Do you enjoy brain teasers or do you find them frustrating?
I enjoy some brain teasers, but mostly I find them boring.
Do you have any unusual collections?
Not that I can think of
What do people notice about you within the first hour of meeting you (other than appearance)?
That I talk – a lot! That’s how I got the nickname of “Windy.”
Check out Manic Monday Meme!
At one time, back in the 40’s and 50’s, I had a framed copy of a poem based on Kipling’s “If.” It was called “If for Girls.”
The frame and glass got broken and the page torn, so it was thrown out. I wish I could find a copy of that again. The watercolor that accompanied it was just beautiful.
I found the poem on the web, and now have it on my computer! I share it with you:
IF – for girls
If you can hear the whispering about you
And never yield to deal in whispers, too;
If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do;
If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place,
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise or lose with equal grace;If you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart, a simple creed,
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need;
If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress,
And be unto others as you’d have the others
Be unto you – - no more, and yet no less;If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable “No,”
If you can brave a present shadowed hour
Rather than yield to build a future woe;
If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self’s clasp,
And not let Dreaming lead you to disaster
Nor Pity’s fascination loose your grasp;If you can lock your heart on confidences
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide;
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolish pride;
If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God – - then have no fear
That anything in all the world can hurt you – -
And – - which is more – - you’ll be a Woman, dear.
J.P. McEvoy
A bit old-fashioned, but I believe it contains a number of excellent sentiments for girls – and women – of today.
Manic Monday Meme
Do you screen your phone calls?
Oh yeah! Very important! I do get back to people, but those 800 calls I just ignore.
When was the last time you lost your temper?
Believe it or not, it was about 30 years ago! I used to have a very volatile temper, but my Ol’ Curmudgeon worked with me to learn to control it. I may still get mad, but I don’t “lose it” the way I used to!
When you’re lost, do you ask for directions?
Of course. But I’m blessed to have “iron filings in my nose” almost like a homeing pigeon. I do very well with even skimpy directions, and if I have a map I’m killer! Love Mapquest, Yahoo maps and Google maps. Especially Google’s satellite maps that rotate into horizontal street views, rather than just aerial views.
It’s amazing how many otherwise intelligent people are totally unable to give coherent directions…
Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today…
Outside my window… it was supposed to be a sunny day, but it’s overcast with a distinct damp, wintry overtone.
I am thinking… – no I’m not – my mind is a blank
From the learning rooms… stack of case-related references to go through I am thankful for… all things!
From the kitchen… Tonight is “my” night to cook – I’m thinking Baked Ziti
I am wearing… jammies and big green fuzzy robe.
I am reading… That Your Joy May be Full – it takes a long time to read this one! It’s my Lenten reading.
I am hoping… the Ol’ Curmudgeon starts “snapping back” soon from his cardiac cath.
I am creating… nothing today. Just trying to get through it.
I am hearing… The Divine Liturgy directed by Boris Ledkovsky – beautiful!
Around the house… clutter is multiplying. Time to declutter again! Maybe tomorrow or the next day – not today
A few plans for the rest of the week… get car door fixed tomorrow and do grocery shopping either tomorrow or Friday – depending how I’m doing.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…
St. Gregory Palamas
This is the Lenten week of St. Gregory Palamas in the Orthodox Church.
This is a meme from Manic Monday Meme:
What would you do with an extra hour each day?
Depends on my workload and flare activity. If I’m under a heavy workload, I’d get more done – on time! If having a flare, I’d get an extra hour’s rest so the flare would leave more quickly.
Do you wear a watch?
Yes
If so, tell us about it.
I purchased this watch soon after we moved into this little town. I found a wonderful small jewelry store, and wandered in. I needed a watch, and have very specific requirements:
- sweep minute hand;
- date function;
- relatively feminine;
- “go with” either gold or silver jewelry.
The jeweler found one that met all my requirements and it turned out to be on sale! 40% off! It was still more than I had intended to spend, but it has given incredibly good service. I doubt I will need another watch in my life. The sweep second hand hails back to my days as a practicing nurse (RN).
If it was possible, would you want to know how many days you had left to live?
First, an aside – I shall be correcting the grammar of this meme. I have decided to do that – certainly a vain attempt at upgrading the bad daily grammar I encounter. This should read: “If it WERE possible.” Subjunctive mood suggests a mood of wish or unreality. The “if” word throws one into the subjunctive mood.
To answer the question, Yes. I have some things that I would like to do that can only be done at the last minute, as it were. And the opportunity to repent for all the things I might have forgotten to repent previously would be most important.
This was the beginning of about 9 totally miserable years. Socially, I was inept. Not part of the “in” crowd, not part of any crowd. I suffered greatly from lack of friends. My oldest and dearest friend was 6 years older, and our interests had long ago diverged, not to re-connect for nearly 10 years. My other long-time friends had gone to a private school, and I seldom saw them. I had no social circle, and their circles were unknown to me. So we no longer had anything or any person in common. With no support system, I was afloat in an unknown sea. I had no idea how to behave or what to say to people.
Puberty was impossible. So I buried myself in reading. I think during 7th grade I read about 125 books. Some new to me, some re-reads. I’ve always found solace in books. They always have the right thing to say at the right time. Unlike friends, associates, acquaintances and other students.
This was the last year of taking French. This was the year I took a stand in favor of the Tasker Twins. They were affected by some kind of brain damage from birth, but were able to pass each grade. I was sick of the tormenting that they received from some of the other students. Since I had no friends to lose, I befriended them and defied the coterie that had decided to make their lives miserable. I don’t know that it was through any sense of altruism, or sense of responsibility. Perhaps it was the burgeoning sense of needing to nurture and “take care” of other people that led me into nursing. At any rate, The Tasker Twins and I were all ostracized. I spent much time with them helping them with their schoolwork. Mrs. Crown showed me how to help them use a 3×5 index card to “stay on the same line” when reading test material. I worked with them on that, and helped them memorize spelling words and social studies facts.
This was the year I realized I enjoyed history – maybe it was that we were looking at English History of the 19th century – but I really enjoyed it. In literature, we were studying the English poets – and I loved poetry. Arithmetic was arithmetic – what can i say?
Elvis was new on the youth music scene – and all the girls were ga-ga about him. I was insecure enough to pretend to like him, but I truly found him totally revolting.
This was the year that polio “got” one of the kids in my grade. Bless her heart. She ended the year in a wheelchair and heavy braces on her legs. She needed crutches to walk. Everyone was terrified of this disease when I was young. It was one of the “Killers and Cripplers” that killed and maimed children in those days. I suspect that was one of the reasons Mama sent me to camp in the mountains every summer. It was thought the virus was spread through stagnant, contaminated water, or even through the hot, stagnant air of the summers.
The effects of the spectre of polio on parents cannot be exaggerated. They lived in terror that their child(ren) would be affected. A good overview of the history of polio may be found HERE.
Seventh grade ended with a “Tea Dance.” Sweaty handed pubescent boys reluctantly danced ineptly with eager pubescent girls – who were taller than the boys. The group photo taken of that event shows me looking off to the side with a thoughtful and wistful expression on my face. I wonder what I was thinking? Perhaps that all this was futile and that {dramatically} Life was a Misery. Typical adolescent angst stuff. It went on for 9 miserable more years.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Saturday 2 / 14 August 2004
Procession of the Precious Wood of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. The Holy Seven Maccabees, their Mother Solomonia and Eleazar the Priest. The Nine Holy Martyrs: Leontius, Attus, Alexander, Cindeus, Mnesitheus, Cyriacus, Menaeus, Catunus and Eucieus.
Today is a “bleah” day. We have so many bills from the Ol’ Curmudgeon’s heart attack. Today was the day we sat down and worked on them. Bleah!
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The Orthodox Publishing Society
http://www.orthodoxepubsoc.org/
has many resources for Palm OS’s, including various prayers and services, Saint Commemorations and Fasting Typikon (in date book format), and the NT KJB in Ebok format (needs Palm Reader). They also have a Slavonic Tutor, Slavonic fonts, and some audio files. This is a marvelous website, and I highly recommend it!
NOTE: In the intervening years, This website has shifted emphasis from general Orthodox resources, to Old Church Slavonic resources. Check it out.
I really don’t remember anything remarkable about 6th grade. I remember that I had two best friends. We did a lot of things together, such as going to the concerts held for schools by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I went to every one every year that they were offered. So did Ann, and so did Jenny. Ann was in my class, and Jenny went to a different school, but was in my Sunday School. I was pretty close to each of them – that year probably the closest. We were on the brink of adolescence and were somewhat scared, so we clung to each other as much as we could.
That year I made the usual grades – Miss Lowell still graded on handwriting and I earned a D. I had A’s in reading, spelling, and science, B’s in arithmetic, and social studies.
In that day and time, there were no AP classes – especially in grade school – so I was stuck following the rest of the class and bored to tears most of the time.
I didn’t like Miss Lowell. She was rude, strident, and a petty dictator. I suppose she would be shocked to know how some of us remember her, and I don’t know that she would care. Based on my memories of her, I don’t think she would. But, then, the recollections of pre-teen years from the ancient age of the mid-60s probably are not that accurate in details – just the overview.
A Simple Woman's Daybook
FOR TODAY (6 March 2009)…
It is 8:30pm
Outside my window… … night has fallen.
I am thinking… … about how I will get everything done this weekend!
I am thankful for… … the Ol’ Curmudgeon and the Three Musketeers and the 12 New Generations
From the kitchen… … The Ol’ Curmudgeon will be baking.
I am wearing… … green slacks, white sweatshirt, teal crocs.
I am creating… … nothing at the moment!
I am going… … to bed when I’m through here.
I am reading… … Still working on: That Your Joy May be Full by Fr. Steven Ritter and More Spirited Than Lions by Sarah Elizabeth Cowrie.
I am hoping… … our friend A will be able to visit us in November.
I am hearing… … the clicking of keyboards as the Ol’ Curmudgeon and I sit side by side with our laptops in our laps!
Around the house… … things are quiet as bedtime approaches.
One of my favorite things… … sleeping next to my wonderful husband.
A few plans for the weekend: … grocery shopping, Meetup for Emmy.
Here is picture thought I am sharing (Triumph of Orthodoxy) …
First Sunday of Lent - The Triumph of Orthodoxy
Meg is doing this on her blog from time to time. So I “stole” her idea 
and plan to “go” with it!
A Simple Woman's Daybook
FOR TODAY (4 March 2009)…
Outside my window… … the snow is now slushy and melting away each day.
I am thinking… … how much I have done, thought, said or that I don’t even know about that I need forgiveness for.
I am thankful for… … the Ol’ Curmudgeon and the Three Musketeers and the 12 New Generations
From the learning rooms…Tampa Reads … I am using with one of the grandsons to help him learn to read – it works!
From the kitchen… … Thank goodness for the Ol’ Curmudgeon’s 5-grain sourdough bread – if I had to choose a favorite, that’s it!
I am wearing… … green-teal sweater, aqua sweat shirt, navy blue sweat pants, navy blue mammoths.
I am creating… … memories for my descendants.
I am going… … grocery shopping if my feet stop hurting long enough.
I am reading… … That Your Joy May be Full by Fr. Steven Ritter and More Spirited Than Lions by Sarah Elizabeth Cowrie.
I am hoping… … the economy bottoms out soon so we can start climbing out of this mess!
I am hearing… … a morning news show on TV
Around the house… … the dustbunnies are multiplying and I need to dry-mop – Swiffer, take me away!
One of my favorite things… … spending quiet time with the Ol’ Curmudgeon – without interruptions.
A few plans for the rest of the week: grocery shopping, telephone conferences and phone calls to doctors.
Here is picture thought I am sharing (Icon of the End of Days)…
The End of Days
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