Happy Holidays

To the 2.5 readers who continue to stick with this haphazardly published blog, Happy (belated) Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, a blessed Kwanzaa and a Happy New Year. And if I forgot any other Holiday  (Festivus?:)), please forgive me and throw that one in too.

So much has been happening.  My goodness, where to begin?

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Everyone except our youngest and her new spouse was here. They were with the other side of the family, helping out and enjoying the holiday.  We are lucky to have them around here in Merlin, a blessing for which I am very thankful.

Christmas is looming and of course, I'm not ready.  I'll be ready at about 4 a.m. on Christmas Eve, per usual:).  

Christmas Eve, I plan to be ringing with the bell choir, singing a song or two, and playing the tympani on some of the more bombastic numbers.  My favorite part of the services is after Communion when the entire congregation sings Silent Night. The last verse is a spine-tingling moment of awe. It is then that the organ drops out and the church, lit mostly by candlelight, echoes the quiet combination of voices, young and old, choir and congregation, lay and clergy, singing a capella.  Moments like that bring the real Mystery of Christmas to the forefront for me.

Sadly, as with much of life, we are undergoing a change at St. J's.  Our beloved Music Director will be retiring  - unfortunately at the direction of our new Rector who has other "plans" for this place. I don't know what the future will hold. I don't really know the new Rector.  Right now I don't know that I want to. However, I love this place and especially love this congregation.  Part of me wants to pick up my marbles and go elsewhere and I may have to.  But there's another part of me that knows that we will do more than just endure.  We will survive and thrive. And besides all that, I don't want to waste my time being a hater.  Time and contemplation will tell.

We will be celebrating our Music Director's extraordinary musical career at the end of January.  A number of us - current and former members of the choirs, will be with her in the Gallery/Choir Loft the next Sunday as well, standing with her for her last service. Sadly, I will be out of town that Sunday, but they will all be in my heart. My time in this choir has included some of the happiest times of my life. And the memories of those times will live on.

To the more mundane aspects of life, LOL: on the knitting front, I remain remarkably monogamous to a couple of projects, (oh the irony of that sentence!).  The Daffodil is off to the side, back completed, but needing re-doing/lengthening and the front about 2/3 done. This is an earlier progress pic:

For the past six weeks or so, I've been working when I can on Jennifer Steingass' Treelight pattern from Making No. 6 Black and White. Please pardon the sideways picture and the not-so-great light.  The entire eastern seaboard of the USA is heading for a major winter rain storm.  Hey it could be worse - it could be snow!

Well that's all I have for now.  Be well and Happy Holidays - and God be with you 'til we meet again:)!+