Last night we watched "Independent Lens". A favorite for George and I. This particular show was on elderly people in a chorus presenting a show on an annual basis. The show they were working on was comprised of punk and rock. The premise was odd. No doubt about it. It worked.
Lyrics of today apply to the people of all ages and challenges our perceptions of who should listen to what music. Not all people over 70 listen to classical or Lawrence Welk (no the two are not synonomous). It also shed light on the reality of life and death. Made all involved, both in the show or the watching of it, come to grips with the fragile hold we have within our lives. That with all the control we would like to have, we don't have that much and it is something I needed to be reminded.

Under Attack

This morning I read a letter to the editor in our local paper. It was lamenting the fact we were no longer a "Christian" nation and we were under attack from the Muslim world. The author lamented the lack of what he felt to be justified uprising against Islam for a foiled one man terrorist attack on a plane over Detroit on Christmas day. He also stated we were being drawn into the Muslim agenda to convert us all.
I cannot help but shake my head in wonder at the blindness of it all. This so called man of God used passages from the gospel of Matthew to back up his assertions. Is he really serious?
I do not take his accusations lightly. The man believes and is trying to spread his bigotry to one and all.
The only thing that is worse is the fact the local paper prints this and that the editor apparently agrees in his writings.
I will be writing to the paper in response. Someone needs to stand up and say no to the continued deliberate mis-information and spread of religious bigotry.
I hope others will join me.

Daycare

My grandson will be going to daycare on Monday for the first time ever. His mother will be attending college classes and he will be attending the daycare on campus. I don't think Cait knows what might hit on Monday when she turns to leave for class.
Maybe I am wrong.
I don't think so.
I remember when I left her with Darlene. A wonderful, grandmotherly woman who doted upon Caitlin as she would her own. A perfect place for my daughter. I knew that.
Didn't matter.
I wept all the way to work and had to sit in the car for approximately 15 - 20 minutes to pull it together.
I called every hour to make sure all was well. Thank God Darlene was patient. Cait did well. Her mother? Not so much.
It took a week to get used to the idea, the fact. Cait and Darlene took maybe an hour and life was grand.
But at least she will be close. She can check. She can hold him and know he has not forgotten her.

Epiphany

We took everything off the Christmas tree tonight. Tomorrow the tree will go out the door and the living room will be rearranged for the remainder of winter. This the first day/night of Epiphany and it is to celebrate the light of God going into the world. Yet, I always feel a pang of sadness with this first day. Christmas leaves the house.
I know, we can keep the spirit inside of us, but it just isn't the same. I like some of the trappings. I like the light of the tree when all the other lights are off. I like the feel of the house when the tree is up.
No, I am not going to follow the recommendation of some and keep a live tree in the house all year. The house just isn't big enough. They are an unattractive shade of black or gray in no time.
So, I guess I have to find an alternative. Something to bring the light back into the house.
Any suggestions?

Cold

It was the first day back to school today. The building had been shut down for 2 weeks. 2 weeks where the weather was brutally cold and schools had their furnaces set at the lowest setting or not turned on at all.
It was cold! The type that makes you hunker into yourself. Trying to keep any heat your body makes. The type where coats and gloves are kept on all day and space heaters run to no avail.
It was cold.
My husband came and got me early. My body just could not take any more. Truly.
The remedy has been a hot bath, hot tea and warm sockies. Possibly early bedtime with lots of blankets and a heating pad.
I know the state does not have money to give to the schools. The schools do not have money to up the heat quotient. But damn!
It was cold!

Parenting continually

Our oldest wants her son to talk. He is is 15 months old and can jabber with the best of them. She wants real words. So we talked about ways she can encourage speech and word recognition. Cait listened and, I think, will apply some of the things we discussed.
Afterwards I looked back at when she and her siblings learned to talk. When her sister started, she never stopped. Her brother's favorite word was "actually". Still is for that matter.
Language and communicating has evolved in this family. Certainly we talk - always. There is texting, emailing and sometimes yelling at full voice. (We won't go into that last one right now).
Sometimes the words come as gifts.
I got such a gift today.
A foster daughter of ours wrote to me this morning. She wanted to let me know she was a good person and a good mom. That she felt blessed to have had us as parents. I sat here and wept. That she is a good person does not surprise me. She was strong. Had to be. She knew she would make it in this life. But to have her write as she did....
The gift of language is presented in so many ways. We learn those ways all through our lives. Not just when we are young. Sometimes when we are middle aged and sometimes when we are old.

2010 (Not the movie version)

I started 3 weeks ago thinking of goals for 2010. Not resolutions. Something negative to me in setting a resolution. Like I might be setting myself up for failure. So goal setting it was.
My husband and I have always looked at the year in review and then set goals for the coming year. He is good at the goal setting. Me? Not so much.
But here goes.
I want to be healthy. Healthier. Losing weight would be great - Lord knows I need to. But setting a weight loss amount? Let's go for healthy. Reducing stress? Hmmmm. Let's go for learning to relax a little more frequently.
Write more? Now that is definitely a goal that does not need any modification. Very doable.
Daily state something I am thankful for? Start right now. I am thankful for being warm (dogs wrapped around my feet).
So, here I go.
2010.