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FULLNESS OF YEARS
Out of the fullness of years I sing,
Out of the wind and rain,
Songs that are forges by the heat of life
Welded with peace and pain.
Out of the harvest of years I sing,
Bringing my sheaves of song,
Garnered fro fields that have known the storm,
Reared where the winds belong.
Out of the furrows turned and brown,
Wine of the sun and sod,
Mellowed and aged in the out-of-doors,
Scourged by the chastening rod.
Out of the heart that has won its peace
And claimed the right to be free,
Come friend and sit where the sunlight falls
And sing along with me.
~Edna Jaques, Beside Still Waters
This is my little twinkle tree. I moved it from the window to over by my electric fire/tv stand. I need to hang some decorations on it I guess. Especially if my son is going to come for Christmas. I tried to one day but as I was trying the cats were trying to grab them. They are kittens. It is to be expected. I gave up trying and just put them away, the ornaments that is. Its pretty enough with just its lights.
UPS delivered this very heavy box this week. It was filled with copies of my book. 20 to be exact. My father stopped by on his way to his Ham Radio Christmas dinner last night. (It was being held right around the corner from my place.) He likes to see the cats. I gave one to him which he is going to give to his friend Maryan. Fair enough, he doesn't cook and he spends a lot of time with Maryan. I wrote inside the cover to her. She knitted me some dish cloths a little while back, and gave me some earrings and a necklace for my birthday. She is a deaf woman my father takes to the mall in the afternoons several times a week. A friend, but according to him she would like more. Or maybe that is just his ego talking.
Do men ever run out of ego? I guess not!
Jon said he would get a hair cut if his Poppy (Kayla's dad) also got his hair cut and dyed it pink. What a grandfather! He did just that! What a great sport Calvin is. And a great granddad to my boys. And his wife Mary a great grandmother as well. My son and his family live with them and they are a lot of support to Doug and Kayla. This is the way family used to live, all the generations in one house. Loving and supporting each other.
Mr. Personality. Of course Jake got involved. Mr. Gregarious. Love my grandsons. I remember when he was little he wanted his mom to constantly be scratching and rubbing his back. He is the one that I talk to the most. He's a sweetie pie.
Love all my grandchildren and am so grateful to be close enough now that I can enjoy them even more.
I know many of you probably saw this photo on Instagram already, but perhaps some of you didn't. In any case its a fur pie. lol My two little loves cuddling and keeping warm on a wet, rainy, sleet-filled day. They do spend a lot of their time together. Playing. Cuddling, etc. And when they are not together with each other, they are keeping me company. Giving me needle sharp massages, purring, snuggling up to me. They are the purrfect companions. (Every pun intended!)
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These colder days come with the desire to just stay in the warm house, candles lit, wooly blankets . . . warm fires. A good book to read. A nice hot drink. Gentle music. Of course these things are better shared and so I share them with my two furry companions. I was telling a friend yesterday I have absolutely no desire to ever share them with a two legged companion again. I am content just as things are. Oh sure there is a part of me that longs to have someone to share the burden of financial security with me, but that is never a good reason to be with anyone. And so I am content herewith to be alone with just my cats for company. They are easy companions and don't talk back or ask for very much in return except for my love and devotion, both of which they have!
I watched this last night. I am enjoying watching all my Christmas movies. This is one of my absolute favorites of all time. I do have to say I prefer the characters as portrayed in the Waltons television series more, but at least the children are all the same in this film and the grandmother. There is a sense of great comfort that comes from watching this film and indeed the television show. I know it is highly idealized. But it is lovely.
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I was remembering this morning the days when you could build an outdoor rink in the winter and know that it would stay frozen all Winter. I loved to skate as a child although I was not a figure skater. It was all I could do to manage to learn how to skate backwards. I would have loved to have figure skating lessons but they were not in the family budget. It was the same with piano or dance lessons. My parents did the best that they knew how to do and gave us a much better life than the ones they grew up with. I think most parents try to do the same. I know I did!
I also wanted my children to know that they were loved beyond measure and the most important thing in my life. Obviously I failed two of them for whatever reason. But the other three are very content and I know they got the message!
They were always our focal point. We did not give each other gifts for Christmas. All our resources went into buying gifts for Santa to bring and to provide for nice food on the day and throughout the holidays. My children had stockings, hand made and glittery with sequins. Something I had never had as a child, although occasionally we would get a red net one. I had always longed for a real stocking that I could hang up the night before and find magically stuffed in the morning. I tried always to make my children's Christmas's magical in every way. Matching pajamas and new books on Christmas Eve. I wish I had more photos of those days. Alas I was not allowed to have any. No matter, I carry them all in my heart which is the most important place to carry them.
Anyways, the day is marching on and I must be out and about and doing, so I will leave you with a thought for today . . .
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
*.˛Each day is an
opportunity for joy.
~Unknown•。★★ 。* 。
In The English Kitchen today . . . . Oven French Toast, the small batch. Crisp and buttery on the outside with a cinnamon sugar glaze and soft and fluffy inside. Delicious!
I may or may not have time to hop on tomorrow morning before church, so don't be worried if I do not! Have a wonderful Saturday. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses and never forget!
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