The World of
Grandpa Don
A work in progress - complete
but not finished
Current Events
In the life of Grandpa Don
On this page I have
recorded what I found significant during the past week as well as my
thoughts about those events and other reflections. I started doing
this before the practice became popular on the internet
This is my diary, written a little each day and published weekly.
At times I may seem to
pontificate on a subject that comes to mind during the week. I do
not intend it as a demand or even a suggestion that everyone should
think or act as I do. It is rather, intended to let you know what
goes on in my mind ... how I am motivated to live as I do.
If The World of Grandpa Don
appeals to you,
you are free to join me in it. Be warned, however, it is not always what
some would call "The Real World".
Week Ending
Friday January 4, 2008
Go to the Current Event
for ..
Or to learn more of Grandpa Don and his
remarkable family ...
Words of Wisdom ...
We
can do no great things;
only small things with great love.
~ Bl. Mother Teresa
The
Prayer Corner
Visit
the On-Line Chapel
www.stjulie.org
Post your prayer requests there.
Before I presume to pray ...
for my offenses against God
and everyone else, I ask pardon.
I invite you
to
Pray with me
...
For those leaders who work for peace
and justice for all ...
... and for those who should.
Many of the quotes found on
this page are from the daily messages I receive from
Covenant House
A
Thought ...
May your
troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.
Bono
Vince Malum
Overcome Evil with Good
Knight Grand Officer
Chev. Donald J Plefka, KGOStI,
OMStlAt-Large Priory Commander
Order of
Merit III
"Are you employed? ... No. What is your income? ... A minimal
amount from refereeing basketball games" That was the way the conversation
went ... Nancy Baker asking and Marc answering, What was he doing? Opening
an Investment account at Charles Schwab last Friday. No job, no regular
income, but investing part of what little he has. In June of 2005 while
taking a college class in investing he wanted to buy 250 shares of a certain
stock but he had no brokerage account and the minimum amount to open one was
out of his reach. He gave the money to his grandpa who purchased the stock
to hold for him. Well, now the brokerage houses have lowered their minimums
to almost nothing and he is able to open his own account. At the same time,
the stock I was holding for him was transferred to it. In the intervening
time his investment showed a 30% gain. Not bad for an (almost) unemployed
whippersnapper.
It was snowing all day and after he and I left the
local Schwab office he came to my house intending to clear my driveway. We
found it clean as a whistle and about then, the snow stopped falling. I
checked with Karen and sure enough, Nick had done my snow and then
went on to do the Buhler's as well. Thanks Nick.
Not having my address and still being a bit confused
about my children and such, my cousin Tilly sent a card to me in care of
Diane along with a letter. So, I responded with a three pager along with a
copy of the descendant tree of my dad, Joe Plefka. It gave the names of my
children, their spouses and my grandchildren and the towns where they live.
Included was my address and phone number. I had given her much of the same
information in phone conversations but now she will have it in written form
so she will have it for future reference. There are many seniors, and not so
seniors, that do not have computers. That, in itself, is becoming a handicap
these days.
December 29 marked the playing of the
annual Liberty Bowl game at Memorial Stadium in Memphis Tennessee. The
important aspect of that event was not who won or lost, or even who played
the game but the fact that my granddaughter was there as a member of the
Marist High School band. There was a long buss ride, a big dinner, viewing a
rodeo, marching in the parade and of course the half time festivities. All
that cumulating in another bus ride and going home to sleep.
With the dawning of the new year I am making a couple
changes in this web site. I am using a smaller font size and color on this
page. Please let me know if it is OK. I am also deleted two years of
archives of these pages. They will be retained off line for my reference but
I am reasonably sure that no one looks back that far anyway. Those pages
will be invaluable to me if I ever get back to the continuation of "How I
Became Grandpa Don"
A little kindness from person
to person
is better than a vast love for all humankind.
-- Richard Dehmel, German writer [1863-1920]
We were treated to another interesting homily
Sunday by Fr Bill Burke. Interesting because he picked up on the theme
of this year's Christmas Crèche in the Vatican. depicting a scene within
a home in place of the usual stable with the message that the exact
location of the birth of Jesus is not as important as the need to
recognize He is born in our hearts ... if we let Him. Fr. Bill mentioned
that Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to
register for a census ... except that history does not record such a
census and it is more likely that Bethlehem was Joseph's home and Mary
lived in Jerusalem before their marriage. This, regardless of its
factuality, is just another example of the facts not being as important
as the truth and the truth is that God, in the person of the Son became
one of us to show us the way.
Fr. Bill went on to emphasize not
only the importance of family but the need for respect in our lives. We
need to respect not just our family members but all that God has
created. A good place to start is with ourselves in not demeaning
ourselves in any way. He said it all much better than I am able to. You
had to be there!
I returned to our church later that
day for the annual Christmas concert. During the year our liturgies are
enhanced by the use of various musical instruments. The only time they
have the opportunity to perform as a unit is at this event when the St
Julie Orchestra is a featured component of the concert. Members include
talented musicians from grade school, Jr. high and high schools,
college and adults of various ages. It was noted that two members opted
to play with their U of I band at the Rose Bowl and so were absent. In
addition, the Children's Christmas Choir, the Adult Choir and the Bell
Choir entertained us. This annual concert is as much a tribute to them as it
is to our parish. Our directors are talented and dedicated people, as
are the individual members and it shows. Through their efforts
throughout the year our sung prayer is facilitated and enhanced. Several
years ago at the dedication of our new church, the Bishop asked if we
had hired a professional choir for the occasion. No, it is all home
grown talent and a lot of hard work.
From there my travels took me
to Ashford House for a pleasant dinner of breaded pork tenderloin,
something I always enjoy. From there is was home for a quiet evening.
The real friend is he
or she who can share our sorrow and double our joy.
~ B.C. Forbes
I had an afternoon appointment with my foot doctor on
New Year's Eve. His office called to advance the appointment to noon.
That being done I start the new year with feet pampered. It was good
that the appointment was moved to an earlier time because Dan, Tom and
Nick came by the house for an afternoon visit.
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
X 2... to Nick and Tom. There were Christmas presents still here
from Tom's family to Nick and a card for Tom along with other
items to be returned to family members. The guys stayed for a visit as
the light New Year's Eve snow started to fall and after a pleasant
sojourn they left to join their families preparing for the evening
festivities.
I settled in for my traditional quiet New Year's Eve
watching TV and retiring relatively early.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
!
To all!
And another ...
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
X 2 to my nephew Daniel Cecora who shares the day with my son Tom and to
my nephew Matt Lawler who follows with a celebration the next day. It is
appropriate that these guys start a new year of their lives with a new
year and to them, and al,l I pray that they be blessed with as much
happiness and prosperity they can stand for the entire year and then
some.
It is only by risking
...
that we live at all.
~ William James
Time and the way we measure it is an
arbitrary measurement of the progression of our lives. It is indeed a
"temporal" thing but we make it a very important part of our existence.
Sometimes we reflect on, or even tend to live in, the past. The past is
important only in the fact that it has brought us to where we are, be it
good, bad, or most likely, a blend of the two. We are not able to change
it and contemplating the "what if's" garners no useful purpose. The
future is unknown and the best we can do is to prepare using the lessons
learned in the past. Plans can and should be made as long as we
remember, as evidenced from the past, that we are not in charge and can
only react to life as it unfolds before us. The present is where we live
and it is the only part of time in which we have any control and that is
limited. We only need to make the right choice for this moment and so we
must, as we progress, condition ourselves to make right
choices. It should be obvious that our choices should not demean
ourselves but should be predicated on high ideals for the betterment of
not only ourselves but all those we touch.
I said that our measurement of time is arbitrary. To
us, however, it seems to be a fixed dimension of life. We mark the
beginning of the new year as the first day of January but before the
1600' it was the first day of March. Other cultures still use different
calendars. We measure the length of the day by the earth's rotation and
mark mid day by the highest appearance of the sun in the sky, dividing
the day into arbitrary hours and then minutes and seconds. But other
planets have different periods of rotation and may have no moon
or multiple moons so their days would be different and how would the
year be divided into months.
Be that as it may, the Christian world has selected
January 1 to be the beginning of the new year and other cultures have
accepted that point in time measurement, at least for business purposes.
So let it be with The World of Grandpa Don. Therefore it becomes a time
at the end of the past year when we reflect on what has transpired ...
for good and bad.
As I look back, I find a year during which I have met
my father's other surviving children and I have come to know at least
some things about them and about my father. I have learned more about my
mother and have become better acquainted with my mother's other
surviving son. I have learned more about other family members, met some
and have learned much regarding my ancestors. It is all good!
My children, their spouses and my grandchildren have aged well during
the past year, prospering in health and wealth. The grandchildren are
remarkable in their various levels of maturity and I see love and good
values there. It is all good! Concerning my
retirement vocations, the parish web site is thriving with the help of
additional members of the Web Ministry. I now not only have backups but
also replacements insuring that the parish web site will continue if I
am unable to work on it, It continues to improve and attract new
visitors. In addition, this web site is thriving, fulfilling it's
purpose as a means to give witness to the working of God in my life as
well as a way to encourage and inform my family ... especially my
grandkids. Recognition has come in my receiving the Order of Merit III
from the Order of St Isidore of Seville, being elevated to Knight Grand
Officer and appointed At Large Priory Commander of that esteemed
organization, all in recognition of the values I promote in The World of
Grandpa Don. I am humbly grateful to have their support and recognition.
It is good! For myself, my eyesight has
improved due to the cataract surgery, and my general health has not
deteriorated, at least as far as I can tell. If anything, my mental
abilities are not diminished and my knowledge and understanding may be a
bit better. It is good!
The world in general is beyond my ability to analyze
although I am saddened by a lack of improvement in moral values and by
the selfish indifference to the injustice shown to the least fortunate.
I see too much violence justified by the need for revenge. Revenge only
breeds revenge which breeds more revenge to no end ... unless someone
stops to unilaterally say ENOUGH! Yes, it requires an act of
selflessness. I ask ... will it ever happen?
It has been a Very Happy Old Year in the World
of Grandpa Don. Sure there are things I could have done better but at
this point it is water under the bridge. Hopefully the lesson will do
some good and I will do better as 2008 presents itself ... one day at a
time. I'll try. I am comforted by the words of C. S. Lewis for
January 1 ...
"I know all about the despair of overcoming
chronic temptations. ... No amount of falls will really undo us if we
keep on picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy
children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are ready, the
towels put out, and clean clothes in the airing cupboard. The only
fatal thing is to lose one's temper and give it up. It is when we notice
the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of His
presence."
No, silly, the dirt isn't the sign of His presence,
the noticing of it is. It is those who live their lives thinking that
moral depravity is normal that are in trouble for God has not been
invited into their lives.
The sun is new each day.
~ Heraclitus
New Year's Day was cold and it had snowed all New
Year's Eve night. I could have stayed in bed all day ... but I managed
to crawl out about 9 ... before Mikey could drag me out. My newspapers
stayed out in the snow until Dan and Nick arrived. In short order,
everything was cleared and they returned home the relax for the rest of
the day. Thanks guys!
Later in the afternoon I ventured out, stopping off
at the Albano's to drop of a couple things that had collected at my
house. It was still snowing and blowing a bit and my car's traction
control kicked in on a couple occasions when pulling away from stops.
For the most part, the streets were in good shape and traffic was light.
From the Albano house it is a short trip to Tom and Diane's. Tom and I
watched the first half of the Rose Bowl game while munching on veggies
and dip and then were called up for dinner. Diane had prepared a
wonderful prime rib, done to perfection and accompanied by all the
necessary fixn's. Kelly, apparently an aspiring pastry chef, made a
coffee mocha cheese cake ... from scratch, no less! Delicious! Caitlin
related some of her
Liberty Bowl adventures including their
visit to Graceland. She didn't see Elvis! My son opened birthday
presents and I headed home. The snow had stopped and the temperature
dropped from 22 to 20 during the trip.
Wednesday morning was bright and cold, temperatures
having been down to zero or below during the night. Mikey doesn't mind
the cold and for the first time in a while, found low snow areas that
allowed him to explore around the gazebo.
You can go through life being
a good egg but ... My reading of C. S. Lewis was
one of his analogies that I love, ... one of many. He tells us we are
like eggs now and reminds us that although it is difficult for an egg to
be transformed into a bird, it would be much more difficult for an egg,
remaining an egg, to learn how to fly. And so we must be transformed as
well. He says, " ... you can not go on indefinitely being just an
ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
While pondering this profound truth, a nap took me
into a deep sleep and into a strange dream. (aren't they all?) I was taking
my mom, Sylvia, someplace to a dinner, but she was leading me. I was to
meet someone, a family member who was new to me. She led me up several
high steps that I had trouble navigating, although she didn't, and
through large steel doors that overlapped. I found myself on the
strangest bus I have ever seen and was trying to find a seat when Mikey
woke me up. I need a Joseph in a multicolor coat to tell me what it
means.
I had run out of many of the essentials and
after lunch went foraging. The cold apparently had discourage others for
there was plenty of parking spaces and short checkout lines. But now I
have my larder full again.
My sister Marilyn sent a copy of the marriage
certificate for our dad and his first wife
Edith Elsholz. She was 16 and he
was 20. Of interest was their home addresses and the question if my
mother Lucile or other family members lived near there at the time. I
sent the information on to Peggy Cecora to see if she could add some
light to the still unknown parts of the lives of our parents.
.
Nine tenths of
education is encouragement.
~ Anatole France
Thursday was uneventful save for trips in the cold to
deliver and then retrieve Mikey from his visit to Touch of Class. For the most
part after he returned he was content to lay on the floor in the living
room, moving occasionally to stay in the warm rays of the sun as they
traversed the room. Once in a while he retreats to the hallway with its
ceramic floor to cool himself. I did some odds and ends on the computer but was
hampered by a balky internet all day.
Faith comes in all shapes and sizes as well as relating
to many aspects of life ... and death. But on Thursday my faith was shaken
and I lost it completely. It actually started on Wednesday. You don't
loose faith in a day. My mail announcer did not announce! It is
unusual that I go without getting some kind of junk mail but I put faith in
my new device and did not venture out in the cold and dark. But on Thursday
when there was no announcement ... no buzz, buzz, buzz ... no little red
light by 6:00 pm, I donned hat and coat and checked the mail box thinking
that the frigged temperatures were too much for the little battery in the
signaling device. After all, it had been down to Zero officially and lower
than that in the outlying areas. (You don't want to be out laying in those
areas.) But, alas, the mail box was empty! Opening and closing the
door activated the mail announcer and faith was restored. (Some times we
actually need to see, or at least hear tell, of Him walking on water!)
Then, to confirm the viability of my new device, at 6:10 there was the
buzz, buzz, buzz announcing the arrival of my mail. Oh me of little
faith!
I have started to keep a log of the date and time of late
mail deliveries. When sufficient data is recorded, it will be sent to the
USPS to request that the route be split or otherwise adjusted to insure
delivery before 5:00 PM.
Today, Friday, is forecast to be the last day of the
frigid cold to be followed by our traditional January thaw. I sure hope the
"snow Birds" took warm coats when they went to sunny Florida and On behalf
of all of us who stayed up North, I apologize for letting the cold slip down
to their winter retreat and to the natives of the Southland. In any case,
the weather is just another example of life in general ... whatever
transpires is ours to deal with and how we deal with it is more important
.than what comes into our lives. The Advent season is never over since we
must always be prepared for any eventuality.
We either make
ourselves miserable,
or we make ourselves strong.
The amount of work is the same.
~ Carlos Castenada
:The name Shepardsfield may have some
significance as the possible origin of our ancestor's first name.
.
Grandpa Don Plefka
Links of the
Week
Following the link is ...
the name of the person who led me to it.
Anne
wanted everyone to be 'Nice'.
This button was in one of her dresser
drawers I cleaned out in August of 2004
Free JavaScripts provided
by The JavaScript Source
|
A work in progress - complete but not finished |
Current Events In the life of Grandpa Don On this page I have recorded what I found significant during the past week as well as my thoughts about those events and other reflections. I started doing this before the practice became popular on the internet This is my diary, written a little each day and published weekly. At times I may seem to pontificate on a subject that comes to mind during the week. I do not intend it as a demand or even a suggestion that everyone should think or act as I do. It is rather, intended to let you know what goes on in my mind ... how I am motivated to live as I do.
If The World of Grandpa Don
appeals to you, |
Week Ending Friday January 4, 2008 |
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It was snowing all day and after he and I left the local Schwab office he came to my house intending to clear my driveway. We found it clean as a whistle and about then, the snow stopped falling. I checked with Karen and sure enough, Nick had done my snow and then went on to do the Buhler's as well. Thanks Nick. Not having my address and still being a bit confused about my children and such, my cousin Tilly sent a card to me in care of Diane along with a letter. So, I responded with a three pager along with a copy of the descendant tree of my dad, Joe Plefka. It gave the names of my children, their spouses and my grandchildren and the towns where they live. Included was my address and phone number. I had given her much of the same information in phone conversations but now she will have it in written form so she will have it for future reference. There are many seniors, and not so seniors, that do not have computers. That, in itself, is becoming a handicap these days. December 29 marked the playing of the annual Liberty Bowl game at Memorial Stadium in Memphis Tennessee. The important aspect of that event was not who won or lost, or even who played the game but the fact that my granddaughter was there as a member of the Marist High School band. There was a long buss ride, a big dinner, viewing a rodeo, marching in the parade and of course the half time festivities. All that cumulating in another bus ride and going home to sleep.
With the dawning of the new year I am making a couple
changes in this web site. I am using a smaller font size and color on this
page. Please let me know if it is OK. I am also deleted two years of
archives of these pages. They will be retained off line for my reference but
I am reasonably sure that no one looks back that far anyway. Those pages
will be invaluable to me if I ever get back to the continuation of "How I
Became Grandpa Don"
We were treated to another interesting homily Sunday by Fr Bill Burke. Interesting because he picked up on the theme of this year's Christmas Crèche in the Vatican. depicting a scene within a home in place of the usual stable with the message that the exact location of the birth of Jesus is not as important as the need to recognize He is born in our hearts ... if we let Him. Fr. Bill mentioned that Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to register for a census ... except that history does not record such a census and it is more likely that Bethlehem was Joseph's home and Mary lived in Jerusalem before their marriage. This, regardless of its factuality, is just another example of the facts not being as important as the truth and the truth is that God, in the person of the Son became one of us to show us the way. Fr. Bill went on to emphasize not only the importance of family but the need for respect in our lives. We need to respect not just our family members but all that God has created. A good place to start is with ourselves in not demeaning ourselves in any way. He said it all much better than I am able to. You had to be there! I returned to our church later that day for the annual Christmas concert. During the year our liturgies are enhanced by the use of various musical instruments. The only time they have the opportunity to perform as a unit is at this event when the St Julie Orchestra is a featured component of the concert. Members include talented musicians from grade school, Jr. high and high schools, college and adults of various ages. It was noted that two members opted to play with their U of I band at the Rose Bowl and so were absent. In addition, the Children's Christmas Choir, the Adult Choir and the Bell Choir entertained us. This annual concert is as much a tribute to them as it is to our parish. Our directors are talented and dedicated people, as are the individual members and it shows. Through their efforts throughout the year our sung prayer is facilitated and enhanced. Several years ago at the dedication of our new church, the Bishop asked if we had hired a professional choir for the occasion. No, it is all home grown talent and a lot of hard work.
From there my travels took me
to Ashford House for a pleasant dinner of breaded pork tenderloin,
something I always enjoy. From there is was home for a quiet evening.
The real friend is he
or she who can share our sorrow and double our joy.
I had an afternoon appointment with my foot doctor on
New Year's Eve. His office called to advance the appointment to noon.
That being done I start the new year with feet pampered. It was good
that the appointment was moved to an earlier time because Dan, Tom and
Nick came by the house for an afternoon visit.
I settled in for my traditional quiet New Year's Eve
watching TV and retiring relatively early.
To all!
And another ...
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
X 2 to my nephew Daniel Cecora who shares the day with my son Tom and to
my nephew Matt Lawler who follows with a celebration the next day. It is
appropriate that these guys start a new year of their lives with a new
year and to them, and al,l I pray that they be blessed with as much
happiness and prosperity they can stand for the entire year and then
some.
It is only by risking
... Time and the way we measure it is an arbitrary measurement of the progression of our lives. It is indeed a "temporal" thing but we make it a very important part of our existence. Sometimes we reflect on, or even tend to live in, the past. The past is important only in the fact that it has brought us to where we are, be it good, bad, or most likely, a blend of the two. We are not able to change it and contemplating the "what if's" garners no useful purpose. The future is unknown and the best we can do is to prepare using the lessons learned in the past. Plans can and should be made as long as we remember, as evidenced from the past, that we are not in charge and can only react to life as it unfolds before us. The present is where we live and it is the only part of time in which we have any control and that is limited. We only need to make the right choice for this moment and so we must, as we progress, condition ourselves to make right choices. It should be obvious that our choices should not demean ourselves but should be predicated on high ideals for the betterment of not only ourselves but all those we touch. I said that our measurement of time is arbitrary. To us, however, it seems to be a fixed dimension of life. We mark the beginning of the new year as the first day of January but before the 1600' it was the first day of March. Other cultures still use different calendars. We measure the length of the day by the earth's rotation and mark mid day by the highest appearance of the sun in the sky, dividing the day into arbitrary hours and then minutes and seconds. But other planets have different periods of rotation and may have no moon or multiple moons so their days would be different and how would the year be divided into months. Be that as it may, the Christian world has selected January 1 to be the beginning of the new year and other cultures have accepted that point in time measurement, at least for business purposes. So let it be with The World of Grandpa Don. Therefore it becomes a time at the end of the past year when we reflect on what has transpired ... for good and bad. As I look back, I find a year during which I have met my father's other surviving children and I have come to know at least some things about them and about my father. I have learned more about my mother and have become better acquainted with my mother's other surviving son. I have learned more about other family members, met some and have learned much regarding my ancestors. It is all good! My children, their spouses and my grandchildren have aged well during the past year, prospering in health and wealth. The grandchildren are remarkable in their various levels of maturity and I see love and good values there. It is all good! Concerning my retirement vocations, the parish web site is thriving with the help of additional members of the Web Ministry. I now not only have backups but also replacements insuring that the parish web site will continue if I am unable to work on it, It continues to improve and attract new visitors. In addition, this web site is thriving, fulfilling it's purpose as a means to give witness to the working of God in my life as well as a way to encourage and inform my family ... especially my grandkids. Recognition has come in my receiving the Order of Merit III from the Order of St Isidore of Seville, being elevated to Knight Grand Officer and appointed At Large Priory Commander of that esteemed organization, all in recognition of the values I promote in The World of Grandpa Don. I am humbly grateful to have their support and recognition. It is good! For myself, my eyesight has improved due to the cataract surgery, and my general health has not deteriorated, at least as far as I can tell. If anything, my mental abilities are not diminished and my knowledge and understanding may be a bit better. It is good! The world in general is beyond my ability to analyze although I am saddened by a lack of improvement in moral values and by the selfish indifference to the injustice shown to the least fortunate. I see too much violence justified by the need for revenge. Revenge only breeds revenge which breeds more revenge to no end ... unless someone stops to unilaterally say ENOUGH! Yes, it requires an act of selflessness. I ask ... will it ever happen? It has been a Very Happy Old Year in the World of Grandpa Don. Sure there are things I could have done better but at this point it is water under the bridge. Hopefully the lesson will do some good and I will do better as 2008 presents itself ... one day at a time. I'll try. I am comforted by the words of C. S. Lewis for January 1 ... "I know all about the despair of overcoming chronic temptations. ... No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep on picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are ready, the towels put out, and clean clothes in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one's temper and give it up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present in us; it is the very sign of His presence." No, silly, the dirt isn't the sign of His presence, the noticing of it is. It is those who live their lives thinking that moral depravity is normal that are in trouble for God has not been invited into their lives.
New Year's Day was cold and it had snowed all New Year's Eve night. I could have stayed in bed all day ... but I managed to crawl out about 9 ... before Mikey could drag me out. My newspapers stayed out in the snow until Dan and Nick arrived. In short order, everything was cleared and they returned home the relax for the rest of the day. Thanks guys! Later in the afternoon I ventured out, stopping off at the Albano's to drop of a couple things that had collected at my house. It was still snowing and blowing a bit and my car's traction control kicked in on a couple occasions when pulling away from stops. For the most part, the streets were in good shape and traffic was light. From the Albano house it is a short trip to Tom and Diane's. Tom and I watched the first half of the Rose Bowl game while munching on veggies and dip and then were called up for dinner. Diane had prepared a wonderful prime rib, done to perfection and accompanied by all the necessary fixn's. Kelly, apparently an aspiring pastry chef, made a coffee mocha cheese cake ... from scratch, no less! Delicious! Caitlin related some of her Liberty Bowl adventures including their visit to Graceland. She didn't see Elvis! My son opened birthday presents and I headed home. The snow had stopped and the temperature dropped from 22 to 20 during the trip. Wednesday morning was bright and cold, temperatures having been down to zero or below during the night. Mikey doesn't mind the cold and for the first time in a while, found low snow areas that allowed him to explore around the gazebo. You can go through life being a good egg but ... My reading of C. S. Lewis was one of his analogies that I love, ... one of many. He tells us we are like eggs now and reminds us that although it is difficult for an egg to be transformed into a bird, it would be much more difficult for an egg, remaining an egg, to learn how to fly. And so we must be transformed as well. He says, " ... you can not go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad." While pondering this profound truth, a nap took me into a deep sleep and into a strange dream. (aren't they all?) I was taking my mom, Sylvia, someplace to a dinner, but she was leading me. I was to meet someone, a family member who was new to me. She led me up several high steps that I had trouble navigating, although she didn't, and through large steel doors that overlapped. I found myself on the strangest bus I have ever seen and was trying to find a seat when Mikey woke me up. I need a Joseph in a multicolor coat to tell me what it means. I had run out of many of the essentials and after lunch went foraging. The cold apparently had discourage others for there was plenty of parking spaces and short checkout lines. But now I have my larder full again.
My sister Marilyn sent a copy of the marriage
certificate for our dad and his first wife
Edith Elsholz. She was 16 and he
was 20. Of interest was their home addresses and the question if my
mother Lucile or other family members lived near there at the time. I
sent the information on to Peggy Cecora to see if she could add some
light to the still unknown parts of the lives of our parents. Nine tenths of
education is encouragement. Thursday was uneventful save for trips in the cold to deliver and then retrieve Mikey from his visit to Touch of Class. For the most part after he returned he was content to lay on the floor in the living room, moving occasionally to stay in the warm rays of the sun as they traversed the room. Once in a while he retreats to the hallway with its ceramic floor to cool himself. I did some odds and ends on the computer but was hampered by a balky internet all day. Faith comes in all shapes and sizes as well as relating to many aspects of life ... and death. But on Thursday my faith was shaken and I lost it completely. It actually started on Wednesday. You don't loose faith in a day. My mail announcer did not announce! It is unusual that I go without getting some kind of junk mail but I put faith in my new device and did not venture out in the cold and dark. But on Thursday when there was no announcement ... no buzz, buzz, buzz ... no little red light by 6:00 pm, I donned hat and coat and checked the mail box thinking that the frigged temperatures were too much for the little battery in the signaling device. After all, it had been down to Zero officially and lower than that in the outlying areas. (You don't want to be out laying in those areas.) But, alas, the mail box was empty! Opening and closing the door activated the mail announcer and faith was restored. (Some times we actually need to see, or at least hear tell, of Him walking on water!) Then, to confirm the viability of my new device, at 6:10 there was the buzz, buzz, buzz announcing the arrival of my mail. Oh me of little faith! I have started to keep a log of the date and time of late mail deliveries. When sufficient data is recorded, it will be sent to the USPS to request that the route be split or otherwise adjusted to insure delivery before 5:00 PM.
Today, Friday, is forecast to be the last day of the
frigid cold to be followed by our traditional January thaw. I sure hope the
"snow Birds" took warm coats when they went to sunny Florida and On behalf
of all of us who stayed up North, I apologize for letting the cold slip down
to their winter retreat and to the natives of the Southland. In any case,
the weather is just another example of life in general ... whatever
transpires is ours to deal with and how we deal with it is more important
.than what comes into our lives. The Advent season is never over since we
must always be prepared for any eventuality.
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Grandpa Don Plefka |
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Anne
wanted everyone to be 'Nice'. This button was in one of her dresser drawers I cleaned out in August of 2004
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