Saturday Catch-up

I intended to blog yesterday morning, and take the weekend off.

Life happens.

My stepmother, Edith Lael, fell in her kitchen yesterday morning and broke her left leg. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital for surgery, and I am awaiting updates. Please pray for her, and for my dad, too. Edith is a spirited lady, and will probably thrive. (A couple of years ago, she had pneumonia over Christmas and had to be hospitalized. She went on and on about how nice the nurses and doctors were, and how good the food was. I think she's the only person I know who could make being in the hospital at Christmas a positive thing!) She's a talented artist, active with her local little theatre group in Grand Coulee, and has tons and tons of devoted friends.

On a much more mundane note, I also spilled wine on my keyboard and had to replace it before I could write a word. (Told you I had other vices.) A waggish friend, reading both the Prayer Shawl blog and the one on Cleopatra, my favorite slot machine, suggested I wear my prayer shawl to the casino. Sandi, I love your sense of humor! And I sure miss those get togethers in Cave Creek for biscuits, gravy and philosophy.

Have a wonderful weekend and a very happy New Year's Day. I'll be on the blog Monday morning, as usual, and bring you up to speed on the doings here.

You Never Know With This Blog

One day, it's prayer shawls.
The next, it's slot machines.
I am a complex individual, and a poster-child for Grace.
I absolutely adore Christmas, but, conversely, I am always glad when it's over, too.
(And by the way, I didn't make it to the casino last night. By the time I got finished with my writing, I just wanted to eat a nice dinner and go to bed.)
What will be the subject of tomorrow's blog?
Who knows?
I'll let you know when I find out.

Cleopatra

After three solid days and nights in this house (beautiful as it is) I needed to get out for a few hours, so last night I went over to the local casino, bought some tickets and played my favorite penny slot machine--Cleopatra. The objective is to get three or more Pharohs, because then you get 15 bonus spins. The bonuses, of course, are hard to find. That's why they're bonuses. These particular machines are popular, and I've seen people literally throw themselves across them to claim one. At busy times, it's hard to even get one, but I usually manage. (I have perfected this technique. I walk sedately through the front entrance, nod affably to the security guards--who are probably thinking "You again?"--and then run like a crazy woman.)

Cleo and I have a love-hate relationship. Being a computer, Cleo always says, at the end of a bonus round, "THAT was brilliant." Even if it's two dollars, Cleo calls it brilliant. This got Mary Ann, my cousin, housekeeper and partner in crime, and me to thinking of things Cleo should say.
Our favorite is, "THAT was pathetic!" Other contenders for favorite Cleo sayings:

Go home. You forgot to feed the dog.

Can you really afford to be doing this?

You don't really think I'm designed to do anything but fleece you, do you?

And then there's the most accurate one: Sucker!

When the drink server comes along, asking if we'd like anything, I usually want to say, "Yeah, a sledgehammer." But clobbering Cleo like that would get me arrested and--even worse--banned from the casino. So I behave myself.

Mostly.

We all have our vices, I guess. Now you know. Cleo is one of mine. (Unfortunately, there are others.) I'm hoping it will make my eventual "Biography" episode more interesting. (No, there isn't one scheduled--I was kidding.)

Plans for today? Write a chapter. Take Sadie-beagle in for a follow-up visit regarding her infected ear. And, maybe, just maybe, I'll go play a little Cleopatra.

After all, I'm up a hundred bucks. Can't have that.

The Prayer Shawl

I was home alone this Christmas, if sharing space with Sadie, Bernice, Cha Cha, Jitterbug AND my cousin Kathy Bannon's cat, Rudie, can be called 'alone'. The Readmans, who are not just staff, but family, are away spending Christmas in Northport. They will be back sometime today, the good Lord and the highway department willing, and I will be glad to see them.

I am indeed the classic example of the woman who has everything, and I have sincerely asked friends and family NOT to give me gifts. Several still persist--silver earrings from my dad and stepmother (they're lovely), the world's softest bathrobe from Mary Ann ( I think it really is), and numerous other things, too. One stands out, though--the prayer shawl made by my busy, creative sister, Sally. I wrapped myself in it this morning, and yesterday morning, too, for my prayer and devotional reading. I felt enfolded in the love and grace of God--and of my sister, too.

Thank you, Sally. For the gift of your time and your love. I will always cherish the shawl. And I will always cherish you.

My Christmas Prayer

Thank You, Lord.