Thursday, April 22, 2010

Daybook


Outside my window...the beauty of spring assaults my senses.

I am thinking... how can such beauty be such a thorn to my existence (allergies)
I am thankful for...the fisherman who caught the dinner we just ate.

I am wearing...my uniform of jeans.

I am remembering...the music of my youth.
I am going...to try to have dinner ready for three o'clock daily.
I am currently reading...the latest Robert Crais novel.
I am hoping...to use my restaurant discount tickets soon.
On my mind...the mistakes my children make.
Noticing that...Bells has such a great vocabulary now!

Pondering these words..."Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say "Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
From the kitchen...freshly caught striped bass, leftover rice and beans and a green salad.
Around the house...the little one eating her pasta, Himself on the computer and the breeze through the open windows.
One of my favorite things...going to visit my niece and her babies while she cuts and colors my friend's and my hair!

What's in your daybook today?

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Television: Liberator, Captor or Time Vampire

The dvr (digital video recorder) is a blessing and a bane. Before we had one, we missed shows
because they were on at the same time another favorite show was on or because it was on too
late. We would hope to catch the missed show on summer reruns.

Now, we can record two shows at a time whilst watching a recorded show. Isabella's favorite
shows are always on tap and, I must admit, we do use them way too much. Let's blame it on
lack of energy to engage in more constructive activities.

Well, our dvr has been rather persnickety lately. Let's just say it makes watching
television "interesting." Therefore, we got a new one delivered and will be setting it up
tomorrow. Problem is we can't transfer the recorded shows to the new dvr so I stayed up way to late to watch my recorded programs!

I know that there is so much more I could be doing. Reading would be a great option.
Cleaning. Catching up on correspondence - yea, right. But here I sit fast forwarding
through commercials and seeing what Jack Bauer will do next to save the US of A.

What DO people with low energy do without tv? There are things I need to do for the Autism Speaks walk. It is more than a month away but will be here before I know it. I could be researching things to do with Isabella instead of letting her watch "Little Bear" until she can script whole shows.

My house hasn't had a good dusting in so long that I could probably sculpt small, furry creatures on any flat surface. Maybe I exaggerate but I really need to do some deep cleaning. Exercise. Oh, how I need exercise.

Truth is, tv is my down time. All day long I try to keep up with what needs to be done. So much doesn't get done because of my low energy but we keep it together somehow. I keep up with the latest announcements from Autism Speaks on facebook and read blogs written by people living with autism. One is actually written by someone WITH autism. This is a form of education.

Maybe I will try to leave the tv off during the day. Tomorrow. Or maybe the next day.
Hope you are keeping busy in a way that keeps you smiling, g

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Our Guy Sal

I wrote this nearly four years ago and decided to rerun it as my father-in-law died today.


My Guy Sal
I am having trouble sleeping so I thought I would begin to tell you about some colorful people in my extended family starting with my father-in-law.

Sal is 91 years of age and was the first born of Italian immigrants. His mother had suffered several miscarriages before his birth and adopted a daughter. He was raised to be, as we call it in the greater NYC area, an IAP (Italian American Prince). He was followed by a brother a number of years later.

As a young man, he was a great athlete and a man about town. From what I hear, he left a trail of broken hearts. Then he met Helen whom he married seven months later. He owned a taxi and that was their only means of support.

With the cab business faltering, Sal was able to secure a job with Metromedia television as a cameraman. Remember Soupy Sales? On his show, he would talk to Uncle Sal -yup, that was my f-i-l. I believe many of the shows he was involved with were local to the NY area such as Sonny Fox, Wonderama, Sandy Becker, Bishop Sheen and Romper Room.

The show that all of you probably know, though, is The Honeymooners. He tells us stories of how Jackie Gleason never studied a script and the rest of the cast had to play off of his ad libbing!

Yankee fans, anyone? Yes, Sal was a cameraman for the live action of Yankee baseball and would, at times, be in the dug out (Joe DiMaggio was a jerk).

My favorite story was when Madeline Murray O'Hare was a guest on Bishop Sheen's live show. Remember her? The woman who took prayer out of school and started an atheist's society. Well, leave it to Sal. When she started spouting her anti-God rhetoric - I remind you this was live television - Sal started yelling, "You're gonna burn in hell!" He was rushed off the set and didn't lose his job because, well, those were different times. Besides, the bishop liked him.

Unfortunately, Sal had to do alot of shift work so he wasn't around for alot of his four children's day to day activities. However, they all love him and he loves them.

Eventually, Sal became a floor manager and then worked alone in the studio at night when things became automated. Helen convinced him to retire because she was afraid of his being alone.

Sal has had three major cancer surgeries (never needing chemo or radiation treatments), open heart surgery (the doctor never thought he would be alive the next day) and various other surgeries and conditions including mild Alzheimer's. God has blessed him with a miraculous ability to heal quickly. It takes two full years to recover from open heart and he recovered in nine months or so. I believe God gave him this ability to heal quickly to save my m-i-l from going insane!!

As he didn't have the time with his kids and grandkids to fully enjoy them, he dotes on his only greatgrandchild, my granddaughter, Isabella. We truly believe that one of the reasons he is alive today is because of that little girl. If he isn't with her, he is talking about her. He has to be the one to feed her her bottle. When we are leaving their house, he tells her how much he is going to miss her and tries to lay the guilt to get us to come back soon!

We haven't always gotten along but, after a big blow out between the two of us about seven years ago, he thinks I am the cat's meow. He is still a bit spoiled but has mellowed with age.

Yup, I love my father-in-law, Sal.

Blessings, g

Friday, April 2, 2010

Via Dolorosa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6dwOX6N_Tk

Down the Vía Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed in to see
The Man condemned to die on Calvary
He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those who cried out for His death
Down the Vía Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,
But He chose to walk that road out of
His love for you and me.
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.
Por la Vía Dolorosa, triste día en Jerusalém
Los soldados le abrían paso a Jesús.
Más la gente se acercaba,
Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.
Por la Vía Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor
Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey y Señor,
Y fue Él quien quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mí.
Por la Vía Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir.
The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men
Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem.
Down the Vía Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me
Down the Vía Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

My God, My Brother, My King. Thank you Jesus for all you gave and still give.