Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there!  I know that sounds like a crock but today is your, our day.

My mother is 3200 miles away and preparing for a cruise.  She will, undoubtedly, go to brunch today with my stepdad and my younger sister who happens to be in California on business for about ten days or so.   She will iron and pack if I know her.

My stepmother is about 40 miles away.  She will have grandchildren around if my guess is correct.

Both my grandmothers have passed away so there are no grandmothers except my children’s grandmothers.

We will not be having a big Mother’s Day celebration.  Instead, we will be having a bit going away dinner.  My oldest has been home for about five and a half weeks.  Tomorrow is his last day on the local job here and he is heading back to his own apartment and his own cooking and his own cleaning.  So today we will have a barbeque for him.

CYO Volleyball

In my area, volleyball is a school sport that is now in the fall and is female only.  My sons have all loved to play volleyball and are very athletic.  Consequently, when the Catholic Youth Organization started a volleyball league that goes for about eight weeks in the spring, my kids jumped at the chance to play. 

When my first son started playing, the team always had trouble getting guys.  The teams are co-ed and there were always enough girls, just never enough boys.  The times they are a-changing.  This year, my youngest’s first year, there are not enough girls on his team.  Below are some shots from the first week in powerpoint.

cyovolleyballweekone

Road Trip Report

While I normally post in advance of my trips, the one last weekend was too hectic due to life and prep by the Science Olympiad team to get to my computer and type.  Last weekend, I went to New Paltz, New York for the New York State Science Olympiad competition.

I always help the team load themselves on the school bus and drive down myself.  I do this for several reasons.  The first and strongest reason is I have ridden the school bus before and I do not like the trip via bus.  Second, there are always items that are fragile that need to and they can go in my car so that they are not thrown around on the bus.  Third, I like to have a leisurely time in New Paltz on Friday afternoon.  Once the team is there, all focus is on the competition.  Before they get there, I enjoy myself.

Once I arrived in New Paltz, I had lunch at The Gilded Otter.  The Gilded Otter is a brew-pub and restaurant.  Not only are the local brews delicious, the food is magnificent.  This year I had a delicious burger with carmelized onions and feta cheese on a kaiser bun with my pint of Crimson Lager.  I also picked up a growler for the coaches to share later in the trip.

 

I also took a leisurely stroll through downtown New Paltz.  My stops included a quick one at Luna Blue to get a new pair of earrings.  This is a wonderful store that has handmade, local artisan work.  I stumbled on it during a previous visit to New Paltz.  I have two beautiful pairs of earrings that have wood inlays.

I also made my annual pilgrimage to Manny’s art supply store.  This is a wonderful visit to me as I do not have access to a real art store in my area.

Saturday was competition all day.  It was busy and exhausting.  The team - 15 competitors and one alternate - placed third in the state.  It is a wonderful job by the middle school kids and all the coaches and parents.   

ICE - Who is your “in case of emergency?”

I know this is not a topic we like to discuss in this society.  It usually becomes a family issue with older family members.  The question is who is your in case of emergency?

If you are a healthy mid-life adult, do you even think about items like this?  If you have children, do you think about it in conjunction with their travels?

Here is the story.  My ex had a nasty accident on his bicycle about a month ago.  It showed all the signs - cracked helmet, messed up handlebars, stitches in his lip - of an accident that should have required the doctor to think head injury or concussion at the least.  Evidently not.  Last night he went with his friend to the ER due to a loss of use of his leg.  After finally realizing this was a big issue, he was tranferred by ambulance to the hospital in the area that has a nuerological suite.

So why, do you ask, does this bring up the question who is your ICE?  Because at 11:30 in the evening while awaiting ambulance transport to a different hospital, he thought our 19 year old daughter was the one to call.

This entire incident has got me thinking and I thought we should all think about it.  Who is your ICE - your “in case of emergency?”

Clarkson versus St Cloud State

Lei and I wound, literally, our way through the will call line to get our tickets.  There was a slight problem as they had been purchased using Ed’s credit card but he was not there so we had a copy of it.  He had spoken to the ticket company and they had said this would not be an issue.  Only problem was, they didn’t tell the box office that.

The first game, which the students who came from Niagara didn’t go to as they were waiting for a pep rally at the team hotel, was Clarkson versus St Cloud State.  I have known a lot of really smart engineers who have come out of Clarkson but hadn’t really thought much about their hockey team until last night.  I didn’t realize that there were one of the 10 (I think that is the right number) at-large bids to this tournament of 16.  Niagara has played some of the same teams that both St Cloud and Clarkson have played.  Lei and I couldn’t decide who we wanted to win.  Fortunately, there were a few obnoxious Michigan fans behind us who had bet on St Cloud so we decided Clarkson was who we would cheer for.

The game was not particularly great hockey.  Neither team was very fast.  Neither team was very physical.  My father, who had tickets on the other side of the arena, called it “finesse” hockey.  I am not sure if either of these “finesse” teams can beat a Michigan or a Niagara.

I was introduced to a new hockey “thing.”  I have never heard a hockey pep band until yesterday.  Of the four teams at the Times-Union Center, three brought pep bands.  Niagara brought theirs, though it didn’t seem to understand it was not like basketball and there were no cheerleaders.

The game ended with Clarkson advancing to play the winner of the late game - Niagara versus Michigan.

Road Trip Day One

The day started out a bit slow.  Elise and I couldn’t leave home until the two school-aged boys had gotten on the bus.  Of course, due to the lovely spring weather in Binghamton, they had a two hour school delay.  It was rather icy out from the look out all windows in the house and from the amount of salt that was being dropped by the plows.

Everything was set, though, to leave as soon as the boys got out the door.  They headed to that spot in the backyard designated as “bus stop” while I started cleaning off the car.  Elise put our suitcases, well my suitcase and her duffle, in the truck and we were on our way to Albany by 11 am.

Elise is taking a photo class this semester, which she missed Thursday evening to come home so we could go to the tournament together.  Her assignment is to take pictures of her trip to create a travelogue.  She took pics of road signs and trees, pics of hockey and fans.  I also managed to click off 120 images at the hockey arena.  Thankfully, the cost of developing is not a necessity any longer.

We checked into our hotel a half hour early.  I love being a member of a frequent guest program.  Usually, if there is anything they can do for you, they will.   Also, I encourage all travelers to ask these small questions as usually your room is ready at least an hour prior to check-in time.

We only stayed at the hotel long enough to unload the suitcases and Lei’s laptop so she could get messages from campus.  Then, it was off in some ugly drizzle and a lot of traffic to find the Times-Union Center in downtown Albany.  Yes, I have directions but I have also found out they were not very good since trying to follow them.  Plus, Albany is a bigger city than I am use to driving around in so…. but we finally found, not only the arena, but a parking garage that was next to it at our end of the arena (lucky guess that this is the one we pulled into.

Simple Abundance - March 2008

I know you are all probably thinking I am nuts.  March is almost over, as I was reminded this morning by my mother who was wondering if March came in like a lion or a lamb as it is looking like it is going out like a lion.

This month Sarah Ban Breathnach is discussing the principle of simplicity.  I always find this to be one of the hardest principles for us to grasp in our world.  We seem to collect “things.”  Materialism seems to be rampant.

 In looking back over March, I want to point out a few important readings.  I also want to remind you all to use your Gratitude Journals.  If you have been remiss in this area, please dust it off and get back on track.

The very first reading of the month - about restoring our sanity to our lives - is not one I could have read on March 1st.  I was the whirling dervish that SBB discusses.  I was up at 4:30 am that morning and out the door, even though March was coming in like a lion and there was still a snow-covered road by my house.  I dropped my 13 year old at the local diner to have a “pre-event” breakfast with his Science Olympiad team.  Then, I was off to the high school to set up for the tournament that would find seven middle schools competing for the chance to advance to the state tournament.

The next discussion on meditation moves me more now than it did at the beginning of March.  I am currently reading Eat, Pray, Love  and am in the section on meditation and prayer.  We all, regardless of who we pray to or why we meditate, need to revive these practices.  The quiet time in our souls will help our creative selves come out and play more easily.

 The discussion of what appearance we put forward and can we find the inspiration in it if we are not “pulled together” intrigue me.  I am one of those who can sit at home and work in a hoodie and sweats.  I go out for a run in old warmups and ratting baseball hats.  I do, though, try to look together when I am heading out for other things as can be seen below in my “Easter” outfit.

The mid-month discussions of self-nurturing and self-acceptance always make me smile.  How can we nurture those around us and help them build self-acceptance if we cannot do this for ourselves?  I have often wondered how the mother who cannot nurture herself, even if only occasionally, can nurture her young ones.  

I also love the discussions of style and fashion here at the end of the month.  I am slowly finding my “style” and have gotten rid of a lot of things that were in my closets and drawers for I don’t really know what reason. 

If you have not yet taken part in the Joyful Simplicities for March, please read them over.  Many can be done in April!!!

Road Trip Coming!!

My college-aged daughter and I are heading on a road trip.  Yes, the trip is set to satisfy both of our college hockey fanaticism.  We may even get some shopping in on Saturday.

Tomorrow morning, in what is suppose to be snow so very appropriate for hockey weather, my daughter and I will head to Albany for round one of the NCAA Hockey Tournament.  We are heading to the Times-Union Center in Albany for two games on Friday - #2 St Cloud State vs. #3 Clarkson and then, the reason for the trip, #4 Niagara vs. #1 Michigan.  The games are suppose to be broadcast on ESPNU so look for me if you get this channel.

I have many reasons to cheer on Niagara.  That is where my daughter attends college.  That is the team I am going to call “my” team this tournament.  But more importantly, I am always, first and foremost, a WVU Mountaineer and at this moment in time, we all still hate the University of Michigan.  We hate that their basketball coach is John Beilein, straight from the Mountainners.  We hate even more that their new football coach is none other than Rich Rodriguez.  Some things are not easily forgiven.

Elise attends Niagara University.  When she left for college three and a half years ago, she was not a big hockey fan.  She has become a huge hockey fan since living in the Greater Niagara Frontier.  We have seen two Niagara vs. Cornell games this year that were at Cornell during her between semester break.  At that time, I also went to one game in Niagara.

Two weeks ago, at the beginning of her spring break, I went to Niagara for the College Hockey American Tournament.  Niagara hosted this in “fan friendly” Dwyer Arena.  They also won the tournament, earning themselves an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA Hockey Tournament, unlike March Madness where 65 teams start, starts with sixteen teams.  There are four regional locations - Albany, NY; Worcester, Massachusetts; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Madison, Wisconsin.  We were going together if Niagara played in Albany or Worcester.  Elise was probably going if the team played in Madison.

Look for more details on the road tomorrow.

Holy Week

This is truly a reprise of a post from many years ago on my Yahoo! 360 blog.  Unfortunately, I don’t want to go through all of those posts to find this so it will be a new post about the same topic.

Most people believe that Christmas is the pivotal holiday in the Christian year.  It is true that without the birth of Christ, there would not be a religion of any sort called Christianity.  Truthfully though, Christians are a people of the risen Christ, a people of the Christ that suffered the fate His Father foretold and not without human misgivings.  Therefore, the most pivotal holiday and holy day in the Christian calendar is Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.

As a Roman Catholic, the celebration of Christ rising begins on Palm Sunday.  This past Sunday I attended Mass at Alumni Chapel on the campus of Niagara University.  The service was beautiful.  The celebration began with the blessing of the palms in the daily chapel area which is behind the altar.  Everyone in the church went up there and then processed around the church with palms to return to their pews.  This sharing of faith and action, though small and reserved for children in a lot of churches, was a true community procession. 

Now that I am back home, I will attend Mass and other services throughout the Easter Triduum.  We will, as a family, attend Holy Thursday Mass.  This is a celebration of the Last Supper of Christ with his disciples.  There will be a feet washing of twelve people by the parish preist to signify the fact that Christ humbled Himself to do the most humiliating of gestures for those who followed Him, hoping that we too will do for the least among us.

On Friday, there is Veneration of the Cross and communion.  This occurs at 3 pm.  In the Bible, the land was cast into darkness for three hours and most presume this began at noon.  Growing up as an Episcopalian, we would have a three hour service from noon to three pm with various readings about the Passion, Crucifixion and Death of Christ.  During the Veneration service, all are invited to come forward and venerate the cross as well as receive communion, though there is no consecration of hosts and wine on Friday.

Friday evening, it is the tradition at our church to have a Marian Stations of the Cross.  Throughout Lent, Stations of the Cross are held on Friday evenings.  Usually, these start at Station 1 - Jesus is condemned to death - and end with Station 14 - Jesus is laid in the tomb.  With the Marian Stations, the process starts at Station 14 and goes backwards to Station 1.  Each station’s meditations come from Mary’s point of view as the mother of Jesus.

Saturday will bring the Easter Vigil Mass.  Early on Saturday, parishioners can bring their food to the church to be blessed should they desire to do so.  The Easter Vigil Mass will begin in the dark with a fire outside the church doors.  All in the church will have candles that will be lit from this fire.  The Gloria and Alleluia will be sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent.  Also, adult candidates for baptism, first eucharist and confirmation will be received into the church.  This evening’s Mass and Rites of Initiation hold special meaning for me as I look back over the last 25 years of my own Catholic journey.  It was 25 years ago this year that I became a Catholic as an adult.

Easter morning at our church will be a beautiful celebration of life.  The children’s choir will sing.  The church will be decorated with pastel balloons and the joy will be evident.

Road Trip!!!

While I am not sure I am happy about missing tonight’s Big East semi-final, I am really excited to be at Niagara University.  My oldest daughter goes to school here and we have tickets to the College Hockey America tournament right here on campus at Dwyer Arena.  Game one is tonight at 7 and two games tomorrow.   Final is Sunday!!

Go Purple Eagles!!  ( and my beloved Mountaineers down in Madison Square Garden)