Booming Banter

Today our baby boy officially becomes an adult!

It is hard to imagine that time has passed so quickly since we first met our Zhang Ming Biao!

We have had many journeys together to many countries. We’ve lived on three continents and we have learned a lot together about giving and taking!

What better gift can we give our lad than the blessings of the advent season in which he was born. The HOPE that he will have LOVE and JOY and be at PEACE with himself and with all the world.

Blessing #187 – Our Greatest

Aaron is a real history buff. We often discuss about India and Ireland and the similarities between the events in our homelands with him. He loves this.

Last night we all watched the epic movie Gandhi.

Each time we dig deeper into the story it gets even better.

This time the person who drew our attention was Charlie Andrews who was an English episcopal priest and Gandhi G’s dearest and closest friend.

Thanks to Wikipedia we learned that Gandhi used Charlies initials C.F.A. (Charles Freer Andrews) to give him a very special nickname Christ’s Faithful Apostle.

We also learned that he has a feast day celebrated on his birthday February 12 by the episcopal church.

This is a very important date for us too, not because it is also Abraham Lincoln’s birthday but because it is the birthday of our dear friend Patricia who is Aaron’s godmother.

Now call it coincidence if you wish but just guess who sent Aaron a present today?

Blessing # 186 – A Trinity of Heroes

Do you ever get a day when you have a run of luck on special offers?

It doesn’t happen all that often but it surely did for us today. We bagged bargains galore.

Since we were turkeyed out by the amount of bird we ate over Thanksgiving, and had exhausted every recipe known to man for using leftovers, we decided Christmas would be a big roast of beef instead.

Bargain number one of today Certified Angus Whole Eye of Round reduced from $3.99 to $2.49. You don’t need to think twice at that price! This is going to be one mighty meal!

Next up we needed parsnips because you can’t have a roast without a parsnip can you?

Well here came a discovery no parsnips to be had but in their stead parsley roots. Now if it hadn’t said parsley root on the label I would have taken a bet these were parsnips. We’ll see how they taste but we have enough parsley to last us till Christmas 2019 as they were selling them at $2.25 a bunch.

Oranges and mandarins knocked down to a dollar for a big bag for quick sale.

Shampoo, toothpaste, kitchen towel all reduced!

Vitamins were on a buy one get one free just as my beloved needed to replenish his Vitamin D stock!

Last but not least hair dye $3.25! That’s well under half price so I’ll be dark blond for the next few years!!!!

Why was this happening? Suddenly the light dawned! Someone somewhere is trying to make their bonus! No problem for us just keep those offers coming!

Blessing # 185 – Making Year End Numbers

 

My Mum came from a large family of four boys and four girls. My Mum was number five and there was an age gap of 23 years between the eldest brother and the youngest sister.

The family grew to include a total of 23 grandchildren and their current ages range from 81 to 45. Our cousins rarely all get together.

There are some cousins like Yvonne that I see every time I’m in Ireland and that I talk to very often. There are others that I haven’t seen or been in touch with since early childhood.

Recently though a whole new era of bonding with my brethren has taken place.

When my dear Mum went to glory in January 2017 my cousin Marty (Margaret) came to the funeral with her daughter Anne. Marty is my Uncle Jacks daughter and it was many years since I’d seen her and decades since I’d seen Anne.

That’s  when the wonders of social media stepped in. At the tea following the funeral itself Anne and I became friends on Facebook and thanks to this connection a link up with Marty and all her family took place. Brothers, sisters, their kids and grandkids all came back into my world from all over the world!

Just this week a card came from Yvonne as it always has at Christmas time but also this year came cards from Marty and her lovely Anne too.

Talk about joy well this has been joy in its biggest sense.

The warmth and love for each other that these family members show and their extensions of this love to me has been something I’d never hoped for but certainly a very special link from heaven that my Mum gave us all.

Blessing # 184 – Reconnections

The first candle in advent is faith, the second is love and the third is joy.

One of the luxuries of not having to rush off to work each morning is to sit and watch the news with a great big mug of coffee in hand. Here in the USA they’d call it a Cup of Joe!

For years coffee was gulped down to get the show on the road. Today it is savored and sniffed and sipped and that second cup is heavenly.

Krishna sets the coffee machine up before we go to bed so all that is needed in the morning is a flick of a switch.

The smell of coffee in the house is so appealing and comforting. It’s one of life’s delights.

What simple pleasure do you look forward to that makes you smile when you think of it?

Blessing # 183 – Cup of Joy

 

A very sad and at the same time a beautiful  thing has happened in Central Ohio. All the people who live here will know this story but for those of you who don’t here goes.

Chris Bradley was a meteorologist on Channel 10 one of our local TV stations. Chris was respected and admired and much loved.

He was a devoted family man and the family were often present at charity events participating in fund raising for many causes. They were so committed to helping others.

Twenty months ago Chris was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. He shared his story with the whole region and many of us followed his ups and downs on Facebook.

Sadly, Chris died last week after his courageous and very public battle against the disease.

So much was he loved that all the local television stations, who generally compete for our views, came together for a full day campaign with Bethematch.com to find new bone marrow donors.

Just goes to show what the life and faith of a good man can do! Even in his passing he is passing on hope to others!

Blessing # 182 – Togetherness

On this International Day of Human Rights it is good to reflect on the progress that has been made and to be thankful for that. It is also a day to question why inequality still exists and is tolerated.

A few nights ago on PBS there was a whole program dedicated to Peter, Paul and Mary.

They were rerunning many of the old tapes from the time of the freedom movement in the 1960s. At that time many of us were too young to understand what it was all about. Others weren’t even born!

The music has endured though and songs like Bob Dylan’s beautiful Blowin’in the Wind are treasures of the era.

While Bob no doubt is a great poet and performer I prefer Peter Paul and Mary singing this particular song.

There is something about the way Mary looked that spells angel for me. She’s probably singing it in heaven.

Lets sing with her until we no longer need to sing

Blessing #181 – Justice and Peace

 

 

Christmas time always brings Charles Dickens back on the radar.

In Columbus we have a great little museum called The Ohio Village where Victorian houses and buildings have been beautifully reconstructed.

At this time of year the museum puts on a special event called A Dickens of a Christmas. It’s a bit like jumping into a Christmas Card!

Each of us has a favorite Dickens story. We might think of Scrooge and his redemption in a Christmas Carol or Miss Havisham sitting in her Wedding Dress in Great Expectations.

My all time favorite Dickens novel is David Copperfield. We had to read it as part of the curriculum at school and it left a lovely warm spot in my heart. A bit like a warm mince pie!

No other character can compare with Mr Barkis. He’s my hero even though he plays a relatively minor role in David Copperfield.

Such a gentle soul so loving of David and of his Peggotty and her apple pies. One of the greatest unsung love stories in literature has to be Barkis and his Peggotty.

With “Barkis is willin’” Barkis is winning my vote for Dickens most memorable line and sweetest heart!

Whose your favorite?

Blessing # 180 – Classic Tales

This week a message from Dawn Birt, a friend and former colleague made me so happy.

BIRT as we know and love her has had the courage to start her own business.

It is such a great feeling to see a friend taking this major step forward.

Everything she has done from the idea itself to her website to the class written all over her very first products looks absolutely perfect.

Knowing BIRTs background as a scientist dedicated to quality this attention to detail is not surprising.

Can’t wait to get my order!

Blessing # 179 – Watching the DAWN of a New Idea!

 

Poinsettias are very popular at this time of year. Often given as gifts and sadly often gone before the Christmas tree is taken down.

They are hobby plants for me. Each year if we get one it is a challenge to see if the little life can be kept going till another season.

Mostly I’ve been successful. Three years ago I almost lost one but after a little encouragement it bounced back as a little Bonsai and now has become so robust and my favorite.

The trick you need to know to be ready for this years Poinsettia season is that you must be ruthless! Starve that plant of water until the soil on top is completely dry then take it to the sink and drown it until water is running out of the pot.

Over the years I’ve learned that this works because the Poinsettia is native to Mexico where climate fluctuations mean drought and flood are interspersed.

While my plants keep growing it is rare that they do what they should do and that is turn red at Christmas.

This is all part of the Poinsettia story. The gifting of the plant is based on the legend of a little girl who had no money to bring a gift to her Church. So she plucked some weeds on her way there. The leaves turned into a plant and this turned red on Christmas morning.

This year we have victory! The reward for good light and patience!!!

Blessing # 178 – A little red leaf!