Monday, October 14, 2013

Monday Musings--14 October 2013


Right now...it's just after 7 a.m., and oddly enough, most of the household is still asleep.  Outside it looks like it is shaping up to be another lovely day.  Autumn is the best!

This weekend...was busy.  Since coming home from Alabama, a nasty cold has been working its way through the ranks, and Gabriel has been its most recent victim.  Constant runny, sore nose, coughing and overall malaise has stricken about half the house so far.  I don't know why this is, but for several years now, we are totally illness free for the months of July, August and September, and October always seems to mean the advent of our first cold of the season.  So--much orange juice, vitamin C and Elderberry-Echinacea syrup are being consumed.

On Saturday Bret and I left the kids at home (Bret's mom has been here for a week today) and went into Bowling Green to do a little early grocery shopping and pick up my early birthday gift: a treadmill!  Yep, I'm hitting the half-century mark in another month, and I figure a treadmill is a good investment at this point.  It'll be getting plenty of use, as Una needs it, too (exercise is key in keeping her fibromyalgia symptoms to a minimum) and my mother-in-law is also making use of it, as she is trying to recover her stamina after having had heart surgery.

After we got home and put away groceries, we packed everyone in the van and headed out to How'd Dey Do Dat? day in Red Boiling springs.  This was our third year going, and the weather had always been good.  I get in my annual visit with the Blackburn family of Leaning Tree Farm, listen to old-timey bluegrass and let the kids run around.  [Note to Annita:  Gemma kept her shirt on!  But we were already well underway when Dominic announced that he had forgotten his shoes...] As always, it was a worthwhile trip.

Yesterday we went to Mass at the Chapel of Divine Mercy.  I missed Mass the previous week to stay home with sick kids.  We didn't stay long afterward, and at home everyone sort of went their own way to relax.  I did some writing, whilst feeling guilty about still not having any Christmas gifts on my knitting needles.

Some plans for this week:  Another busy one!  I have to place my order with my food co-op today and I thought I might make a fresh batch of play dough for Gemma, who's been a bitter pill lately.  Four is not my favorite age.  She seems to delight in being sassy and provoking her brothers to anger.  Anyway, she needs to be kept busy and out of mischief.  On Wednesday Una has a nervous breakdown PSAT test.  It's really only a dry run, because the one that counts will be next year, and this one is only to familiarize her with the test.  Besides the usual school and household stuff, I need to make another batch of pesto, harvest my lemon balm and finally get something cast on my needles!

If I find some time for myself I will...feel incredibly blessed!  I really want to work on my writing and get knitting again!

I am grateful for...beautiful weather with cool mornings and evenings; finding a treadmill for half of what I thought I would have to spend; the end of this nasty cold in sight; orders for our Etsy shop (I gripe about how much of my time it consumes, but I'm glad for the money, which will be our Christmas fund).

Some prayer intentions for this week:  for Una, that she keeps a cool head and isn't consumed with anxiety over this test.  And I am praying with my family for a special intention:  a young man named Craig who is 38 and has been given two weeks to live.  One of our priests asked if we would adopt him in prayer, and we are only too glad to do so.

I leave you with a few random shots from How'd Dey Do Dat? day in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee.



No, this isn't one of the exhibits; this is Grady, and she was even cuter than the bunnies!
Playing in the corn was a big hit this year!



My friend Heather.  And a boy Una thought was really cute. 



I'm really glad the fiddler was an octogenarian, because I tend to develop crushes on fiddlers...



Heather giving the kids greens to feed the rabbits and sheep

Have a great week, everyone!

2 comments:

  1. Good to see you back...I've been missing your Monday Musings...Hope the colds depart quickly!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are beautiful, and I miss you! Would you keep Hope in your prayers (I know that you will understand)? Love, hugs, and prayers (especially for Una) +JMJ+

    ReplyDelete

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