Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 17, 2008...

Outside My Window... it's sunny and cold.  The garden is still sadly unattended.  It needs to be tidied up for the winter.

I am thinking... about my meetings with Michaels' math teacher and learning enrichment center staff tomorrow.  

I am thankful for...  a wonderful birthday dinner out at Terroni last night, to celebrate Z and A's birthdays this week.

From the kitchen... I've got a bowl of great northern beans soaking for my first attempt at homemade baked beans.  There's also an organic chicken ready to go into the oven for dinner tonight.

I am wearing... lack trousers, black shell, red embroidered blouse, black socks.

I am creating... a sweater in brown heather, that I started last spring.  I have half a sleeve and the front/neckline finishing left to do.

I am going...to prep my chicken and make some bread stuffing.

I am reading...  The Origin of Species by Nino Ricci.

I am hoping... that I have the courage to continue on my Couch-to-5k plan as the weather gets colder.

I am hearing... Vivaldi's Gloria, which I will have the opportunity to sing with the Aradia Ensemble at their Christmas concert.

Around the house... the laundry seems to be overtaking me.  I need to get back on my load-a-day schedule.

One of my favorite things... is a hot bath with epsom salts and a good book. 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Tomorrow is the first of our parish's advent bible studies on Luke.  I also have meetings at Michael's school in the afternoon.  Wednesday is Alex and Z's actual birthday...must bake something.  Thurday is a free concert by the Ottawa Bach Choir at noon at Massey Hall.  On Sunday, Father Larry is taking the choir out for lunch after mass.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

My birthday boys at dinner last night.

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 17, 2008...

Outside My Window... it's sunny and cold.  The garden is still sadly unattended.  It needs to be tidied up for the winter.

I am thinking... about my meetings with Michaels' math teacher and learning enrichment center staff tomorrow.  

I am thankful for...  a wonderful birthday dinner out at Terroni last night, to celebrate Z and A's birthdays this week.

From the kitchen... I've got a bowl of great northern beans soaking for my first attempt at homemade baked beans.  There's also an organic chicken ready to go into the oven for dinner tonight.

I am wearing... lack trousers, black shell, red embroidered blouse, black socks.

I am creating... a sweater in brown heather, that I started last spring.  I have half a sleeve and the front/neckline finishing left to do.

I am going...to prep my chicken and make some bread stuffing.

I am reading...  The Origin of Species by Nino Ricci.

I am hoping... that I have the courage to continue on my Couch-to-5k plan as the weather gets colder.

I am hearing... Vivaldi's Gloria, which I will have the opportunity to sing with the Aradia Ensemble at their Christmas concert.

Around the house... the laundry seems to be overtaking me.  I need to get back on my load-a-day schedule.

One of my favorite things... is a hot bath with epsom salts and a good book. 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Tomorrow is the first of our parish's advent bible studies on Luke.  I also have meetings at Michael's school in the afternoon.  Wednesday is Alex and Z's actual birthday...must bake something.  Thurday is a free concert by the Ottawa Bach Choir at noon at Massey Hall.  On Sunday, Father Larry is taking the choir out for lunch after mass.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

My birthday boys at dinner last night.

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Couch-to-5k: Week 2

Despite almost losing my iPod, I managed to make it through the three Week 1 runs.  This morning I did the first Week 2 run, which involves the same five minute warm-up and then 90 seconds of running followed by a two minute walk.  Six times.  This means the total run is nine minutes, vs. the eight minute total last week (8x60 seconds).  

Like my first Week 1 session, I had to push pretty hard for the last 20 seconds of each run, and my legs didn't feel so hot, but I made it.  I think this is going to work, although I've had to forget about running with Wilson as he's too erratic.  '

And then I had poutine at the mall for lunch.  Don't click on the link...your cholesterol will shoot up just looking at the pictures.

I am so weak.

Couch-to-5k: Week 2

Despite almost losing my iPod, I managed to make it through the three Week 1 runs.  This morning I did the first Week 2 run, which involves the same five minute warm-up and then 90 seconds of running followed by a two minute walk.  Six times.  This means the total run is nine minutes, vs. the eight minute total last week (8x60 seconds).  

Like my first Week 1 session, I had to push pretty hard for the last 20 seconds of each run, and my legs didn't feel so hot, but I made it.  I think this is going to work, although I've had to forget about running with Wilson as he's too erratic.  '

And then I had poutine at the mall for lunch.  Don't click on the link...your cholesterol will shoot up just looking at the pictures.

I am so weak.

Just for fun...

You Are Boggle

You are an incredibly creative and resourceful person. You're able to dig deep and think outside the box to get things done. You are a non linear thinker. You don't like following directions You draw your inspiration from the strangest places sometimes. You're constantly inspired.

What Board Game Are You?

Just for fun...

You Are Boggle

You are an incredibly creative and resourceful person. You're able to dig deep and think outside the box to get things done. You are a non linear thinker. You don't like following directions You draw your inspiration from the strangest places sometimes. You're constantly inspired.

What Board Game Are You?

An answered prayer

This will seem silly to many of you, particularly my Protestant friends.  But here goes.

Monday afternoon, I lost my iPod.  It's an iPod Touch, with virtually all the features of an iPhone without the phone.  It is my mobile calendar, address book, web-browser, mail and feed reader, and my music player.   It stores the podcasts I listen to while walking the dog, and most importantly (in the past week), my couch-to-5k running podcast, the only thing that has actually motivated me to put on my running shoes and run.

It was gone.  I moved all the furniture I could, checked under and between the car seats, in all my purses, bags, coat pockets, kitchen cupboards, you name it.  I had taken it downtown to my course on Monday morning, but the battery got low so I stowed it in my shoulder bag and read all the way home on the subway.  I remembered plugging it into my laptop Monday afternoon, and then entering an appointment in it later that afternoon.  But I never plugged it back into the computer to synch, and couldn't lay my hands on it.  The only time I'd left the house Monday afternoon was to pick up Wilson from the vet after his dental work.

I was frantic.  It was not cheap.  I use it for probably 3 hours per day for various things.  Yes, all the information was on my computer, but I couldn't use it in the car, or on my walks, or runs, or lying in bed when I needed to look up a word.  

Yesterday afternoon, I did the Catholic thing.  I asked St. Anthony to intercede for me and to help me find it.  Being a young catholic (of 4-1/2 years), this still feels kinda wierd.  But I was going through this strange grieving process and I needed to stop thinking about the iPod for a while and let it be.  

This morning I spent 20 mintues with a flashlight looking under all the beds and furniture that were too heavy to move.  Reminded St. Anthony that I really wanted to find this thing.

I left to get groceries this afternoon and looked once again between and under the car seats.  Then stuck my hand into the pocket on the door of the car, where I had looked before.  I pulled out all the maps and google printouts and tourism guides, and receipts, and there it was.  It must have fallen out of my coat pocket when I went to the vet to pick up Wilson Monday afternoon.  

Thanks to St. Anthony for this great favour.  Now, I need to get my running clothes on and hit the road.  I'm a day late for the third and final run of my first couch-to-5k week!

Update: Moving a Church

Here's an update to my post about the possible relocation of a church building in Buffalo to the building site of my former parish in an Atlanta suburb.

An answered prayer

This will seem silly to many of you, particularly my Protestant friends.  But here goes.

Monday afternoon, I lost my iPod.  It's an iPod Touch, with virtually all the features of an iPhone without the phone.  It is my mobile calendar, address book, web-browser, mail and feed reader, and my music player.   It stores the podcasts I listen to while walking the dog, and most importantly (in the past week), my couch-to-5k running podcast, the only thing that has actually motivated me to put on my running shoes and run.

It was gone.  I moved all the furniture I could, checked under and between the car seats, in all my purses, bags, coat pockets, kitchen cupboards, you name it.  I had taken it downtown to my course on Monday morning, but the battery got low so I stowed it in my shoulder bag and read all the way home on the subway.  I remembered plugging it into my laptop Monday afternoon, and then entering an appointment in it later that afternoon.  But I never plugged it back into the computer to synch, and couldn't lay my hands on it.  The only time I'd left the house Monday afternoon was to pick up Wilson from the vet after his dental work.

I was frantic.  It was not cheap.  I use it for probably 3 hours per day for various things.  Yes, all the information was on my computer, but I couldn't use it in the car, or on my walks, or runs, or lying in bed when I needed to look up a word.  

Yesterday afternoon, I did the Catholic thing.  I asked St. Anthony to intercede for me and to help me find it.  Being a young catholic (of 4-1/2 years), this still feels kinda wierd.  But I was going through this strange grieving process and I needed to stop thinking about the iPod for a while and let it be.  

This morning I spent 20 mintues with a flashlight looking under all the beds and furniture that were too heavy to move.  Reminded St. Anthony that I really wanted to find this thing.

I left to get groceries this afternoon and looked once again between and under the car seats.  Then stuck my hand into the pocket on the door of the car, where I had looked before.  I pulled out all the maps and google printouts and tourism guides, and receipts, and there it was.  It must have fallen out of my coat pocket when I went to the vet to pick up Wilson Monday afternoon.  

Thanks to St. Anthony for this great favour.  Now, I need to get my running clothes on and hit the road.  I'm a day late for the third and final run of my first couch-to-5k week!

Update: Moving a Church

Here's an update to my post about the possible relocation of a church building in Buffalo to the building site of my former parish in an Atlanta suburb.

Couch-to-5k

Okay, well it's taken me a few weeks to get out of the "couch" phase, but thanks to the great podcast by Richard Ullrey, I have done the first two of three runs for Week 1 of the Couch-to-5k running plan.

Ullrey's podcast is really helpful because he has music to keep you motivated and cues to tell you when to run and when to walk.  So there's no looking at your watch or counting steps, or whatever.  I have new Superfeet insoles, new running shoes, and am hoping for some new running clothes for Chrismas to give me a somewhat sleeker look.  The baggy t-shirt and old yoga pants look pretty bad.

I took Wilson with me for the first two runs but he is really erratic and annoying to run with as ge tends to pull on the leash a lot.  So I think I'll keep his walks separate from my runs.  He doesn't need the exercise as much as I do!

Sunday choral report

Yesterday was the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran, so we had gold vestments (but no incense).  It was also the closest Sunday to Remembrance Day, so some of the music reflected that, although the homily was firmly focussed on the gospel and the feast.

Procession:  Christ is Made the Sure Foundation (Westminster Abbey)

Offertory:  Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences (Purcell) (sung here by Chanticleer)

Communion:  In Paradisum (Faure) (here)

Recessional:  All My Hope on God is Founded (Michael)

New in progress:

Locus Iste (Bruckner)

Hymn to the Virgin (Britten)

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 10, 2008...

Outside My Window... the bright sun blies the cold temperatures and high winds that have settled on Toronto these past few days.

I am thinking... about what it would be like to be a converso....to be told to either leave a country or convert to another faith.  

I am thankful for... the opportunity to sing some of the most magnificent music ever written.

From the kitchen... I need to do a grocery run and figure out what to cook this week (not necessarily in that order).

I am wearing... a white blouse, pale violet cotten v-next sweater, grey trousers, black socks and shoes.

I am creating... some christmas gifts that must remain a secret for the time being!

I am going...to throw in a load of laundry so we don't have no-clean-school-shirts panic again tomorrow morning.

I am reading...  Doors Open by Ian Rankin.

I am hoping... that Wilson did well with his dental scaling and possible tooth extraction.

I am hearing... the clock ticking.  It is unnaturally silent in the house with Wilson at the vet.

Around the house... the carpets are all in desperate need of the vacuum.

One of my favorite things... is sugared nuts.  In ice cream.  In salads.  With popcorn.  All by themselves.    

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: I am planning to head down to Queen's Park tomorrow for the Remembrance Day service.  I may drp into the ROM afterwards to see Marie-Antoinette's dress.  I want to get some Christmas shopping done so that I can take gifts with me to Ottawa in a couple of weeks.  

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, by Bernini.

Based on the spiritual autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila.

I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. ... The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying. (Life, XXIX)

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Couch-to-5k

Okay, well it's taken me a few weeks to get out of the "couch" phase, but thanks to the great podcast by Richard Ullrey, I have done the first two of three runs for Week 1 of the Couch-to-5k running plan.

Ullrey's podcast is really helpful because he has music to keep you motivated and cues to tell you when to run and when to walk.  So there's no looking at your watch or counting steps, or whatever.  I have new Superfeet insoles, new running shoes, and am hoping for some new running clothes for Chrismas to give me a somewhat sleeker look.  The baggy t-shirt and old yoga pants look pretty bad.

I took Wilson with me for the first two runs but he is really erratic and annoying to run with as ge tends to pull on the leash a lot.  So I think I'll keep his walks separate from my runs.  He doesn't need the exercise as much as I do!

Sunday choral report

Yesterday was the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran, so we had gold vestments (but no incense).  It was also the closest Sunday to Remembrance Day, so some of the music reflected that, although the homily was firmly focussed on the gospel and the feast.

Procession:  Christ is Made the Sure Foundation (Westminster Abbey)

Offertory:  Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences (Purcell) (sung here by Chanticleer)

Communion:  In Paradisum (Faure) (here)

Recessional:  All My Hope on God is Founded (Michael)

New in progress:

Locus Iste (Bruckner)

Hymn to the Virgin (Britten)

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 10, 2008...

Outside My Window

... the bright sun blies the cold temperatures and high winds that have settled on Toronto these past few days.

I am thinking

... about what it would be like to be a

converso

....to be told to either leave a country or convert to another faith.  

I am thankful for

... the opportunity to sing some of the most magnificent music ever written.

From the kitchen.

.. I need to do a grocery run and figure out what to cook this week (not necessarily in that order).

I am wearing

... a white blouse, pale violet cotten v-next sweater, grey trousers, black socks and shoes.

I am creating

... some christmas gifts that must remain a secret for the time being!

I am going

...to throw in a load of laundry so we don't have no-clean-school-shirts panic again tomorrow morning.

I am reading

...  Doors Open by Ian Rankin.

I am hoping

... that Wilson did well with his dental scaling and possible tooth extraction.

I am hearing

... the clock ticking.  It is unnaturally silent in the house with Wilson at the vet.

Around the house

... the carpets are all in desperate need of the vacuum.

One of my favorite things.

.. is sugared nuts.  In ice cream.  In salads.  With popcorn.  All by themselves.    

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week

: I am planning to head down to Queen's Park tomorrow for the Remembrance Day service.  I may drp into the ROM afterwards to see Marie-Antoinette's dress.  I want to get some Christmas shopping done so that I can take gifts with me to Ottawa in a couple of weeks.  

Here is picture thought I am sharing

...

The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, by Bernini.

Based on the spiritual autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila.

I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. ... The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying. (Life, XXIX)

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook

.

Enchiladas!

One of the things that I miss about living in Atlanta was access to lots of Mexican food, both in restaurants (in both cheap and higher-end categories) and in grocery stores.  We probably ate out at our local tacqueria once a week, and I had more margaritas in those five years than in my entire 40 years of life before Atlanta.  Good times, good times....

We had a hankering for enchiladas this week and I have been unable to find enchilada sauce in my local grocery stores.  So I set out to find a recipe online.  

Who knew that it was so easy to make?  Why was I buying it ready-made for so long?  Next thing you know I'll be making my own tortililas.  (Yes, I know that there are home cooks who do this.)

Anyway, here's my fast and easy recipe for enchilada sauce.  I found a recipe online and modified it to suit my available ingredients.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet and add 2 tbsp of flour and 2 tbsp of chili powder (or to taste).  Cook this for a while. (The recipe said until it turns light brown, but the chili powder is dark red...couldn't figure out how this would work exactly.)

Stir in 20 ounces (2-1/2 cups) of some sort of tomato mixture.  Recipe was a combination of tomato sauce (8 oz) and water (1-1/2 cups).   I used some leftover canned diced tomatos that I whizzed in the blender.  That yielded exactly 20 ounces.  Spooky, eh?  Add 1/4 tsp each cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, and salt to taste.  I left out the regular salt.  It seemed fine to me without it.  Cook this mixture for 10 minutes so that it gets bubbly and thickens a little..

And that's it!  Ten minutes, and I even used up leftovers!

It's cooling on the stove now.  I'll box it up and use it tonight when I make enchiladas for my adoring family.  

Enchiladas!

One of the things that I miss about living in Atlanta was access to lots of Mexican food, both in restaurants (in both cheap and higher-end categories) and in grocery stores.  We probably ate out at our local tacqueria once a week, and I had more margaritas in those five years than in my entire 40 years of life before Atlanta.  Good times, good times....

We had a hankering for enchiladas this week and I have been unable to find enchilada sauce in my local grocery stores.  So I set out to find a recipe online.  

Who knew that it was so easy to make?  Why was I buying it ready-made for so long?  Next thing you know I'll be making my own tortililas.  (Yes, I know that there are home cooks who do this.)

Anyway, here's my fast and easy recipe for enchilada sauce.  I found a recipe online and modified it to suit my available ingredients.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet and add 2 tbsp of flour and 2 tbsp of chili powder (or to taste).  Cook this for a while. (The recipe said until it turns light brown, but the chili powder is dark red...couldn't figure out how this would work exactly.)

Stir in 20 ounces (2-1/2 cups) of some sort of tomato mixture.  Recipe was a combination of tomato sauce (8 oz) and water (1-1/2 cups).   I used some leftover canned diced tomatos that I whizzed in the blender.  That yielded exactly 20 ounces.  Spooky, eh?  Add 1/4 tsp each cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, and salt to taste.  I left out the regular salt.  It seemed fine to me without it.  Cook this mixture for 10 minutes so that it gets bubbly and thickens a little..

And that's it!  Ten minutes, and I even used up leftovers!

It's cooling on the stove now.  I'll box it up and use it tonight when I make enchiladas for my adoring family.  

St Teresa of Avila

I attended the first lecture of a six-week continuing ed course at St. Mike's this morning.  The title is Teresa of Avila I:  World and Life.  The suggested reading is her spiritual autobiography titled  The Life of St. Teresa of Avila by Herself (or a variation, depending on translation).

The instructor is a spiritual director and retreat leader at a local Jesuit retreat centre.  She seemed very knowledgeable and we got some background on the genesis of Teresa's autobiography (why did she write it?  for whom?  what constraints did she face? etc).  I had read the first quarter of the book and found the information very useful in understanding her style of writing as well as the content.  

The course was held in a seminar room that became standing room only (well, sitting on the window ledges).  There were 25-30 people there, including 3 men and 4 nuns in habits.  The rest were mainly women my age and older.  I arrived rather early as I wasn't confident that I knew my way around campus, and another woman plunked herself down beside me and started chatting.  She had been on a pilgrimage last year that included a visit to Avila.  During the course, though, she seemed to zone out, and spent a good deal of it flipping through my copy of the text.  

Teresa lived in the 16th century, at the height of the Inquisition and the beginning of the Reformation.  Women's voices were suppressed and they typically were denied much formal education.  There is lots to learn about this time, and it looks like it should be a great course.

Next semester the same instructor will teach a course that focuses more on her mysticism/spirituality, based on her book The Interior Castle.  Depending on how this goes, I'll likely sign up for that one too.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 3, 2008...

Outside My Window... the naked maple tree is letting in light desperately needed as we enter the dark season.

I am thinking... about the first of a series of lectures I attended this morning on the life of Teresa of Avila.  

I am thankful for... cool nights and mild days.

From the kitchen... I'm roasting two chickens today to make a number of meals for the upcoming week.

I am wearing... jeans, pale green sweater with green and white striped blouse, black socks.

I am creating... some christmas gifts that must remain a secret for the time being!

I am going...to take Wilson for a long walk this afternoon.

I am reading...  The Life of St. Teresa of Avila By Herself.

I am hoping... that Alex can manage his workload from school this week after being away at provincial cross-country finals.

I am hearing... far too much about the US election.

Around the house... I need to do an overall tidy and clean, and get the winter scarves and hats sorted and stashed.

One of my favorite things... these days is listening to BBC podcasts while walking the dog.  

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: I have a massage booked on Wednesday, parent-teacher interviews on Thursday, and I'd like to get to adoration at Blessed Trinity on Friday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Alex Janvier, Morning Star,  painted in a dome in the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The dome is 19 meters wide and rises seven stories above the floor of the Great Hall.  This work represents a travelling guide used by the Dene Suline people.  Photograph was taken in June 2001.

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Sunday Choral Report

I should really stop calling this a mass report as it's typically all about the music (my posts, that is!)   Anyway, I was a little disapppointed that Father didn't bring out the black vestments for All Souls, but he gave an excellent homily (wearing purple) and we had incense, so it was okay.

Processional: 450 (CBW3)...I can't remember what hymn this was...my online source for CBW listings has disappeared so I"ll either need to shell out for a personal hymnal or write it all down at rehearsal!

Offertory:  Special request from our pastor for The Old Rugged Cross.  Yes, this is a Catholic church.  His uncle died last week and this was sung at the funeral.  Paul got a lovely setting of this chestnut (PDF file).  Much was sung a capella, with just a touch of support from the organ.

Communion: O Salutaris Hostia by Herbert Howells.  A lovely piece, sadly flubbed by the sopranos. (Just keepin' it real, here.)

Recessional: 449 (CBW3) For All The Saints. With slighty "off" words again.  Why do hymnal editors mess with perfectly good language?

In the hopper:

Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences (Purcell) - for Remembrance Day I think.

Sia laudato San Francesco (Cortona Laudario)

Salve Regina (Josquin)

In Paradisum from Faure's Requiem

The choir has also been asked to participate in the Aradia Ensemble's Christmas Concert for Vivialdi's Gloria.  Should be lovely to sing with this wonderful group!

St Teresa of Avila

I attended the first lecture of a six-week continuing ed course at St. Mike's this morning.  The title is Teresa of Avila I:  World and Life.  The suggested reading is her spiritual autobiography titled  The Life of St. Teresa of Avila by Herself (or a variation, depending on translation).

The instructor is a spiritual director and retreat leader at a local Jesuit retreat centre.  She seemed very knowledgeable and we got some background on the genesis of Teresa's autobiography (why did she write it?  for whom?  what constraints did she face? etc).  I had read the first quarter of the book and found the information very useful in understanding her style of writing as well as the content.  

The course was held in a seminar room that became standing room only (well, sitting on the window ledges).  There were 25-30 people there, including 3 men and 4 nuns in habits.  The rest were mainly women my age and older.  I arrived rather early as I wasn't confident that I knew my way around campus, and another woman plunked herself down beside me and started chatting.  She had been on a pilgrimage last year that included a visit to Avila.  During the course, though, she seemed to zone out, and spent a good deal of it flipping through my copy of the text.  

Teresa lived in the 16th century, at the height of the Inquisition and the beginning of the Reformation.  Women's voices were suppressed and they typically were denied much formal education.  There is lots to learn about this time, and it looks like it should be a great course.

Next semester the same instructor will teach a course that focuses more on her mysticism/spirituality, based on her book The Interior Castle.  Depending on how this goes, I'll likely sign up for that one too.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, November 3, 2008...

Outside My Window

... the naked maple tree is letting in light desperately needed as we enter the dark season.

I am thinking

... about the first of a series of lectures I attended this morning on the life of Teresa of Avila.  

I am thankful for

... cool nights and mild days.

From the kitchen.

.. I'm roasting two chickens today to make a number of meals for the upcoming week.

I am wearing

... jeans, pale green sweater with green and white striped blouse, black socks.

I am creating

... some christmas gifts that must remain a secret for the time being!

I am going

...to take Wilson for a long walk this afternoon.

I am reading

...  The Life of St. Teresa of Avila By Herself.

I am hoping

... that Alex can manage his workload from school this week after being away at provincial cross-country finals.

I am hearing

... far too much about the US election.

Around the house

... I need to do an overall tidy and clean, and get the winter scarves and hats sorted and stashed.

One of my favorite things.

.. these days is listening to BBC podcasts while walking the dog.  

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week

: I have a massage booked on Wednesday, parent-teacher interviews on Thursday, and I'd like to get to adoration at Blessed Trinity on Friday.

Here is picture thought I am sharing

...

Alex Janvier,

Morning Star

,  painted in a dome in the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The dome is 19 meters wide and rises seven stories above the floor of the Great Hall.  This work represents a travelling guide used by the Dene Suline people.  Photograph was taken in June 2001.

Meme from The Simple Woman's Daybook

.

Sunday Choral Report

I should really stop calling this a mass report as it's typically all about the music (my posts, that is!)   Anyway, I was a little disapppointed that Father didn't bring out the black vestments for All Souls, but he gave an excellent homily (wearing purple) and we had incense, so it was okay.

Processional: 450 (CBW3)...I can't remember what hymn this was...my online source for CBW listings has disappeared so I"ll either need to shell out for a personal hymnal or write it all down at rehearsal!

Offertory:  Special request from our pastor for The Old Rugged Cross.  Yes, this is a Catholic church.  His uncle died last week and this was sung at the funeral.  Paul got a lovely setting of this chestnut (PDF file).  Much was sung a capella, with just a touch of support from the organ.

Communion: O Salutaris Hostia by Herbert Howells.  A lovely piece, sadly flubbed by the sopranos. (Just keepin' it real, here.)

Recessional: 449 (CBW3) For All The Saints. With slighty "off" words again.  Why do hymnal editors mess with perfectly good language?

In the hopper:

Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences (Purcell) - for Remembrance Day I think.

Sia laudato San Francesco (Cortona Laudario)

Salve Regina (Josquin)

In Paradisum from Faure's Requiem

The choir has also been asked to participate in the Aradia Ensemble's Christmas Concert for Vivialdi's Gloria.  Should be lovely to sing with this wonderful group!

SNL: Don Draper's Guide to Picking up Women

SNL: Don Draper's Guide to Picking up Women