Monday Morning Almanac

Ok.  So, it is Monday evening.  I have always been a bit unconventional.

Anyway --

I FIND MYSELF

*Noticing God's Glory:  My washing machine went on the blink today.  Whilst full of water and clothes.  What to do???  I called the wonderful, sweet, generous, elderly widower who lives next door, who let me borrow his washing machine.  He has been our neighbor since we moved here over 16 years ago, and a finer person you never did meet.  Thank-you, Lord!

*Listening To:  Myself typing on the keyboard.  Otherwise all is silent.  The only other person who is at home right now is my 22-year-old daughter (Bridget).  She had to come home early from work as someone sprayed Febreeze all over the office, and she is allergic to it.  So, we got peppermint mochas at Starbucks and are just hanging out.

*Clothing Myself In:  Something uninteresting.  So, I will tell you what my daughter is wearing.  Flannel pajamas in a red-rosebud print.  So pretty!

*Talking With My Children About:  Bridget and I have tried watching "Rescue Me" on Netflix, because we are big Diane Farr fans.  And Diane Farr rocks in that show.  But, the main character is played by Denis Leary and, though he is cool and all, watching his fictional persona drink, hallucinate, and have sex is getting old pretty fast.  Also, whenever he speaks, all we can think of is the Saber Tooth tiger he did the voice for in the "Ice Age" movies.  Kind of kills the romantic lead thing for us....

*Thinking And Thinking:  About how the holidays are upon us.  This always stresses me out, because I pretty much suck at all the things women are expected to do during this season.  For example, every time I wrap a gift, it just turns out looking asymmetrical and lopsided.  And thank God for Trader Joe's turkey gravy.  The trick is to pour it into a pot and dispose of the container before anyone notices you got it out of a container.  Same trick goes for the cranberry sauce.

*Pondering Prayerfully:  How it is really not a nice thing to enjoy needling people who annoy me.  It is good that Advent is almost here.  I will go to Confession.

*Carefully Cultivating Rhythm:  Just when I think I have this down, something weird happens to disrupt it.  Such as the washing machine breaking or my daughter getting poisoned by air freshener.  Making it necessary for me to go pick her up.  Because she doesn't drive, as she has this little issue with fainting unexpectedly.  So, it is best that I just hang loose and listen to some Van Halen.

*Creating By Hand:  Not a chance.  But, my daughter is making a quilt for her friend's wedding.  Can I take credit for that, even if it is just in an indirect manner?  Nah, probably not.

*Learning Lessons In:  When my daughters are out at night, I do pretty well until about 10:00 pm.  Then I start to worry about them getting kidnapped.  I am learning to stop this lame habit.

*Encouraging Learning:  I am reading this great book entitled "The Righteous Mind -- Why Good People Are Divided By Politics and Religion."  The author is a psychology professor at UVA.  I highly recommend it!

*Begging Prayers:  For my mom, who is having heart valve replacement surgery at the beginning of December.  The docs are very positive, but prayers are very welcome.

*Keeping House:  My husband vacuumed all the carpets for me over the weekend.  He rocks! 

*Crafting In The Kitchen:  I made a bunch of hard boiled eggs today.  Pretty talented, ain't I?

*Loving The Moments:  When my oldest daughter (Andrea) shows me how to use my iPad properly.  She is such a tech wiz; and I am not.  I love the looks she gives me when she realizes my level of ignorance in the operation of Apple products.  #bemused

*Giving Thanks:  For kids who get along with each other and love being together.  And who all sing well.  And who swing dance -- with each other, even.

*Living The Liturgy:  Yesterday, we went to the Latin Mass.  One thing I love about the Latin Mass is that it tends to be pretty peaceful.  I enjoy that.  It is good for my prayer life and my blood pressure.  One thing I don't like about the Latin Mass is that a lot of the people who go to it tend to look down their noses at the English Mass.  And this is not good for my prayer life and my blood pressure.  Can't we just appreciate all of the beautiful variety that is in our Church?  It's all good...

*Planning For The Week Ahead:  Thanksgiving approaches.  And even though I hate chopping celery, it will be fun to have a big dinner with good company.  Maybe I'll get some champagne.