!). 

I almost forgot the hyacinths planted at the entry to Cathedral Road in different shades of purple.  We nipped around Cairncrest, past several pairs of people out walking. 

 

As we came up Quarry Road to Alnwick Road, we had a great view of the hosts of golden daffodils in that sort of triangle. 

We finished up the drive by dipping down into Huntingdon Valley for a  0swing into the Bethayers Shopping Center and a vanilla custard ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen - "with a curl on top!" 

It is a happy woman who is beginning to consider trekking up the wooden hill.

I dread tomorrow - Elsa heads back to work after five days of taking

care of John and myself. I will miss her a lot, as will John.  (She is not even going to be home tomorrow night - she will represent both of us at the Caritas

meeting.) 

John remains on the mend   Elsa does her best to "sit"  on him when he feels better, because he tends to do too much.  I am happy he is not coughing as much as he has been. 

The Lord bless you and keep you throughout this blessed Easter Week  - Kay

 

 

summer is a cumin in 04/09/01

We had not had one really solid nice spring day when we veered from mean, raw and miserable straight into the good old summertime.  The temperature was over 82F today.  

My poor old body does not like these extremes.  

Truth be told, it was pleasant going to my podiatrist appointment today.  I had the pleasure of the weather, the pleasure of my son's company (PRL was today's chauffeur) and the pleasure of a 15 minute whirlpool foot soak.  aaaaaahhhhhh....

 

Sweet dreams from a bleary eyed, ready to pop into bed - Gramster –

JRM Update - 04/05/01

I received several concerned notes, asking why there had not been a "John Watch" update today.  The fact of the matter is that I have kept Elsa pretty busy today with doing posting for me on the Caritas distribution list (on the joys of sex and the sadness of alcohol abuse). 

Our dear lad swings between feeling human again and then feeling weak as a kitten.  He is still sleeping semi-upright on the den couch to alleviate chest congestion.  Elsa stayed at home today - again - to keep an eye on him and to be there for me.  John cannot hear "Clappy" all the way down in the den.   She has says he has to be her priority. 

I am none too happy with her own health.  She has developed a nasty chesty cough.  All this stress and strain cannot be good for her. 

We continue to be blessed with loved ones and friends sending e-mail best wishes, phone calls, visits and generally good "kharma."  We are blessed by your caring.

Nite nite and God bless – Cybergram

I, for one... - 04/03/01

 

I, for one, had quite a few friends who enjoyed every aspect of marriage.  I do not think that I am all that unusual – many of my friends felt, as I did, that "on a physical level, marriage could be every bit as pleasurable as it could be emotionallly gratifying and spiritually delightful."  

Of course, there were many - in all religions - who believed they should "close their eyes and think of England."   It might surprise you to know that many, many women of my generation considered the physical aspect to be a foundation of all others and the marriage bed a place of joy.  

Here is a thought for you - what about people who believe that there is not any sex in heaven?  That stumps me.   

   

Some of the same friends who feel superior to people in other religions for battening onto the teaching that people are neither married nor given in marriage in heaven can also turn around and talk about sex being of this earth only.  

Fie and shame!  Sex is about conjunction and the delights of conjunction.  No ultimate conjunction in the other world?  This Grammie begs to differ, which is the reason my family has instructions that when I am reunited with Pete, the female spouses are to go out and buy black negligees and "think of Mom and Dad together again."

I, too, would love to have the truth declared - through words and adult actions - that "one reason to reserve sex for righteous marriage is that with a partner you love and trust, sex is spectacular."  

On a deeper, infinitely more important level, by not doing what they both want (if they do not, then I would be worried), a couple puts something outside of both of themselves above what they want, for the sake of the relationship.  That mutual sacrifice (and both Pete and I had a tough go of not forging ahead full steam before our wedding night) can make for a strong, sure foundation. We both acknowledged wanting to pass "Go" and do the deed, yet did not.  

Yes, sex is a rousing experience, pleasurable beyond words.  And, yes, it should be protected because that is what the Writings advocates and because, by waiting - with a wholesome mindset - it can become the “good” cement of a strong foundation for marriage.   

>>KRL<<

 

Internet wizardry 04/03/01

 

Late this afternoon, Elsa started reading the first Harry Potter book - Gail lent her the first three, reasoning that we really should read them, what with John illustrating Platform 9 3/4 - and she is already completely captivated.  The book is about wizards and magic.   

We had our own little bit of magic today here at Squirrel Haven, thanks to the Internet. 

Carolyn Heldon sent John a feel better card and he received it hours before the time she sent it.  Talk about wizardry.  It is, to me, awesome that someone in Australia can send a feel better card and it is received not only immediately, but hours and hours "before" she sent it. 

All the communication flying to and fro over the past three days - activity I have never experienced before first hand in the same ways - has me thinking that the Internet is nothing short of magic, at least to me.  Remember, I am so old that I recall life before  "talkies" and radios. 

Another bit of magic arrived today via a get better card from Leslie Adams.  Leslie's was based on the Harry Potter books and it features a magical train that passes through the Platform 9 3/4 gate and comes straight at you - if felt like it went right through you.  John turned around and sent one right back to her that did the same thing, but that included a personal note from him.

 

Here is a bit more Internet wizardy for you - the three of us had a high old time checking out florists in Sydney via the Internet.  We wanted to send Mike flowers in celebration of becoming owner of the hardware shop he managed for many years.  We could look at pictures of available arrangements, get a feeling for the various florists, browse through the "best of" from flower shops on the other side of the world.  

 

Even more magical was the arrangement we finally sent off last Tuesday - an arrangement of flowers in a utility pail, "just right" for an upscale hardware shop.  

Wayne was the epitome of service (we thought the shop did not accept Elsa's credit card and we were happy when he assured us they did) and confirmed on Thursday that "Mr. Lockhart received the delivery at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.”

Here is a bit of our own Internet magic  - Elsa "pasted" the Internet address of A Lazy Daisy in case any of you need to send flowers to friends in the Sydney area.  So, we can work our own bit of Internet wizardy - and we did not even have to attend Hogwart's to learn how. 

Good night and God bless to all of my dear circle - Mum/Nan Lockhart