Wood type: rosewood Length: 11 inches Core: Gryffon Feather get your own wand!

Rosewood:
Rosewood wands are rare because these wands tend to be very picky. A Rosewood wand tends to choose one who has a deep inner peace or spirituality, which considering it excels at Love charms is probably a good thing. Rosewood wands are also good for healing magic as well.

Gryffon Feather:
The gryffon originated in Greece, having the head and front legs of an eagle, but the hind quarters of a lion. Gryffon feathers are used in wands of wizards or witches who posses great strength whether physically, magically or emotionally. These wands are especially good for both offensive and defensive magic.

In the Tumult

Question: How can a Christian find quietness for praying, a Christian who lives in the tumult and noise of a city?

Answer: We should try to obtain as much as possible! We should not be negligent. Because negligence is the greatest danger for the soul of each man. It means you have no mercy for your own soul, and thus you’re in great spiritual danger. You didn’t do your [prayer] rule? Negligence tells you, “It doesn’t matter.” You didn’t fast? Negligence tells you, “It doesn’t matter.” Did you commit fornication? Negligence tells you, “It doesn’t matter.” We should strive as much as we can and God will help us to be saved. The greater the temptations are, the greater the Grace of God will be and the greater the crown. But God will not allow us to be tempted above our strength. If we have prayer and purity of soul and body, the Grace of the Holy Spirit will descend upon us and all great difficulties will easily be solved. These hard times for the salvation of our soul were prophesied by the Holy Fathers. A disciple asked his Elder, “Father, look, we’re powerless and the enemy fights us. If that’s the way it is as now, what will it be like in the last times?” The Elder responded, “Son, in the last times, the monks will be like laymen and the laymen will be like demons!” But I know people who live in the center of Bucharest and lead a pure and spiritual life.

 
From an interview with Elder Cleopas (Ilie) of Sihastria Monastery, published in The Orthodox Word (Vol. 28, No. 1 (162)), pp. 16-17. http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/negligence.aspx

Back to School

Tonight started the Fall semester.  If all goes according to plan, it will be my LAST Fall semester as I hope to be all done with the under-grad degree by next August!

The class I attended tonight was Elementary Spanish.  Now mind you, I’ve had 4 years of high school Spanish – 30 years ago.  Actually, I was surprised at how much I remembered and how much I understood of what el profesor said.

Unfortunately, I was 10 minutes late for class.  First, because I couldn’t find the stupid classroom (the door was practically under the steps!)  but largely because I couldn’t get my car started.  Argh!!!  I had driven it all day with nary a problem.  Tonight, it just wouldn’t turn over.  Nada.  Zilch.  Just the little battery light coming on and going bzzz, bzzzz.  Radio works.  Interior light works.  A/C works.  Can’t get the thing out of park.  Gonna have it towed.

Great way to make a first impression with el profesor.

Hey…maybe I’ll get good enough in Spanish to write a post or two!  Ha!

Yeah…right.

Today I saw a nutritionist with the intention of getting help with my diet now that there are so many foods that I am allergic to.  It was a good meeting.

She had this neat little scale thingy with silver metal plate that you stand on in your bare feet.   They send little electrical impulses through your body and the machine calculates your weight, body mass index, fat content, etc.  Very cool to watch the little machine spit out a tape like a grocery store receipt with all the figures on it.

It concluded that though I am in the normal range of everything including weight, it is the “low” normal range.  Low enough that if I was any lower, even by one point, I would be in the “malnourished” range.  Soooooo…that means I am now on a weight gain diet.  Oh yippee.

Now, I know how that may sound.  “Oh how I wish someone would tell me that!  I could eat whatever I wanted!!!”  Folks, it is not as easy as it sounds. Especially when you add the facts that most fruits are off limits to me now, as are all the lovely processed foods that everyone enjoys, as are most if not nearly all restaurants.  Frankly, it is frustrating.

As I discussed all this with the nutritionist, I got rather emotional and teary.  She told me that food is a very emotionally connected thing.   Whether it be to gain, lose, or manage weight – emotions are connected to it.  And I must allow myself to feel some grief.  It sounds rather silly to me though.

The last 6 months I have realized how much of our lives and the things we do revolve around food.  Picnics on the 4th of July, restaurants to celebrate anniversaries/birthday, walks through the zoo with a hotdog or soft pretzel with mustard.   Who doesn’t look forward to strawberry picking season and putting one sun-warmed strawberry in your mouth for every 3 in the bucket?  Going to the beach and having Fisher’s caramel corn with peanuts or greasy french fries.  Or making homemade applesauce and cider on a crisp Fall day?  What Christmas season isn’t chock full of one party after another with egg nog, specially made cookies and desserts?  Or even Pascha and nutrolls or Pascha bread!  These are all off limits now.

The nutritionist had some very good suggestions for me which I will be implementing.  She also agreed with my thoughts on getting a second opinion on the food allergies, especially since I continue to struggle with acid reflux in the larynx area.

I will need to eat all the time and not allow my stomach to get empty.  Empty stomachs create more acid and no food to press against the sphincter muscle in the stomach to keep it closed allows acid to slide up the esophagus.

On a really positive note, she said there are vegan chocolate bars out there!  That I am going to have to find since I cannot purchase regular chocolate since it has soy in it.

I hope I can get over the feeling that this all just seems so silly to be emotional about.

Light & the Change of Color

Okay all you science type people out there, I need your help.

Recently the hubster and I are changing all our standard light bulbs to florescent ones because they are more energy efficient.  Sitting on the table next to our couch is one she uch lamp containing one such bulb.  Under the lamp is a smooth crystal bowl with flecks of light lavender in it. 

The other day the hubster queried me about the color of the flecks.  “Were they blue?  I thought they were purple!”

I looked at the bowl and sure enough the flecks were blue not purple!  Surmising the light may have had something to do with it, we took the bowl away from the light and put it elsewhere.  After a couple days it turned back to lavender!

What the heck is going on?!

Soon it will be time…

…to return to the “world.” 

Only a day and a half until we must pack up and return home Saturday morning.  Though the weather has continued to be uncooperative as regards beach time, relaxation has continued. 

Today the hubster and I went shopping at the outlet store up the road a piece.  We browsed around and landed in the Oneida store where we found a great bargain on everyday eating utensils.  Oneida makes some very nice stainless steel everyday silverware and that is something we’ve been thinking about replacing since that which we use daily is 28 years old.  It’s beginning to look it too.

Oneida was having an “end of summer” sale.  We found a very nice flatware set which was priced quite right.  We got 60% off the full price of a 92 piece set, paying $55.00!  I guess we’ll be set for the next 28 years!  We are considering it our anniversay gift to one another since we marked 23 years on the 18th of August.

I’ve started reading Archimandrite Sophrony’s book On Prayer.  There are no words to use to describe this book except to say that as I complete each paragraph my heart “sighs.”  Many of you will know what I mean by that. 

Tonight we are eating out at a food-allergy friendly restaurant called FatTuna.  I’ll let you know how it goes!

Vacation, Rain & Relaxation

Today I am in the third day of vacation.  What bliss it is to write that sentence!  LOL!

Saturday the hubster and I departed our little abode to head south and east to the beach.  It is the same beach area that we have vacationed at for the last 20 years.  What makes it fun is we share a “cottage” with the hubster’s immediate family.  So my MIL, FIL, niece, hubster’s brother and wife, hubster’s sister, me and the hubster are all under the same roof.  DS and his girlfriend, DD and her boyfriend spent the weekend with us but due to work schedules left Sunday night to return home.

The “cottage” we have rented is not a “cottage” anymore.  The owners have redone the interior, expanding the kitchen, enclosing the back porch creating a TV room, and redecorating the main living room.  It is delightful and has all the amenities of home…down to wireless internet!  YIKES!  LOL!

We have more food in the refrigerator than we know what to do with.  Snacks abound.  We’ve had a rousing game of Mexican Train (dominoes game) where I was resoundingly crushed under 400 points!  We are into our second puzzle already.  The first was completed in a mere 36 hours. 

The weather is yucky.  It is cool and humid.  Last night we had a downpour of rain with bright lightening and booming thunder.  Thus beach time has been severely limited.  We managed to get about 2 hours on the beach yesterday early afternoon but were chased off by high tide at 1:45 p.m., which came in all the way up to the dunes fencing.  According to the weather forecast, we may get beach time Thursday and Friday.  But as I said to my co-worker, I don’t care what the weather is!  I am at the beach.  I can breathe the sea air.  I am not at home.  It will be delightful!

I have slept the clock round each night so far.  Clearly I am exhausted and need the rest.  I’ve gotten 10 lessons finished for Sunday school, which will take me straight to St. Nicholas Day.  I’ve read more of St. Silouan.  I’ve written up some reflection notes for Fr. T about the woman’s retreat and Mother Raphaela.  I am also almost through Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne.  (The latest saga of Sister Fidelma the dailaigh.)

Must run!  I feel the need of another oatmeal raisin cookie coming on!  I’ll post again I am sure.

School’s Summer Reading List

As Father Seraphim was told by his spiritual father, Blessed Father Sophrony, “Read only that which moves you to prayer.”

Thus I am in total agreement with Mr. Jones, parent of students in the East Penn School District.  Read about it here.

Finite!!!

Took my final in Ancient Rome.  I’ve never been so glad to see a class come to an end as I have this one.  Too bad.  I was really excited to take it and it turned out to be a dud.

Now I have “rest” for the next 13 days.

School’s out……………………..!

Feast of the Dormition

Didn’t get to church last night due to studying for a final exam. Didn’t get there this morning due to work. Sigh.

I was reminded though, that on this day my dear Grandmom Rosie would go to the beach to put her toes in the water because it has been said that the waters are blessed today due to the Assumption of the Holy Theotokos and healing occurs. Of course Grandmom Rosie was Roman Catholic. But so what.

I didn’t get to the ocean either.

Sigh.

Holy Theotokos pray for us!

************************

Update:  Today Mom reminded me of the correct family story.  Thus I post it here with thanks!

You got your Grammies mixed up Angel.  Gram Gertrude spent a lot of time at Beach Haven with family. Every one was sure to be there to put their feet in the ocean on the Assumption of th Blessed Virgin Mary.  Gram Rosie said people would go out in boats along the coast of Italy [note: Gram Rosie was born/raised in Italy] to get wet because the priests would bless the ocean.  Gram Gertrude said that the whole ocean became blessed and all who went into the water would receive the blessing.  She would even bring water home with her to bless the kids and babies who couldn’t go.