Christmas 2009

May you have a Wonderful Christmas day with all your loved ones safe in God’s care.

Remember there are always new people to come to know and love. Some people that I have come to know and appreciate are the people in the community yoga group. They are an interesting group. For example one is an artist (so the paper said with paintings starting at $2000), an artist who works in cloth, a creative writing teacher, an art teacher, a writer, a herbalist and healer, a believer in UFO’s, a witch, a retired special ed. teacher, and then there is me. How would they define me if added to a list? I am not sure.

You may not know, but Leroy and I no longer get up at 5:30, waiting until 6:00. Are we getting old?

Almost everyday, as soon as he gets out of bed, Leroy exercises.

We no longer walk in the morning, but try to walk around town while doing errands. Yesterday Leroy walked six miles and I did 4.5 miles.

We think webcams are the best invention since telephones. One picture is worth a lot and our granddaughters know that pictures, books, and hello waves can be seen.

The weather can still change our lives so we must respect it.

My love affair with fruit continues. I consider the cupboard bare when the fruit is gone.

Leroy has much patience with me and little patience with repairing the faucet.

God Bless you in the New Year. You will be loved and cared for by God who often works through others so let them help.

Paula

Sweets Galore

Hello,
Leroy and I are no longer walking the straight and narrow when it comes to sweets. More have entered the house and I think they are multiplying on their own. Three of them can disappear in someone’s mouth in an instant. Good thing we are not hung up on alcohol, no discipline here.
I did take some pictures of the Christmas Cacti. They look better in person. But here is the website so you can take a peek. http://picasaweb.google.com/psbradway/Rose#
The first four are of a cactus that was my mother’s that is 25+ years old. It was shocked quite a bit when we moved it three years ago and has just now recovered. The older one that is on the floor does not get as much light so is not blooming as early or as profusely. It is 38 years old. Leroy and I got a slip the first Christmas that we were married so it is easy to keep track of the age. The basket is Slovak, as is the stand that the other is on. The stand was a gift from our Slovak teacher and we were able to being it home in our suitcase. A friend brought The basket to the US in their shipment since they had a little extra space.
The amaryllis bulbs are planted. The second pumpkin has been cooked and put into containers. For the time being it is residing in the refrigerator temperature garage. When we get the duck and chicken out of the freezer there will be room for the pumpkin. Good thing nature can help us.
The Christmas letter is waiting to be captured as it rolls around in my brain. Because I write so much all of the time I was hoping to do something more philosophical, but the thoughts are illusive and only occur when I am in the shower or walking across town.
Soon, soon, I will do this task.

Paula

time Flies

Hello,

Even though I have been awake since 5:00 and up since 6:00, I can’t say that I have accomplished much.

What did I do? Yoga and Tai Chi, read the newspaper, read devotions with Leroy while eating some more sweet things, went to the library, and three stores, visited with people in all establishments (we really have been here a long time since that is happening), did a Sudoku puzzle, made lunch, and washed dishes. The real problem is that nothing but the yoga and library were on the “to do” list.

Maybe tomorrow will be the magic day when I actually get a Christmas letter finished and repot my amaryllis bulbs.

We are fussing a little because we plan to travel into Illinois on Christmas day and the forecast is not the best. Actually if predictions are accurate Christmas Eve will be a wild weather time.

I wish you could see my Christmas cacti they are both as beautiful as they have ever been. They should be in a public place so many people could enjoy them.

My boots are noticed and complimented. That is fun. I do find them to be very good for walking in the snow. I have slipped once, but only once so that is good too.

Leroy is working on his stamps with a seriousness that he has not shown in some time. Stephen gave him some stamps and that piqued his interest. So now he has purchased some more things, but I really do not know what they are.

Leroy tells me that he is ready for winter to be gone so he can ride his bike. Winter has just arrived. Course after tomorrow the days will get longer.

Paula

Christmas is coming

Hello,

No Christmas cards are done, most presents are purchased, no krumkaka is baked, pumpkin bread has been made and distributed to the neighbors, the tree is up, decorations are up (But not just right, unfortunately we can’t figure out how to make them better. Just what did we do last year when everything seemed perfect?), three candles lit on the advent wreath, and there is snow on the ground.

More blessing come to our door. Someone gave us three rather large pumpkins. Leroy and I cleaned one, cut it, cooked it, cleaned seeds, fried seeds, froze some ten cups of the pulp, and made three loaves of pumpkin bread. This was the small pumpkin, who can guess how much bounty is in the other two. We will certainly get our fill of vitamin A. It will be a bit later before we tackle the others as our freezer is small.

I am accompanying four songs for the Sunday school Christmas program. I have been out of town when they practiced. Since they are familiar carols, I am not nervous, but I just hope they know when my intro is finished. Life is always interesting. Even though it is not required I am playing a postlude because it is a favorite of mine. It is a noel by D’Aquine. Darn, I can’t remember how to spell the name of this French organ composer. I have only practiced it the last three days. Because I have not played it for probably ten years I am skipping the hardest middle section. Do you think anyone will notice? Will anyone listen anyway? Usually there is much talk and a fast exit from church.

My granddaughters like to help Granny “fix” her face. I have pictures of Sophia helping to put caps on this and that. Earlier, while in Kenya, I had taken some pictures of Lexi checking out my equipment. If you would like to see them both, here is the link.

Paula
http://picasaweb.google.com/psbradway/SophiaDec2009#

Health and Plants

Hello,

The person scheduling my mammogram asked, “Do you still have both of your breasts?” Feeling slightly shocked, I realized that of course that could be answered with “no”. With a pang of guilt for taking health for granted, I breathed a prayer of thanks for my health and for the people I know who have just one breast, but live with joy and appreciation.

Yesterday the Dr. did comment that I did not take many medicines, in fact it is just one. I am thankful for that too.

Leroy and I are both going to get the H1N1 flu shot if we do not have to wait in line for a very long time. We are both sure there is a good chance that we will not get the flu. We can walk the mile so get some exercise in the process.

Sunny warmth has come to us, but I am still dressing as if it were cold. I do not want to be caught without needed protection.

The two Christmas cacti are blooming. One is as covered as it is possible to be. What blessing! Then the Wandering Jew that lives in a vase filled with water is also blooming.

Leroy says, “We now have the upstairs conservatory.” The computer room has eight plants and the writing room has nine with one additional plant in the spare bedroom. We moved some plants up because a Christmas tree took up residence in the living room. Downstairs two plants are in the kitchen and four are left in the living room. Then there are the three half dead plants in the basement that were brought in from outdoors. They did not look very good when I left for Minnesota, and Leroy tells me that he did not water them. Would you believe that there are also five amaryllis bulbs not yet replanted? I guess I am waiting for others plants to stop blooming. Or maybe I just don’t want to do it. I like dealing with dirt, but not inside and outside is no longer an option.

Paula

shoveled snow

Hello,
Leroy managed to finish shoveling the snow before I came home. He did the drive as well as the sidewalk. Because there are kids who walk to school we like to be sure to get the sidewalk done. Today I looked out to see three kids come up the side walk and then they proceeded to walk on the snow beside the shoveled walk. The same route was chosen when they went home. When they crossed the street they did the same thing. Oh well we tried.
Unlike the students, I walk in every cleared spot that I see, be it on the sidewalk or in the street. I do watch to see that there are no cars that want to occupy the same space at the same time that I want it.
My will power it great if there is nothing around to tempt me. Our new neighbors brought over a plate of candy. I have been fairly good about not eating it all, but it calls my name if I listen carefully. We each only eat one piece a day. So it will be ok.
I had a physical today and my blood pressure is great. Could it have been because I just came from doing yoga and tai chi?
Maybe tomorrow I will walk downtown to get the H1N1 flu shot. I got the regular flu shot today. Generally I do not get the flu, but one never knows now that I am older. It seems to me that Leroy should get that for sure.
The temperatures might be colder in Minnesota, but it can still feel very cold here in southern Iowa. My cheeks hurt by the time I had walked a mile.
Paula

Getting to the bus

Hello,

Brian and I agreed on the time that we would need to leave the house to get me to the bus station at my desired time. Thinking about getting up, I heard Brian go out to walk the dog. Then the dog came in but Brian did not instead a machine roared to life. “Did it snow?” I wondered.

Later Brian reported that he thought it was about three inches deep. We had breakfast, got ready, and got in the car. The small streets had not been plowed yet. The interstate was semi snow covered. Luckily traffic was cautious, but unluckily slow. After a bit Brian commented, “I am not sure that we will get to the station on time.”

It seemed rather likely when we inched our way from one freeway to the other. Ten minutes were required for just that maneuver. After a bit traffic was moving faster. When we were on the downtown streets we had just seven minutes to go. Unluckily we stopped at a red light that was particularly long as it segued through several possibilities for movement from other cars. As we drove to the station I could see buses lined up with four minutes to departure time.

“The bus is still there,” I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed the bag that had my book and snacks. Brian got my other small suitcase out of the trunk. I snatched it out of his hand said good bye with hugs. Did not say goodbye to Sophia and dashed into the building.

There was not much business this morning and I joined four other people on the bus. They waited a while for one more person to get on. As the bus was leaving someone else came. The bus stopped to let them on. We crawled out of town so we were thirty minutes late the entire trip. The road was not good much of the way with strong winds so we did not make up any time.
After I was gone, Sophia asked Brian, “Why did Granny have to go?”

“Grandpa was lonely so Granny went to be with him,” Brian told her.

Later Sophia said, “I don’t like Grandpa.”

“Why not?” Brian wanted to know.

“Because Grandpa is lonely,” she told him.

Ah, jealous of grandpa.

Paula