Tuesday the 17th: Signs of Spring

 *Yes, yes, flowers are a good sign of spring. But so are dry spaces where there was leaking in the basement, saying that you can finally really repair the drywall.

 

 

Monday the 16th: Saint of the Week

 St. Patrick is the saint tomorrow. Do I really need to tell you anything about him?

 

 

Wednesday the 13th: Dresses and Fabric

 *I found fabric for my sister on Mass St. in Lawrence. She loves blue (so do I) so I chose a couple fat quarters. 

*I finally explored Weaver's, the classic department store in Lawrence. It was smaller than I expected, but had all the crazy dresses and departments that I expected. I'm glad I got to see it. 

 

 

Tuesday the 12th: Food of the Week

 Bottom picture is some muffins I made last week for our concert. They were pound cake muffins with sesame in them. Well received for a "lenten" muffin with what I had on hand.

Sunday the Son made Pot Roast and Red Lobster biscuits. He didn't quite get the proportions correct but it was still good, and we just finished the leftovers last night. 

Monday I made homemade Philly Cheesesteaks after the Husband shaved the beef. They were delicious; usually I buy preshaved steak from Aldi, and I think these probably tasted just as good as those. I always add sauteed peppers and onions. 

Tuesday we had Potato Galette with leftover roast/potatoes/gravy rewarmed together. The galette had no leftovers; I was told to make two, but it's too much work to do that (potatoes have to be 1/8 inch thickness).

Wednesday we had leftover pork (shredded) from the deep freeze in the crockpot with Anchiote Sauce.  We also had leftover potatoes smashed and cooked at 400 for 15-20 minutes with salt/pepper/olive oil/butter, and then frozen broccoli in the microwave. It was not our favorite but still quite good.

Tonight was supposed to be chicken and pasta (like a piccata) but my day has filled up and I already told the Husband he's in charge of picking up supper.

Friday will be a ramen coleslaw. 

 

Wednesday the 11th: Music of the Week

 *This week is mostly recovery from last week with continued progress on solos, a few new songs to slowly work on for the last concert of the year, and keeping up with Lent music. I need to remember to ask for Holy Week music this week so I can start piecing away at that.

Tuesday the 10th: The restoration of the Rock

 My mom has developed a fascination with the indigenous people of Kansas, and I knew she would want to see the report on the restoration of this sacred rock to its people.

 

 

Monday the 9th: Saint of the Week

*St. Frances of Rome is the only saint this week; we are in a patch of February-March that has less saints, perhaps because this is when Lent falls and we celebrate less in general. St. Frances is both a married mother and the patron of the Benedictine Oblates, a branch of laypeople living the Rule of St. Benedict in their daily lives.

“God not only tested the patience of Frances with respect to her material wealth, but he also tested her especially through long and serious illnesses which she had to undergo. And yet no one ever observed in her a tendency toward impatience. She never exhibited any displeasure when she complied with an order, no matter how foolish./With peace of soul, she always reconciled herself to the will of God, and gave him thanks for all that happened./God had not chosen her to be holy merely for her own advantage. Rather the gifts he conferred upon her were to be for the spiritual and physical advantage of her neighbor. For this reason he made her so lovable that anyone with whom she spoke would immediately feel captivated by love for her and ready to help her in everything she wanted. She seemed able to subdue the passions of every type of person with a single word and lead them to do whatever she asked.

“For this reason people flocked to Frances from all directions, as to a safe refuge. No one left her without being consoled, although she openly rebuked them for their sins and fearlessly reproved them for what was evil and displeasing to God.

“Many different diseases were rampant in Rome. Fatal diseases and plagues were everywhere, but the saint ignored the risk of contagion and displayed the deepest kindness toward the poor and the needy. Her empathy would first bring them to atone for their sins. Then she would help them by her eager care, and urge them lovingly to accept their trials, however, difficult, from the hand of God. She would encourage them to endure their sufferings for love of Christ, since he had previously endured so much for them.

”For thirty years Frances continued this service to the sick and the stranger. During epidemics like this it was not only difficult to find doctors to care for the body but even priests to provide remedies for the soul. She herself would seek them out and bring them to those who were disposed to receive the sacraments of penance and the Eucharist.”--from the Life of Saint Frances of Rome by a contemporary

 

 (Picture on Pinterest: "The Vision of Saint Francesca Romana by Orazio Gentileschi c.1619 via museumsyndicate.org)