PASSACAGLIA

I sometimes think I was born in the wrong era.  The artists who have composed the most beautiful arrangements have been long dead.  Their passions fill the compositions with such deep feeling that I find myself caught up and begin day dreaming of what it would have been like to live during Romance Era.  I long to visit places like Italy and France just so that I can bathe in the rich culture.

PASSACAGLIA as performed by the Secret Garden is one of those pieces that pulls me to another world:

Secret Garden - Passacaglia

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT

Being home for the last several months I have had the opportunity to explore different types of music.  Evan loves Country Music and the more folky Irish Artists.  He shared some music with me last night from Gaelic Storm.  I didn't like it...

I prefer music performed by Secret Garden, Celtic Women and, my new favorite, Blackmore's Night.

Today while listening to Pandora a song I hadn't heard before from Blackmore's Night played, Once In Million Years.  It is very pretty.  I liked it so much I decided to search the net for a video of the song.  I found one.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO

I feel like this today.

For the past week or so the happy working song of the Seven Dwarves has been playing in my head in anticipation of returning to work. 

Dr. Anderson's office drafted a return to work notice effective Monday, February 6th during my last doctor's appointment. 

Dr. Anderson stated that I have been recovering nicely.  I need to continue with physical therapy until I have regained strength.

I am still in the cleaning and organizing mode.  As a result, I have ironed enough work outfits for the next two weeks.  Each outfit is hanging neatly in my room waiting for me to wear.  I purchased a new work bag to carry my calendar, day planner, keys, pens, clips, lap top, etc.  I have scheduled family activities for the next month and have started planning for personal activities.

I have been working on decluttering my house for the past couple weeks.  While there are piles of things to go through, there are shining moments and areas of perfect organization and cleanliness.

My children have not quite grasped the necessity to make their beds and take their dirty clothes out to the wash.  This causes a little disruption in my perfect OCD world.  This results in the compulsion to enter each room, make the beds, pick up the dirty clothes, straighten the room, etc. each morning.  I won't have this luxury when I go back to work on Monday.  I am hoping that my kids will miss the nicely made beds and decide to take care of it themselves.  :)

This is what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the Prince and moved out to live in the Palace.

"IM COMFORTABLE"

Yesterday, I was sitting on the couch when mhy phone "binged" at me. 

Victor says:  "You just got a text message." 

I said:  "That was my phone?!?"

I reach for my phone and Victor says:  "It's Evan."  I look at him and then I look at my phone.  Sure enough, I have a text message from Evan.

Victor asks:  "What did he say?"

I read out loud Evan's text:  "Im comfortable"

I text back:  "What"

The next message says:  "To be around"

I text back:  "Why"

For some reason I didn't see his response until this morning when he sent me a text asking if he could stay after school to work on Chemistry.

His response to "why" was:  "Thats what ashleys familys said"

Ashley is Evan's girl friend. 

Ashley had invited Evan to attend a friends "Quincenera" (spelling????).  He spent seven hours with Ashley and her family last Saturday.  Seven hours is a long time to spend with someone's family. 

When I think about Evan I sense an ease about him.  I'm comfortable when he is around.  He is a very peaceful young man.  He rarely has outbursts.  Most of his frustration is kept inside - I can feel it when he is frustrated.  But that doesn't happen very often either.

Aislyn thinks Evan is too passive.  But I like him to "comfortable".  He keeps me "comfortable".

I LOVE A QUIET CLEAN HOUSE

Last week I was pretty sick and I have continued to have the sniffles through the last couple days.

A funny thing happens after I have been sick for a while.  I have this strange irresistable urge to clean and disinfect everything.

Saturday morning I got up and stripped my bed and immediately threw the sheets into the washing machine on HOT.  I straightened my room, dusted and vacuumed.

I then took a HOT shower.

I cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom.  I removed every thing that could be washed and threw it out to be washed next.  Every surface was cleansed and then disinfected with Lysol. 

I moved to the living room.  Boxed up the rest of the Christmas decorations; folded the three baskets of laundry; dusted and vacuumed.  Then I turned on Pandora to listen to some Celtic Music.

The dining room was next.  The tablecloth was removed and replaced with a clean crisp white lace tablecloth.  I dusted and polished my cobalt blue center pieces and placed them on the table. 

I saved the kitchen for last.  This being the dirtiest room in the house.  I was not able to finish the kitchen before I was completely exhausted.  Sunday, I finished the dishes and made dinner.

Monday morning I decided that the kitchen still wasn't good enough.  I had Allisa sweep and mop the kitchen floor again.  I emptied more than half the drawers; cleaned them out with Mr. Clean spray and then put all items in the correct drawers.  I don't know who has been putting the dishes away, but their methods drive my OCD personality completely bonkers.  Aislyn came in and rescued me from the tupperware cabinets while Allisa and I tackled the pantry. 

By 9:30 last night I couldn't stand anymore.  I got up late this morning and attempted to finish the pantry and clean off the counters where the pantry had exploded to.  My pantry is organized and all but one section of counter top has been cleared of pantry items.  I have a sink full of mismatched tupperware and dirty dishes that happened to be in the pantry...  I don't know why...

Maybe I'll finish that part tomorrow.  I'm exhausted.  But, my house is clean; the kids have been at school; Victor has been running errands (finally got his hair cut); and I have had the house to myself for about three hours.  I was able to read my scriptures and study; type a couple blogs and just enjoy the quiet time.  Peace at last.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Today, Victor and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary.

It is pretty amazing to me that we have spent 1/3 of our lives together. 

On Sunday I was sitting with one of the sisters in the ward.  We spoke for a period of time and she shared with me that she and her husband will be celebrating 61 years of marriage.  That amazes me even more.  That is a lifetime.

The first 15 years have been spent raising our children.  I believe the next 15 years will be spent becoming grandparents and watching our children establish families of their own.

JANUARY 2012 - NEW BEGINNINGS

Every January I spend time reflecting on the previous year and looking forward to the possibilities of the new year.  This past year has had some milestones and highlights.

Allisa turned 12 and has joined the older girls in the Young Women's program.  She loves Young Women's and is happy to graduate from Primary.  Allisa loves school and is thriving with excellent grades making the Honor Roll or Merit Roll each term.  Allisa asserts her personality often, especially with her dad.  This sometimes frustrates Victor.  I think it's funny.

Aislyn is in her first year of High School and is loving it.  She is a mother hen when it comes to her friends.  She is growing up very fast and is often mistaken for a 16/17 year-old.  We love her sense of fashion, pulling off combinations like formal pink dresses with white knee high converse tennis shoes.  She is trying her hand at drawing and seems to be enjoying this new hobby.

Evan is a Junior at ACE High School and still loves studying Architecture and Construction.  Together we designed and constructed mobiles for the two new granddaughters.  Devlyn and Stevie were impressed with the Christmas gifts for their daughters.  Evan turned 16 this past September, was ordained a Priest and has a girlfriend.  Evan had many firsts.  1)   Performed his first ordinance - baptizing his cousin Rogelio.  2)  Blessed the Sacrament for the first time.  3)  Had his first date.  4)  Has his first girl friend.

I have been working long hours up until the end of October.  I had reconstructive surgery on my left knee the end of October.  I have been participating in physical therapy to help with the recovery.  I am expected to return to work February or March.

Victor and I became grandparents for this first time with two granddaughters born within two weeks of each other  Victor is a proud grandpa and loves spending time with the grandbabies.  We babysat one of our granddaughters this past Sunday.  A whole three hours with Kadance while Drew and Devlyn went to the movies - their first date since she was born.

We are hoping that this new year is full of many firsts and many new and exciting adventures.  We hope that your year is just as fruitful.