Musings from the Sugar Bush

It has been a very long week.  I had a commitment every single night.  Monday I played for a prayer service for the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  There were 5 of us that showed up.  I love our Hispanic community, but this celebration is THEIR tradition.  They get upset when we try to cut back, but they don't participate and they don't show up.  It's frustrating.  Tuesday night was Mass for the Holy Day - very nice turnout, excellent homily.  Wednesday we had choir practice - again, a very nice turnout.  We mostly practiced for the Lights of Love celebration for Thursday night.  Thursday we showed up to sing for the celebration.  No one seemed to know what to do with us.  We were told to be there 45 minutes early and then we sat and looked at each other for half an hour.  I felt bad for the choir.  No one greeted us, no one welcomed us - and after the ceremony was over, no one thanked us - although they did clap.  We were not invited to share in the refreshments or fellowship.  It was disappointing to see such a lack of hospitality - particularly since we were at a hospital.  Every single person in the choir had many other things they could have been doing, but they sacrificed that night to do something for the community.  Don't get me wrong, no one there showed up to be praised or thanked, but manners are manners and they were certainly lacking on Thursday night.

On a more positive note, we ended our craft show and stocking season having topped ourselves from last year.  Now is the usual loose ends time.  I have half of a stocking order that never made it to its destination.  I shipped the order in 2 packages because it was going to Canada and it's cheaper that way.  The second package is a no show so I will send a new package out on Monday.  A friend's daughter had a baby and I have made stockings for the family since the couple was married.  Now I have the honor of making one for their newest daughter.  Plus I also have the happy task of making stockings for our newest little addition.

This morning we had our first rehearsal for the children's choir for Christmas Eve.  3 little girls showed up.  There was dance today so we should have more next week.  On Christmas eve about 20 more will show up.  It always happens that way. 

I made some candles yesterday to fill an order.  Jen ordered Hazelnut Coffee jar candles.  This was a scent I was considering discontinuing, but hadn't removed it from the website.  Now I think I will leave it in our line.  The same with the Creme Brulee that someone else recently ordered. 

I went shopping for our boxes that we will be sending out to the troops.  I need to get the special flat rate boxes and then those will be sent.  The house is slowly getting put back together - slowly being the operative word.  The laundry room needs a lot of work as does the piano room and living room.  I haven't even finished putting out the decorations in there.




Word of the day:aturday of the Second week of Advent
Today the Church celebrates : St. Damasus I, Pope († 384), St. María Maravillas de Jesús (1891-1974)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 17:9-13.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." Then the disciples asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.