Happy Birthday, Kathaleena! May your day be as sweet as you are♡ May you be blessed in every way that could bring you enjoyment at this age and stage♡ May you feel God’s love showered upon you and your loved ones today and all through your newly achieved age. You’ve arrived to thrive!
Morning and Happiest of Birthdays to you Kathaleena!! ♥️ 🎂
That is a beautiful photo Janice!
Still hanging around the house waiting for the snow to arrive. The mountains are getting pummeled with snow which is great for snowpack and our reservoirs. Now they are forecasting about 4 inches from Friday night into Saturday morn for us…for that reason I shall leave the tree up for one more weekend!
Thank you, all. One of the women who play music with my husband turned the same age as I am today and she was lamenting it greatly. She said she could not even say how old she was! It turns out both her parents died relatively young and to her it just seems so old. I have such a different experience and have seen so many people live wonderfully well in their old age. I also have many friends who are older than me. She also now sees those in their nineties and even over a hundred still living well. That is not to say they do not have their own challenges and aches and pains. It is a blessing to see the elderly living for the Lord, especially.
We’re also getting “several feet” of snow in our mountains which still won’t be enough but is good news — our bigger rain months are Jan-February so we’re all hoping this is a sign of much more to come this season. We are really overdue.
********
Nightingale and Boy are on their way to pick up Chickadee, and should be back with her in a few minutes. I would have gone, too, but Nightingale has a big box in the backseat that she needs to find a place for.
Heidi is probably going to be insanely happy to finally see Chickadee after all this time. I am feeling more nervous and cautious than anything, but I guess I will be okay once she gets here and we settle down into our visit.
Remember where we were at this time last year? After the disruption of a pandemic year, we looked with hope as the calendar page turned. Racial and political tensions, natural disasters, and COVID-19 had crippled our lives. Surely, the coming year would be better.
As we face the close of this year, though, it’s not hard to acknowledge that our optimism fell far short. For many of us, 2021 didn’t offer greener pastures but more of the same parched wasteland we’ve come to know. For two years now, we’ve struggled to stay healthy and to connect to one another. We’ve watched gas prices soar, church sanctuaries empty, and virus rapid tests sell out. Death and discord have weighed down our hearts with world-weariness.
If our vice last year was unrealistic optimism, this year I fear that too many of us look to the coming year with pessimism and despair. Like God’s people, the wandering Israelites, we see desert loneliness spread out toward the horizon. Financial, relational, and health difficulties stretch into the new year as far as we can see. We’ve grown weary of lamenting, “How long, O Lord?” (Ps. 13:1–2), and our doubts are beginning to grow. As a new year dawns, we’re left wondering like our ancient brothers and sisters, “Why did you bring us out here? . . . What have you done to us?” (Ex. 14:11–13, NLT).
How do we face a new year when hope feels so thin? Without the wind of optimism to fill our sails, how can we launch forward into the future with all of its unknowns? How can we continue to sing the Lord’s song in a land filled with grief and disappointment and perpetual struggle?
The landscape of 2022 may hardly look different from the year that is passing, but we can be assured: God is still working. We can face the new year with hope as we watch for God’s hand moving in little ways, knowing that his small provisions reflect the greater mysterious movements of a gracious and sovereign God. …
___________________________
She goes on to talk about looking for manna, remembering our Red Sea, expect water from a rock
I’d celebrate more, but I’m on a sugar overload after binge-watching the entire 2018 Great British Baking Show yesterday than going down hard with Nyquil for 11 straight hours.
It’ll be another lying around all day at my house, but I’ve been so tired, that’s a great thing.
I called the Aquarium contact yesterday because it was really unclear from the materials they sent out whether this otter was being prepared for ocean release. He said yes, but the timeline would depend on the pace of recovery.
Today he says there needs to be a clarification published as the otter will not be released.
Argh.
Instead, we’ll just do a followup by interviewing the curator. Everyone loves an otter story, my editor said, so we’ll just give them two. Plus we’re really low on copy for the long New Year’s weekend.
And the polar bear swim Jan. 1 is on this year — city wouldn’t give them the permit last year due to covid, but they were issued one this year — as long as people “social distance.”
Not sure how they’ll accomplish that as everyone — hundreds of folks usually — just charge into the water at the surf line in what always looks like just a chaotic mash-up.
It’s pouring out there now but we’re trying to get a couple of them to pose on the beach today with an umbrella for the advance story. It is not supposed to be raining on Jan. 1, but it will be quite chilly (the water will actually be ‘warmer’ than the air temperature that day, i was told).
Maryland, now Delaware DIL called Sunday night to let us talk to Grandson 1 and Granddaughter 1. (Hard to believe Little Miss isn’t the only one isn’t it).
Every time Mr. P asked when they are bringing the children down. Every time she has one reason or another. After we hung up ti told him to stop asking. It was upsetting both of them and making her uncomfortable.
Later that night she typed out a long explanation in FB messenger. Then Mr. P responded she could put them on a plane, that they used to do that all the time with Son 1. Times are different honey and there is no way I would put a 9 and 7 year old on a plane without me.
Later I messaged back and forth with DIL. Both children have been distance learning for 2 years now. Many times with the houses in MD were being shown to be sold she would have to put them in the car with their computers and park outside of someplace to borrow the WiFi.
She went on to explain that she had flown alone as a child but these two couldn’t handle it. They have been home with their parents and have extreme anxiety when separated. Granddaughter 1 must have some additional issues but I haven’t pried to know what they are. I do know they see a therapist and she is on medication.
It is sad for Mr. P. I know he wants a relationship with the grandchildren but at this point we haven’t been up there since 2016 and he has said he won’t go back until they come here, since they have found time to go many other places. When I met him, he had just found out he was going to be a grandpa. Oh well, he has Little Miss and she is the center of his universe.
All this was prompted by DJ’s story of Covid. It is doing damage that will take a long time to get over and some may not. I know that it hasn’t been good for Mr. P. He was home with a baby and about the time she could go place and toddle around Covid hit. He really hasn’t socialized with anyone except family since this started. ME? The minute I could go somewhere I got out of the house. I spent enough years cooped up in the house working with Guy. Sometimes I get in the car and go somewhere just because I can.
I’m so grateful I can head out to the store, go out on a work assignment — or sometimes, just “go” for a ride in the car.
I’ve mentioned my friend staying in Arizona caring for her mom who took a fall — they’re both at higher risk than most folks if they catch this thing due to age (her mom who also isn’t vaccinated) and preconditions (diabetes for my friend), and they live in an area that’s not big on precautions.
So they’ve both been literally cooped up and locked away in that house for nearly 2 years now. Her job as a paralegal in downtown LA couldn’t be held beyond the first couple months, so that’s gone. All their food is delivered to their door, they don’t even go to a store.
I mean, how do folks come back out of that kind of isolation with any kind of sense of normalcy?
And I can only imagine the complications and impressions it will all leave with younger children. Teens missed much of their normal socialization by being out of school last year.
Some of this was simply unavoidable from a public health standpoint — hard things happen and we aren’t particularly used to having to follow these kinds of protocols here.
When Chickadee was about to leave, we had another long hug, initiated by me. Then after chatting just a couple minutes, she approached me for another good long hug, and I could tell that she was crying again a bit, as was I.
She explained to me that she does not feel completely male (which I suspected, and her appearance and behavior today reinforced in my mind), but does think that she is more male than female.
My perspective is that because she does not feel “typically female”, or what our society thinks of as feminine, she thinks that she feels more male. That kind of thinking is pushed by people like YA and CBF and others (even her therapist is onboard with this 😦 ). But there is still so much female showing in her.
My prayer is – and has been since I learned that she considered herself “non-binary” a few years ago – that God will stir up in her a recognition of, and appreciation for, the femaleness in her, that she was recognize that she is indeed female, even if she has some traits that she thinks are male.
Glad to hear you had a good visit, Kizzie. Sounds like she will want to visit more. Prayers answered!
We had a late dinner of corn on the cob, green beans, and Beyond Meat burgers. Wesley was reluctant to have a ‘veggie burger’ until he saw one and smelled it cooking. When he tried it he liked it. It seems kinda strange that the old folks are teaching the young to like vegan foods. Backwards from the norm I expect.
Hi Chas! Thanks for checking in today…see you tomorrow!! Sleep well…
Kizzie it is so good to hear of your good visit and what would seem to be a tenderness in the heart of your girl. Seems she hungers for her Mom and may be conflicted due to outside influences. I pray she will come to realize that we are uniquely and wonderfully made by the Creator of all things…no two alike. I pray she will be set free from the chains that bind her and embrace the woman He has created her to be. May the confusion be gone as she dies to self to follow and serve the One who loves her most! Grasping onto the hope of Glory….
We live in confused times and so many without a plumb line become influenced.
Our rain continues tonight, I am (again) sitting next to a fire in the fireplace which is rather relaxing. One more day of work to go — we have Friday off — and I have the first of my 2 stories I need to turn in tomorrow nearly finished (and the interview for the other one completed late today).
Yes, so good to hear from Chas. Hopeful he can find the blog tomorrow with ease. I have the WP app which is easier than the other way. Hopeful someone in the family who is computer savvy will set it up so it is easier to access us on the blog.
After all our years of vacationing here, Wesley found a tourist spot we had neglected. It was a special place with trails, boardwalks, and an old camelia garden. The camelias were in full bloom, and I got many photos. This was on the main part of Hilton Head, a little further away than we usually venture. I am glad that Wesley likes to get around and see more sights. We also went over to Harbortown after dark and saw many Christmas lights and decorations. Sadly, I saw nothing related to Jesus or the religious aspects of Christmas.
We have seen our youngest two grandchildren less often than the others. Also, they have been out and about far less than the others. I can tell that. It took them awhile to adjust being away from home. It just was so different for them. Children are amazingly resilient, however.
We went to our first movie since before Covid. My husband forgot where the theater was! There was one other couple in the theater with us. It was nice to do that again.
Kizzie, so glad all went well with your visit. Prayers continue.
Hilton Head does look so pretty during the Christmas season. Sounds like a nice vacation, Janice. It is fun to see the photos.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a lovely day. We did have a jam today, so the group sang happy birthday to me. They do that for anyone having a birthday. They will jam again on Friday for an early New Year party for residents at a senior living place.
We have a lot of snow, and it was mostly below zero today and will be for a while. Not surprising for this time of the year.
Wandering Views 
Happy Birthday Kathaleena.
🎂 🍰 🧁
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good morning
Happy birthday, Kathaleena!
We are looking for snow today.
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena! May your day be as sweet as you are♡ May you be blessed in every way that could bring you enjoyment at this age and stage♡ May you feel God’s love showered upon you and your loved ones today and all through your newly achieved age. You’ve arrived to thrive!
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The birds are ibis in the header photo. I have to rely on Art and Wesley to tell me the names of the shore birds.
Wesley and I have already walked on the beach. We got out just after sunrise while the peach glow was still on the sand.
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Morning and Happiest of Birthdays to you Kathaleena!! ♥️ 🎂
That is a beautiful photo Janice!
Still hanging around the house waiting for the snow to arrive. The mountains are getting pummeled with snow which is great for snowpack and our reservoirs. Now they are forecasting about 4 inches from Friday night into Saturday morn for us…for that reason I shall leave the tree up for one more weekend!
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Thank you, all. One of the women who play music with my husband turned the same age as I am today and she was lamenting it greatly. She said she could not even say how old she was! It turns out both her parents died relatively young and to her it just seems so old. I have such a different experience and have seen so many people live wonderfully well in their old age. I also have many friends who are older than me. She also now sees those in their nineties and even over a hundred still living well. That is not to say they do not have their own challenges and aches and pains. It is a blessing to see the elderly living for the Lord, especially.
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Amen, Kathaleena.
Happy Birthday!
6
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Happy Birthday Kathaleena!
Nice photo, Janice.
Our rain should be here in a few hours and last through tomorrow.
Two more days and we get a 3-day weekend. This has felt like a very long week already, though.
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena. I was just telling daughter that I am right now at my ideal age and seem to think that every year.
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Happy birthday, Kathaleena!
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We’re also getting “several feet” of snow in our mountains which still won’t be enough but is good news — our bigger rain months are Jan-February so we’re all hoping this is a sign of much more to come this season. We are really overdue.
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena!
********
Nightingale and Boy are on their way to pick up Chickadee, and should be back with her in a few minutes. I would have gone, too, but Nightingale has a big box in the backseat that she needs to find a place for.
Heidi is probably going to be insanely happy to finally see Chickadee after all this time. I am feeling more nervous and cautious than anything, but I guess I will be okay once she gets here and we settle down into our visit.
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That’s your hug time coming up, Kizzie. Prayers.
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An excellent piece that spoke to me this morning as I start the day feeling disheartened by so much in this time of life — winter without Christmas.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/new-year-hope-exodus-desert/
_____________________________
Remember where we were at this time last year? After the disruption of a pandemic year, we looked with hope as the calendar page turned. Racial and political tensions, natural disasters, and COVID-19 had crippled our lives. Surely, the coming year would be better.
As we face the close of this year, though, it’s not hard to acknowledge that our optimism fell far short. For many of us, 2021 didn’t offer greener pastures but more of the same parched wasteland we’ve come to know. For two years now, we’ve struggled to stay healthy and to connect to one another. We’ve watched gas prices soar, church sanctuaries empty, and virus rapid tests sell out. Death and discord have weighed down our hearts with world-weariness.
If our vice last year was unrealistic optimism, this year I fear that too many of us look to the coming year with pessimism and despair. Like God’s people, the wandering Israelites, we see desert loneliness spread out toward the horizon. Financial, relational, and health difficulties stretch into the new year as far as we can see. We’ve grown weary of lamenting, “How long, O Lord?” (Ps. 13:1–2), and our doubts are beginning to grow. As a new year dawns, we’re left wondering like our ancient brothers and sisters, “Why did you bring us out here? . . . What have you done to us?” (Ex. 14:11–13, NLT).
How do we face a new year when hope feels so thin? Without the wind of optimism to fill our sails, how can we launch forward into the future with all of its unknowns? How can we continue to sing the Lord’s song in a land filled with grief and disappointment and perpetual struggle?
The landscape of 2022 may hardly look different from the year that is passing, but we can be assured: God is still working. We can face the new year with hope as we watch for God’s hand moving in little ways, knowing that his small provisions reflect the greater mysterious movements of a gracious and sovereign God. …
___________________________
She goes on to talk about looking for manna, remembering our Red Sea, expect water from a rock
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Happy birthday, Kathaleena!!!
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I think 70 is a great age! Happy birthday!
I’d celebrate more, but I’m on a sugar overload after binge-watching the entire 2018 Great British Baking Show yesterday than going down hard with Nyquil for 11 straight hours.
It’ll be another lying around all day at my house, but I’ve been so tired, that’s a great thing.
Sorry, DJ. 🙂
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Looks like another otter story for me.
I called the Aquarium contact yesterday because it was really unclear from the materials they sent out whether this otter was being prepared for ocean release. He said yes, but the timeline would depend on the pace of recovery.
Today he says there needs to be a clarification published as the otter will not be released.
Argh.
Instead, we’ll just do a followup by interviewing the curator. Everyone loves an otter story, my editor said, so we’ll just give them two. Plus we’re really low on copy for the long New Year’s weekend.
LikeLiked by 2 people
And the polar bear swim Jan. 1 is on this year — city wouldn’t give them the permit last year due to covid, but they were issued one this year — as long as people “social distance.”
Not sure how they’ll accomplish that as everyone — hundreds of folks usually — just charge into the water at the surf line in what always looks like just a chaotic mash-up.
It’s pouring out there now but we’re trying to get a couple of them to pose on the beach today with an umbrella for the advance story. It is not supposed to be raining on Jan. 1, but it will be quite chilly (the water will actually be ‘warmer’ than the air temperature that day, i was told).
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up early to get ready for my trip to begin. To the capital today and tomorrow to the islands. Only one place was wifi, so will check in as I can.
Up and at em, Mr. Chas
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Maryland, now Delaware DIL called Sunday night to let us talk to Grandson 1 and Granddaughter 1. (Hard to believe Little Miss isn’t the only one isn’t it).
Every time Mr. P asked when they are bringing the children down. Every time she has one reason or another. After we hung up ti told him to stop asking. It was upsetting both of them and making her uncomfortable.
Later that night she typed out a long explanation in FB messenger. Then Mr. P responded she could put them on a plane, that they used to do that all the time with Son 1. Times are different honey and there is no way I would put a 9 and 7 year old on a plane without me.
Later I messaged back and forth with DIL. Both children have been distance learning for 2 years now. Many times with the houses in MD were being shown to be sold she would have to put them in the car with their computers and park outside of someplace to borrow the WiFi.
She went on to explain that she had flown alone as a child but these two couldn’t handle it. They have been home with their parents and have extreme anxiety when separated. Granddaughter 1 must have some additional issues but I haven’t pried to know what they are. I do know they see a therapist and she is on medication.
It is sad for Mr. P. I know he wants a relationship with the grandchildren but at this point we haven’t been up there since 2016 and he has said he won’t go back until they come here, since they have found time to go many other places. When I met him, he had just found out he was going to be a grandpa. Oh well, he has Little Miss and she is the center of his universe.
All this was prompted by DJ’s story of Covid. It is doing damage that will take a long time to get over and some may not. I know that it hasn’t been good for Mr. P. He was home with a baby and about the time she could go place and toddle around Covid hit. He really hasn’t socialized with anyone except family since this started. ME? The minute I could go somewhere I got out of the house. I spent enough years cooped up in the house working with Guy. Sometimes I get in the car and go somewhere just because I can.
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Kim, yep.
I’m so grateful I can head out to the store, go out on a work assignment — or sometimes, just “go” for a ride in the car.
I’ve mentioned my friend staying in Arizona caring for her mom who took a fall — they’re both at higher risk than most folks if they catch this thing due to age (her mom who also isn’t vaccinated) and preconditions (diabetes for my friend), and they live in an area that’s not big on precautions.
So they’ve both been literally cooped up and locked away in that house for nearly 2 years now. Her job as a paralegal in downtown LA couldn’t be held beyond the first couple months, so that’s gone. All their food is delivered to their door, they don’t even go to a store.
I mean, how do folks come back out of that kind of isolation with any kind of sense of normalcy?
And I can only imagine the complications and impressions it will all leave with younger children. Teens missed much of their normal socialization by being out of school last year.
Some of this was simply unavoidable from a public health standpoint — hard things happen and we aren’t particularly used to having to follow these kinds of protocols here.
But all of it will leave scars.
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Someone on Twitter asked how old you were when you had your first kiss.
My veterinarian answered: “Newborn”
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Happy vacation, Jo!
Praying for Chas.
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Visit going nicely. Chickadee is the same Chickadee I remember. We had a nice long hug when she arrived, and both of us cried.
She is now helping Boy with a puzzle. 🙂
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Kizzie, yay.
The ice is broken, let the thaw continue and the more regular visits resume.
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Amen!
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Happy Birthday, Kathaleena!
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aaaaaai don’t know where the dzsy wenttm but it whizzed by.
Good night everone i’m loint down foer now
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When Chickadee was about to leave, we had another long hug, initiated by me. Then after chatting just a couple minutes, she approached me for another good long hug, and I could tell that she was crying again a bit, as was I.
She explained to me that she does not feel completely male (which I suspected, and her appearance and behavior today reinforced in my mind), but does think that she is more male than female.
My perspective is that because she does not feel “typically female”, or what our society thinks of as feminine, she thinks that she feels more male. That kind of thinking is pushed by people like YA and CBF and others (even her therapist is onboard with this 😦 ). But there is still so much female showing in her.
My prayer is – and has been since I learned that she considered herself “non-binary” a few years ago – that God will stir up in her a recognition of, and appreciation for, the femaleness in her, that she was recognize that she is indeed female, even if she has some traits that she thinks are male.
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Glad to hear you had a good visit, Kizzie. Sounds like she will want to visit more. Prayers answered!
We had a late dinner of corn on the cob, green beans, and Beyond Meat burgers. Wesley was reluctant to have a ‘veggie burger’ until he saw one and smelled it cooking. When he tried it he liked it. It seems kinda strange that the old folks are teaching the young to like vegan foods. Backwards from the norm I expect.
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Hi Chas! Thanks for checking in today…see you tomorrow!! Sleep well…
Kizzie it is so good to hear of your good visit and what would seem to be a tenderness in the heart of your girl. Seems she hungers for her Mom and may be conflicted due to outside influences. I pray she will come to realize that we are uniquely and wonderfully made by the Creator of all things…no two alike. I pray she will be set free from the chains that bind her and embrace the woman He has created her to be. May the confusion be gone as she dies to self to follow and serve the One who loves her most! Grasping onto the hope of Glory….
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HI Chas!
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Amen, Nancyjill.
So glad it went so well, Kizzie.
We live in confused times and so many without a plumb line become influenced.
Our rain continues tonight, I am (again) sitting next to a fire in the fireplace which is rather relaxing. One more day of work to go — we have Friday off — and I have the first of my 2 stories I need to turn in tomorrow nearly finished (and the interview for the other one completed late today).
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Hi Chas!
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Goodnight Chas!
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Yes, so good to hear from Chas. Hopeful he can find the blog tomorrow with ease. I have the WP app which is easier than the other way. Hopeful someone in the family who is computer savvy will set it up so it is easier to access us on the blog.
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After all our years of vacationing here, Wesley found a tourist spot we had neglected. It was a special place with trails, boardwalks, and an old camelia garden. The camelias were in full bloom, and I got many photos. This was on the main part of Hilton Head, a little further away than we usually venture. I am glad that Wesley likes to get around and see more sights. We also went over to Harbortown after dark and saw many Christmas lights and decorations. Sadly, I saw nothing related to Jesus or the religious aspects of Christmas.
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We have seen our youngest two grandchildren less often than the others. Also, they have been out and about far less than the others. I can tell that. It took them awhile to adjust being away from home. It just was so different for them. Children are amazingly resilient, however.
We went to our first movie since before Covid. My husband forgot where the theater was! There was one other couple in the theater with us. It was nice to do that again.
Kizzie, so glad all went well with your visit. Prayers continue.
Hilton Head does look so pretty during the Christmas season. Sounds like a nice vacation, Janice. It is fun to see the photos.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. It was a lovely day. We did have a jam today, so the group sang happy birthday to me. They do that for anyone having a birthday. They will jam again on Friday for an early New Year party for residents at a senior living place.
We have a lot of snow, and it was mostly below zero today and will be for a while. Not surprising for this time of the year.
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