Another quiet day. Up early for Mass and jaunt around the yard to replenish the bird feeders. The weather forecast called for snow tonight and tomorrow: it started early.
This year I decided to attend the Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Mary. Arianna were out at 5 pm and the snow had really started to pile up. In the flood lights that illuminate the cross at St. Catherine's the snow fall was especially beautiful.
Sharon and Bruno had just about everything ready for dinner when we arrived home. Our customary deli-style smorgasbord was accompanied by meatballs.
After supper, a bit of puzzle-making (we received three at Christmas), a Charlie Chan mystery, and then . . . .
. . . I went outside to shovel snow!
It far easier for me to clear 2" of snow in one hour than 4" of snow in two hours, and so -- irrespective of TV celebrations in the eastern time zone -- I enjoyed a bit of exercise in the quiet of a year end snowfall.
When I came in I was surprised that Bruno was still up. Everybody was festive in anticipation for the final clock tick of 2013. Arianna had gathered various noise makers and her small container of confetti. Sharon poured the sparkling juice into the glasses. We counted down the final minutes with a local television station, but paid little attention to the dancing onscreen: we tossed our confetti, clinked our glasses, and danced around the living room making a racket.
What fun!
Here's to a better year than 2013.
Cheers!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Play time
Lazing around the house, watching the snow fall. The week between Christmas and New Year's is customarily a quiet, family time.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas!
Bruno's brother and his family arrived around 2 o'clock -- which gave everybody ample time to enjoy breakfast, put the ham in the oven, and play.
The family grows older. And, I think, this inescapable fact makes our infrequent get-togethers all the precious.
Arianna passes out gifts . . .
Sharon and Aunt Myra . . .
Arianna's Uncle Mike . . .
Auntie Barbara . . .
Barb's husband, Greg (center) . . .
Enough for Bruno's sweet tooth?
Aunt Linda . . .
The family grows older. And, I think, this inescapable fact makes our infrequent get-togethers all the precious.
Arianna passes out gifts . . .
Sharon and Aunt Myra . . .
Arianna's Uncle Mike . . .
Auntie Barbara . . .
Barb's husband, Greg (center) . . .
Enough for Bruno's sweet tooth?
Aunt Linda . . .
Merry Christmas!
Up with the sun to exchange gifts on a cold, white, Christmas . . .
What's this?
Permission to get your ears pierced . . .
Sharon ponders whether she did or did not . . .
Away with the old, pink 'house coat' . . .
And finally the big box . . .
What's this?
Permission to get your ears pierced . . .
Sharon ponders whether she did or did not . . .
Away with the old, pink 'house coat' . . .
And finally the big box . . .
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas Eve
Relaxed day. As it should be.
Bruno and Sharon cooked and cut the Polish sausage. The dining room table was laid. Arianna and Sharon sprayed "snow" stencils on the living room window.
Easy tasks that were finished early in the day.
Light supper after which Arianna and I went to Mass at St. Catherine of Siena.
Back at home, we watched The Nativity Story and then put Arianna to bed.
The holiday took a different shape this year: the excitement of a little girl has been replaced with something else. It will take getting used to.
Bruno and Sharon cooked and cut the Polish sausage. The dining room table was laid. Arianna and Sharon sprayed "snow" stencils on the living room window.
Easy tasks that were finished early in the day.
Light supper after which Arianna and I went to Mass at St. Catherine of Siena.
Back at home, we watched The Nativity Story and then put Arianna to bed.
The holiday took a different shape this year: the excitement of a little girl has been replaced with something else. It will take getting used to.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Finishing Touches
Arianna was busy today decorating.
The Dove Family's skating party . . .
The 'antique' Santa is ready to go . . .
As are the packages . . .
The Dove Family's skating party . . .
The 'antique' Santa is ready to go . . .
As are the packages . . .
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Friday, December 20, 2013
PTO
My Christmas vacation started today. I'm off until January 6.
As each years passes and I continue to find myself employed at Allstate, I appreciate the benefit of paid time off more and more.
This morning I slept until 6:30. I drove Arianna to school, carrying Sharon's Christmas party supplies and an envelope with January's tuition.
It was a grey morning. Freezing rain was just beginning to fall as we arrived at school. S L O W L Y Arianna and I made our way from the car to the school entrance. Once inside we learned that Mrs. R. had a car accident. She was also working the 8th grade Christmas party today. Not anymore.
I telephoned Sharon to let her know so that she would be prepared. Since Mrs. R. planned to bring cupcakes, Sharon stopped at Jewel prior to coming to school.
St. Catherine's is always bustling with activity. Arianna and I parted ways, she to her classroom, me to the office. A child needed to inform her Mother something: an apparent emergency phone call. Another child came into the office, bearing a Christmas gift for Mrs. Randall, the school secretary. Mrs. Bolt distributed gift cards. While paying tuition and purchasing gift cards for the local grocery store, Mrs. Randall, who had been on the telehone with Mrs. Smith, confirmed that Mrs. Smith would cover for Mrs. R. and bring music to the party.
Busy taken care of, I carefully made my way to church to attend the school Mass. Mgsr. Heinz officiated this morning and spoke directly to the kids: 'enjoy your time off, be good, be grateful, and don't forget what Christmas is really about'.
After Mass, I hung around and sang one Christmas carol with the kids. Then, off on my round of errands. Thankfully, the roads were not the least bit slippery.
I arrived home not too long before Sharon brought Arianna home. Half day. And now she too is on vacation.
As each years passes and I continue to find myself employed at Allstate, I appreciate the benefit of paid time off more and more.
This morning I slept until 6:30. I drove Arianna to school, carrying Sharon's Christmas party supplies and an envelope with January's tuition.
It was a grey morning. Freezing rain was just beginning to fall as we arrived at school. S L O W L Y Arianna and I made our way from the car to the school entrance. Once inside we learned that Mrs. R. had a car accident. She was also working the 8th grade Christmas party today. Not anymore.
I telephoned Sharon to let her know so that she would be prepared. Since Mrs. R. planned to bring cupcakes, Sharon stopped at Jewel prior to coming to school.
St. Catherine's is always bustling with activity. Arianna and I parted ways, she to her classroom, me to the office. A child needed to inform her Mother something: an apparent emergency phone call. Another child came into the office, bearing a Christmas gift for Mrs. Randall, the school secretary. Mrs. Bolt distributed gift cards. While paying tuition and purchasing gift cards for the local grocery store, Mrs. Randall, who had been on the telehone with Mrs. Smith, confirmed that Mrs. Smith would cover for Mrs. R. and bring music to the party.
Busy taken care of, I carefully made my way to church to attend the school Mass. Mgsr. Heinz officiated this morning and spoke directly to the kids: 'enjoy your time off, be good, be grateful, and don't forget what Christmas is really about'.
After Mass, I hung around and sang one Christmas carol with the kids. Then, off on my round of errands. Thankfully, the roads were not the least bit slippery.
I arrived home not too long before Sharon brought Arianna home. Half day. And now she too is on vacation.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
St. Catherine of Siena Christmas Concert
Not so long ago, Sharon sowed a seed in my thought processes that I wish she had left in its packet. She said that in five years we'd be alone again. Arianna would in all likelihood be away at college and Grandpa will have passed away.
It's a sobering thought.
Of course even Sharon can't predict the future, but tonight's Christmas Concert underscored the point that change is increasingly obvious in our lives. Customarily, the 8th grade class is given the option to sing at the concert. And, as so often happens, the kids opt out. A handful of kids come to the church to act as ushers, 'stage hands', and so forth.
I'd recently looked through a number of photographs and lamented that I never got good pictures of Arianna singing at the Christmas concert. I certainly would not tonight either.
Sharon and I dropped Arianna off at St. Catherine's and then went shopping. Since Sharon wasn't able to find what she wanted, our return to church allowed us to catch the finale -- where all the students sang together. Sharon didn't want to watch and found a chair in the narthex, while I entered the church.
I stood at the back with a number of teachers. As is always the case the central aisle of the church is jammed with parents, all of whom are striving to capture the moment on some device or another. Nine years of concerts jumbled in my minds eye; Arianna standing with her class out front as a kindergartner and first grader . . . Arianna wearing a white blouse and standing behind the pianist, Mr. Bernhard, in the church choir's pews. I wanted to reach out and gather the past in my arms and never let it go.
And then Mrs. Schmidt came up to up. Just in time. I might otherwise have made a fool of myself in front of Arianna's teachers. Mrs. Schmidt taught Arianna to read; she was her kindergarten teacher and her first grade reading teacher. She is a gentle, kind, unassuming woman who I've always liked -- even more so during the years I've taught CCD: I've espied her leaving school upon my arrival to instruct my kids, between 5:30 and 6 o'clock in the evening. She's dedicated.
Mrs. Schmidt praised Arianna, noting that she had grown to be a "well-rounded" young girl. I thanked Mrs. Schmidt and took the opportunity to let her know that she was one of the teachers I appreciated most.
The applause rose. In a moment Arianna led the wee ones down the central aisle and back to their classroom. The concert was over.
It's a sobering thought.
Of course even Sharon can't predict the future, but tonight's Christmas Concert underscored the point that change is increasingly obvious in our lives. Customarily, the 8th grade class is given the option to sing at the concert. And, as so often happens, the kids opt out. A handful of kids come to the church to act as ushers, 'stage hands', and so forth.
I'd recently looked through a number of photographs and lamented that I never got good pictures of Arianna singing at the Christmas concert. I certainly would not tonight either.
Sharon and I dropped Arianna off at St. Catherine's and then went shopping. Since Sharon wasn't able to find what she wanted, our return to church allowed us to catch the finale -- where all the students sang together. Sharon didn't want to watch and found a chair in the narthex, while I entered the church.
I stood at the back with a number of teachers. As is always the case the central aisle of the church is jammed with parents, all of whom are striving to capture the moment on some device or another. Nine years of concerts jumbled in my minds eye; Arianna standing with her class out front as a kindergartner and first grader . . . Arianna wearing a white blouse and standing behind the pianist, Mr. Bernhard, in the church choir's pews. I wanted to reach out and gather the past in my arms and never let it go.
And then Mrs. Schmidt came up to up. Just in time. I might otherwise have made a fool of myself in front of Arianna's teachers. Mrs. Schmidt taught Arianna to read; she was her kindergarten teacher and her first grade reading teacher. She is a gentle, kind, unassuming woman who I've always liked -- even more so during the years I've taught CCD: I've espied her leaving school upon my arrival to instruct my kids, between 5:30 and 6 o'clock in the evening. She's dedicated.
Mrs. Schmidt praised Arianna, noting that she had grown to be a "well-rounded" young girl. I thanked Mrs. Schmidt and took the opportunity to let her know that she was one of the teachers I appreciated most.
The applause rose. In a moment Arianna led the wee ones down the central aisle and back to their classroom. The concert was over.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Christmas Tree Trimming
I had been so looking forward to this year's tree trimming 'party', but it turned out to be so much more sedate than I can recall. Arianna's poor health resulted in her spending more time away from the family than with. Her infectious giddiness could not be replicated by three adults, who -- rather quietly -- worked to get the task completed.
I brought the tree up from the basement and erected it yesterday, while Arianna, Sharon, and Bruno went to the Crystal Pines Nursing Home with Arianna's AHG troop to sing Christmas Carols. Customarily, Sharon and her Dad string the lights: a long, drawn out process that entails striving not only for perfect placement on the tree but 100% illumination. The temptation to get things underway was too great for me to resist and so I strung eight strings of lights before they returned home from their caroling.
Without our having to stand around and wait for the 'lighting crew' to finish, we were able to get going almost immediately upon our arrival home from Mass. We did find that Sharon and her Dad found and strung a string of red twinklers -- they just had to contribute!
But, shortly after we started hanging ornaments Arianna said she wasn't feeling well. She went to her bedroom numerous times throughout the day, returning for a prolonged period of time when Sharon was draping tinsel on the tree.
When we were done, and the tree was carefully slid into its corner, Sharon said that the tree was in some way 'lacking' this year. It's true: I spent a lot of time and effort cutting the pre-strung lights from the tree.
But, I don't think that's what she meant.
I was happy with the appearance of the tree. In fact, the twinklers Sharon and her Dad strung this morning were a nice addition.
Maybe Sharon sensed the tree lacked Arianna's enthusiastic blessing due to her not being able spend the entire day decorating with us. I don't know. But, I do know that with her starting high school next year, all our expectations are bound to be thwarted.
I brought the tree up from the basement and erected it yesterday, while Arianna, Sharon, and Bruno went to the Crystal Pines Nursing Home with Arianna's AHG troop to sing Christmas Carols. Customarily, Sharon and her Dad string the lights: a long, drawn out process that entails striving not only for perfect placement on the tree but 100% illumination. The temptation to get things underway was too great for me to resist and so I strung eight strings of lights before they returned home from their caroling.
Without our having to stand around and wait for the 'lighting crew' to finish, we were able to get going almost immediately upon our arrival home from Mass. We did find that Sharon and her Dad found and strung a string of red twinklers -- they just had to contribute!
But, shortly after we started hanging ornaments Arianna said she wasn't feeling well. She went to her bedroom numerous times throughout the day, returning for a prolonged period of time when Sharon was draping tinsel on the tree.
When we were done, and the tree was carefully slid into its corner, Sharon said that the tree was in some way 'lacking' this year. It's true: I spent a lot of time and effort cutting the pre-strung lights from the tree.
But, I don't think that's what she meant.
I was happy with the appearance of the tree. In fact, the twinklers Sharon and her Dad strung this morning were a nice addition.
Maybe Sharon sensed the tree lacked Arianna's enthusiastic blessing due to her not being able spend the entire day decorating with us. I don't know. But, I do know that with her starting high school next year, all our expectations are bound to be thwarted.