More of Bright Week 2020

What dear days Bright Week are!

For a brief while I was able to forget all my cares,

and just feel snug, secure, cared for.

Of course, things have a way of getting in and hearing

of friend's distress - in so many ways - 

some with possible job loss - some with depression - 

and PLEASE do pray for L. in the assisted living who had fallen in December.

I was sad to learn that her building has people with the virus now and she is,

so far, fine but in total lockdown, i.e. she cannot leave her room or even

have her door open.  so that is VERY hard to say the least. 

***

My heart is sad with so many things like the above.

But at the same time...

I made a really tasty chicken pasta with the last of our small roast chicken,

I described it earlier this way:

I used up the last inch+ of Pasta sauce, 

a bit of tomato paste with oregano and Italian spices, 

enough noodles for 2 servings, cut up the last of the chicken into small pieces,

 and last step was grating about a 5th of a bar of cheddar cheese! 

It was really delicious!!!

I made beef stroganoff, first it was soupy 

(used a Marion Cunningham recipe

from The Supper Book) and then I used the post 1945 Boston School Cookbook

for a thick white sauce

 (butter, cream and flour, with salt and pepper, plus

I added oregano) the next day.

And I made, for the first time, hot cross buns 

(except I used dried cherries per my Husband's request) 

from Marion Cunningham's

The Breakfast Book but did not put glaze on it

and we are using up the last of the cheese Pascha on it,

which is why I made it in the first place,

as we were out of bread for the sweet cheese spread :) 

These were so fun to make and the first time I made buns/rolls and I do

hope to make them again, it was so enjoyable!

I ended up rolling the dough, making them into balls while listening to 

Bolero by Ravel, which my 20-years-ago remembers me listening to

repeatedly; she had a lot of patience with me!

I was listening to Classic FM and it it was so relaxing,

making these rolls while listening...

The rolls were so very good!

My cousin's wife gave me the complete 12 seasons of

Murder She Wrote after hearing that it was going off

Amazon and I was wondering where to watch it

(this was my one fun thing to do in the early weeks of the 

pandemic, when all seemed new, hard, overwhelming).

It's rather astounding that we had one week of Lent,

where were were in church everyday, and already then

all of us were stocking up on food and other supplies,

and that the second Sunday in Lent was the last time we were in 

church.... the next weekend, Saturday, was the last time people 

could gather but our local church was already closed...

I was adjusting to my Husband working from home full time

(a blessing I know!!!) and suddenly having 3 meals a day to provide

for instead of just dinner! And no take out either for dinner

(my Husband is too worried for it, that's OK, he also 

suggested I buy a chicken pot pie from our grocery delivery,

which I did...)  

***

In someways things seem a bit easier but things are not

simple, we really don't know when our lockdown in NJ will end;

with L. residence home now having the virus, it merely 

points to it continued to spread.

***

And all the news shows that NJ is NOT doing well in terms of the virus

and that the shutdown will go through May.

My Husband and I talked about things and there is 

a lot of ramifications and it is rather troubling.

Poverty, starvation.

And Africa is in trouble; locusts are invading,

this is a huge concern leading to possible

mass starvation.

Sorry for all the sadness in this post, not my normal,

but just I guess part of the reality of being in our situation.

***

Yet, by God's mercy, 

this week is Bright Week and Christ's Victory 

and Resurrection are still the strongest notes of this week.

My Husband and I sing the Paschal hours and 

"Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down

death by death and upon the tombs bestowing life" 

in various rousing editions :) 

***

And while I am aware of the difficulties of our 

current situation as a world,

I don't spend all of my time thinking about it.

I refuse to make my mind crazy or 

dwell on things that would trouble me

in a way that would lead to me not being able to function

or feed anxiety or despair.

I know, clearly, enough, as seen above but 

it is wise to seek Christ in this and not 

allow one's reading/watching/listening to create 

an illusion of living in a world that is based in despair

instead of on the fact that while there IS and will be 

troubles in this world, 

Christ is still Victorious; Christ LOVES us, 

has come to save us and bring peace to our souls

within the storm and eventually, eternally, outside of such troubles. 

***

I found the following meditation, esp the second half, really helpful in this regard.

It is wonderful to be reminded of God's love and that

the paths of God lead to peace.

This is the book the above was from...

I believe my Mom gave me this book.

It's a nice one!

***

Well.  Regardless of everything that is hard,

Christ is Risen and the world rejoices!

May we live in the beautiful glorious HOPE of Christ's Resurrection!