Booming Banter

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!

We are having our annual cookie walk at church this weekend. The idea is that as many people as possible sign up to make Christmas cookies and then we sell them by the pound.

Now some of the ladies who bake are artists.. They come up with these amazing creations and the cookies are absolutely perfect iced and sparkly.

In the past years I have had some outstanding disasters when I tried anything more adventurous than a sugar cookie but this year was going to be different.

Early yesterday morning the production line was set up. Dough made, oven turned on, cookies cut. Confidence was coming out of my ears!

Batch after Batch came out right! I was baking for a nation. Mary Berry, Martha Stewart eat your heart out!

Stars and snowmen and hearts were cooking and cooling and being boxed up and they all looked plain and simple but right. So in for a penny in for a pound another round of dough production began.

We were into the home stretch when disaster struck.

After warming up a coffee in the microwave to watch the start of the memorial ceremony for President Bush the oven was accidentally turned off as well as the microwave. This became apparent when a check on the status of the last two trays of cookies was made.

Well of course this was not a big deal. The temperature had only fallen a bit so if it was switched back on all would be well wouldn’t it?

Alas no! The cookies took on the look of charcoal. Now why would this be? Well of course an oven ramps up to its set temperature with a higher heat than it does when stable.

Did this cross the mind of the kitchen diva? Not for a moment but it’s a good lesson learned and so ironic and so funny that they were little fir trees!!!!!

Blessing # 177 – Burnt Wood!!!!! Christmas Logs!!!!!

Such a beautiful ceremony of remberance for President Bush at the National Cathedral today. So full of love and grace. Powerful messages and wonderful music.

All this week we have learned more than ever before about the goodness, kindness and humility of the man that was the forty first President of this great country.

He valued character over pedigree.  He viewed tolerance as a virtue not a vice.

We learned that when his lovely granddaughter Jenna introduced him to her baby and asked him what advice he would give her he said

»To your own self be true »

He epitomized the meaning of servant leadership. In defeat he was gracious writing words of encouragement to President Clinton. He became like a father to him. So much so that the Bush brothers referred to him as a brother from another mother!

We learned how he loved to laugh especially at himself. He even had a grading system for jokes.

He had a simple faith and the strong belief that the legacy we must leave our children is the desire to do good and to serve.

Most importantly we learned how much he loved. He loved his country, he loved the people of this country and of the entire world and especially he loved his bride Barbara and their family.

It is in knowledge of his reunion with Barbara and with their baby Robin that this wonderful family universally have said they feel joy and peace today.

Blessing # 176 – Enduring Love

This furniture movement is wrecking havoc in our home especially for the fur ball.

Poor Dibley is in the dog house!

He normally sleeps in bed with us. Our bedroom is on the main floor but we have had to move upstairs temporarily until our favorite bedroom furniture arrives from Ireland as it’s going into our room.

Of course we invited Dibley to join us upstairs but he refused to go. He imposed a ban on the upstairs bedroom!

For several nights he just sat in front of our usually bedroom door. When Krishna tried to coax him to come upstairs he growled at him.

Heaven know why but he is not budging from the main floor. So the past few nights he has slept in his kennel in the kitchen.

We have been up for a while now, had our breakfast and seen Aaron off to school. So it was a bit surprising that the fur ball is still in his kennel.

We were wondering is he huffing with us but I caught him just now lying on his back snoring his head off so maybe he is treating this all like a vacation!

Blessing # 175 – The Fun In Anthropomorphism

Yesterday our dear friends Nilima and Pradeep organized a baby shower party for their younger daughter and her husband who are expecting their first baby soon.

We had such fun playing games and of course eating delicious Indian food and a great big cake!

For all little babies coming to our friends and family it has become our tradition to get the baby a little Irish Arran Sweater. These are knit by Liz a friend in Belfast. She sells them to raise funds for Assisi Animal Charity so little puppies and kittens benefit too.

Yesterday was also the first Sunday in Advent when the candle of hope was lit in anticipation of the four weeks leading up to Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

The world has changed a lot since Mary and Joseph waited for their baby to be born.

Many things have not changed though. Sheep still make wool. Wool still is used to make little baby clothes. Grandma and Grandpa and the extended circle surrounding them still wait patiently for a birth.

We shower love on the parents to be and as we sang this morning we pray the world will be a peaceful one for their little love.

Blessing # 174 – Preparing for a Little Love