Jonathon Art
I enjoy visiting this artist. The reasons are many, here are a few:
In the year 2006, Yule arrives on December 22 instead of the usual 21st. This pleases me - it gives me one more day to prepare!
I've got all my books dusted off and gathered
I've got my Wicca Jouranl ready
I've even got a Green pen to write it all out
Now, off to the races!
p.s. As seen on many, many blogs this week
How evil are you?
Wish I could put an audio here of Walter Cronkite saying, "Today in history..."
Cutting Slack: Gave a little. It is stressful when your child is moving and you have a crazy mother.
Not Cutting Slack: However, there was no excuse for taking it out on me. I talked, he said he listened. Of course, he had to do the, "I'm 8 and now won't talk to you for fear of making you mad." He got over that very fast - spending the night in the garage wasn't a pleasant idea for him.
Step-Son: Is moved. It cost us a lot of money we didn't have. His job starts Monday; I'm praying the Goddess will give him direction.
Daughter: She will be here December 26. I'm thrilled - so is she.
Thanksgiving aftermath: All furniture is back where it belongs. Dishes - including roaster and platter - are clean and put away. Later today, decorations will be re-boxed. Time to find Yule deocorations...
Speaking of Yule: Have decided to make it more festive this year. Although our house cannot be seen from the road, I am planning to decorate two or three outside trees. I'm also going to make a "string art" Pentacle to place on the deck. I was inspired by something I saw this summer - I'm going to get a piece of plywood, slather it with polyurethane, place nails in strategic places, and wrap a strand of lights to form a Pentacle. Also need to find Yule Log...
School: I'll be taking 2 classes next semester! I've already ordered my books and plan to pre-read - I'm such a nerd.
Weather: No snow yet. Odd. I'd rather have 30 F and snow than the 30 F and wind.
Readers: Would like to know how you are and any comments.
Peace
One problem with an anonymous blog is that when "stuff" that I really need to get out comes about, I cannot be 100%.
I need to get it out, though, so, I will do my best.
I've been giving my husband slack for the last year. All relationships - especially those that are marriage/committed - require slack. If not, the relationship breaks. I've been through too many broken relationships - marriages/committed and other. Some were totally my fault, some totally theirs, some equal.
Anyway, it seemed to have started when I lost a job early in '06. The sexual harrassment just wasn't worth the paycheck. Husband got very worried I wouldn't find work and, in his words, we'd be "out in the car living". I did get another job right away - less money, but a job. Still, husband full of stress. Because of the financial stress, husband's fuse grew shorter. Me, being who I am, dealt with it.
Then, his dog passed on. It is always so difficult to lose an animal we love. He wanted to wait to get another dog but, I saw an ad in the paper and, we now have a beautiful female Dog. Husband has only recently bonded with the Dog. Bonded is probably too strong of a word - he is past tolerating but sees Dog as more soemthing to keep me happy than anything else.
Husband has been in pain since before I met him. Lately, it has grown worse. He has been to the doctor, had a battery of tests. At first, it was something serious - then a test proved that wrong. Then, it was something less serious but would need surgery - yesterday he was told that wasn't it either. The doctors here have given up. So has husband. He is in constant pain, but will do nothing more about it. He expects me to give him sympathy, but, if he won't do anything about it, I can only give so much.
Husband's mother (HM) has always been needy and pushy and nosy. Over the last 5 months, she has become more so. She refuses to take responsibility for her actions and expects Husband to be there and do things for her at whim. She shows no appreciation for his/our help and actions. When Husband's Son moved in with her, HM became downright nasty - she complained when he worked, complained when he didn't, complained that he wanted to cook his own food, complained that he wanted the heater on (even 55 is cold for Eskimos). Her newest thing: Husband and I are keeping secrets from her and Son is messing up his life by taking a better job. Unfortunately, husband gets the brunt of this. Talking to her is futile.
So, OK, husband has a lot to deal with. I'm working again (although temporary and part-time) and, yes, Thanksgiving is this week - which he feels he has to make a big deal about.
BUT
Asking him to pick up after himself, take care of chores he said he would help with, and asking him to not wake me when he can't sleep...apparently I'm the bad guy. I'm really tired of hearing the f-word fly, the banging of boots on the floor, the bright lights at 4 in the morning - all because he tripped over something that has been in the same place for 3 years or "my dog" is drinking water.
I could go on...I won't.
So, how much slack do I cut?
...around
I just haven't had anything to blog about.
I've been so busy with work, getting ready for Thanksgiving, getting (step) Son ready to move, collecting information to get Daughter where she belongs...
Peace.
Thank you, Propter Doc!
Which Major Arcana Tarot Card Are You?
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I'm here.
Just nothing worth blogging about.
I'm sure something will come up soon, with Thanksgiving and Yule on the way.
Thanksgiving is happening at my house this year, much to my dismay.
I don't understand how the one person who does not care for the holiday, out of the 6 who will be gathering that day, gets to have the biggest "to do" list.
Peabody, if you are reading, please forgive my horrid grammar in the last sentence.
Peace.
*Simple Minds
Amazing to me how people how some people graduated from high school.
If you go HERE you can read what Mr. Kerry actually said, not what Little King Georgie and Rushie believe he said.
Perhaps Mr. Kerry's use of higher proper English doesn't work for people who had their education purchased for them. I'm referring to the line, "I can't overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq."
I seem to remember punchlines but never the jokes.
Things happening I can share:
> Why do bullets not work in Blogger?
> My Son got a job in a city 3 hours away. We are thrilled for him. It is a good paying job, working for a University.
> I just might get to take a class or two this Spring semester.
> I received the repair bill for my Nikon - $150, not including shipping. Would have liked it to be less, but, I miss my camera!
> Taking peasants, er, pheasants to my Mom this weekend.
> It is unseasonably warm this week. Will have to ask the Goddess to talk to the Weather God and ask we don't get bombed with negative temps this Winter!
> I'm going to search the net for a bit of picture or something to place here
I made this recipe for a pre-holiday 'gathering'. It turned out much better than the pumpkin fudge.
You can find the original recipe at the Betty Crocker website. I've made some slight variations.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin-Spice Dessert
Crust
1 cup Low-fat Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup firm margarine
Filling
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 oz) fat-free evaporated milk
2/3 egg substitute
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons firm margarine
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients until crumbly. Press in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool slightly.
2. In large bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, egg substitute, granulated sugar, salt and pie spice until smooth. Pour over partially baked crust. Bake 20 minutes. In small bowl, mix pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons margarine until crumbly; sprinkle over pumpkin filling.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool completely.
4. Store in refrigerator.
It's times like this that I want to throw Blogger in the dumpster!
Here is Supper from Samhain.
And here is my mini-altar.
Next on the list...
S.O. wants to have Thanksgiving (American) dinner. This 'holiday' doesn't 'do' anything for me.
I will help prepare the menu - so we have some healthy foods - and I will clean the house and set the table. Oh, yeah, and clean up afterwards, too. I will ask the Goddess for help in getting through it all!
The next big Pagan/Wiccan holiday is Yule. If any one is interested, I'll be happy to discuss my preparations and such for Yule.
Peace
Last night's 'celebration' was low key but enlightening.
In lieu of a Dumb Supper, I served our food backwards: dessert, main course, soup, bread, appetizer. I also served counter-clockwise (Windershins, I believe), and did my best to eat with my left hand. As Blogger will not let me upload a photo, you will have to deal with an explanation.
Food Served =>
Cranberry-Raisin Pie
Chicken Breasts with Brown Rice & cream sauce
Vegetarian Vegetable Soup
Sunflower Bread
Saute'd Mushrooms with Parmesean
Littel Penguin Pinot Noir, 2002
To begin Supper, I lit the white candle then the Yankee Candle, cast a circle, invited those who had passed to join us. As I said, I served Windershins, with my left hand. I said a brief blessing for the food and for those who have passed.
After Supper, I cleaned the dishes, saved some chicken-bits for our animals, and prepared for ritual. Again, no photo allowed. So =>
A special scented candle North, Black candle in votive holder to East, Wheat candle to South, Black candle in pumpkin to West. All on an altar cloth that looks like fire.
I won't go into the finer points of my ritual here; that is private. I will tell you I set up a mini-altar as, throughout the day, I "knew" more and more I needed to perform ritual in a different place in my house. I now know why, and it makes perfect sense. I allowed the black candle in the pumpkin to burn out, which made a very cool effect - black wax oozing out of the pumpkin. Kind of creepy, but very cool!
I wish you each a wonderful and fruitful year!
