Alastor Avery Would Have Celebrated Turning Two

 

This is a favorite photo. This Grandfather Avery loved this tiny boy. The tiny boy loved that Grandfather. The way he looked into his Grandfather's eyes made me smile. Missing this tiny tot today and everyday, But today he would have turned two. I often wonder what he would look like, how he would sound and what would be his favorite things. Instead he is in his heavenly home.  Sitting in the arms of Jesus. It is a vision I have had in my mind since he left us  August 4, 2019. What a precious boy, all the memories are tucked away safely. Wishing you a Happy Heavenly Birthday Alastor Avery.

God comforts those who are mourning. Without Him we are nothing. We will see His glory one day and we have to stay on the path of righteous as hard as that is in the world today.

Earth has one angel less, and heaven one more... ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

  

Happy Tuesday and Wordless Wednesday Thankful Thursday

 I have been away. Contemplating tomorrow, which would have been the 2nd birthday of Alastor Avery. I find it harder to gather my thoughts as the years slowly pass by. But I will post tomorrow and for now, I will play catch up with my other posts. 

So very grateful for Joni my PA. friend who created this for me shortly after the loss of this beautiful child,  He was not meant for this world, he was meant to sit in the arms of Jesus and hope that those of us left behind will one day join him a joyful reunion. 

                Grief cries and life shines on - and hope paints a rainbow. Terri Guillemets

Tuesday was a beautiful day, cold as the dickens but beautiful as the sun came up and shined for the better part of the day. I went through the day with Alastor Avery heavy on my mind. Then Wednesday my friend Lynette told me her aunt passed away at the assisted living center Tuesday night. Not a virus, her heart just stopped beating. She had an incredibly wonderful life. Frances was a single woman, strong willed and kind hearted. She was my neighbor up the street as a kid growing up. I had just sent her a note of encouragement two weeks ago. I reminded her how terrible ornery Lynette and I were and we were sorry we had given her such a hard time when Lynette's folks left her in charge of us. Lynette was reminiscing saying remember when you came over to my house and  Frances was in charge of us?  We were cooking hotdogs in a pan of boiling water on the stove and boy oh boy, was she mad! She gave Lynette heck saying, I'm telling your mom and dad. You just wait! we giggled and ate up those hotdogs driving her absolutely crazy! We were always into mischief together but Frances would make sure we behaved ourselves. I will miss that. I hope Frances is making the rounds in heaven visiting with all those who went before her. Parents, siblings, friends. She was good person and she cared about our neighborhood. Lynette reminded me not to be sad seeing the ruins our neighborhood is today. But rather fix my eyes on those memories, of green grass, laughter, beautiful manicured front lawns, homes filled with love and memories no one can steal. Rest in Peace Frances.

Tuesday thoughts, thankful for the warmth of my home, hot tea and soft blankets. Warm boots and fun socks, gingersnaps and a beautifully lite Christmas tree. Tuesday was a good day as my sweetheart was home with me. We were exhausted by day's end but grateful for all we had accomplished.Happy Tuesday

Maxine has opinions on everything. She does not miss a beat. Thankful for Maxine and her opinions of life in general. 

Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Thursday I love these kittens in the Christmas stockings.  I don't think I ever owed a cat who would pose like this. My boy Boots was a lover never a fighter and he would allow our girls to dress him up when he was a kitten. He was so mellow. I will never stop missing him. Today I have this guy:

Who warms my feet at night only because he likes laying on the blankets where the heated blanket is. But he does have some moments where he is a dear heart. So I think I will keep him around. I am thankful he came to live with us. 

Aw...Mondays

 

These two fellows had a February birthday so this is their official birthday shot. They are sweet boys and  good manners. Loki and Thor are gentleman. Finn is still in the puppy stage and Lulu she is such a greedy little girl. Always trying to steal food and she is quite successful. Mollie is a food bandit too. Please visit Aw...Mondays. 

 We are in the deep freeze with more snow headed our way and more cold temps. Someone tell Elsa she can have the snow. Please! Thank you!

I will be around catching up. I never seem to do it. But I blame this holiday season as it is one that is especially important to me. So I plan to comment tomorrow and stop by each day until I catch up. Thank you all for hanging in there with me. 

Thank you all for being here.

Thankful

1.  Yesterday was not my day for blogging. No matter what happened something else stopped me from getting my blog time in.  So a the end of the day, as night fell I was wiped out from all the things I completed. I fell into bed without any thought of much else to do. But pray. Thankful for prayer and grateful I can stop and take a breather. Blessed to have my sweetheart's support.

2.Thankful today, Noelle was born and gave me the gift of motherhood. Grateful to be here to celebrate her. Blessed we could celebrate Roger too. They share the same December 13 day. 

3. Thankful for our tin of Nyakers gingersnaps. A few of those thin and delicious little cookie snaps with tea, and it is off to bed. Praying for sweet dreams.

4. Grateful for our middle, who I have dubbed "The BoJon Baker, because she can whip up three loaves of French bread quick fast and it is delicious. Thankful my mother knew her as a small girl and she would be so proud to know she bakes bread just like mom did. Blessed.

5. Thankful for the kids , Zach and Rebekah who buy the good butter, Kerrygold, Irish butter. Although I would love to eat the whole loaf of bread, I limit myself to two pieces. We had Potato Cheese Soup. Blessed and Grateful.

6. Blessed for cold weather only because we can have Potato Cheese Soup. Rebekah loves to chop up all the veggies so she is a real help in the kitchen. She whipped up the soup, telling her dad, get the bigger stock pot ( 12 quarts). We can have soup for several meals this week.  Avery has a magic touch adding the sharp cheddar cheese (which he shreds in the food processor) and adding the half and half without making it curdle. Grateful.

7. Thankful for this sweet Buffalo, NY soup bowl / mug my son-in-law's Jake's mom Christine gifted me while we were there in May 2020. We love Western NY.  I am not a huge fan of the NFL these days but I sure love Josh Allen, the QB for the Buffalo Bills. He attended college at U of Wyoming and for those who think Wyoming  still has Cowboy's and Indian' s roaming the range, they are sadly mistaken.  The university is a great school and Josh Allen is an excellent person and football player. You don't have to come from a Big 10 school to find greatness in what your good at. Grateful and very blessed.

8. Thankful for everyday that some small act of kindness finds it's way into my day. Grateful for good hearted people and blessed for knowing them. 

9. Thankful for warm feet and comfy's and warm beds to sleep in. This cold weather always makes me so sad for those without anywhere to go. 

10. Thankful for poetry. I get a poem a day and sometime the poetry is very odd or weird. Often it is good stuff. Today was no exception:

Revery

Fenton Johnson

1. I was the starlight I was the moonlight I was the sunset, Before the dawning           Of my life; I was the river Forever winding To purple dreaming, I was the glowing Of youthful Springtime, I was the singing Of golden songbirds,—         I was love.             2. I was the sunlight, I was the twilight,  I was the humming Of winged creatures     Ere my birth; I was the blushing Of lily maiden, I was the vision Of youthful striving, I was the summer, I was the autumn, I was the All-time—       I was love.

This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on December 13, 2020, by the Academy of American Poets. Grateful for talented writers and poets. Blessed to read their works.

Thankful Friday

 1. Thankful for the snow as we need moisture but I would be grateful if the temps went up again instead of being stuck in the 20's. Ah....to be in my 20's again. Hee hee hee Blessed.

2. Thankful I came across some old photo which lend me to re read some old blog posts from 5 years ago. What a blessing and so grateful to have looked those posts over again. Grateful and Blessed.

3. Thankful for leftover for lunch and healthy snacks for dinner. I am always grateful for food. It is hard to bigger meals these days but I also do not like to waste so I try hard to eat things that will have leftovers for a day or two or three. Blessed.

4. Thankful I baked 6 mini loaves and two full loaves of banana bread today. They turned out good so it will be a nice treat. I have 9 bananas and made three batches. Grateful.

5. Thankful for the holidays but bitterness memories about the loss of Alastor Avery and wondering what he would have looked like at age 2. He was born December 18, 2018. Missing that boy everyday. Knowing where he is makes me grateful, he is safely tucked into the arms of Jesus. loss of Smokey was hard last year too. H had a terrible cancer diagnosis but he received treatment to help him be pain free for a long while. He left us December 19, 2019. He was a very "very good dog" and he was a true patriot having been born on the 4th of July. Miss him too, the dog who sat in a chair like a person.

6. Thankful for all the gifts I have had past and present. Life is a roller coaster ride. We don't know day to day what will happen next. That is why it is so important to hang on to something more valuable than this passing life. I am blessed and very grateful to know the real truth.

7. Thankful for Christmas lights. I love flipping that switch each night at 5 o'clock and sad when I have to shut them off between 9-10.. Light brings joy. Grateful. Blessed.

8.Thankful for those special friends who send you cards and letters and sometime even gifts. I will share some soon. Blessed.

9. Thankful for little kindnesses I see most every day. The amazon delivery people, the mail carrier, the smile through a mask. Grateful and blessed. I hope they are too.

10. Thankful the weekend has come around again and we can work indoors on a few projects. Always grateful to have my hubby with me and feeling blessed knowinghe has a three day weekend this weekend. 

Thankful Thursday

 Today was a day I was unsure I could be thankful! I started out by getting dressed. Wearing a pullover hoodie to drop some mail at the drop box outside the post office and across the street. It felt tight, hahaha, I had the hoodie hanging in front! Glad I caught myself! But then I had to pick up a few things at the grocery store and the cashier was so nice and everything went back to thankful. Until...

     

 

The one on the left, Finn, he stole the remainder of my lunch! I was so mad! He left me two pieces of lettuce! Never let cuteness fool you! Loki is the middle boy and Thor, his brother on the right. They are quite angelic when they are asleep. Thankful my sandwich was pretty plain, no mustard or mayo to clean up, only a bit of avocado that he apparently ate!

I felt like this playful pup today! It is going to possibly snow so the cold is roaring back. Please visit Thankful Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

 

Wordless Wednesday