Friday Roundup

Lord of the springtime, Father of flower, field and fruit, smile on us in these earnest days when the work is heavy and the toil wearisome; lift up our hearts, O God, to the things worthwhile--sunshine and night, the dripping rain, the song of the birds, books and music, and the voices of our friends. Lift up our hearts to these this night and grant us Thy peace. Amen.

W.E.B. DuBois

Happy Friday.  Wow, weather-wise this week has been a roller coaster ride.  After our delicious taste of spring over the weekend and Monday, winter returned with an icy mix. Wednesday was downright bone-chilling.  Luckily I had not packed everything away, and I did have my winter jacket.  But everything else was packed away.  

I've been having a hard time lately with a repetitive injury to my neck.   This comes from keeping my head down too much while playing Hay Day on my tablet.  Yes, I am addicted, and yes, I am totally at fault for this injury.  It can get so darned painful.  It will go away when I keep my head upright, but as soon as I pick up my tablet and try to play, it feels like a knife is cutting through my neck.  And it even effects my use of my Kindle.  If I want to read, I have to hold my Kindle high so I don't have to bend my neck at all.  Why yesterday I was feeling fine, wrote out a small shopping list, and ended up in severe pain.  

So, I ended up not going to the Center.  Instead I ran out and did some errands, then returned and spent much of the afternoon with a heating pad and stinking like Tiger Balm.  Actually, the Tiger Balm doesn't smell so bad, but one still doesn't want to wear it out in public.  

I can't believe this Sunday is Easter already.  I'll attend Church in the morning and afterwards my sons will be visiting for the holiday.  Our menu for the day includes Pernil, gondulas and rice, brocolli, and salad with my homemade dressing. 

I've been reading 'The Vikings: The Story of a People' by Njord Kane and have been learning so much.  It is definitely a fascinating read.  For example, the Norse people did not call themselves Vikings.  In fact, it was a term that meant 'raiding'.  Hence, Viking was something that they did; it was not  who they were.  My new interest in the Vikings has also made me revisit the genealogy of my maternal great grandfather, Edward Hoffman,  whose ancestors came from Germany.  I had sort of given up.  Actually, I was overwhelmed.  My 3rd great grandparents were John Hoffman, b. 1823 in Saxony and Catherine b. 1823 in Hesse.  I know Germans tended to change names, and most likely John was actually a Johann.  I know he was in New York before 1843 because that is when my 2nd great grandfather was born so it was somewhere between those 23 years that he immigrated here. I know both he and Catherine were still alive in 1900.   And, sadly, that is all I have been able to find out.  Perhaps one day I will solve the mystery. 

And with that, I bid you all a wonderful Easter weekend.  May it be filled with love, peace, and joy.