Subject: Fwd: Mindwalkers ~ in praise of my menfolk
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 20:50:21 EST
In looking ahead to my March 7 surgery and recuperation, today I did what any right thinking woman of my generation would do - got my hair done.
John took me to the hairdresser, who has been doing my tresses for the past 40 years, gently helped me up the stairs and did not leave until he was sure I was safely tucked away in the beautician chair. When he picked me up, there was a little time for Jo and John to get to know each other. It seems that every woman I know takes to John right off and he takes to them. He settled me in the car, then headed back into the beauty parlor. Well, I was beginning to get "worried", when he reappeared about 5 minutes later - with a stack of magazines under his arm that Jo thought we'd like perusing.
When I look at John, I cannot help but think of my dear husband, Pete. Actually, his name was Raymond Lewis Lockhart, but his uncle took one look at him in his baptismal gown and exclaimed, "He's not a Raymond, he's a Pete!" And Pete he was from that day forward.
I know that we are not supposed to make spiritual judgements, but I just know in my heart that my loves will someday be fully reconjoined with the loves that are my Pete. He made me feel so special, so cherished and appreciated.
It has been 26 years since Pete died and I miss him every day - morning, noon & night. ("All I do the whole day through is dream of you.") From the day we met in 1935, it seemed we knew the other was THE one. Pete was so shy, the fellow who brought him to the party slipped one of my mother's silver teaspoons into his pocket so that Pete would have to call me again. But he was never shy with me. From the first kiss to our last in this life, he was my ardent lover and loyal best friend.
I just came across an everyday Christmas gift tag - about 1 1/2 " square with a mug of holly against a red backdrop - that was on a long-ago present. The tag is anything but everyday to me: "Kay ~ So little a thing to express all the strengths that are mine through your love and affectionate understanding. Pete"
Love to all - M/G/N/AK/K
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
WISTFUL THINKING - 02/22/00
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 20:47:48 EST
Subject: Mindwalkers - Wistful Thinking
It just dawned on me today that I might not get a chance for quite a while to see our Valentine's tree transformed into Spring. sigh...
Emily Cowley is coming down from Canada in March for Spring Break and is stopping by to visit Elsa, with whom she has become friends via fairies & e-mail, but they have never met. The two - or three or four or more - of them will transform the tree from its current warm valentiney rosy glow and stuffed animals to bright colors, butterflies, flowers, birds and fairies. Elsa is busily cutting out pictures from magazines and favorite cards and even a catalogue, since we do not have spring ornaments. Yadah Alden send a beautiful butterfly for the Spring Tree, a small wooden bird, a ribbon bird (I love ribbon birds, don't you) and a silk iris. How kind.
It may be a while - or not - before I get to see the finished product. My surgery is scheduled for March 7 and I have no idea how long a recovery from a total shoulder replacement takes.
What a miracle, being able to replace a shoulder. Just call me the Bionic Grammy!
Thank you for putting up with what that urbane aristocratic sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, would call piffling. I am having fun!
Love to all ~ M/G/N/K/AK
Subject: Mindwalkers - Wistful Thinking
It just dawned on me today that I might not get a chance for quite a while to see our Valentine's tree transformed into Spring. sigh...
Emily Cowley is coming down from Canada in March for Spring Break and is stopping by to visit Elsa, with whom she has become friends via fairies & e-mail, but they have never met. The two - or three or four or more - of them will transform the tree from its current warm valentiney rosy glow and stuffed animals to bright colors, butterflies, flowers, birds and fairies. Elsa is busily cutting out pictures from magazines and favorite cards and even a catalogue, since we do not have spring ornaments. Yadah Alden send a beautiful butterfly for the Spring Tree, a small wooden bird, a ribbon bird (I love ribbon birds, don't you) and a silk iris. How kind.
It may be a while - or not - before I get to see the finished product. My surgery is scheduled for March 7 and I have no idea how long a recovery from a total shoulder replacement takes.
What a miracle, being able to replace a shoulder. Just call me the Bionic Grammy!
Thank you for putting up with what that urbane aristocratic sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, would call piffling. I am having fun!
Love to all ~ M/G/N/K/AK
Monday, February 21, 2011
IRIS ~ 02/21/00
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 20:17:26 EST
Subject: Iris
There are so many flowers that I love, but iris is my favorite, although they perplex me. Are they purple or blue?
When I came home from the hospital in the fall, Peter kept the house for a time with beautiful flowers. By the time he was no longer available, Elsa was busy with all sorts of plans for Christmas decorations.
Recently, she picked up Peter's floral baton and is keeping the house well stocked with spring flowers. The dining room table feels like spring, with tete-a-tete daffodils, crocus, a bouquet of delicate yellow flowers (neither of us know what they are called, but they look like sunshine) and a smashing bouquet of sunflowers/carnations/daisies from Brenda & Louise.
Crocuses were the first potted flowers Elsa surprised me with, last Saturday. It was hard to believe they would flower, the shoots looked so slender and delicate. Then she came into my room on Tuesday morning before leaving for work, a big cheeky grin on her face and something behind her back - the first blooms.
In all my years of gardening, I do not remember ever noticing before how dramatic the yellow-orange stamen is against the purple flower. My fingers are crossed that I will be able to see Louise Doering Stevens' crocuses (or is it crocii?), which blanket her front lawn.
A bouquet of iris is on the coffee table, where I can look at them all day. When Elsa first brought them home on Saturday, there was just the slightest suggestion that there might some day be blooms. I actually gasped when I sat down for Sunday breakfast and saw the first of them unfurling. So regal. Now, they are all out and thrill me whenever I look at them.
Love to all - M/G/N/AK/K
Subject: Iris
There are so many flowers that I love, but iris is my favorite, although they perplex me. Are they purple or blue?
When I came home from the hospital in the fall, Peter kept the house for a time with beautiful flowers. By the time he was no longer available, Elsa was busy with all sorts of plans for Christmas decorations.
Recently, she picked up Peter's floral baton and is keeping the house well stocked with spring flowers. The dining room table feels like spring, with tete-a-tete daffodils, crocus, a bouquet of delicate yellow flowers (neither of us know what they are called, but they look like sunshine) and a smashing bouquet of sunflowers/carnations/daisies from Brenda & Louise.
Crocuses were the first potted flowers Elsa surprised me with, last Saturday. It was hard to believe they would flower, the shoots looked so slender and delicate. Then she came into my room on Tuesday morning before leaving for work, a big cheeky grin on her face and something behind her back - the first blooms.
In all my years of gardening, I do not remember ever noticing before how dramatic the yellow-orange stamen is against the purple flower. My fingers are crossed that I will be able to see Louise Doering Stevens' crocuses (or is it crocii?), which blanket her front lawn.
A bouquet of iris is on the coffee table, where I can look at them all day. When Elsa first brought them home on Saturday, there was just the slightest suggestion that there might some day be blooms. I actually gasped when I sat down for Sunday breakfast and saw the first of them unfurling. So regal. Now, they are all out and thrill me whenever I look at them.
Love to all - M/G/N/AK/K
BONUS MESSAGE ~ 02/21/00
Date: 21 Feb 2000 09:08:46 EST
Subject: WOMEN: Mindwalkers - A bonus (long) Monday morning message
Elsa, my faithful scribe, has today off, so I can send off something on a weekday morning. What a treat!
It feels good to connect with people. The Writings say that, in the Spiritual World, thought brings presence. That is how I feel about e-mail, although it took a long time getting there.
One of the things I wanted to share is my delight in listening to Contemporary Service audio tapes. This surprised me. I considered these services as "New Church Lite." Because I have difficulty getting out & about before late morning, it has been several years I have attended a morning church service.
Elsa likes to go to Contemporary Service and now John goes with her too. After the service, she picks up an audiotape of the service for me to listen to. I love them. They are shorter and simpler than cathedral service, but that does not make them less profound. They also serve double duty. When I was in the hospital in the fall, Elsa transcribed two tapes of music from the services, which I believe helped speed my recuperation. There are songs that I have never heard before which are dear to my heart because of the audio tapes.
IN THE LION'S DEN
Yesterday, Jonathan Rose gave a talk on Daniel in the lion's den. Anyone who has heard Jonathan give a presentation knows what an effective storyteller he is (he can even make Latin translation seem interesting). What stood out to me was when he talked about Daniel giving thanks for the trials that he had to bear. Jonathan talked about the blessing that come from times when we are experiencing trials and in his exercise after the main talk he asked people to think about times of great difficulties that brought blessings and for us to be aware of and grateful to the Lord for them.
I have my own e-mail address and am here in thought (via Elsa's keyboarding) because of such an experience. For the past week, I have been part of what I had hoped would be constructive but turned into a contentious exchange of e-mail. It was not a pleasant experience for either of us. We were unable to establish any common ground for discussion and there were times I felt my very esse (existence, worth, self, soul) was being torn limb from limb. Instead of feeling numb, as I would have not long ago, I could see the blessings that came from the situation and was grateful to the Lord for the experience and the wisdom to turn it to good.
INSPIRATION FROM UNUSUAL PLACES/SITUATIONS
I am grateful for the courage to share two genuine concerns with someone I love. The person had turned to me for understanding, which was what I tried to give. I kept thinking about a favorite movie of mine - The Bishop's Wife.
To digress ~ until this weekend, I sent e-mails through Elsa's address, with "from (my appropriate name for the person)" as a preface in the subject line. Now, as I thought about this dialogue, for the first time I wanted to share it under my own name, not Elsa's, and I wanted to share it with people who are special to me.
Here I am, delivered safe from a lion's den, thanking the Lord for the new insights I have been given, with the exchange, between Cary Grant (an angel, Dudley) and David Niven (Henry, apparently an Episcopal bishop). To all those movie buffs out there, my apologies it is not verbatim.
Dudley - "I am leaving. I came here to answer your prayer. My work is finished."
Bishop - "But I asked for a cathedral and that has not happened."
Dudley - "No, Henry, you asked for guidance; that has been given."
Love to you all and my apologies for the length ~ M/G/N/K/AK.
Subject: WOMEN: Mindwalkers - A bonus (long) Monday morning message
Elsa, my faithful scribe, has today off, so I can send off something on a weekday morning. What a treat!
It feels good to connect with people. The Writings say that, in the Spiritual World, thought brings presence. That is how I feel about e-mail, although it took a long time getting there.
One of the things I wanted to share is my delight in listening to Contemporary Service audio tapes. This surprised me. I considered these services as "New Church Lite." Because I have difficulty getting out & about before late morning, it has been several years I have attended a morning church service.
Elsa likes to go to Contemporary Service and now John goes with her too. After the service, she picks up an audiotape of the service for me to listen to. I love them. They are shorter and simpler than cathedral service, but that does not make them less profound. They also serve double duty. When I was in the hospital in the fall, Elsa transcribed two tapes of music from the services, which I believe helped speed my recuperation. There are songs that I have never heard before which are dear to my heart because of the audio tapes.
IN THE LION'S DEN
Yesterday, Jonathan Rose gave a talk on Daniel in the lion's den. Anyone who has heard Jonathan give a presentation knows what an effective storyteller he is (he can even make Latin translation seem interesting). What stood out to me was when he talked about Daniel giving thanks for the trials that he had to bear. Jonathan talked about the blessing that come from times when we are experiencing trials and in his exercise after the main talk he asked people to think about times of great difficulties that brought blessings and for us to be aware of and grateful to the Lord for them.
I have my own e-mail address and am here in thought (via Elsa's keyboarding) because of such an experience. For the past week, I have been part of what I had hoped would be constructive but turned into a contentious exchange of e-mail. It was not a pleasant experience for either of us. We were unable to establish any common ground for discussion and there were times I felt my very esse (existence, worth, self, soul) was being torn limb from limb. Instead of feeling numb, as I would have not long ago, I could see the blessings that came from the situation and was grateful to the Lord for the experience and the wisdom to turn it to good.
INSPIRATION FROM UNUSUAL PLACES/SITUATIONS
I am grateful for the courage to share two genuine concerns with someone I love. The person had turned to me for understanding, which was what I tried to give. I kept thinking about a favorite movie of mine - The Bishop's Wife.
To digress ~ until this weekend, I sent e-mails through Elsa's address, with "from (my appropriate name for the person)" as a preface in the subject line. Now, as I thought about this dialogue, for the first time I wanted to share it under my own name, not Elsa's, and I wanted to share it with people who are special to me.
Here I am, delivered safe from a lion's den, thanking the Lord for the new insights I have been given, with the exchange, between Cary Grant (an angel, Dudley) and David Niven (Henry, apparently an Episcopal bishop). To all those movie buffs out there, my apologies it is not verbatim.
Dudley - "I am leaving. I came here to answer your prayer. My work is finished."
Bishop - "But I asked for a cathedral and that has not happened."
Dudley - "No, Henry, you asked for guidance; that has been given."
Love to you all and my apologies for the length ~ M/G/N/K/AK.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
WONDERFUL SUNDAY 02/20/2000
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 22:14:35 EST
Subject: Wonderful Sunday
I am exhausted, but happily so.
This afternoon, my nephew Bob Ripley from California stopped by for lunch. I kept feeling like pinching myself, it seemed so incredible that he was really sitting across from me. It was hard to let him go. I stood at the door and waved until he was out of sight.
Even before he had stood up to make his good byes, daughter-of-my-heart Leslie Adams was at the door. We had a lovely visit. Leslie is a nurse, so she had a few words of caution to give me about the upcoming surgery.
Elsa represented the Lockharts at Lawrence’s service. She brought home an audio tape. It made my heart stop to hear Tommy Rose opening the Word. An Alden Roader! Elsa said that Tommy's talk made the cathedral feel as if was a side yard on Alden Road, with a whiffle ball game in progress.
She ran through what seemed like a litany of Alden Roaders from the late '50s/early '60s - Johnny and Janis Peck, Debbie Heldon, Marty and Diana DeCharms, Sig Soneson, Lew & Effie Grubb, Diana Echols, Annette Henderson, Lark Pitcairn, Braden Bostock. Bob R., who flew out just for the service, counts as an honorary Alden Roader, based on his many stays at our house.
If Tommy's talk is typical of what our NC ministers deliver these days, our church is in very good and loving hands. It was warm, real and unforgettable.
Around eight-ish, I thought the days events were over, then the phone ran. Elsa handed it to me with sparkle in her eyes. I was hornswoggled to hear Carolyn Heldon on the line - all the way from Australia! Between the three of us, we must have talked for well nigh an hour. Carolyn sounded like she was next door, rather than a world away. Thank you, dear granddaughter-of-this-delighted-grandma's heart!
My love to you all. It is time to "go up the wooden hill" & so to bed ~ Grammie Kay
Subject: Wonderful Sunday
I am exhausted, but happily so.
This afternoon, my nephew Bob Ripley from California stopped by for lunch. I kept feeling like pinching myself, it seemed so incredible that he was really sitting across from me. It was hard to let him go. I stood at the door and waved until he was out of sight.
Even before he had stood up to make his good byes, daughter-of-my-heart Leslie Adams was at the door. We had a lovely visit. Leslie is a nurse, so she had a few words of caution to give me about the upcoming surgery.
Elsa represented the Lockharts at Lawrence’s service. She brought home an audio tape. It made my heart stop to hear Tommy Rose opening the Word. An Alden Roader! Elsa said that Tommy's talk made the cathedral feel as if was a side yard on Alden Road, with a whiffle ball game in progress.
She ran through what seemed like a litany of Alden Roaders from the late '50s/early '60s - Johnny and Janis Peck, Debbie Heldon, Marty and Diana DeCharms, Sig Soneson, Lew & Effie Grubb, Diana Echols, Annette Henderson, Lark Pitcairn, Braden Bostock. Bob R., who flew out just for the service, counts as an honorary Alden Roader, based on his many stays at our house.
If Tommy's talk is typical of what our NC ministers deliver these days, our church is in very good and loving hands. It was warm, real and unforgettable.
Around eight-ish, I thought the days events were over, then the phone ran. Elsa handed it to me with sparkle in her eyes. I was hornswoggled to hear Carolyn Heldon on the line - all the way from Australia! Between the three of us, we must have talked for well nigh an hour. Carolyn sounded like she was next door, rather than a world away. Thank you, dear granddaughter-of-this-delighted-grandma's heart!
My love to you all. It is time to "go up the wooden hill" & so to bed ~ Grammie Kay
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Repost Redux ~ CYBER GRAMMIE 02/19/2000
am reposting Mom's very first official Mindwalker e-mail, sent 11 years ago today. Originally reposted back in May, out of sequence. Now, back in sequence. There is great beauty in order.
CYBER GRAMMIE February 19, 2000
This is my first OFFICIAL note to my fellow mind walkers. I like that phrase. It describes where I am at the moment - as my physical self cranks down, my mental self seems to be revving up.
I sit in the big chair in our living room, the one that Brenda says is in the Stickley style and which has massive arms just right for resting my arms or for perching my meals, and pretty much stay put for the day, with occasional laps through the living room, kitchen and dining rooms.
I do not see my friends on a daily basis, which is so different from when we lived in Bryn Athyn, where I knew everyone up and down every street.
It is different from my Australian home with Mike & Kerry, which is next door to the pastor's house which is next door to the church which is next door to Baringa (a guest house).
I dearly love Squirrel Haven, our home here on Pheasant Run, but part of me will always be homesick for Woodland Road and Dudley Street.
Until I can get out & about again - after surgery on my totally shot right shoulder - I will content myself with being a cyber Grammie.
Love to all - M/G/N/AK/K
posted in memory and celebration of posting author, Katharine Reynolds Lockhart, by her daughter, Elsa (Deev) Lockhart Murphy
CYBER GRAMMIE February 19, 2000
This is my first OFFICIAL note to my fellow mind walkers. I like that phrase. It describes where I am at the moment - as my physical self cranks down, my mental self seems to be revving up.
I sit in the big chair in our living room, the one that Brenda says is in the Stickley style and which has massive arms just right for resting my arms or for perching my meals, and pretty much stay put for the day, with occasional laps through the living room, kitchen and dining rooms.
I do not see my friends on a daily basis, which is so different from when we lived in Bryn Athyn, where I knew everyone up and down every street.
It is different from my Australian home with Mike & Kerry, which is next door to the pastor's house which is next door to the church which is next door to Baringa (a guest house).
I dearly love Squirrel Haven, our home here on Pheasant Run, but part of me will always be homesick for Woodland Road and Dudley Street.
Until I can get out & about again - after surgery on my totally shot right shoulder - I will content myself with being a cyber Grammie.
Love to all - M/G/N/AK/K
posted in memory and celebration of posting author, Katharine Reynolds Lockhart, by her daughter, Elsa (Deev) Lockhart Murphy
Friday, February 18, 2011
Yes, it's been many, many weeks
It's been many, many weeks since my last re-posting of Mom's Mindwalker e-mails. It was not through forgetfulness or lapsed desire to honor her 05/14/10 centenary. Was heartbroken to not find her postings from Jan-Feb 18, 2001. No idea where they are.
Will be back to re-posting with tomorrow's 02/19/00 very first online letter from Mom to her circle of friends & loved ones. Will be duplicating some that I posted when this celebratory blog began, but guess you can't get too much of a good thing.
So, check back tomorrow, 02/19. Mom will be here, waiting.
Will be back to re-posting with tomorrow's 02/19/00 very first online letter from Mom to her circle of friends & loved ones. Will be duplicating some that I posted when this celebratory blog began, but guess you can't get too much of a good thing.
So, check back tomorrow, 02/19. Mom will be here, waiting.
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