Yesterday NYC; Today Baking Cookies

Yesterday I went to NYC.

I had lunch with Mr Husband and then

went to Columbus Circle Christmas Market and saw

one of the White Sisters of St Elizabeth Convent 

and bought some special things for gifts.

***

Today I was home and so glad to be home.

I managed to order some special Delft things for our home,

texted some dear friends, including my sister-friend,

and made 2 double batches of vegan cranberry chocolate chip cookies.

I read Tolkien at night to Mr Husband.

We are in 1938 and loving it.

***

My Mom was given a lot of +Aunt Karen's things to go through and 

she picked some things out for me...

it's really hitting home for me, how my Aunt will not be at Christmas this year.

How I can hear her voice still, remember how she looked, moved, her laugh,

but I can't see her again alive, talk to her in person.

I miss her.  I will be glad to have a few treasured things to keep her memory close

but oh, how such things never come close to the actual person.

It's such a mystery, death; how one moment they are here, the next, gone.

How is it? 

***

My Husband and I had been struggling with the unbloggable that only seems

to be worse but we had a really good talk about it and are happier after our talk,

even though the situation remains unchanged.

***

My Grandma has knee replacement surgery Dec 18th.

She is in her upper 80s now in age.

I am a bit worried about her surgery

and am trying to pray about it more.

When I think of her and how just this week she told me again

how she talks to the Lord, really talks to Him about her concerns,

for others and their needs,

and how she said of one person she knows who is really struggling,

that she wants to pray for that person more than once a day

and really remember them, to pray for them.

***

I feel perhaps the one thing that gives me hope,

that Fr Schmemann wrote of in his journals:

'the only thing one should feel sad about is not being a Saint'

(to paraphrase slightly).

I look at myself and my life and see only poverty now, about myself.

***

But my Grandma, how special she is.

Her advice to me those years ago about when I asked

what to do if I lose my Husband,

so beautiful, profound.

I see now that it has implications for what to do 

in all loss, even, God forbid, one day losing her.

***

My Grandma has already baked the Christmas bars and breads she makes,

she can't lift as much now she she has switched to plastic bowls when 

using a hand mixer. She just adapts and most people don't even

know that she has done so.

***

I am thinking of her a lot lately.

Using the silver-plate silverware she gave me,

her dishes.

***

I told her this week how I found bowls to go with the set

that she had given me, that she used for decades.

She was real pleased and surprised.

Tickled I think the word would be. 

I am wanting those dishes even more,

but I think because I am thinking of my Grandma so much.

***

When I am thinking of my Grandma's faith, 

and of such things, these verses have been coming to mind,

in a prayer that I desire, surfacing as it were,

a glimpse of what I really want....:

"10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."

Psalm 51: 10-12 KJV

Today, Yesterday and later...

Whew, just a minute to catch my breath here.

Been busy since Sunday.

We had our first Sunday School event to celebrate the year we had

with our Sunday School Kids,

and, well, it was a learning experience as what we had 

envisioned for it did not take place.

I am still processing what we can do differently and 

of future changes that our class will need,

due to spanning age groups.

I am still thinking and pondering.

***

Elizabeth recommended a book lately that sounded so good,

that I plunged in and bought a nice used copy:

Dinner with Edward...

It's nice so far, introducing me to more about NYC

than I know of so far, and is an absorbing read.

Funny though, is that I know that reading this book

will not turn me into one that will cook like Edward does,

or at least not now - he does things very elaborately.

***

I have so much on the go, 

that I made 2 pies that I like just as well

with store-bought crust and a simple recipe.

***

I talked to my Grandmother (Ruth) today.

She is still recovering from a terrible cold, sinus infection and cough.

Like me, but worse, she had more than 1 time last week

that the cough was so hard that she was near to vomiting.

I went through that this year, it is so difficult.

To feel this sick, with such a cough is really shattering.

Please pray for her, she has a long way to go yet in healing from

the various infections she has had lately.

***

I told her I was baking Strawberry Rhubarb pie. 

She always is baking - thinking of my Dad on his birthday in August,

she will bake him a blueberry pie, his favourite.

For all of us, she spends hours and days baking and freezing baked goods to give 

to us at Christmas, something that is always the best and most enjoyable gift,

her baking of goodies.  I treasure and savour them.

***

My Grandma has a very strong influence on my life, we are very close.

I love to bake like she does - it's one of the reasons I don't do 

other crafts as often as I want to as well, because I am busy baking something.

I still want to get back to baking bread.

***

Well, I am working on various things, but am finding,

as always, that things take much longer than one wishes they would.

But I thank God. 

And I pray for His mercy.