Preparing for my goddaughter and her Mom to come DV this weekend

 After saying I really needed to order some new hangers,

for about 5 years, I finally got some.

I love the pant/skirt 5-skirt hanger + I got some "felt lined" type

hangers that *finally* my wider neck shirts/sweaters do not fall off of.

So that's great. 

Breakfast Tea :)

Gift for my goddaughter, dresses from gift shop at Holy Dormition Monastery... 

I managed to get the box and do the bow and ribbons myself... 

Some cute little plastic totes (made in Israel) for my godkids + Munchkin

with things from St John from my visit to SF CA back in March! 

\

I finally changed the table cloth from dark green to white

for the Paschal season :) 

I did a lot of tidying/sorting/preparing today for my 

goddaughter and her Mom's visit later this week... 

Tomorrow is cleaning + laundry day.

I got recipes for our dinner on Saturday... 

Now I just have the get the ingredients and plan the prep time needed! 

Meanwhile, not surprising after leaving for NYC about 8 AM and arriving back close to 7 PM,

yesterday, today I was tired.... :) 

Well, one thing at a time.

I managed to get the guestroom/library/chapel ready, 

put away a bunch of stuff, prepared gifts and got a handle on the menu for Saturday.

I'd say that's a lot right there!

Today was the first day I really had to myself in weeks; between 3 trips (MI/CA-AZ/MI) 

in 1.5 months, exhaustion/sickness before Holy Week, and last week

being gone everyday (Wednesday being home in AM only), it's 

no wonder I am feeling a bit weary + had no time before today to just be home.

I am reading for the first time L'Engle's Acceptable Time and it's nice to read.

I am definitely going to need some down time/more reading time soon.

Hopefully next week.... 

but as God wills... 

Food, Books and a whole lot of processing

I fried up some hamburger with taco seasoning and onion

(fried onion first, in coconut oil) on Thursday.

Toppings: 

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Sour Cream

Fresh yellow tomato 

Sriracha sauce

Lettuce

On a soft taco... 

We've been enjoying it today also!

***

Made a NY Times Plum Torte again;

hope to make another this coming week! 

Still loving the Cleo Cat!

So....

I finished this book by Donald Hall; 

he published it in 2008.

(BTW: Spoiler warning here given)

I found the parts about his schooling and childhood of curious interest; 

I had not realized how fortunate and privileged he was as a child and teen;

I guess it goes to show that money and connections, plus fortunate circumstances,

can help in terms of making one's dreams come true; but clearly also, on Hall's part,

a lot of continual discipline in terms of writing.

But I found parts of it, to be honest, surprisingly jarring and disappointing; 

I did not realize how much he had struggled with carnality, and how, after Jane died;

it grieved me very much; I am writing a longer post, 

that will be about this book but also the culture he grew up in and that became

what is here today; it's tricky to know how to write it, as I want to be kind,

balanced; to give freedom in terms of not judging but seeing; that alone is an essay right there; 

I also would like to explore some things in current culture, 

and culture in the last 100 years,

and what I see in it that is ultimately harmful to an individual and culture. 

Beore I finish writing that post (it will be a longer one, more

essay form I think; it's one that I have been thinking of for quite sometime), I am 

hoping to read Hall's book on his and Jane's marriage; 

it is clear that Jane was a deep stabilizing force in his life and I have come to 

realize that Hall is probably the type of man who needs a woman 

to keep him stable; for me, it was a bit difficult and hard to come to terms with;

I have loved Jane's poetry since I heard Donald Hall speak in 1996, 

just a year after her death; I met Donald Hall; got his autograph, talked to him.

Jane has ever since been my favourite poet.  And I liked and like much of his poetry as well,

though I have not read it all or much outside of the years 1995-1998 or so.

My Husband has been hearing about this all week, as I finished reading the book

and processing it....(thankfully Mr Husband is a great conversationalist and able to put things

in context of historical and culture things that greatly assist processing)...

 it was one of those, I had no idea how he struggled,

or what mess he fell into while he did struggle, and how dark it was, the depression he was in; 

and even just realizing that

he did not stay single after Jane's death,

well, it took some coming to terms with; it was literally catching up with

over 20 years since I met Hall in person and not knowing him,

even in his writing, before then, it was a lot to realize.  

***

Anyway, before I write more on it, 

I hope to read his book on he and Jane's 20 year long marriage,

one that only ended because Jane died. 

Then I feel I will have more time and I hope the ability to write an 

essay that is worthy of both what he achieved in his marriage and what

was lost in his struggles and what it can mean in terms of the world that was,

the world we live in now....

I think I read this L'Engle book before.

I LOVED it. 

Read it pretty much in one sitting.

Encouraging, fairly light in terms of L'Engle's fiction; it was somewhere between

YA and adult on her spectrum; a perfectly timed read.

Well, lots of books, tea and good meals this week.

A lot to be thankful for.

Including church tonight, tomorrow

and various friends to see next week! 

A lot in just a few days

A week ago, we went to a dear soon to be fully adopted daughter's baptism.  I had not been to a baptism at a Catholic church before. It was beautiful.  The smell of the chrism was esp strong and so beautiful - a scent from the heavens.  This young little one is a real lovely girl and I really saw a change in her after the baptismal service - not in energy of a 3 year old for doing everything at once - but in beauty.  Every time I see her now, she looks more feminine, more beautiful, a real change but not one that could be easily explained to others I think.  But quite real nonetheless.

This past Saturday we had a small party for her, to welcome her to our lives.  It was a very simple relaxed affair and the little one did so well.  

Because of a very busy week, I was not able to prepare anything before the day of.  Thankfully the frozen crepes, store bought, were wonderful, the cream cheese with heavy cream and powdered sugar for the wrapped crepes went well (I forgot to have the cream cheese sit out first and it was a bit lumpy).  The egg bake was very simple - a friend suggested it on FB - all I did was shred some cheddar cheese, put in cut up pre-browned organic sausage, mix up 12 extra-large organic eggs, pour on top and then add more shredded cheese.  Used one small block of store bought organic cheese for this.  It was a hot day, so no one wanted hot tea and water and OJ were what we enjoyed.  A cold no-bake chocolate cheesecake bars, a fruit salad and brie with crackers also were enjoyed.  Oh and hot tater tots :)  and a small bowl of ketchup! I feel like I am slowly learning hostess ‘tricks’ like what meals are easy to make the day of and still have the results be worthy of the dinner or brunch one is hosting.  

The day before I had ‘kid-proofed’ the area, as the little one is 3 and a very busy little girl.  It went really well.  We also watched Matuska’s grandson run really hard race on her ipod. The little girl learned the word 'championship' and decided that to say it one must jump and raise both arms, saying 'Championship!' :) It was relaxed and an enjoyable time.

I think all of us have really busy lives and enjoyed just being together to talk and visit.  The little one loved her gifts, I gave her Jane’s When God Made You.  

After vespers, we went to the diner; I had half of a big Caesar salad (picture of me with salad by Mr Husband) and a milk shake. :) ... Husband earlier brought me home 3 red roses and we sent off our first of, we hope, many letters to the Munchkin for his second summer overseas.

We also had Pentecost and I really enjoyed listening to this sermon later, was I was putting together Mr. Husband and I’s dinner.  

I am still pondering the sermon; it is so true, we are all thirsty for God’s Spirit and try so many ways to fill the thirst.  I talked briefly with my nearby priest about how hard it is for us to open our hearts to let God in and let the Holy Spirit increase in us.  

I am working a lot on Sunday School these days - printing all the lessons of the last 2 years, seeing where the gaps are and thinking about things to teach next year on the Holy Liturgy and about personal prayer at times that the children are not aware of the need for.  One thing I talked to a few of them about yesterday was about praying before one has Holy Communion and doing simple prayers while waiting in line.  It’s a challenge for all of us who are Orthodox (or in a Christian church where the Eucharist is offered) to focus on meeting Christ in a very profound way through Holy Communion.  To live with a sense of holy anticipation and expectation, to grow in prayer.

I am reading a wonderful book on prayer by Fr. Alexander Men; and am re-reading for the 10th+ time L’ Engle’s Swiftly Tilting Planet and feel like I am just getting in a deeper way, or the next layer of it, of how one of the points of the book is to ponder letting our lives not be in our complete control and, in one way of saying it, to relax; to see that God is steady and still in control, no matter how things in our personal lives or on our world that we all share seem to be often careening off it’s axis. I love so much of what L’ Engle has to say and this is one of my favourite books of hers.

Well, today includes the change of table clothes (white and green for Pentecost), paperwork and I hope more Sunday School work.  I was thrilled to hear that my now 4 year old godson still loves Thomas the Tank Engine.  I am really hoping to finish his quilt soon.  I dream of being able to give it to him in person!

ps: a friend sent this lovely video with the main prayer for Pentecost in many languages, it's lovely!