Bucket List Friday Five

I've been thinking a lot about this as I have a BIG Birthday coming this July 25th. I won't say which, but it doesn't start with a 5 or 7. It does give a sense of urgency to things as I read the obits in the NY Times and see more and more people in my age group buying the farm, kicking the bucket-you get the point. Additionally, last year I had major surgery and went through the whole process of  signing all the papers that made beloved my unplugger (because even though we're married in Canada-in the eyes of the USA we are only good friends-sigh.) It kind of makes you think of these things.

So, Singing Owl said:

"It's a Bucket List Friday Five, Gals and Pals!
I wrote this Friday Five a while back but was unable to post it. Just saying, so you know I am not ill! :-) Actually I am heading out of town and will not be able to read your posts till sometime early next week, but I'll do so then. Have fun, and don't think too hard about this one. I figured we were due for some fun after Lent and Good Friday and Easter and all that churchy stuff!

Four days of being mostly in bed with a really bad case of flu (do not worry--I will give no detail) has me pondering the fragility of life. LOL! Death, however, has been cheated in my case and I am up and taking nourishment. In that vein of thought, do you have a "Bucket List"? In other words, from the movie of the same name, five things you want to see, do, accomplish, etc. before you kick the bucket?"

1. I would mostly love to have a place with a little extra room to do my projects and breath. We're in the process (almost typed processing-how about that? see the post before last) Make that one with refrigerator that makes ice cubes on the door.

2. I would like to do more traveling while I can still walk around and enjoy myself ( I have a kind of spinal cord injury see posts marked Cauda Equina Syndrome-and though it's not progressive, I use a cane and  aging seems to bring it's own problems like arthritis which is making things a little worse.)

3. Under traveling, how about France, more of Italy, London, and lets get fanciful Bali, Thailand  and there about, Australia. Cruising and in particular with Olivia . I've always wanted to sail from here to Europe. In my younger days I wanted to do a solo sail, not anymore.

4. I wish I could retire and volunteer as an art teacher. That was my first career. One that I never actually did.

5. I'd love to actually find a church that I love and feel a part of.

I may add to this but this is it for now and I have to go to work!

Easter Parade

As Joe.My.God would Say, double click to embiggen. I took the pics. It was a cool but sunny day. Next year I may make a bonnet!

So Difficult

I'm about to get ready for our marriage therapy session. I think this is session number eleven or twelve. Our presenting issue was lack of space in our tiny apartment. We lived well in two apartments in two states for 14 years, then got married and when we couldn't find a place to share-for reasons too sensitive to share here, I said, move in here. I have regretted that ever since. I lived here with another person once before and when she left, I said never again. I made a mistake. Was it too big a mistake?

I've been thinking about blogging about this for awhile, but have hesitated and have found that my blog is filled with meaningless blather. This is what makes me sleep way more than I need to. This is what makes me drag through my days. This is what keeps my individual therapist busy. Keep me in your prayers.

Friday Five the Appliance Edition

Sally posted this FF: "As I write this I am waiting for my new dishwasher to be delivered, it along with my washing machine and vacuum cleaner are household appliances that I consider indispensable! Others not so much, we decided not to replace our tumble drier when the old one finally gave out last year, and I can honestly say I haven't really missed it. My hubby Tim and I often disagree about which household appliances are really necessary and which ones aren't, we also enjoy a few luxury items, my one of favourites is a juicer, and Tim's is our all singing all dancing filter coffee maker- it has a thermos jug so the coffee stays nice and hot without the aid if a heat element."

My old High School friend MKC who just bought a fixer upper should enjoy reading these, so note to MK, go to Revgalblogpals in the right hand column and click to see who responded to the Friday Five. 

So being in a domestic frame of mind I thought I'd ask;

1. What is the one appliance you simply couldn't be without?

My Kitchen is so small ( drum roll///\\\"How small is it") A really a small box adjacent to the large shoe box that is my apartment, that it holds a refrigerator, cook top (don't think fancy here-four burners) oven, sink, some cabinets, a microwave, coffeemaker, Cuisinart, shelves, drawers and lots and lots of take out menus! The one thing I couldn't live without is my refrigerator because I love my cold beverages, not alcoholic.

2. What if anything would you happily give up?

I would gladly give up the section of wall connecting the room to the living room which would open up both rooms.

3. What is the most strangest household appliance you own?

It's a none electric appliance, but I have a little pair of scissors shaped like a little chicken, that belonged to my mother, that can cut the top off  of a soft boiled egg. I also have my mothers knives-she was a butcher and meat cutter.

4. What is the most luxurious household appliance you own?

Have you SEEN my kitchen?

5. Tell us about your dream kitchen- the sky is the limit here....

Start with one of those kitchens like Hazel had only updated, with a huge island and a refrigerator that does everything especially makes ice on the door. ( I don't even have room to make ice in the fridge!) Then go on from there...

She's really something!

NOM or "Gnome"

Some responses to the NOM commercial. I have not seen it on TV, which is-I suppose-why my TV survives.

Happy Easter

We're going to the Easter Parade after brunch with the adult godchild.

An 11 year old hangs himself over antigay bullying at school

HE WAS 11 for God's sake! 

Have your ever hear your child say someone was gay as a joke?

"An 11-year-old Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, hung himself Monday after enduring bullying at school, including daily taunts of being gay, despite his mother's weekly pleas to the school to address the problem. This is at least the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to bullying this year. Carl, a junior at New Leadership Charter School in Springfield who did not identify as gay, would have turned 12 on April 17, the same day hundreds of thousands of students will participate in the 13th annual National Day of Silence by taking some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bullying and harassment at school. The other three known cases of suicide among middle-school students took place in Chatham, Evanston and Chicago, Ill., in the month of February."

Friday Five-Adoramus Te

Sophia posted this friday five:

1. How will you pray and worship today?
I should be doing the stations of the cross right now, with Pax Christi, across 42nd St. I've done this a number of time. It's a social justice thing with stops at major offenders, companies that do business with nations that use slave labor or other bad things, recruiting stations etc. I got up early enough, but the seder in NJ was so late and long last night...maybe I'll go back to bed. I may go to General across the street or Holy Apostles up the Street. later.

2. Share a powerful memory or memories of Good Friday past.
When I was in 7th and 8th grade at St. Rose School in Girard, Ohio, I sang in the girls choir. We really participated in all the Easter services, and they were still in latin, at least some of them were. It made me feel entitled.

3. How have you grown and experienced God's love during this past Lent?
I haven't. Too personal to talk about.

4. In whom do you see the face of the suffering Christ most clearly?
In the homeless I see on the street everyday and on the faces of the clients that come through my office.

5. Where do you find hope for resurrection?
Still checking...

The Popes Planner

from Religion Dispatches:

1. Pope Benedict wakes up and dons his gold lined robes and red Prada shoes.
2. He goes to 7 am Mass in a private chapel.
3. After Mass, he eats breakfast alone. (by this point in the day, it should be noted, President Barack Obama would already have been briefed by about a billion people on situations ranging from homeland security to the economy.)
4. He meets a few visitors in the morning (you may have heard about his recent five minute meeting with the US Speaker of the House).
5. He eats lunch.
6. Then, the Pope goes to his study for the rest of the day to read and write.

Sounds pretty nice. I'll bet there's a little couch for a nap in that study. Maybe he can take off his robes a put on some comfy clothes!