Another Sunday

First, I guess I should cover yesterday's events. I slept in (of course) and hardly did anything all day. I did start cooking a roast in my crockpot in the morning. It was done around 5:00 p.m. so I enjoyed some roast and potatoes. My dad called around 6:00 to invite me to go out to dinner, but I told him I already ate. I called him back around 6:30 to see if he wanted to go to Josh's band concert. He said he did so he came over after dinner and then we headed to the concert around 7:20. The concert was very good. Josh looks so serious on stage. Well, he is generally a serious kid.
This morning I slept in a little with plans to go to the 11:15 service. I headed to church around 9:30 to get ready for class at 10:00 but it turns out that almost everyone was gone this week. We only had three people show up so we decided to postpone class until next week. So instead of coming home for an hour, I stayed and visited with one of the ladies that had come for class. We had a nice chat. I thought my brother and his family would be coming to Mass, but I guess they didn't make it. I came home after Mass and had some left over roast beef. I started watching t.v. and then decided to take a nap. I know I'm going to regret it tonight, but I was tired. I was tired enough to have some strange dreams.

I'm going to make dinner shortly and then I must practice tonight. I really have to get my part down... at least on the exposed parts. I know it's not exciting news, but my life is rarely exciting... which is probably a good thing.

My Rosaries

Early in my Catholic journey I learned to make rosaries. I made my first one in the fall of 2005 as I was in RCIA class. By the time Easter Vigil arrived, I made one for every person entering the Church with me along with a few others. Since then, I've made several more that I've given away to others like my friend Summer. I've probably made 40+ rosaries at this point and every one of them have been unique. I've never sold one as they have all been gifts. I can't even tell you how much I've spent in making them, but it's just something I enjoy. Each rosary costs anywhere from a couple of dollars to make to upwards of $15 depending on the kind of beads, centers and crosses I use. I may have to start selling them just to keep my habit up. I really don't know if there would be a market for them, but I've received compliments from every person that has received one. I've always enjoyed being creative and crafty and this is something that incorporates that. It is a moment of peace that lets me get away from the world for a few moments when I make them. I hope and pray that every person that has received one of my rosaries has been able to use it to further their spiritual life. I don't pray the rosary as much as I should. Sometimes, I do recite it as I string each bead. Now that I have a craft room again, I've been more active in making them - that is until I've run out of materials. I'll have to wait until payday next week to replenish my supplies.

At this point I have 21 rosaries at home. (Aside from my personal rosaries.) I've put 20 of them online if you'd like to see them. I have another that I'm holding on to with someone in mind that I'd like to give it to. If you're interested in a rosary, email me and let me know and we'll figure out a price. If you'd like me to make one for you, I can do that as well. Several I've made with the person it's going to in mind and I try to chose colors/materials that seem to fit them.

The end of the week

I think I'm glad it's Friday. I wished I could have slept better last night. I had a little bit of a pity party last night but I'm getting over it. Maybe it's just the lack of sleep. I went to bed around 2:00 and was up at 7:00. I got up and then went back to bed for a couple of hours. I picked my friend, Kirsten, and her parents up at 11:00 so we could go to theater. We got there in time to get tickets, but the snack line was really long. I was kind of disappointed. I know the prices are outrageous, but it just doesn't seem the same to be popcornless at the movies. I did enjoy the movie. Yes, they took some liberties as they always do and several things got cut, but overall, I thought they kept true to the basic storyline. It might be my favorite movie of the series. I'll have to watch it again, I'm sure. My friend's parents bought us lunch after the movie which was really nice of them. We went to Schlotzkey's. Tomorrow I'm going to make a roast. It's a small one and even though it's too much for one person, I can have leftovers for a couple of days.
I did finally get to see Josh briefly. I had to take him his electric shaver that he forgot. Band was pretty good even though our director was late today - which normally would be unusual, but it happened last summer as well. I really need to practice this weekend. There's some things that go really fast and I don't quite have it down at this point.
I am very excited that the new season of Monk and Psych are on tonight. Josh wants me to record it so I've got to find a tape and figure out how to work the vcr again. Yes, I know I should get tivo, but I've looked into it and I simply can't afford it right now. Simply having digital cable with HBO and high speed internet is already a luxury item that costs a fortune.
I got my charger in the mail today so my battery is charging. I'm not sure how long it will take, but hopefully I'll get to take pictures again soon. Well.. gotta go be unproductive again.

Insomnia Again

Well, it's almost 2:00 a.m. and I've yet to sleep. I went to bed around 10:30 and couldn't fall asleep. I got up around 11:30 and read until 12:30. I tried sleeping again and gave up shortly before 1:00. I posted in my Catholic blog and now I'm still not feeling sleepy. I guess I shouldn't have had that coke at dinner. I've been pretty good about not drinking caffeine too late, but I did have a coke when we went out to dinner tonight. I had a cheeseburger and fries. I found out that my brother's girlfriend is pregnant again. Their baby is just now 6 months old. I hope they'll get married one of these days. They're coming to church again on Sunday so I'm glad about that.

I don't have anything else to add. I'm going to try to go to bed again. I'm determined to not use drugs tonight. I really hate the dragging feeling I have the next day. Even when I take half a pill, it seems to stay in my system for a long time. I once took one around 9 p.m. and even though I slept through the night, I still felt exhausted at noon the next day. I'm going to have to figure out something that works. Have a good night... oh yeah, you probably already are being fast asleep.

The week goes on

It's already Thursday. I actually had a good night of sleep without drugs. I still didn't go to Hereford and I've decided that I'm not going to go until next week when I have to go for training. I signed up for a computer course and will get paid $60 for going. I got some more centers today and finished a couple more rosaries. I've tried tracking my camera battery charger but it's either stuck in Grand Prairie or the site isn't updated. If it's not here in another week, I'll contact the company. It indicated that I would receive it in 4-14 days. Rehearsal was earlier today and we got a new piece of music. I'm really going to have to practice. There's some parts that are exposed (3rd clarinets stand out) and I'm going to have to get it down. When we left rehearsal there was a pretty good downpour of rain going on. I'm going out to dinner tonight with my dad. I'm glad I don't have to cook, although I do have food now. I went to the store and got enough to get me by until payday next week. I'm going to see Harry Potter tomorrow morning. There's nothing else to report. I still refuse to be productive. Maybe after the weekend.

I don't know what to write

It's Wednesday and it seems like the days are just dragging. I want to go see the Harry Potter movie but I promised to go with my friend Kirsten and she doesn't want to go until Friday. I took half a sleeping pill last night which helped especially when storms came through around 3:00 a.m., but again it took me a long time to wake up this morning. I didn't go to Hereford yet again. Maybe tomorrow, but no promises. I watched t.v., read blogs, read a book and again was a total bum once again. I'm almost feeling guilty. I went to band at 3:00. Today was better... I could at least play more notes today than yesterday, but the music we played today was a bit easier. It was raining when we left. It's one of those nice mild summer rains - not a downpour, but a nice shower. I have the back door open so I can hear and smell it right now. I'd be sitting out in it if it weren't for my laptop.

I have to go to the grocery store today. I had the last of my frozen dinners and am going to need something to get by for a few days. Luckily, I'm going out to eat tomorrow night. Dad is in town and he called to see if I wanted to go out. Free dinner? Of course I do!

I feel a bit worthless right now. I need something to feel productive, but at the same time I don't feel like doing anything. I'm fed up with house cleaning. I'm getting short on cash so I can't go shopping. I've run out of rosary centers so I can't do that either. I do have a book I'm reading, but for the most part, I'm just sitting my recliner doing nothing. It's times like these I wish I had more friends. Yes, my friend Kirsten is in town, but she's going out with her parents tonight. My friend Pam is still at the hospital with her daughter and she has another crisis going on with a broken pipe in her house that caused major flooding. And I'm sitting here having my own pity party. I really need to get over it.

Only Tuesday

It's only Tuesday, right? I didn't make it to Hereford. I watched a movie instead. I did sleep last night which was good. I had lunch, took a shower and went to summer band. I'm going to have to do some practicing. I don't know what it is, but somehow I always end up sitting on the end of the row. I really expected more clarinets to show up. I'm playing 3rd part, but a lot of what we played today had 16th notes at a pretty fast pace. (For those you that know music.) I felt really tired when I got home. Maybe playing for an hour wore me out. I relaxed in my recliner for about 45 minutes. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do about dinner. Being alone makes cooking difficult. I'm used to making dinner for Josh as well.

I don't have any plans for tonight. At some point I need to go to the grocery store because the food supply is minimal. Well, I better get something to eat.

A Quite Non-Productive Day

For the most part yesterday I was a total bum. Shortly after I posted, I got a call from one of my neighbors that goes to my church and is in my Adult faith class. She wanted to know if I'd be home for a bit because she wanted to bring me something. I thought she might want to give me a thank-you card or something because she was the one that won the rosary that I gave away in class on Sunday. She came over about 20 minutes later and brought me a loaf of freshly baked beer bread right out of the oven. It was amazing. She also loaned me a book about Mother Angelica. I read it most of the day. A little after noon I headed to the post office to put my student's recommendation form in the mail. (She's applying for the honor program at her college.) I then headed to camp to give Josh his candy bars that he had requested and I also took him some bread. At that point, he didn't know what band he had made yet. I came back home and had my left over fried rice for lunch. Josh called me about 30 minutes later and told me he didn't make honors band, but was first chair in symphonic. He was a bit disappointed, but he's o.k. with it. At least being first chair, he could get some solos. Then I sat around and read, watched t.v. all day. I made a couple more rosaries and I'm waiting impatiently for my battery charger to arrive so I can take some pictures. Around 8:00 last night I decided I was hungry and so I went to McDonald's to pick something up. I got online for a bit and chatted with a couple of people. Around 10:45 my cell phone rang. It was my friend Pam. She told me that her daughter, Kami, had a grand mal seizure in the hospital today. She was horrified. Kami is stable now and they think it was due to the demerol so they have stopped giving that to her. But the experience was awful she says. She had stopped breathing and turned blue. They even called for a chaplain. I can't believe it. So if you do pray, please continue to offer up some prayers for her.

Well, that's the extent of my very lazy day. Today I'm trying to talk myself into actually getting to Hereford. I really need to go, but I just don't want to. Oh, I did decide to play in director's band. I got out my clarinet yesterday and everything seems to be o.k. for now. I emailed my principal and found out that the meeting I have to go to on the 19th will only be a couple of hours so I'll be able to make the concert. I guess I should take a shower and get dressed.

Alone Again

I'm tired. I'm still having sleep issues. I actually went to bed at a decent hour and fell asleep pretty well. I was amazed... until 3-something this morning. I finally gave up and got up around 4:00 a.m. I got online and read blogs and surfed a bit. I also remembered that I needed to fill out a recommendation form for one of my students so I did that as well. I finally tried to go back to bed around 5:30. I think maybe I fell asleep after 6:30 or so because I remember seeing the sun start to come up. I know I slept some, but it was very haphazard. Josh called me a little after nine to tell me how his audition went. He felt pretty good about it but he's not sure about getting the high "G" out saying he kind of fumbled it. He really wants to make Honors band this year so I'm hoping that he did well enough for that. I didn't really write about yesterday other than church so let me get on with that.

After church, I came home and then decided to not cook anything for lunch. I got Josh's order and ran up to Sonic. Josh ate and continued to pack. He asked me to quiz him to make sure he packed everything. We headed up to registration at 1:00 thinking that might be a good time to go. We were WRONG. If we had been brilliant by sending in his photo digitally, it would have been no problem, but because he had to have his picture taken, it took an hour. And then, they had technical difficulties so he didn't even get his name tag. At least while he was waiting I was able to go pay for a private lesson and get his tickets to go to the musical TEXAS and to Wonderland (Amusement park). After he was finally out of the long registration line, he realized we had left his water at home so we came back to pick it up. We then went over to the dorms so he could check in. Of course he was on the second floor again. So we lugged all his stuff up to his room.

After that I headed to Amarillo. I went to visit my dad's girlfriend who is recovering from surgery she had last week. We had a very nice long visit and she may start blogging soon. After that, I went to the hospital to see my friend Pam and her daughter. I stayed about 30 minutes there because they were both tired. Kami actually had fallen asleep so I gave Pam her rosary that I had made her. After that, I went to My Thai to eat. It was close by and it used to be my favorite Thai place in Amarillo. It was o.k. but I guess I'm getting used to the place in Canyon now. While there, my aunt called me so I talked to her for a bit. Josh had called me earlier and told me that he forgot to pack towels. I headed home and got some towels gathered up. I had to wait to take them since he had to have meeting at his dorm first. I went to the grocery store to get a few things and then took the towels to him shortly before 9:00 p.m. I headed home after that, watched a little t.v. and was in bed by 10:30... but we know how that went.

Now I don't know what to do. I should go up to Hereford today, but I really don't want to. I haven't decided if I'm going to go or not. I do have to get out shortly to put the recommendation for my student in the mail. I also have to go up to camp and give Josh the candy bars I bought him at the store but forgot to give him. I'm trying to figure what I should start doing here at the house. I'm just not feeling very motivated right now. I don't know if I'm going to play in director's band or not yet. I need to see if my clarinet will play well enough. I also need to check with my principal about the BLT (Building leadership team) meeting that is next week. If it goes all day, I won't be able to play because that is when the concert is. I do want to play though. I always love being a part of a large musical ensemble and director's band is awesome every year. Well, I'm either going to to get ready or get some more rest.

Contentment

I was sitting in Mass this morning with a smile on my face. I just felt happy to be there. I was sitting alone and I was o.k. with it. I simply felt joy being in the presence of God. I have had moments where my faith seems to weaken and I live in my own pity parties, but I rejoice in the fact that I always have this place to come back to. I loved how the Bishop put it today. He called it "recharging our spiritual batteries." Before coming into the Church, I struggled with the notion of having to go to Mass EVERY Sunday. I wasn't sure if I was up for it, but now I can't imagine missing a Sunday. It really does wonders for the soul. I can't imagine not being able to take part in the Eucharist. That in itself does wonders to keep me on the mostly straight and narrow path. I'm still not fond of confession - it's the idea of actually admitting my own imperfections, but that's a fault within me and not the Church. Despite this, I feel as though I have this new kind of wisdom. I'm finally "getting it" so to speak. Oh, I know I still have a ways to go and I know what I need to work on, but I feel very blessed to have the Church to help in that endeavor. I am starting to fit in and get to know people. I felt very privileged to be able to teach the Sunday school class today. I guess it went pretty well except that we didn't get through the entire lesson. It was pretty long though. I know that religion and church isn't for everyone, but I am truly thankful for it. It has been an amazing experience and the journey really has just begun.