Beginning of Advent

It's Advent time. It is the time when we should prepare ourselves for Jesus' birthday, the awesome event which is saving us all from our sins. But --- mostly we are busy, busy, busy. Well, may be I should just talk for myself and not the rest of mankind.

Ha-ha, I started writing the above a while ago. Now? Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. And yes, I did a lot of contemplating since I had started the blog. The "headline" was "important thoughts" but really doesn't fit anymore. I changed it. We really are having a good time and I am grateful. About the "important thoughts" I will write later. I found some really good reading lately.

The Sunday right after Thanksgiving was already the 1. Sunday of Advent. That means that there is an Advent wreath workshop at our church in which I am heavily involved. It was started several years ago when I was asked whether I would teach how to make them. So on Friday James and I collect fresh greenery from places which sell christmas trees (the cut-offs). This year it was easy since we started at a church close to Sarah and Wade's house. We got so much that we did not have to go anywhere else. 

It was a fun workshop and James was there for "support".

Friend Annette was in church for church decorating and said she would love to make one too but didn't need one since she had no place to put it. Ha-ha, I talked her into making one anyway which we could give away to another couple who were delighted to receive it. Several people happy!

On Sunday we started to decorate our house too. After the Adventstar the Chrismon tree is always next. We are sure when we packed it up after the privious Christmas that almost all lights worked. It is a pre-lit tree. When James tried to set it up he found that none worked. And all the little bulbs were kind of smokey looking. What disappointment. We decided to just cut all the lights off and remove the wires.

Yippeh, the tree box said the tree came with 300 lights. And here they arecut off and ready to be thrown. James just put up some strings of lights on the now "naked" tree and it is beautiful, especially with all the Chrismons added (photo later).

When the weather is unseasonal warm with blue sky and the sun shining one has to take adventage of it. Thursday December 2 was such a day and we decided for a little more than a walk in the neighborhood. We had been to Bryan Park because that's were the Farmers' Market now but had not really "investigated much". 

We had not been able to find a map of it and were somehow a little lost in the adjacent neighborhood but soon we found an interesting section. There was interesting information in some places and found it very interesting. 

We had seen a good number of these little houses and the info about the mason bees was something we had to tell the grandchildren later. 

Ha-ha, and here are the "live lawnmowers" they are using. 

And because it was past our lunchtime and we were very close to a very nice restaurant so we treated ourselves to a good time at "Hobnob", a place a little more expensive but outdoors with heaters and good food makes for a good time.

A little more decorating. My collection of nativities had to be set up and there was William (or: the little figure of him 7 years old which Maren made when he and I visited Germany. It had come with the little hat which I had forgotten about but found stashed away behind it. I think it is such a lovely photo.

Ha-ha, even my Christmas cactus decided to help decorate!

Careful events

We are very careful how we live our social life. Even though we are vaccinated we are wearing our masks a lot. But of course everybody has a bubble. Family and friends you know are also vaccinated and also always very careful. 

November 19 - Caleb turned 8. It was a Friday and birthday boy doesn't come home from school before about 4:30pm. It was dark when some of his friends came and they were mainly outside. The newly built treehouse of course was a hit. Even the dog Stella knows how to climb up.

Well, there has to be a cake and singing. 

Sarah had also prepared some games. Gosh, she knows how to plan a party.

We never gave up our season tickets to the Richmond Forum or the Virginia Opera. The opera had started with a very special performance.

September 19 - in the afternoon we went to a Topgolf place (driving range) for Wagner's "Das Rheingold". It was truly a different kind of opera experience. We sat on a kind of balcony with roof, had wine and nibbles and a good time. The orchestra and singers were live and we enjoyed it.

November 21 - back in the "proper" place we saw and heard La Bohème. It was a shortened version. The stage never changed but the music was exquisit. Very well done and we enjoyed it a lot. 

Thursday November 26 - Americas favorite holiday and also our anniversary. 46 years! Happy blessed years! 

We didn't celebrate Thanksgiving Holiday very traditionally. Sarah had to work. Wade took the boys to his parents for two nights on Wednesday since she wasn't going to be home anyway. She planned to come to us for one night right after getting off work at 3:30pm. James went earlier to their house to get Stella so Sarah didn't have to go back there which would have been in the wrong direction.

Stella is quite comfortable with us.

We had an easy meal and "chilled". Shouldn't holidays be like that?

A note: this is the first blog on my new computer. MacBook Air ... so far I am very happy. Because of the "supply chain problems" I could not get it in the store (and have them set it up) but had to order it and was a bit afraid to set it up myself (with James' help). But I decided to tackle it this morning and found it easier than I thought. Yeah! Of course I could have taken it to the shop still or call support but didn't need to do either. Feeling good. Not too old for technology!

Catch up

Retired and too much to do! Well, at least we will never complain to be bored. My computers capacity is overloaded and blogging takes much longer than it has ever taken. I will try to catch up with some things.

November 8 James and I arranged to get our boosters. Yes, as soon as we were eligible. It made us very happy and thankful. You also have to be full of admiration for how far the health services has already come.

November is when the weather yo-yos. I think it was a very colorful autumn. And how can it be better when the sun is shining and the sky is this bright blue. We took these photos just walking in our community.

This huge praying mantis was laying on the patio floor. It had been a cold night. You can see I had a warm jacket on. I helped her onto a plant. Amazing creatures.

A week later we were having lunch on our patio again. Lovely.

On one of our walks I took this photo for our weekly letter to William. And I wrote this story with it:

"You know that Papa and I try to walk every day to stay healthy. A few days ago I took this photo to remind me. When we lived in Paducah, KY, our house was on a lot with lots of pine trees so in fall we had to rake a lot of pine needles. The city provided huge clear trash bags to fill and put at the curb and they would pick them up. But some people like the needles as mulch for their flower beds. Sometimes somebody would ask whether they could have some. Of course. No problem. Sometimes people would just “steal” them without asking. Well, what they did not know is that we had a dog who would poop in the fenced back yard. Those bags we put in one place and the “clean” bags from the front yard in another place. I am sure they didn’t like what they took without asking when they could smell it at home. 

I think there is a lesson for life here. What do you think?"

November 20 and I am taking delight in taking photos of flowers in our garden. Our efforts to plant camelias are being rewarded. 

No doubt about it. So much is different in our lives now. But you still can find a lot of joy if you look for it. We are counting our blessings every day. We hope you feel blessed too.