2021 Is a Star in the Sky

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn' 

 "O Holy Night"

I hope you saw the Christmas Star last week.  How our dark world needed the light of that Star of Wonder. Let me be about the 200 millionth person to say good riddance to 2020 and all the woe it bestowed upon the universe.

I could see The Star right from my back patio.  Mom and I wrapped up in blankets as we gazed in wonder at the brightness of Jupiter and Saturn aligned so closely they appeared as one.  I sat in absolute awe, thinking that this very celestial alignment might have been followed by the Wise Men all the way to Bethlehem to witness a miracle. That thought filled me with so much hope, and I vowed right then and there to leave all the darkness behind as the year nears its end.  I'm taking nothing but light into 2021, leaving all negativity behind, looking for love and miracles to abound.

Not that 2020 didn't have any of that.  It did.  For one thing, when I realized the pandemic was going to last longer than any of us wanted, I kicked it in gear.  I found new avenues to explore to take my mind off missing my brunches and happy hours and trips and family and friends. I got busy.

I taught myself how to knit! Something possessed me to order a knitting kit--a simple cup cozy. The only thing, though, is it came with just the yarn, needles, and pattern but no instructions on how to actually knit.  Cast on? Knit? Bind off? i was clueless.  I turned to YouTube for help, and sure enough, there are thousands of videos about knitting.  I learned how to cast on (easy!) and the basic knit stitch (easy!) and the bind off (not that easy). I completed the cup cozy, and in the process, I found other beginner projects to try.

Like these HEART FACE SCRUBBIES 💖. I already learned how to cast on and knit (sort of) and I just needed to learn how to purl.  YouTube didn't let me down. These heart face scrubbies were easy, quick, and fun to make.

I kept seeing patterns for DISHRAGS, so I gave them a try. I could cast on and knit, but I had to consult YouTube again to learn how to yarn over (easy) and knit 2 together (not easy). And voila, I made a dishrag! I made a lot of dishrags--ask my family--they got them for Christmas😀

I got kind of addicted to knitting and kept looking for easy patterns. I came across these LEG WARMERS!!  They were so adorable, but was I ready for them? I gave them a try--I cast on, knit and purled. YouTube rescued me again when I needed to make one right, make one left, and bind off in pattern. These leg warmers were more challenging than face scrubbies and dishrags, but after starting over many times and conquering that flower, I did it. And it was fun! 

The Royal Nieces wear their leg warmers well💖

I'm looking for my next knitting project.  If you have any ideas, send them my way.

Oh, and I got a job! I didn't intend to--it just sort of fell into my lap.  My best friend actually dropped it in my lap and suggested, several times, I should look into it.  On the last day, I completed the online application and put together a resume.  The job was for an online teaching position with the Archdiocese of Denver.  In order to meet the needs of those students who couldn't attend in-person Catholic schools, they created St. Isidore Online School. It's a wonderful opportunity for families, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.  I work with twenty 8th graders in the humanities area--language arts, history, and theology.  I see them (on Zoom) three days a week for two hours.  I absolutely love these kids.  I didn't realize how much I missed teaching.  Being called Miss Thompson again makes me smile even now as I think of it! 

I also took a graduate class from the University of Denver. They offer graduate creative nonfiction writing classes, and the timing couldn't have been better to try one. I had to learn how to be a student in the online world. I struggled navigating Campus, DU's online platform. I almost dropped the class--I had no idea how to post discussions or submit assignments. I didn't, though, and figured things out. The class was challenging and the teacher was not always helpful. I found myself wondering why I put myself through the stress, but I finished. And in the end, I learned so much. And, I'm taking another class this semester! 

After three years living in a do-as-I-please-retired-English-teacher world, it feels good to be busy. And if it took a pandemic to get there, then there is good to be found in that. I'll take that with me into 2021.

I'll also take all the light and energy of that Christmas Star, following it as the clock nears midnight (New York time), believing that it leads to a new, miraculous year.

my humble iPhone photo that stops me in my tracks each time I look at it


Happy New Year, my friends.
Cheers to a brighter 2021.

Champagne and new books--first miracles of the year

In Hard Times, Put on Your Dancing Shoes--Bruce on Broadway

I somehow did it again.  I lucked into impossible-to-get tickets to see Bruce Springsteen, up close and personal.  (See HERE where I actually got to meet him!!)  After months and months of trying, I finally got tickets to Springsteen on Broadway at the small and intimate Walter Kerr Theatre in NYC.  If you're not sure just what Springsteen on Broadway is all about, one thing to know is that it is NOT a concert.  It's a one-man Broadway show consisting of Bruce, his guitar, and a piano on a bare stage where he shares stories from his memoir Born to Run interspersed with his music from whatever time period the story is in. It is a chance in a lifetime to see Bruce in a personal and emotional setting.  Of course I had to go!

I got my tickets in early April for a mid August show, and waiting for the day to finally arrive was almost as hard as getting the tickets in the first place.  And since I could only get two tickets, deciding who the lucky one to accompany me was equally challenging.  In the end, it worked out for my sister Peg to go.  Neither one of us had ever been to NYC, but we were both over-the-moon excited to go.  (You can read all about our 48 hours in The Big Apple here.)

Is this real???

So much has been written about Springsteen on Broadway.  You can find reviews and critiques in every major magazine and newspaper, from Forbes and The New Yorker all the way to the LA Times and The Economist.  Each writer offers a personal look into the 2.5 hour performance, often with a play-by-play account.  I won't do that here, but I highly recommend reading one like this review in Rolling Stone.

What I will do is highlight my top three moments from Springsteen on Broadway.  The entire show was mesmerizing, of course, from the moment Bruce took center stage, alone on that almost bare stage.  But these three scenes touched my soul to the core and moved me to tears like none of the others. Don't get me wrong--I had tears throughout the entire performance--just not the streaming-down-my-cheeks-about-to-sob-outloud kind.

Note:  I took notes during the show.  I know--really??  But I wanted to remember EVERYTHING!  I didn't let the note taking interfere with my complete focus on the performance, and my notes were a complete mess as a result.  I kept my eyes on the stage as I wrote, the theatre was dark with the house lights off, and I only had a black sharpie to write with.  But I was able to translate every word the next day!!!

Here, then, in chronological order, are the moments that touched my heart and broke me the most at

Springsteen on Broadway

The Big Man Joins the Band

"Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"

Messy notes and translated notes :)

About an hour into the show, after talking about growing up in New Jersey and failure and small successes in the Jersey band scene, Bruce talked about what makes a true band.  He talked a bit about the E Street Band with a big focus on Clarence.  He said  “I still carry the story the Big Man whispered in my ear and the Big Man in my heart every night when I walk onstage,” he said. “Clarence was elemental, a force of nature in my life.”  Although not my first tears of the night, this moment almost had me sobbing.  Throughout this scene, Bruce played segments of my first favorite Springsteen song, "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"--on the piano!  It was beautiful.

Bruce's Mom

"The Wish"

The theme of relationships runs throughout Springsteen on Broadway.  Bruce shared with us many of his own, beginning with the often-times dark father-son relationship between him and his dad.  He ended that heavy scene with "I'll take you off suicide watch now" as he segued into the much brighter story of his mom, Adele Springsteen. It is his mom who provided the light during his growing up years.  She loved music, and she loved to dance, a theme that occurred  several times throughout the show.  Bruce's genuine love and adoration of his mom came through loud and clear as he shared personal stories about their relationship.  At one point he recalled her "looking down on me like the gaze of Mary," one of several references to his Catholic upbringing.  He ended this scene with "The Wish," a song he wrote for her some time back, and one that is now one of my favorite Bruce songs.

The Lord's Prayer

"Born to Run"
His Mom Again
"Dancing in the Dark"

The last two scenes of Springsteen on Broadway melded together and brought everything full circle.  After a somewhat heavy scene about the state of our political world (and without mentioning anyone or thing specifically) Bruce returned to the power of music, especially relating to his mom.  He revealed to us that she is in her 7th year of Alzheimers, at which point I swear I gasped out loud.  Whenever she's at their home, they always have music playing.  "In hard times, put on your dancing shoes," he said and then played "Dancing in the Dark."  On the piano.  Amazing.

I felt the show was nearing the end when a tree that Bruce had talked about in the beginning reappeared in the next monologue.  He talked about going back to his childhood neighborhood only to find the tree was gone.  He said, "My heart sank like a rock.  Part of me was gone, too."  He saw the Catholic church still standing majestically, though, and he became quite spiritual.  "The Catholic Church," he continued.  "Once they have you, they have you."  I totally got that, as I sat there with my Rosary bracelet on my wrist!  He began saying "The Lord's Prayer," and I found myself saying the words right along with him, making the sign of the cross when I finished.  "May God bless you and your loved ones," Bruce sincerely said and then ended that scene, and the entire show, with  "Born to Run," a perfect rocking guitar version.

Push play to see how close we were!

After the show, Peg and I had a hard time coming up with words to describe our experience.  It was almost too personal to talk about.  Even now, two months later, I struggle with words, but one thing is for sure.  I am so honored to have Bruce share his memories with me in such an intimate way.  I am forever changed.

Forever changed

Champagne Summer

I'm sitting on my patio going through summer pictures on my iPhone, trying to organize and weed out those that are redundant or not so fabulous.  It's taking me way longer than it should, and I'm not deleting very many.  Instead, I'm sipping champagne and  smiling as I remember all the enchantment and love of the last few months.  For most of this summer, the weather was delightfully sparkling and warm, family and friends were bubbly and sweet,  and my adventures were all fun filled and effervescent.  Kind of like

Champagne!

I'm about an hour into my picture organizing (and champagne drinking) and I realize that the folders I've created mirror the very reason that this Summer of 2017 will go down in my book as almost perfect.  Take a look inside my photo book.

CELEBRATIONS

Oh, celebrate we did, with dance recitals and birthdays and weddings and retirements.  And champagne!

Madi aka Moana.  Away Away!

Jess turns 21!  The twins are 4.  Mom is 89 <3

Another retirement celebration??  I know--how awesome is that??

Nate and Lindsey are married!

       

Throughout all the celebrating we cheered and ate cake and sang and danced.  (and drank champagne!)

THE PATIO

My backyard beckoned me every night this summer.  I (and usually my mom and Jewel) spent so many warm, quiet evenings listening to the bubbly fountain and crickets, reading books and emails and letters, planning our days.  And drinking champagne.

Solar lights, sparkling water, books, Jewel

Fitzgerald, tea, and a real letter from Cousin Ginny

I'm hoping these patio nights linger way into autumn.

     

A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE (of the heartland!)

I never imagined that seeing a solar eclipse could be so magical, but experiencing this celestial event with my mom and sister and nieces and nephews made it so.  Read about my experience here.  

Diamond rings, eclipse glasses, and family

AUGUST

Yes, August!  I've always dreaded the month of August.  For as long as I can remember, August signaled school starting and the end of summer.  I always had a sense of sadness as August loomed ahead, knowing that my days of leisure would soon be filled to the rim with school work, early nights, and way too much stress.  Not this year!  I think I was looking forward to August most of all--no school and no stress.  Instead, August brought glorious weather, brunches, more patio nights, long walks with Jewel, road trips, out-of-town visitors.  And champagne :)

Road trip essentials, fresh veggies, brunch

Brunch, summer flowers, reading

Peg's veggies turn into fresh salsa and pasta sauce

   

FAMILY

I'm almost finished with my picture organizing project.  I spent way too long looking and not enough time deleting.  But my folders are complete.  The last folder is the fullest, and I find myself lingering the longest as I feel the love all over again.  I got to see every single member of my fam this summer, whether in Colorado, Nebraska, or on the shores of Christmas Lake.

Nebraska, Colorado, and Minnesota family love

Everyone's a fish at Christmas Lake

Christmas Lake Love

  Nothing brings me more joy than love and hugs from Mom and sisters.

I'd melt for my sisters

 and brothers

and brothers

 and nieces and nephews

too hard to get nephews to pose--the girls are always game

and Royal Babies

all 8 of them!

and besties.

BFF

And a few more--this isn't even close to all the pictures in this last folder--it would be overflowing if it were a real folder!

And a grand finale lake compilation <3

And now, with my photos nicely organized in my new iPhone folders (Celebrations, The Patio,, Total Eclipse, August, and Family), I'm almost ready to say goodbye to this perfect summer.  But first, one more glass of  champagne.

Total Eclipse of the Heartland

A total solar eclipse swept across the entire continental United States on August 21, 2017.  The buzz began years before--people made plans all over the world to visit a site along the path.  Hotels sold out months, even years, in advance by those with the foresight to plan ahead.  The procrastinators were left scrambling for accommodations, and many resorted to sleeping in cars in the middle of a parking lot or field.  

The Heavens aligned for this particular eclipse to allow almost anyone in the U.S. to catch a glimpse if desired.  The path of totality ran straight through the Heartland of America, and a partial eclipse spread even wider.  A simple road trip could lead anyone to a view of the eclipse.  

And so road trip I did.  

Colorado sunflowers, Sonic, Bruce, Eclipse glasses, and the Platte

I grew up in Nebraska so I had a choice of places to go.  My hometown of Alliance, Nebraska was right in the path of totality, and the city planned many celebrations.  Major television stations set out to observe from our own Carhenge.  I decided against that choice since my family isn't there anymore. 

My brother Mark lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, which also was in the path, but the length of totality was not at peak.  I decided to tag Lincoln on to the end of my eclipse trip.

That left me with Cairo, Nebraska--right smack in the middle of the path and offering the longest possible view of the total solar eclipse.  Of course I wouldn't have known any of this if it weren't for my sister Peg, a science nerd through and through.  She started talking about it way back in the spring.  Plus, she lives in Cairo--how perfect was that!  

In order to get an unobstructed view, we watched from her friend's house on a golf course.  After a little bit of a morning freak out with mostly cloudy skies, we settled in with lawn chairs, mimosas, yummy food, and family.  We rationalized that even with  clouds, we would still get to see the darkening sky and feel the temperature drop.  But then a miracle happened--the clouds dissipated, the skies cleared to a bright blue, and we were on our way to a perfect view of totality.  

We watched, with our eclipse glasses, as the moon carved a small crescent into the sun at 11:33 am.  We watched that crescent grow as it covered a fourth of the sun and then half and then three quarters.  At this point there was a definite change in the sky as it took on a late afternoon look.  Right before the moon took over completely, the temperature dropped to a cool evening feel and the sky darkened.  Birds started acting strange, crickets chirped, stars came out, and we even saw Venus in the middle of the day.  At 12:58 pm, the moon covered the sun and we had totality.  For the next 2 minutes and 34 seconds we gazed at the blocked sun.  Without glasses!  We saw it all--solar flares, the sparkling corona of the sun's edges, Bailey's elusive beads.  And the diamond ring!!  I wanted to see that most of all.  We saw it just as totality ended.  We all cheered.  I choked up a bit.  I have never seen anything as amazing as that--I now understand why people travel the world to witness a total eclipse.

And then the sun began to emerge and back on went our eclipse glasses.  The sky lightened, the temperature quickly heated up, and our little neck of the woods returned to normal.

My sister posted this quote by Fred Espenak (Mr. Eclipse) a few days later--

"But within those few precious minutes people have joined an exclusive club of the most spectacular thing you can see with a human eye. There are few events in life that leave a permanent, indelible impression," he said, and "a total eclipse of the sun is just such an event."

I am thrilled to be a member of that exclusive club.

Diamond rings, Total eclipse of the heart shirts, eclipse glasses

My words pale compared to those of a four-year-old--here is Drake's story:

While the Total Eclipse was an amazing event, it was just one of three on my Nebraska road trip.  I got to see almost all of my Nebraska family.  First up:

Kearney and Elm Creek

Bike rides, Apple trees, Board games, Hotel fun

Royal babies, nieces, sisters, Mom, and Jewel

Onward to Lincoln

UNL, Ice cream, State capital, Amazing elevator, Views

Royal babies, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, kisses, and Mom

I never imagined seeing a solar eclipse would end up being so unforgettable.  And seeing my family along this week-long road trip really did make this a Total Eclipse of the Heart!

Reason to Believe