I don’t have any words yet, no pithy comments or stories to tell of the preparations that are going on for the celebration of the season.  My heart is on hiatus.  But I can share the scenes and hopefully looking on them will further the healing process for me.

Outside my window…”Baby it’s cold outside!” Temps in the 20′s with clear skys and lots of sun.  I know where I am going to stay all day today, in my nice warm sewing room.  Turn on the Christmas tunes and finish the work that is piled on the machine.

I am thinking….about thinking. I don’t do enough of that so I think it is time for me to take some time and do a lot more thinking.

I am thankful for…the very good friends whose company we enjoyed last evening. 

From the kitchen…how about Chicken Parmigiana!

I am wearing…a blue tee shirt with Eeyore on it and blue sweats.

I am creating…a menu fit for a king (in my mind) and a home that is clean and comfy for said king to come home to.

I am going…to stay home today.  Scrap the Y today I think that the treadmill will suit.

I am reading….still making my way through Plato.

I am hoping….to finish sewing projects today so that I can begin decking them halls.

I am hearing….Matthew tapping on the keys of his computer, the clock ticking, and the bubbler in the fish tank doing its work.

Around the house….this place is a disaster! Never fear the maid is on duty today and will whip this place into shape in not time at all.

One of my favorite things…the Christmas Carol sing-along that we attended last night.  It is totall refreshing to sing with abandon and happiness with a group of other people intent on celebrating the true season, Christ’s birth!

A few plans for the rest of the week….get all errand running out of the way before Thursday.  Big White goes into the shop for some major work so she will be out of commission for a couple of days.  Did I mention that Matthew went off the road with my baby, planted her between a telephone pole and the guywire, wrapped a barbed wire fence around her and just generally made her feel miserable?  That is not the reason for the major repairs though.  The trannie is giving us some issues (yes I know, common Dodge problem) and so she needs to have that serviced.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you…

Mary-Kate and her organ teacher, Stephen Best after the Christmas Carol singing last night.  She made him proud by playing without her former nervousness.

or the Ninja Chrismas decorators.

Look ma, no brains! We are decorating the house just the way you like it.

Who needs a ladder?  Behold the benefits of working out.

Not only can you hang by one arm while stringing the lights but you can scale the post too.

Or you can be like Brett and just stay on terra firma and watch your friend risk his neck.

I put on my Santa suit this morning and hit the workshop early.  (Yesterday I gave the elves the day off since it was my husband’s birthday!) But today it is back to the salt mines, nose to the grindstone and all that.

The project that I just finished was the nightgown.

This is the model that I had to work from.

And, except for the fabric, I think it is a pretty darn good match (if I do say so). 

I even attempted to duplicate the hairbow.  Now it is back to the sewing machine.  The other outfits are all in states of semi-completion. (I try to do similar things all at the same time especially when they call for the machine being threaded with the same color)

I was hired to play Santa and make some dresses for an American Girl doll.  This kind of thing plays right into my delight in little kids and the fact that I love Christmas.

The doll was the character Kitt and I chose to duplicate two of her dresses, one jumper and blouse, her nightgown and her coat.  Armed with only the pictures downloaded from the AG website I set to work pawing through my fabrics, trims and embellishments to find just the right things. 

This is my version of the above dress.   The fabric I used is an actual 1930 reproduction that I had in my stash.  Rather than fuss with the embroidery on the collar and drive up the cost of the whole garment I sewed a button shaped like cherries on it that duplicated the cherry print on the dress.

The barrette in the hair is just some leftover red ribbon folded to cover the hair clip and covered with a manufactured bow.  The belt is made with some leftover webbing and a couple of d-rings.

Not too bad for not wanting to spend and drive up the costs.  I think Santa and I are good collaborators.  Now onto the rest of the collection.

Outside my window…it is still dark, not even the sun has risen yet.  The weathermen are calling for a warmish day (warmish for December) in the mid 50′s with sun.  Sounds like a good day to do all my laundry from being away.

I am thinking…about babies and head wounds. Layn has a big bruise right between the eyes from falling against the bench in the kitchen and he, just now, avoided getting the top of his head gouged by the organ by a matter of millimeters.

I am thankful for….my family. My daughter, son and Melissa who steamed cleaned the carpet while I was gone. Matthew who taught me a lesson even as I was arriving home by running my car off the road (he’s fine but my car has a new dent to show for it). My wonderful husband who lives and loves unruffled and unshaken but the happenings in our lives.

From the kitchen…I foresee a pot of chicken noodle soup in the very near future.

I am wearing…sweats and a tee shirt.

I am creating…creating had been suspended last week but now I must get back to it in earnest. 

I am going….to take hubby to work, get some groceries and take my car to the mechanic to have two of the tires taken off the rims, cleaned up and resealed.  Since Matthew’s accident I have developed a slow leak and I suspect that he damaged the seals on that side.

I am reading….Plato’s Republic

I am hoping…for changes, small but significant changes.

I am hearing…MK and Melissa chatting in the kitchen, Layn talking to himself and playing with the dog, and someone’s eggs popping on the stove.

Around the house…it is home! There is comfort, familiarity, and love.

One of my favorite things…watching Layn dragging his “blankie” around with him everywhere he goes.

A few plans for the rest of the week….shopping, fixing, sewing, laundry, praying, cooking, and simply being the wife and mother that I was created to be.

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you…

My niece Catherine, Ryan, my niece Abby, and Adam.  This was taken at the reception that was given after my father’s funeral.  Dad would be pleased and proud to have been there and to witness the next generation.

Outside my window…it is raining. I don’t know what it is doing outside my window in NY, but here in SC it is raining and cool.  The windows are open here in my brother’s house and the cool air is coming in along with the sound of birds.

I am thinking…about death, a lot lately.  Maybe it is because my father just passed away.  I pray that I do so well when it is my time.

I am thankful for…my son who gave me the opportunity to be here for my father’s end.  I am thankful for my siblings for their love and faith that sustain not only themselves and their families but those around them as well.

From the kitchen…I have no clue and I really don’t care. I’m not here for the food.

I am wearing…jammies.

I am creating…memories of the time that I get to spend with my family. An unexpected gift that comes with the death of a loved one.

I am going…to the funeral home some time today to “officially” identify my dad before he is cremated.

I am reading…The Sayings of the Monks of the Desert

I am hoping…that my oldest brother is able to make it back to the states for dad’s funeral.

I am hearing…the sounds of Matt’s kids doing their chores, the birds chirping outside, and the washer doing its business.

Around the house…it is peaceful and quiet. Matt and Jeanette have this place running like a well oiled machine.

One of my favorite things…the sight of their dog, Jack, sprawled out on the floor taking his ease.

A few plans for the rest of the week…details of the death and interrment that have to be taken care of. The funeral mass is on Friday and then shortly after that I will have to make my way home to New York and my former life.

Here is a picture thought that I am shaing with you…

A beloved memory of Layn, Saturday morning before I dropped everything to fly south.

Saturday evening the world became less and yet benefitted more for the passing of my father, Theodore Pelicano.  Less because coming generations will not have the privilege of being in the presence of the man who raised a family with unshakable faith and a wealth of unconditional love.  More because those same generations can now call upon him in ways beyond their wildest imaginings.  He is in a seat of influence praying before the very throne of The Most High.  His praise and prayer are perfect as they were never perfect when he dwelt upon this earth.

His eight children drew from his life of experience, wealth of faith, and well of deep love that he had for their mother and them.  Now that he is gone from them he can sing the praises of the angels and saints before the throne of God and be an instrument in the showering of grace on his family members as never before in his earthly life.

Though we are all saddened by the loss of his physical presence in our world we can rejoice in his release from this mortal coil.  His earthly sufferings are ended, sufferings that he faced with courage, grace and even his own particular brand of humor.  His faith in God and his love for his wife and family guided his journey through his battle with cancer to his triumphant reception of the final sacraments and the Apostolic Blessing.

We all should live and die as well armed and girt for the battle against the powers of darkness and emerge triumphant on the other side.

MK is just as reluctant as her brothers to have her portrait taken but she was at least more cooperative.  These are my favorites from the 11 images that were taken.

It is always a chore to get any of my children to sit for their portrait.  This past week I took Matthew and MK to have their portraits taken so that I could have up-dated pics of them.  Here are the proofs of Matthew’s sitting.  He is very photogenic just not very cooperative.