Thanksgiving Days 2010-III
Today is Saturday, the last day of the liturgical year.
Yesterday, I awoke at ~ 4am and sent some email correspondence to friends far and near, as well as to my classes of students. After tying bows on wreaths with Judi, Jess, Don, Rocco, and Regina,
I exchanged an organizer near William and Marissa's home. Also I got a pair of shoes and lip gloss. I took two naps yesterday (~45" and 1'15"), between which was sandwiched a visit to a craft store across the river in McKees Rocks. After dinner with Mom and Dad, we went for a visit at William and Marissa's home, to return some items at a store near their home, and to return to play a Sea game with Beatrice that Lolo and Lola gave them. Solomon enjoyed playing a game with Marissa and Lola, whilst Beatrice won the Sea game she played with the rest of us by a close margin.
Upon returning home, we had a snack, and I forwarded a file from Rosie T. to some of mom's other friends. Had a long, 19+ hour day and was tired after it, as well.
Labels: Beatrice, email, games, jewelry, niece and nephew, seasons, shoes, shopping, sleep, Spain
Pentecost 2010
Today I arose ~5:30 and then took some photos of the foggy morning afterwards.
The Pentecost Mass included singing with a guest, Gabe's brother Carlo. I told Judi that Regina could not attend Mass today, and I met up with Mom, Dad, and Regina's parents after Mass during the voluntary. Fr. Steve from the Oratory celebrated the Mass.
Mom, Dad, and I went for lunch at Whole Foods. We then went to return an item at TJ Maxx, and I got li'l tan ped things for my feet this summer. I picked up Mom and Dad at the stores, then we headed home. I put my items away, and took a nap.
Jennifer H and I had tentatively decided to go to the performance of John Rutter's Requiem Mass at St. Maurice Church in Pittsburgh. We talked via phone, and decided I would drive, picking her up on the way. Brent, of Choireland fame, is the music director there. Don accompanied the group on their organ. The choir was particularly well-balanced, and the soloists were wonderful. Jennifer H noted that the second movement, "Out of the Deep," had an extended lunga by the altos. The sixth movement, "The Lord is my Shepard," is the same as that which our choir sings, except this organ was electronic and accompanied by cello, flute, harp, oboe, and percussion.
We spoke with Brent, and with Don, Judy afterwards. Don noted that Fr. John, the pastor, is Ed's brother. Ed plays brass with our music ministry at various holidays.
Labels: Choir, dining, diocese of Pittsburgh, music, organ, photos, Pittsburgh, shoes, shopping, singing
End of the Week
Yesterday, Karina, Maureen, and I went for meditation, (then we were joined by Nancy) and discussion of Zen readings in Lawrenceville. We walked around the neighborhood afterwards, and looked about a little shop afterwards, which Karina astutely noted is chock full of recycled items.
So, after Mass celebrated by Fr. Bill, served by John, and music-ministered by Don <48>; Mom and I went to Waterworks Mall today--mainly to get me tan anklets. I'm sooo excited about these little socks. They are microfiber and also have a little plastic elasticized piece at the Achilles tendon attachment! How useful. (Sunday: Until you try them on---then you realize that they slip off my smaller foot at the heel.)
Mom shared some of her costume jewelry with me, and I met up with Christina before Bianca's Bible study tonight. Luke gave an informative talk on the Church in China, then we went to Bianca's final Bible study. Christina, me, Bianca, Leland, Kevin, and one more person listened to the DVD and discussed concepts of Scriptural readings. Christina kindly gave me a ride home.
I had a snack of cheeses, apples, and mixed nuts with Mom after the Bible study.
Labels: Bible, Church, dine, family, international culture, jewelry, meditate, recycle, shoes, shopping
First week February 2010
Work. Stress. Napping. Exercise. Retail therapy.
This first couple of days of this week I've been spending at work, and stressed out by health insurance and by the renovations adjacent to my parents' unit. I've been coping by napping, exercise, and retail therapy.
The renovations adjacent to my parents' unit are loud and vibrating. A porcelain soap dish broke by falling into their sink, and the clock on their commode fell. TOO LOUD! and TOO VIBRANT!! I've been avoiding spending time in their unit...and by napping at home.
Each day for the past two days Maureen and I have exercised. We walk to the gym, where I spend ten minutes on the bicycle, ~ ten minutes doing ball exercises, doing (20 X 2) OR (10 + 5) lat pull downs (at level 4 and 3, respectively), and doing 10 to 15 wall squats in demi plie. We then walk back to my home. Today at the gym I saw Ellen from work.
This afternoon, after Maureen sent me an email, I purchased some health shoes for my hips, and a pair of thick-soled black mules/clogs as well. I saw Al on the way there, and we chatted. I told Maureen about the healthy shoes during our walking session and she and I stopped by in the evening to purchase a couple of pairs for her. (She had told me about this brand initially.)
We had some mocha hot chocolate at her home after our shopping outing.
It was warmer today, it got up to freezing. The ground hog / ground pig saw his shadow and that means six more weeks of winter. I think it means that the poor li'l animal was frightened by the flashes from the cameras and the lights of the television cameras, saw his shadow, and THUS six more weeks of winter. There's a parallel here between our human perturbations of weather through our manipulations of nature.
Labels: American history, animals, chocolate, email, exercise, family, health, home, light, seasons, shoes, shopping, sleep, stress, walking, weather, work
Preparing for Jenny's Arrival
After Luce departed early Monday morning, I took a brief nap. Mom, Dad, and I went to Greentree for the Chinese Buffet, and went straight to Dr. Pat's office to pick up supplies for the medical mission. We stopped at Tuesday Morning for some shopping, and I went home and did some laundry and dishes in between a cool lemonade break with Maureen. I dropped off the pill cutter for mom late Monday night.
Tuesday I lectored and also attended the evening Mass with Maureen. I had my physical therapy in the afternoon, as mentioned in my previous entry.
Today I went Downtown to pick up shoes I had dropped off for repair, went to Mom & Dad's, then picked up my meds and ran into Jenn, who will meet with Jenny Friday. Spoke with Jenny, some other friends, and took a bus home. SR gave me little magnetic words!
I must vacuum and empty the dishwasher before tonight is over...
Labels: cleaning, friends, health, Mass, medical mission, music, phone, repair, shoes, St. Paul Cathedral, walking, writing, Zubik
Back in the Burgh
Mom, Dad, and I returned to Pittsburgh late yesterday afternoon. It was good to:
See Donough again,
See Gaby, Chrissy, Uncle Dodong, Maria, and Anna,
See (and stay with) Kelly in her neighborhood
Shop at China Town, Manhattan
See Angela Lansbury in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit
Go to the Met (Museum)
Enjoy Mother's Day in New York
Shop around NYU (including at Strand Books and the street fair)
Listen to an organ meditation at Grace Church
See (and stay with) Ben & Benita, Linda, Bill, and Alex at their home
Be treated to amazing food by Foodie relatives
Drive back with minimal precipitation/rain
Be back in time for choir practice yesterday evening
Nap practically every day
Labels: art, Choir, dining, family, friends, jewelry, museum, music, New York, photography, photos, reunion, seasons, shoes, shopping, sleep, St. Paul Cathedral, theater, weather
Bellamy Brothers
Yesterday Nancy C. and I spent the afternoon and evening together. We met at the sushi buffet, as I was hankering fish (for the omega-3 fatty acids). I enjoyed two trips to the ice cream bar. After, we headed to Ross Park Mall and the new Nordstroms. We just sat in the midst of the shoe section for a while, taking it all in. After, we headed to some shops on the lower level (I purchased some earrings, she a smoothie), and while I waited for Nancy I ran into Regina. We vowed to see each other soon, and parted ways. Nancy and I did some window shopping at the last.
I was slowly losing my voice.
After a short time at home, Nancy picked me up for a concert at the the A.J. Palumbo Center of the Bellamy Brothers, with special guests Jesse and Noah, the sons of David Bellamy. Jesse and Noah opened the show, and their country rock sounds paved the way for the audience to enjoy the rest of the show.
Chatted with Nancy for a bit afterwards, and it was clear that I was losing my voice. I had some salabat while chatting on the phone, which helped a little bit.
Labels: dining, Duquesne U, international culture, music, Pittsburgh, shoes, shopping, voice
Shadyside Arts Fest 2008, Faith Sharing, P.S. I Love You
After finishing my grading for the weekend, I went with my former coworker to the Shadyside Arts festival. We enjoyed taking pics; I collected Obama buttons for me, Mom and Dad, and William and Marissa; and I said hi to Marlo's mom. We got some drinks at one of the local drugstores, and I caught the bus to the Newman Center for faith sharing. We shared our thoughts on the parable of the sower (Luke), and Jose, Joey, Paul, Maureen, and I had a lively discussion. This was followed by pizza from a block away, carried to watch the movie P.S. I Love You by Maureen and I. Jose stayed through part of the movie, and Karina joined us later. Doug had recommend the movie to me because of the "Ireland" scenes, but we ladies enjoyed the sappy, cute, scenes that also made it a great "chick flick."
Labels: art, biology, cinema, Faith, friends, Ireland, music, shoes, work
Cleaning/Organizing/Purging VI
Today I spent two and a half hours this afternoon going through my clothes to donate some of them...I emptied a suitcase, and went through my T shirts, light shirts, and some of my closet to donate.
After Jeopardy! Mom and I spent a little over four hours cleaning and organizing my winter layers, post card collection, stationery, gifts, games, files, photos, and hats. Dad showed up in the last half hour to help take down the curtains, and he brought a shoe rack, too. I organized the shoes.
We are all very tired after returning, and I just gobbled down two ES Tylenol.
Labels: cleaning, deltiology, excited, games, organizing, pain, photos, shoes
First Time Outside
Today was my first time outside since I arrived home from the hospital. Elaine dropped off Jane's shower chair she is lending to me---what a great, new appliance/toy! As she was departing, Margie the physical therapist arrived, I told her my about my "tummy time" yesterday, and we practiced transferring into the tub using the chair.
I donned my "Dorothy" shoes after the movie, the Wizard of Oz, using my dressing stick, reacher, and long-handled shoe horn. Then we went OUTSIDE for a walk with crutches (saw Jane in the lobby). We crossed the street to St. Paul Cathedral, ran into Joe and Tina (!), and crossed the street back. We made our way to the parklet of my building, and then back inside to document our day, as well as Margie filling in for some of the nursely duties.
Labels: accessibility, BAD, excited, exercise, garden, health, home, neighbors, outside, Pittsburgh, shoes, St. Paul Cathedral, surgery
Snow, snow, and more snow...then Rain.
Late last night it started to fall---the dry snow. Mid this afternoon it turned to rain.
I asked Ken if he used snow tires to get to Oakland this morning--"No, I just drove really slowly," he answered.
On the way home from work this afternoon, I slogged through the sidewalks and streets (dragging my backpack on wheels), past the short bus stops to Mom and Dad's place. I had a snack of cheese and milk, and plunked down in front of the TV to watch a rarely-viewed-by-me TV show, Oprah. This episode was to be about David Cassidy (Whooo! "I think I love you!"), my first rockstar-poster boy. I found that the TV station is instead continuously broadcasting breaking weather and PennDOT news and the school closings. I am so thankful for my traction.
Dad is on his way back from his medical mission in the Philippines...Mom has taken the bus to the airport to avoid the cold, crazy drive and commuter traffic combined to meet him. Can't wait to see him after a couple of weeks away.
Labels: Church, cold, diocese of Pittsburgh, family, Mass, medical mission, Philippines, Pittsburgh, seasons, shoes, traction, transportation, travel
Winter Vacation Days 2007-2008 II
Off to Chihuly @ Phipps Conservatory. I will drop off Kelly and Unka Sahnee, then go to retrieve my custom shoes at the cobbler shop (Cinderfella), retrieve my photos, and gas up the blue car.
~~~
We then met William, Marissa, and Beatrice for games and fun. Kelly's friend, Sara, was retrieved from the train station and joined us all for brunch on Sunday.
~~~
On Sunday, Dad, Mom, and Unka Sahnee attended noon Mass, where I was a nouvelle soprano. The choir sang:
Angels we Have Heard on High
Psalm 128 (Chepponis)
Christmastime Alleluia (Chepponis)
Gaudete
God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen
Then, Unka Sahnee and I went to the Andy Warhol museum, where there were exhibits by Bruce Nauman, Georgia O'Keefe, and Ron Mueck. We took pics in the green room at the Nauman exhibit; and enjoyed the Mueck sculptures, wondering how he made the hair grow so long.
We then went to see the presepio (another belen!) and trees at the Carnegie Hall of Architecture; during which time Dad and Mom drove Kelly and Sara to Morgantown for the New Year....to spend it in Elkins to ring in the year. After a short nap and dinner, we headed to William and Marissa's for a snack of pizza, and veggies and crisped pitas with dip, then a game of Carcasonne. Beatrice outlasted her Lolo in the playin'-in-the-living room. All had fun, and we hugged Unka Sahnee goodbye since he was having an early morning departure (during which I called Dad's cell phone to wish him safe voyages and a hello to our cousins on the West Coast).
Labels: art, Chihuly, family, farewell, games, museum, photography, photos, shoes, transportation
