I'm So Blessed

Another Christmas has come and gone. The Little Turquoise House was busting at the seams as it welcomed and sheltered seven people and six dogs in it's 750 square feet of living space. As I look back over the last few days spent with family, I realize how truly blessed I am. I couldn't help but think of my mother and how she would love being with and enjoying her grandchildren this Christmas and how very proud she would be of each of them. We had our fun, preparing food, eating, playing games and watching movies and we had our frustrations as well but all in all it was a wonderful weekend and I am now left to ponder it all in what is how a very quiet house. 

I told you in my last post about my grandparents on my mother's side and how it was their 100th wedding anniversary on Christmas day. My cousin had the idea to toast them on that anniversary and I wanted to join her though she is in CO springs and we are here. I made it a very special occasion and had my family join me in the toast right before our dinner. Besides, it was a good excuse to get pictures from family members who often shy away from the camera. The only down side was that Hubby was holding the photo of gran and granddad and didn't get in the picture. One of my many projects this winter is finishing my heritage scrapbook and family story. 

Daughter number one and her Hubby left early because she came down with a flu bug and felt it was a waste of her Hubby's sacrifice of time for her to be laying around and not enjoying her time with family. Son and his wife left first thing this morning. 

One disappointment this weekend was finding out that one of my daughters borrowed a ring of mine...out of my jewelry box without asking. A ring that, right or wrong, I made an emotional attachment with. I usually let her borrow things because she always asks and is usually careful...except this time. I'm disappointed that she didn't ask in the first place, I'm disappointed that she was careless enough to lose it, but most of all I'm disappointed in myself for placing so much importance on a "thing". I am reminded of a story I once read of a young girl who accidentally broke her mother's treasured china and feared her wrath but was shown only love and compassion. Her mother told her that the china was just things and although she treasured them, she believed that those objects were taken from her instead of the life of a family member whom she treasured much more. Yes, I will miss my ring and what it meant to me, but more importantly I still have my daughter and all my beautiful family and I would never trade any one of them for that ring. My daughter is checking her apartment again and I will be careful to look for it as I clean this week but if it doesn't turn up I need to be at peace with that. What I know in my head my heart is still working on accepting but accept it I will. 

Tomorrow there is much to do; I want to get as much of the Turquoise House back in order as possible. I'll be taking another week off from teaching and hopefully laying out a detailed plan for the remainder of the winter. 

To a new beginning...

Remember Me???

I know, it's been way too long. Life seems to be speeding by at an ever increasing pace and there are never enough hours in the day to do all I want or need to do.  I've spent a considerable amount of time catching up on all of you this morning - forgive me if I didn't say much, there was just so much to read...my fault, I know. 

Despite what a couple of you believed the last time I posted, the snow had not yet left us. It wasn't until this weekend that our yard was finally free of it's white, wintry blanket. Even now, there is a patch of snow in the back yard and lots and lots of puddles! There are still walls of snow across the street where the plows had it pushed up - hopefully soon we'll be able to access everything, but not yet. 

Last week was so busy and yet as I look back I can't figure out why except that Daughter #2 finished out her semester (with straight A's!!) and came home to "crash" for a couple of days which meant a distraction for me...albeit a welcome one. Not much got accomplished on my new organ music I have begun studying, but I am enjoying having something specific to work on with my mentor again, and I truly believe it's been good for him as well - having a goal like this and something to actually "teach" again seems to have really perked him up - I truly believe he needed it as much as I did. 

I did get the bathroom cleaned..."spring cleaned", which meant getting on my hands and knees and climbing on a step ladder, but it felt good to have one room completed. Just as I finished this chore on Saturday, my son and girlfriend pulled up and surprised me with a visit for Mother's Day! The entire house including the bathroom needs a good going over again now that they're gone - but I'm so glad they came. My studio is the next on the list, though I'll have to be scientific about it as it has to stay accessible to students as I re-organize. HMMMM. 

Mother's Day came and went. Like I said, my son surprised me on Saturday and we spent the day shopping and visiting. Sunday was church of course and Daughter #2 planned a light lunch of finger foods as our dinner reservation wasn't until 5:00. Daughter #1 called and we chatted for a few minutes -

she sent flowers and a lovely tea cup and saucer from Crate and Barrel.

Daughter #2 planned the meals and gave me a flower...I don't know what it is.

Hubby bought me 3 red roses - one to represent each of my children. Son gave me a book I had been wanting about re-growing food from scraps and he and his girl dug up a lonely Crocus

they found on the trail and potted it for me, then they did some raking in the back yard while I fell asleep in the sun on the deck. I woke up with quite a sunburn!! Since Son's girlfriend was able to take a 3 day weekend, Monday was spent antiquing. We also had lunch out and stopped by the church where I practice to show Son's girl a real pipe organ. She has no musical experience or knowledge whatsoever, but has been curious about what I do on Sunday mornings. Mentor was there and was ever so gracious to give an impromptu introduction to the instrument. 

That brings us to today - I'm supposed to be doing my housecleaning and my work-out, but I'm so tired from the weekend and so behind on emails that here I sit. The afternoon will be full of students and the week will probably be as busy as the last. My online time has been limited as I have been focusing on some neglected projects and also due to the fact that my computer screen is broken on my laptop which makes reading and typing is next to impossible...it gets worse by the day. We are in the process of trying to locate a replacement but in the meantime, I'm using the desktop in the basement where it is ccccold! 

I hope to be able to check in with you all at least once a week. 

A Quiet Afternoon

The winter storm arrived as predicted dropping about 6" on us overnight and continuing through most of the day. I had a massage therapy appointment for 9 a.m. and I didn't want to cancel so I braved the roads. It was pretty slick but at that hour there weren't too many people out (they were all still trying to dig out) so I was able to go slowly. The return trip home however was more difficult as quite a bit more snow came down in that hour and the road crews seemed to be ignoring the fact that it was snowing. I saw 2 plows go by on the highway, but the back roads were getting deep and one false move and I knew I'd be stuck. It took three tries to get back into my garage and I vowed I wasn't going out again for the rest of the day. Schools were cancelled and my students cancelled their lessons so since my therapy appointment took quite a bit out of me, I've only done what was absolutely necessary today...which wasn't much.

I did make a list of what I need to do between Friday and Saturday, which really doesn't look like too much:

Hubby's laundry
Crock-pot a roast with veggies on Friday
sweep and mop floors
dust and decorate for "spring"...whatever that is
fill and hide Easter baskets
grocery trip - get something for Saturday supper
PRACTICE
make: 2 Oatmeal Pies
           2 pans of cheesy potatoes
           large fruit salad
           Sunday after church - cook the ham and green beans

All that to say I probably won't be around much over the weekend. Son and his girlfriend will probably arrive on Saturday - I don't know if Daughter #2 will be staying over or just joining us on Sunday. Daughter #1 emailed and confirmed she and her Hubby will be spending Easter with his family this year.

Next week begins another big push to get into shape. I had a good start and then when I had company I got off schedule again and have struggled to get back. Next week...no excuses! The recital will most likely be scheduled for the 5th or the 12th of August and I want to be the best I can be in time for that. "Spring training" begins!

Wishing you all a very happy Easter.

Another Suggested Read

In addition to being a wine-lover, Daughter #1 is a "foodie". She is passionate about eating healthy and healing the body with the food it takes in. She has started a blog about all the helpful things she comes across to help us lead healthier lives. If you're interested you may find her at Grateful Glow. 

Blog Post From My Daughter

Daughter #1 loves to write and loves wine so now she gets to put them together and blog about wine at corkings.com/wines

Please enjoy her entry - Do Good Drink Wine

Scrpapbooks, Flying Squirrels and Organ Practice

I need to do a quick lick and a promise cleaning this morning because I didn't do anything yesterday except scrapbook! I haven't been able to sit down and finish several pages in one sitting in ages! I completed a section of pages for my 3X great-grandfather. I don't have any pictures of him, just information which made planning pages a new challenge. I would take a picture and send it, but it's just too complicated here. I'll have to catch up on all that when I get my new computer...I'm thinking positive!

Also today I am planning my afternoon around organ practice and I have a student coming at 6 p.m. tonight.

For supper tonight I'll cut up some left-over pork chops and toss them in with some stir-fry vegetables.

Heavy on my heart this morning is still Daughter#2. She is feeling somewhat better but to her knowledge she still has not passed the kidney stone and it looks like she'll need to make an appointment to see the Dr. soon. Also, funny but not so funny...she sent me a text this morning: "We have a flying squirrel in the house! It ran over my sleeping body this morning, then it joined me in the bathroom! Tay and I tried to chase it out, but we lost it...it's still somewhere in the house!" Hubby told her to watch out for for the moose, then with a Russian accent, he told her to call Boris and Natasha because they have been trying to get rid of flying squirrel for years! She didn't find him too funny at the moment, but...got to find the humor somewhere!

Daughter#1 called me last night. She wants me to intercept Daughter#2's hospital bill from her ER visit on Friday and let her know how much it is so she can pay it for her!