A Daybook

 A daybook

**Listening to:  Washing machine draining; dryer cycle spinning;  grand-baby babbling; Gregorian chant.  (Oh! those ads on YouTube come at the most inopportune time.)

**Gratitude: It's official! My 2 oldest grand-loves are coming in October; my 4 year-old grand-love is out of surgery and in her hospital room; Lovey (my remaining parakeet - I lost his mate Dovey last week) is singing again! He had stopped singing in his grief, but is doing better.  I've ordered him a smaller cage and it arrives soon.  

**Praying: for the victims of yesterday's violence in Michigan; for all the sick; for the poor souls in Purgatory; for a happy death; healing for Melania after surgery and that she can adapt to her g-tube feedings.  Praying for our troubled world. 🌍  

**Terra Dulcis: Well, we haven't closed pool yet --- still hitting some 90s in recent days.  But soon.....  I rearranged some larger items in the dining room finally. I love the change. I'm trying to be more diligent and regular in the deeper cleaning of floors, vacuuming, etc.  Grandbaby is extremely mobile now!  Starting to pull up and stand up to anything he can.

**What's cooking: in coming days I have planned......Spaghetti, chili verde,  - flying by the seat of my pants this week, as is often the case.  In my defense though, I usually cook a good hearty breakfast for Tommy.  You know, us 'older folks' tend to change eating patterns.  

**Pondering: I'm beginning to sense God's hand and some fruit being produced by being moved to a different parish to attend our most beloved Tridentine Mass. Just glimpses of God's Divine Providence at work.  A deep peace.  Some I can't even put into words, but the feeling is real. 

**Current project: I've started a fall-themed blanket (I'll post a pic next week), finished my sister's winter beanie, and sent a baby gift off to new home.  

**In closing, a meditation: 'That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; that being rooted and founded in charity, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length, and height, and depth.  To know also know the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge.'  (from Epistle of 16th Sunday after Pentecost)

Pax tecum,

kellie 

Monday - a daybook

 A daybook for reflection from Terra Dulcis ~

Gratitude ~ 

*thanksgiving for Kastl's first birthday celebration.  The miracle baby was celebrated in great form yesterday after Mass with the family

*Az allowed back to work (with restrictions)

*soaking rain

*this summer I was healthy and able to swim again

*Fall has officially arrived! The most wonderful time of the year! 😎

*Keeping up with my 100 days of gratitude posts (on facebook) - there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. I think I'll finish up the 100 days posts mid-November. 

Listening to ~

*clicking of keys, birds hopping around in their cage, the fan in the living room circulating air, AC just clicked on

Praying ~

*continued healing of Az's knee

*Kastl's continued good health

*Melania and her being able to tolerate the ng feedings

*all the sick; grace and blessings for all my loved ones

*the poor suffering souls, especially those of my family and friends - and those who have no one praying for them. 

*for the soul of Charlie Kirk - and for his sorrowing family

Around the house ~

*keeping things tidy and clean

*staying on top of laundry and dishes (THAT is not a little thing, even with just 2 people living here)

What's cooking ~

*leftovers today but I have "planned" for next few days:

*tacos or taco salad 

*'breakfast for dinner'

*maybe suggesting take-out sometime this week

*I'm not always the best weekly planner and wing it more than not. Keeping it real. 

Pondering ~

*Life is short, and we don't know when our time is over.  

*God's grace.

*We are all His children. 

*Wasted time can never be recovered.

Current project ~

*Finishing up with scrappie 

*Starting on a requested beanie hat immediately after that

*Looking through stash to start a baby-girl gift for a newborn 3 weeks old

*I may have 2 works in progress simultaneously (something I rarely do)

Encouraging word~

Because it is evening while I'm writing this, a beautiful hymn from Compline (evening prayer)

Before the ending of the day, Creator of the world we pray

That with Thy wonted favor Thou, would be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our eyes, from nightly fears and fantasies.

Tread underfoot our ghostly foe, that no pollution we may know. 

O Father, that we ask be done, through Jesus Christ Thine only Son.

Who with the Holy Ghost and Thee, doth live and reign eternally. Amen.  

{I wish you could HEAR this sung in Latin by Harpa Dei - google it! You won't be disappointed}

Pax tecum;

kellie 

 

A return to Daybook!

I've been recently inspired by a friend's posts to return to the Daybook here at Terra Dulcis!  Years ago I first saw her Daybooks on her blog and really enjoy the format.  Let's just get to it, and thank you JH for the reminder!

GRATEFUL FOR:

* still cancer free 1 year later.

*AC (feels muggy this mid-September morning).

*started a "100 days of Gratitude" album on my Facebook page.  "There is always something to be grateful for."  

*our new parish home.  It never felt foreign, but like 'home' from the beginning.

*the little things..........so many to list.  The little things really are the big things. 

*care-taking of my youngest grand - he's starting to crawl from room to room now!  

PRAYING FOR:

*Our wounded world; our heartbroken people.

*My son - he sees a bone and joint specialist today.

*All the prayers for my husband, children, grands, friends, benefactors. The sick, those in danger of an unprepared death. 

AROUND THE HOUSE:

*Well, if my rooms weren't baby-proofed before I need to get cracking!

*I keep talking about painting our dining room (talked about it for 3 years!) but I REALLY am ready. 

*Going through clothes that look ridiculously large on me now.......

WHAT'S COOKING:

*Getting some of that freezer food used!  

*My shopping hours are sparse these days with bubba - so a list is started.

*Tomorrow is our sister dinner and it's stew and cornbread, the ultimate comfort food.  (I planned that when it had cooled down a bit.)

*I have some rotisserie chicken so thought I'd try a verde chicken bake.  Yeah, I don't know what it is yet either but I'll let you know. 

*last night was grilled steaks - something I'm actually getting better at.  (grilling, that is)

PONDERING:

*Where we go from here.

*How do we 'go across the aisle' without compromising?

*When am I going to get another sip of coffee? 😀 (hey there has to be some levity)

READING:

*started the St. Bridget prayers June of 2024.  That gets priority over anything else right now.  

*trying to use the Deliverance prayers daily (Fr. Ripperger)

Well, thank you for visiting Terra Dulcis.  May your week be blessed and peaceful. 

Pax tecum,

Kellie 

First post of '25

Last October, I planned to do a post a day.  I got to the 23rd.  It started in earnest, but I lost steam along the way.  The whole year is kind of a blur.  But I'm starting to see the light.  Starting to see so much more clearly.  And slowly but surely my 'steam' is returning.  Ever so slowly, but steadily.  

You see, last year-- for about 3 months I couldn't get out of the recliner/chair.  I was bed-ridden but couldn't lay in bed!  From February 2nd until mid April, there I sat.  I couldn't cook, shop, do laundry, clean my house, attend Mass, anything.  Couldn't, couldn't, couldn't.  And I couldn't even read, crochet or watch much tv to pass the days.  Fortunately, I learned the value of napping!  

But it's a new year and here I am.  Here, when a few times I didn't think I would be. I have a confession to make right here, right now.  As a Catholic, we are taught to pray - "Thy will be done".  But I couldn't bring myself to tell God that if it was His will that this was it for me, let it be done.  I prayed instead for healing, another chance to be here for my loved ones.  Another chance to live out my days to a ripe old age.....older than 65.  

As I look back, that was selfish.  Selfish, because I am all His.  He is my Creator and I am His creation.  I would not be in the first place had He not given me my life.  My life is His, not mine.  

In June, as my health was continuing to improve from the earlier issues, I underwent the first of two thyroid surgeries.  One side had cancer, the other didn't.  But the good one had to go as well, to prevent further cancer.  You can't have thyroid cancer if you don't have your thyroid!   And as of my last ultrasound on the 3rd, no further thyroid tissue problems are showing themselves.  Thanks be to God!  The thyroid replacing meds seem to be leveling out my fatigue and other issues.  

I see only good things for my future!  The road has been a long and winding one, but it's brought me straight to this day.  I'll be having blood tests regularly to monitor tsh and adjustments to my medications.  Occasional ultrasounds.  Still being monitored by the blood doctor to see when I can get off the blood thinners (because of the blood clots which kind of was the beginning of it all.)  

My point?  Never give up.  When it feels the river is rushing you out into the open ocean, sometimes you have to close your eyes and allow it to move you until God shows you that He's there and will never forsake you.  Yes, it is a lot easier to pray 'Thy will be done' when you're not on that fast-moving river heading straight into the sea.  But, remember Jesus calmed the sea.  We are never lost if we keep our eyes focused on Him.  Don't ever forget there is not a storm He cannot calm.  

kellie

Oct prompts ~ Suspended

 

I thought I could do it, but I don't have it in me to do this right now.  There is just too much going on.  So, no more daily posts for the time being.

Please keep my family in your prayers. I'm grateful. 

kellie 

Oct prompts ~ a pic on phone

 

 

Good Tuesday morning friends!  This morning's prompt is based on the 11th picture in my phone.  Oh, I was so happy it landed on my current crochet project. 

I learned this pattern many years ago, and I don't need to read directions anymore as I work it up. This pattern, called 'light and lacy', has become one of my favorites.  The colors are from Hobby Lobby (Crafters Secret brand) in very neutral grey and off white.  I think it's turning out quite pretty! 

It measures 38 inches wide, and final length will be approximately 60 to 63 inches.  It's a perfect 'throw' size.  Looks lovely draped at the end of the bed or on the back of a chair.  

I still have one WIP (work in progress) I'd like to finish by Christmas; and another I need to finish before the end of January (which is yet to be visualized in my head). But I'll get there.  🧶🧶🧶🧶🧶

Until next time, friends.  Happy crocheting! kellie  

October prompts ~ career

 

Instead of a whole story about what was and what is no longer ---- we ran our own business from 1979 until August 2, 2021.  

Retirement rocks!  I do not want to turn back!  

I'm a little miffed with fb for removing my link to the blog on a post last week.  I'm keeping today short, but until next time, I wish you peace, kellie