(66) beautiful

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters to show you in the mean time!}

(65) the beloved Unicorn

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters to show you in the mean time!}

(64) beautiful tapestries

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters to show you in the mean time!}

(62) Paschal Candlestick

(61) Inside the door, at rest within the Cloisters

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters

to show you in the mean time!}

{60} ~ What was seen through a doorway at the Cloisters

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters

to show you in the mean time!}

(59) St Nicholas at the Cloisters

~It was so special to see this old painted statue of St Nicholas.

Just knowing that others have see this beautiful depiction of St Nicholas

and asked his prayers, centuries ago...

***

{because of a long awaited visit with friends

who I have not seen in 7 years, 

I am not able to blog regularly.

So I have set up some things from the Cloisters

to show you in the mean time!}

(57) Monday

Oh Monday.

I managed to get a lot done today, but

it was tough going in ways; 

I was tired. 

I think one of the tricks for me to get stuff done is at times

in the day, just rest for a bit.

I am doing a lot of preparing for my friends visit with us

and as I mentioned before, I will not be blogging normally soon

while this visit is on-going! 

***

I found that I was struggling with some of my thoughts today.

Sometimes it can just feel like everything is downhill in the wrong way down,

as if it is all at splinters at one's feet

and it take me a bit of time to see that the feeling I had was, in fact,

wrong and that not all is in ruin in my life or 

that I have not made progress in some ways that I have long wished,

for my life here. 

***

One of the treasured moments of the day are a bit of reading I do at night

and I am slowly reading an incredible book that I find so absorbing. 

It is called I Live Again and it tells the story of a Romanian Princess who 

is telling us of how her life changed irrevocably because of WWII and how

she had to learn to live again after losing so much of what she deeply loved. 

***

I am excited about the Death with Dostoevsky book! 

This is the forth book by Katherine Bolger Hyde and I 

am really looking forward to reading it!

***

Life can have such difficult periods.

I pray that if you are in one of those God will help you

and comfort you in the midst of it all. 

(56) Sunday

I love seeing little children at Confession. So dear. 

***

Today was good.

Lots of rain on drive back home.

Rest, leftovers for dinner.

A good day.

***

May God bless and have mercy on us!

(54) A fair bit of steps taken

8,357 steps, that my phone counted, were done today!  

2.35 miles, 105 move minutes, 23 heart points, 1,576 calories!

***

It was a good day, I enjoyed lunch with my friend before

doing some shopping errands at the mall. 

I found some "stud" "crystal" earrings and now my 

wedding out fit is 100% complete! 

I also got a cute red skirt that is made to be a layer shirt,

plus I got a citrus spray makeup brush cleaner.

I was tired by mid-afternoon and got takeout Indian at the mall...

and later a lemonade...

***

I am really tired today, which is now surprise as I have not had

a lot of "introvert time" to recharge...

***

So I will be sure to get some Monday and Tuesday of next week,

before my friends and I meet up for a long-awaited visit...

***

I will want to just be present to my friends while they visit

so I think I will share more of my Cloisters pictures 

(I have much more to share!) while I am visiting with them,

staring later next week, God willing.

***

I pray that God helps all of us in our times of need

and also in our times of being tired out! :)

(53) A song that sounds like Christmas & Other Ramblings

I love this song!!! 

I heard this today...

I am pretty sure it is on one of our Chanticleer CDs for Christmas.

I am already getting excited for Christmas!

Yes, early perhaps but I have a very full fall, 

as is usual for me, and have a bunch of dates of possible

dinner or lunch parties to host, lots to bake, decorate,

and people to invite... 

And Thanksgiving is LATE this year!

So I have a lot to get organized but I feel ready and am really excited for it.

We are in a much better space in our lives right now

than a year ago and for this I can only thank God and know that it

was a miracle that got us through our unbloggable struggles of the

3 years before this.  

(If you are newer to my blog, this miracle was a well-time one,

a Christmas miracle!)

***

I think one thing that I am learning is how to better balance my time.

Not that I use it perfectly, that's not what I mean; 

I mean in the bigger things, the various projects I do -- 

such as working on my essays (I have at least 10 in various stages)), 

luncheons and dinner parties, St Nicholas and Christmas baking,

gift making, gift gathering and gift wrapping; keeping the house in order; 

blogging; knitting; sewing/quilting; in time I am going to try to join

a writing group (that is a big long term goal, will take some time as I need to 

have a clearer essay-writing path and can't work on that until after Christmas) --

something I have realized is that I can only work on one or two big projects 

at a time; and that my projects are seasonal and what to expect in terms of what I can get 

done in a season literally depends on the season... 

We had a severe wind warning this morning

and the wind was tearing through the trees early in the morning

and Mr Husband understandably worked from home today,

much to my delight! 

***

I realized that with the roast chicken, brussels sprouts and potatoes,

meals would be easy today for us! 

So I had time to use the label maker to do my make up brushes

and lampada oil (it's older oil that is good for burning in our candle holders

but not good for salads or cooking).

Our groceries were delivered... 

And thanks to Mary's comment, I was able to fix my 

little mini clutch purse that I use to carry my makeup in...

I wrote this earlier about fixing it:

I got this very cute little clasp handheld purse at a tricky tray raffle 

at my local church years ago now! 

I was very sad to see that the fabric in the back 

was coming out of the metal part at the top that held it in place.

 I asked for advice on how to fix it on my blog and got a great comment! 

Based on what she said I used one of my butter knives 

and put the fabric back in to the metal part; 

then I put some glue on the butter knife and 

tried my best to get some glue under the two open ends of the metal; 

then I used my jewelry needle nose pliers and clamped it shut! 

There were some marks on the metal because of using the pliers....

however is better to have it fully shut with in this way 

then not be able to use it at all! I am letting the glue dry 

before I put it back away for future use, b

ut I can already tell that the fabric is very secure 

and in the metal holder now and I'm so excited that I can continue to use it!

We enjoyed leftovers for lunch and dinner

plus a turtle bar for a snack (and I had it with hot chocolate,

the salted caramel that Trader Joe's sells)...

***

I realized today that, while I miss Cleo, 

I am in a good space right now.

I have a clear plan for the next 2+ months and feel that with God's help

I will be able to do a lot of it.

***

But I know also that things can change in an instant and I need,

as well all need, God's mercy; 

Christ's love; the Holy Spirit's comfort and guidance...

May we all look to Christ in our day of need and 

may Christ save us!