Bodhi

Not a Messiah surrounded by Mary and Joseph and a menagerie of livestock and wise men in a manger...or a chubby fellow in a red suit dispersing gifts beneath a brightly decorated pine. No songs or carols. Or menorahs or dreidels or potato latkes. Not even a yule log.

Today as a Zen Buddhist I observe Bodhi.

This is the day set aside as the day The Buddha achieved Enlightenment. One day I believe I will reach my own Bodhi. Although much closer on the path...sadly...not today. Until then I will practice. And practice. And be grateful for the lessons sent my way each day.


It is a day marked by Meditation and Mindfulness. The Present (though not gift-wrapped or beribboned) is of course "The Present"  (gift) and all I must do is embrace it.

Focus.

Be Mindful.

Gratitude and Compassion.

It is a lot more difficult than it must sound. 

Not sequestered in a cloister or retreat today. Just right here in the middle of Life...which doesn't take a break for silliness like Bodhi. There are toys to buy and gifts to wrap for little ones who wait for Santa. There are Christmas Cards and Season's Greetings to finish for friends and family. There is food to buy and prepare for our evening meal. And dishes to wash and put away. All before evening meditation.


My favorite quote by Buddha

"Before Enlightenment- Chop Wood and Carry Water....After Enlightenment also Chop Wood and Carry Water."


Wishing you love and light...this Bodhi :)
  
                                                          Namaste

Shelf Elves are REAL!

Spent an altogether wonderful evening and morning with my "middle" grand-daughter :)  Baking and playing in the snow...coloring and reading...painting nails and playing board games.

We even used roll out pizza crust and cookie cutters shaped like gingerbread men and snowflakes to make pizza together

Which worked so well...we got up this morning and used the snowflake cutters again for pancakes!

Even Tucker joined in the fun...if somewhat reluctantly.

Note the look in his eyes and the splayed paw which is cat sign language for

"When she leaves...you OWE me, Big Time"

or possibly

"When she is gone...I am going to SHRED something you love over THIS."

Cats are funny. They seem to know small children are somehow different than the rest of us. She could pick him up over her shoulder like a small furry sack of potatoes and he would just go totally "boneless cat" and tolerate it. If you or I grabbed him up in a similar manner- we would be getting stitches and maybe a transfusion to offset the blood loss. 

 We even bundled up and braved the frigid temps for a short time this morning!

Soon after, off with her Mom and sisters to see Santa Claus...and I'm settling back inside in the warmth with more hot cocoa and the rest of the Christmas cards (to be finished) and

AH HAH! We've both been bested this year, Pam.


Let me explain. Pam and I have been friends for almost 40 years now. Every year, it seems...along with the usual Christmas Pranks (including the one that stands undefeated when we used to live next to one another and she came out in the  night and used spray snow to literally cover all my windows)...then called me in the morning to say:

"OMG...have you looked outside...we had a terrible blizzard last night"

We were in our early twenties, maybe...and after the initial shock I laughed until I cried. 

Anyway...one of the "yearly games" has been to see who could mail the other one the FIRST Christmas Card of the season to arrive.

Often I would drop mine in the mail on December 1st only to open my box and find her's already waiting.  This year the furniture store beat both of us. Having just finished paying off my living room set...when I opened the box the store has actually sent a very elegant holiday card...asking me to keep them in mind for my next "furnishing needs"...lol!

So there. Contest over. The Furniture Store won this year! Next year i am mailing MINE in  July...so THERE... ~laughing~

Enjoying listening to Chris' morning practice these days. Getting so much smoother and jst beautiful Christmas Music and occasionally some Bach or a theme-song from SkyRim or (more recently) Beauty and the Beast...lol. Tina likes it. Must be love.

                                                  Morning Practice


And talked with the eldest who passed his CDL and starts his on-the-road training long haul with a co-driver on Monday from Iowa to Oklahoma City. He is excited! A Brave New Adventure...and the beginning of a wonderful career! He reminds me it is -3 degrees in Iowa. I cheerfully remind him that I keep my FREEZER set warmer than that. Nicki is amazing and supportive and they both miss each other like crazy and can't wait until he makes it back for Christmas! The "grand-bump" now at 18 weeks...and at least the morning sickness is over!

And Lennon...who recently sent me a scan of a shot of all of us together in 1996 after the United Maintenance Center project was finished...and Bill had pulled strings to get us a private onsite tour together when we met for lunch.  (((hugs)))
My son who didn't grow under my heart, but in it...  Can't wait to see you!
Love you, guy!

 A momentary slip in  FOCUS...easy to do at the holidays ...and now have December pretty much sorted and on track. Can't wait to see Donna and the grandsons next week. Excited about Terre Haute with Loretta and going to do a bit of our shopping at the mall together. Going to mail/ship all of the out-of-state before the 17th...and STILL need to talk to Great Grandma Judi about joining us for Christmas Eve...and find the perfect Hostess gift for Donna and Eric's Christmas Party...and...and...and...

BREATHE.

One day at a time. 

How do we eat the elephant?  "One small bite at a time."

This week's book  Royce Prouty's: Stoker's Manuscript. A sequel of sorts to Stoker's Dracula...tracing the lineage from Vlad the Impaler to modern times...part historical and part following in the footsteps of Stoker's fictional vampyre. Engrossing and a page turner by the end. Definitely one of the better books in its genre.
Excellent read.

And in World News...the death of Nelson Mandela

The man who helped End Apartheid and heal a Nation!
An amazing Human Being.

December's Cup

December already!

                                                 Summer Fun 2013


Celebrated "Idgy's" 38th Birthday yesterday morning...hard to believe...closing in on our 8th year together! And Che is almost grown.  Face it, babe, we're getting old...lol.  Well, you are...I got there a while back!
One year closer to floppy hats and tea on the verandah.

So...busy boxing up the Fall stuff and decking the halls. and all that business. Already enjoying my evening cup of tea beneath the dim glow of the Christmas tree. And Christmas is scattered all over the Calendar this year. Starting with Donna and the boys next week...and a Christmas Brunch and Terre Haute Getaway with Loretta the day before...and a holiday tea here for Judi and Ola the following week. Have to have all my Out-Of-State ordered and shipped before the 17th and Hannah (my middle grand-daughter) is coming over for Friday and Saturday Grandma Rose time this weekend...and Tess' Craft Show. Christmas shopping and then Tina and Chris for the 23rd...and Tanya and the girls for Christmas Eve...so by Christmas Day, I think all I want is a NAP,  A Bubble Bath and Chinese Carry Out!

~laughing~

 Finishing the Cards this week. With my handwriting skills at best abysmal at this point and the fact that I absolutely abhor those impersonal, pre-addressed, pre-signed cards and refuse to use them...holiday cards take forever these days. Thanks, FRED.

Still...they are coming along.  Was thinking of years past last night and how I used to write all the holiday cards for Bill's work, my work, our friends and family, and cards for the people in both our daily rounds. It would be an impossible task now.

The bright spot?

Visa only really cares if you can sign your name.
I'm good.

And buried under a flurry of Christmas Catalogs this week. Swiss Colony. Figis. Wine Country Baskets. Godiva. Coldwater Creek. Pyramids. David Allen Baskets. Crate and Barrel.

And wish-lists from the "Grands".  An American Girl Doll. A Real Baby Doll from JC. Anything Mickey Mouse. Trucks. Electronics. Games.

Thank goodness for Amazon.com.
        

The review this week? Not a book but a movie.  The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Re-assembling the same cast from the original film...this was darker...better. Sutherlin's character drips evil. You get the feel for how the Capital will do anything to prevent an uprising. Outstanding special effects.  Amazing new characters. The triangle and misma of feelings between Gale, Peeta and Katniss are explored thoroughly. A perfect adaptation from the book. Woody Harrelson is, once again, delightful as Haymitch. And left to segway nicely into the third film/book of the Trilogy. 

Note:
If you haven't seen the first film...see it before viewing this one...it wouldn't stand alone well.

And a loss in the movie world with the death of Paul Walker...co-star of The Fast and Furious films.

With the filming under-way for the 7th F&F film and the loss of Vin Diesel's street-racer sidekick...it makes you wonder how they are going to handle this slice of "real-life". I can't imagine them scrapping the film now. Maybe the opportunity for the "lesson" here may make its way into the film.

Although the car in which he was riding was not engaged in street racing at the time...the authorities say that speed was certainly a factor. 

Perhaps by writing out (ending) Walker's character (through a horrific street race crash) and maybe dedicating the film to his memory...as well as using part of the proceeds to set up a trust for his 15 year old daughter, something good can come from this tragedy.


And in the "I just can't make this shit up" catagory
Rush Limbaugh makes the headlines again by comparing Pope Francis to Karl Marx.

                                                    (Facepalm Jesus)


Seriously...I thought this windbag was suppose to leave the country if President Obama got re-elected...per his own rantings.
  
The door is still wide open. 
                          I'll help you pack.

A Cupful of Blessings

Among which is home-made pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with Aunt Edna's Spiced Pecan Recipe (...to be shared later...)

Enjoyed sharing the holiday this year with my grand-daughters and their Mom (Tanya) and Chris and The Leprechaun (Tina)...as well as James and Nicole (by phone)...and how very pleased she was to have James home for the holiday :)  and Lennon (Skyped in with his holiday ham)

And a wonderful time had by all!
The girls enjoyed Grandma Rose time...and getting to talk with Dad and Uncle Lennon and seeing Uncle Chris. And I loved having everyone for the holiday :)
We listened Christmas songs by Chris (on violin and guitar)...and Coloring and Grandma Fridge Art and a couple of Thanksgiving books I picked up earlier in the week at my library.

And The Feast, of course. We still have leftovers...realizing this morning as I enjoyed another piece of pumpkin pie...and Tina attacked the leftover devilled eggs (...hey...don't judge me...they're eggs...it's breakfast...people eat eggs for breakfast..right?) and Chris circled the honey BBQ-ed pork, vulture-like. Tucker settling in to a bowl of whipped cream licking his whiskers...and all is right with the world!




Looking forward to seeing Donna and the boys in mid-December for an early Christmas :) Donna send me Thanksgiving pix and "Hello" from the boys, as well!  Can't wait to see all of you!

They are all getting so big!

Oh...and a new term made up on-the-spot for the Thanksgiving/Hannukah cross-over this year.

"Gobble-Tov"

Thanks, Arlene!

This week's book an e-book written by a wonderful funny friend of mine (Sal) and just released...

The Day God Spoke To Me: The Miracle that brought a Jew to Jesus

http://www.amazon.com/Day-God-Spoke-Me-Miracle-ebook

by Sal Duenas

A warm wonderful spiritual journey of the soul. A story detailing one man's search for The Truth. Sal, I LOVED this book. Of course, I "heard" the whole book in your voice...making it even better! Sometimes you will laugh till you cry. And sometimes you will just cry. Excellent, thought-provoking book, guy!

So...back to today. FOCUS. And clearing away the Fall decor and beginning the Christmas decorating...and for god's sake somebody toss those poor pathetic half-frozen pumpkins into the compost box!

Now please!

And it is easy to get in a deck-the-halls mindset today...it's 15 degrees outside! If there were snowflakes falling it would be perfect.

And lastly...

Aunt Edna's Mississippi Spiced Pecan Recipe

(...Aunt Edna...long since passed on...always made a huge batch of these for the Holidays...)

Three Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon of water

2 pinches of Ground Cinnamon

1 cup Pecan Halves

Add all to a shallow non-stick skillet over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar begins to caramelize...then add a pinch more white sugar for sanding and stir. Remove and let cool. Break apart.

Good to add as a garnish to desserts...or just to nibble by themselves. 

Enjoy.  
I'm off to redecorate :)

 

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving...

So, of course, we've ordered pizza delivery. Doesn't EVERYBODY?

And I have to admire my Jewish friends (and Yentas by proxy...or honorary like me) for this year's alignment of the holidays. Thanksgiving and the beginning of Hanukkah falling on the same day! The first candle lit tonight and it is Turkey and Kugels and Potato Latkes for EVERYONE tomorrow!

"Someone please help your Uncle Hermy fish the dreidel out of the gravy boat...I told you kids not to spin that thing on the table. Oy vey..."

We are having our feast on Friday...Southern Style. And boy, is the Turkey ever grateful. The pig, however, could not be reached for comment.

A huge pork loin marinaded in honey-BBQ...Mashed Red Potatoes...Whole Green Beans...Mac and Cheese (kind of an emergency back up plan for the Grands)...Devilled Eggs...Biscuits and Baked Apple Butter and, of course, Sweet Tea.

For afters: Pie and coffee. Chocolate French Silk and Traditional Pumpkin with Whipped Cream and Aunt Edna's recipe for Spiced Pecans. 100 years of Mississippi cooking- you really can't go wrong!

Picked up a couple of Thanksgiving Books in the Children's section of my library for the occasion and after the meal Chris is going to play some of the Christmas songs he has been learning on violin and we're going to let the two oldest grand-daughters trim the tree! 

And a huge surprise for Nicole...headed her way. 

 JAMES.

 Who doesn't have to be back to class until Monday...so he caught a ride home for Thanksgiving...so they won't be spending their first Thanksgiving apart! Shhhhh...

Wish I could be there to see her face when he shows up at the door :)

And tomorrow...for me...well since we have scheduled everything for Friday...I am especially "thankful" for tomorrow. A day of peace and quiet. Of prep. Of starting the Holiday Cards. Of reading and a long bubble bath complete with one of my guiltiest pleasures these days...the new JetSpa...and maybe even A NAP...and indulging in Filet Mignon with grilled onions, a baked yam, fresh asparagus and an ice cold Coke.  Did I mention peace and quiet and solitude? Or the fact I will have to fast both Saturday and Sunday!

It's a small price to pay.

Oh and Idgy (and my) solution to (temporary)

                           which would be the official P.O.E. kit as seen below

Also useful for alterations to the waistline of your clothes during the holiday season & unruly relatives...

Wishing Everyone a Happy Thanksgiving...not just for tomorrow but for the other 364 days as well!

((((HUGS)))

Carla

A "Magical" Cup

And altogether amazing Friday night and Saturday morning spent with my 8 year old grand-daughter. What a magical age, eight!

The evening filled with us cooking pasta together and making Playdoh refrigerator magnets and bath time with washable markers...and her turning the tiled bathtub walls into a work of art. The movie "Water Horse" and story-time and hot cocoa then snuggling with Tucker and several of the stuffed bears until she was fast asleep.

Up early to help fix "Pigs in a blanket" and hot tea...

and then to plunder the scarves, and coloured hair extensions and curls kit, and paint our nails together before our morning ended.

and ending up with Safari Nails....one hand zebra and the other leopard!

"Grands" keep you young.
 (at heart anyway!)

She and Hannah are going to be able to share our (late) Thanksgiving next week with Chris and Tina.

The kids, who came in the other afternoon after work and collapsed on the sofa they were so tired. When I covered them up they looked so cute laying there sound asleep I stole a shot!

                                          (...not a creature was stirring..)

Exciting news as Nicki will be finding out if "The Bump" is a little girl or a boy today! Hoping to know before the day is out. And I may just go with pink or blue hearts on the quilt. Hearts go with everything!*

My bedroom an absolute disaster with all the Christmas stuff everywhere...inside from the patio room. Waiting not-so-patiently for the seasonal change after Thanksgiving this year. I have got to weed out and pass some of this on to the Senior Center. A much much better place to donate gently used items. The Goodwill put a price on things that it ridiculous since they were donated. The Senior Center keeps the prices low so that the elderly can actually afford them.

And Tucker...who is spending most of these cold days...indoors...on the sofa...and snuggling with his stuffed fish. One of the first plush toys he really seems to like. Of course the tail is stuffed with catnip! (...thanks Pam!)

This week's book "The Wedding Gift" by Marlen Suyapa Bodden set in the deep South during the times of slavery. The story of a young slave girl who is "gifted" to the plantation owner's daughter (as her maid) on her wedding day...and the girl's struggles to find her way to the North and freedom. A nice twist at the very end of the story elevates this book to a must read.  Excellent period piece!


So back to cleaning the house and preparing for next week's holiday...looking forward to hearing from Nicki and have ALREADY received the first "HOLD THIS DATE" for an early Christmas Party at Donna, Dane's and Eric's, and hopefully the 12th for Christmas with both my Grandsons! Planning an afternoon Christmas High Tea with Judy, Loretta and Ola as well!

December's shaping up to be a busy month, already!

Have a wonderful weekend!




* And a tiny postscript...as the kids just told me according to the ultra-sound...maybe...

The Windblown Cup

Yeah it looked a lot like THIS yesterday.

To compound matters, the oldest was on his way to campus for classes today...college being in Iowa. Where does he stop on his way through? Peoria.
Luckily they kept them at the bus station until the worst of it cleared. After which a small nearby town (minutes away) ended up gone. Wiped off the map. Looking like this after it was over.

They counted 65 tornadoes yesterday through Illinois and Indiana. Where I am...very little damage...terrifying winds...torrential rains...all of the leaves down (...Fall has fell...) and a few dead limbs and roofing shingles...but otherwise unscathed.  Nearby, one of the automotive plants reported damage. Kokomo Indiana was hit fairly hard and Lebanon had an edge of the town Starbucks coffee shop damaged pretty badly

 (...of which, Lennon immediately quipped "One down...several thousand left to go.")

but overall we were so very lucky.

Nicole and I engaged in kind of a telephone/email (((hugfest))) until we heard that James had reached the dorm safe last night. Huge sigh of relief.

Iowa...in November.  It's flat. It's bare. Oh...and it's flat.  Apparently, there is a pool table in the commons area though (which thrilled him to no end). And like Chris' experience with the AIOI...not your father's "Smuggle in The Hot Plate" dorm-room. A full kitchen and bath/shower. Three of them to his cube. Space to sleep and study and relax. A damn pool table! LOL!  He will be back to Nicole for Christmastime, though!

And an early morning call this morning before his class started...which made me a little misty...reaching out to Mom before his first day "...back to school..."!

They grow up so quick!

One out of college...one mid-way...and one just beginning trade-school.  So proud of all of them...and feeling so very blessed.

And speaking of blessed...the above picture sent by the girls' Mom...four of my (soon to be) 7 grandchildren. Three natural (Hannah, Kaylee and Brenden)...Three Honorary (Preston, Emma and Jasmine) and One on the way (...still too early to know yet!)  And the girls will be coming for an afternoon this week!

So happy!

Some "Grandma Rose" Time!

Which will be a welcome respite after this week's MRI follow-up I am sure.

"Don't bother me I am coloring with the kids and having brownies and milk in our tent-fort"

This week's book a non-fiction selection  All About Techniques in Acrylics part of the Barrons Series. Interesting and informative and something I learned at the end of last year/beginning of this one...that I really enjoy...a LOT. Who knew.

Tried oils. Dries way too slow for me...requires more patience than I admittedly possess.

Tried watercolour. OMG @@ They start school-children out with these unforgiving blotch-monsters...??? Really? My painting resembled a Rorschach inkblot.

Experimented with the pastels Idgy sent. Looked like something done by Monet...when he was 5...in the kitchen with crayons...after spilling his milk on the paper...in a word...terrible! 

 LOVE the acrylics, though. Beautiful. Very forgiving. Easy to thin to transparency or apply with a palate knife. Mix with a medium for Impasto. Glaze. Make a small mistake...paint over it. Make a big mistake...prime the whole canvas and start again!  

Have a vision of turning this shot

Taken this summer at the Nature Park while she and I visited and hiked away an afternoon...into a painting. I love the Impressionistic style and think it would lend itself very well to that.

We joked recently together about my trying pointillism sometime. Think Seurat. Once again...although she has been known to do the whole 9 million dots in Pen and Ink and when she finishes it looks like a black and white photograph of the Carroll County Courthouse, or some such. I am pretty sure the dedication to dots will end up something like this...

Hey...it's a close up...don't judge me.

And a box arriving...an early Christmas from an old friend. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!! A Personal Jet Spa to enhance the whole "bath" experience!  If anybody needs me, I'll be in the tub...till Wednesday!

And a quickie of Tucker squishing his little playtoy gold fishie.

I think we've found Nemo!








Possibly a Polar Bear in a Snowstorm??? IDK.