Sundry Sunday: The Fourth Sunday of January 2016

Jamal (Beauty), 6 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Sunday, January 24, 2016 about 10:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

It's the fourth Sunday in January 2016
on the east coast they are digging
of the Blizzard of 2016,
while here in Las Vegas
the temperature is a brisk 56 degrees
with the sun shining
on ground that isn't covered
by snow.

Brisk may not be a precise description of the weather here in Las Vegas. To me the air feels cold and enlivening, but I'm not sure how fresh it is. I think there is something in the air that's causing my sinuses to act up; however, I could feel that way because it's too cold to open the door to let the fresh air in. It will be too cold to open the door until Wednesday or Thursday when the temperature is predicted to rise into the mid sixties.

The sun is shining,
but I don't hear birds singing:
Are they still asleep?

I haven't heard the birds sing in the morning for several weeks, not since the morning temperatures descended into the fifties. Maybe the birds like higher morning temperatures. If that's the case then they won't sing until afternoon when the temperatures rise into the high fifties or low sixties. All though, I don't think the temperature is supposed to get above 58 or 59 degrees today. Oh ell, it will get hot soon enough, I guess I should enjoy the cooler pleasant temperatures while they last. It doesn't do any good to grip about the weather anyway.

Enjoying the sun
and the beautiful blue sky
without snow cover.

 

Sundry Sunday: What's on My Mind on Sunday, July 13, 2014

Jamál (Beauty), 1 Kalimát (Words), 171 BE - Sunday, July 13, 2014 about 5:45 am Pacific Daylight Time

Middle of July
temperatures are rising high
a busy week planned.

I have a grief counseling group meeting on Wednesday at 4:00 pm. I had a dream about the meeting last night or early this morning. In the dream, I arrived at the meeting place, but found that it was being held in a different room. I went in and took a seat at the head of a huge rectangular table. Normally we sit at a small round  table and even when we have a square or rectangular table, I do not sit at the head.One of the other members came in with a large container of hot chicken. I had forgotten that each of us was supposed to bring something to eat.

What did I forget?
Was it something important?
Was it about food?

 Because of t his dream, I wonder if I forgot something. Am I supposed to take something to the next meeting? At the last meeting, I mentioned writing a poem about dementia, perhaps I am supposed to take a copy of that. I will have to see if I can get the other computer and the printer to cooperate so that I can print off a copy.

Sundry Sunday: Sunshine, Blue Skies, and White Clouds

Jamál (Beauty), 13 Raḥmat (Mercy), 171 BE - Sunday, July 6, 2014 about 12:18 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Good morning all! It is another beautiful Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas with bright sunshine, blue skies, and a random white cloud or two floating by. The neighbors are awake and playing pleasant music.

a blue sky Sunday
a warm day in Las Vegas
no dogs are barking

I just finished an entry in my writing.com blog. It took me longer then usual because part of the prompt required me picking out my two favorite blog post of the past week. All the responses to this weeks prompts were either poetry or thought provoking. When I encounter thougth provoking responses I have difficulty deciding which blog entry I like best.

a blue sky Sunday
the sun casting deep dark shadows
it is warm outside.

I have a flash fiction story to finish today. I also have a poem to write about moving on, but I cannot seem to get it started. I think I mentioned this issue before either in this blog or my other one. Perhaps I should try writing the poem while listening to music.

a blue sky Sunday
white clouds float past my window
no birds are singing

Sundry Sunday: What am I thinking today?

Jamál (Beauty), 6 Raḥmat (Mercy), 171 BE - Sunday, June 29, 2014 about 5:05 pm Pacific Daylight Time

What am I thinking today? I am thinking about the weird noises I hear in this neighborhood. These are noises I cannot identify and, since I do not know what is making them, they are weird noises. Any noise I can identify is not weird. The advantage to hearing unidentifiable noise is story and poem ideas. Once I figure out how to describe the noise then I can write about it.

Today, June 29, I heard a high pitched peeping, squeaking, whistling noise. I suspect it may have been some type of car alarm, but it did not sound like any car alarm I ever heard. It could just as easily have been a burglar alarm; however, I have never hear a burglar alarm sound like that. I did not hear any emergency vehicle sirens, so I do not think it was a burglar alarm. I have no idea what it was, but it went on for about fifteen or twenty minutes.

The noise did not seem to bother anyone else in the neighborhood, so I do not think it was anything very important. Of course, I could be wrong there because maybe people in this neighborhood do not respond to weird noises. I do not think the people in this neighborhood respond to much of anything, except  perhaps neighbors having a knock down drag out fight and then someone usually calls the police.

Sundry Sunday: Father's Day

Jamál (Beauty), 11 Núr (Light), 171 BE - Sunday, June 15, 2014 about 6:24 am Pacific Daylight Time

Happy Father's Day!
Is the message I would send
Today to Daddy.

I am not sure I ever wished my father a Happy Father's Day. If I did I was so young that I do not remember saying the words to him. I do not remember saying "I love you, Daddy." either. My parents were divorced when I was quite young and I do not have that many memories of my father. I do not remember seeing him after the divorce.

I miss you Daddy
As I write this and I cry
I say a prayer.

My father died on April 14, 1998, but I did not hear about it until I did an Internet search for him and then it was too late to contact  him. I regret that I did not get to see Daddy one last time before he died. I regret that I learned about his death through an Internet search. The only way I can wish him a Happy Father's Day is to open my prayer book and say a prayer for the departed, which I did before beginning this entry.

I miss you Daddy
I want to say I love you
Kiss you on the cheek.

What do I remember about my Father? I remember Daddy carrying me on his shoulders. I remember Daddy holding my hand when we walked down the street or up the front steps. I remember the scent of Old Spice. I remember random words and sometimes I hear his voice in my mind.

Sundry Sunday: Thank God It's Sunday

Jamál (Beauty), 16 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 171 BE - Sunday, June 1, 2014 - about 6:04 pm Pacific Daylight Time

I know that it's normal to say Thank God It's Friday, but I'm glad for a new week and a new month occurring on the same day. Last week was confusing and there were days that I wasn't sure of the day or the date. I'm better today, I know the day, the date, and the time. I've caught up on two or three things that I was behind, all though, I still have to go to the laundromat.

I don't want to think about last week, but I'm going to have to face the fact that I still may have a couple of more items to catch up. I know I'll have to take some trash to the alley in the morning when I roll the laundry to the car. I'm not looking forward to going to the laundromat, but I have no other choice. I'm not looking forward to doing anything that I have to stand up to accomplish because my shoes hurt my feet. I need a new pair of shoes.

I'm not going to complain any more because it's a new month. June is looking like it will be a nice month; at least, I'm starting the month with a positive attitude. I don't have anything to complain about this early in the month. I haven't checked my bank account in a couple of day, so I suppose I should check it tonight before I go to bed. I should also balance my books for May, but then I didn't do much book balancing all through that month.

Sundry Sunday: A Warm and Beautifu Sunday in Las Vegas

Jamál (Beauty), 7 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 171 BE - Sunday, May 25, 2014 about 11:33 am Pacific Daylight Time

It is a warm and beautiful Sunday morning in Las Vegas. I had the door to my apartment opened earlier today and heard birds singing in the palm and pine trees scatter across the front lawns of the apartment buildings in my neighborhood.

It is a beautiful and warm Sunday morning in Las Vegas and I am making chicken soup. I do not use a whole chicken to make soup because I do not like to cut up chicken. I use only the thighs, legs, or leg quarters to make the soup. That way I do not have to cut up the chicken and I do not have very many bones to take to the trash.

It is a warm and beautiful Sunday morning in Las Vegas and I hear the neighbor's dog barking at something. I do not know what caught her attention because I do not hear anyone knocking at any of the doors in this building.  I know something must have upset her because the only time she barks is when something catches her attention. She wants to let every one know that the cannot enter he apartment without permission.

Sundry Sunday: At the Beginning of the New Week of May 18, 2014

Jamál (Beauty), 2 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 171 BE - Sunday, May 18, 2014 about 9:11 am Pacific Daylight Time

It is the beginning of a beautiful new week in May 2014 and I am looking forward to warm seven days here in Las Vegas.  I have checked the seven day forecast on weather.com, it shows the highest upcoming temperature as 98 degrees. This means I may not have to worry about triple digit temperatures until next week. This is not very much comfort because I still have to turn the cool air on or I cannot work on-line, but I guess that is the price I have to pay for living in a beautiful place like Las Vegas.

I have set my writing and housekeeping goals for this week and began making my To Do List. I check the local news every hour or so to see what the outdoor temperature is so I know when to turn the cool air on to keep me and my computer comfortable. I considered working on-line at night, when it is cooler, and doing housework during the day, but I would still have to turn the air conditioner on while I am doing housework.

Since I need to get a little sleep, I cannot do housework all day and write all night. I cannot write if I am too tired either mentally or physically, so I have to get some sleep. The power bill is not that high in this apartment, but it still causes me worry. I think I have spent so long worrying about the power bill or something else that I cannot stop worrying without focusing on something else. When my mind is busy I do not worry.

Sundry Sunday: Mother's Day

Jamál (Beauty), 14 Jamál (Beauty), 171 BE - Sunday, May 11, 2014 about 7:28 am Pacific Daylight Time

On this second Sunday in May,
I celebrate Mother's Day,
with a hot cup of Café Mocha
made with Rich Chocolate Ovaltine©
and remember Mama's smile
the first time
I made it for her.

On this second Sunday in May,
I celebrate Mother's Day,
I open my prayer book to read
a prayer for the departed
and remember Mama's favorite prayer
was the one for protection
that she read
before going to work each day
at the old Showboat.

On this second Sunday in May,
I celebrate Mother's Day,
by calling my sister-in-laws
to wish them
a Happy Mother's Day.

Sundry Sunday: A Beautiful Day to Pray

Jamál (Beauty), 7 Jamál (Beauty), 171 BE - Sunday, May 4, 2014 about 8:18 am Pacific Daylight Time

It is Sunday morning in Las Vegas. The temperature is about 78 degrees and it is supposed to get up to around 9:00 am. The temperature has not gotten into the triple digits yet, but I do have to turn on the cool air between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. It also means I have begun drinking iced coffee instead of hot coffee of a morning or any other time of day.

It is a beautiful Sunday morning in Las Vegas. It is a good morning to pray; to say other prayers besides my normal morning prayer. I opened my prayer book to Detachment. The page that it opened to contained a prayer revealed by The Bab about taking refuge in God and putting your whole trust in Him. I read the prayer aloud and felt the spirit of God flowing from the words into my soul.

It is a beautiful Sunday in May.
It is a good day to pray,
A good day to take refuge in God.