Hazel Arrives Early

The neighbor's Witch Hazel blooms are making an early appearance. 

They look and smell so refreshing in the midst of so many bare branches.

Winter Caminata

She left me for a long winter's walk.  She came back bearing the scent of woodsmoke and cold air, pine needles, and water. I told her the photos looked a little washed out.  She said that in reality they were brilliant. But the sun was shining!

December Eve

Last evening was very pretty from the Town Center,

Blossom in Winter

This morning I brought her attention to the fact that our Advent wreath is now starting to bloom, just as winter is getting sloppy and  bone chillingly damp.

Lo, how a paper white narcissus blooming...

Au revoir to a wholly wonderful family!

Today the keeper left me and did more Church. 

She told me that Church is not something cats would like.

But today she said goodbye to a wonderful family who is heading to new work in New Mexico.

First they are going to visit Cameroon in Africa.

The keeper has known M since the 90's when he was a parishioner at St. T and then at CK. She trusts their paths will cross again. 

But in the meantime, bon voyage, M, J, and C!

La Luna de la Navidad

What a gift! 

After we cleaned up the keeper and I went out into the chilly back yard and marvelled at 

what we found--a glorious full Christmas moon!

Laudato si'

Christmas at the Cottage

I was the hostess with the most attractive clothing tonight.

I wore my cashmere sleeping sack tied with a red bow. I slipped out of it quite quickly after I showed it off.  But we had three very nice people here. Good friends of ours. 

MK was there with gifts. 

They had a lot of appetizers while the meat cooked.

They all brought and got gifts. I gave Miss Molly some treats and mice.

They all got a copy of the keeper's 27th annual Christmas letter, which they don't usually get because they see her often enough. But they read it studiously.

Repurposed Cashmere Cat Coat

I received a Christmas gift.  It's really a hand me down.  But it's a nice one.

A cashmere turtle neck suddenly became very holey.

So the keeper is repurposing it for me.  I like it a lot.  But I think it needs a little tailoring. 

And we all know she can't sew. So, it may become a sleeping bag for me or just a big sleeve. 

But I love it and purr every time she puts it on me.

Santa

Corrigan is 7.  He received a call from Santa who was nearing the house. Santa wanted to check a few things with Corrigan and let him know he was pretty close to the house.

They discussed Corrigan's dog, his extracurricular activities, his behavior, and his list. SAnta has a remarkable ability to track details.

All seemed to be in order.

So they repaired to the upper room and waited.  They sang carols until they heard a thud on the roof, a shake of sleighbells, and the front door slamming.

They ran downstairs to find the milk and cookies gone. And then they found a pile of gifts in the middle of the room. 

Christmas Club

This is the crew that the keeper spends part of Christmas eve with each year.  They call themselves the Christmas Club. The only way you can join the Christmas Club is if you have a loved one die close to Christmas.  Both the keeper and these folks lost a mom, both moms named Mary Elizabeth on Christmas Eve.

Family Mass Fire Alarrm

The keeper decided she might be useful as a greeter at the Family Mass last night. so, just as they were completing their orientation, the fire alarm went off. It was 80 minutes before Mass would start but the church was already starting to fill up. Everyone had to evacuate. Some people refused to leave because they would lose their seats. Others went outside without their coats because they wanted to use their coats to save their seats.

It was a false alarm, but an interesting study in human nature, for sure. 

The keeper kept her coat but her feet were frozen until long after.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

And the darkness did not overcome it.

Tonight is our first night of winter.

Yet we already are moving back to the light. 

Veni, domine. Noli tardare.

Advent IV

Tonight we lit all the outside Christmas lights, our tree lights, and our advent lights.

What a wild and fast moving Advent! The hour we spent in quiet tonight with all of our lights was the most quiet we may have had all season.

Veni, domine, noli tardare. 

Send off for Grace

Yesterday the keeper and a lot of others bade farewell to a very dear friend who did so much to help ordinary people connect with spirituality and the Love of God.

She was a true revolutionary of tenderness. 

After a long debilitating struggle, Miss Marylhurst can fly free again!

Rest in peace, dear Katherine!

After the liturgy and reception, the keeper did not come straight home but made a few stops, one of them out to dinner with Steve.

Everyone Deserves a Home!

The keeper gathered this early evening at the Federal Building as part of a 24 hour vigil to advocate the federal government for funding to help build 7 million more homes for homeless and inadequately housed individuals and families. Rallies were held on all the cities on the West Coast which had declared a state of emergency around homelessness. 

Children, elders, many faiths participated. 

Housing committees and church groups showed up.

The chief organizer was pretty happy with the opening results.

Celebrating Mercy

I dined a little too late for my preference. But it seems that the keeper was out celebrating reconciliation and mercy with some very nice people at some very beautiful places.

Guess Who's Back?

What a treat! The skies cleared yesterday and the moon was on the ascent 

as the keeper went to her car.

Lessons and Carols

Tonight the Cathedral Youth singers led the Lessons and Carols.

It was pretty amazing and very beautiful.

It was a good way to end a sad/joyful day.

Grace Flies Free

This morning this world lost a dear friend, mentor, professor, innovator, pathmaker in spirituality, travelling companion.

Our loss is heaven's gain. Grace finally flew home free at 10:15 this morning after a struggle. 

It is one of those odd days of joy for her and loss for those left behind.

She was very fond of  cats, myself included, along with all of my former feline siblings.

A few years ago before I knew the keeper, they toured Spain and a few other places. But here they are at the top of Montserrat on their way to visit the Black Madonna.

Rest in the grace and laughter of God now, dear Katherine Marie!

Advent III

And so we began the Third Week of Advent tonight.
The keeper had planned on attending two parties.
Instead she chose the wiser course and stayed home with me to finish her Christmas letter, cook chicken (to share with me) and decorate the new tree.  I was pleased.



Our Paper Whites  continue to grow.

Siblings, do these old ornaments and this bowl bring back memories of Christmases many decades past?

Our tree and our odd collection of global ornaments, each one chock full of memories and meaning.
By the way, there are quite a few cat ornaments up there with the angels, creches, animals, bells, and toys.

Lights!

We now have all the lights up and on.  This year's garland ( from Rosie's) and lights look great!

Rosie's Tree

Friday night, the keeper came home bearing gifts, the gifts she usually brings home this year. She told me she wanted to take advantage of the night without rain both to pick out the tree and to haul it home.
We always wait until after the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe to get our tree.  This year we cheated a little. She bought it on the 11th but we didn't put it up and start decorating until after sunset on the 12th!




There were plenty of folks and their dogs out shopping last night.
Rosie's trees are really fresh and from Gray's Harbor.

Our tree.

Lights without Rain

This week the keeper has been spending time at the hospital because a wonderful mentor and friend is dying. Last night when she headed into the Cathedral for Mass, the lack of rain allowed for a wonderful view of the new lighting. Light in the darkness in many ways.  Meanwhile I waited at home, but not in the dark since our Christmas lights are on timers this year.

T

Quiet Night

Tonight she came home early enough to have a dinner at a decent hour.

We lit our Advent candles and noted the growth of the paper whites.

It was a quiet night after a very wet and windy day. She spent the late afternoon at the hospital with a dying friend who was sleeping very peacefully. On the way back to her car as she walked along Boren in the pouring rain, the speeding cars turned big puddles into tidal waves, and she came home soaked to the bone.

Light and Mercy

Mimi the star pupil and her prize teachers!

Two others whose halos slipped a bit.