Accck!

The computer souldn't let me in to my blog site to write! Talk about frustrated! Of course, wnhen you realize that I never touched a computer until I was 64 years old and that only because my new boss told me that I had to learn it. There are still things I can't do, but mostly I can do what I want. Sooooo - tomorrow I will begin to catch up all this time. Thanks to those of you who kcpt checking. I'm baaaaaack...

an absorbing book

I don't usually tout a book in this venue, but want to call your attention to this last one I read. "The Woman Who Fell From the Sky." I picked it up casually, but I'm glad I did. It details the events in the life of an American woman who went to Yemen to be a teacher of journalism to Yemenis who put out an English newspaper. She finds herself the effective editor as well, and since I knew little about Yemen, I am gratified to know this much more. Included are her trials with reporters with absolutely no journalistic training, imperfect English and the national crisis with the drug qat. It is hard to see how such a nation can ever leave the third world status it occupies when almost all of it's inhabitants are stoned most of the time. However, her efforts are heroic and funny and ultimately rewarding - do give this book a try.

Blessings to all....especially at this blessed time of year.

Yesterday morning,

as I entered the narthex of the church, I saw many people waiting to go in to church, and on each face was a huge smile. Then I felt the love in the room - so thick I could almost hold it in my hand. This is my home- it is where I belong. Then we went into the sanctuary and worshipped with song, prayers and learning. I was privileged to read the first lesson, from Isaiah - 'and a little child shall lead them'. Talk about cold chills! These experiences get deeper and deeper each Sunday. I know God is preparing me to come home, and that it will get deeper and deeper, although I can't imagine this now. As the Narnia books say ' further in and farther out' (?) this deepness defies expession. Soon I'll know. But the people who say "love makes the world go around" are right, and most of them don't even know the sort of love of which I speak. Some day we all will. Maranatha!

As I reread this, I think I may sound as if I am dying. As far as I know I am not. I just think all worship services and fellowships should be like this one was - filled with the Holy Spirit.

Christmas is a coming.....

And I don't know about fat geese, but I have finished shopping. Every year I say I will only gift the young grands and the 1 great grand, but somehow I wind up not doing this. I have found the easy way,though. I can't walk or stand for long, so I get dozens and dozens of catalogs and there is plenty in there for everyone. Oops! Take it back - I still have to go to bookstore, but that is a vacation for me- they have chairs and I can sit and browse. I am buying books for the grandsons who are still in public school and they are books I have loved, so getting them is great fun.

Ana is here hanging up clothes and helping me put a better light in the closet. I can't tell you how many mornings I have started off to church with either navy or black pants on, only to discover that they are not the color I thought they were, when I get into the outside light. DH thinks this is hysterically funny and keeps whispering to me that everyone is pointing at me for having on the wrong pants. I may have to kick a shin or two,here.

I am taking antibiotics and they are helping, finally. Of course if I had done this a couple of weeks ago, I could have saved myself misery, but I keep thinking I can beat this one on my own. Found out I couldn't, though. My shoulder replacement is scheduled for Jan 3. I hope this is an easy one. Also hope it is the last one.

I wonder why everyone is so hysterical about being patted and wanded at the airport. I have had to do this for years, having three pieces of titanium in me. I wear moccasins or sandals and socks and make the officials help me get them back on, since I can't reach my own feet. I read somehwere that muslims in burkhas are exempt from this, but I really doubt this is true. Really, what's the point?

Maybe tomorrow we can get to the stock show. The kids are showing goats and pig (singular) and maybe rabbits? I do enjoy it, but the dust and I are sworn enemies. We'll see how it goes.

Blessings to all of you, especially at this blessed time of year.

Friday Five again

l. What is your favorite movie for watching when you are curled up under a wooly blanket?

The Odd Couple - just breaks me up. Also like Amadeus and Swan Lake.

2. Describe what book you would read in the same situation.

Depends on how I feel. Right now I am curled up with Dr. Doolittle, which I haven't read for 60 years. Then, there's always Harry Potter.

3. What foods do you tend to eat/cook when it's cold? mmmmm - Chicken and rice, stews and soups, scrambled eggs, and bacon - when the doctor lets me eat bacon.

4. What would you do on a snow day, or a pretend snow day? Read, of course, knit, eat. Maybe take out all my yarns and play with them - but then I'd have to put them back.

5.Do you like winter sports or outdoor activities, (ed comment - NO!)or are you more likely to be indoors playing board games.

I'd play board and card games gladly, but for the games I like - scrabble, aggravation, 5 crowns, Up words, etc., DH won't play with me. He says I always win. I don't, but if he doesn't win 4 our of 5 times, he won't play. I used to import grandchildren forthis, but they have grown too big,now. Sob.

Not so good here..............

This morning I woke to find my right forefinger knuckle and the joint just above it huge and red and really, really tender. You'd think I'd be used to things not fitting my plans here, but I have
three commissions for scarves sitting right in front of my face. Little by little my body is letting me down and it seems to be speeding up. Sorry to whine, but I'm not too good at accepting the inevitable if it interferes with my plans. Looks as if there's not going to be much knitting for awhile. Hope my customers aren't totally antsy to get their scarves. I do know a way to knit and not use that finger much - I may try that but is very frustrating for me to do. Getting older is fun sometimes, but when you see your facilities going, one by one, sometimes you think the only thing left is the brain. And sometimes I wonder about that.

Miracles abound.......

This morning when I unplugged my cell phone to go to church, it flashed a message to me. Something about having already updated and changed the time on my phone. Now, how on earth did it know how to do that? I never told it anything. I'm beginning to feel almost like living in Harry Potter Land.

You willhave guessed by now that I am only semi literate about these things. I started touching my first computer at the age of 64 - I've come a long way and can usually make the computer do what I please, but the idea of a phone actually doing something that changed this year to a new weekend -- I'll never get how it knew to do that - how the people who built it knew to make it do that. I am in awe at the technical evolutions going on in the world. My grandchildren can take a computer and make it do anything but take out the garbage. Such a brave,new world.