Thursday, December 31, 2020
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Saturday, December 12, 2020
Third Week of Advent
We begin the week of Joy, the third week of Advent. Also known as Gaudete Sunday, or pink candle Sunday.
We are enjoying some nice and low key days here in TN.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Monday, December 7, 2020
Twelfth Night and Second Sunday of Advent
We had a successful run of Twelfth Night, despite the pandemic. Lots of social distancing in our very large theatre. Thankfully, we do have a large theatre at the high school, which in normal times can seat 1500. We only had 182 at the largest audience, and so we definitely kept with the protocols of social distancing.
Onward to Christmas, and already in the 2nd week of Advent.
As I wrote Christmas cards and sent out Christmas emails, I thought of so many friends, both far and near and hope that they are all experiencing a blessed season.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Thanksgiving & Advent begins
We had a small (just us and kids) Thanksgiving. It was nice to all be together. Gabriel is hunkering down at our lake house thru Christmas as he can work remotely from anywhere. Anna is now quarantined as she was exposed to Covid this week, she will get tested and hoping for a negative test!! (It's one test you want to fail.)
It has suddenly gotten very cold here in TN, low 30's and we are feeling it. We even had snow to begin December.
As I start writing my Christmas cards, I am remembering family and friends all over the country (and world).
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Remembering Aunt Marilyn
Praying for the repose of the soul of Aunt Marilyn, who passed away Thursday morning. Here are some photos from years past of her with family.
Monday, September 14, 2020
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Animal groups
We recently had a funny conversation about what groups of animals are called. Here's a list of some of the ones we found.
Apes: a shrewdness
Badgers: a cete
Bats: a colony, cloud or camp
Bears: a sloth or sleuth
Bees: a swarm
Buffalo: a gang or obstinacy
Camels: a caravan
Cats: a clowder or glaring; Kittens: a litter or kindle; Wild cats: a destruction
Cobras: a quiver
Crocodiles: a bask
Crows: a murder
Dogs: a pack; Puppies: a litter
Donkeys: a drove
Eagles: a convocation
Elephants: a parade
Elk: a gang or a herd
Falcons: a cast
Ferrets: a business
Fish: a school
Flamingos: a stand
Foxes: a skulk or leash
Frogs: an army
Geese: a gaggle
Giraffes: a tower
Gorillas: a band
Hippopotami: a bloat
Hyenas: a cackle
Jaguars: a shadow
Jellyfish: a smack
Kangaroos: a troop or mob
Lemurs: a conspiracy
Leopards: a leap
Lions: a pride
Moles: a labor
Monkeys: a barrel or troop
Mules: a pack
Otters: a family
Oxen: a team or yoke
Owls: a parliament
Parrots: a pandemonium
Pigs: a drift or drove (younger pigs), or a sounder or team (older pigs)
Porcupines: a prickle
Rabbits: a herd
Rats: a colony
Ravens: an unkindness
Rhinoceroses: a crash
Shark: a shiver
Skunk: a stench
Snakes: a nest
Squirrels: a dray or scurry
Stingrays: a fever
Swans: a bevy or game (if in flight: a wedge)
Tigers: an ambush or streak
Toads: a knot
Turkeys: a gang or rafter
Turtles: a bale or nest
Weasels: a colony, gang or pack
Whales: a pod, school, or gam
Wolves: a pack
Zebras: a zeal
Thursday, August 6, 2020
August
While it's not Fall, school has begun in the district. It's really an all year school, so they always start at the end of July.
To accommodate the pandemic issues, they are having a couple changes to the usual school schedule. The families can choose an all online option, which about 20% of the families have opted for. The rest of the school is attending school 2 days a week, separated alphabetically. So last names A-M attend Mondays and Thursdays, and last names N-Z attend Tuesdays and Fridays and Wednesday is an all online for all of them. So far, it's been working fine, but it is only the 2nd week. Sports are practicing, but no word if they will actually have games/matches, as most contact sports are not allowed. (Fall without football!?!)
The fall play is a Shakespeare one, and we are hoping to actually perform it, with some caveats. We'll do in person audience, separated by family units, and 6 feet apart. We are also pursuing a pay-per-view option for people who want to watch from home.
Gabriel has made it to San Francisco, successfully! He had a moving van and towed his car behind. I think he has accumulated more than my girls!! He starts work on the 17th.
Slowly cleaning out each room, in preparation for moving next year. The lake house is wonderful and we enjoy going on the weekends. Bogdan has yet to get the boat working, but he has almost all the parts and will attempt again this weekend. We have a canoe (Marian went with her boyfriend and says it is great, but needs cleaning) and a kayak (haven't tried that yet).
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Mask Making Project
Despite what some people think or claim, wearing a mask will help with this pandemic we're having. I started this project in mid March and I'm taking a break from it now. To date I've made 3,708 masks, a variety of both adult and kids sizes. Early on, there was a huge need, but now masks are available everywhere. I had lots of help, by giving fabric to friends who did all the cutting for me. They would return the cut fabric to my doorstep in a bag and text me it was there. Also, Marian and Bogdan ended up sewing for me (simple straight stitches, not affixing the elastic...), as well as cutting elastic. I did not purchase any of the fabric or elastic for the masks, they were all made from fabric/elastic I had or from donations. In fact, we had a huge donation made from a gentleman who was cleaning out his late wife's fabric bins (near 40 bins of fabric!!) I made these masks for everyone from hospitals, hospice centers, nurses, EMT's, teachers, counselors, vets, kids, friends, priests, parishioners, family, and many others. I am happy when I see people using masks out in public, but saddened when they are not. Can you just wear the dang mask please??
Cartoon from newspaper, sent to me by a friend.
Marian and me with some of the first masks we made.
Sample of masks from March.
My average daily tally 74, all time high 126 per day, all time low 4.
These are the rough cuts I get from my cutters, large rectangles that are about a legal sized sheet of paper.
These are the "littles" I also get from my cutters, which are the fabric that binds the edges.
Ironing in the pleats.
At work in my crowded sewing room.
Sewing in the elastic.
Sampling of some masks from April.
Counting out my daily tally, in groups of ten, on my kitchen table.
One of the masks I made for lip readers, with a clear vinyl center. Made to order for local hospital.
Marian and Bogdan also helped out during April and May!
The very first mask I made, with my cat Phoebe looking on.
Friday, July 3, 2020
Happy 4th!!
Every now and then, we should read these words of the Declaration of Independence...
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Monday, May 25, 2020
End of May
Much more of the same here in TN.
Bogdan works from home occasionally, but mostly goes into the Lab. He is stressed about work, as always, but continuing on.
Gabriel will be home sometime next week, we think, haven't heard definite plans yet. He has graduated and we went to his virtual commencement ceremony, which goes down as the shortest we've attended to date.
Marian is done her junior year after taking 3 AP tests in May and celebrating by starting her summer bucket list. (She's calling this one "Quarantine edition")
I'm still making masks, but will probably stop in another few weeks. 2,906 to date so far! Been working on my doula business in the off time, working my way thru my certification packet. I have only 2 more things to do, which of course, are the hardest! I have 2 more births to attend and it's been so hard to find anyone. Hospitals are just relaxing their restrictions, and I'm hoping that will encourage moms to choose a doula option. Fingers crossed.
Happy Memorial Day to all. NOT having our annual Memorial Day BBQ, which is fine for me. (Having 100 people over is exhausting, but not happening in this current pandemic!)
Sunday, May 3, 2020
May already!
What's been happening?!
Marian is technically done with Physics and she is SO happy and never wants to think about it again. She has 3 AP tests this month and then she's done her junior year. She's been doing some online "Safer@home" contests and won $150 for a piano performance and $50 for a Shakespeare piece. Otherwise, she's been playing lots of piano and looking forward to the day when social distancing is over.
Mask making has reached 1,864 as of Thursday last week. Ventured into making more kids' sizes and also some for lip readers (a clear vinyl middle piece). My weekdays pretty much are consumed with making masks from 8am-6pm. I have to take the weekend off to give my elbow a rest (chronic tennis elbow from too much cutting/sewing).
While the stores and restaurants are open here, we are still hunkering down and staying home. Really only have gone to the drive thru bank, post office, grocery store, and pharmacy.
Gabriel is finishing up at Rice and graduating. He's taking June and July off before he heads to San Francisco in mid August, he starts at his new job on Aug. 31. He's cleaning out his rental house now and getting things ready. He is heading to NM for June and July and staying with friends and then will go from there to SF.
Bogdan is still working at the Lab and they have a plan to test every employee for Covid-19 by this summer. He hasn't heard from his division leader when this will be for his group, but soon he hopes.
Anna is excited for the promised bonus and extra week of vacation for being one of the few employees to stay and work during the crisis. Many have opted to leave and collect unemployment. She was also excited to get her stimulus check :)
Sunday, March 29, 2020
A new world
So, we've technically been on Spring break for the past 2 weeks. Marian and I have done lots of house cleaning, watched a lot of movies, taken a lot of walks, and sewn a lot of face masks. This week is a transition week and then her high school will start online learning. She is not looking forward to her Zoom Physics class at 9am each weekday. She is in review for AP tests for her other classes, hasn't heard more about those yet.
Gabriel is in Houston and also transitioned to online classes, which he said aren't so bad. All his roommates have left (but still paying rent) and he is in a big house alone, but doing ok otherwise. He will miss his ultimate Frisbee games and potential tournaments. He is still on target to start his new job in July, but may reach out to them and offer to start earlier from home.
Anna is still working in childcare and much needed during this time. Not a lot of kids there, about 1/2 the normal number. I told her to carry on and keep her job!
Bogdan is working from home, but may go back this week and work at the actual building at ORNL. But, there are rumors that the lab may close to on-campus work, we'll see! Every day is a new scenario and being able to adapt is key in this changing world.
I've been taking a break from Doula work as most hospitals are restricting labor support to a partner/husband only. BUT, then I got in touch with someone who wants to use me as a virtual doula!! So, I'm going to try to do that, let's hope for the best solution in this environment.
Gabriel is in Houston and also transitioned to online classes, which he said aren't so bad. All his roommates have left (but still paying rent) and he is in a big house alone, but doing ok otherwise. He will miss his ultimate Frisbee games and potential tournaments. He is still on target to start his new job in July, but may reach out to them and offer to start earlier from home.
Anna is still working in childcare and much needed during this time. Not a lot of kids there, about 1/2 the normal number. I told her to carry on and keep her job!
Bogdan is working from home, but may go back this week and work at the actual building at ORNL. But, there are rumors that the lab may close to on-campus work, we'll see! Every day is a new scenario and being able to adapt is key in this changing world.
I've been taking a break from Doula work as most hospitals are restricting labor support to a partner/husband only. BUT, then I got in touch with someone who wants to use me as a virtual doula!! So, I'm going to try to do that, let's hope for the best solution in this environment.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Time flies by
Too busy to put anything on the blog lately.
In no particular order...
Marian is busy "Under the Sea" as she is at rehearsal daily for The Little Mermaid. She is happy with how it's going. Otherwise, she is busy with classes and Girl Scout cookies have just arrived, so she will be delivering them next week.
Costumes have been consuming most of my time, had the privilege of creating/altering Marian's wedding dress for the musical. It's a monstrosity, weighing easily 12 lbs, but it looks great onstage.
On my doula side, I've been doing a lot of classes lately. Don't have any more clients, but hopeful in finding some soon! I'm encouraging Bogdan and Gabriel to finish my website, and then hopefully I can get some more clients. I need birth #2 and #3 to finish certification.
Happy Valentine's Day!!
Happy early birthday to Anna!!
In no particular order...
Marian is busy "Under the Sea" as she is at rehearsal daily for The Little Mermaid. She is happy with how it's going. Otherwise, she is busy with classes and Girl Scout cookies have just arrived, so she will be delivering them next week.
Costumes have been consuming most of my time, had the privilege of creating/altering Marian's wedding dress for the musical. It's a monstrosity, weighing easily 12 lbs, but it looks great onstage.
On my doula side, I've been doing a lot of classes lately. Don't have any more clients, but hopeful in finding some soon! I'm encouraging Bogdan and Gabriel to finish my website, and then hopefully I can get some more clients. I need birth #2 and #3 to finish certification.
Happy Valentine's Day!!
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