[Magdalen] Quiet Pub

[Jay Weigel]

I'm on a breather after the last of the shows/fairs for the season, and
Tuesday took a bunch of stuff from those (what I refer to as a "product
dump") to the gallery and added them to my display there, from whence I
devoutly hope at least some of them will sell. I can now have some "me
time" and do such things as get a haircut, which is way overdue. Like
Ginga, I hate shopping "out in the world" and so online shopping has been
my savior in recent years, as have the gallery and the Book Fair. Now all I
need to do is get things wrapped and a send a big package off to Tennessee.

Advent is my favorite church season, so I've immersed myself in the music
of it online. There are some fine collections online, including a 90-minute
one from Concordia Publishing on YouTube which I'm sure is meant as an
advertisement of their wares, but lovely to listen to nonetheless. I do
miss choral singing, especially at this time of year, but I'm not up to it
any more, even in Reformation's small choir; my breath control has deserted
me since my surgeries in 2012, no matter how diligently I work at the
exercises. That does tend to contribute to my SAD as do thoughts of my boy,
who I am of course missing badly, but fortunately the weather hasn't been
too awfully dismal, although it is, as he would put it, "colder than
dammit" today.

Echoing Ginga's wishes for all.

On Thu, Dec 15, 2016 at 8:39 AM, Ginga Wilder <gingawilder at gmail.com> wrote:

> It is good to hear from pubmates.  Prayers for all who, for varied reasons,
> are grieving this season.  Jim, Esther, Marilyn and all others are in my
> heart and prayers.
>
> Seasonal affective disorder tends to be my companion from mid-November to
> mid-February.  Santa Claus of our culture is not my friend; I avoid
> shopping with the masses at all costs.  The very idea of big box music,
> proclaiming that Santa is watching and keeping a list, so better be nice,
> sincerely upsets me.  Our former neighbor actually got coal and switches in
> his stocking when he was a child.....as an adult, he was a psychological
> mess.  (John grew up with this fellow and remembers.)  So, give me Jesus.
> Please.
>
> While I have bought simple Christmas gifts for our friends and family, I am
> busy observing Advent in a Ginga fashion.  Better not to focus on being
> blue.  As I write this, my Advent wreath is lit - 3 candles this week, one
> pink.  Years ago, I made a CD of my favorite Advent hymns and burned that
> to my computer.  I love that music -- just heard Miserable Offenders
> beautiful rendition of Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.  We will purchase our
> tree this weekend and put it up Sunday afternoon.  All is well and quiet.
>
> John and I are in the midst of fixing our house to sell.  We have been in
> this wonderful home for 40 years now...it is two doors from John's
> childhood home.  (No, we don't know where we are going, but we may move
> nearer our boys in NC.)  This house is way too big for us...I cannot and do
> not do much housekeeping now.  I have never been much of a housekeeper, so
> it i good to have the excuse of some health issues, including balance
> issues and syncope (diabetic neuropathy), in addition to a frozen shoulder.
>
>
> I fare forward with lots of work in our church...serve as facilitator of
> our discernment team - we meet twice a month to pray the question of 'where
> is God calling Good Shepherd next".  I also continue to attend staff
> meetings at request of the priest in charge and senior warden.  "We do what
> we love' is so true with me.  Being part of the creative aftermath of
> schism in The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has beel like having a
> baby in old age - totally and joyfully life changing.  Our mission
> congregation, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville, SC, is
> thriving.  We are small still but growing slowly and strongly.  Lots of
> outreach ministries and opportunities for fellowship at least monthly.  All
> is well.  Alleluia!!
>
> Wishing each and all hope, love, joy, and peace of this holy season.
>
> Ginga
>
> On Thu, Dec 15, 2016 at 5:20 AM, Roger Stokes <
> roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com
> > wrote:
>
> > On 15/12/2016 05:26, Sally Davies wrote:
> >
> >> Keith is away in UK - his Dad's 90th birthday is coming up and he
> arranged
> >> to spend three weeks there, added on to a work assignment in Nairobi. He
> >> only gets back late on Christmas Day, after spending many boring hours
> >> waiting around (tempted to say all in white) - but no, all in airports.
> >>
> >
> > I hope he gets to the airport OK as they are predicting traffic chaos in
> > the run-up to Christmas. Heavy traffic on the roads and the usual
> Christmas
> > rush of railway engineering affecting most London airports.
> >
> > Roger
> >
>