Subj:[women] Mindwalkers - beauty as far as the eye could see
Date:4/30/01 10:14:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
I made a return trip to the Society Building last night. On Saturday, I enjoyed "Iolanthe." Last night, I was moved - once more - by Theta Alpha International's annual banquet honoring the ANC Girls' School seniors.
I did not stay for the banquet or the presentation of special gifts (designed and hand-made by women within the community), we just went up so I could see this year's tables. Every year for the past five or so years each table is decorated and fully set by individual women. The effect is stunning.
Uh oh ~ I get ahead of myself.
Since we were staying for a short time - just long enough for me to see the tables - Elsa parked curbside,smack dab in front of the entry way. The handrails and the posts were decorated with beautiful flowers, included boughs of pink crab apple blossoms.
As we started walking toward the doors, Nita Holmes came up and kindly took my other arm - I felt like the Queen Mary being docked by two very attractive tug boats.
As we were about to go in, I smelled something heavenly on my right. There was a huge bush of verbena. It was otherworldly, it smelled so luscious. It reminded me of Emilie Asplundh, who gave me a bottle of Floris of London's Verbena Eau du Cologne. Verbena always brings Emilie to mind, because of its scent and its natural elegance.
The foyer was decorated with flower-strewned swags and drifts of illusion. It was beautiful. The very first person I saw was Shannon Stevens, looking lovely in her bridesmaid's gown and straw boater from Erin's wedding. (Ladies were invited to wear hats. since the theme this year was a garden party.) Even though Elsa was standing right next to me and I was holding her hand for balance, looking at Shannon dressed as she was made me think of my baby in the same outfit - the same dress hangs in Elsa's closet and the same boater graces her bedroom wall, since she was also one of Erin's bridesmaids (and John was one of Chris' groomsmen).
Of course, it also made me think of Erin and what a happy day that was. It was my first outing after surgery removed an infected kidney. I did not think I was going to make it to the wedding; I had my doubts, but not Erin. She just said, "You'll be there." - and I was.
I remember a pre-wedding event at Pete & Louise's. I was in the living room, trying to open the glass door to go out onto the deck, where Erin was sitting. I could not get the door to budge. Then, one of the little kids came running through the room, threw open the door and tore out onto the deck. Marvin Stevens, Pete's father, looked at the now open door and looked at me and intoned, "And a little child shall lead them."
Oh my, I am completely off track from last night's celebration. I have not even gotten all the way in the door. Well, as soon as I did, it felt like I was a one-woman reception line. So many people came up to say hello. I was very touched by Pauline Boyce, who commented on how much she enjoys reading my postings on Caritas. (It often surprises me when people comment about what I write - I write for the writing and the reading of it is a byproduct that sometimes - perhaps foolishly - slips my mind.)
I cannot remember what the entryway to the Society Room looked like; I guess I entered the room as if in a trance. There were flowers all over, beautiful flowers, and in front of me was a roomful of women, young and old, many of whom I knew and many I had never seen before. It was a treat to see the seniors wearing the name tags that Elsa made - now it can be told, with a tiny garden bonnet on each tag.
Looking back, it felt as if I floated from table to table, all with a floral theme.
There was every type of place setting, from Wedgewood to paper plates. I remember the table decorated by Joralyn Echols' family - a wonderfully whimsical and colorful paper bouquet centerpiece, paper plates, the whole she-bang in paper. I recall beautiful lanterns, one with candlelight shining out through intricate wrought-iron vines and one on Beaty Childs' table with what looked like rice paper with dragon flies on it. Exquisite.
My favorite was the table set for Lori Soneson Odhner's daughter - it had a scene as the centerpiece, a white picket fence with a figure in a white dress at the gate; best of all, the tablecloth was a quilt that Lori, who lives in California and was not able to get here for the banquet, sent specifically for that purpose. Maybe it meant so much to me since Lori was such a prominent part of this past fall's
women's weekend and I enjoyed hearing her talk about her quilting.
So many women came up to give me a hug or say hello - of course, Margaret York Gladish (Girls' School headmistress), Sandra Odhner, Rachel Odhner, Kaye Lermitte, Beaty, Liz Childs, Claire Walter, Kim Dunlap, the "Echols" ladies, Jane Henderson, Judy Hyatt, Louise Gardam... and many more I forget at this moment.
Three women especially stand out in my mind - Linda Klein, whom I have not seen in many moons and who is very special to me, and Laurie Klein - blessings on Laurie, who made sure to snap a picture of Linda, Elsa and myself. How kind and thoughtful. I also had the chance to have a short gab with Esther Yardumian-Smythe, a gal so dear to my heart.
Well, the ladies started taking their seats and someone was talking at the microphone, so we took our cue to leave. We stopped to admire a charming little pond on our way out the foyer, when Elsa stopped, turned me around and wheeled us both back to the doorway leading into the banquet room.
I had not a clue why, since I could not make out what what the woman was saying. Elsa seemed to be waiting for something. Then, it came.
The women, stretched out in front of my, started singing the grace, "Humbly, Lord, We Ask Thy Blessing." What a moment - again, otherworldly. The sphere from the women in the room, from the beautiful decorations, from the love that went into the gifts that were displayed so we could see them before they were presented later in the evening, from the caring with which the evening's meal was crafted - the sphere lifted me up and up and up. It was a moment to hold in my heart forever.
There are a lot of things that I cannot do any more. I wish I had Eva Henderson's stamina (those Swedes are wonders) or Linda Klein's, both of whom are older than I am and both of whom can still manage to stay for all of Saturday's operetta (Eva went twice) or last night's celebration.
I focus, though, on what I can do.
Even if I cannot stand in front of the room and be part of the group welcoming the Seniors with a special song - which I actually did two or three celebrations ago - or serve as a dresser backstage for a B-Act production - which I did at least once (but cannot for the life of me remember which play; it will probably come to me at 3:00 a.m), well, I can still experience at least some of it, which a lot of people my age cannot do.
I focus on being able to stand there, hearing that angelic throng of women - mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, loved ones, and the young women of the Senior Class - singing that beautiful blessing and standing with my arm tucked through Elsa's ... I focus on the beauty that I saw as far as my eye could see and I feel blessed beyond meaure.
Keep us, Father, in Thy care ~
Katharine Reynolds Lockhart, Class of '28
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
RHAPSODY IN PINK 04/29/01
Subj: Mindwalkers - Rhapsody in Pink
Date: 4/29/01 12:30:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Looking back over the last few days, my life seems suffused* with shades of pink.
Looking out the living room window, there is still pink-pink-pink. The weeping cherry is still blooming - not the fullness of the past few weeks, but rather an exquisite, fragile beauty.
The red bud tree is in full riot.
The orchid azalea continues to blaze away and, as we headed out for "Iolanthe" last night, the red azalea by the front step has not completely made up its mind whether or not it is ready to pop.
Where we parked at the Society Building, the car was close to a lush flowering crab. As we pulled up, the tree looked a beautiful bold shade of pink. Looking closely at the blooms, each blossom was revealed to be what seemed an infinite range of shades of pink, from practically white to deep dark pink.
I could look at the blossoms individually, step away and see a cluster of blooms iridescent in the westering light, step back a bit more and see several limbs together, and then finally the one shade of pink that the tree appeared to be from a few feet away.
It was a moving, almost spiritual worldish, moment and told me a lot that will take some time making heads or tails of.
My life has been especially blessed this week. Louise Stevens came over for a couple hours and took a whack at cleaning my room, which had been worrying Elsa because it needed vacuuming and the dust was thick enough to practically make drifts and dunes. Louise did a practically miraculous job - my room must have seemed like the Aegean Stables. It is telling that the most she could get done was one side of my room.
I did not raise my daughters to be good housekeepers.
Elsa wants to be a tidy soul and put in time keeping the house shipshape and Bristol fashion, but her weekends usually get sidetracked. This weekend, she put in hours making name tags for tonight’s Senior Celebration. She was drafted to do them at the 11th hour when whoever was supposed to could not.
I have enjoyed watching her work on them - she had a great time, but it takes a lot more time than you might think. I was touched when she suggested I glue on the decorative trim and pin backing for Kimmie Bowyer, who has been special to me ever since I was her Third Grade "grandmother."
All fifty-three name tags are carefully packed up and ready for delivery to Heilman Hall. I am sure the girls will like them. I cannot describe them because everything about Theta Alpha’s big night for the Seniors is kept as secret as possible. To get the tags done, meant Elsa had to give up a much anticipated trip down to her favorite stamp store - in Maryland - for a once-a-year event.
"Mom, " she said, "These have to come first."
She is a terrible housekeeper, but she has her priorities in order.
Mike and Kerry and Karen took me by surprise on Friday night with a phone call. The call itself was a delightful treat - they are all super busy, so it is unusual to hear from them.
They were responding to a letter that we - John and Elsa and I - had signed off together, letting the rest of the family know what the state of life at the moment. They - Mike and Kerry - wanted us to know they are behind us.
That means the world to us, having them present in our lives as much as their reaching out with support We have gone through some rough patches over the years, distanced by more than miles, but through love and caring and communication, we seem to be at a better-than-ever place. Loverly.
Iolanthe was everything that Elsa described (she and John went to this past Thursday’s performance) and more. She asked me yesterday if I would like to be her guest, so I had over 24 hours to be mentally and physically primed for the challenge, which is important to me.
Yesterday afternoon, she bought one of those folding chairs with arms, remembering that general admission seats (this was in heilman hall, not the mitchell performing arts center - elm) do not have arms and I really need to have a seat with arms. That was another potential obstacle out of the way.
Although we headed home at intermission (Elsa went back for the end and the cast party), I am proud that I was able to make it through the first act without getting exhausted. It would be well neigh impossible to watch last night’s performance of Iolanthe and be anything but riveted.
This morning, am still trying to decide what impressed me the most - the singing, dancing, acting, stage set and costumes were all first class. Gilbert and Sullivan would have been delighted with everything.
The costumes really were exceptional - the fairies looked ethereal and the House of Lords were downright dapper in evening dress, set off by regal robes and crowns.
The reason I wanted to go was because two very dear friends - Bob Gladish and Kent Cooper - had key roles. Kent played the Lord Chancellor, a part he has wanted to play for years and years. Not only did he get to have his dream come true, it was a sterling performance in a first rank presentation.
Bravos to Cameron, who directed, and to Jennifer, who was the music director, to the orchestra, to the choreographer, to producers Diana and Siri, the technical crews and to all the actors.
It is time to draw this long ramble to its close. It has been a very long posting and our stomachs are reminding us that we have not had breakfast yet.
We slept in this morning, until 10:45 a.m., which is most unusual for Elsa, who usually considers getting up at 8:00 a.m. late, but she has been putting in some late nights and early mornings, so I am glad she could get some extra shut eye.
Oh, what a beautiful morning it is. I hope that we can go on a drive - maybe even stop by Heilman Hall so I can take a peak at all the different tables settings for tonight’s celebration. I do not have the energy to go to tonight's event, but can still ooh and aaah this afternoon over all the work and creativity.
You may be beginning to feel like Major General in Pirates of Penzance, who was exasperated by the policemen who talked about going but dragged their feet in actually heading out after their quarry. Be assured that "At last we go, at last we go, at last we really, really, really, really go!"
Morning morning and God bless! Love - A Gilbert & Sullivan (and B-Act and Bob and Kent and Cameron and...) Fan
Date: 4/29/01 12:30:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Looking back over the last few days, my life seems suffused* with shades of pink.
Looking out the living room window, there is still pink-pink-pink. The weeping cherry is still blooming - not the fullness of the past few weeks, but rather an exquisite, fragile beauty.
The red bud tree is in full riot.
The orchid azalea continues to blaze away and, as we headed out for "Iolanthe" last night, the red azalea by the front step has not completely made up its mind whether or not it is ready to pop.
Where we parked at the Society Building, the car was close to a lush flowering crab. As we pulled up, the tree looked a beautiful bold shade of pink. Looking closely at the blooms, each blossom was revealed to be what seemed an infinite range of shades of pink, from practically white to deep dark pink.
I could look at the blossoms individually, step away and see a cluster of blooms iridescent in the westering light, step back a bit more and see several limbs together, and then finally the one shade of pink that the tree appeared to be from a few feet away.
It was a moving, almost spiritual worldish, moment and told me a lot that will take some time making heads or tails of.
My life has been especially blessed this week. Louise Stevens came over for a couple hours and took a whack at cleaning my room, which had been worrying Elsa because it needed vacuuming and the dust was thick enough to practically make drifts and dunes. Louise did a practically miraculous job - my room must have seemed like the Aegean Stables. It is telling that the most she could get done was one side of my room.
I did not raise my daughters to be good housekeepers.
Elsa wants to be a tidy soul and put in time keeping the house shipshape and Bristol fashion, but her weekends usually get sidetracked. This weekend, she put in hours making name tags for tonight’s Senior Celebration. She was drafted to do them at the 11th hour when whoever was supposed to could not.
I have enjoyed watching her work on them - she had a great time, but it takes a lot more time than you might think. I was touched when she suggested I glue on the decorative trim and pin backing for Kimmie Bowyer, who has been special to me ever since I was her Third Grade "grandmother."
All fifty-three name tags are carefully packed up and ready for delivery to Heilman Hall. I am sure the girls will like them. I cannot describe them because everything about Theta Alpha’s big night for the Seniors is kept as secret as possible. To get the tags done, meant Elsa had to give up a much anticipated trip down to her favorite stamp store - in Maryland - for a once-a-year event.
"Mom, " she said, "These have to come first."
She is a terrible housekeeper, but she has her priorities in order.
Mike and Kerry and Karen took me by surprise on Friday night with a phone call. The call itself was a delightful treat - they are all super busy, so it is unusual to hear from them.
They were responding to a letter that we - John and Elsa and I - had signed off together, letting the rest of the family know what the state of life at the moment. They - Mike and Kerry - wanted us to know they are behind us.
That means the world to us, having them present in our lives as much as their reaching out with support We have gone through some rough patches over the years, distanced by more than miles, but through love and caring and communication, we seem to be at a better-than-ever place. Loverly.
Iolanthe was everything that Elsa described (she and John went to this past Thursday’s performance) and more. She asked me yesterday if I would like to be her guest, so I had over 24 hours to be mentally and physically primed for the challenge, which is important to me.
Yesterday afternoon, she bought one of those folding chairs with arms, remembering that general admission seats (this was in heilman hall, not the mitchell performing arts center - elm) do not have arms and I really need to have a seat with arms. That was another potential obstacle out of the way.
Although we headed home at intermission (Elsa went back for the end and the cast party), I am proud that I was able to make it through the first act without getting exhausted. It would be well neigh impossible to watch last night’s performance of Iolanthe and be anything but riveted.
This morning, am still trying to decide what impressed me the most - the singing, dancing, acting, stage set and costumes were all first class. Gilbert and Sullivan would have been delighted with everything.
The costumes really were exceptional - the fairies looked ethereal and the House of Lords were downright dapper in evening dress, set off by regal robes and crowns.
The reason I wanted to go was because two very dear friends - Bob Gladish and Kent Cooper - had key roles. Kent played the Lord Chancellor, a part he has wanted to play for years and years. Not only did he get to have his dream come true, it was a sterling performance in a first rank presentation.
Bravos to Cameron, who directed, and to Jennifer, who was the music director, to the orchestra, to the choreographer, to producers Diana and Siri, the technical crews and to all the actors.
It is time to draw this long ramble to its close. It has been a very long posting and our stomachs are reminding us that we have not had breakfast yet.
We slept in this morning, until 10:45 a.m., which is most unusual for Elsa, who usually considers getting up at 8:00 a.m. late, but she has been putting in some late nights and early mornings, so I am glad she could get some extra shut eye.
Oh, what a beautiful morning it is. I hope that we can go on a drive - maybe even stop by Heilman Hall so I can take a peak at all the different tables settings for tonight’s celebration. I do not have the energy to go to tonight's event, but can still ooh and aaah this afternoon over all the work and creativity.
You may be beginning to feel like Major General in Pirates of Penzance, who was exasperated by the policemen who talked about going but dragged their feet in actually heading out after their quarry. Be assured that "At last we go, at last we go, at last we really, really, really, really go!"
Morning morning and God bless! Love - A Gilbert & Sullivan (and B-Act and Bob and Kent and Cameron and...) Fan
Monday, April 25, 2011
MORE MEN 04/25/01
Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - more men
Date: 4/25/01 7:29:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time
I had an appointment yesterday with Dr. Iannarone, the surgeon who removed the nasty, ugly, malignant cyst from my wrist and did the skin graft from my thigh. He was delighted with the results and said that's it for our appointments. I am glad to not have any more appointments about it, but I will miss his charm and humor.
While I was waiting for my ride - Kent Hyatt - to bring around the car, both my regular doctor, Dr. Litt, and my to-swoon-for Dr. Beight walked by and came over to talk to me. I felt like it was a mini-reception just for me. Dr. Beight smiled that smile that the give the angels chills and I was set for the rest of the day.
Instead of nite nite, morning morning! (Elsa is dashing this off for me before hightailing out the door to work.)
Love - TechnoGam
Date: 4/25/01 7:29:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time
I had an appointment yesterday with Dr. Iannarone, the surgeon who removed the nasty, ugly, malignant cyst from my wrist and did the skin graft from my thigh. He was delighted with the results and said that's it for our appointments. I am glad to not have any more appointments about it, but I will miss his charm and humor.
While I was waiting for my ride - Kent Hyatt - to bring around the car, both my regular doctor, Dr. Litt, and my to-swoon-for Dr. Beight walked by and came over to talk to me. I felt like it was a mini-reception just for me. Dr. Beight smiled that smile that the give the angels chills and I was set for the rest of the day.
Instead of nite nite, morning morning! (Elsa is dashing this off for me before hightailing out the door to work.)
Love - TechnoGam
Sunday, April 24, 2011
DON'T THROW THE BABY.... 04/24/01
Subj: Don't throw out the baby with the bath water (a bit long winded)
Date: 4/24/01 10:31:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time
(posted on Caritas dist list)
K.E. summarized W.S's comments as including, Men and women are totally mixed up as to what a healthy, normal male/female dating/marriage relationship is. We need to return to honoring what is truly precious. K. went onto say that the question, ...is learning about and protecting marriage.
From what I have heard on this list and from discussions with my daughters, it seems that a lot of young people heard some pretty distorted views of conjugial love (also referred to as marriage love), what it is and what it is not.
Unfortunately, it is hard for me to figure out what people on this list think about conjugial love, what it is and what it is not. When I read that there are only two uses to sex - procreation and pleasure - I wonder what people think conjugial love is and is not. When I read that someone would have sex with someone she or he is merely close to, I wonder what people think conjugial love is and is not.
What ever happened to the idea of chastity, chastity as it is described in
Conjugial Love, not chastity as the world describes it?
Here is what I personally think it is and is not, and where sex fits into the big picture.
> First, I believe that Conjugial Love clearly sets out the teaching that conjugial love is between one man and one woman.
> I believe that the primary use of intercourse, the use for which it was created, is conjunction, with procreation a by-product of the primary use. (When we are taught that the use of marriage is to populate the angelic heavens, it doesn't mean through the birth of natural children, but through the development of an angel - an angel being comprised of the male & female conjoined - through the loving development of the husband/wife relationship.)
> I believe that what is described in Conjugial Love is in direct opposition to the messages Mother Nature sends us. Nature's primary concern is the preservation of the human race through procreation; God's primary concern is our true happiness, which is spiritual, not natural, and the infusion of new angels into the heavens (for more on this, see above).
> I believe that as glorious as intercourse can be, it introduces a state that ideally belongs within marriage.
> I believe that we are created to want to go "all the way" ~ to the point of
feeling like we are going to bust if we do not ride the wave of passion to its crashing conclusion. That being said...
> I believe that we are supposed to put the integrity of our love relationship ahead of our clamoring desires. (Sorry ladies, but this is especially true of women, both by nature and because we are more keenly aware of consequences. Sorry gentlemen, but this doesn't get you off the "it's up to HER to protect the conjugial", about as barbaric a thought as I ever heard.)
> I believe that doing this - putting long-integrity before immediate passion - from a healthy viewpoint of preserving something precious, not "we will to burn if we don't", makes it natural and easier for the couple to put the relationship before clamoring desires after they are married.
> I believe that it's clear from "as the eye is to seeing & the ear is to hearing, so to is the sense of touch to conjugial love" that touch IS an important part of a developing relationship. I never understood friends who practically preened as they laid claim to not kissing their beloved until after the engagement.
> I believe that, ideally, a man should have his first sexual experience with his wife and a woman should have her first sexual experience with her husband - - and that they would be advised to read up about sex before their wedding night.
> I believe that when Conjugial Love talks about marriage being the seminary of the human race, it means more than simply procreation, which is possible outside of marriage, that it refers to a couple looking outside of self interests to the best interests of the marriage, and together look to the Lord. We are taught that an angel is comprised of a man and a woman conjoined into one spiritual being..
> I believe that we need to develop a more wholesome, realistic view of
Conjugial Love without throwing the baby out with the bath water; that while it is important to not make girls feel like preserving the conjugial falls on their shoulders alone and letting them know that having intercourse before marriage does not slam shut the gates to married love., it is also important to stress to boys and girls, men and women, husbands and wives, that fidelity to one partner remains the ideal.
I recall a sentence I have heard for as long as I can remember - that the state of the world at the time the Writings were written was so bleak when it came to thoughts of true married love, that few people had any idea what conjugial love was or even that it was. If we measure the value we give to the teachings on virginity and chastity and other ideals set out in the first half of Conjugial Love by what the world condones, than I daresay that no one will know what conjugial love is or that it is. If we include current culture as part of our yardstick, it seems pretty hopeless anyone will be able to learn about and protect marriage.
Personally, I do not think the beliefs set out above would change for me no matter what the prevailing culture. It seems to me that it was just as detrimental to conjugial love for two people to marry so they could have sex as it in these current times for people to have casual sex.
Living out great ideals is not easy, no matter when you were born, but worth it.
Thank you for letting me spout off. This has been a topic of great interest to me over the past weeks and I have given it a lot of thought. KRL
(from deev ~ i was lucky to grow up with a remarkably well-grounded mom, who responded to news of a friend's unwed pregnant daughter with, "pete & i were just lucky ~ when he wanted to give into passion, i was strong and when i wanted to give in, he was strong. who knows what would have happened if we'd both weakened at the same moment?" and who counseled another friend in a similar situation, who was bemoaning how her daughter had let her down because she (the mom) had trusted her (the daughter) with full, unchaperoned use of the basement family room, and look what had happened; mom's pitch perfect response - "i trust my kids; i just don't trust biology." 04/24/11
Date: 4/24/01 10:31:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time
(posted on Caritas dist list)
K.E. summarized W.S's comments as including, Men and women are totally mixed up as to what a healthy, normal male/female dating/marriage relationship is. We need to return to honoring what is truly precious. K. went onto say that the question, ...is learning about and protecting marriage.
From what I have heard on this list and from discussions with my daughters, it seems that a lot of young people heard some pretty distorted views of conjugial love (also referred to as marriage love), what it is and what it is not.
Unfortunately, it is hard for me to figure out what people on this list think about conjugial love, what it is and what it is not. When I read that there are only two uses to sex - procreation and pleasure - I wonder what people think conjugial love is and is not. When I read that someone would have sex with someone she or he is merely close to, I wonder what people think conjugial love is and is not.
What ever happened to the idea of chastity, chastity as it is described in
Conjugial Love, not chastity as the world describes it?
Here is what I personally think it is and is not, and where sex fits into the big picture.
> First, I believe that Conjugial Love clearly sets out the teaching that conjugial love is between one man and one woman.
> I believe that the primary use of intercourse, the use for which it was created, is conjunction, with procreation a by-product of the primary use. (When we are taught that the use of marriage is to populate the angelic heavens, it doesn't mean through the birth of natural children, but through the development of an angel - an angel being comprised of the male & female conjoined - through the loving development of the husband/wife relationship.)
> I believe that what is described in Conjugial Love is in direct opposition to the messages Mother Nature sends us. Nature's primary concern is the preservation of the human race through procreation; God's primary concern is our true happiness, which is spiritual, not natural, and the infusion of new angels into the heavens (for more on this, see above).
> I believe that as glorious as intercourse can be, it introduces a state that ideally belongs within marriage.
> I believe that we are created to want to go "all the way" ~ to the point of
feeling like we are going to bust if we do not ride the wave of passion to its crashing conclusion. That being said...
> I believe that we are supposed to put the integrity of our love relationship ahead of our clamoring desires. (Sorry ladies, but this is especially true of women, both by nature and because we are more keenly aware of consequences. Sorry gentlemen, but this doesn't get you off the "it's up to HER to protect the conjugial", about as barbaric a thought as I ever heard.)
> I believe that doing this - putting long-integrity before immediate passion - from a healthy viewpoint of preserving something precious, not "we will to burn if we don't", makes it natural and easier for the couple to put the relationship before clamoring desires after they are married.
> I believe that it's clear from "as the eye is to seeing & the ear is to hearing, so to is the sense of touch to conjugial love" that touch IS an important part of a developing relationship. I never understood friends who practically preened as they laid claim to not kissing their beloved until after the engagement.
> I believe that, ideally, a man should have his first sexual experience with his wife and a woman should have her first sexual experience with her husband - - and that they would be advised to read up about sex before their wedding night.
> I believe that when Conjugial Love talks about marriage being the seminary of the human race, it means more than simply procreation, which is possible outside of marriage, that it refers to a couple looking outside of self interests to the best interests of the marriage, and together look to the Lord. We are taught that an angel is comprised of a man and a woman conjoined into one spiritual being..
> I believe that we need to develop a more wholesome, realistic view of
Conjugial Love without throwing the baby out with the bath water; that while it is important to not make girls feel like preserving the conjugial falls on their shoulders alone and letting them know that having intercourse before marriage does not slam shut the gates to married love., it is also important to stress to boys and girls, men and women, husbands and wives, that fidelity to one partner remains the ideal.
I recall a sentence I have heard for as long as I can remember - that the state of the world at the time the Writings were written was so bleak when it came to thoughts of true married love, that few people had any idea what conjugial love was or even that it was. If we measure the value we give to the teachings on virginity and chastity and other ideals set out in the first half of Conjugial Love by what the world condones, than I daresay that no one will know what conjugial love is or that it is. If we include current culture as part of our yardstick, it seems pretty hopeless anyone will be able to learn about and protect marriage.
Personally, I do not think the beliefs set out above would change for me no matter what the prevailing culture. It seems to me that it was just as detrimental to conjugial love for two people to marry so they could have sex as it in these current times for people to have casual sex.
Living out great ideals is not easy, no matter when you were born, but worth it.
Thank you for letting me spout off. This has been a topic of great interest to me over the past weeks and I have given it a lot of thought. KRL
(from deev ~ i was lucky to grow up with a remarkably well-grounded mom, who responded to news of a friend's unwed pregnant daughter with, "pete & i were just lucky ~ when he wanted to give into passion, i was strong and when i wanted to give in, he was strong. who knows what would have happened if we'd both weakened at the same moment?" and who counseled another friend in a similar situation, who was bemoaning how her daughter had let her down because she (the mom) had trusted her (the daughter) with full, unchaperoned use of the basement family room, and look what had happened; mom's pitch perfect response - "i trust my kids; i just don't trust biology." 04/24/11
Saturday, April 23, 2011
YESTERDAY WAS PETE'S BIRTHDAY 04/23/01
Subj: Mindwalkers - Yesterday was Pete's birthday
Date: 4/23/01 10:17:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Pete would have been 89 yesterday (I robbed the cradle). I felt his presence especially close to me throughout the day. Then, last night, something happened that made me feel him so near to me I could almost hear his voice and feel the touch of his hand. The classical music station started playing "Rhapsody in Blue." That was Pete's favorite piece of music. I could not believe it when it started playing.
Sitting there in the big chair in the living room, I thought about one of my favorite newspaper cartoons, Family Circus. A running theme has to do with the grandparents, the grandfather who died several years ago. The cartoon will show the angel grandfather watching over the family and his beloved wife. That is how it felt yesterday, like Pete was right there with me, only I hadn't the eyes yet to see him. What a lovely present from the birthday boy to his best girl.
Elsa called from work today and said, "Let's go out for supper tonight to celebrate Dad's birthday!" The three of us had a lovely time - we went to Mike's Street Road Grill. It practically felt like a family celebration, since we used a gift certificate that Peter had given Elsa for Christmas. So, we celebrated one Pete while Elsa sprang for dinner using a gift certificate from another. Our bill came to just $1.95 over the amount of the gift certificate. Not bad planning, especially since we all started with a drink (I had a lovely merlot) and John not only got the grilled salmon, he also got a side order of french fries and ice cream for dessert. A man after Pete's heart. Oh, and we ordered stuffed potato skins.
It was a just a few days ago that I confessed to Elsa that I had a craving for stuffed potato skins, with cheddar cheese and bacon and sour cream. That is exactly what we got tonight. Six well-stuffed skins arrived and we each ate two. John did not finish all of his and Elsa left a few morsels, but I ate every bite of mine.
I am a potato skin fan from way back. In the Reynolds-Lockhart house, when we had baked potatoes we'd scoop out the innards and throw it away, then butter up and eat the skins. Heavenly.
My favorite potato skin story begins with a Thursday night visit by Elsa and myself to Brittingham's. It turned out that the Irish lads (friends of ours) who were supposed to be playing that night had cancelled, leaving two very disappointed ladies. Elsa came up with a plan to salvage the evening - she suggested we go to Morley's in Norristown for a pint of Harp and a platter of their wonderful stuffed potato skins. Well, Chris Morley was so surprised to see us show up on a Thursday, you could have knocked him over with a feather. While we were waiting for our skins to arrive, he could not resist coming over and asking what brought us there on a Thursday night. Elsa looked him straight in the eye and said, "Mom had a craving for your potato skins." Well, bless the dear girl. After that explanation, which completely left out any mention of Brittingham's, I could do no wrong as far as Chris was concerned.
Morley's was a special place. Back in her single days, when Elsa went for music and stayed late, Chris always saw her out to her car. People would sign $1 bills and Chris put them up on the walls, like wall paper. We took Gay there and she gave him a $2 bill signed by Bill Simon. Dave and Candy had their $1 bills up and so did other friends we took over. Elsa said she had to mind her step at Morley's, what with the presence of family and friends looking over her. I miss Morley's, which had great music, great owners and great food, but I am certainly glad to have experienced it - and enjoyed their outstanding stuffed potato skins.
With all this activity today - and with summertime-like weather (mid-80s today) - this Gramster is ready to head up the wooden hill.
What a lovely way to fall asleep - with the taste of the potato skins just a memory away, Pete tucked away in my heart, and lovely thoughts of Chris and his crew.
Nite nite and God bless - Pete's Girl
Date: 4/23/01 10:17:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Pete would have been 89 yesterday (I robbed the cradle). I felt his presence especially close to me throughout the day. Then, last night, something happened that made me feel him so near to me I could almost hear his voice and feel the touch of his hand. The classical music station started playing "Rhapsody in Blue." That was Pete's favorite piece of music. I could not believe it when it started playing.
Sitting there in the big chair in the living room, I thought about one of my favorite newspaper cartoons, Family Circus. A running theme has to do with the grandparents, the grandfather who died several years ago. The cartoon will show the angel grandfather watching over the family and his beloved wife. That is how it felt yesterday, like Pete was right there with me, only I hadn't the eyes yet to see him. What a lovely present from the birthday boy to his best girl.
Elsa called from work today and said, "Let's go out for supper tonight to celebrate Dad's birthday!" The three of us had a lovely time - we went to Mike's Street Road Grill. It practically felt like a family celebration, since we used a gift certificate that Peter had given Elsa for Christmas. So, we celebrated one Pete while Elsa sprang for dinner using a gift certificate from another. Our bill came to just $1.95 over the amount of the gift certificate. Not bad planning, especially since we all started with a drink (I had a lovely merlot) and John not only got the grilled salmon, he also got a side order of french fries and ice cream for dessert. A man after Pete's heart. Oh, and we ordered stuffed potato skins.
It was a just a few days ago that I confessed to Elsa that I had a craving for stuffed potato skins, with cheddar cheese and bacon and sour cream. That is exactly what we got tonight. Six well-stuffed skins arrived and we each ate two. John did not finish all of his and Elsa left a few morsels, but I ate every bite of mine.
I am a potato skin fan from way back. In the Reynolds-Lockhart house, when we had baked potatoes we'd scoop out the innards and throw it away, then butter up and eat the skins. Heavenly.
My favorite potato skin story begins with a Thursday night visit by Elsa and myself to Brittingham's. It turned out that the Irish lads (friends of ours) who were supposed to be playing that night had cancelled, leaving two very disappointed ladies. Elsa came up with a plan to salvage the evening - she suggested we go to Morley's in Norristown for a pint of Harp and a platter of their wonderful stuffed potato skins. Well, Chris Morley was so surprised to see us show up on a Thursday, you could have knocked him over with a feather. While we were waiting for our skins to arrive, he could not resist coming over and asking what brought us there on a Thursday night. Elsa looked him straight in the eye and said, "Mom had a craving for your potato skins." Well, bless the dear girl. After that explanation, which completely left out any mention of Brittingham's, I could do no wrong as far as Chris was concerned.
Morley's was a special place. Back in her single days, when Elsa went for music and stayed late, Chris always saw her out to her car. People would sign $1 bills and Chris put them up on the walls, like wall paper. We took Gay there and she gave him a $2 bill signed by Bill Simon. Dave and Candy had their $1 bills up and so did other friends we took over. Elsa said she had to mind her step at Morley's, what with the presence of family and friends looking over her. I miss Morley's, which had great music, great owners and great food, but I am certainly glad to have experienced it - and enjoyed their outstanding stuffed potato skins.
With all this activity today - and with summertime-like weather (mid-80s today) - this Gramster is ready to head up the wooden hill.
What a lovely way to fall asleep - with the taste of the potato skins just a memory away, Pete tucked away in my heart, and lovely thoughts of Chris and his crew.
Nite nite and God bless - Pete's Girl
Friday, April 22, 2011
Feast Days 04/22/01
Feast Days
Subj: Mindwalkers - Feast Days
Date: 4/22/01 10:42:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The past week has seemed to be filled with feast days - feasts for the tummy and feasts for the eyes.
I have had marvelous meals of cheese and whole grain Wasa crackers and chicken, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with Dijion mustard, and Elsa whipped up on two separate occasions the best omelettes I can recall eating - perfectly cooked eggs folded over chucks of ham with three cheeses and a generous dollop of sour cream. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water and I have had plenty to eat (grilled chicken thighs, chicken flavored rice, sugar snap peas and cranberry jelly). I had several evenings where I toasted my happy life with perfectly blended whiskey sours, a treat that is hard to beat.
Elsa and John went out to Strasburg after work on Friday night, to a special reception at the PA Railroad Museum, and then had supper at our favorite Lancaster-area diner - Jennie's.
Jennie's has been a Lockphy Murphart favorite ever since John and Elsa discovered it during their honeymoon. I think that it is lovely that whenever they go back, they not only are sure of getting a wonderful meal, but it always brings back happy memories of their honeymoon, and of many stops we have made there since. This time, Elsa did not get her regular order - an open-faced hot turkey sandwich - choosing instead the braised beef tips over Pennsylvania Dutch noodles, with chow-chow and rhubard sauce as her vegetables.
Guess what she brought home for her dear old Mom? A goodly amount of the chow-chow and rhubarb sauce. I had part of the rhubard sauce today - deeeelicious. Nice and tart, the way God made rhubarb, none of this sweet stuff that most restaurants serve, with the zingy rhubarb doctored by adding strawberries. Tomorrow, the chow-chow.
Anticipation is wonderful.
As for the feasts for the eyes... My world from the big chair in the living room has been shades of pink. The azalea has broken out into magenta. The orchid-colored rhodedren is making its debut. The weeping cherry has been a glory of pink blossoms. From the kitchen window, I can see the white-pink blossoms of Linda and Gerry's magnficient magnolia. Inside, one of Marie's surviving African violets is knocking itself out with a glorious display of rich blue-purple blossoms.
To top it off, Elsa took me out on an early evening ramble. To see all the magnolias and the pink cherry trees and the white cherry trees and the still blazing forsythia made my heart sing with joy.
I think my favorite part was looking down Newtown's State Street, both sides of the street lined with white cherry trees in full flower, the lines of flowering trees converging to a single point down a ways. It felt like I was in heaven.
I am very grateful that Elsa and I have gotten past another series of bumps in our road. It is not easy for two very different people to live together - being mother and daughter complicates it even more and having such opposite communication styles makes it even more difficult.
People have commented on how descriptive I am in my postings. Actually, if you read what I originally come up with for postings, you would have a short read. I tend to be practically monosyllabic. It is Elsa who pushes and prods - yes, even somewhat badgers at times - me for more details. I do think it is going to get better on my end, that I am relaxing more, which helps loosen up my memory.
Connecting with long-ago memories and present-day thoughts is being aided by a new adventure, one that I am enjoying immensely - writing an interactive journal. Elsa writes on the left-sided pages, while I use the right side. It is a lot of fun and I am learning about using more verbs and adjectives in my thinking and composing. I strongly recommend the magazine, Personal Journaling, which has opened my eyes to a level of thinking and writing I never thought possible. I am having a wonderful time and I think Elsa is too.
Well, it is time to head up the wooden hill.
Love to all - Kay Lockhart, journal writer and feaster
Subj: Mindwalkers - Feast Days
Date: 4/22/01 10:42:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The past week has seemed to be filled with feast days - feasts for the tummy and feasts for the eyes.
I have had marvelous meals of cheese and whole grain Wasa crackers and chicken, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with Dijion mustard, and Elsa whipped up on two separate occasions the best omelettes I can recall eating - perfectly cooked eggs folded over chucks of ham with three cheeses and a generous dollop of sour cream. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water and I have had plenty to eat (grilled chicken thighs, chicken flavored rice, sugar snap peas and cranberry jelly). I had several evenings where I toasted my happy life with perfectly blended whiskey sours, a treat that is hard to beat.
Elsa and John went out to Strasburg after work on Friday night, to a special reception at the PA Railroad Museum, and then had supper at our favorite Lancaster-area diner - Jennie's.
Jennie's has been a Lockphy Murphart favorite ever since John and Elsa discovered it during their honeymoon. I think that it is lovely that whenever they go back, they not only are sure of getting a wonderful meal, but it always brings back happy memories of their honeymoon, and of many stops we have made there since. This time, Elsa did not get her regular order - an open-faced hot turkey sandwich - choosing instead the braised beef tips over Pennsylvania Dutch noodles, with chow-chow and rhubard sauce as her vegetables.
Guess what she brought home for her dear old Mom? A goodly amount of the chow-chow and rhubarb sauce. I had part of the rhubard sauce today - deeeelicious. Nice and tart, the way God made rhubarb, none of this sweet stuff that most restaurants serve, with the zingy rhubarb doctored by adding strawberries. Tomorrow, the chow-chow.
Anticipation is wonderful.
As for the feasts for the eyes... My world from the big chair in the living room has been shades of pink. The azalea has broken out into magenta. The orchid-colored rhodedren is making its debut. The weeping cherry has been a glory of pink blossoms. From the kitchen window, I can see the white-pink blossoms of Linda and Gerry's magnficient magnolia. Inside, one of Marie's surviving African violets is knocking itself out with a glorious display of rich blue-purple blossoms.
To top it off, Elsa took me out on an early evening ramble. To see all the magnolias and the pink cherry trees and the white cherry trees and the still blazing forsythia made my heart sing with joy.
I think my favorite part was looking down Newtown's State Street, both sides of the street lined with white cherry trees in full flower, the lines of flowering trees converging to a single point down a ways. It felt like I was in heaven.
I am very grateful that Elsa and I have gotten past another series of bumps in our road. It is not easy for two very different people to live together - being mother and daughter complicates it even more and having such opposite communication styles makes it even more difficult.
People have commented on how descriptive I am in my postings. Actually, if you read what I originally come up with for postings, you would have a short read. I tend to be practically monosyllabic. It is Elsa who pushes and prods - yes, even somewhat badgers at times - me for more details. I do think it is going to get better on my end, that I am relaxing more, which helps loosen up my memory.
Connecting with long-ago memories and present-day thoughts is being aided by a new adventure, one that I am enjoying immensely - writing an interactive journal. Elsa writes on the left-sided pages, while I use the right side. It is a lot of fun and I am learning about using more verbs and adjectives in my thinking and composing. I strongly recommend the magazine, Personal Journaling, which has opened my eyes to a level of thinking and writing I never thought possible. I am having a wonderful time and I think Elsa is too.
Well, it is time to head up the wooden hill.
Love to all - Kay Lockhart, journal writer and feaster
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
WHISKEY SOURS and SWEET MEMORIES 04/19/01
oops! forgot to repost this on its proper day - elm
Subj: Whiskey Sours and Sweet Memories
Date: 4/19/01 10:32:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Tonight, I asked Elsa if she would make me a Hot Turkey Leg (Wild Turkey and mulled cider). We do not have any mulled cider, so she asked if I would like a Whiskey Sour. My word, it has been a long time since I have sipped a sour. Elsa made it just the way I like it - all lovely and foamy, over crushed ice, in a cocktail glass with sugar-frosted rim. It tasted very good, it had a nice zip to it. It packed a small wallop - I certainly felt more relaxed after I drank it.
Sipping that drink took me back many years, to memories of when Marjorie (Grandma) Rose and Cornelia Stroh and other older ladies gathered together before Friday Supper for cocktails and nibblings.
It is hard to believe that I can only remember Cornelia and Marjorie - I know there were at least three other women. No memory - maybe they will come to me tonight as I am nodding off. I do know that Sylvia Carlton would always be part of the group if she was visiting Bryn Athyn. We always enjoyed hearing about her globe-trotting travels. We surely did enjoy her oomph.
We enjoyed each other's company so much, we would start looking forward to the next get together practically as soon as we were on our way to Friday Supper.
I always enjoyed the gatherings, whether they were at Marjorie's house, or at Cornelia's apartment on Rose Lane, or at our house - Oliver Smith's stained glass studio on Woodland Road.
If I close my eyes, I can remember the high times we had. No one could be bored around Marjorie and Cornelia. They kept the conversation jumping. We started each gathering the same way, with Marjorie lifting her glass to give the toast - "Here's to the Church - all else is bosh."
Even as it was happening, week after week, I knew it was a special moment in time and appreciated being part of the fun. It was always a delight to go to either lady's home. In the spring, summer and fall, Marjorie's house was surrounded by beautiful flowers - it felt like heaven walking down the path to the front door. Her living room always felt cozy.
For some reason, Cornelia's apartment on Rose Lane - which was built for an artist, Thorsten Sigstedt (in 2011, the Orthwein house) - felt like it belonged in Manhattan, there was such a wonderful air of art and sophistication to the living space. Perhaps I was partially influenced by the fact that Cornelia resembled the First Lady of American Theater, Helen Hayes, although Cornelia was forever irritated by the comparison. Art, quiet sophistication and a suggestion of theater - yes, that would bring Manhattan to mind, even in the heart of Bryn Athyn.
This might sound like a broken record (would today's young adults understand that phrase?), but one of the hardest things about growing older and older is losing so many friends. I consider myself lucky - and I know that I have said this before, but it bears repeating - that as my circle of lifelong friends has thinned out, my circle of newer friends has increased, especially my dear online loved ones. You keep my life hopping.
Week after week, I know that being able to reach out to you (through Faithful Scribe's fingertips) is special and I love still being part of the fun. You help keep away the haunting specter of loneliness and you keep this Ancient One young.
Marjorie and Cornelia would approve.
"Here's to the Chuch - all else is bosh!" Love - Kay
Subj: Whiskey Sours and Sweet Memories
Date: 4/19/01 10:32:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Tonight, I asked Elsa if she would make me a Hot Turkey Leg (Wild Turkey and mulled cider). We do not have any mulled cider, so she asked if I would like a Whiskey Sour. My word, it has been a long time since I have sipped a sour. Elsa made it just the way I like it - all lovely and foamy, over crushed ice, in a cocktail glass with sugar-frosted rim. It tasted very good, it had a nice zip to it. It packed a small wallop - I certainly felt more relaxed after I drank it.
Sipping that drink took me back many years, to memories of when Marjorie (Grandma) Rose and Cornelia Stroh and other older ladies gathered together before Friday Supper for cocktails and nibblings.
It is hard to believe that I can only remember Cornelia and Marjorie - I know there were at least three other women. No memory - maybe they will come to me tonight as I am nodding off. I do know that Sylvia Carlton would always be part of the group if she was visiting Bryn Athyn. We always enjoyed hearing about her globe-trotting travels. We surely did enjoy her oomph.
We enjoyed each other's company so much, we would start looking forward to the next get together practically as soon as we were on our way to Friday Supper.
I always enjoyed the gatherings, whether they were at Marjorie's house, or at Cornelia's apartment on Rose Lane, or at our house - Oliver Smith's stained glass studio on Woodland Road.
If I close my eyes, I can remember the high times we had. No one could be bored around Marjorie and Cornelia. They kept the conversation jumping. We started each gathering the same way, with Marjorie lifting her glass to give the toast - "Here's to the Church - all else is bosh."
Even as it was happening, week after week, I knew it was a special moment in time and appreciated being part of the fun. It was always a delight to go to either lady's home. In the spring, summer and fall, Marjorie's house was surrounded by beautiful flowers - it felt like heaven walking down the path to the front door. Her living room always felt cozy.
For some reason, Cornelia's apartment on Rose Lane - which was built for an artist, Thorsten Sigstedt (in 2011, the Orthwein house) - felt like it belonged in Manhattan, there was such a wonderful air of art and sophistication to the living space. Perhaps I was partially influenced by the fact that Cornelia resembled the First Lady of American Theater, Helen Hayes, although Cornelia was forever irritated by the comparison. Art, quiet sophistication and a suggestion of theater - yes, that would bring Manhattan to mind, even in the heart of Bryn Athyn.
This might sound like a broken record (would today's young adults understand that phrase?), but one of the hardest things about growing older and older is losing so many friends. I consider myself lucky - and I know that I have said this before, but it bears repeating - that as my circle of lifelong friends has thinned out, my circle of newer friends has increased, especially my dear online loved ones. You keep my life hopping.
Week after week, I know that being able to reach out to you (through Faithful Scribe's fingertips) is special and I love still being part of the fun. You help keep away the haunting specter of loneliness and you keep this Ancient One young.
Marjorie and Cornelia would approve.
"Here's to the Chuch - all else is bosh!" Love - Kay
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
EASTER at the REYNOLDS' HOUSE 04/13/01
Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - Easter at the Reynolds' house
Date: 4/13/01 6:58:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time
When I was a little girl. we would get up early on Easter morning so we could have the hunt before leaving for church. That might not sound so unusul, but remember that it took us two hours by trolley to get to church in Arbutus - one way.
We could hardly sleep the night before. After a brief breakfast, it was time to look for our Easter baskets. If the weather cooperated, they would be hidden outside and we had the fun and excitement of looking high and low for them. It the weather was rainy - or snowy - the baskets were put on the piano.
There would be one basket for each of us at home (if the older children - Dot, Al or Bob - were at the Academy, they would have stayed in Bryn Athyn for Easter). We had a Steinway, so there was plenty of room. (Other than the Easter baskets, we never put anything on the piano except sheet music.)
The Easter basket would be filled with jelly beans and dyed eggs and other treats. Back then, in our family at least, children did not dye the eggs - the Easter Bunny brought them. It was almost magic to little children to find an everyday egg turned glorious!
One thing I almost forgot - Betty and I always got a new pair of shoes at Easter, black patent leather "Mary Janes." It felt so special walking into the church service after the long ride, listening to the beautiful music, seeing the flowers, and sporting a new pair of shoes.
Mother did not go with us to church; she stayed home and prepared the Easter dinner. I remember the delicious aromas as we opened the door.
(I also remember that when we walked back into the house, after another two hour trolley ride, it was a toss up what the children wanted more - dinner or a quick dash to the bathroom!)
I loved my basket, but if I had to choose - even as a child - between the basket, the flowers or the music, I think I would have chosen the music, the flowers, and the basket, in that order. I loved the Easter songs we sang at church - still do. ("When Very Early In the Dawn" and "Morn of Joy, Morn of Praise" are two of my all-time favorite hymns.) The flowers were beautiful and somehow filled me with a sense of hope - still do.
Blessings and best wishes for a happy Good Friday - Katharine Reynolds Lockhart
Date: 4/13/01 6:58:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time
When I was a little girl. we would get up early on Easter morning so we could have the hunt before leaving for church. That might not sound so unusul, but remember that it took us two hours by trolley to get to church in Arbutus - one way.
We could hardly sleep the night before. After a brief breakfast, it was time to look for our Easter baskets. If the weather cooperated, they would be hidden outside and we had the fun and excitement of looking high and low for them. It the weather was rainy - or snowy - the baskets were put on the piano.
There would be one basket for each of us at home (if the older children - Dot, Al or Bob - were at the Academy, they would have stayed in Bryn Athyn for Easter). We had a Steinway, so there was plenty of room. (Other than the Easter baskets, we never put anything on the piano except sheet music.)
The Easter basket would be filled with jelly beans and dyed eggs and other treats. Back then, in our family at least, children did not dye the eggs - the Easter Bunny brought them. It was almost magic to little children to find an everyday egg turned glorious!
One thing I almost forgot - Betty and I always got a new pair of shoes at Easter, black patent leather "Mary Janes." It felt so special walking into the church service after the long ride, listening to the beautiful music, seeing the flowers, and sporting a new pair of shoes.
Mother did not go with us to church; she stayed home and prepared the Easter dinner. I remember the delicious aromas as we opened the door.
(I also remember that when we walked back into the house, after another two hour trolley ride, it was a toss up what the children wanted more - dinner or a quick dash to the bathroom!)
I loved my basket, but if I had to choose - even as a child - between the basket, the flowers or the music, I think I would have chosen the music, the flowers, and the basket, in that order. I loved the Easter songs we sang at church - still do. ("When Very Early In the Dawn" and "Morn of Joy, Morn of Praise" are two of my all-time favorite hymns.) The flowers were beautiful and somehow filled me with a sense of hope - still do.
Blessings and best wishes for a happy Good Friday - Katharine Reynolds Lockhart
Monday, April 11, 2011
FROM KAY & ELSA 04/10/01
Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - from Kay and Elsa
Date: 4/10/01 11:25:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The last few days have been rocky around these parts. One of those times where what is essential to Kay and what is essential to Elsa are in head-on collision, where we don't seem to be on the same planet let alone speak the same language.
Hold us in your thoughts.
Date: 4/10/01 11:25:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The last few days have been rocky around these parts. One of those times where what is essential to Kay and what is essential to Elsa are in head-on collision, where we don't seem to be on the same planet let alone speak the same language.
Hold us in your thoughts.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
SUMMER IS A CUMIN IN ~ 04/09/01
Subj: Mindwalkers - summer is a cumin in
Date: 4/9/01 10:51:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time
We had not had one really solid nice spring day when we veered from mean, raw and miserable straight into the good old summertime. The temperature was over 82F today.
My poor old body does not like these extremes.
Then again, truth be told, it was pleasant going to my podiatrist appointment today. I had the pleasure of the weather, the pleasure of my son's company (Peter was today's chauffeur) and the pleasure of a 15 minute whirlpool foot soak. aaaaaahhhhhh....
Sweet dreams from a bleary eyed, ready-to-pop-into-bed - Gramster -
Date: 4/9/01 10:51:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time
We had not had one really solid nice spring day when we veered from mean, raw and miserable straight into the good old summertime. The temperature was over 82F today.
My poor old body does not like these extremes.
Then again, truth be told, it was pleasant going to my podiatrist appointment today. I had the pleasure of the weather, the pleasure of my son's company (Peter was today's chauffeur) and the pleasure of a 15 minute whirlpool foot soak. aaaaaahhhhhh....
Sweet dreams from a bleary eyed, ready-to-pop-into-bed - Gramster -
Friday, April 8, 2011
A HOST of GOLDEN DAFFODILS 04/08/01
Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - a host of golden daffodils
Date: 4/8/01 10:58:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Of all the mean, raw and miserable days we have had this spring, this morning made me feel like today was going to be the meanest, rawest and most miserable of them all.
As it turned out, the day was filled with brightness and light and happiness. The weather stayed the same as it was this morning - grey, with light rain and a chill that went to the bone - but then weather is not everything.
Elsa brought home a recording of today's Palm Sunday service. A male trio - Neil Simonetti, Greg Baker and Thane Glenn - did the singing honors and they sounded wonderful. I could have played, "Ride on, ride on in majesty..." over and over and over. Jeremy gave the service, which was filled with wonderful moments. A real donkey processed through the Society Room and people strewn palm fronds along the way. I especially liked when Jeremy had the children shout "Hosanna!"
Around mid-afternoon, Carole arrived for our discussion group (we are reading Your Best Year Yet!), which is always a treat for me.
We were supposed to write out our top accomplishments over the past twelve months and our top disappointments over the past twelve months. I have a hard time with that sort of thing.
It is hard for me to be introspective to that degree. It is easy to say generalities, but this is supposed to be more specific than, "I was more charitable."
It was wonderful to have Carole and Elsa there, because my difficulty lead to a discussion and both of them made me feel pretty good about myself. Also, Elsa suggested I look over the past few years rather than just one year, because it can be hard for me to remember what happened in 2000 - at my age the years can run together. Carole thought that was a good idea, so that is what I will do. When I write something down, I am going to ask myself, "Is this general or is it specific?" and if I get really stumped I will talk it over with Elsa or call Carole. This working in a group is really nice.
After Carole left, Elsa and I headed off for a drive so I could see the daffodils. It was still grey and clammy, but the daffodils and narcissus along the banks at Chris and Ellen Asplundh's were a warm gold and white. We checked out the "host of golden daffodils" at the edge of the Glencairn/Cairnwood great lawn. We drove past them going up Huntingdon Pike and then turned around and drove past them going down Huntingdon Pike. We did that several times and I still cannot tell which is my favorite view.
We drove throught the cathedral porte-cochere and admired the flowers. There is a little white flower that I thought was lily-of-the-valley, but I think it is too early for them. Elsa thought the flower had what seemed like a blue vein in the petals but I could not tell - my cataract surgery did a lot of good but spotting a slight vein of blue in a tiny flower's petals is stretching it. There were more daffodils and a blue flower with what looked like a white star in its center and bluebells and even a Christmas rose(!).
I almost forgot the hyacinths planted at the entry to Cathedral Road in different shades of purple.
We nipped around Cairncrest, past several pairs of people out walking. As we came up Quarry Road to Alnwick Road, we had a great view of the hosts of golden daffodils in that sort of triangle.
We finished up the drive by dipping down into Huntingdon Valley for a swing into the Bethayers Shopping Center and a vanilla custard ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen - "with a curl on top!"
It is a happy woman who is beginning to consider trekking up the wooden hill.
I dread tomorrow - Elsa heads back to work after five days of taking care of John and myself. I will miss her a lot, as will John. (She is not even going to be home at night - she will be representing both of us at the Caritas meeting.)
John remains on the mend Elsa does her best to "sit" on him when he feels better, because he tends to do too much. I am happy he is not coughing as much as he has been.
The Lord bless you and keep you throughout this blessed Easter Week - Kay
Date: 4/8/01 10:58:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Of all the mean, raw and miserable days we have had this spring, this morning made me feel like today was going to be the meanest, rawest and most miserable of them all.
As it turned out, the day was filled with brightness and light and happiness. The weather stayed the same as it was this morning - grey, with light rain and a chill that went to the bone - but then weather is not everything.
Elsa brought home a recording of today's Palm Sunday service. A male trio - Neil Simonetti, Greg Baker and Thane Glenn - did the singing honors and they sounded wonderful. I could have played, "Ride on, ride on in majesty..." over and over and over. Jeremy gave the service, which was filled with wonderful moments. A real donkey processed through the Society Room and people strewn palm fronds along the way. I especially liked when Jeremy had the children shout "Hosanna!"
Around mid-afternoon, Carole arrived for our discussion group (we are reading Your Best Year Yet!), which is always a treat for me.
We were supposed to write out our top accomplishments over the past twelve months and our top disappointments over the past twelve months. I have a hard time with that sort of thing.
It is hard for me to be introspective to that degree. It is easy to say generalities, but this is supposed to be more specific than, "I was more charitable."
It was wonderful to have Carole and Elsa there, because my difficulty lead to a discussion and both of them made me feel pretty good about myself. Also, Elsa suggested I look over the past few years rather than just one year, because it can be hard for me to remember what happened in 2000 - at my age the years can run together. Carole thought that was a good idea, so that is what I will do. When I write something down, I am going to ask myself, "Is this general or is it specific?" and if I get really stumped I will talk it over with Elsa or call Carole. This working in a group is really nice.
After Carole left, Elsa and I headed off for a drive so I could see the daffodils. It was still grey and clammy, but the daffodils and narcissus along the banks at Chris and Ellen Asplundh's were a warm gold and white. We checked out the "host of golden daffodils" at the edge of the Glencairn/Cairnwood great lawn. We drove past them going up Huntingdon Pike and then turned around and drove past them going down Huntingdon Pike. We did that several times and I still cannot tell which is my favorite view.
We drove throught the cathedral porte-cochere and admired the flowers. There is a little white flower that I thought was lily-of-the-valley, but I think it is too early for them. Elsa thought the flower had what seemed like a blue vein in the petals but I could not tell - my cataract surgery did a lot of good but spotting a slight vein of blue in a tiny flower's petals is stretching it. There were more daffodils and a blue flower with what looked like a white star in its center and bluebells and even a Christmas rose(!).
I almost forgot the hyacinths planted at the entry to Cathedral Road in different shades of purple.
We nipped around Cairncrest, past several pairs of people out walking. As we came up Quarry Road to Alnwick Road, we had a great view of the hosts of golden daffodils in that sort of triangle.
We finished up the drive by dipping down into Huntingdon Valley for a swing into the Bethayers Shopping Center and a vanilla custard ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen - "with a curl on top!"
It is a happy woman who is beginning to consider trekking up the wooden hill.
I dread tomorrow - Elsa heads back to work after five days of taking care of John and myself. I will miss her a lot, as will John. (She is not even going to be home at night - she will be representing both of us at the Caritas meeting.)
John remains on the mend Elsa does her best to "sit" on him when he feels better, because he tends to do too much. I am happy he is not coughing as much as he has been.
The Lord bless you and keep you throughout this blessed Easter Week - Kay
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Happy Birthday, Mim!
Subj: Mindwalkers - Happy Birthday, Mim!
Date: 4/7/01 12:11:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Mim made her debut on the world stage on April 7, 1944. When my mother was told she had a granddaughter, she said, "Not possible - Kay only has boys."
The nurse called her "Little Missy" which we started using as a nickname, later abbreviated to Mimmy by Ian, and ultimately shortened to the current Mim. Do you know anyone who calls her Joann?
We were delighted to have a girl and her two big brothers were proud as punch. It was Peter who said that immortal line to me - "She will be your little hand maiden."
Mim was no one's hand maiden.
From the very start, she was different from any other baby I had known - she actually laughed. Not just a smile, but an out and out laugh. I have never seen another baby do that. Mim was aware of what was around her and connected in her own way.
Of all my children, Mim was the one who knew what she want and knew how to get it. It did not matter to her that girls did not play football - she coached her own peewee football squad when she was in her early teens. Mim's Monsters. Where other girls asked for jewelry for Eighth Grade graduation, Mim wanted a tarpoline and frame to make a big tent in our back yard. Other high school students spent the summer by swimming pools; Mim spent it working with kids, the highlight being a 4 day - 3 night overnight camp right in our own backyard, complete with a full schedule of crafts and sports and so many other activities.
Mim does things in her own time, not anyone else's.
It took her almost fifty years to pick a middle name (we gave her just the initial "K"); she chose it in time to have JOANN KIERNAN LOCKHART inscribed on her Master's in Social Work degree from Rutgers. Mim had received her bachelor's degree from New York University, part of a pilot night school program for older (she was 36), non-traditional students; she commuted from Bryn Athyn! Mim has always set her own timetables, known her own mind, what she will do and what she won't, and remains true to her beliefs.
She spent today with friends near her central New Jersey home, a joint celebration - Mim's birthday and the Seder. Very Mim.
Mazel tov to Mim from Mom!
Love to one and all - Mimmy's Mom
Date: 4/7/01 12:11:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Mim made her debut on the world stage on April 7, 1944. When my mother was told she had a granddaughter, she said, "Not possible - Kay only has boys."
The nurse called her "Little Missy" which we started using as a nickname, later abbreviated to Mimmy by Ian, and ultimately shortened to the current Mim. Do you know anyone who calls her Joann?
We were delighted to have a girl and her two big brothers were proud as punch. It was Peter who said that immortal line to me - "She will be your little hand maiden."
Mim was no one's hand maiden.
From the very start, she was different from any other baby I had known - she actually laughed. Not just a smile, but an out and out laugh. I have never seen another baby do that. Mim was aware of what was around her and connected in her own way.
Of all my children, Mim was the one who knew what she want and knew how to get it. It did not matter to her that girls did not play football - she coached her own peewee football squad when she was in her early teens. Mim's Monsters. Where other girls asked for jewelry for Eighth Grade graduation, Mim wanted a tarpoline and frame to make a big tent in our back yard. Other high school students spent the summer by swimming pools; Mim spent it working with kids, the highlight being a 4 day - 3 night overnight camp right in our own backyard, complete with a full schedule of crafts and sports and so many other activities.
Mim does things in her own time, not anyone else's.
It took her almost fifty years to pick a middle name (we gave her just the initial "K"); she chose it in time to have JOANN KIERNAN LOCKHART inscribed on her Master's in Social Work degree from Rutgers. Mim had received her bachelor's degree from New York University, part of a pilot night school program for older (she was 36), non-traditional students; she commuted from Bryn Athyn! Mim has always set her own timetables, known her own mind, what she will do and what she won't, and remains true to her beliefs.
She spent today with friends near her central New Jersey home, a joint celebration - Mim's birthday and the Seder. Very Mim.
Mazel tov to Mim from Mom!
Love to one and all - Mimmy's Mom
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
JRM Update 04/05/01
Subj: Mindwalkers - JRM update
Date: 4/5/01 11:20:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
I received several concerned notes, asking why there had not been a "John Watch" update today. The fact of the matter is that I have kept Elsa pretty busy today with doing a posting for me on the Caritas distribution list.
UPDATE:
Our dear lad swings between feeling human again and then feeling weak as a kitten. He is still sleeping semi-upright on the den couch to allieviate chest congestion. elm - how ironic; 10 years later, i sleep down there for a similar reason, different. Elsa stayed at home today - again - to keep an eye on him and to be there for me. As she says, he has to be her priority, but she still springs into action when she hears me making a ruckus with "Clappy".
I am none too happy with her own health. She has developed a nasty chesty cough. All this stress and strain cannot be good for her.
We continue to be blessed with loved ones and friends sending e-mail best wishes, phone calls, visits and generally good "kharma." We are blessed by your caring.
Nite nite and God bless - Cybergram
Date: 4/5/01 11:20:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
I received several concerned notes, asking why there had not been a "John Watch" update today. The fact of the matter is that I have kept Elsa pretty busy today with doing a posting for me on the Caritas distribution list.
UPDATE:
Our dear lad swings between feeling human again and then feeling weak as a kitten. He is still sleeping semi-upright on the den couch to allieviate chest congestion. elm - how ironic; 10 years later, i sleep down there for a similar reason, different. Elsa stayed at home today - again - to keep an eye on him and to be there for me. As she says, he has to be her priority, but she still springs into action when she hears me making a ruckus with "Clappy".
I am none too happy with her own health. She has developed a nasty chesty cough. All this stress and strain cannot be good for her.
We continue to be blessed with loved ones and friends sending e-mail best wishes, phone calls, visits and generally good "kharma." We are blessed by your caring.
Nite nite and God bless - Cybergram
Spiritual Responsibility is Not All Sweetness & Light 04/05/01
this was a posting of Mom's on the Caritas (not her Mindwalker1910) dist list
Subj: [Caritas] spiritual responsibility is not all sweetness and light
Date: 4/5/01 9:35:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Nita (Junge Holm) - you asked for more background on my thoughts about abuse of drinking and the level of spiritual responsibility our faith places on the individual. This has been a general thought in the back of my mind for many years. I thank you for the opportunity to clarify to myself what I mean by what I said.
I have long had a niggling feeling that there could be a link between self-abuse, including alcoholism, and a sense of having a "high maintenance" faith such as ours can be. By that, I mean:
>> having full responsibility for our own spiritual welfare - instead of believing in salvation through Christ or through the church (confession)
>> having responsiblity for actually reading the Writings and drawing a personal understanding of doctrine from that reading - which was what I grew up believing we were supposed to do
> the cost to those raised within the faith or who marry into the faith of moving past the New Church to a faith that more fully reflects what is in the heart - especially dealing with the potential loss of sense of place, of community and culture
>> perhaps most of all, the awesome beauty and fierce life goals defined within the Doctrine of Use, the Doctrine of Charity, the Doctrine of the Lord, the Doctrine of Conjugial Love, which could be experienced as setting too high a bar for mere mortals to ever achieve.
FYI - - I think that people can "get their knickers in a twist" about the details and forget, as I was taught, that the foundation stones of our faith are simply a belief in one God and that the Lord God Jesus Christ is that god, that we are to shun evils (first) as sins against God and do good (second), and that we are to love the neighbor as ourselves.
Subj: [Caritas] spiritual responsibility is not all sweetness and light
Date: 4/5/01 9:35:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Nita (Junge Holm) - you asked for more background on my thoughts about abuse of drinking and the level of spiritual responsibility our faith places on the individual. This has been a general thought in the back of my mind for many years. I thank you for the opportunity to clarify to myself what I mean by what I said.
I have long had a niggling feeling that there could be a link between self-abuse, including alcoholism, and a sense of having a "high maintenance" faith such as ours can be. By that, I mean:
>> having full responsibility for our own spiritual welfare - instead of believing in salvation through Christ or through the church (confession)
>> having responsiblity for actually reading the Writings and drawing a personal understanding of doctrine from that reading - which was what I grew up believing we were supposed to do
> the cost to those raised within the faith or who marry into the faith of moving past the New Church to a faith that more fully reflects what is in the heart - especially dealing with the potential loss of sense of place, of community and culture
>> perhaps most of all, the awesome beauty and fierce life goals defined within the Doctrine of Use, the Doctrine of Charity, the Doctrine of the Lord, the Doctrine of Conjugial Love, which could be experienced as setting too high a bar for mere mortals to ever achieve.
FYI - - I think that people can "get their knickers in a twist" about the details and forget, as I was taught, that the foundation stones of our faith are simply a belief in one God and that the Lord God Jesus Christ is that god, that we are to shun evils (first) as sins against God and do good (second), and that we are to love the neighbor as ourselves.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Circling the Wagons 04/02/01
Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - circling the wagons
Date: 4/2/01 9:59:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
John is home.
It was wonderful that my s-i-l could get the care he did in the hospital when his temperature was soaring past 104; it’s even more wonderful to have him home. His temperature is normal and he is able to get up and about, but I can tell how weak he still feels.
His appetite remains a far cry from normal. Elsa made a gorgeous ham. All John (who loves ham) could do was nibble a little bit.
It tears my heart out to hear the dear lad coughing a deep-chested, painful cough. He is stocked up on medications, including one-a-day antibiotic for the next ten days. John is under strict orders to take things easy, because pneumonia can sneak back.
What a three days it has been. It does not seem possible that it has only been a bit over three days. It felt like an eternity.
On behalf of all three of us, thank you for your loving thoughts and for your caring e-mails. Special love and hugs to Carole Grisin, who made an impossible Sunday bearable, and to Lisa Hyatt Cooper, who came over tonight and helped Elsa bag up newspapers, dig out the kitchen countertop, washed the dishes, and was a bright ray of friendship. The stovetop is forever in Lisa’s debt.
While she was here, at Squirrel Haven, my nephew Bob Ripley called from California to find out how John is faring. It touched Elsa to have someone in the family touch base and hearts.
When something shockingly sudden as John's illness happens, it is amazing how people circle the wagons of friendship and support. You might be weary of hearing the saga of John, but having you out there made our lives more bearable in a dark and frightening time.
With thanks and love - Katharine Reynolds Lockhart
Date: 4/2/01 9:59:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
John is home.
It was wonderful that my s-i-l could get the care he did in the hospital when his temperature was soaring past 104; it’s even more wonderful to have him home. His temperature is normal and he is able to get up and about, but I can tell how weak he still feels.
His appetite remains a far cry from normal. Elsa made a gorgeous ham. All John (who loves ham) could do was nibble a little bit.
It tears my heart out to hear the dear lad coughing a deep-chested, painful cough. He is stocked up on medications, including one-a-day antibiotic for the next ten days. John is under strict orders to take things easy, because pneumonia can sneak back.
What a three days it has been. It does not seem possible that it has only been a bit over three days. It felt like an eternity.
On behalf of all three of us, thank you for your loving thoughts and for your caring e-mails. Special love and hugs to Carole Grisin, who made an impossible Sunday bearable, and to Lisa Hyatt Cooper, who came over tonight and helped Elsa bag up newspapers, dig out the kitchen countertop, washed the dishes, and was a bright ray of friendship. The stovetop is forever in Lisa’s debt.
While she was here, at Squirrel Haven, my nephew Bob Ripley called from California to find out how John is faring. It touched Elsa to have someone in the family touch base and hearts.
When something shockingly sudden as John's illness happens, it is amazing how people circle the wagons of friendship and support. You might be weary of hearing the saga of John, but having you out there made our lives more bearable in a dark and frightening time.
With thanks and love - Katharine Reynolds Lockhart
Friday, April 1, 2011
One Jim Henson is Enough et al
the following is a trilogy of related e-mails written within a day (give or take a few hours). the first posting she refers to was sent on 03/31, which still felt like the same day to a worry-weary m-i-l...
Subj: "One Jim Henson is enough."
Date: 4/1/01 12:40:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time
(written just after midnight - Mom had posted a previous message earlier that night)
My second posting of the night. It is going on midnight and I am ready to turn in.
That is not exceptional. It is not unheard of for me to start for bed after midnight.
What is unusual is that Elsa had to come home from Holy Redeemer Hospital ER in order to do her tucking in duties, and will head back when she is done here.
John and Elsa went over to the ER around 9:00 p.m. after the third call of the day to the on-call doctor, who was almost as alarmed as Elsa to hear that John had been incoherent for five-ten minutes. Elsa asked John questions and could not get coherent answers.
Because she's had years of experience working with managed health care coverage plans, Elsa hones in on diagnostic approaches that would never occur to me. All she had to say was that John had been incoherent and that his chest sounded juicy, and the doctor told her to get him over to HRH pronto.
John has been diagnosed with pneumonia. If the doctors can get his temperature down to 100 within the next couple hours, he will come home. If not, he will spend at least one night in the hospital.
That would be strange - ME going to see John at HRH, instead of the other way around.
As the day went on and John's condition got worse instead of better, in spite of taking two prescriptions and Tylenol, Elsa kept muttering, "One Jim Henson is enough."
I could not figure out what she could mean. She reminded me. Jim Henson died of a virulent strain of pneumonia which went untreated too long. He died of a nasty but treatable illness because he dismissed it as just a nasty case of the flu.
Yes, one Jim Henson is enough.
John is in good hands. My prayer is that he can come home tonight, where Elsa can keep an eye on her OTB.
What a break that John is resting, trying to get his temperature down, leaving Elsa free to hightail it back here. I tried to contact Peter to see if he could swing over to do tuck in duties, but we were not able to connect.
It has been a long, scary day. My thoughts and my prayers are with my dear s-i-l. Nite nite and God bless.
Love - Budgie's M-I-L
Subj: my third posting of the day (not a good sign)
Date: 4/1/01 3:31:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time
It is 2:30 a.m. (3:30 to those who remembered to spring their clocks forward an hour) and Elsa just got home.
Alone.
John's temperature came down just one degree to 103.3, so he will be in the hospital for at least 36 hours of care. Elsa is pretty bedraggled. She came home before he was admitted because she worried I might need help. (Peter was not able to return my calls, so I was home all by myself.)
It pains me to admit, but I did need her help. She had already come home around midnight to help tuck me in; the problem is that due to my bum shoulder, once I'm down I need help getting up to do even the simplest things (like using the loo). If Elsa had stayed until John was settled, I do not know how I could have managed.
Just as I was getting beset with anxiety, I heard the car drive up.
What a day.
Subj: what a blessing the Internet is
Date: 4/1/01 9:33:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time
I have experienced many blessings due to my "cyber circle." It would be difficult to explain how it has felt these 24+ hours.
Keeping my cyberspace circle updated on our drama with John's pneumonia has been a remarkable experience. I know that being able to post the information as seen through my eyes was a godsend to Elsa, who would have found it hard to share in the first person.
For me, it was a release to be able to do something, since there was so little I could do and it is such unknown territory to me. I am the one - not John - who is normally at HRH. He is the one who is familiar with how to comfort and support Elsa. Being able to compose my thoughts makes me feel like I did my part.
My life was made so much better today through the friendship and caring of Carole Grisin, who brought lunch over so Elsa could be left free to spend time with John without worrying about the home front.
We talked about so many things. She is a special lady. We had a lot of laughs. We walked over to the Spring Tree, with it's clear ornaments filled with pictures of loved ones and we had a grand time as I filled her in on a who's who. The gem I would like to share with you has to do with how Carole deals with disagreeable people - she changes her attitude by thinking about something the person is good at. One woman was so rude, she almost stumped Carole in her quest to find something positive until it hit her - the woman was good at being rude. What a good life attitude. What a blessing this immediate daughter of the heart - it does not seem possible we met for the first time last week! - was in my life today and what a difference her kindness made to Elsa.
It is an understatement to say that I am heading off to bed a much happier lady than I was last night.
Love to one and all - Grammie Kay (and Bon Voyage! to Julie!)
And now, a word from Elsa - - Fingers crossed, John should be home tomorrow. His temperature is back to normal, but he still is having problems with getting enough oxygen into his system. His breathing seems fine, but it seems that fluid in the lungs is keeping the oxygen from doing whatever it is supposed to do. He is really tired; everytime he drops off to sleep, a coughing spasm shakes him awake. I can't wait to get him home and healthy.
My own thanks to Carole, who is the very definition of friendship. I was able to get in a brief visit with her myself when I took a 2-hour break from hospital duties (John asked me to stay all day and I wasn't about to say no, but did need a small break). I was happy to see her car still outside when I pulled up and happier still to find her all comfy in the visitor's chair close by Mom's. (Interesting side note - the pink tulips she brought on her first visit last week - she is participating in a discussion circle at our house on the book "The Best Year of Your Life!" - have evolved from looking like beautiful tulips to resembling the palest pink exotic iris. All three of us marveled over the transformation.) Obviously, Mom had a wonderful time and we have both been well fed by the bounty of Boston Market goodies that Carole brought over. Carole - thanks, thanks and more thanks!
Subj: "One Jim Henson is enough."
Date: 4/1/01 12:40:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time
(written just after midnight - Mom had posted a previous message earlier that night)
My second posting of the night. It is going on midnight and I am ready to turn in.
That is not exceptional. It is not unheard of for me to start for bed after midnight.
What is unusual is that Elsa had to come home from Holy Redeemer Hospital ER in order to do her tucking in duties, and will head back when she is done here.
John and Elsa went over to the ER around 9:00 p.m. after the third call of the day to the on-call doctor, who was almost as alarmed as Elsa to hear that John had been incoherent for five-ten minutes. Elsa asked John questions and could not get coherent answers.
Because she's had years of experience working with managed health care coverage plans, Elsa hones in on diagnostic approaches that would never occur to me. All she had to say was that John had been incoherent and that his chest sounded juicy, and the doctor told her to get him over to HRH pronto.
John has been diagnosed with pneumonia. If the doctors can get his temperature down to 100 within the next couple hours, he will come home. If not, he will spend at least one night in the hospital.
That would be strange - ME going to see John at HRH, instead of the other way around.
As the day went on and John's condition got worse instead of better, in spite of taking two prescriptions and Tylenol, Elsa kept muttering, "One Jim Henson is enough."
I could not figure out what she could mean. She reminded me. Jim Henson died of a virulent strain of pneumonia which went untreated too long. He died of a nasty but treatable illness because he dismissed it as just a nasty case of the flu.
Yes, one Jim Henson is enough.
John is in good hands. My prayer is that he can come home tonight, where Elsa can keep an eye on her OTB.
What a break that John is resting, trying to get his temperature down, leaving Elsa free to hightail it back here. I tried to contact Peter to see if he could swing over to do tuck in duties, but we were not able to connect.
It has been a long, scary day. My thoughts and my prayers are with my dear s-i-l. Nite nite and God bless.
Love - Budgie's M-I-L
Subj: my third posting of the day (not a good sign)
Date: 4/1/01 3:31:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time
It is 2:30 a.m. (3:30 to those who remembered to spring their clocks forward an hour) and Elsa just got home.
Alone.
John's temperature came down just one degree to 103.3, so he will be in the hospital for at least 36 hours of care. Elsa is pretty bedraggled. She came home before he was admitted because she worried I might need help. (Peter was not able to return my calls, so I was home all by myself.)
It pains me to admit, but I did need her help. She had already come home around midnight to help tuck me in; the problem is that due to my bum shoulder, once I'm down I need help getting up to do even the simplest things (like using the loo). If Elsa had stayed until John was settled, I do not know how I could have managed.
Just as I was getting beset with anxiety, I heard the car drive up.
What a day.
Subj: what a blessing the Internet is
Date: 4/1/01 9:33:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time
I have experienced many blessings due to my "cyber circle." It would be difficult to explain how it has felt these 24+ hours.
Keeping my cyberspace circle updated on our drama with John's pneumonia has been a remarkable experience. I know that being able to post the information as seen through my eyes was a godsend to Elsa, who would have found it hard to share in the first person.
For me, it was a release to be able to do something, since there was so little I could do and it is such unknown territory to me. I am the one - not John - who is normally at HRH. He is the one who is familiar with how to comfort and support Elsa. Being able to compose my thoughts makes me feel like I did my part.
My life was made so much better today through the friendship and caring of Carole Grisin, who brought lunch over so Elsa could be left free to spend time with John without worrying about the home front.
We talked about so many things. She is a special lady. We had a lot of laughs. We walked over to the Spring Tree, with it's clear ornaments filled with pictures of loved ones and we had a grand time as I filled her in on a who's who. The gem I would like to share with you has to do with how Carole deals with disagreeable people - she changes her attitude by thinking about something the person is good at. One woman was so rude, she almost stumped Carole in her quest to find something positive until it hit her - the woman was good at being rude. What a good life attitude. What a blessing this immediate daughter of the heart - it does not seem possible we met for the first time last week! - was in my life today and what a difference her kindness made to Elsa.
It is an understatement to say that I am heading off to bed a much happier lady than I was last night.
Love to one and all - Grammie Kay (and Bon Voyage! to Julie!)
And now, a word from Elsa - - Fingers crossed, John should be home tomorrow. His temperature is back to normal, but he still is having problems with getting enough oxygen into his system. His breathing seems fine, but it seems that fluid in the lungs is keeping the oxygen from doing whatever it is supposed to do. He is really tired; everytime he drops off to sleep, a coughing spasm shakes him awake. I can't wait to get him home and healthy.
My own thanks to Carole, who is the very definition of friendship. I was able to get in a brief visit with her myself when I took a 2-hour break from hospital duties (John asked me to stay all day and I wasn't about to say no, but did need a small break). I was happy to see her car still outside when I pulled up and happier still to find her all comfy in the visitor's chair close by Mom's. (Interesting side note - the pink tulips she brought on her first visit last week - she is participating in a discussion circle at our house on the book "The Best Year of Your Life!" - have evolved from looking like beautiful tulips to resembling the palest pink exotic iris. All three of us marveled over the transformation.) Obviously, Mom had a wonderful time and we have both been well fed by the bounty of Boston Market goodies that Carole brought over. Carole - thanks, thanks and more thanks!
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