Virtual Hugs

   A year ago I had just transferred to a different school in my district. A different campus with a different atmosphere. As Spring Break began I was working toward house sitting for seven of a 12 month period. Spring Break 2019 was in a different place and time. 

   In October I felt lead to begin attending church at St Luke's Anglican Church in Redding. I told the Priest that I needed a time of renewal in my faith and would like to sit back for the season from Christmas to Easter and observe before making a further commitment. He agreed and I began a devotional time of rest, peace and spiritual growth.

   One of the deacons showed me a website with the daily office for morning and evening prayer. Since October each morning and evening I would passively participate by listening and following along on my phone. Cradle of Prayer follows the morning and evening prayer of The Book of Common Prayer. With my eyes barely open and my throat beginning to wake up before reporting to work at 7:10 a.m.  I would follow along to the best of my sleepy ability.

   A Pain in the Neck

  Two weeks ago last night I had my final class at Simpson College on campus. For a week I had been suffering with a Charlie Horse at the base of my head, behind my left ear. Our final class was presenting to the class a 10 minute Math lesson. My lesson was for 5th grade fractions and despite the pain I passed the class with flying colors. Sunday morning I went forward for prayer and began to feel the pressures of the world release from my shoulders.

  We went to our school jobs on Monday, but by 2:00 p.m. we were told school would be closing for the next three weeks. Then our Simpson Classes were moved online only. I got to learn a new platform called Zoom video conferencing. The first night was hectic as we all learned together for four hours how to use the platform and how to share our ideas for learning Earth Science. At the third hour break my phone blew up with messages. Govern Newsom was closing down California the following day and not only would Pier 1 close, but their would be no Grammie travel during Easter Break.

    Thankfully, the pain in my neck was gone, but the ache in my heart was pretty deep. I contacted my daughter in Shingletown on Friday to ask about adopting a cat. She had one picked out and I headed to Shingletown ~Rescue Animal In Need. The cat my daughter liked for me did not care for me. However, a tabby named Molly thought I was her forever Mama. 

So far she has not tried to step on to the table while I eat

Her favorite place to watch the world outside

My Dad made her a scratching post

Never a Dull Moment 

   Molly is a typical 6 month old cat. She has only broken one small knick-knack from a yard sale. She occasionally races through the apartment, but mostly is a very good roommate. She keeps me on schedule and insists I do the dishes in the sink as well as keep her area in the bathroom clean. The vacuum doesn't bother her, but she is not a fan of the garbage disposal. 

   One day I kept hearing odd noises at the front door. This was what I saw through the peephole.

   Unfortunately for last years Easter Door hanger, a scrub jay had decided that he needed to move into the nest. He was trying to removed the old eggs. He just didn't realize what great glue Pier1 uses and that the eggs were solid foam.

pecked holes in two of the eggs and wouldn't give up

I put back up my sunflower hanger and gave up after trying three different days and getting the same result. Lazy bird!!!

   Grandbaby Update

Judah and his Mama are Sheltering In Place in Humboldt County
while his Dad works at Costco

Ellie is keeping everything lighthearted

Emilia is pretty serious about her home-schooling

The mamas get no rest and no pop-cycles to themselves

On the Home Front

Early this morning I put a Thank you Heart on his van,
This fellow lives a building over from me and often parks downstairs.

I made a stack of Thank You Hearts for all my local Essential Workers. I put one on the door of the nurse who lives directly below me too. I plan to make a garland of them on my railing with a note of thanks. There are over 100 units in my complex and many work in Essential Fields.

I take a walk for an hour every day.
This was a message of hope from a neighbor

Even through the slight drizzle the tulips were worshiping God

 Daily I can take time to go through the morning and evening office of prayer. I can consider the words and listen or join with the canter. Let our hearts be like St Francis.

A little bit of bloom in the terrace of The Nest

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

when there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand,

to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.”

― Francis Of Assisi