Dear Friends,

   The book indeed went to Washington State, and my friend printed it off!  She doesn't like reading text on the screen, it turns out.  So she edited it and sent it back to me.  The work commenced.  The first time, I ended up with a headache because my neck was so enraged by the angle I'd put it in.

   I'm on page 142 of approximately 245 (double spaced). 

   Thank you, Dolly!  Dolly appeared in my backyard when I was maybe four?  I always thought she was so much younger than me, but it turns out she is only three months younger.  From the very start of when girls begin to learn what they like doing the most, Dolly and I wrote.  We wrote a community newspaper, in fact.  One edition.  Given to the neighbor down the street who taught school.

   So thanks to Dolly's efforts, Marta and Cecelia are being improved.  The name of the book is "The Pileated Summer."  You'll see why when it comes out.

   So Happy Easter everyone.

   And please pray for Dolly.  She is ailing.  Her blood pressure spikes and then plummets.  She's been in the ER twice for that.  Plus, she has COPD and circulatory problems in her feet.  This is the woman who headed up a home for unwed mothers for FIVE years, repaired the roof, took the girls to their appointments.  It was a Catholic home, and Dolly isn't even Catholic! 

   So now she is reading the writings of Saint Mother Teresa.  Another woman who took on a huge task, and even in the darkness of doubt, she kept at it.  Never waivered.

   Thanks, readers.  You have been wonderful.

Karen

The Blog is Back!!!

   After messing with the blog for about 30 minutes, I FINALLY got the icon I was looking for -- the one that allows me to put up a new posting.

   The last post before this one was in February 2015.  The purpose for my absence was to work on a book about a woman named Marta and an angel named Cecelia.  And now I can tell you something wonderful -- the book is done.

   From that time in February 2015 to now, so many things have changed.  We moved a year and a half ago from the house we'd lived in for 28 years.  Talk about getting rid of stuff!  And then my beloved sister who raised me after our mother's death in 1961 died on July 4th, 2016.  She had been in declining health, but I don't think we are ever ready to say goodbye, are we?  But she was suffering greatly, and it was time for her to go to heaven.  And all the while, no matter what was going on, God would NOT leave me alone as far as the book is concerned. 

   Let me give you a sense of how crazy things were.  One day I went to my Holy Hour at the Chapel at SS Philip & James Church in Canal Fulton, like I usually do on Fridays.  On the bookcase, where there are always a few things set out rather than put away, what did I find?  A book about an Irish woman who saw angels.  Yep.  And the angel in my book is Irish.  On another occasion, a small book about angels appeared on the same bookcase.  It was a gem of a book with great quotes about angels.

   Then this past spring, my husband and I planned a little excursion up to Lake Erie and I emptied the coin jar to finance the trip.  Right away I saw a coin the size of a quarter that didn't fit in.  It was gold in color.  I immediately picked it up and guess what -- there was an angel on both sides of the coin.

   This past Christmas, I received FOUR angels.  One was from my grandson, who didn't even know I liked angels or was writing about one.  Another was from my granddaughter who does know I like angels.  Two were from my niece who might have known, but it was still uncanny.

   So where is the book now?  I sent a CD of the book to Washington state to my first friend.  We met when I was about four or five.  She is a writer herself and she has offered to take a serious look at the book.  Her first inclination is that she likes the main character a lot, but that we do have some work to do.  She says I have some old habits that need to be corrected.  She admits that she is a tough editor, but I want this to be great, not just good.

   And then there is the whole issue of getting published.  That is in the works right now.  I may have to self-publish because the whole Amazon revolution has turned the publishing world upside down.  The profit margin in book publishing has taken a dive, so publishing houses are reluctant to take chances on new writers.  I still feel like maybe I'm just a hack who is succumbing to the "vanity" press bug.  But God wanted me to write this book.  I have no doubt about it.

   And my promise to God was that I would write a book that would help people find their way to Him.  It has to get out there for that to happen. 

   So if you are reading this new posting, please say a prayer that I know what I am to do next.

God Bless You.

Karen

  

Taking a Break

Blogs in order to be good need a certain amount of work.  They need to be freshened, updated, and cared for.  The writer needs to find something for inspiration, interest, and knowledge.

For a little more than two years now I've enjoyed writing this blog.  It has been a wonderful experience and what I appreciate most is YOU.

Lately, it's been pressing on my heart that I need to finish my project about angels.  It's not that the blog takes up so much time; it's that the blog and the project are vying for the same time slot and the same kind of creativity and energy.

So with that -- I think maybe I will take a break.  I'll leave the blog up for a while without updates and see how long the project takes.  Maybe leaving it there will remind me that I have to get going on it and not just use the time for some other purpose.

We'll see.  In any case, I will sure miss this and I will sure miss you.

Perhaps the one thing that I would leave you with at this closing is the realization of how much attitude governs much of our lives.

It isn't just having a Christian attitude; that's hugely important.  It's also having a positive Christian attitude.

After my friend, Bacari's, facebook posting of a few days ago where he showed such an amazing power for believing in good and in rejoicing with each little step forward, I'm very sure that part of my Lenten experience is going to be trying to be that person -- the one who keeps their head up and a smile on their face.

Were it not for his wonderful positive outlook, the flat tire and the lack of a wrench and the interruption of a planned trip would have made for angry outbursts and flashes of frustration.  And his fiancé would have been sitting in the car afraid to smile about anything.  The whole experience would have turned into something that both of them would want to soon forget.  But in one degree weather, it just didn't create in him that reaction.  Instead, he kept running for the prize and we know what that is, don't we?

"We are called; we are chosen; we are Christ for one another," are the words from a wonderful hymn.  With that, my official break from Life in a Small Town starts today.

So yours in Christ,

Karen

Home Sweet Home

Got home at around 4:15 p.m. yesterday afternoon.  Eric is very, very happy, taking his medications and loving every minute of being home again.

The hospital did a very good job of trying to make things nice.  One of the best parts of Mercy is their food ordering system.  They come to your room and take your order and never get it wrong.  If I would want to eat a meal with Eric from the cafeteria, all I have to do is call a number and order, and pay with a credit card.  It is only $6.50 for a full meal and that's not bad!!

One nurse sticks out in my mind as being exceptional.  Dan.  Dan took his job very seriously and was amazing in how he listened and responded to his patients.  I saw him take a seat by one patient and just listen to what the patient's concerns were, and then he empathized.  He admitted that he loves his job and that is marvelous!!

Well, the horn just went off again and the cats scattered in all directions.  The sound comes from a device that works with the inhaler and it sounds exactly like a pitch pipe.  Loud too.  The respiratory therapist shared with my husband that the inhalants in most cases go into your mouth and bounce off the roof, never getting to the lungs where they need to go.  He gave my husband a plastic device invented by Phillips so that the inhalant is more effective.  My husband said that this one piece of information and assistance was worth the whole trip.

The smoke cessation program at Mercy is free and offers information plus support for anyone who wants to take part. 

So, we are home and I also slept great last night, didn't hear a thing.  The cats are so happy that their other owner is home!! 

So that's about it for today.  I'm going to get some work done around the house, feed the birds, manage to get the spreader out and put down some salt and do this before my husband goes out.  He SHOULD NOT be out in the cold just getting over pneumonia, but he is a stubborn man.

Take care, everyone.

Karen

Update

Eric will be coming home today, and I hope the doctor makes it over to his room to sign discharge papers as soon as possible.  He is really anxious to return home.

They wanted him to stay one more night to get some IV antibiotic, just to be sure this pneumonia that came on so strong is really gone.

So it's time for the morning chores -- did the litter, fed the cats, and now it is on to taking garbage can up to the street and feeding the birds.  Oh, and sweeping the mudroom.

I'll be back at 'ya tomorrow at some point.

Now it might just be breakfast time and that sounds good to me.

For two days I ate a Subway 6" sandwich toasted on Italian herbs and cheese bread -- turkey with spinach, tomato, banana peppers, pickles, black olives, and cucumber.  Pepper jack cheese.  Pretty good, but time for a switch.  It's weird because I like Subway, but then when it is time to order, none of the meats sound all that good to me.  I don't know why.

Mercy used to have a McDonald's and the doctors just hated that it was there -- bad diet you know.  But day after day, you could probably find a little more variety and it is cheaper.

Maybe if we have to stay all the way through lunch, I'll just go down to the cafeteria and get something.  That might be good.

Take care everyone.  I thank God for helping me these last days get everything done and feel good, and get in and out of the deck, and all of that good stuff. 

Karen

Break

Taking a little break this morning -- my husband ended up going to ER on Sunday night due to shortness of breath, no chest pain.  It was a small spot of pneumonia on his one lung that was really getting bad fast.  He has been a smoker for years and years and continues to smoke.

In fact, I called the EMS to check him out fearing that something would happen on the ride over to Mercy.  But I did drive him, although they thought he should definitely go.  He was admitted and is doing much, much better.

However, I have birds to feed, cats to feed, stuff to do so I can get over there this morning and bring him home (I hope).  He REALLY wants out of there now. 

Everyone at Mercy has been more than nice.  It's a wonderful hospital.

So talk to you tomorrow if all is more normal.  If you don't hear from me, then things are still a bit hectic.

Bye for now,

Karen

Good news is he has been cigarette free since Sunday night and is considering an attempt at quitting again, I think.

Lent

(Sorry, went over to my son's house this morning because he had a bad sore throat and needed to go to the doctor.  If I hadn't gone, he would have had to get the kids up and take them to the doctor with him at 8:15 a.m. when the temp was about 11-15 below zero.  So I have a pretty good excuse for being late.)


So I have figured out what I am doing for Lent.  It was an obvious choice and one I actually started about a week ago.  I am NOT buying anything on the Internet.  Nothing.  Unless it has extreme importance to the running of this household.

Getting new underwear does not count.  Neither does a pair of slip-on boots.

When I get a little down in the dumps or feel this certain frenzy coming over me, the relief is to buy something on the Internet.  The good feeling doesn't last much past the click to purchase.  The good feeling is replaced by regret and anger at myself.  One day I kind of figured it out.

When I was a little kid and my mom was really not well due to high blood pressure and strokes, we'd get the Montgomery Ward catalog.  She would have me go through it to get ideas on what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas.  And then I imagine she'd call the store and order the item and it would be delivered in a big truck when I was at school.  At any rate, shopping via catalog became kind of a balm to deal with my concerns for my mother and stresses of other kinds.

Now that I've arrived at what the trigger is, I think maybe this time I can gain some control over it and with God's help and some prayers stay away from making anything but necessary purchases.  And besides that, perhaps I can think of something good to do for someone else.

I do not have a large credit card debt or anything like that.  I've always controlled it to be able to pay off the card at the end of the month.  But that doesn't say much for my self-control, just keeping even.  I should be saving something and that's important!!

So far, so good.

I hope you have come up with something for your Lenten journey.  When you think about the start of each day, it is truly another chance to do better, to get things right.  A chance to use more patience, a chance to think of someone else's problems or pain, to say some prayers, to talk to God and to take time to be quiet and listen for an answer.

--------------------

Another topic.  Did I tell you about the Flamm Kuchen?  Okay, well here it goes.  I was looking up Wissembourg, France the other day.  Wissembourg is the largest city near where my grandfather was born and raised.  I'm sure he spent time there as did his mother and father and siblings.  It is lovely with a river going through town and quaint old buildings lining the square.  I found a video that a tourist made about a day in Wissembourg.  There was a market day going on and at one of the booths, a young woman was ladling out a white sauce on flat dough and then they put something else on it and it went into a brick oven fired with wood.  Soon they took it out and served it to their customers along with a big stein of beer.  Looked great!!!  So I wanted to find out more about Flamm Kuchen.

It turns out that the dough used for Flamm Kuchen was actually the tester to see if the oven was hot enough for bread.  An enterprising woman figured she had some items on hand and would just use them to bake the tester into something edible for her family.  Flamm Kuchen was born and it is like fast food in this part of France.

I found a recipe on line for the dough which in this case is yeast-free.  Then you put crème fraiche on top.  Crème fraiche is pronounced, "Crem fresh."  To make it, you use 1 cup whipping cream at room temperature and one tablespoon of buttermilk or sour cream at room temperature.  Place mixture in a jar with a lid and shake 15 seconds.  Then set aside (at room temp) for 24 hours or until very thick.  Stir once or twice during the 24 hours.  Cream will thicken faster if the temp in the room is warm.  Stir crème fraiche well.  Refrigerate at least six hours before serving.  Cover tightly and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  (Make more if you are making more than one Flamm Kuchen.)

Okay -- so you take the unbaked dough and make rectangles out of it.  Then ladle on some crème fraiche.  Top with very finely cut onion and pieces of bacon.  Put in 500 degree oven until ready.  Shouldn't be very long.

Doesn't that sound wonderful?  You can look up Flamm Kuchen yourself if you like or take the little tour of Wissembourg like I did.  Happy travels.