2010 has started off with a bang, and the first few days have flown by. 

Also (**drum roll please**)  I’m starting the year 100 lbs lighter then I was last year.  As I mentioned before, I had gastric bypass surgery August 6, 2009.  Starting Feb. 28, 2009 with the  pre-op weight loss (a requirement to get insurance approval) and combined with the post-op weight loss the total weight loss is now 100 lbs.    My pain levels in my joints is much lower, I’m sleeping better, and as a result I have a lot more energy.  I still have about 60 more pounds to lose but the numbers on the scale are not what is important – I am focused on my health and well being.  I won’t bore you with all the details here, but if you’re interested in following my weight loss journey you can read my New Year’s post and other information on my weight loss blog Diet Pulpit.

Jan. 1 my good friend B. stopped over in the afternoon for a long over due visit.  She lives about two hours away, plus she has to take care of her granddaughter while her daughter works (long hours) so she doesn’t get to visit very often and it had been at least 4 months since her last visit.  When she does come to this neck of the woods she plans a two or three trip stopping in to see several friends.  We chatted, laughed, and enjoyed watching the movie Julie & Julia (one of my favorite movies and I got the dvd as a xmas gift from my hubby). 

Jan. 2 we all went to see Mama Kelly and spent a lovely afternoon and part of the evening visiting with her family, chatting, opening gifts and enjoying the ham, salads and snacks we brought.   I gave Mama Kelly a dvd of Julie & Julia – it’s about blogging and food so of course I had to!  *lol*    I also surprised her with her very own Season of the Witch calendar (in a leather binder), as well a few other things.    She got me a tarot deck (need to write a review), a cookbook for recipes after gastric bypass surgery (can’t wait to try some out), and other witchy goodies.   I’m already looking forward to our next visit for our regular overnight get together on Feb. 20th.

Jan. 3 was Angelgirl’s (my daughter) karate banquet – Angelgirl received her 2nd degree black belt.  It was a wonderful afternoon of karate demos and performances, a nice meal, and a bit of music played by a DJ and dancing afterwards.  I brought my mom and she really enjoyed it too.

This week we all went back to work and school and almost every night we have something going on – Monday Angelgirl had an eye docotor appt., Tuesday she had orchestra practice.  Today she has a school trip and needs to get picked up from the school since they are returning later and she will miss the bus and followed by karate class. Tomorrow night we have to go to her school for a meeting regarding her high school scheduling (she’s only half way through 8th grade – but they start the paperwork early for high school).

This weekend I am taking my mom and sister  to see the movie Avatar.  I am also planning on taking my niece if she wants to go, and taking her out to lunch and for a little shopping trip to the mall to celebrate her 16th birthday (which is Jan. 7) – I haven’t been able to reach her by phone yet so that part isn’ts definite yet. 

I already have a few things on the calendar for next week as well, so it’s definitely a bit of a whirlwind around my house but I’m enjoying every moment with family and friends and looking forward to a year full of surprises, laughter, and love.

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of their New Year.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:family, friends, new year

Monday evening was part two of Mama Kelly’s 40th birthday celebration – the Celtic Woman Isle of Hope concert.  The music and performance were breathtaking, joyful to the spirit, and a delight for all the senses.  It was truly an awesome experience from start to finish.  They are on tour for June and July and if you get the chance I definitely recommend seeing them live.

I’ll just give you a brief overview of the evening and let Mama Kelly fill you in on more details.

Teacherman and I rented a suite and ordered catering for the event.  It was a combination 40th birthday for Mama Kelly (June 10th), 70th birthday for my mom (July 13th), and celebrating Mama Kelly’s daughter, Miss Artistic’s graduation from 8th grade (that very day June 22nd). 

It was the first time for everyone attending to be in a suite for any event – so the joke of the evening was we were all “suite virgins.”  

The food was good and plentiful.  I even shared some with the folks in the suite next to us.  Everyone got to take some leftovers home (I had ziplock bags in my purse) and the rest of the food the arena staff quickly and efficiently boxed up for us to bring home.

The catering package I ordered included a cheesecake, which was perfect for mom’s birthday since it is her favorite.  I picked up a small strawberry shortcake and small brown derby chocolate cake for Mama Kelly’s birthday and her daughter’s graduation.  I also included cards for our guests of honor  (with a bonus $20 for the gradate), a few simple decorations – some  40th and 70th candles and a congratulations graduate center piece to highlight the occasions.

We clapped and danced in our seats through the concert.  An unexpected  bonus for hubby and I was one of the songs they performed was our “wedding” song – Have I Told You Lately That I Love You.  The awesome music, good food, and gathering of  great friends and family combined to create one of those magical moments in time that will be remembered with a smile and cherished for years to come.

I highly recommend taking a listen to the music by Celtic Woman.  You may also be able to catch them on tv.  They appear on the PBS channel. I’m looking forward to their new live show for PBS Television and DVD at Powerscourt House and Gardens. It is scheduled for filming  in County Wicklow, Ireland on Wednesday July 29th and Thursday July 30th 2009.

I have one Celtic Woman cd (The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection) and they performed several of the songs at the concert.  Two of my favorites from this cd are Butterfly and The Voice.  I hope to get a couple others later on, such as this delux package - A New Journey (cd w/bonus tracks + Irish charm).

If you want to know more about them or are already a fan, this dvd is fantastic. It includes music and a behind-the-scenes documentary about the women and some lovely scenes of Ireland – Celtic Woman – The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection (DVD).

Wishing everyone bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:concert, family, friends, outing

Greetings one and all.  It has been far too long since I’ve posted and I’m sure many of our readers might have thought I disappeared from the planet.   But I’m alive and well, and still here on earth. However, my laptop computer is still infected so I have very limited access for doing online things.   Plus life, as usual, is hectic.

Our trip to the Herb Farm for Mama Kelly’s birthday that you have been reading about was awesome and I can’t wait to go back  with my family so they can enjoy it too.  I have photos of wrapping up all of Mama Kelly’s gifts but since I can’t upload anything from the camera it is with Mama Kelly. Once the photos are uploaded I’ll be sure to post all the details about the planning of her surprise birthday.

After months of preparations for her birthday, I was wondering what I would do next but I assure you I have a few ideas bouncing around in my head.

Just yesterday at work I found out a dear friend and co-worker is 5 months pregnant with twin girls.  Another friend, PK, at work loves planning parties as much as I do, so we have already chatted and we will be happily planning a surprise baby shower  in the next few months.

PK has been bugging me to do another medieval feast, she has heard about the previous one and wants to be able to participate in one first hand.  IF (that is a big if) I decide to do it, it will not be until Oct. 2010 (near Halloween) or perhaps Jan. 2, 2011 as a Yule gift for friends.  About 15 years ago (or longer now) I had a medieval banquet at my home for 12 close friends.  It was held on 12th Night and included 12 courses of food, prizes, games, various entertainment such as wassailing the trees and small play (put on with the help of a few of the guests) and much more.   It took opver a year to plan, including cooking and baking ahead of time and freezing things – such as enough bread plates for every to use for trhe 12 courses.

This time if I decide to do it I am considering renting the fire house hall that we used for my daughter’s Harry Potter Birthday Party two years ago.   That way I would be able to  invite a lot more people (between 30 and 40).  I would also have the food served buffet style.  The kitchen at the hall is huge, with lots of burners, two big ovens and space to spread out so cooking would be a lot easier than in my small kitchen.  I would also want to hire two or three people from SCA in order to provide some entertainment and\or workshops to add a bit of authentic flair to the festivities.

However, I am not sure I will have the money (time and energy) but I’m thinking it over.   The other possibility, of course, is I could do a smaller medieval event at my home (12 to 14 people), but only if by some miracle I mananaged to feel well enough to actually get at least my first floor presentable and decorated along with all the cooking and planning.  But etiher way, if I do decide to move forward with the plans the one thing I can’t decide is whether to do it for Yule event\gift for friends OR as a Halloween\All Souls Day event for my 55th birthday (Oct. 30, 2010).   

I got another surprise today.  This morning at work, my friend PK came by to tell me she met someone here who is also Wiccan and he is looking foward to meeting me.   He has some dried lavender hanging outside his cubicle, and when PK commented on it and mentioned the Herb Farm (she was there with us) it came up in conversation that I was wiccan and he said he was too.  I’m looking forward to meeting him too.

All is well with the family.  Angelgirl is now finished with school, her last day of 7th grade was yesterday.  Teachman will be finished teaching next Tuesday.   Angelgirl had a 102 fever Monday night and wasn’t feeling well, but a couple of Motrin, lots of juice and rest, and by Tuesday morning her fever was gone and she was able to make it in for the last two half-days of school – keeping intact her record of perfect attendance since pre-school.

I will try to post again soon and I also want to get the notes from the classes we took at the Herb Farm posted.

Wishing every one bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:family, friends, plans, surprises

Most of my recent silence has been an upswing in my depression. As 40 draws closer my disappointment with what I have been able to accomplish in my life – or more accurately how much I haven’t yet been able to accomplish – is truly dragging my spirit down and causing me to withdraw further from life outside my home and my place of work. Additionally, I am finding that I am losing motivation to do any work here on the blog or on the book I still dream of writing. In short, my funk has turned into a pit I have fallen into.

The result is that I spend most of my computer time mindlessly surfing, playing games, and hanging out on Facebook. In other words I am merely killing time and it has to stop. I have to find some means of rejoining life and working on improving my lot – one step at a time, one day at a time. In fact I may take a ride to Barnes & Noble to pick up a new pen & paper journal so I can resume some inner work and hopefully find my way back to myself.

I do not plan to leave the internet behind, however. I just have to change how i use it and to get myself more organized with how I spend my time.

One friend that I reconnected to thanks to FB belongs to a local Sweet Adeline’s Chorus which I may look into joining when and if issues with Miss Artistic ever settle down enough for me to be able to make promises in terms of regularly attending practices as well as performances.

But, the true joy of my heart right now are the friend’s I have reconnected with (no insult to you guys I met when I moved to NJ) are friends I’ve known from my days living on Staten Island. One woman who I’ve known since I was 4 or 5, and other friends that hubby and I share, in fact he knew some of them first and it was through them that we met.

Getting back in touch with these people was a true gift for me and I hope to reconnect with all of them in person over the coming months.

One of them who I will refer to as JD is going today for a procedure to hopefully find her with a positive pregnancy test in 10-14 days. If you could send a good thought, light a candle, I would appreciate it. We have a little beeswax tea light candle (that I’ve had since Lady Rose took Gamer Dude & I to the PA Renaissance Festival last year) burning on my bookshelf altar right now so if you want to use that candle as your focal point I’m sure your energies will find their way to the proper recipient.

In any case I hope to be back to your regularly scheduled programing soon. I hope to get myself back on track with this blog, with writing, with more contests and hopefully surprises I haven’t even come up with yet.

I wish you all the blessings of beautiful days ahead.

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:friends

Ate, slept, and still so tired!!!!
But in a good way.

Lady Rose and her Darling Hubby brought me to a Bruce Springsteen concert last night.

Other than going to see The Monkees perform when they did a reunion tour in the late 80s, this was my first concert ever! And Sweet Goddess it was an initiation by fire. But in a good way.

This was not the songs that we know all know him for. This was a collection of “folk music”, some from as early as the 1800s. He performed with the 17-piece “Seeger Sessions Band” which included a lot of strings (banjo, fiddles, standing bass) and horns (trumpet, trombone).

I’m not sure what I was expecting. But I went hoping to have a good time and left not only blown away by the talent and massive energy that Bruce contains but spiritually renewed as well. And while the “spiritual songs” were drawing from Judeo-Christian music, as a full-blooded Pagan Witch I can tell you that it didn’t matter. It was beyond religion!!

This just struck me as speaking to all the grief that we all deal with at one time or another and that there still is always hope

“O Mary don’t you weep, don’t you mourn

O Mary don’t you weep, don’t you mourn

Pharaoh’s army got drownded

O Mary don’t you weep “

What can I say … a reminder to keep holding on

no matter how hard it is

“Hold on, hold on Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on”

No matter who we are or where we live

or what we think we’re working toward

we are all rung by rung simply moving through the journey of life and THAT makes us all the same

“We are climbing Jacob’s ladder

We are climbing Jacob’s ladder

We are climbing Jacob’s ladder

Yeah we’re brothers, sisters, all”

A song about losing everything and still going on

“It blowed away (blown away),

it blowed away (blown away)

My Oklahoma home, it blown away”

This says it all!

“All foreign wars I do proclaim

Live on blood an a mothers pain

I’d rather have my son as he used to be

Than the King of America and his whole Navy”

And, the evening’s prayer

“Well we shall live in peace,

we shall live in peace

We shall live in peace someday

Darlin’ here in my heart, yeah I do believe

We shall live in peace someday”

In so far as our little detour and related “adventure” well I’ll leave that for Lady Rose to tell. What’s life without a little suspense.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:friends, music

Its Friday and I’m happy dancing quietly in my cubicle because its almost time to go home!  One of my very dear friends, Brookela, is coming over tonight for a sleep over (yes at 50, I still love sleep overs). We try to get together at least once a month, but since she lives about an hour away because of weather and busy schedules its not always possible. Tonight we are going to watch the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie on our big screen TV. We saw it together in the theater, and I watched it when it first came out on DVD with my other good friend, Mama Kelly, and her family.

I will also get to show her all the cool stuff I’ve been gathering for the Harry Potter party next year. It’s going to be a huge birthday party for my daugther who will be 11 in 2007. So far I have 40 small cauldrons, the Gryffondor Sword, the Sorting Hat, the parchment and seals for the invitations, almost all the items needed for the 9 classes I have planned, and a lot of the decorations.

I’m the middle child of the this trio of friends, and for me they are my siblings of choice; I am as close to them as if they were sisters.

I met Brookela when I came to work at my current place of employment 15 years ago. She is about 12 years older then I am, but is very young at heart and we enjoy a lot of the same things. I learned a lot about speaking up and saying what is really on my mind from her. Being outspoken is one of her most remarkable characteristics, even if it does get her into trouble from time to time.

My other dear friend Mama Kelly, I met over 15 years ago at a lecture I was doing on Wicca at the college she was attending (she was the one who kept raising her hand and asking interesting questions). She is about 13 years younger then I am. We have been through a lot together, she joined my circle, and rented an apartment from us on the second floor for awhile. She married and moved back to her home town about 45 minutes away, and had two children. Both our lives for awhile took a turn for the worse, and we were both drowning in stress and choas for a few years and it was hard to stay in touch, but we emailed each other a lot and got together as often as we could. Now we try to get together at least once a month. My daughter is right in the middle age of her two girls, and they have a lot of fun together. I just love to listen to the three of them giggling and playing in the next room while Mama Kelly and I chat for hours about everything and anything.

I am very blessed to have these two wonderful women as close friends in my life.

Bright Blessings, Lady Rose

Recommended Reading

Chicken Soup for the Girlfriend’s Soul: Celebrating the Friends Who Cheer Us Up, Cheer Us On and Make Our Lives Complete

Written by Lady RoseTags:about Lady Rose, friends, harry potter

I love early mornings, most of the world is still asleep and I can enjoy some quiet time to think, reflect on the events of the previous day(s) and connect with my inner thoughts and muse. I especially enjoy it on the weekends, since there is no work looming ahead for the day. Listening to world wake up and the sun rise as I sip my coffee is renewing to my soul. Its an “inbetween time” that holds a hint of magic.

My daughter, Angelgirl, and I spent last night visiting with Mama Kelly and her family. I always enjoy our overnights. Mama Kelly has two daughters, one a little older and one a little younger then my daughter. It is a joy to listen to their laughter. Last night we watched the just released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD.  To commerate the event, for dinner I made a shepherd’s pie (a preview for “Quidditch” pie), and for a snack we had pumpkin pastries and cauldron corn (actually kettle corn but close enough), and for a touch of magic I added a wizard hat on top of a petite watermelon as a center piece. The girl’s had a great time (and so did we). Throughout the next year I hope to have a few more mini Harry Potter events to try out recipes and activities in preparation for Angelgirl’s big Harry Potter Birthday Party next year when she turns 11.

I am always happiest when I have an obession and the Harry Potter books are movies are definitely one of my favorite obsessions. My daughter mentioned that planning the birthday party was like Christmas for me, even though it was going to be her birthday party. I had to agree – it combines a fun time with friends, cooking, magic, and a touch of medieval themes (dragons and castles) all into one package. It is a perfect match for me.

Several years ago I had a 12th Night medieval banquet for my friends. I cooked and planned all year. It was 12 courses with two dishes each and a large decoration for each course as a centerpiece (i.e. cheese bread castle, paper mache dragon, etc.). We had a small play, activities and 12 small gifts each. I even made all the plates from bread. I cooked and baked and froze a lot of stuff for almost the whole year before the banquet.

Another huge event my husband, Teacherman, and I did together, and that was our wedding in 1991. We met at a college – I worked there and he was returning to school to finish his degree. We knew a lot of folks in the theater dept. and musically talented friends as well. Our wedding had to be unique, so we put together a show. We booked the college theater, wrote scripts for small skits and readings, and also had several musical performances. During intermission we had the lobby set up with candy and drinks, the display case had pictures of us growing up and a large collection of photos of us together in the center. After intermission we were married on stage, ending with 100’s of balloons falling from the ceiling, and of course they guest had to toss popcorn at us as we left the building.

I only do one huge party about every 10 years, but they are awesome.  I used to plan more small theme dinners and parties with family and friends (such as Murder Mystery Parties), but the last decade or so after becoming a mom, having some health issues, and life getting a bit chaotic I haven’t done all that much in about 10 years except of course for some very fun birthday parties for Angelgirl.   That is another reason I am so looking forward to the Harry Potter Birthday Party because it has just been so long since I have had a HUGE bash.  

Perhaps in my next life I’ll be a party planner.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:about Lady Rose, family, friends, harry potter, party planning