December 31, 2007

1 Sharaf 164 B.E. - Monday, December 31, 2007 about 12:48 PM PST

December 31 is when my Grandmother finished her New Year's house cleaning. Grandma was an interesting person, if she couldn't sleep she would get up in the middle of the night and clean house. Just before the beginning of a New Year she would do a mini house cleaning to get the house ready for the coming year.

On New Year's Day Grandma would make the beds and do dishes, but nothing else. All her laundry was finished on December 31, but on New Year's day she wouldn't do laundry. I don't care how many cloths we got dirty on New Year's Day she wouldn't do laundry until January 2.

On January 1 she fixed a big lunch with blackeyed peas, potatoes and gravy, creamed corn and some kind of pie. She did dishes on January 1 because that was part of cooking, but she didn't do much else. January 1 was devoted to visiting with family who came over on that day. Grandma enjoyed having family over on New Years Day.

Tomorrow I'm going to fix blackeyed peas and creamed corn, but I don't know what else. I have a chocolate bunt cake in the cupboard for desert so maybe I'll get ice cream to go with it when we go out. I have to pick Mom's meds up at 2:00 PM today. The pharmacy will be closed tomorrow so we have to get them today. While I'm out I'll get a filter for the central air unit, pigs feet and perhaps some ice cream.

One thing I'm going to change

I know one thing I'm going to change and that's how I deal with those nights that I can't sleep. They occur maybe once or twice a year. I get sleepy and go to bed, but then lay the tossing and turning. I hear noises outside the house and noises inside the house. I get up to check the thermostat or check the door, which I know I locked. Then go back to bed to continue to toss and turn. Finally I get to sleep about dawn and then I sleep through the alarm.

My grandmother would get up and clean house. I think that from now on I'll do the same or get online. It's cold this time of year, but I have enough cloths that I can layer them and keep warm, besides doing housework keeps you warm. I'm probably better off doing housework and keeping warm then getting online and freezing.

There's probably a lot of other things I need to change, but that one thing I know for sure I'm going to change. I just thought of other things I could do when I can't sleep. I can get my prayer book and say prayers or read a book. If I give myself enough time I can probably think of a few more things.

I am Prepared for January 1, 2008

19 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Saturday, December 29, 2007 about 7:57 PM PST

I am prepared for New Year's Day 2008. I have a package of blackeyed peas and a jalapeno peppers. My grandmother didn't put jalapenos in her blackeyed peas, but I do. Grandma made blackeyed peas with pigs feet and that was it. She didn't add much else to it. I didn't get any pigs feet when I went to the store today. I'll have to get them Sunday, when I go after the filter for the air conditioner.

My grandmother made a shopping list when she went to the store, so she didn't forget anything. She didn't get anything extra either. I don't make a shopping list so I forget some things and get extra stuff. It's not the extra items that are the problem, it's forgetting items you need. Actually I hadn't planned on putting pigs feet in the blackeyed peas. I have a can of beef in the cupboard that I intended to open and put a little in the slow cooker with the peas. However, in reviewing the idea, I think pigs feet would be better then canned beef.

My New Years dinner will be creamed corn, blackeyed peas, sweet potatoes, beef with rice and Taco seasoning and chocolate bunt cake. I think that's it for New Year's Day 2008, while January 1 isn't the New Year's Day I celebrate it's difficult to break some traditions. Grandma always had blackeyed peas on January 1, so I continue to make them on the first of January every year.

Memories of the Day after Christmas

15 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Wednesday, December 26, 2007 about 6:27 AM PST

December 26 the day after Christmas, the first day of Kwanzaa, either the first day of Christmas or the second day (depending on the tradition followed), and Boxing Day in Canada; for my Grandmother it was the day she began taking down the Christmas decorations. Some leave the Christmas decorations up until after New Year's Day, but my Grandma Newland always began taking them down on December 26.

The first thing to come down was the Christmas tree. For years Grandma would decorate a real fur tree. On Black Friday, Grandpa would take us Christmas tree shopping. He would buy a tree, take it home and then we would decorate it. On the day after Christmas, the tree came down and the decorations were stored in Grandma's walk in closet until next year.

Grandpa would take the tree out to the alley, put it in a large metal trashcan and burn it. There were no restrictions about burning trash like that at the time. After the tree completely burned, he put the ashes out using water. Then we began talking down the rest of the decorations in the house. Even after Grandma bought an artificial tree, one of the silver metal ones, she still took the decorations down on December 26.

After taking down and putting away the Christmas decorations, she began her New Year's preparations. This meant some house cleaning less then spring cleaning, but enough to make sure there were no stray pieces of popcorn strings in the living room. This is also when the baking began. Grandma made her pies ahead, then defrosted and warmed them on New Year's Day.

Christmas 2007

14 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Tuesday, December 25, 2007 about 11:20 AM PST

Santa Claus has come and gone to the houses where families celebrate Christmas. The Twelve Days of Christmas have begun for some. For others it will begin this evening at sunset. The first day of Christmas is either December 25 or 26 depending on the tradition and the twelfth day is either January 5 or 6. On January 6 Epiphany is celebrated; these are traditions of the western church. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7 and Epiphany on January 19.

The gift giving holidays I celebrate occurs at the end of February. I celebrate the days of Ayyam-i-Ha, which begin the evening of February 25 and end on the evening of March 1. Normally Ayyam-i-Ha covers four days, but 2008 is a leap year. That means there are five days in Ayyam-i-Ha. This is a time of gift giving and visiting before the beginning of the nineteen day fast on the evening of March 1. The end of the Fast is the Naw-Ruz, New Year, celebration.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do for Ayyam-i-Ha because I haven't thought that far ahead. I'll check the calendar and see. I know I'm going to write a poem, but I'm not sure of the theme yet. Perhaps I'll attend a poetry reading, Mom enjoys going to readings and reading her poems.

Birthday Memories

14 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Monday, December 24, 2007 about 6:12 PM PST

After 61 years I have a lot of birthday memories some good, some bad and some neutral. That's the way with birthdays and memories. One of the fondest memories I have isn't of my own birthday, but the birthdays of several of my classmates in grade school. Those students who had birthdays when school was in session were able to celebrate their birthday in class. No on received presents, but the entire class could eat ice cream and cake. We sang Happy Birthday and sometimes, depending on the teacher, played games.

My own birthday falls on the day before Christmas. I had birthday parties, but never on my birthday. I didn't mind that because it was fun celebrating without having to get my birthday present from under the Christmas Tree. Having a birthday party on a day besides Christmas Eve made my birthday special.

On Christmas Eve there was always a birthday cake and candles. My family celebrated my birthday. I opened my birthday presents and each of my three siblings got to open one of their Christmas presents. I never did understand that growing up, but I do now.

The one thing I miss having this year is a birthday cake. I didn't have a birthday cake. I received birthday greeting through e-mail. I had a friend, passed into the next world now, who sent me a birthday card ever year through snail mail. It's strange the things we miss as we get older. I love receiving greeting through e-mail. Still I miss the card that Marge always sent through the postal system.

My 60th Year is Coming to an End

13 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Sunday, December 23, 2007 about 7:52 PM PST

On December 24, somewhere between 11:45 PM and Midnight, I will turn 61. My 60th year hasn't been all that great. It's been stressful and test filled. I'm not sure how many of the tests I've past or failed. I'm going to have to look closely at what I've accomplished and didn't accomplish.

I didn't start out with specific goals. I worked my goals out during the year and I don't think that's the way to do them. I'm going to set some specific goals for my 61st year. I have a list of things to accomplish in my 6th decade. I also have a 101 Things to do in 1001 Days. Some of the items on my 6th decade list are on the 1001 Days lists.

One of the things on both list is to set a schedule and live by it for nineteen days. That's a short enough time to work with. The nice thing about a nineteen day schedule is you reevaluate it sooner then a thirty day schedule. I'm not sure how I'm going to do on it, but I'm going to try. If I don't achieve it the first time then I can start again the next Baha'i month.

I'm looking forward to my 61st year, I'm presuming it's going to be better then my 60th year. There is always hope, I do know that my faith is stronger now then twelve months ago. I still have issues, but I'm working them out.

Isn't the Internet Wonderful

11 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Saturday, December 22, 2007 about 10:31 AM PST

The Internet is absolutely wonderful. A person can find anything that they want to know from "How to Cook a Turkey in a Microwave" to the significance of the gifts mentioned in "The Twelve Days of Christmas". I was born on Christmas Eve and, according to my mother, missed being a Christmas baby by only a few minutes. Therefore the traditions surround Christmas have always fascinated me.

Recently I have researched song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", because I'm part of a writing challenge on writing.com that uses the song as inspiration for each of the twelve challenges. There is some disagreement about the historical accuracy of the spiritual or religious meaning of the song. However, that does not make the song and researching it any the less interesting.

There are several different web sites that give information on the song. I found one web page giving the spiritual significance of the song and when he twelve days are actually celebrated. As a child I heard the song and even sang it in Christmas pageants, but until recently did not know the possible religious significance to the gifts in it. I always thought it was about a man giving gifts to his girl. No one explained the spiritual or religious significance of the song and I always wondered why it was used in a religious pageant.

According to the web page The Twelve Days of Christmas, these days fall between Christmas and Epiphany. The twelve days fall between either between December 25 and January 4 or December 26 and January 6. In some traditions the first day begins on the evening of December 25. In addition, the "true love" mentioned in the song refers to the soul's beloved, who in the case of Christians is Christ. Even if the historical accuracy of the traditions is in despite, I find this information fascinating. It also explains why the song is used in so many religious Christmas pageants.

2008 is Coming

9 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Thursday, December 20, 2007 about 7:38 AM PST

2007 is almost over and 2008 is approaching. I don't celebrate New Years until Naw-Ruz, which fall on March 21. However, with my birthday on December 24 this is a good time to start considering the changes that have occurred in my life the past year.

On December 24, 2006 I turned sixty. On March 12, 2007 my mother went into the hospital. On March 19, 2007 Mom turned eighty-six years old in the operating room having a bowl resection. For the nine months from March 12 to November 12, I was under so much stress I felt like I was giving birth. The stress isn't gone, but I am putting everything in Baha'u'llah's hands and attempting to let go. Sometimes it seems like the situation is getting better and sometimes it appears just to have leveled off.

It's difficult for me to place everything in Baha'u'llah's hands and then stop worrying, but I'm working on it and achieving it sometimes. I think, that when one puts a situation on God's hands or the hands of one of his Reflections, such as Baha'u'llah or Christ, then you should stop worrying because the situation is taken care of. True there are things that one has to do, but those things can be figured out through prayer and meditation.

"He who puts his trust in God, God will suffice him;

He who fears God, God will send him relief."

Baha'u'llah

Why am I making a big deal about my birthday?

8 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Wednesday, December 19, 2007 about 2:48 PM PST

I'm not sure why I'm making such a big deal about my birthday. I've mentioned it in several entries on other blogs. Ever since last year, when I turned sixty, my birthday has suddenly became important to me. It could be that I'm getting older, it could be that I'm enjoying the day much better then I did as a child.

My mother tells me I was born a few minutes before midnight on December 24. If I had waited just a few more minutes I would be a Christmas baby. I'm not sure that would have made a lot of difference but it might. I know the one thing I resented as a child was my brothers and sister getting to open one of their Christmas presents when I opened my birthday present. I'm still dealing with that issues, but creatively in stories and poems. It's probably just as well I wasn't born on Christmas because I have enough issues with this time of year without making them any worse.

Actually there is a good plot for a story in this situation. A character resents being born on Christmas Eve so much that he or she goes back in time and somehow delays his or her birth until Christmas. All right, I'm a writer I can use almost any situation as a good plot or incident for a story. A situation like this would fit in a short story or novel rather than a piece of flash fiction. I feel better now that I've gotten the idea down, I'm not sure whether it was a good idea putting it in a blog or not, but there it is.

I still haven't decided why my birthday has become such a big deal. There was a time when it didn't matter if anyone remembered it. Now, however, I hope other family members besides my mother remembers it. It would be nice to receive a card through the mail or even an e-card from some of my family and friends. I could always send an e-card to myself, I have three e-mail addresses so that would be easy. That would also be a nice subject for a poem.

The Butterfly Emerges

7 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Tuesday, December 18, 2007 about 2:21 PM PST

All right this is fall and not the time of year when butterflies normally emerge from their cocoon. However, I'm coming out of my pupa case, I'm slowing becoming my true self, the person I'm meant to be.

For nine months, from March 12 to November 12, I was under so much stress I felt like I was giving birth. The stress hasn't entirely left, but I feel different. I feel more optimistic, I have more faith and I feel better about the decisions I've made in the past.

I still need to work on certain things. I still have a tendency to focus on the roadblocks placed in front of me instead of the path around them. However, I've found that whenever I push at (what I consider a roadblock) it either disappears all together or shrinks to a manageable size.

Everything in my life seems to being working out slowly. Sometimes I put a situation in Baha'u'llah's hands and then I attempt to take it back by worrying about it. However, thinking about the past few months and the blessing that Baha'u'llah has bestowed, I find that the things I worried about were taken care of and my prayers answered. Sometimes my prayers weren't answered in the way I thought they would be, but they were answered.

I've found I have a tendency to think a prayer isn't answered unless its answered the way I want it answered. This is a very selfish attitude and not in line with reality. Prayers are always answered. Sometimes they're answered with a yes, sometimes with a no, sometimes with a wait and usually in an unexpected way. So from now on I'm going to look for the answer rather then just presuming the answer is no.

Born in the Month of Questions

6 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Monday, December 17, 2007 about 12:55 PM PST

My birthday is on December 24 and, according to my mother, I was born just before midnight. This means that my birthday falls after sunset on the twenty-fourth, which makes it the fourteenth of Masa'il instead of the thirteenth. I'll have to look at my birth certificate to see the precise time, but I don't think that knowing exactly when I was born is all that important.

I was born in Blackwell, Oklahoma, on a Christmas Eve night and my mother spent Christmas in the hospital. I was my mother's Christmas present. Growing up my mother tried to do something special with me so that my birthday could be special. We celebrated Christmas at the time and having a Christmas Eve birthday wasn't a lot of fun.

All right, I do have issues about Christmas or perhaps I should say Christmas Eve because of my birthday. Christmas itself was interesting and sometimes fun. I remember trying to stay awake on Christmas Eve night to see Santa Claus. I remember leaving Christmas cookies and milk beside the tree for Santa Claus. I never did stay awake long enough to see either Santa or the Santa gifts found under the tree the next morning, but trying to stay awake was fun.

So getting back to my birthday on 14 Masa'il, I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year. I'd like to go out for prime rib, but that may be out of the question. I don't like to drive in Las Vegas on Christmas Eve because of the last minute Christmas shoppers. I also don't like to go to the mall on that day, all though I haven't been to a restaurant on Christmas Eve. I might like going to a restaurant on my birthday.

I've made several birthday wish lists. This year all I'm hoping for is some birthday cards. I haven't received any yet, but my birthday is still several days away. I don't know why I want someone to send me a birthday card this year, but I do. I'll put my wish list in the next post.

Short Days and Long Nights

5 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Sunday, December 16 about 4:39 PM PST

These short days and long nights are beginning to get to me. I used to get up at 4:00 AM when the alarm went off. Now I just lay in bed listening to the sounds the house makes early in the morning and watching for sunrise.

This morning I got up at 7:00 AM, but in the morning I have to be someplace between 8:00 and 8:30 AM so I'll have to get up earlier. There was a time when I liked fall and winter better the spring and summer, but not any more. I enjoy the warm weather more then the cold weather. I think winter is a time for children, they don't seem to notice the cold as much. Perhaps it's just that they have more stuff to do outside and don't get as cold.

I still enjoy the snow, but now I like being inside and watching it snow outside. As a child I enjoyed playing in the snow. I like making snow angels and snow people. Now I just enjoy watching kids make them. All though I think if I got the chance I'd attempt a snow angel again.

It's a Dismal Day in Las Vegas

2 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Thursday, December 13, 2007 about 10:18 AM PST

It's a dismal day in Las Vegas. The clouds are hiding the sun again today. This is Thankful Thursday in my Yahoo journal writing group. Today's prompt is to find ten things I am thankful for and post it to the group. So what ten things am I thankful for today.

1. Today I am thankful for the verse revealed by Baha'u'llah that says "be thankful in adversity and generous in prosperity".
2. Today I am thankful for the clouds that cover the sun and the blue sky because the make me appreciate the sunshine when it is visible again.
3. Today I am thankful for the white cranberry peach juice we have in the refrigerator.
4. Today I am thankful for the leftover coffee in the refrigerator, which I warm over in the microwave.
5. Today I am thankful for the copy of Prayers of Ecstasy lying by my computer. This little white book contains prayers and meditations revealed by Baha'u'llah or written by 'Abdu'l-Baha.
6. Today I am thankful for blogger automatically saving the entries to this blog as I compose them.
7. Today I am thankful for the story about the carrots, eggs and coffee bean, which someone read at the Feast of Masa'il. This is about tests and difficulties; it tells how different items react to the same stress of boiling water. The coffee bean rather than letting the stress change it changes its environment.
8. Today I am thankful for tears. Often we think that we shouldn't cry about something, but tears are cleansing. Once in a while, a good cry is good for both your eyes and your soul.
9. Today I am thankful for joy. The joy that comes with reading the verses revealed by Baha'u'llah.
10. Today I am thankful for autumn and winter. The chill of these two seasons makes the heat of spring and summer something to look forward to.

Driving to The Feast of Masa'il

1 Masa'il 164 B.E. - Wednesday, December 12, 2007 about 1:24 PM PST

I went to the Feast of Masa'il last night at the Baha'i Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Feast of Masa'il (Questions) started at 7:00 PM. Since I assisted in hosting the Feast my Mom and I arrived at about 6:00 PM. I drove west on Charleston almost all the way, but not all the way to Rainbow. I turned on south on Decatur and then west on Oakey.

The reason for that was the Christmas yard art that homeowners display along parts of Oakey. This time of year the yards and houses in residential neighborhoods are beautiful. Some of the houses have different colored lights around the windows and along the edges of their roofs. However, it's the decorations in the yards that are the most beautiful. There are light statues of reindeer, there are manger scenes and the trees are covered with lights.

That's the reason I took the route I did to the Baha'i Center. The decorations in the yards usually go up after Thanksgiving and taken down after December 25. I enjoy seeing the Christmas decorations in the yards. It brings back memories of my childhood and my grandparents. I usually write a poem every year about the Christmas yard decorations. I'm not sure what type of poem I'll write this year, but I think I'll write one about the yard art in my own neighborhood. There are two beautifully decorated yards close to me. Just down the street is one. I'm looking to writing about it this year.

It's Finally Autumn in Las Vegas

19 Qawl 164 B.E. - Tuesday, December 11, 2007 about 8:46 AM PST

It's fall in Las Vegas. The leaves are changing colors and dropping from the trees. The wind is blowing leaves across the streets and avenues. The wind is pushing the falling leaves under the wheels of passing cars.

One of my fondest childhood memories is autumn. In Oklahoma the first freeze of the year comes before December, usually around the first day of Autumn. After the freeze the leaves start to change. The cottonwood leaves turn yellow and the oak leaves turn orange. I haven't caught sight of any cottonwood trees, but there are oak trees all over the city. There are other trees, of course, but the oak leaves are the prettiest and the most memorable.

A lot of business plant oak trees on their property. I don't know the watering guide for oak trees. I don't know if the take a lot of water or a little water. I know the leaves are pretty when they change in the fall. I complain about the cold, but one of the blessing of cold weather is the changing leaves. If the it weren't for the first freeze in the fall the leaves wouldn't change and green leaves all year round doesn't allow variety. Variety is the spice of life or so the saying goes.

December Feast

17 Qawl 164 B.E. - Sunday, December 9, 2007 about 2:27 PM PST

There are two Feast in December, on the evening of Tuesday, December 11, is the Feast of Masa'il and at 7:30 PM on Sunday, December 30, is the Feast of Sharaf. I'm looking for ward to both of these Feast. I like attending Feast, but I'm not sure which portion is my favorite; sometimes the spiritual portion, sometimes the business portion, and sometimes the social portion.

The Feast of Masa'il on the 11th is at the Baha'i Center. I'm looking forward to both the Feast and the drive to the Center. The drive is especially beautiful this time of year because of all the houses that are decorated for Christmas. When I go to the Center I usually take Oakey and most of that street is residential. During the Christmas season the houses are decorated with all sorts of colored lights. Some of the yards have different Christmas theme light art in them.

I think I like looking at all the decorated yards because it brings back memories of my childhood. My grandfather used to take us driving through Blackwell around Christmas time to see all the yard and house decorations. The Christmas light art has become much or sophisticated since Grandpa Newland took us around Blackwell, but seeing the decorated yards brings back pleasant memories of my childhood. I'm going to enjoy driving to Feast on Tuesday.

Be Thankful in Adversity

16 Qawl 164 B.E. - Saturday, December 8, 2007 about 12:15 PM PST

Daily Writing Practice Prompt for December 7, 2007 - Write about Hard Times

Everyone has a different definition of individual hard times. Each individual goes through phases of hard times and good times. The one thing that is important during hard times is gratitude for what we have, for the little blessing that come on a daily basis. It's in hard times that we begin to understand what gratitude and happiness consist of.

Baha'u'llah tells us that we need to be thankful in adversity. It's in adversity that the blessing of God shine through. When everything is going good, sometimes we don't see the little blessing the make our daily life so enjoyable. It's only in adversity that these blessings become apparent.

Hard times or adversity can consist of anything from the wind knocking the electricity out for a couple of hours to the daily struggle to get enough to eat. Each individual throughout his or her life faces the full range of adversities (hard times) and must struggle to find happiness and gratitude in all phases of life. Happiness and thankfulness go hand-in-hand because one can't be happy without being grateful for it.

Ice Water on a Cold Day

16 Qawl 164 B.E. - Friday, December 7, 2007 about 6:56 PM PST

I like my water cold, even on a cold day I like cold water. If it's not cold I put ice cubes in it. It doesn't matter that cold water makes me shiver, I still want my water cold. I like to drink it either cold from the refrigerator or I want ice cubes in it.

Today the electricity went off. The wind kick the power all over the neighborhood. Now you would think that I'd be worried about the meat in the freezer or the left overs in fridge itself. Not me, I worried that the ice cubes would melt. Thinking about it, it sounds silly, but that's what I worried about. I didn't open the fridge doors because I didn't want anything to defrost or spoil.

The power didn't stay off very long. Nothing in the fridge or the freezer spoiled or defrosted. Tomorrow I think I'll make Hobo Stew or Soup with the leftover in the fridge. Then I'll check the leftover in the freezer to see how they are. The should be alright, but I'm going to have to use them up before Christmas or New Year's.

The leftovers in the freezer haven't been there very long, but I don't want them going into the New Year. My grandmother always made sure she fixed all her leftovers before New Year's Day. If we had turkey or ham leftover from Thanksgiving or Christmas, she always fixed it before New Year's Day. Then on New Year's day we'd have black eyed peas with either turkey or ham.

I think I picked up the habit of drinking ice water on a cold day from my grandmother. When we had water with our meals, we had ice water whether it was winter or summer. She always put a few ice cubes in glasses. Of course she always got her drinking water from the kitchen faucet, so perhaps the ice made the water taste better.

Another thing my grandmother always had at meal time was a prayer or blessing. She called it saying grace (that sounds like a good title for a poem). My grandfather always said the blessing when he eat with us, if he was at work when we eat then grandma said grace.

Good Morning World

14 Qawl 164 B.E. - Thursday, December 6, 2007 about 9:30 AM PST

It's a beautiful cloudy day in Las Vegas. I'm not sure how long this will last because earlier I saw blue sky peeking out. It's chilly, that's only a personal opinion, but it feels chilly to me. I can hear the neighbor's buzz saw going. He's cutting down the remainder of a tree that died a few months ago and he had the tops removed.

I'm going to have to have a couple of tree removed eventually. The roots are playing havoc with my driveway and I must do something with them. I think that's one of the things I'm going to put on my prayer list. I know prayers are answered because I've experienced answers; some in miraculous ways and others in just the ordinary events of life.

I'm going to go out this afternoon, so I'm going to have to check the weather report that comes to my e-mail box. I don't think it will rain, but you never know. I like the rain, but I don't like driving in it. However, we have to pick up some meds and other stuff today. Before leaving the garage I'll say a prayer of protection. Baha'u'llah revealed several beautiful protection prayers that can be said before leaving the house or in my case the garage.

My Birthday is Coming

14 Qawl 164 B.E. - Wednesday, December 5, 2007 about 8:24 PM PST

My birthday is on December 24. I seem to enjoy my birthday better now then I did when I was a child. Maybe it's because when I open presents now I can open them without my brothers or sister opening one of their Christmas presents. It could be that birthday's become more precious as you get older, approach sunset and the next world.

Christmas Eve birthday
the Christmas tree angel on
the top of my bookcase smiles.

I'm not sure what I'll do for this birthday. Maybe I'll stay home and read. I don't like driving on Christmas Eve because of the last minute Christmas shoppers and the traffic. I don't like going to stores on that day either, they're too crowded.

The Countdown to My Birthday

11 Qawl 164 B.E. - Sunday, December 2, 2007 about 6:38 PM PST

The count down has begun. There are about 22 days left until my birthday on December 24. The question is what do I want for my birthday. I think I would like to go out for prime rib. I want a king cut prime rib with raw horseradish's, a baked potato with sour cream and real butter, creamed spinach, a chef salad with blue cheese dressing. For desert I want chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and french vanilla ice cream.

I have to admit that I would probably take part of the prime rib and baked potato home. I would eat the chef salad, spinach and cake in the restaurant. Just because I want a king cut prime rib dinner doesn't mean I can eat it all at once. Prime rib is one of those meats that taste good when it's warmed over, especially if you have raw horseradish. I can get two or three meals out of one king cut of prime rib.

Another Solar Day is Done

10 Qawl 164 B.E. - Saturday, December 1, 2007 about 5:38 PM PST

Another solar day is done
the setting sun transformed the clouds
from white to fiery orange
which faded into starless night.

The chilled autumn day
became a damp fall night;
the days too short and the nights too long
are filled with prayers
and composing poems to the dawn.