I Feel Cheated

For two weeks I have been glued to my television watching a Novela (Soap Opera). It is a Turkish love story by the name of Lovebird. The men are handsome and the women beautiful. I got to know all of the characters and some I liked, some I hated, but the story kept my interest. The 72nd episode ended with the handsome doctor waiting for his love at the train station. When I flipped to get episode 73 it wasn't there.

I got on my computer and asked when season two would begin. The message I got was: Due to low amount of viewers, there would be no second season!  "No," I cried, "I need to know what happens to all those people I got to know so well." I continued my search and found out the Novela was written from a three book story called The Autobiography of a Turkish Girl translated by Sir Wyndliam Deedes. Searching further, I found the books on the Internet and read the ending to see if the two lovers ended up together. There was no satisfaction because the ending seemed to have no connection with what I had been watching. I needed closure!

Next step was to call the Jefferson County Library and they were able to find  a copy and will get it to me in the near future. The Internet let me know that there were three books but the librarian said she could only find one book. I then looked the book up on Amazon and they have copies ranging from eight dollars to $56 but I do not know if it was the story I wanted. I can not believe that I may never know what happened to those characters that became like family!

Slowly, I am getting over my disappointment. Here it is, the day after, and my thoughts keep returning to the story.  I even watched the last episode again to see if there was a clue as to how the story really ends. I could put my own ending or how I wish the story would end, yet I want to know what actually happened.  The feeling is like losing many loved ones at the same time. I suppose I will have to go through the mourning steps; denial, anger, depression and finally acceptance!

"Soap operas have the same

hypnotic power as witnessing

clothes turning in a washing

machine -- if you don't look

away quickly, you'll be 

watching until the end."

 Steward Stafford

Addendum to my blog:  After waiting over three weeks for a copy of the book, I called the library and inquired if the book had been ordered. "Colorado did not have a book, but we found one in Missouri and when it comes in we will let you know."  On April 6, 2029, I received a notice that the book was in. I picked up the book and it is faded, held together with pink string, has yellowed pages and it looks as if is falling apart. Don't judge a book by its cover, I thought, maybe now I will find out what happened to all those characters I left behind in the seventy-two episodes!

I will be done

 with what happens to everyone

as I take a look

in this tattered book.

E. Moscoso

 After reading about 160 pages of the Autobiography of a Turkish Girl I finally got closure. The two lovers never connected again but the ending shows he received her diary. He would read that she  emphatically said she hated him and never wanted to see him again. She also wrote she would never love again because he was her only love.

I will return the tattered book to the library now that I know what happened to the two beautiful  people with their special love! I no longer have to wonder what happened when he was left waiting for her at the train station!

Open For One Day

Our Lady of Visitation has been closed for almost two years. Last evening, with the okay from the Archdiocese of Denver, a mass was celebrated. It was one of the two masses allowed by a directive from Rome; two masses a year, one for when it opened and one for Our Lady of Visitation Feast Day.



As they waited for the church to open the people gathered around outside which included Sandy Garcia, a main fighter for reopening the church; Federico Peña, Denver County former mayor; and Dennis Gallagher, Denver's past auditor. There may have been others of distinction present but the once mentioned were the ones I recognized.

People began to gather around five in the evening and were greeted with cookies, hot chocolate and some burritos. When the doors were opened, everyone entered the church and before long all the pews were filled. Many of the regulars, that I remembered seeing when I attended mass at the Little Church, were present. A priest from Holy Trinity Church celebrated mass and he gave a beautiful homily about prayer, humility, love and forgiveness. Two men sang in Latin and as I looked around the church I noticed that saint statues were still in their nooks on the wall. The church is very comforting and reminded me of small churches in New Mexico.

I was happy to see that the church looked clean and kept up. The outside looked freshly painted but I am not sure if it had been recently painted. The inside was clean and if I had not known it had been closed for over a year and a half I would have thought it was a weekly mass. I got  a good feeling that evidently someone has kept the maintenance up and maybe there is a reason; could it be opening soon?  The missals were in the holders behind each pews and I wondered if they had been there for two years or did someone place them there for the mass?

Since two masses a year will be allowed at the church, the next one will be on May 31, 2019. The priest announced that the church would be open for prayer after April 2, 2019, on Tuesdays (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.) and Thursdays (6 p.m. -7 p.m.).  This seems to be a step in the right direction and Our Lady of Visitation will once again enjoy visits from those interested in seeing the opening of the Little Church.

Prayers, funds and persistence are need to continue the fight to re-open Our Lady of Visitation!

May the dream of this parish soon come true!

Spending A Short Time At A Church

A few of years ago I heard rumors that a small church located in Adams County was going to be closed. I attended the church every once in while and always left with a feeling of contentment and joy. It reminded me of small churches I had visited in New Mexico. The people were friendly and made me feel welcome. I enjoyed the choir who sang with their heart and sometimes a little off key; a home-like group of people praising Our Lord.

After mass it seemed as if everyone went into the reception area for coffee and donuts or sometimes Mexican food mixed with a lot of comradery. I would venture to say it was a holy and feel-good place on Sunday when I attended the small church known as Our Lady of Visitation.

The rumors became a reality and the church closed on May 1, 2017. And that is when the fight began between the Archdiocese of Denver and the parishioners who wanted to keep their little church open.
The battle reached the Vatican and news came that the church would be open two times a year for celebration of mass. I have heard mass would take place on the day it became a church and on Our Lady of Visitation feast day. To me, it just seems as if twice a year is not enough, yet, something is better than nothing! I find it hard to believe that a building will be kept locked and probably not maintained for a year and then opened twice a year. If the building is going to sit unused, why can it not be a church with parishioners taking care of it?

I realize that I do not have all the ins and outs of what is happening to the little church, but this is what I see as an outsider.

On Monday, March 25, 2019, will be the first mass to be celebrated after two years of the church being closed. There will be a get together before mass at 5:30 p.m., with refreshments outside the church. People can greet their friends and enjoy being together again and Mass will then be celebrated by a priest from Holy Trinity at six-thirty. I guess I feel a bit of  unease that the church cannot be opened for the get together. I do not understand the reasoning behind the information I received via e-mail because it would have made more sense to enjoy refreshments after mass in the parish hall. Yet, I know the persons who have worked so hard in trying to keep the little church open are abiding by the higher-ups recommendations!

I hope and pray that someday Our Lady of Visitation will once again be a functioning parish. I miss attending mass at the little church!

Loving Van Gogh

In my Netflix selections I came across a movie titled Loving Vincent. I clicked on it and ordered the DVD to learn more about the artist Vincent Van Gogh. There is nothing new about his story but how the movie was made fascinated me.

Information I got from the Internet was: There are 65,000 frames in the movie and each frame was painted using Van Gogh's techniques. It took a team of one hundred painters to create the animation movie. 

I learned that the film animation is called rotoscope which takes live action by actors, then each frame is painted and then animated.  The story begins with a letter written to Van Gogh's bother and in the process of delivering the letter the mystery of how Van Gogh died is questioned. Did he shoot himself or did someone shoot him? As I watched the movie I felt sorry for Van Gogh because he seemed like everyone picked on him and bullied him.

Even though he never sold any of his paintings while he was alive, his paintings are worth millions in today's market. He died at thirty-seven years old and even though he began painting at an older age he painted eight hundred pictures in about eight years. An artist I like, Paul Gauguin, is mentioned in the movie as being a friend of Van Gogh but the relationship ended in anger.

The cover for the DVD explains the movie: This animated biopic recounts the life and last days of tormented Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, with each frame of the film consisting of an oil painting executed in the master's style and a plot based on letters he penned.

A Favorite Meal

Corned Beef and Cabbage at the Black-eyed Pea Restaurant on St. Patrick's Day

"Corned beef and cabbage --
that's our favorite holiday 
when all the O'Haras gather round the table."
Kelli O'Hara

Irish For A Day

The Feast of St. Patrick is a cultural

and religious celebration held on

March 17, the traditional death date of St. Patrick,

Patron Saint of Ireland

Even though St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, celebrations were held on March 16 to take advantage of the weekend. People enjoy the day by wearing  green and eating corned beef and cabbage. One year we ate the Irish meal at a Mexican Restaurant because on St. Patrick's Day the meal is prepared in most restaurants! Today a large parade took place in downtown Denver while in Arvada a couple of streets were blocked off for entertainment, food, and drinks for the celebration in green!

Walking through the throngs of people I noticed that the majority were young people and most did not look old enough to be drinking. Of course, at my age, anyone under 50 looks young to me! The music, on a large stage was loud. People were dancing (jumping up and down) to the music while holding drinks in their hand. I wondered what condition the drinkers would be by the time the celebration ended at 6 p.m.

There were many dogs on leads and one dog stole a few hot dogs because he was chomping away as people made their way around him. Other dogs, very well behaved, just walked beside their owners. One cute dog was in a back pack. Maneuvering through the crowd, body to body, was difficult but exciting to see such a crowd.

At one end, there was an area for Celtic dancers and bag pipers. People gathered around the entertainers and some of the dancers looked around six or seven years old. I couldn't help thinking how wonderful that the tradition of that special dancing is passed on from generation to generation.

When I spotted the fellow all decked out in green and wearing golden boots, I knew I had to have my picture taken with him. He was ready to celebrate and had dressed for the occasion.

Even though it was a cool day and the wind made it feel colder, everyone seemed to be having a good time. I am sure that Arvada's tradition of celebrating the "wearing of the green"  helps the businesses in Old Town Arvada.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL

"St. Patrick's Day is an 

enchanted time--a day 

to begin transforming

winter's dreams into

summer's magic."

Adrienne Cook

What a Difference A Day Makes

As I entered my home on March 12, 2019, I noticed a few yellow crocuses popping up in my yard. I remember when a friend of mine planted two hundred bulbs. He planted them about twenty some years ago and the flowers are still coming up every spring. Of course it is not two hundred blossoms anymore, but about three or four blooms show their face around March. I got a feeling that spring was near.

Then. the following day Colorado was hit by the Blizzard of 2019. Wind, snow, drifts, branches breaking, electrical wires down and freezing cold arrived and buried the crocuses. It seemed that many businesses closed for two days. Schools and my church were closed but since I did not venture out for two days I don't know what else closed down because of the weather.

The song of "What A Difference A Day Makes" ran through my head as I kept looking out all day on Tuesday as the storm raged outside. Amazing how flowers were blooming one day and disappeared from view the next day. Today, on Friday, two days after the storm, the sun is shining, it is warm, driveway and sidewalks are clean and the streets are dry. I guess the old saying of it's Colorado weather is true. We never know what to expect! 

And those sturdy yellow blossoms are still there! They just waited until the snow melted to pop up again and remind me that spring is near!

"Snowing is an attempt of God

to make the dirty world look clean."

Mehmet Murat IIdan

Five on a Journey

When a friend suggested driving to Nebraska to see thousands of Sandhill Cranes making an appearance from the end of February until early April, three other friends and I decided to go on the bird watching journey. Our trip began around 9:30 in the morning of March 11, 2019. We drove I-76 east and our first stop was in Wiggins, Colorado for a late breakfast. Thank God for cell phones because a place call Prairie Ranch House came up on the screen letting us know it was a good place to eat.

The friendly lady who waited on us was chatty and made us feel right at home. I felt as if I had known the woman forever! When she told us her first name was Darlinda, it surprised me at how similar her name was to mine! She told us she would be at the Denver Coliseum on March 15,16, and 17 at an Alpaca Show and invited us to look her up. Aside from the lively chatter, the breakfast, cooked by her husband, was tasty and cooked to perfection.  Before leaving the restaurant we had our picture taken with her.

At a rest stop in Sterling we saw a beautiful statue named Metamorphosis of a caterpillar and butterfly.  There was a poster announcing a quilt show in town. One in the group is a quilter and suggested going to see it.  We were all game and she found, with the help of a cell phone, the Sterling Public Library.  There were fifty-two quilts hanging all over the library and a few beautiful statues. We are all readers and fell in love with the cozy library and the friendly workers. We could vote for our favorite quilt and I have a feeling that some in our group voted for more than one!

The large wooden statue called Seraphim greets visitors to the library and it was carved by the local artist named Brad Rhea.

The children's section has a huge assortment of books, a cute sculpture of a boy and girl reading, and an out door area with a large, colorful dragon where we became kids for a few moments!

Since Sterling is not a large town, we found Columbine park with giraffes carved out of a tree. In reading some of the information, in a Logan County magazine, I learned that Sterling is known as the City of Trees. When trees began dying, Brad Rhea, the artist began to use the trees to sculpt different designs and many of his creations are scattered throughout the city.

 
We arrived at our destination of North Platte, Nebraska, and went looking for the Sandhill Cranes. Not a one showed up. I did get some information while standing in a muddy and snowy area.

We checked in at the motel and after unpacking we had dinner at the Canteen Bar & Grill. Three travelers had steaks and said that the meat was tender and tasty. Two had pizza and the toppings and crust were excellent but too large for one person so a carry-out box was necessary. Returning to our rooms we met in one of the rooms for a specially prepared Gin & Tonic in red cups! We toasted to a great day and to a "chick" that was not with us!

The next morning was foggy and there went our hopes of seeing the Sandhill Cranes. After breakfast we packed the car and drove to an area where we hoped we might see some birds. It was too foggy.
We did hear and see some cranes flying so our trip began to feel as if we had accomplished what we had driven four hours to see!

Our plan had been to see the Golden Spike Tower where we could have watched hundreds of railroad cars maneuver below the tower. We found out that it is the largest train center and around 1500 trains are moved around daily. The Union Pacific Bailey Yard is mentioned in the Guinness World Records.
In the restaurant at the Ramada Inn there were many photographs of the 1000 volunteers who prepared food for the many soldiers who traveled through North Platte during World War II.


The other thing we missed and had planned to visit was the Lincoln County Historical Museum but the fog prevented us from seeing the old buildings on the grounds.  We did see a beautiful mansion and we heard a musical chirp. Someone, in an excited voice and a good eye said, "Look, it's a Cardinal." The rest of us looked and looked until we also saw the chirping red bird. A recording of the tweeting was on one a cell phone and when the much smaller female flew to the car and landed on the side mirror, we wondered if she was responding to the mate she could hear on the cell phone.

We decided to begin our trip home and stopped in Sutherland, Nebraska and laughed and joked with two flirty men.  As we continued our drive home we saw signs on building walls, stopped at Sassy Sweets for eclairs and thought it was odd to see five bird nests in a tree. I am not sure what kind of birds they were but they darted around from tree to tree.

In Sterling, Colorado we ate lunch at the J &L Cafe before continuing our journey home.
We were happy to see patches of sunshine but even happier when the following day the 2019 Blizzard came in and we saw many accidents on the very highway we had traveled! It had been a wonderful trip with great friends!

 Even though our trip was to see the Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska we finally saw cranes in Colorado!

"It is one of the

blessings of old

friends that you can

afford to be stupid

with them."

Ralph Waldo Emerson