A Fine Five for Friday

It's Friday and it's been far too long since I've posted a Fave Five Friday post.  It isn't because I have had nothing to be thankful for on Fridays or nothing of note as I've looked back each week at what has transpired.  It's just been a whirlwind Summer and Fall.  Once again, I seem to find myself entering the narrow rapids where life's pace accelerates and I'm paddling like crazy to stay afloat and make progress against the current of my schedule's demands.  Today, however, I am determined to do a Fave Five post so here goes:

1.  I graduated from my Beginning Yoga class.  I didn't think I'd make it but I persevered and got through the 6-week class.  Since then, I've been managing to do yoga every morning except weekends on my own and plan to head over to the Yoga Center once or twice a week for regular classes, if they'll let me in the door.  I wasn't the most promising student and let's just leave it at that.

Linen Weave Scarf

 2.  I managed to finish two knitting projects.  The first one was a linen weave scarf which was so much fun to do.  I did this one in a local class and everyone's scarf was different, depending on what yarns they used.  I wanted a bright scarf (since when have I ever been subtle, eh?) and I think I accomplished my objective.

Julia Cardigan

My second project that was completed was the Julia Cardigan.  I used a Noro yarn (Transitions) which worked out into this lovely striped pattern.  Now all I have to do is weave in a few stray ends and then work up two button tabs and sew on the buttons.  Unbelievably, it fits perfectly.

 3.  I found a book that my mother is enjoying.  I was having a terrible time finding a book that Mom liked after we finished David Baldacci's Wish You Well.  First I tried a Garrison Keillor book, Pontoon but it had parts that I had to keep editing on the fly as I read it aloud to her.  In fact, I had to do so much editing because of the off-color parts that I was having trouble figuring out where I was and who I was in the story plus Mom wasn't "getting" it at all.  I went home and did some internet searches on "Funniest books for Senior adults" and came up with several promising ones.  I went back to the nursing home armed with a P.G. Wodehouse book and a Mark Twain book (Innocents Abroad).  I discovered, to my dismay, that Mom is now beyond appreciating or understanding witty parodies.  Wodehouse has delicious passages that really play on words but Mom just doesn't get it.  Twain is a master at satire in Innocents Abroad but satire is beyond Mom now at 98 years old.  Back to the drawing board.  Frustrated, I went to the local bookstore's children's section and grabbed several normal books amongst the many paranormal, science fiction or horror offerings available.  Mom never enjoyed the latter genres when she was in her right mind and she sure wouldn't enjoy them now.  Yesterday we started reading The Best School Year Ever.  She perked right up.  When I had to stop to take her down to the lunch room, she told me, "This is a really good book.  I'm enjoying it."  I think we've got a winner.  Yay!

Luke is getting bigger

 5.  I finally got some new pictures of the grandchildren.  It's been ages since the kids sent us pictures of the grandchildren (or it seems that way).  Yesterday Laura sent us a bundle of pics of Luke and Mika.  Little Luke is getting really big.  She said he is now wearing size 12 month and some size 18 month clothes, even though he is only 3 months old.

Mika, the Explorer

 Mika is continuing to thrive back in the States.  Although she hasn't gotten much heavier, she seems a lot taller to me and she is swimming, climbing, running around exploring everything, and now....potty training.  Laura reports that Mika seems more excited about the fact that she can easily pull her "undies" up and down now than  actually getting excited about using the potty.  I'm sure this is a stage we all went through. Ha!

Celebrating 50 years at Country and Town Baptist Church

6.  I have to add a sixth "Fave" today.  This weekend is our 50th anniversary celebration for our church.  We have a full weekend of activities planned and many former members coming from out-of-state to help our congregation celebrate this milestone in our church's history.  I've had the privilege of writing a series of "decade" monologues, beginning with the Sixties, that I got to record and that were then put into a video montage.  It really gave me a sense of how long our church has been part of this community and a part of my life, since we came to this area and joined it in the late 80's.  It should be a meaningful and fun time to look back at where we've been and look forward to where God is taking us.

What are you thankful for this past week?  Hop over to Living to Tell the Story and see how you can join the fun in posting your own Fave Five post.