Friday Thoughts

To be great, be whole: do not exaggerate or exclude anything of
what is yours. Be entire in everything. Put all that you are into the least that you do. Be like the full moon, living aloft and shining everywhere.

Fernando Pessoa

Well, as another Friday rolls around, it is once again time to prepare for the weekend.  Not much on the agenda, though.  Looks like it will be a quiet one.  Tonight is the healing service at the Church, and tomorrow a trip to the fruit stand.  I found some wonderful apple recipes that I would like to try. I need to keep up my intake of fruits, and sitting and munching on an apple or a pear just doesn't do it for me.  And forget oranges...although I do like my Clementines.  On Sunday morning there is Church, and in the afternoon, a time of rest. 

The weather here has been beautiful...although Thursday was a bit more humid than I would have liked.  Changes are in the wind, though, and rain is heading our way. That's okay, too. I really don't 'have' to go out in it if I don't want to, and  I do love pulling the curtains aside and sitting by the window, watching and listening to a healing rain. For so many years I have lived my life in the fast lane, and I am finally learning how to slow down.  It hasn't been easy.  If you remember, when I first retired I was on the run seven days a week.  Now I am learning the importance of slowing down.  One doesn't have to be on the run every day to enjoy their retirement.  A good book, a good movie, a day in bed--all can be enjoyable.

We have quite an exciting lineup at the Center this month.  On October 10th is the annual Columbus Day party.  From what I gather, members get together and put on a little skit about Columbus and afterward comes music and dance. I don't totally agree with a celebration of Columbus, but, hey, a party is a party.  The, on October 15th a nutritionist is coming in to talk about nutrition and health.  Looking forward to that one. I've been taking some online nutrition courses through Coursera and am eager to learn more.

And on the 31st our annual Halloween party will be held.  You know I am looking forward to that one.  Would you believe I am 66 years old and have never been to a 'real' Halloween party?  Oh, we had them at work for the clients, but it was different.  I was working. Somehow that took the fun out of it.  There was always some client who was acting up. But this time, this party will be just for fun. Put your thinking caps on. I am looking for some ideas for a costume so it's time to put your thinking caps on again.

Speaking of fun, they started a new group called "Reminiscing".  It's going to be a lot of fun.  Lots of stuff about the 50's and 60's. (There goes my trivia group).  We are even going to plan a 50's party where we dress in 50's clothing and dance to 50's clothing.  Now I was only in the single digits in the 50's, so the 60's will be added in as well. That is really going to be a trip down "Memory Lane".  My goodness, it's hard to believe that 50 years ago I won a dance contest.

Well, I do seem to be rambling a bit today, so I will leave you with the following thought...

  

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.

Henri Berson

Happy weekend to all.  See you on Monday.

The Windmill

Good morning, everyone.  Another splendid day ahead of us.  Yesterday went up in the 80's, but it wasn't that dreadful summer heat.  In fact, it was nice out that I got on the bus to go to the Center and instead stayed on and headed out to the beach.  It was a perfect day for the boardwalk, and I spent several hours out there communing with the ocean.  When lunch time rolled around, I have to admit, sodium levels were the last thing on my mind. How could I resist a Nathan's dog and their extra famous cheese fries?  Yummy. All in all it was a magnificent day, restful day.  The ocean can be very healing.  My only regret was that when I got there, and reached in my bag for my phone to snap some pictures, I remembered I had left it on the table after charging it. Oh well, next time, and there will definitely be a next time. 

The other day I came across the following tale by Hans Christian Anderson and fell so in love with it, that I just had to share it here.  It is a wee bit long, but so full of meaning.  What a writer he was!  It is called "The Windmill".  Perhaps you know it.  Enjoy.

A windmill stood upon the hill, proud to look at, and it was proud too. 

I am not proud at all," it said, "but I am very much enlightened without and within. I have sun and moon for my outward use, and for inward use too; and into the bargain I have stearine candles, train oil and lamps, and tallow candles. I may well say that I'm enlightened. I'm a thinking being, and so well constructed that it's quite delightful. I have a good windpipe in my chest, and I have four wings that are placed outside my head, just beneath my hat. The birds have only two wings, and are obliged to carry them on their backs. I am a Dutchman by birth, that may be seen by my figure--a flying Dutchman. They are considered supernatural beings, I know, and yet I am quite natural. I have a gallery round my chest, and house-room beneath it; that's where my thoughts dwell. My strongest thought, who rules and reigns, is called by others 'The Man in the Mill.' He knows what he wants, and is lord over the meal and the bran; but he has his companion, too, and she calls herself 'Mother.' 

She is the very heart of me. She does not run about stupidly and awkwardly, for she knows what she wants, she knows what she can do, she's as soft as a zephyr and as strong as a storm; she knows how to begin a thing carefully, and to have her own way. She is my soft temper, and the father is my hard one. They are two, and yet one; they each call the other 'My half.' These two have some little boys, young thoughts, that can grow. The little ones keep everything in order. When, lately, in my wisdom, I let the father and the boys examine my throat and the hole in my chest, to see what was going on there,--for something in me was out of order, and it's well to examine one's self,--the little ones made a tremendous noise. The youngest jumped up into my hat, and shouted so there that it tickled me. 

The little thoughts may grow--I know that very well; and out in the world thoughts come too, and not only of my kind, for as far as I can see, I cannot discern anything like myself; but the wingless houses, whose throats make no noise, have thoughts too, and these come to my thoughts, and make love to them, as it is called. It's wonderful enough--yes, there are many wonderful things. Something has come over me, or into me,--something has changed in the mill-work. It seems as if the one half, the father, had altered, and had received a better temper and a more affectionate helpmate--so young and good, and yet the same, only more gentle and good through the course of time. What was bitter has passed away, and the whole is much more comfortable. 

"The days go on, and the days come nearer and nearer to clearness and to joy; and then a day will come when it will be over with me; but not over altogether. I must be pulled down that I may be built up again; I shall cease, but yet shall live on. To become quite a different being, and yet remain the same! That's difficult for me to understand, however enlightened I may be with sun, moon, stearine, train oil, and tallow. My old wood-work and my old brick-work will rise again from the dust! 

"I will hope that I may keep my old thoughts, the father in the mill, and the mother, great ones and little ones--the family; for I call them all, great and little, the company of thoughts, because I must, and cannot refrain from it.  

"And I must also remain 'myself,' with my throat in my chest, my wings on my head, the gallery round my body; else I should not know myself, nor could the others know me, and say, 'There's the mill on the hill, proud to look at, and yet not proud at all.'" 

That is what the mill said. Indeed, it said much more, but that is the most important part. 

And the days came, and the days went, and yesterday was the last day. Then the mill caught fire. The flames rose up high, and beat out and in, and bit at the beams and planks, and ate them up. The mill fell, and nothing remained of it but a heap of ashes. The smoke drove across the scene of the conflagration, and the wind carried it away. Whatever had been alive in the mill remained, and what had been gained by it has nothing to do with this story. 

The miller's family--one soul, many thoughts, and yet only one--built a new, a splendid mill, which answered its purpose. It was quite like the old one, and people said, "Why, yonder is the mill on the hill, proud to look at!" But this mill was better arranged, more according to the time than the last, so that progress might be made. The old beams had become worm-eaten and spongy--they lay in dust and ashes. The body of the mill did not rise out of the dust as they had believed it would do. They had taken it literally, and all things are not to be taken literally.

A Wee Bit of Genealogical Information

The choices that we make in life are not unique to us.They are a distillation of all that has come before us. The more we become aware of our ancestral lineage, the more freedom we will have to honor what is best and let go of the rest.

This past Saturday I was just about to leave to go shopping when hubby came out and told me to put on the History Channel, that the show was about my ancestors. Indeed it was. Of course I had to take my jacket off and watch--'Barbarians II: Saxons'. Great show. It focused on basically one area, East Angolia which originally consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk. The earliest sign of man in this area-dates back to 9000-5000 BC. During the Iron Age, the area was settled by Celtic tribes, in particular the Iceni (people of the horse) whose queen, Boadicea, led a great rebellion against the Romans 

 The fact is, many of my ancestors stem from Norfolk, England--Stalham, Barton Turf, Thetford, North Walsham, Lessingham, etc.  When working on our genealogy many of  us tend to focus on those family we can name and add to our tree, but forget about their history.  What of those who came before? Where did they come from?  What is their history?  Aren't my distant ancestors  a part of my history as well? Just because I have been unable to give them a name doesn't mean that the weren't there. Finding records that far back can be pretty darned impossible, but we can understand our ancestors by learning about how they lived.  One great book I found about the history of early Norfolk was 'Seahenge: a quest for life and death in Bronze Age Britain' by Francis Pryor.

My great grandmother, Mary Constance, from Stalham. I believe that I met her once before she passed away in 1956. I remember my dad taking me to see two older ladies with an accent. Now I know they were British accents. When my mom found out, she blew a gasket, and that was the last time I saw Mary Constance, by I know she has been with me throughout the years. I remember when hubby and I moved to the house with the huge backyard. I decided I wanted to grow vegetables even though I had never done so. It grew so well that I began to call it my magical garden. Couldn't understand it, though. Never had a garden a day in my life. And then I saw the picture of her, standing in the middle of her garden, proudly showing off a huge tomato she had grown. 
 

As I began doing some research over the weekend, I did find a DNA project in process that was identifying those whose ancestors stemmed from the Iceni tribe.  Although I cannot participate because only male DNA is used for this project, I did find one of my family names on the list of those already identified--Harmer. Before that I can find no record, but I've not given up.  Ancestry has a new DNA test for both male and female that will provide me with a full breakdown of my genetic ethnicity. I am so excited.  My kit should arrive by Friday and in a few weeks I should have a pretty detailed history of who I am.

Below I have listed some free genealogy sites for anyone who might have ancestors from Norfolk.

A really great site is the Norfolk Transcription Archive.  Although they are no longer posting information, the site remains standing with thousands of names and records and can be found at Norfolk Transcription Archive

Another site you can gleam information from is Genuki: UK and Ireland Genealogy 

For cemetery records you might try Norfolk County Cemetery Records  

You can find free census records at Free Cen

And birth, marriage, and death records can be found at FreeBMD  

as well as at   FreeReg

Genuki, FreeCen, and FreeBMD can be used for all of England. Enjoy

October, Here's to You.

October, here's to you.

Here's to the heady aroma of the frost-kissed apples,

the winey smell of ripened grapes,

the wild-as-the-wind smell of hickory nuts

and the nostalgic whiff of that first wood smoke. 

Ken Weber

(Took awhile here in the city, but the leaves are finally starting to change)

What a fantastic month this is! Although I love Spring with its new beginnings, I do have to say that September and October are my favorite months of the year. The extreme heat and humidity are gone and have been replaced by a crisp Autumn chill. Night starts earlier in the day, and have you noticed? Even the moon and stars seem brighter at this time of the year. And we can turn off that noisy air conditioner and crack open the window while we snuggle under our blankets. The leaves will begin changing from green to orange, gold, brown, red, and yellow, and although I am not fond of winter fruits, I do love the sweet smells of apples at the fruit stand for this is the time of the apple harvest.  No, it really  doesn’t get much better than an October day.

So many joyful memories.  Harvesting grapes from grandma's grapevine.  Raking huge piles of leaves and throwing ourselves in them.  The smell of burning leaves in the air. Candied apples. The darkening skies as thousands of birds head for their southern shelter. 

(Beautiful Autumn sky)

October is the tenth month in the Gregorian calendar. Its name is derived from the Latin numeral octo meaning "eight". This is because in the old Roman calendar, October was the eighth month of the year. Its astrological signs are Libra (Balance) and Scorpio (Emotional).  This month is sacred to the Celtic horned god, Cernunnos, Egyptian god Osiris, and Hecate in her aspect as the Crone. 

The flowers for October are the Calendula and the Cosmos. Calendula is associated with the sun and magic. Its element is fire; its gender masculine. There is an  old love spell which instructs the woman to  collect soil that her prospective partner has stepped on and use it to pot  a calendula plant. The health of the plant will indicate the health of the relationship. The Cosmos is a plant that has been used to attract Faeries to a garden. Its name is derived from the Greek word for harmony. So, if  you want good luck, fill your garden with Cosmos. The birthstone of October is the Opal.  The Romans wore opals for centuries as a symbol of hope and purity.

October's child is born of woe, 

and life's vicissitudes must know.

 But lay an Opal on her breast, 

and hope will lull those woes to rest.

Traditional English Proverb

And, of course, the month ends with Halloween or All Hallow's Eve  which just happens to be my favorite holiday. And even though it is not the same holiday I remember as a child,   I certainly  beats out Christmas in my book. 

"In the great silence of my favorite month,
October (the red of maples, the bronze of oaks,
A clear-yellow leaf here and there on birches),
I celebrated the standstill of time.

The vast country of the dead had its beginning everywhere:
At the turn of a tree-lined alley, across park lawns.
But I did not have to enter, I was not called yet.

Motorboats pulled up on the river bank, paths in pine needles.
It was getting dark early, no lights on the other side.

I was going to attend the ball of ghosts and witches.
A delegation would appear there in masks and wigs,
And dance, unrecognized, in the chorus of the living."

Czeslaw Milosz,  

Translated  by Czeslaw Milosz and Leonard Nathan  

Monday Morning This and That

Sometimes the most
important thing in a whole
day is the rest we take
between two deep breaths,
or the turning inwards in
prayer for five
short minutes.

Etty Hillesum

Happy Monday everyone.  Hope you all had a great weekend.  I had a rather quiet one, nothing exciting, just a quiet Autumn weekend.  On Saturday I did my food shopping and then took a bag of clothes to Good Will.  No sense keeping things that don't fit or make me look funny.  I'm accepting of my age so there is no need to keep clothing around on the pretense it makes me look younger.  Actually, when you look at some of these older women who refuse to give up their youth, it opens your eyes to the changes in style as one begins to age.  Just as we change our wardrobe for the seasons, so is it important that we change it for the seasons of our life. 

On Friday, I skipped going to the Center.  Had some banking to do in my old neighborhood. Wish I could transfer that account elsewhere, but it is an estate account and to close it out would mean starting all over from scratch. One cannot deposit cash in this type of account, only my ex's residual checks from his acting jobs. So, if I close it, I cannot put the cash in another estate account.  Hence, starting from scratch, and at this point, the checks are on an average $35, sometimes more, sometimes less. All in all they add up to about a thousand a year.  So, I guess I will have to continue to make that trip about every three months.

And the trip itself isn't bad.  It's quite easy to get there.  I take the bus in front of my house, then transfer to another bus to go a few stops.  All in all, it takes about 30 minutes.  It's the neighborhood that gets to me.  Every time I get off the bus it's there, a dark aura that permeates the area.  I just can't put my finger on it.  It's not related to the difficulties I had with the owners of my last apartment.  I don't even go near there.  No, it is something else, something dark.  Needless to say, I am in and out of there as quickly as possible.

For a couple months now, I have been anxiously awaiting a book for my Kindle that was scheduled to be released on the 27th.  You best bet that that was the first place I headed in the morning.  The book is called 'A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors' by Mabh Savage.  It's been a long time since I have been so eager to purchase and read a book. So far it has been an interesting read.  I'll be sure to give you a review when I complete it. 

On Sunday I went to Church.  Didn't make it last week because the  weather was not up to par, and my bones were achy.  I have to say, I missed the sense of peace it gives me. Afterwards, it was off to the fruit stand and then home to catch up on some rest. Here are a few pictures I took. Just look at how large it is.

This is the back of the church.  I've never been in this part of it because there are too many steps for me to climb, but I think this is where they hold the services for the Chinese.  I see many of them entering there.  It looks very spiritual, and magical,  with the sun's rays in the corner.

This is the middle.  Beautiful architecture. 

 And this is the front.  

Finally, a view from the other side.  There was no time difference here, but notice how different the sky looks.

I made something new over the weekend, and it was so delicious wanted to share it with you. I love taking the basics of a recipe and then making it 'my way'.  I have no idea what this chicken dish is called.

I used boneless chicken breasts and sliced them so I could stuff them with Pepper Jack Cheese and garlic powder.  Folded the breast over and rolled it in breadcrumbs.  Sprinkled them with pepper and Cajun seasoning and put them in a greased pan and baked at 350 degrees until done.  About ten minutes prior, I topped with more Jack Cheese and allowed it to melt.  Finger licking good.

Wishing you all a joyous start to the new week.

Home is the one place in all this world where hearts
are sure of each other. It is the place
of confidence. It is the place where we
tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious
coldness which the world forces us to wear
in self-defense, and where we pour out the
unreserved communications of full and confiding
hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness
gush out without any sensation of awkwardness
and without any dread of ridicule.

Frederick W. Robertson

It's Friday

There is a beautiful spirit breathing now
Its mellowed richness on the clustered trees,
And, from a beaker full of richest dyes,
Pouring new glory on the autumn woods,
And dipping in warm light the pillared clouds.
Morn on the mountain, like a summer bird,
Lifts up her purple wing, and in the vales
The gentle wind, a sweet and passionate wooer,
Kisses the blushing leaf, and stirs up life
Within the solemn woods of ash deep-crimsoned,
And silver beech, and maple yellow-leaved,
Where Autumn, like a faint old man, sits down
By the wayside a-weary.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No matter how stressful the week may have been,
the weekend has  arrived and it is time to let  the good things happen. Have a fun filled weekend  my dear friends.   See you all on Monday.

A Little Thursday This and That

If all my pain and all my tears,
And all that I have learned throughout the years
Could make one perfect song
To lift some fallen head
To light some darkened mind,
I should feel that not in vain
I served mankind.
Marguerite Few

 

 As most of you know, I am a true model of what they call a 'Lifelong Learner."  One would never guess that at one time I hated school so much I dropped out in my senior year.  Regrets came later, to be sure, but I knuckled down and studied to get my GED....and I haven't stopped studying yet.  In my 40's came my counseling certification and my ordination studies for the Interfaith ministry,  in my 50's came my bachelors degree, and all through the years came certificates and completions of courses ranging from astrology, to Druidism...Rosicrucianism, Qaballah, Nutrition, etc.  So, it should come as no surprise that I find myself looking for some sort of free online course.

I did find exactly what I am looking for, but when I attempted to enroll in the class, I was told that I must answer the following question correctly first. "What is the opposite of save?"  Well, that seemed easy enough. My first thought was 'spend'. Wrong answer, try again. And so I did try again...and again...and again. Abandon, delete, use up, squander, waste, throw away, toss...all were incorrect. Why I even got so desperate I even googled it. Same answers I gave. And to add insult to injury, each time you gave an answer, you had to do that fill in that stupid word verification box. Needless to say, I gave up and said the heck with it. Can anybody think of another word that is the opposite of save?

Speaking of word verification, boy do I have a complaint about it.  Have you noticed that every time you type in a wrong letter or number they ask you to do it all over again?  Problem is, each time they make it harder.  I should think that it is pretty obvious that if one gets it wrong the first time around, it means they are having a problem seeing it.  So, what is the purpose of making it harder? 

How would you handle this one?  The other day, I decided not to go to the center.  Instead I had some banking to take care of back in my old neighborhood.  As I was waiting for my bus transfer, I happened to see one of the ladies from the center headed in my direction, but just as I smiled and prepared to greet her, she quickly did an about face and walked away.  At first my feelings were a wee bit hurt, and I wondered if I had offended her in some way. A few minutes later I caught her reflection in the glass. She was standing there talking to another woman who opened her pocketbook and handed my acquaintance some change.  A few minutes later, another woman passed, and I heard my acquaintance ask for a quarter.

It wasn't that she didn't want to see me; it was that she didn't want me to see her.  She was 'panhandling'. Right there and then I found myself in a very awkward position.  I wanted to reach out and help her, but I could see that she would rather I not know.  The next day at the shelter she was a bit nervous when she said good morning to me, but when she discovered I was not going to say anything about it, she eased up a bit.  I really DO want to reach out and help, but through her actions she has made it clear that she'd prefer to pretend I didn't know. Perhaps she doesn't even know that I saw her.  It all happened so quickly.  I know she has her pride, and I don't want to take that away from her. What do I do? The fact is, she DOES have food to eat at the Center. In fact, when I saw her, it was just about lunch time.  And she DOES have money to play Bingo every day. But still, it broke my heart seeing her out there begging like that.

Simply give others a bit of yourself; a thoughtful act, a helpful idea,

a word of appreciation, a lift over a rough spot,

e of understanding, a timely suggestion. You take something

out of your mind, garnished in kindness out of your heart,

and put it into the other person's mind and heart.

Charles H. Burr

Speaking of Centers, through word of mouth, I found another one not too far away. Upon looking at their monthly calendar I discovered that they offer both ceramics and painting classes, the two wish list items I dreamed of before retiring.  The only issue here is that ceramics is 10 am on Tuesday and painting is 10 am on Thursday.  Both interfere with things I enjoy at my center.  Tuesday is blood pressure and health day, and Thursday is meditation and yoga.  What a dilemma! Am I wrong to want it all?

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us
tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden
over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses
that are blooming outside our windows today.

Dale Carnegie