shopping savages

It is the day after Thanksgiving and I just saw on MSN that a Walmart employee was trampled to death by early morning shoppers who stormed the door while he was opening. How has it come to this that we become so consumed by consumerism that we either don't realize we are trampling someone or worse don't care. The stores hype people into such a frenzy that they are camping out to make sure they are the first in line for a bargain. Do you think anyone of those people who particiapated in this madness will actually feel any guilt or remorse for their part in his death? Do you think they will tell the person who receives the gift that some poor guy trying to earn a paycheck died for that gift because they themselves where to self absorbed and inhuman to stop or to render help ? A man has actually died so someone could save a few bucks on a DVD, digital camera, video game or some other materialistic momento of Thanksgiving 2008. I know this is a depressing topic, but I think we should name it Savage Friday instead of Black Friday.

rituals & traditions

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone, all that is left are the leftovers, maybe we should call them rightovers because if you call someone to come share them they might come "right over". Just a little turkey humor, and I mean really turkey. It was a great day. Ellen, Marshall and Sharon joined us bringing lots of good things to eat. I think we were all stuffed. It must be a sign that we are getting older when a turkey sandwich Thanksgiving evening doesn't sound appealing. I remember always eating around 2:00 pm and then having a sandwich later in the evening and that was after one of mom's holiday breakfasts of cinnamon rolls, eggs and bacon. There is no way I could cook a big breakfast and a holiday dinner at 2:00 pm. I am a cooking whimp. I miss Mom's cinnamon rolls. I think it was the love she put into them that really made them special. Honor has mastered mom's scones though and it is always a treat when she makes them for a family gathering. After the big feast we went over to the farm for a brisk walk. It is a good workout for the legs walking in cut pasture grass. I bet we walked a roll. Annie and Jack don't know what is going on, why they are suddenly getting these great tidbits in their food bowls. John and I have started a new winter ritual. It is called "evening tea by the fire". About 9:00 pm I put the kettle on for water and we brew a cup of ginger tea for John and a cup of green tea for me and then we take them downstairs to the "warm room", that is where the fire is, and enjoy our cup of tea before we retire for the evening. It is a nice relaxing way to end the day. Annie lays by the fireplace and Jack wanders around looking for wood chips to inhale. He is like a vaccum cleaner. Well I hope everyone enjoyed family, turkey, football and most of all a feeling of contentment this last Thursday of November. Blessings to everyone.

Mason Family Zoo

Dear Katie,
How are things in Georgia? Your family is wondering how Wellington is doing. Also, how are the cats? I bet Sal is just as sassy as ever. Your pets are interesting and we would like to hear about them when you get the time. We want to hear about you also. It seems like you are always busy with new projects. Hope Trent is doing well. Say Hi to Andy. Take care and Happy Thanksgiving.

Greetings

Greetings Everyone,
It has been a while since I have been on the blog, so long in fact that I had to go back to old old e-mails and find the address. It was fun to catch up on all the activities of fellow family members. I wish I could say exciting and wonderful things have been happening in my world, but alas it is pretty much same ole, same ole. We haven't turned the heat on yet, our target date is always Thanksgiving day. Last year we made it to the day before. We have been burning firewood. John loves to cut wood. My job is to load it in the truck and help unload. We gathered black walnuts this fall and now are cracking them. It is a time consuming manual process. We manage to crack enough for john to consume over a few days, then back to cracking. I don't think we will ever get far enough ahead to freeze any. We gathered 110 gallons of walnuts(before hulling), of course the end product is much less. Rebecca and Tom had the last of the fall harvest. They gave us some dill for the green beans on Thanksgiving day and some turnips and lettuce. Our broccoli and lettuce didn't do well. Katie I wondered how little Wellington is doing? I know it is hard on you and I am sure he doesn't understand this shift in his world, but he is lucky to have such a wonderful caregiver. I tried to get Sharon to adopt a dog I saw at the PetSmart adoption Sunday, but she wasn't sure and you really need to feel good about your decision to bring another pet into the fold. We went to Whole Foods last week, yes I still shop there even though I am not wanted by them as an employee. They were packed. We love their chocolate flourless chewy cookies. They are huge, for only .99 cents, but they are so rich you can only eat a little bite. One cookie lasts a couple of days, just nibbling on it. I keep putting the vibe out there that I want to work there, so maybe in time. Quiet Moments is holding its own, but the massage professional organizatons are now talking about tough times ahead in the profession, but to hang in there, of course they say the hardest hit will be the area that I am working mostly in and that is for relaxation and stress reduction, although if I was in Johnson County I think I would be doing ok, but rural america has the buck up and tighten the old belt and if your stressed get over it. Can I have a little cheese with that whine? I know some of you yourselves are not working at this time and I am hoping good opportunities will your way come and for those of you who may not be as content in your employment as you would like, I wish you contentment and if the chance arises a bigger and better opportunity. Just ride this wave and don't let it pull you under and hopefully we will come out of this with a better sense of balance and be much stronger and if worse comes to worse we can burn wood and eat walnuts. Well have a glorious fall day and enjoy the weather and the wonderful food that will be devoured later in the week. Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

Otherwise

Jane Kenyon wrote this beautiful poem, Otherwise. It makes me feel more aware of the many things I have, for which I am thankful.

Otherwise

I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill
to the birch wood.
All morning I did
the work I love.

At noon I lay down
with my mate. It might
have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together
at a table with silver
candlesticks. It might
have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed
in a room with paintings
on the walls, and
planned another day
just like this day.
But one day, I know,
it will be otherwise.

Looking Forward to the Holidays

Yesterday, November 18th, I attended a beautiful service at our church. A Mass was said for senior family members, both living and dead. The service opened with children bringing candles to the front of the church while a narrator described all the wonderful duties performed with great love by our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. It closed with two songs. One was about a mother's hands lovingly caring for her children. The other was about a father's manly presence during good times and bad. I mourned the absence of our parents and realized that their passing left a special void during the holidays. That void makes me comprehend how much I miss Mom and Dad. By the end of Mass my grief had passed. I felt our parents' presence and I knew everything would be alright. I am glad that I attended this special Mass because I can face the holidays with a much better attitude. I have a sense of well being as I reflect on all the loving memories I have of our family. Family love is a wonderful treasure. Everything else is dust.

Old Man

I had such high hopes today. Wellington had made it through Sunday and Monday nights without an accident. He had also made it nine hours yesterday while I was at work (shorter than my work days will be when my students return from their internships next week, but longer than the 5 ½ hours I was at work on Friday when he had his third accident in a row). After voting today, I decided to work from home (actually, I mostly just sat on the back porch and read).

Since I was home and could supervise Wellington, I brought him up from the basement (where he’s been living since his accidents became an almost daily occurrence) and allowed him to hang out with me and cats. I left the back door open, so he and the cats could come and go as they pleased, but all four of them mostly laid in the sun while I read the paper and a couple of books. I let Wellington out every 90 minutes or so and took him on a couple of good walks.

About 30 minutes ago, I discovered a puddle in the middle of the living room floor. Which leads me to believe that in addition to possibly having a bladder control problem, Wellington just doesn’t seem to know where to go anymore. Apparently, the living room is a good spot to let loose.

He’s back in the basement now, much to my dismay. He’s got a pretty comfy bed down there, a night light, and plenty of water. I go down there fairly often to visit with him and let him out, and the cats like to hang out with him too.

Tomorrow the vet should call with a prognosis.

Aging sucks a big fat one.

Voting Lines

My colleagues guffawed when I told them I planned to wait until Election Day to cast my ballot for the next U.S. President (Obama). Advanced voting lines were as long as eight hours in some parts of Georgia. I knew it was a gamble, so I packed food, drinks, and several books; I was prepared for a several-hour wait. After working out at the Y and taking Wellington for an old age check-up at the vet, I set off for my polling place a little before 11 a.m. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see the parking lot less than half full. I took another gamble and left most of my books and food in the car. When I stepped into the building, there was no line at all. I was in and out in about ten minutes. Now, I’m free to work at home and enjoy this glorious fall day. Thank goodness for all those folks who voted in advance or sent in absentee ballots; they made my civic duty so much easier!

What was everyone else's voting experience like? Any advance voters out there?

Sal Attack

Our orange calico furiously rolls on the stained carpet
yellow eyes wild.
Toppling face first into the sleeping space heater
she jumps up
bewildered
and sits facing the wall.

Slowly

Slowly

She turns to look over her right shoulder.

Her squirrel-y tail shimmies, taunting her.
She leaps and rolls again, grasping with both paws
pulling her tail tip toward her mouth as she somersaults across the floor
and then sprawls on her back chewing her tail contentedly
yellow eyes slitted against the overhead light.