Tag: Weekly Wrap-Up

Posted in Spring at Sonnystone

Sunday Report

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Edit: Spoiler Alert: I said (below) that the Irish Dancers were competing in the Nationals, but I should have said they are competing in the World Championships. (the Nationals are in Nashville in July and we will be there). Eliza is dancing today and Emma dancing Tuesday. Sending Beams of Love, no matter what the level of competition.

Happy Palm Sunday to those of you who celebrate. I remember the marathon performance schedule of Holy Week from my days as a church organist and my best wishes go to all church musicians at this busy time. The Good Friday hymns in the dirge-like minor keys give way on Easter morning to songs of Victory and Pageantry in bright, major tones. Sometimes I miss it.

Last year I was deeply involved with my visit to London and I sure wish I had something similar to distract me. I’m feeling so restless, like I always do at the beginning of the Spring season, waiting for the lows to finally stay above 40, longing for the sunny days and warmer highs. I stand at the window and watch the birds going about their business, observe the magnolia buds flowering, and follow the antics of a scrappy grey squirrel who we’ve named “Stumpy” because his tail is cut off to about 6 inches. I want to get out and join the party.

We have another month or so left of this transition from winter to spring, aka storm/big wind/tornado season in these parts. We weathered 60mph gusts yesterday, but are grateful there were no tornadoes in our neck of the woods.

In the meantime, I’m raising up 3 better boys and 6 california wonders that we bought at Hillside gardens last week. I’ve already potted up the tomatoes and will no doubt pot up the peppers before we can set them out in mid-May.

My Irish Dance girls are competing in the North American competition, called “Nationals”, this week up in Montreal, Canada. I know they will do well, but very excited to see just how well they do.

Emma
Eliza

I broke a tooth last week and my dentist was out of town. It doesn’t really hurt, but I’m sticking with soft food and such… I foresee a spell of dentist visits in my future, but I can’t get in to see him this week, either, because it’s Colonoscopy Week here at the Acres. Mine is scheduled for Tuesday, Casey’s for Thursday, so the whole clear liquids and diet restrictions thing works out fine. So much fun…

Have a Holy Week!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

3 Thinks

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Think #1:

We celebrated St. Paddy’s Day with corned beef brisket, new potatoes, and cabbage, our usual tribute to Irish traditions. It was a tough choice between Guinness and Kilkenny Red, so we went with the always-popular Jameson and Ginger Ale. My great-great-great-grandparents, Joseph and Margaret Kinkade, were born in County Down; they arrived in the port of Philadelphia in 1832, both of of them 22-years-old. The Maynes have since credited their penchant for drinking to the Irish, which is soo much more glamorous than the majority-German-ancestors; however, European statistics reveal that Germans drink slightly more than Irish. C’mon, Irish! Get out on the gargle, have a hooley and get scuttered! We have a full year to practice…

Think #2: (very thinky)

I watched Deep Space Nine, Season 1, Episode 1, “Emissary” last night. It is a deep one: Commander Sisko meets an entity/life form that is not subject to linear time, believing that “what comes before now is no different than what is now, or what is to come: it is one’s existence.” They read Sisko’s mind and see that the trauma of his wife’s death is a tragedy that his mind replays over and over and over, and though he explains that a human is ultimately the sum of his experiences, they point out to him that he “chooses to exist in that memory”, in fact does still exist in those memories, and that is decidedly Not Linear…

It just so happens that I’m going through old photos, picking some new ones for framing, and that stroll down Memory Lane is decidedly Not Linear. In the moments that I gaze at the youngsters in the pictures, dressed up and having fun, I exist in those memories, along with my now-grown-up babies and long-dead parents. What a blessing and such a curse! Our ability to re-live sometimes overwhelms our brain with raw emotions and though the Passing of Linear Time does soften the edges of our pain or joy over the years, we do Still Exist in those “moments remaining in a burnt-out light” *John Prine.

Counting the Years, as one does when one is celebrating a Jubilee Year, it’s clear that Sisko was right when he explained that a human is ultimately the sum of his experiences: (using baseball as a metaphor)

Sisko: In the end, it comes down to throwing one pitch after another, and seeing what happens. With each new consequence, the game begins to take shape.

Alien Batter: And you have no idea what that shape is until it is completed?

Sisko: That’s right. In fact, the game wouldn’t be worth playing if we knew what was going to happen.

Jake Prophet: You value your ignorance of what is to come?

Sisko: That may be the most important thing to understand about humans. It is the unknown that defines our existence. We are constantly searching, not just for answers to our questions, but for new questions. We are explorers. We explore our lives day by day, and we explore the galaxy, trying to expand the boundaries of our knowledge…

They don’t call it Deep Space for nothin’.

Think #3:

We’ll have a nice quiche to celebrate the Vernal Equinox, the 71st of my existence, tomorrow at 5:24pm. We woke up to a dusting of snow today, and the freeze is not going to let up for a couple more days, but the rest of the week looks good for working on the Peace/Bird Garden perennials. That’s where you’ll find me, though in my mind I’ll be existing among all the gardens of the past, leading up to this Only-Moment-that-Is, Right Now.

Peace

Posted in Jubilee, Sunday Report

Storms and Sunshine

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

We seem to be alternating between fierce winds and drenching rains to breezes and sunshine as we transition to Spring — nothing new in this neighborhood. Lots of trees are down and small limbs and branches are littering the grounds, so the weather has let up to allow us to clean up before the next wave arrives.

I have to fight the urge to go out and start planting, or at least start seeds inside, but we could easily have freeze and snow until middle of May… To bide my time, I’m cleaning up the back porch and garden shed, always a treat and much preferable to cleaning the house.

I’m planning a trip over to Southern Illinois tomorrow, predicted to be a beautiful day. My Carmi friends have a new garden plot and I’m excited to see it and dream up a design. I’m sure I’ll be inspired and come home with ideas for my own scheme.

The Orchid Show is still going on over at the Zoo and that’s on my agenda, as well. Have you visited it yet?– it would be a great retreat on a rainy day.

In the meantime, the mundane tasks of reading, writing, and making music are keeping me company, but I’d love to meet up for lunch. Anyone?

Pulling on my boots and headed outside! Hope the sun is shining where you are!

Peace

Posted in Jubilee, Sunday Report

Home again

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Thanks, dear friends, for the many happy-birthday-wishes. The Jubilee has just begun! Day 4 of being 70 is showing promise as we unpack and plow through the laundry.

Our trip was Super! We did several things that we’d never done before: watched the sunset from Topolino’s Terrace, ate lunch at La Creperie in France, and rode Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind.

Cosmic Rewind is the BEST RIDE EVER!!! so we rode it twice.

On my Birthday Evening, we were gifted with reservations at Raglan Road, where we met up with one of the Irish Dancers there who made it such a special treat. We watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach at Fort Wilderness, visited Port Orleans French Quarter to celebrate Mardi Gras, and basked in some beautiful sunsets.

The picture below kind of sums it up: These two kids are happy…

One of the perks of our traveling is how good it feels to get back home. Breaking up the monotony of winter is especially invigorating, and with only three weeks until the Spring Equinox it feels like the days are considerably longer, if not brighter.

My Jubilee Mission continues: To fill the Year with love, laughter, good health, and good people. So far, so good…

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

5 things

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

I really don’t have 5 things, yet, but those types of headlines usually catch a person’s attention, so I’m told, and I’m here to catch your attention…

  1. Last week’s test results turned out to be not nearly as bad as I feared. Thanks to my friends who reached out to me to share their experiences of physical limitations and how they cope, I feel a bit foolish to think my problems are any more than a little speck on a flower. I’m not foolish enough to ignore the lessons I should learn, though, and feel full commitment to improving my cardio-respiratory status. Thanks to Kristi, who met up with me at the mall for a walk on Tuesday and asked me back on Friday! I don’t know what I’d do without the Carnahan Sisters…
  2. During our October trip to WDW, Goldie (our campervan) bounced and rattled so much that we had a pole to stop the loud squeaking noises that drove Casey crazy. She has always been a bit of a rough ride, but that trip was absolutely over-the-top and I was very vocal with my complaining. Casey found a lump on one of the front tires and we changed it while at the resort, so the ride home was much better. After we got home, we bought four new tires, but still hadn’t had a chance to drive them very far. Friday we drove up to New Harmony and the ride was so smooth I thought we’d driven the wrong car! We will not need the stripper pole anymore and our driving will be sooo much better.
  3. I filed our taxes last week and the IRS set a new record for returns: by Tuesday we had our Federal and on Friday the State return was deposited. Rich people got rich-people-problems, so your experiences with the IRS may vary.
  4. My Dewey Decimal book challenge is moving right along — I’m to the 600s, 700s, and 800s. I’ve decided to read a book from each tenth of the 900s — biographies, world history, etc. since those subjects are some of my favorites. I started a new mystery series and it’s okay. I’m halfway through the first book and no one has been murdered yet, but it’s pretty clear who we’re supposed to want dead. Surely she’ll be offed soon.
  5. This Friday Samantha and I will have “our” birthday party! I’ll be gone for her big 8th birthday on the 22nd and will miss her Fun Zone party on the 25th, so we’ll have a Game Night, exchange presents, and probably eat some cupcakes.

While it’s been a doctor-visit-filled first 6 weeks of Jubilee year, the tide is turning and the Jamboree is about to begin! I’m sooo ready to be on our way to warm weather! We’ll leave next Sunday for WDW, but I’ll get back with you next Saturday. I know we go to WDW a lot, and many people are surprised that we go sans young’uns, but we always have a wonderful stay. This trip I will be riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for the first time. There’s a lot to do outside of the parks, as well, and I’ve got a mind to have some drinks and sing-along at JellyRoll’s dueling piano bar.

Thanks again, dear readers, for your help processing my health challenges. You are All the Best!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

A little blather…

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

I managed to get to the doctor before Sonnystone became an ice rink, but had to wait a few gloomy, gray days to pick up my Rx and get started. My mood has been as dreary as the days, so I’ve Tried to cheer up by planning our upcoming Disney trip. Unfortunately, that approach only moved my despair over to my current girth.

I need to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks — haven’t we all been there? I want to lose weight, but I don’t want to get caught up in one of those “eat right and exercise” scams, ya know? You don’t get a body like mine overnight, folks; it takes years of moderate alcoholism, neglect, and sundry damaging behaviors. I feel like I’ve been driving around with my “check engine” light on for quite a while now, and it’s time to do something about it. Really, though, 5 pounds would be good so I’ll fit into my Vacation clothes a little more comfortably.

Two weeks of counting calories won’t kill me, but I often cockily think I “deserve” to pig out. Recent diagnoses should give me some motivation, and I do love to try some new recipes. I cooked up all the red meat in the house last week, finished up most of the sugary snacks I had laying around, and made up a menu of healthy meals for the week.

I would really like to start walking on a regular basis, something I’ve not done since pre-Covid days. (Covid sure did eff us all up, smh) This time of year walking at the mall is the best place, so I wonder if any of you walk there? or would you like to? It would be fun to meet up and see if I can still walk and talk at the same time.

I’m scheduled for some tests this Monday and there will be more doctor consultations coming up, but I’m sure it’s all going to make me stronger and better, and maybe even a little thinner.

Currently streaming through my brain:

Have a good week!

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

True Confessions

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Good morning and how are you today? It snowed a little last night, just a light dusting on the grassy areas, not quite enough to be pretty.

We’ve fallen into our usual winter-ness routines: doing nothing, then resting afterward. Actually, I should only speak for myself as Casey stays busy on maintenance of cars, keeping the fire burning, and he even fixed my dining room chairs that have been shaky for a decade or so.

My laziness is legendary, but the internet and its myriad rabbit-holes makes me even less productive…especially for the last several weeks as I’ve obsessed on Harry & Meghan, the dastardly duo who have bombarded the world with too much information, and most of it quite damning to themselves. . What was meant to bring down the British Royal Family has backfired spectacularly, exposing their lies and Harry’s sad mental illness (me mum was killed by the paps). My mouth just drops as I read their ever-changing versions of what happened in the 18months they were part of the Firm, now three years after they left London for Tyler Perry and Oprah. The memes are hilarious, the snarky comments make me chuckle, and as many of the late-night talk show hosts join in ridiculing them, I feel somewhat vindicated in my disgust with them. If you disagree with me, please don’t bother to argue – you won’t change my mind. The vilification of King Charles and Queen Camilla has actually rallied people around the Royals. The only people who are impressed with Harry’s “poor” childhood are the same who think Diana was a saint… Oh, and wasn’t it nice of Harry to admit the Royal Family are not racist? And only 2 years after their accusation on O? He’s made himself a laughing stock with his todger talk and I’m exhausted by it. What a whiner!

I Swear, I’m going cold turkey, stopping my sordid addiction to the Montecito Shit Show.

The Jubilee preparations continue. I have built two spotify playlists, one with songs that have impacted me personally throughout the years, and another that starts in 1953, choosing a pop song to represent each of the last 70 years. The second list has been especially fun! Starting with Patti Page (my earliest star-crush) singing “how much is that doggie in the window?” and ending with Harry Styles’ “As it was”, it is quite a walk down memory lane. It still needs some tweaks, partly because I spent the 90s listening to country music and don’t recognize many of the Pop hits, or even the artists! Around here there used to be 3 country music radio stations to every one Pop station, but nowadays I think many of the country stations have switched to Jesus music. There is a HeavyMetal station, though, so Metallica still thrives in So. Indiana…

I’m keeping up with my book challenges and editing All my Ancestors. That’s about it, kids. I want to get down to Nashville this coming week-end for the Flea Market if the weather is halfway decent. Till we talk again…

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

Reading Challenge

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

My annual Reading Challenge over at Goodreads is set at 24, a goal I can Usually meet with ease. This year, however, I have added a new objective: read one book from each section (there are 10) of the Dewey Decimal System. I love non-fiction, so it didn’t seem like much of a strain to accomplish, but as I reviewed the System, I’m realizing there’s a lot more there than meets the eye.

What did we do before a common system of classification was used in the library? It must have been a real pain, especially for someone who was the slightest bit OCD. Enter Melvil Dewey, who had been arranging his mother’s pantry goods since he was a little boy. In 1873, at the age of 25, Dewey patented the decimal system that bears his name, and it began to be implemented in 1876. Called the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), it is built around ten main classes, ostensibly covering the entire world of knowledge.

Each main class is divided into ten more divisions, each having ten divisions of increasing specificity. It is “arranged by discipline, not subject”, so a topic can be all over the place. Given that there are ten main classes, one hundred divisions, and one thousand sections still makes it a bit unwieldy, but the handy-dandy card catalogue became my good friend when trying to do research, as it pulled together the subject of research in a coherent fashion. I mean, seriously, there is a Lot of Knowledge in a library…

I decided to start at Willard Library, partly because it is my very favorite library ever, but I also thought it would be easier to choose a book with less inventory. The 000-100 section is really a lot of reference books, also newspapers, periodicals, Guinness Book of World Records, etc. and it didn’t leave me much choice, so I chose a book called “An Uncommon History of Common Things”. Meh. The Things were common, but I didn’t find their history so uncommon. Does anyone read a book like that all the way through, beginning to end? I don’t, kids, so I skimmed through and it’s ready for return — and it counts as a read, by my rules — and I make the rules here.

More interesting than the book I chose is what I learned about Melvil Dewey, a true example of not judging a book by its cover. In addition to devising the Decimal System, he helped found the American Library Association and the first library school at Columbia University in 1884; he was also the New York State Librarian from 1888-1906. When Columbia University balked at admitting women to the Library School, he started his own school with 17 women and the help of other female teachers. Seems like a real forward-thinking guy for the feminists, right?

Wrong… Melvil Dewey has also been called a misogynist, racist, and anti-Semite. While some biographers credit Dewey with being a champion of women in the workplace – he called for greater employment of women in libraries when most women worked as domestics- it is difficult to grant him that title when multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He was fired from his NY State Librarian because of his very public refusal to allow Jews to be included in a country club he founded. He paid off several of the women (there were many) who brought charges against him for sexual harassment. In fact, his worldview influences his decimal classifications as he neglected to include any Black history or writers within it. You can notice right away that in the Religion section, 9 of the 10 subcategories are Christianity, with only 1 for “other religions”. Librarians began the work of “decolonizing” the categories quite a while back, and the Library of Congress uses a completely different system that is similar, but more open to changes.

Anyway, I’m ready for the 100s now, Philosophy…just one book? I learned everything I know about Philosophy from watching “The Good Place”…well, almost everything, but you should watch it if you get a chance. (It doesn’t count on the reading challenge.)

I decided to vary the library I visit, so throughout the month of January you may see me lurking at any of the branches, looking for the card catalogue.

We’re off for a Sunday Drive.

Peace

Posted in Jubilee, Sunday Report

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! ‘Tis a Jubilee Year!

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

Time, Time, Time…see what’s become of me: in February of this year, I’ll turn Seventy…

I’ve been planning a year-long celebration of this momentous occasion ever since last February when I turned 69, wading bravely into my 70th year. At first, I thought I’d begin the festivities on my actual b-day, but now have decided that the entire year must be one of Jubilee. I share passing this landmark with nearly everyone who went to high school and nursing school with me, so I’m in good company. I’m hoping that all my friends – regardless of age — will come together for a Sonnystone Garden Party in July. Mark your calendars for that second week or so, and watch this spot for more info. If that doesn’t work for you, let’s just meet up for lunch sometime this year!

In addition to planning this gala, I’m looking forward to finally taking that Long Drive in Goldie, visiting the New Yorkers on St. Paddy’s Day, and more WDW (of course). I hope to get the Family History printed and there will be changes to the blog. It’s time to pull out the mandolin and brush up on some chords. Bring on fresh piano music! Refresh my reading challenge and strive again for 24 books this year. Maybe Windsor, England? Amtrak sounds like fun. Jubilee years are packed with pleasure, so here we go!

Resolutions? Ha! I plan to stay healthy, happy, and Curious… There’s still so much I want to learn, especially the stuff I thought I already knew…

Peace

Posted in Sunday Report

The Countdown begins…

Posted on by Jo Mayne Casey

The days have been flying by and my excitement is building. The house is merry and cozy, Casey had a great day of birthday-ing on Wednesday, and Samantha and I had breakfast with Santa at the Zoo yesterday.

Nova and her boyfriend, Aiden, (or is it Jaden? Braden?) went to a couple of dances last night; they attend different high schools, so they must keep it even… She is having a great time and that makes me smile.

I’ve hauled out my Christmas clothes and eliminated the ensembles that don’t fit anymore (you know how clothes shrink), so new plaid leggings and a red flannel are on their way to fill in the gaps. I’m obsessing over the weather; we are flying out of Nashville and the drive down worries me. It’s supposed to be wet and cold, but not quite icy and that’s the worst kind, even with my new tires. I’m thinking we’ll do a more leisurely daytime drive the day before and stay overnight. That just sounds less stressful all the way around.

Just think, this very time next week I’ll be walking out of Radio City Music Hall, having watched the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, heading over to Bill’s Burgers for our traditional post-show meal. For the last two years we’ve had to miss the performance due to Covid, so this will be a sweet reunion.

— 2019 Me, Eliza, Emma at the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular —We were so Young!

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that Melissa and her family moved last August. Their new pad looks zehr cool, even magnificent, in the pictures, and I can hardly wait to stand out on her balcony and watch the sunrise or sunset, or go to the rooftop garden, or play some games in the gameroom. They all seem to be very happy there and I’m so pumped to soak up some Love from my NewYorkers.

In the meantime, I’ve been going through my old Christmas posts and thinking I’ll start a series of “Ghosts of Christmases Past”, but I really don’t have time, so it seems it has been an exercise in nostalgia…and a very pleasant one. We’ve had some Great Christmases, for certain, but I do believe this Christmas is going to be one for the Books.

So we’ll drive down to Nashville on Thursday, fly out to LaGuardia on Friday, Party with the JoseFam, fly back to Nasvhille and drive home on Tuesday. I’ll be in touch.

Peace