Thursday's thoughts on Friday

Busy week again.  Wednesday  I helped mom clean up and wash her hair. Later that day, she came out with the scissors and had cut off a good bit of hair.  She wanted me to cut the  back!  So much for the perm she got last month. Then on Thursday she woke and told me she wasn't well and didn't want to go to bingo.   So I met Grace's family for lunch for Zelie's birthday.  Afterward I was going to shop, but something told me to go home and check on mom.   Sure enough, she was up and ready to get dressed to go! We were there halfway through the games.   But it was ok even thought the sign said "no late birds" (what?).  We played and I actually won $5.  Mom was glad to go and I'm glad I listened to that nudge from The Lord to check her out.
Phil was out of town Wed and thurs which makes life a bit crazier.  And I had a seminar  to prepare for.  I say this so I can rationalize the eating I've been doing.  Ah well, I am trying Lord.
Friday night I got to give  the Rachel talk.  I do this in costume that is customized.  And I have to memorize a 20 minute soliloquy.  Al went well though.
We have six college students at our Pentecost seminar.  I think The Lord is working here.
And I am playing guitar as well.  .  Thankfully it is just a few songs and the arthritis in my hands does complain much!
Now that my " Rachel" talk is over, I am more relaxed.  I do need to get to bed though.  I am falling asleep as I write this, even while I was playing candy crush. I'm on level 143 however,   Not bad.
Well God is good and the Caribbean rum is kicking in.  My thought for the day:
Enjoy The journey and the anticipation of the journey.  Life is too short not to
 stop and smell the flowers!
Happy birthday to Zelie and to Kristen tomorrow.

Sunday

I just finished a weekend retreat for the People of Praise gulf coast women.  It is such a joy to get together  with them.  Ladies from Shreveport, New Orleans, biloxi and mobile.  Some I only see once a year. God showed me his mercy and love more then once.  I am grateful.
On the home front things were a bit crazy.  Mom was "up" as we say.  The sitter thought she was hilarious.  I would describe it as  manic.  She wasn't making much sense at all.  But I took her and our retreat speaker, Chris, on a ride to the French quarter to see the river.  We found an excellent parking spot and got out and sat on a bench to watch the steamboat, barges, cruise ships and tugboats on the busy Mississippi. There was a jazz band playing.  Quite the happening place.   I think,the drive was good for mom.   However on the ride back she told us about the people she talked to (she did not) and that we were really all on the subway the whole time.  Crazy!  Phil was a good son-in-law taking care of her while I was gone.

Didn't post a thought for Thursday but just know what scripture says about God :
"Greater than his majesty is the  mercy that he shows"

Tuesday

Well it seems I have had a busy weekend since I didn't post here.  I have very busy this week.  Phil was out of town but returned on Sunday morning. Thankfully.  I kept a quiet pace with Stephen and mom for the most part.  Saturday evening I took them both to Grace's house where her family and Joanna's family and us all enjoyed a yummy meal for my birthday.  Things got a little crazy near the end especially where grandma was ready to leave and Stephen wasn't!
I ate a lot that night.

Sunday we went to the St. Patrick's day parade that happens to pass just six blocks away from here. We rode our bikes down and stayed long enough to get quite a haul of vegetables and beads.  We gave away all but one of the 8 cabbages.

Sunday afternoon we had a baby shower for a friend who is expecting to adopt a baby being born this weekend. Our prayers are that it all goes through.

Fitness wise I fear all my busyness gets my eating and exercise off track. I remain stuck at the same level.  And this week I will probably not be going to weigh in just because of time restraints.

Tomorrow my rhythm band plays at a Ladies Guild mass at St. Michaels. Friday we go on retreat for the weekend.  I am Basically in charge though not giving the retreat.  The little details will be my concern. Getting lots of prayer time in so I can be at my best.  I have hired sitters to help Phil with mom while I'm not there.  It will be good for me to get away.  I'm sure The Lord will be there.
Got a lot to do between now and then.  But keeping busy means  life is happening and that's a good thing!

Thoughts for Thursday

Was going to,post last night but I was badgered by a migraine headache that just wouldn't let up.  It was not terribly intense, just enough to bother me all day.  Today was much better.
Also yesterday I was supposed to take a gondolier ride in city park to celebrate my birthday.  Apparently a 65 ft gondolier cannot navigate with 20 mph winds all around.  So we have to reschedule.  Just as well, my headache would have put a damper on it I'm sure.
Needless to say, I ate the wrong foods while dealing with this headache.

I did how ever manage to get a good walk in Tuesday eve and tonight.  Vowing to walk the dog tues and thurs after supper.  I love that there is daylight after supper now.

On the caretaker front, I am glad to have a sitter a few times a week.  I can get errands run and tasks done without the burden of worrying about mom.  Today I didn't have a sitter,  but I woke her to go to bingo.  I was so tired there!  She appreciates the ride to pick up Stephen as well.  Even though she never remembers how far it is or what we pass.  "I don't think I've ever been this way before". It's the same route we always take. Ah well.

Phil is out of town for a few days so I am trying to keep Stephen happy.  He seems to be doing ok so far.

Thought for the day:  Life is not really about the destination, it's about the journey.  Making that journey meaningful, pertinent, and joyful is the challenge.

The birthday weekend

These days I take what I can get. Make lemonade out of lemons kind of thinking.  So on my birthday, Friday, Stephen was still home from school (Mardi gras vacation) and Phil took of work to spend the day.  He did offer to just watch Stephen so I could  do whatever, but that seemed unnecessary.   Knowing that he will be out of town next week I figured we should spend time together.  Stephen had a "great idea" knowing that a new movie was coming out on my birthday (commercials speak to him) he suggested we go to see "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" for my birthday.  So we did followed by yummy lunch at Copelands. The movie was tolerable (though I could have seen Frozen a third time).
And we continued the birthday celebrations on Saturday with a large gathering for Lord's day dinner.  As is our custom on birthdays, we honor the birthday person with words of how this person  is Christ-like or his good virtues or inspirations.  It's a bit hard to be the recipient of such adulation. But I was happy that The Lord has evidently used me to touch people's lives over the years.  If I can be his conduit, his earthen vessel, then that's a good thing!

Now as far as eating goes, I was in birthday mode so I had the crawfish pasta and angel food cake and strawberries for dessert. I did weigh in on Friday morning but no loss this week.  It's a slow road to try to lose weight and live life at the same time!

We did however do a good bit of walking on fri. and sat.   Stephen and I scoped out city park and had Bambi with us.  She loved the walk and meeting other dogs and people.  I am planning a gondola ride  with my women's group on Wednesday eve for my birthday with them, so I was checking out the location.   I did a lot of extra walking in the park because I had the location wrong.   Good thing I checked ahead.

Mom mostly slept thru my birthday days.  I had to prompt her to remember what day it was.  Then I found myself in tears because she couldn't remember.  that made her feel bad.  someitmes I just have emotional waves.  The good news is that she will forget that incident so I don't have to worry about it. That is good right?  She wants to take me shopping but she really has no extra money now with sitter fees and medicines, etc.  She means well however.

But the celebrations continue with my Wednesday excursion and then Saturday Grace Marie and Paul are having a family party for me.  That should be fun.

Thoughts for Thursday

-Wed afternoon I took Stephen to see the Son of God movie.   It was intense, real, a bit more violence than I was comfortable with - especially the Romans against the people;  took some liberties with the bible story, but I liked what they did. Mother Mary was very present, use of bread and wine as his body and blood  was significant.
Wasn't sure how it was affecting Stephen. But after the show in the lobby he began preaching to everyone. The last scene was before the ascension when Jesus said to go out and tell the world.  So Stephen did!  Too bad we couldn't really understand except that Jesus was his brother.
Then I thought how would this movie affect me if it was my brother up there?!
That's what Stephen felt!!
Such a deep childlike faith in our God.

Today is Theresa's birthday.   She was born at 10:15 pm just a few hours shy of sharing a birthday with me!  But she was ready to come, there was no holding her back.  The doctor almost didn't turn around in time to catch!  She has been a go getter ever since! ;-)

Anyway today I ventured out and took both mom and Stephen to the senior bingo.  Had to push mom to get her to wake up but I knew she would want to go.  Except for the two of them bugging each other in the car, the trip was a success.  Stephen enjoyed the game as much as mom.  We didnt win this time,but that's ok.  The I drove thru Burger King and got each a burger and fries.  My charges were happy.

Tomorrow is my birthday.  I plan on having an easy day.  Today was very busy.  I think I ate ok,
  never did stop for lunch.  Hope to have a decent weigh in tomorrow.

Thought for the day -  Jesus is my brother.  Really.

Ash Wednesday

I always look toward lent as a time to get back in control of my eating by forced fasting!  How is that for a non spiritual view?  Anyway, I am happy for the restraint as we have had enough excess lately!  No more King cake!
Mardi Gras was fun because we had Phil's brother's office and our friends office to retreat to if we needed a break from the cold and wet.  We had food and hot coffee.  Couldn't have had a better  set up!  Next time though I will,have leather gloves.  My knit ones got wet and stayed wet!
Had a sitter with mom so she was ok.  This morning she was waiting for Bob to come and take her to the store.  Bob, her husband has been dead for 27 years.  But then she moves on to her word search puzzles.  Tomorrow is bingo.  I am planning on taking her and Stephen. Should be interesting!
I posted most of my Mardi gras pics on Facebook.

Posting Mardi Gras pics.

Finally figuring out how to put more photos on this blog.  This one is for John, Sir Thomas Moore float, A Man for All Seasons!

This is Stephen dancing with Abdul the  tent maker, a local famous Saints fan!

This is Joanna and Anna all decked out!

Saturday

Well daughter Grace did have a beautiful baby girl, Hannah Elise, and all is well. They are home now and thensiblings are parading for Mardi gras weekend.

I am fasting on Fridays for the success of our upcoming women's retreat.  I wasn't sure what kind of fast I would do so I decided to eat only meal bars for breakfast and lunch with no snack.  That works well for me.  I have some energy to take care of mom and Stephen and the house, etc, but I am still hungry enough to remember that I am praying.  We did go to dinner that night with friends.   I was careful not to overindulge simply because I didn't want the overnight indigestion I have recently experienced.  We ended up eating late due to some circumstances. Then I stayed up till midnight to make sure my meal was digested before I went to bed.   It worked.

Today was a slow day, we opted not to go to the big Endymion parade because we are going to a day parade tomorrow called Thoth.
I visited with Grace and the baby.  After a nice Lord's day meal where Phil barbecued steaks, we hosted Joanna and her three kids for s'mores.   They are sleeping over tonight and we will all go to the Thorh parade in the morning.

Mom slept all day with brief wake times to eat.   Hope she does ok tomorrow because my sitter isn't available so she'll be on her own.  If she has another rsleep day, that would be perfect.  We'll see.
The weather was perfect today.  I give it a "10". Hope for soe, of the same tomorrow with Higgs around 73.  It is supposed to be cooler and windy by Mardi gras day.