BEST BIRTHDAY OF 2021!!!

 By now I have had 74 birthdays, some I cannot remember, but many I can.  I actually remember as far back as my 4th birthday.  I remember what I wore, the birthday party in the backyard, and saying proudly, "Now, I'm four years old," as my mother listened.  There have been many since and all some deserving of their own blog.  However, the one I want to focus on is the one I just celebrated this past week.

This year I spent my birthday in Pittsburgh with my younger son, John. I actually arrived on the day before (Wed. the 19th). It was so great to see my son again.  We spent a casual afternoon together which included a delicious lunch at a local Thai restaurant. Later we chilled and watched Netflix and had a good time catching up with each other.

The next day my birthday really came alive.  My phone began loading with texts and even a video of two friends singing Happy Birthday.  My Bible Study girlfriends called and sang over the phone with their own  glorious version of Happy Birthday.  I cannot even describe the Face Book Responses!  I got so many extremely kind birthday wishes with compliments that were overwhelming.  My son, Robert, wrote a post that would melt any mother's heart.  It was all incredible.

John and I went out that afternoon to a nursery that was comparable to the Dallas Arboretum.  The flowers were breathtaking.  We selected flowers to plant in his backyard and also got two hanging baskets for his front porch.  The weather was really warm so we decided that the planting would be done the next morning when it was cooler.  

Plus, we had to get ready to go out for my birthday dinner at Altius which is an exclusive restaurant located on Mt. Washington that overlooks Pittsburgh, very close to the Incline.  It featured Chef Jessica Bauer's contemporary American cuisine and was truly a premiere dining experience.  There are no words for the beauty of the views from our table as we saw the rivers, yellow bridges and fabulous skyline of Pittsburgh.  It was an absolutely incredible evening.

On Friday morning we planted the flowers in John's backyard. He has a big project planned back there and it is going to look great.

After we finished with our planting, we went to meet Allison Fong for coffee at the California Coffee Bar.  Allison is Taylor's wife who I met at the Trombone Retreat a few years ago.  They are expecting a baby boy (who they are naming Harrison) in August.  We had fun visiting with her and talking about baby things.  We were also anticipating the fact that Taylor would be our special waiter when we went out to dinner later that night. After saying good-bye to Allison, we went for lunch at a neat cafe named Mezza Luna.  It was so fun to eat at all of these places that were chains or places I was familiar with.

On Friday night we went downtown to eat at a restaurant named Eddie V's. When we arrived, Taylor had arranged for a three layered tower of seafood to be waiting for us.  It was scrumptious and beautiful, too. Wow, it just started off the night of unbelievable service by Taylor.  He said we were the first friends he had ever served personally. Eddie V's delivers a world class dining experience and is known for its seafood, steaks and curated cocktails. (I was excited to find there is one in Dallas). Our food would be hard to describe since every bite was so good. Of course, the celebratory champagne and delicious wine certainly added to the occasion.  Taylor ended our meal by bringing out a dessert tray of Creme Brulee, Bananas Foster, ice cream, cookies band biscotti.  Oh, my gosh, it was so fun! Truly another unforgettable night.

My reservation was for me to go home on Saturday but John invited me to stay an extra day.  I wanted to be able to just chill out after the past two days and I also wanted to see how the new patio furniture would look that John bought on Friday. It turned out great.  His front porch is really coming along and will be a great place for him to entertain friends.  We ended the day by dinner at home and watching a movie.

Sunday morning John cooked a fantastic breakfast and afterwards we headed to the airport.  It is always hard for me to say good-bye to John when I leave Pittsburgh but I am comforted by how great he is doing and how happy he seems to be.  I must add that this was the best visit in Pittsburgh that I have ever had!

Struggling for Words

 For the past two or three days I have had this driving urge to write.  However,  when I tried, nothing would come out of my head to type. I know that with writing that one should just start putting words in motion and then they will come.  So that is what I have just done with these first sentences and we shall see where it goes from here.

When I heard about the upcoming weather, I prepared.  I went to the grocery store and got what I thought we would need.  Our freezer was already substantially adequate with food so I added milk, eggs, fresh vegetables, and, of course, a frozen pizza.  I also filled my car up with gas because I knew I would be needing to make sure it would start each day and run for awhile.

 So, we were basically ready.

The first snow actually came while we were asleep on Sunday night.  It was beautiful the next day but I was really wanting to see the snow "fall" if you will.  But, strangely, I never really saw much.  The next wave of snow came again, and guess what,  while we were asleep.  I think it was at this point that the fear of losing power and water set it.  So, Ron and I went down to bare basics.  Lights to a bare minimum and water dripping.   The thermostat stayed on 67 and we layered.  That was actually the sum of our discomfort, other than the constant anxiety of wondering if things would change at any time.  The bathtub upstairs didn't drain for a couple of days, but even it finally drained on its own.  

Honestly, as the news got worse, I started feeling a sense of guilt.  My heart was breaking for what people were dealing with...freezing temperatures in their homes due to no power, frozen pipes, lack of food, no gas, and then, not only no water, but when it was available, some had to boil it.  And, yet, our lights were on, our house was warm, our pipes weren't frozen, our water was fine and we had food to eat.  Oh, yes, and I still had that full tank of gas.  Shaking my head.

At the same time, I can honestly say that I never was without a strong sense of gratitude.  I literally would start my day with thanksgiving when I knew the power was still on, and would go from room to room saying, "Thank you, God."  With that said, I still fought with why others were suffering.  I hear that we were spared because we live so close to the Highland Village Police/Fire Department and are on their grid.  If that is the case, we were lucky. 

So, this morning, it seems that power is back on for most around our area.  But, the damage that some are dealing with must be so devastatingly hard to deal with.  I will continue to pray for them and also continue to donate.  The sun is out and that is certainly wonderful.  In a couple of days it will be in the high 60s or 70s. Back to normal?  Oh, but, then I remember!  We are in a pandemic and there is another shot in my future...and masks, socially distancing, remote teaching, no gathering with friends, no travel, nowhere to go...

And then I just try to breathe.....

R.

Just Got Back From A Great Trip!

 

    Yes, I have been traveling all over the place!! This might surprise you with the travel limitations Covid has given the world.  But, I have indeed been traveling...all day... and never left this room.  For you see, today I went to my photo library on this laptop and revisited the hundreds of pictures I have taken over the past few years of the wonderful places I have been blessed to see.  Now, I wasn't able to go everywhere in one afternoon and that's the good news.  I will be able to go to other spots on another day!

    

    

    Today I didn't travel in any particular order.  It all began with looking at my pictures of my first trip to Paris with Brenda Brown in 2014.  Though I have been back to Paris twice since, there was something very incredible about seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time, and enjoying all of the charm of Paris.

    After Paris, I enjoyed a beautiful afternoon walking up and down the streets of Athens.  I shall never forget looking way up high at the Parthenon, never believing we were actually going to have to walk all the way up to that thing! It was so wonderful and surreal at the same time.  Standing there among all of those ruins was an unbelievable experience. I then went to Santorini in my pictures and had a lovely lunch with my friend, Peggy, as we looked out over the bay at our ship.  We had such a great time that day.  My pictures then took me up the coast of Greece with stops in Croatia, Montenegro, only to name a few.  Of my trips, Greece was one of my favorites and I would love to go back to see what I didn't get covered!

    Tomorrow I believe I will travel the Danube that will begin in Budapest and finish in Prague.  I will stop in some wonderful places along the way such as Vienna and Salzburg.  After that I will travel back to the Netherlands to play a 200 year old organ if I am not too tired!

    There are two things that the Pandemic has taken from me:  travel and face-to-face teaching of my UNT students. It has been like a kick in the stomach.  So, on a day like today, I chose to lose myself in my travel pictures and dreaming of when I can pick up and go again.  I am confident it will happen.  As for my students, I will just have to settle for looking at them on a screen for now. I am experiencing a little jet lag so I have to sign off for now. :)

R.

A Little Blue

     So yesterday I was feeling a little blue.  And, in my life, even a little blue is too much for me.  I couldn't shake it and I believe my biggest frustration was that I could not put my finger on why.  Of course, one would say, it's the "normal" letdown after Christmas.  That could be part of it.  I began taking down my decorations but that actually made me feel good.  Why is it that those decorations just do not have the appeal after January 1? They are the same decorations that Ron and I would comment on almost daily as to how warm and cozy they made our house.  I am taking things down in stages and will be leaving some soft white lights for what can sometimes be a long January.  

    I can't really blame it on the fact that my kids have come and gone.  I always stay sad the first hour after they leave, but I have learned how to manage that and the importance of letting it happen.  We had a great visit.  We spent a lot of time together wearing our masks even though they all got tested.  We chose to give donations instead of bought gifts this year and spent Christmas morning talking about our choices and why they were personally important to us.  We truly felt the Spirit of Christmas as we gave to others. Robert and Mandy stayed until two days after Christmas and John wound up staying two extra days after that which was wonderful for us.  Also, it is so much easier to say good-bye to my children one at a time.  

    So it wasn't the decorations and it wasn't the kids leaving that totally caused my blues.  I think some of it had to do with the rainy days, which normally I enjoy because I cuddle under a blanket and either read or watch movies.  I think it was two things:  (1) being out of a routine of goals and a rather "now what" feeling and (2) most importantly, my lack of face to face interaction with my friends.  Other than family I thrive on my friendships and take them very seriously.  Researchers are telling us that a big part of getting through this pandemic along with exercise and eating healthy, is our interaction with others. With this being said, I am going to be proactive with setting up some time with friends with our masks on and socially distanced.  The screen visits are okay but nothing to compare with the real face to face conversation. I believe we can be safe together outdoors once it warms up a little and I think we need each other. We need to share our books, our day to day happenings, our worries and our joys.  Maybe we just need to talk about nothing especially important!

    Today I have walked Cooper for close to a mile which is chump miles to some of my friends, but its a great time for us each morning.  I have turned off the tv and have a load of clothes in the dryer.  I am not feeling as "blue" this morning for whatever reasons and am grateful for that.  This doesn't mean I won't feel blue again but the good thing is that I know hope and joy are still out there and I have already experienced some of that today.

    If any of you would like to share how you handle your "blue" days, I would love to hear it.  Just email me at Girlietchr@gmail.com. :)

Until next time,

R.

Thoughts for the first Day of 2021

 Today is January 1, 2021.  Last night was spent by millions of people telling 2020 good-bye as if all of its trials would just go away with it. Oh, if that could be true and we would've awaken this morning to no Covid, no unemployment, no divisive nation and no helpless feelings as we go throughout our days.  Well, unfortunately all of these things are still here.  But, there is something helpful about ridding ourselves of our thoughts of 2020 and renewing ourselves with hope.  We have a vaccine now and thousands have already gotten it.  It will take time but we are at least seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for the end of this deadly disease.  As the virus disappears, more people will be healthy and our economy can get back on its feet.  Our schools will continue to function back to a more stable climate and way of life, especially for teachers. It will take time, patience and a continual act of creativity on our parts to adapt to this new way of life.

If you had told me in March that I would be staying at home literally as I have since, I would have told you to go ahead and shoot me.  I am kidding, of course, but for someone who craves being around people, keeping herself productive and who had rather travel than eat, this was something that I would have thought would have done me in emotionally.  

First of all, the losses.  I had a trip planned to Rome, Italy, for this past July.  I was going to travel with my friend, Toni German.  We would travel from Venice to Rome, and then down into Tuscany.  It was going to be a dream trip.  That trip obviously had to be cancelled and I am not sure when it will be rescheduled.  I am used to traveling usually two big trips a year.  My biggest trip since March was to Little Rock, Arkansas.  Now, I am not saying that is a bad thing.  I love my friends in Little Rock and staying there with Kay is like being home again.  I am just saying it is a little bit smaller type trip than one to Europe.  So, the inability to travel has taken a big toll on me.  The good thing is that it has given me a great opportunity for reflection as I have looked through hundreds of pictures from my other trips ever appreciating them now more than ever.  I am warmed by the thoughts of my travel buddies and the memories we created together.  So, this is an ongoing avenue of hope that I will be able to travel again this coming year.  Come on, 2021, I am counting on you.

Another loss was my teaching situation at UNT.  My class was changed from a face-to-face design to a remote design.  At first, I was so disappointed because I am very relational and like to get to know my students through personal conferences in my office, interactions in class, and helping them learn how to set up community with their own students by the way I would model with mine. It was hard to make the transition and I pretty much made up my mind (even before the class started) that I was not going to like it.  Luckily, I was blessed with a great class.  They would attend my online meetings each week.  They turned in their assignments on time and did excellent work. It was a fantastic semester. So, I didn't completely "lose" my teaching job, but had to adjust to something quite different.  Teaching to a screen was challenging and I am now where I am deciding a semester at a time how much I am willing to move forward.

I am a firm believer that every day a person should seek out his/her purpose and do what they can to fulfill it.  I have a lot of purposes and am grateful for them.  However, they are not all long term and sometimes I find myself empty and wishing for something to do to become productive.  People say that maybe taking a nap and relaxing can be your purpose for the day.  I have a tough time with that one. To me purpose is being out of the house among people, looking for need, improving my mind, learning new things, etc.  Travel and teaching were part of my purpose.  Having them taken away or greatly modified has left me lonely at times and somewhat empty.  I don't think a day should be wasted.  Having to spend time at home has sometimes made it hard to find purpose.

Being at home during the pandemic has taught me that I can do just that...be at home... and manage.  I think Ron and I have done quite well by being here together all of the time.  We respect each other's space and we respect how the other is trying to cope.  That makes a big difference.  Making demands on others during a time like this is a no-win.  I also think having our dogs here with us has helped.  There is nothing like two animals with unconditional love following you around all day.

So, 2021, how are we going to continue?  Reading, big yes.  Organizing for the hundredth time, sure.  Taking walks and afternoon drives, of course.  Intentional writing from blogs such as this to actual writing letters to people, yes to that! Looking for a new hobby...practicing Chopin...calling my friends.  All of these things.

In order to be reading this blog, you have to be on my email list so I am confident that I can call you a friend.  Please know that I value you as my friend and that you are important to me. It is my "hope" that we shall support each other as we begin this new year.  Let's keep our heads high, our thoughts hopeful, and our hearts filled with love for each other as we move forward into 2021.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

R.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character;   and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our lives by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."   Romans 5: 3-5 

My Feet Are In Arkansas!

I have spent the last week in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the home of my childhood friend, Kay Allen.  Coming here two or three times a year is always a highlight for me because it helps me to reconnect to my Arkansas roots and disconnect from Texas for awhile.  I think we all need a change of scenery, especially during the confinement of the pandemic.  Actually, had there been no virus, I would be walking the streets of Rome right now or possibly traveling through Tuscany with my traveling buddy, Toni German.

Kay and I have managed to have a great time together even with our limited choices of places to go.  She has a pool in her backyard which is a magnet to a limited number at a time of friends and family which really brings a lot of joy with great conversation and laughter.  We have rediscovered our cooking skills with an emphasis on BLT's with outstanding Arkansas homegrown tomatoes. I continued making chocolate chip cookies which quickly disappeared. 

But, most treasured of all is our time together to talk, talk, and talk about everything, anything, and nothing all that important.We look at Life  very much in the same way.  Two kindred spirits, you might say.  She is definitely my sister by another mother.

I have Cooper here with me.  We take morning walks each day at a park nearby.  There are always other people there of a variety of ages.  Some have their dogs with them, all sizes and shapes.  It is a shaded park full of beautiful trees and lovely paths.  It is such a feel good spot to begin the day.  Of course, the real reason these walks have been so fabulous is because the weather has been unbelievably mild with low temperatures and low humidity.  Unfortunately, the heat is returning and will certainly be there when I get home to Texas.

One of the highlights of this trip was my visit with my cousin, Karen Bridges.  Karen and I found each other on Ancestry.com three years ago.  We immediately hit it off.  We found it pretty amazing as to how much we instantly became good friends and, even more so, how much we look alike.  We have the same chin, nose and dimples!

 

In a few short weeks I will be teaching an online course at UNT. This will be my 12th year as an instructor which is hard to believe.  These have been some of the happiest moments of my life.  I have established some incredible friendships with faculty, but mostly with students. Teaching remotely does not meet my teaching style at all, but I am going to give it a try and will see what the future holds.

It is time to get on with this beautiful day.  I hope it will be a beautiful one for you, too.

R.

Don't know where this underlining came from, but couldn't figure out how to remove it!  ha ha ha

This is Long If You Have Somewhere You Need to Go! :)

During these Pandemic days, I often find myself looking at my I-Watch to see what day it is, and also, what date it is.  This morning as I was walking Cooper, I saw July 20 on my watch and had a few moments of being a little startled.  The summer is dragging and flying by, all at the same time, and, I am sure, you who are reading this know what I mean.

If anyone had told me four months ago about the up and down adjustments I would be making up to now, I probably would have just gotten in bed and pulled the covers over my head.  Staying at home is not my nature.  I am a traveler now and had big travel plans for the summer.  Ron and I had planned to go to Michigan for six weeks to enjoy the beauty of Lake Michigan and a lovely small town named Montague.  I was going to travel to Pentwater to see my favorite bookstore and hopefully hang out there with the incredible owners.  We have had our picture made together for the past four years.  It saddens me that there will be no picture this year.

Also,  I had booked a trip to Italy and would have been leaving on the 24th.  This was really a disappointment because Italy has always been a dream of mine.  Now, I did get to go to the Venice airport when we were returning from our cruise from Greece, but that just didn't fulfill the dream.
My annual trip to Arkansas is still a possibility and I am keeping my fingers crossed.  I think I need to wait until the spikes go down in both states, not to mention the heat index, before Cooper and I take off on a road trip.

It is not like I have been sitting on the couch for four months.  I had my spring course to finish out and have been working on my online course for the fall.  I am looking at more tutorials than you can imagine so my students will not think I have no sense when it's time to communicate with each other.  I am so thankful that I have this course because even though online does not come close to teaching face to face, it is still a connection with college students and that is what keeps me active and alert.

My front courtyard which in March did not have one potted plant, now is like a forest of beautiful plants and colorful flowers.  I have loved digging in the potting soil and the watering has been very therapeutic. And, yes, I do talk to my plants!
I have read pretty constantly even though sometimes I do find it hard to focus.  I find that if I have a good book going then it helps the clock to keep moving, if you know what I mean.

Closets are clean, oh, are they clean.  I have baked dozens of cookies and cooked more than usual.  I have walked Cooper 2 to 3 times a day and taken him on an afternoon drive to nowhere every afternoon.

So, if you are still with me here, I am finally getting to why, I think, I am writing. 

First of all, I need to write.  Writing helps me with an area such as the following:
There is always something one can do with this kind of extra time, but what about the days when that wave comes in and you feel yourself spiraling down that rabbit hole of feeling a little hopeless, sad, and maybe angry at the fact that your life choices are limited and you are having to sacrifice the presence of your family and friends.  I have tons of friends and I miss them.  I miss going to lunch, happy hours, Bible Study classes, Estate sales, last minute shopping and just being together.  I miss the human contact of hugs with each other.  I miss that I cannot go see Betty, who has been quarantined in her Assisted Living room all of this time.  She is 94 and loves to be outside for her morning walks.  She loves horses and I have discovered so many back roads during my afternoon drives where I will be able to take her right up to a fence to see them up close.  I so look forward to taking her on that drive, but when?

Yes, that is the question we all do not have the answer for.  The "When".  And, what do I do in the meantime to keep myself healthy and moving forward.  For me, it is phone calls, text messages, video chats and Facebook.  If I can wade through political ads and now mostly mask ads, I love seeing pictures of my friends and what they are doing.  I have also recorded over 25 videos playing the piano and post them each Sunday.  I get over 1,000 views each week which blows my mind.

So, as much as I tire of hearing, "We are all in this together", we really ARE all in this together.  We need each other and we must lean on each other.  If you are missing someone, call them!  Don't think about it, just do it.  If they are busy or don't want to talk to you, they won't answer. ha That is something I learned with my sons! :) But, most of the time that will not be the case.

Buy some stamps to have handy and actually hand write a note or letter to someone.  It can be a friendly letter for keeping in touch or maybe a letter of gratitude.  I love notes!  While teaching at UNT, I received many notes from my students and pinned them on my wall. This summer I took them down and placed them in an album!  This album is such a treasure.  I have also put all of my letters from Betty in an album.  I have almost 80 from this precious lady to treasure throughout my lifetime.

Read! Read! Read! If you need a book, let me know. I have many to share.

Lastly, remember that nothing lasts forever.  There is going to be a vaccine and we are eventually going to get through this.  Until then, hold tight to those you love and be sure they know you do.

Thank you for reading,
R.