Cottage "Le Cottage"

 We live in a small cottage in Burlingame, CA.  "Le Cottage" in french will be the name as I recently read in a book one should name their home to define identity and character. I love that idea and since I have a french country interior and love many things of France, I have chosen Le Cottage. The name is also inspired by our most wonderful friends Alan and Rosalie who frequently came to visit and dubbed our home "Cottage Living."  Combining our love of the name "cottage living" with our love of France,  especially the french friends including and not limited to:  Pierre, Sophie, Charlotte and their families, we found Le Cottage to suit us and define our lifestyle. Joe and I are blessed to have so many friends we have met from France, some who now live in America and some who come for visits and all whom have shared their French life with us.  I learn from the French how to eat simply and elegantly. I have watch how the French  create vignettes within their homes to create beauty and that bring pleasure. I have learned to appreciate beauty in nature by bringing fresh flowers and plants inside. Of course, I cannot leave that we learn from the French of  leisurely dinners and wine and cheese.  Today, my blog was inspired by my desire to design my retirement lifestyle. Which will not be retirement at all, it will be LIVING FULLY, recognizing  beauty in everyone and in everything and sometimes take photographs and writing about my experience.  Today, I enjoy our Le Cottage. Photos are outside, inside and with Zachary, our nephew who made dinner and served it in our little family room in 2019.

Good Shepherd Sunday

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, a day in our Catholic Easter Tradition to celebrate Jesus' role as Good Shepherd. Our priest during the 5pm mass spoke of the vocation to priesthood for men. In my mind I wanted to say men and women, however, in my heart and prayer God called to mind that we are all called to be good shepherds. My life has been filled with many good shepherds, first and foremost, my God "Jesus." My own father, Vernon has been my shepherd. He has been a gentle soul from my youth and to today.  My father has been my source of comfort, support and a role model in so many ways of service. My mother, now deceased, still shepherd's me with her mantras like "the better my attitude, the better my day," waking us in the morning, with "this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and get up," and "brush your teeth you will feel better." My sisters and brothers have been my shepherd during times when I needed help in a variety of ways, most especially during the suffering from breakups with boy friends, life's disappointments and even in sharing my successes.   My husband, my beloved Joe, even named after St. Joseph, Jesus' father. My Joe as I affectionately refer to him is a very good shepherd to me and to our family. How do I shepherd? I think of Jamie and Roxanna and now my brother's boys. I see that I have times when I am the sheep and when I become the shepherd. This blog was to be about Holy Communion, for in attending the 5pm mass I felt so happy to be with our St. Catherine's community and in sharing communion, I was uplifted deeply. In the going, and being with community, I realized how often the people of St. Catherine's have shepherded me over my 35 years as part of St. Catherine's "flock," when on occasion, the only reason I showed up was to be held by community. The shepherd of our St. Catherine's in the formal sense is Fr. Ryan who has taught all of us how to be good shepherd's by his life as good shepherd and our pastor.

More than enough, my cup overflows

 

More than enough  

 My beloved husband has gone on a weekend getaway with his University of Illinois pals.  He is golfing, bonding and whatever else men do on their weekends away. As a result of his going away, I am responsible for my own meal planning. Before Joe left he wanted to go to the store and get some food for me so that I would have enough to eat. I said, no worries there is enough.  Joe left Thursday after work and my friend Susan Dirksen invited me to pick lettuce, spaghetti squash and tomatoes from her garden. So day one I had a yummy salad. For lunch the next day and yummy tomato sandwich and for dinner spaghetti squash.  Day 2 I started to scrounge the  freezer and to my delight found one lone hamburger that we must have saved when we made three and only ate two. So that was Friday with some more of the lettuce for a great fresh salad.   We have english muffins, we have fruit, we have cereal and so breakfast has been easy peasy.  Now today, my friend Sue Gill is bringing lunch for a social distancing backyard luncheon and I am sure there will be enough for leftovers. As my good fortune in friends continues, Diane invited Joan and me for lunch on Sunday.  So as I said to Joe,  no worries there is enough. I have enjoyed more than enough food, friends and love that my cup overflows. Please join me for leftovers. #givingwingstoyourdreams #mycuprunnethover

Savoring the Holy Eucharist

 Yesterday I was able to attend the 12 noon mass at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Burlingame, CA. It has been a long time (7 months) for a daily mass due to the Covid restrictions. It was a beautiful mass led by our beloved Fr. John Ryan. Attending mass, being with with the "regular" 12 noon mass friends and receiving the Holy Eucharist is a great gift. My heart is still singing in this moment as I reflect on yesterday's mass. I lingered with the Holy Eucharist in my mouth like a passionate kiss from my lover. I savored with eyes closed the goodness of the Lord. We are blessed as Catholics/Christians to have the Holy Eucharist the embodiment of Christ Himself, given to us to feed us, heal us and remember Jesus. Do this in memory of me. What are we to remember that Jesus came to save, to serve, to forgive and to bring us life everlasting. What a gift to leave us...a way to be and to live.  With every remembrance of Christ we are called to follow, to become the hands, feet, heart, words, eyes and ears that feed,care, hear the cries of humanity and serve the needs for one another. Receiving holy communion refreshes my commitment to following the way of the Lord.  I savor the goodness of the Lord, knowing that the way of Christ is the way to great joy.What do you savor most in life? #givingwingstoyourdreams #holyeucharist #holycommunion #thewayofChrist

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Review, Refresh and Restart Goals

 As a lifelong goal setter, someone me who has practiced setting and achieving goals, I am reviewing how I am doing and I need to refresh and restart.  In review, not so good. I first see that my goals are less specific than usual. I am not sure if the not achieving my goals is due to lack of specificity or my own motivation or perhaps distractions from Covid 19 or other responsibilities that have crept into my life.  However, these are only excuses for not achieving what is possible.  Today, a new day, to begin again.  The goals I sent for 2020 are listed on this photo and built on a theme of "The Year of Optimal Health for soul, mind and body. I do have a spiritual life, especially this year. I cling to Jesus in every moment and my conversation is usually "help me!" I have my yoga practice which grounds me, connects me to my students even if only virtually and enables me, through the combination of movement and breathing to feed my body and soul with moments of connection, love and presence. I have really tried to drink more water, however, that seems to fall by the wayside. I have recently completed reading a wonderful book, The Book of Longings, by Sue Monk Kidd, an amazing story that I recommend to all.  Joe cooks healthy meals and I have been able to practice moderation...mostly.  Today, October 5, 2020, now that I have reviewed my goals, I shall refresh my goals and restart for every day is a new beginning.  Take time today to restart, this is our day.

I wept today, enough to fill the ocean

 I wept today. My mind is clearer now. Tears for the children alone and isolated because of neglect, Covid restrictions or other abuse. Tears for children who hold in their tears because they are told they are "too old to cry" or "embarrassed to cry" or "too tough to cry". Tears for those where the world's harshness as  has locked the tears deep inside.  Tears for suffering of those I love. Tears for the lonely living  in convalescent and assisted living facilities and  hospitals that won't allow visitors or have no one to visit. Tears of of frustration from too much work, complicated working situations and constant technology challenges. Tears for those who have children who are sick and dying. Tears for  our broken world. Tears for our country fighting within itself. Tears for our military personnel  who stand with courage, live with disabilities and die alone. Tears for police, fire and healthcare teams who respond when we are most in need. Tears for our poor in need of food, shelter and clothing. Tears for those who struggle with diseases including mental illness and depression.  Tears I don't even know the source. Tears of relief as my brother and nephew hugged me and encouraged me to cry it out. Tears of joy knowing that I am loved beyond measure by family, friends, my beloved husband and my God. I wept today, enough to fill the ocean. #healing #tears #wept #catharsis

Unfortunately, Fortunately

We took off on our bikes to go play basketball at the local school and unfortunately the school was back in session for a morning preschool program.  Fortunately we had another option and rode to Pershing Park to play basketball and the hoops were blocked with wooden blocks so public could not use. Fortunately we had yet another option. We rode to St. Catherine's Catholic School and their basketball hoops were also "blocked." Fortunately the church was open so we went inside, and our eyes adjusted quickly from the sunlight to church lit only from stain glass. It was quiet, we sang an alleluia to hear our echo, we prayed an Our Father, lit candles (turned them on as this is the new safe way to light candles) and took some photos.  Unfortunately I needed to return home to take an important call. Fortunately it was lunch time so Joe made us BBQ hot dogs and we ate outside.  Unfortunately I ate too much.  Fortunately the boys wanted to ride to Washington Park and keep me in shape and unfortunately those hoops were also blocked. Fortunately enough time had passed so we rode back to the original school and the basketball hoops were open. Finally we got to play basketball and tag and returned home for a yummy dinner made by Joe and Zachary.  Unfortunately the boys go home tomorrow. Fortunately we will see them again soon.  #pershingpark #Washingtonpark #fortunately #stcatherineofsiena