An Amazing Thing I Saw

 Maybe anyone who is into fish would not find what I saw amazing, but I had never seen such an odd looking fish! It looked deformed and top heavy with a large ball on its head. The small aquarium in a donut shop had a large fish and it was separated from a smaller one that also had a ball on its head.  I did what I always do when I encounter something that puzzles me and that is to go to the Internet! I found out that it is an ornamental aquarium fish that could possibly be worth lots of money. The bigger the bump, the more expensive and the round hump looked pretty big to me! I wondered if it was a deformed fish until I read all about the Flower Horn fish.

 

It is also known as a Lumphead Cichlid and it was created by humans around 1993. They live from ten to twelve years and can be aggressive. It is recommended to keep them alone in the aquarium. They spend most of the time swimming or digging in the substrate, the underlying layer at bottom of the aquarium. The bigger the bump, it is believed, the happier the fish. It is also known to bring good fortune to the owner of the fish. Chinese believe it resembles their God of Longevity. The fish is also believed to bring luck and prosperity to homes because it attracts positive energy and diminishes negative energy.

I was surprised to read that one fish could be worth up to $6,000 dollars though some sell for $150 to $300 dollars. The small, humble donut shop where I saw the fish makes me believe that maybe here is some truth about the fish bringing luck to the owner. My daughter told me that many small businesses were forced to close during the pandemic, but the donut shop prospered!

"Flowerhorn fish will never

be found living in the wild

because they are hybrids and 

do not exist in nature."

From the Internet

Music That Touches My Heart

 On December 22, 2021, I was treated to a super Mariachi Fiesta Navidad in Costa Mesa, California. We parked the car, took an elevator to the right floor, and saw the huge plaza filled with many masked people wandering around. A large fountain on the grounds was lit and spouted off four streams of water looking beautiful in the dark evening. Then I saw the gigantic concert hall! My daughter took my picture in front of the Segerstrom Concert Hall before checking in by showing our vaccination card and identification. Everyone had a mask on as we made our way inside. We were early and sat in the large waiting area to watch the many Latinos in attendance.

Our seats were behind the stage which made me feel as if I was on stage also. When the show began there were twelve mariachis blasting away, folkloric dancers and two young girls moving in and out on the stage. The young girls set up the different acts by introducing what was coming next. There were 6 violins, 2 horns, 2 guitars, 1 guitarrón, and a harp making the music come alive! Most of the musicians were singers and they belted out many songs and some of the music I recognized, but there were many tunes I did not know.

In between the mariachi music the dancers, representing different states of Mexico in traditional clothing, danced! Brght colors, lots of heel clacking and a great variety of music and dancing! It was fun when the singers turned and sang to our section and it made us feel as if we were part of the show!

The group is called Los Camperos and they have been nominated for a Grammy award four times, but I am not sure if they ever won the award. Most of the band members are singers and each got a chance to perform. I was impressed with the harp player because it was the first time I had ever seen that instrument in a mariachi group.

My daughter pointed out an odd audience member. It seemed to be enjoying the show and it brought a smile to my face. I later found out it was a service dog that is admitted wherever the owner takes it! My question would be if they had to buy a seat for the dog also!

These musicians played for one hour, took a twenty-minute break and then played for another hour. I love the sound of the Mariachi so I was content listening to the group but I am not too sure that my daughter and son-in-law enjoyed it as much as I did!

Many songs were played as a tribute to Vicente Fernandez, who passed away on December 21, 2021. He is very popular and has been known as "Frank Sinatra of Ranchera Music."

The violins, all six of them, played Christmas carols and got me into the Christmas spirit!

Wonderful music, being with my family and in a beautiful venue was perfect for my visit to California

in 2021!

"As long as you don't

stop clapping, I won't

stop singing!"

Vicente Fernandez

Meeting Summer''

My granddaughter and her friend are fostering a Mini Australian Shepherd, named Summer. Her fur is  a beautiful, light chocolate brown and they will keep her until she gets adopted. Yesterday they brought her over to meet the two dogs at my daughter's home. Luna and Finn are black and white Border Collie mixes with sweet dispositions. I was looking forward to seeing the three dogs romp around together but what a surprise I got when Summer growled and barked at me and my daughter. She frightened me immediately and I did not want anything to do with the aggressive dog. To me, it looked as if she was ready to attack! Her little teeth looked dangerous to me. The foster parents assured me that Summer was not aggressive but was nervous at being in a new place. I wasn't quite sure!

My daughter, on the other hand, sat on the floor and spoke softly to Summer. She offered her a treat and before long Summer settled down and allowed my daughter to pet her. Any sudden move would make the dog make a huffing noise. I know that a lot can be known by a dog's tail but because this is a registered dog the tail had been cut off. On the Internet I found out the tail docking is an amputation of the tail for different reasons; aesthetics, preventing a working dog to be injured, cleanliness because a fluffy tail can pick up burrs, feces and matting which makes difficult grooming. A good thing is that docking is not as popular as it once was in the past and it borders on cruelty to animals!. Summer has no tail at all!

I eventually was able to pet her silky fur, and she did not seem aggressive at all, but she kept her distance and only came near me when I offered her a treat. Luna and Finn were introduced, and Summer did some barking but before long the three dogs got along. Luna, the oldest could have cared less; Finn did some sniffing and was satisfied with the new dog; and Summer seemed to accept being in a household with two other dogs!

When my son-in-law arrived the usual growling and barking began but before long she settled down. Toward the end of the evening, she seemed accepting of the new situation.

This will be a true test of taking care of a dog because Summer is coming from an eight-year-old home with a single owner and she is now nine years old. It will take some adjustment for Summer, and it must be very confusing for her to be around younger people. One thing they found out is that she loves going for walks and being outdoors even though she barks at every moving thing on her walk! The foster parents told me "We also are learning how to handle Summer and learning quite a bit of how to foster!"

I marvel at the foster parents as they work with Summer and how much they love her. Summer is in good hands and before long I know she will adjust to her new home!

"No matter how little money

and how few possessions

you own, 

having a dog 

makes you rich!"

Louis Sabin

A Question I Have For My Son

 

I love finding a penny on the ground because I believe it is sent to me from my son after his passing in 2016. Yesterday, after not finding any pennies for over a month, I found a penny. It made me happy. As I walked into the store, I saw a shiny dime on the ground. That made me happier. But, when I saw a quarter on the ground I was filled with happiness. Yet, I wondered what kind of a message my son was sending me!

Was he reminding me to pray for him even though I pray for him at mass and in the evening? Was he wishing me a Merry Christmas? Was he sending me his love? Was he missing spending the holidays with me and his children? Was he letting me know he is okay? Whatever the message was, I will never be sure, but I am 36 cents richer!

I do know that since he has been gone the Christmas season is not as it used to be when he was around!

"Happiness is not something you experience, 

it's something you remember."

Oscar Levant

A Scene In Heaven

 Mary: Look son, come see what is happening in Arvada tonight.

Jesus: It looks as if they are honoring you and look at those beautiful and colorful decorations.

Mary: I can imagine it took a long time to make all those flowers but look over in the corner where a few children have colored my picture. Some of those kids are quite creative!

Jesus: Mom, I love how they decorated around your picture, and a serape gives a great ambiance to the night! Most of the volunteers are wearing neat name tags made by a creative volunteer. It looks like they are going to have two piñatas for the kids, a red Elmo and a white horse! the turquoise tulle and silk made a perfect back drop for you. Two sombreros, baskets with flower and vases that will be filled with red roses.

Mary: Whatever food they are having, the smell is wafting all the way to heaven, it's making me hungry!

Jesus: The doors are now open and here come many happy people ready to celebrate your feast day! They have greeters meeting the people and helping them find seats. Some people are going over to the bar and getting plastic cups of Sangria or beer. This group knows how to celebrate!

Mary: It looks like everyone knows everyone because I see a lot of greetings, smiles and hugs. This parish is so special because they practice being good to their neighbors and to strangers! Oh, there is a procession with the children bringing up the red roses and a cute San Juan Diego who I am sure is someone's grandson. How cute that he is dressed like Juan Diego. He is bringing a vase of red roses and placing it on the stand with a little reverent bow! Yet, I am wondering how they will feed so many people.

Jesus: No need to worry, it looks well organized. There are four tables of food, plenty of servers, and tables are called by number. It looks like four tables at a time. From here it looks like tacos and burritos with all the toppings. The kitchen volunteer has worked hard to make everything flow smoothly. Look, Mom, my two favorite priests are there and one, the tall one, is getting up to give the blessing before the meal.

Mary:  A lady is going around with a carafe of Sangria and refilling empty cups. I notice that they also have water, tea, lemonade, and pop for those non-alcoholic drinkers! Everyone is eating and talking and Covid or no Covid, they are enjoying themselves. That church has many social functions, and they never have any problems. You should probably send a blessing that everyone stays safe!

Jesus: My favorite part of a meal is dessert, and it looks like they are having Mexican sweet bread and churros. A few volunteers are going around with trays filled with the sweet dessert. A perfect ending to a good meal.

Mary: Jesus, look my story is going to be told by the shorter priest. I love hearing the story of when I appeared to little Juan Diego. The best part is when Juanito opens the tilma and all the roses fall out. That's the part that makes a believer of those who would not believe Juanito that I was asking for a shrine to be built in my name. Who would have thought that the shrine is known all over the world and millions of visitors come to see me, especially on my feast day!

Jesus: Look, they are getting ready to have the children break the piñatas. Oh, my goodness, the piñatas are bigger than some of the children. Those small children are just tapping Elmo and they need someone with a strong arm to break the piñatas! That young girl has a good swing and there goes all the candy on the floor! Candy is scattered all over and even the grownups are getting some of the pieces of wrapped candy. I love seeing my flock having fun! 

Mary: All good things must come to an end, and it looks like the party is winding down. I am so proud of all the volunteers that made my party come to life! Those hard workers are being called to the front for a big thank you and a round of well-deserved applause. I know that everyone worked hard from the kitchen staff, the servers, the decorators, the drink groups, the greeters, and the priests all to make my feast day special. The liturgist of that church is one of a kind with great organizing skills. She directed the volunteers to succeed in having a great party for me!  I send my thanks to her also!

Jesus: Everyone leaving the fiesta, is smiling with a happy feeling in their hearts, and I love that! Mom, you are so loved by so many people!

Mary:  And I love them too. Even though the party is over, the volunteers are continuing to work by taking down all the decorations, clearing the tables, and I like that each volunteer is taking a few of the tablecloth's home to launder which makes a large job doable! I want you all to know I enjoyed my fiesta and I thank everyone who helped make my feast day so special. Just watching all the activities of the night has tired me out. I am headed for bed, good night son!

Jesus: Happy dreams to you, Mom. 

Meanwhile, here on earth the volunteers were happy though tired. The meetings to plan the fiesta began on October 28, 2021. I counted about 36 volunteers making the wheels turn for a great fiesta. Three meetings finalized the plan for a successful party for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Many hands made everything easier! Thirty-eight volunteers (or maybe more) helped to make for a joyful evening!

                                                        "Coming together is a beginning,

keeping together is progress,

working together is success."

Henry Ford

What Do You Do When You Are Out of Detergent

 I needed to do laundry and when I looked for the soap, I was out of it. I got on the Internet and found out the baking soda will work or even vinegar. I wondered if I used vinegar if the laundry would then smell like vinegar. I had lots of vinegar in the house, so I decided to use it do do my laundry. I poured about 1/2 cup into my wash machine. My clothes came out clean and there was no odor at all, just a fresh clean smell. I also read that vinegar will make whites brighter.

Maybe I will use vinegar from now on. Anyway, I was able to do my laundry and I owe it all to the Internet who is full of clever surprises!

Another Miracle

A MIRACLE

Denver, Colorado was the host city for World Youth Day on August 10-15, 1993. Reports were that 800,000 persons were in attendance to see Pope John Paul II! My friend Phyllis had volunteered to house folks coming from out of the country and/or to interpret for Spanish speaking people arriving at DIA. She was at the airport when six young people arrived from Mexico. They did not speak English, and they did not have any information as to where they would be staying while they "came to see the Pope." Somehow, Phyllis and Skip Telgenhoff ended up taking the six to their home and they stayed with them for the time they were here. The four girls and two boys were from Guadalajara, Mexico and fell in love with the Telgenhoff's! Phyllis told me, "These kids became like family to us and we transported them to many of the activities. We prepared some meals, Spirit of Christ Catholic Community also fixed food for the kids and a parish family took them to eat dinner at their home. It was a week of interacting with the young people and when it was time for them to leave, we missed them."

Like all good intentions, the plans of keeping in touch faded and they lost touch with the kids and their families. Phyllis told me that they often think of the youth and wonder how they are doing. It's amazing that this year, 2021, it will be twenty-eight years since the Pope's visit.

When Phyllis found out that Spirit of Christ Catholic Community was planning a celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe, she volunteered to help in making it a wonderful Fiesta! There were other volunteers, but it was special to her because the kids she had hosted had given her a beautiful picture made with nails and string of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She brought the picture so it could be displayed at the fiesta of Our Lady on December 11, 2021.

A few days after she brought the picture in, she received a phone call from Adriana, one of the persons that had stayed with the Telgenhoffs in 1993. Adriana put her in touch with Ava, another of the visitors who explained that she still lives in Guadalajara, has kept in touch with some of the families and was getting some books ready to donate. As she flipped through one of the books a piece of paper flew out with the phone information of the Telgenhoff's.  Adriana and Ava are now in touch with Phyllis. Phyllis remarked, "It's a miracle that after so many years, a slip of paper was found with our phone number. The book could have been donated and we never would have connected!" Phyllis found out that one of the boys had died of cancer, two married Americans and lived in the United States. One couple lives in Nebraska and the other one lives in Utah.  Now that they are in touch with each other their conversation turns to having a reunion and re-meeting with the young man and women who had lived with them for a few days. She mentioned that it is hard to believe that those kids are now married with their own families!  

Phyllis once told me, "I could not have made it through my illness without prayers and especially to Our Lady."  As I blog about this fascinating story, I recall that even though Phyllis was still not feeling 100% she went on a pilgrimage to New Mexico where we stopped to visit a small chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Phyllis told me that she felt very close to Our Lady in the small chapel.

Receiving the phone call from Guadalajara, not only surprised her but made her exclaim, "I firmly believe that this is one of Our Lady of Guadalupe's miracles!" I agree with her!

"Where there is great love, there are always miracles."

Willa Cather

Tia Lala And Mama Tito

Tia Lala 

On my Mother's side of the family, I have memories of a lady I called Tia Lala. She always wore black and rolled her own cigarettes! She lived across the street from us in a two-story, wooden, yellow house. One room had a window that looked across the street to our house. Many times, I remember, my Mother would cross the street to visit her aunt. They traded food during Lent and I loved her tomato macaroni and cheese dish.

Her hair was black with lots of grey, pulled tightly back into a small bun. A cousin remembers that Tia Lala walked everywhere and when she would walk to their house, she would take off her black, Cuban heel shoes, lean back in a chair and say in Spanish that her legs and feet hurt. After resting and visiting she would walk back to her house where she lived with her son, Gregorio.

I remember she always wore an apron and spent most of her time in the kitchen. Anyway, that is where she would be when I happened to accompany my mother for a visit. My mother was close to her aunt because she was like a mother to her. My mother lost her mother to the Spanish flu around 1917, leaving my two-year-old Mother in the care of two sisters and a brother. Tia Lala's sister, Valentina, was married to my mother's father and when he was left a widower with a two-year-old, he had to depend on the older children to help raise my mother!  Tia Lala would help whenever she could in New Mexico, but when everyone moved to Colorado that is when my mother got closer to her aunt. 

Mama Tito

Monserate was my father's mother and I knew her as Mama Tito. She and my Aunt Kika (Francisca) would babysit my brother and me when my parents went out. I loved sleeping over because I got to sleep with my grandmother and she would rub my head until I would fall asleep. She told me stories and had a silky blue blanket that made me think I was sleeping on a cloud.

After she had a stroke, I did not see her that often because she had told me that she loved me so much that when she died she was going to take me with her. Out of sight/out of mind, I thought.  The stroke left her mouth twisted to one side and she was difficult to understand when she spoke. For twenty years she was bedridden, and my aunt Kika took care of her. I try to remember her and all that comes to mind are her eggnog toddies that she added a bit of whiskey, my aunts sitting around the kitchen table playing cards and smoking; canasta or rummy, I think. Seeing a pig's head on the table when they were going to make tamales. My brother and I tried to poke its eye, but the blue eye wiggled like jello. She and my aunt lived across the alley from us. They prayed to a slew of saints and if I happened to visit around five p.m. she made me join them. It hurt my knees because they prayed a long time.

When she passed away at ninety-four years of age, I do not remember attending her funeral. Most of my memories of my grandmother are seeing her in bed attempting to talk and that her memory was intact because she remembered everyone in my family, even the name of our dog!

"Beautiful young people are acts of nature,

but beautiful old people are works of art!"

Eleanor Roosevelt

An Old Author is Now New

In my bookcase I have a book by Sandra Cisneros named Carmelo. I am sure I must have read it but when I picked it up and read the cover, it sounded like a brand-new book. The reason I picked up the book was because AARP Presents was having a live interview of the author on November 30, 2021. She is known for writing The House on Mango Street, (sold over 6 million copies) and is required reading in many schools. I was curious about who this writer is and signed up for the virtual interview.

She impressed me, not only by what she said, but how she looked. Braids, bangs, light blue oval glasses, and as she spoke, she threw in Spanish words. She appeared to have a good sense of humor because she laughed a lot during the interview! On the day of the interview, she mentioned, it was her anniversary for the day she finished writing The House of Mango Street in 1982.

Her latest book is Martita, I Remember You and she said that she has known many Martita's in her life and the story is a mixture of all of them. When asked why she has a professional translator for her stories, she said, "I know enough Spanish to have a conversation, to banter, but not enough vocabulary for certain words so that is why I hire a professional." Evidently, she does not use a lot of punctuation in her writing and it upset her when she was called illiterate by a reviewer. By not using punctuation she feels it brings the readers closer to the story as they try to figure out what is actually being said. "It's not illiterate, but poetic," is how she phrased it. 

Growing up she read many British writers and a lot of children's books. Her advice was to find a safe and comfortable place to read and not be interrupted. The same goes for when she is trying to write. She laughed when she told how her mother saw Isabel Allende's office and it was huge. "My mother insisted I should have a big office also and I got a large office to please my mother, but now I have downsized and am comfortable in my smaller office." She not only downsized her office but she does not have as many pets as she had in the past!

Her current work is collaborating in an adaptation of The House on Mango Street into an opera and working on a book of poetry. The forty-five-minute interview seemed too short for me, but as she said good-night she held up her small dog in a pink vest and had him wave good-bye. I liked her and now am planning to re-read Carmelo. I ordered both The House on Mango Street and Martita, I Remember You from the library and will binge on Sisnero's stories!

"I am obsessed with becoming a woman

 comfortable in her own skin."

Sandra Cisneros

My Skeleton Dancers

Even though I had decided not to buy unnecessary items for the house, I broke my decision today when I saw Day of the Dead and Halloween items on sale for 70% off! Toward the end of October all the items were 50% off and even though I liked some of the items I was not ready to buy more "junk," even at half price.

Today, when I saw the two dancers, I knew I had to have them and paid $9.00 for them! Quite a bargain from the original $30 they were marked. They fill me with joy when I look at them, I love the colors and I think about what their lives could have been before they became skeletons! 

They are 14 and 1/2 inches tall and appear to be a couple of graceful skeletons!

When I think of a Day of the Dead altar, my dancers will look perfect on the altar for my dancing friend who passed away in 1998.

"If you cannot get rid

of the family skeleton,

you may as well make

it dance."

George Bernard Shaw

Preparing for a Fiesta

 For a few years, Spirit of Christ Catholic Community has not celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day. There was a time when a huge party was held on her day with music, processions, piñatas and food but for whatever reasons nothing has been done for about the past five years. This year the Liturgist decided to plan a Fiesta for Our Lady. She asked for volunteers and about nine people agreed to help in the planning. The first meeting was well organized and volunteers got their assignments. I did not volunteer for any spot but it was suggested that I be on the welcoming committee and I agreed. I would greet people attending and get them to their seat. 

The decorating committee of two began to plan how to decorate and when they saw that the flowers in storage from previous years were raggedy and not useable, they decided to make new colorful flowers. I found a kit on Amazon and ordered it and from there began the assembly line of making flowers. There are five of us that hang together and they were excited and willing to help make the flowers!

A total of nine persons made over 300 tissue flowers. I am excited to see how the decorations will turn out for the evening of the Fiesta because the flowers are so colorful! The decorating committee was also responsible for finding fresh roses and the best deal was through Costco.  One hundred roses will be needed for a procession to Her picture and the roses will be placed in empty vases until every vase is filled with the sweet-smelling flowers! The roses represent the roses that were in Juan Diego's tilma. (A poncho like covering). When he opened his tilma the roses fell out showing the miracle since it was winter and there were no roses growing at that time. He was finally believed that he had seen a beautiful lady and she had asked him to tell the church officials to build a church in her name.

I took a CD of music of the time she appeared to Juan Diego and it is solemn drumming and flute music recorded by the cathedral choir of San Antonio, Texas. Another person brought Las Mañanitas, the traditional birthday song in Mexico. In Mexico and parts of the United States, like Texas and California, famous artists gather around Her picture to sing Las Mañanitas at 12:05 a.m. Sometimes I watch it on television, yet no matter what my intentions are, I usually fall asleep and miss the beautiful singing!

There is a committee for food, kitchen, servers, drink purchases (beer, sangria, pop, tea, lemonade, water), set up, placing the empty vases, having fresh roses ready for a children's procession, audio, music, pinata fun, tickets, greeters, bar tenders, and take down. All in all, a lot of people will be needed to make the evening a success!

After each mass there will be ticket sellers and our hope is that 100 tickets will be purchased to celebrate Our Lady's Feast Day.

"Let not your heart be disturbed.

Am I not here who is your Mother?

Are you not under my protection? 

Am I not your health? 

Are you not happily within my fold?

What else do you wish?

Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything."

Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan San Diego 

2020 vs. 2021

 2020 Thanksgiving Day - A Meal for One

Covid 19 has changed our way

on how we spend Thanksgiving day.

I plan to do what feels good,

with Netflix, puzzles, texting and food.

Alone can sometimes be a sad time

or relaxing in a mood sublime.

Whether it's cloudy or the sun does shine,

The traditional turkey will cook in the brine.

It's Thanksgiving again this year

pandemic keeping away those we hold dear.

Macy's parade in one thing to do

even though some may be battling the flu.

Sitting on the sofa, nice and warm

staying home has become our norm.

Today is a day to give thanks and be glad,

a day to be happy and not sad.

Family may be far away

yet, Zoom will keep us together today.

Filled with thankfulness galore

sending best wishes today will soar.

Those that can get together, will,

daring family and friends will eat to fill.

Others will virtually join in

drinking wine, tequila, beer or gin.

Whatever is done, enjoy your time.

eating a turkey meal as you dine.

Send a message by phone, text or call

to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all!

***********

2021 Thanksgiving Day - A Meal For Three

What a difference a year makes

still wearing masks, for goodness sakes!

Precaution is good advice

"Please be careful" are words so wise.

Covid has some variants sneaking in,

maybe to friends or relatives, all our kin.

We feel the dangers of that nasty Covid 

and this phenomenon, I do not kid!

We need to use our head

or we might end up being dead!

Yet, this year I was not alone,

I had no reason to cry and moan.

A friend invited me to eat

and eating with others cannot be beat.

Three of us enjoyed a meal

and Thanksgiving again began to feel real!

I felt loved this special day

because instead of being alone

love of friends with great food shone!

I give thanks that even if Covid hangs around

friendships are the best and still abound!

Thanks for my friends who invited me

to share Thanksgiving with their friend or family!

"Drink and be thankful to the host!

What seems insignificant when you have it,

is important when you need it."

Franz Grillparzer

November 28, 2021

E. Moscoso

A Play

 I had no intention of going to the Arvada Center to see the musical Elf but when I received a call from a friend with two extra tickets and she asked if I wanted to go on Friday, November 26, 2021, I said yes!  She asked me if I knew of anyone who might like to go and I called a friend who I have known for a long time but had not seen him for over two years. We sometimes talked on the phone so I decided to call him and ask him if he wanted to go. He said yes and on Friday we met at the Arvada Center to see Elf, The Musical.

Before we could enter the theater, I had to show proof of having all my shots, identification and everyone had to wear a mask while in the theater. It was a comforting feeling knowing that everyone was protected from Covid.

The music was great, the dancing exciting, and the acting good. I thought it interesting that there were some innuendos about gay couples.  One scene showed two men embracing and this is something I had never seen in an Arvada play! What amazes me is how talented the young actors are; acting, dancing, singing, tap dancing and skating! The sets were amazing as they moved from one scene to another and the lighting made the stage extra cheerful! The tall young man that plays Elf can do amazing things with his body as he spun around, flopped to the floor, moved his legs every which way and twisted his body in a fluid way. It seemed as if he did not have a bone in his body!

What a wonderful way to begin the Christmas season with this musical that ended in a happy and upbeat manner. The audience stood up and clapped as some of the actors gave their bows. When Elf appeared for his ending bow, everyone stood up to give him a standing ovation!

"The best way to spread

Christmas cheer

is singing loud for

all to hear!"

Buddy, The Elf

An Unfulfilled Craving

 For a few days I have been craving sauerkraut, that vinegary tasting shredded cabbage.  Yesterday I purchased a jar at the grocery store and could hardly wait to get home to eat some. I planned to eat it right out of the jar; just plain sauerkraut!

After putting my groceries away, I got the jar and tried twisting the lid. No luck. I then got a large spoon and tapped all around the lid. The lid would not budge. I poured hot water along the rim of the lid and it still would not open. I tapped the jar on the counter but the lid refused to open. I strained, held my breath, used a square rubber opener for traction and nothing moved. I held the jar in every position I could while trying to twist the lid and it remained unmovable. My hand and wrist cried out for mercy and even though I could see the sauerkraut inside the jar, I wondered if I would ever get to taste it.

The jar now sits in my pantry. If it could think it probably knew it had won the battle. Today is another day and I will try again. In the meantime, my craving is still there! 

"I've ordered some German food

through a mobile app.

The sauerkraut has arrived,

the wurst is yet to come."

From the Internet

A Day To Celebrate

 Today, November 8, 2021, I received a notice that my dispute at my credit card company had been settled and the money had been credited back into my account. Almost three months after I ordered an item and lots of phone calls, e-mails and letters, the dispute was finally settled. If the readers of my blog have followed my travails, today they ended with an e-mail from the credit card company. The dispute was settled and nothing further was needed from me! Yes, it's time to celebrate! 

I then ordered three bras from Kohls and when they arrived, I did not like the way they fit. On Saturday I returned them and got on the Internet to order three Bali bras.  I am waiting to see when they will arrive and am praying that they will fit and I will like them. This saga about the bras is becoming quite boring and tiresome.

Booster Shot

 Yesterday, November 4, 2021, I got my Moderna Booster shot. After listening to some of my friends who had also gotten the shot, I wondered what my reaction would be. Some felt a little soreness at the site of the shot, some felt tired, yet, I felt nothing at all. By the time I went to bed around 10:30 p.m. my arm was beginning to feel sore.

I slept all night with few bathroom breaks and when I got up, I felt achy, chilled, and was running a temperature 98.4. My stomach felt a bit nauseous, not bad but enough to keep me from wanting to eat. I ate some cereal and went back to bed. It seemed as if I could not warm up. I had a pullover sweatshirt and on top of that I had a zippered sweatshirt. I got under the blankets, fell asleep and when I woke up around noon, I felt better. The chills were gone and the achiness seemed to have vanished.

A friend had told me that the second day is the worse but by the third day she was fine! That's what I am looking forward to, that tomorrow I should be okay! Some of my friends just felt a sore arm and that was it. 

Because my stomach has been queasy all I had to eat today was granola cereal for breakfast, around two I ate ten raspberries and for dinner I am having chicken, green chile in a flour tortilla! So, I think my stomach has settled!

On the Internet these are some of the symptoms people felt after getting the Moderna Booster: I guess I can consider myself lucky that I do not have all the symptoms I could have had!

Pain or swelling at injection site,

fatigue,

headache, 

muscle aches,

joint pain.

fever,

chills,

nausea, 

vomiting,

diarrhea,

abdominal pain,

rash.

At Spirit of Christ on All Soul's Day

The day was cold and deary, cloudy with light moisture in the air. The trees had lost most of their leaves and the landscape was fading. All Souls' Day sort if fit the scenery as I thought about all my family and friends who no longer lived on earth. I carried my candle to place in front of the Ambo along with many other candles brought by others for their loved ones. The candle was for my son who passed away five years ago. Above the entrance I also had a candle lit for five days during the week of when his death took place.  When I wrote his name in the large book for deceased persons, I added; my mother, father, brother, friends. I did not use their names because I figure God knows who they are!

The two priests from the parish concelebrated the mass along with a deacon. The music was appropriate for All Souls and the homily touched my heart. The reading of all the names of people who had died this year was long and from the list of many names I knew eight persons who had gone on ahead!

The lit candles flittered and were reflected on the shiny floor. So many deaths and each one left a sadness for the living. A heart hurts knowing that never will we see or hear the person who is gone. But. it is comforting to know that someday we will be reunited with our loved ones.

When you lose someone you love,

you gain an angel you know.

Unknown

2004 Trip To Las Vegas, Nevada

 October 22, 2004

(Found this handwritten letter to my friends on October 21, 2021)

Dear Louise and Jerome, it's too bad you were unable to join me to come to Las Vegas. Driving to the airport at five in the morning I pictured you with me and how we would have been laughing and talking.  After parking, a shuttle got me to Champion Airlines to check in. The flight took 1 1/2 hours and we arrived to a cool (43 degrees) in Las Vegas.

You gave your tickets to a chiropractor but I had no way of knowing who he was. As I checked into the Stardust Hotel there were two men in cowboy hats checking in also. I asked if one was a chiropractor and one said yes. They were the ones taking your place!

After checking in I went to Starbucks and had a hot chocolate and a bagel. The gift card was from Bishop Gomez and it was almost a year old. I walked to the Venetian and lost $25. I went to the Guggenheim Art Show with beautiful paintings by Degas, Picasso, Rodin, etc. Amazing how artists can captivate life on a canvas!

Played a 25-cent machine...put in $20 and won $53. Walking past the Imperial Palace an Elvis  impersonator was having his picture taken with people so I stood in line and had my picture taken with him also. Then, in order to get the photo, I had to walk through the casino, all the way to the back, and of course, I gambled along the way. I put in $100 in a machine and kept winning small pots. Suddenly, three of the same picture came up and after all the ringing I had won $530!

I walked to New York New York and by then I was tired. There was some news that the Flamingo had health issues with people feeling nauseous. I visited the M & M shops and the Coca Cola store. I was so tired I no longer was enjoying my walk. I purchased $65 ticket to go see the show Havana Night Club. I felt good that I was still $500 ahead! Ate a veggie baked potato at Tony Roma's and went to the show. It was excellent with great Latin dancing and I loved the music. Two couples sat with me in the huge booth and it was fun talking to them. Siegfried, of Siegfried and Roy. was there and as I walked by I asked him if I could take his picture. "You sit here with me and I will have someone take our picture." What a thoughtful and nice man, I thought. When I thanked him, he said, "My pleasure and may God bless you."

Decided to visit Barb and family. Took a cab for $16 to the airport. Barb and the girls picked me up and we went to Baja Fresh to eat. The girls and I went to a Halloween store and the girls did not like the spooky items but loved the boas, princess and sparkling hats. At home I watched the Nutcracker movie with them. They love Barbie dolls. They wanted to sleep with me and that made me feel good. In the morning I heard a noise around 6:30 a.m. It was Ariana standing looking at me. I do not know how long she had been waiting for me to wake up but when I put her in bed with me, she was ice cold! She chatted and any idea I had of sleeping was gone. 

On Sunday we went to mass at 9:30. Both girls wanted to hold my hand and sit with me. We went to brunch at Papa Mio's and had a great buffet. At home the girls put on costumes because they entertained me because they love to play dress up. I left for the airport at 3:30 p.m. and back to Las Vegas. I took a tour on a shuttle to see Stratosphere, Circus Circus, Sahara, Frontier and back to the Stardust. I purchased a $70 ticket to see Wayne Newton. He has lost his voice and uses the loud music to cover that he can no longer sing. I noticed he kisses a lot of the old ladies!

His show has great impersonators and one favorite was doing Tom Jones' Dalilah, He also did Jimmy Stewart, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley and a great impersonation of Wayne Newton. Wayne is a musician and played banjo, piano, guitar and violin. I liked how he gave a tribute to all the veterans.

Back in my room I watched Sleepless in Seattle, got up the next morning at 7:30 a.m., walked to Starbucks and had a scone and hot chocolate, took a shuttle to the airport, and lost some more money at the airport. I enjoyed my mini-vacation; got to see my family, had fun gambling and I am sure it would have been more fun if you and Jerome had been with me!

Your Amiga, Erlinda

"Writing isn't letters on paper.

It's communication.

It's memory."

Isaac Marion

A Continuing Saga

On August 27,  2021, I ordered some personal items from the Internet.  On September 15, 2021, I blogged Beware about the order that I had not yet received. On September 26, 2021 the credit card company informed me that a dispute had been opened and my account had been adjusted by taking the $45.96 off my account. They let me know they would let me know how the dispute proceeded.

A few weeks later I heard from the credit card company telling me they were still investigating and it looked that what I had ordered had originated in Hong Kong! 

It is now early in October and I have not heard a thing from the Hong Kong company. I did hear from the credit card company letting me know they were still investigating. On October 29, 2021,  the credit card company sent me a large envelope informing me that the dispute had been settled and the charge would be returned to my account. Also, if I wanted to continue with the dispute I needed to write to the credit card company and show them my attempts to reach the Hong Kong company and any correspondence I had with the company.

I called the credit card company and told them I had not received my items. In the information I was sent it showed that the item was delivered to Sebastian, Florida on October 5, 2021. Well, someone in Florida was enjoying my bras! Even though the information came from the credit card company I wonder if they even read the information.  I e-mailed the credit card company and asked that they continue with the dispute and also sent them a hard copy. They informed me that they will reinstate the dispute. At this point, I do not want the items I ordered. All I want is to have my money deleted from my account and in order to solve this mystery, I shall wait to find out what happened to my order so I can end this saga of my missing items!

A Final Goodbye

We met at Meeker Jr. High School and became friends. We would walk to school together, we played sports and were on an Intramural team for three years, (volleyball, basketball, soccer), she lived about a block from me, we belonged to the Sodality at Our Lady of Peace Church, we could eat a pint of White House ice cream each, went to catechism classes eating a dill pickle, sun flower seeds or sucking on a lemon. (The Victory Knoll nuns did not like that at all!) We loved drinking Green Rivers, attending dances at the State Armory, working in a laundry folding sheets at our very first job that her grandfather found for us. We both belonged to Pep Club and would need to be on the field to practice at 6 a.m. and we attended all the games. We played hooky from school once or maybe twice, went on picnics sitting in the back of a truck, (no seat belt required then) and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding, she came to my wedding and we saw each other off and on for the next seventy years. I remember her home being filled with family as they came over for Sunday brunch every week to feast on beans, potatoes, green chili, and homemade tortillas. Every 4th of July I traveled to Greeley for the parade and spend time with her either at a local park or at her home.

Then, sadly, on October 13, 2021, she sighed her last breath. Her funeral mass was at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Greeley, Colorado on October 22. The cantor was a young woman with a beautiful voice and she sang many hymns to Our Blessed Mother. As I entered the church a lone saxophone player sent low notes vibrating through the whole church. Seeing the five daughters in the front row made me cry. They were such a close family and the daughters had watched over their Mom after their Dad passed away. I knew it would be difficult for them because losing a mother, who loves her children unconditionally, is hard. I remember it took me five years to get over losing my mother and after five years I could finally mention her name without bursting into tears.

The family had chosen to wear the color purple so at a glance I knew who was part of the family! The casket was a deep blue with silver handles, there were bouquets of flowers given by friends and family, the priest gave a homily about how she was now in heaven and watching over us, a granddaughter gave a touching eulogy and then it was time to go to the Sunset Memorial Gardens to say our final goodbyes.

What I remember are lots of flowers, purple and white balloons, being handed a rose to place on the casket, the priest leading us in prayer and giving each daughter a crucifix as a remembrance, Mexican music being played that I figured were my friend's favorite songs. And then came the emotional goodbyes by the five daughters as they cried over the casket and I heard, "Mama why did you leave us, I don't know what I am going to do without you, Mama I love you, Oh, Mom, I don't want to say goodbye." They hugged the blue casket, they placed flowers on top, and their laments continued. Their faces were contorted in their pain and I could feel their agony. Some of the grandchildren sang along with music and it surprised me that they knew enough Spanish to sing along! After all, it was another generation.

In the obituary I had been mentioned along with two other friends. One of the friends was there and she and I remembered our youth and our school days. She recently lost her husband and son and she told me, "I know all about grief." 

I was surprised that many of the grandchildren knew me and knew my name. Yet, there are so many, I know I will never remember all their names.

The reception was a time to see my friend's siblings and meet their families. How proud my friend would be as she looked down from heaven at her family. At eighty-three she had done much in her life and raised a wonderful and beautiful family. How proud I felt to have been friends with her for such a long time. Even when there were times when years went by without seeing each other, when we did get together it was as if no time had passed.

Goodbye my friend, memories of us together will keep you alive for me. 

Rest in Peace, my friend.

"Even the best of friends cannot 

attend each other's funeral."

Kehlog Albran