I realized that I have little "joy" things everywhere.  Not surprisingly, people give me little pins and mementos.  I stick them around my house and around my corner of the office here at work. 

 

This year has been a gigantic reminder to me.  Don't postpone joy, indeed.  I am happy to report feeling good, being done with the chemical treatments that have been cleansing the "gone amok" cells in my body.  I hope they've gotten the message.

 

Not to push the day, but I just wanted to let you know that we ARE doing a New Year's EVE dinner to go, all the things you need to start the year off right.  Give us a call this coming week if you'd like some.

 

(This is me with my favorite miracle boy, Henry! Talk about JOY!)

 

Here are the details of the dinner:

 

New Year’s Eve

Dinner to Go

(December 31)

 

 

Hoppin’ John

(Black-eyed Peas and Rice)

*

Southern-style

Braised Collard Greens

*

Sorghum-glazed

Sweet Potato Wedges

*

Cornbread

*

Pear Upside-down Cake

 

***

 

Price per person: 12.95

 

Please order by December 29th if you can.

Orders will be ready to pick up

December 31 between 2 and 4.

Monday, December 26

We’ll be closed today. See you tomorrow.

 

Tuesday, December 27

Spinach Ricotta + Prosciutto-stuffed Chicken w/ Egg Noodles 8.25

 

Wednesday, December 28

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Root Vegetables 7.50 (GF)

 

Thursday, December 29

Swedish Meatballs with Parslied Noodles 7.95

 

Friday, December 30

Pan-fried Trout with Bacon and Scallions 10.75

 

Saturday, December 31

 

Give us a call by noon and we'll have your dinners ready by 3. You can come until 7.

 

Call by noon and then come pick up between 4 and 7 that day!

 

Casserole of the week:

Chicken with Wild and Brown Rice

With a Sherried Mushroom Cream Sauce

Full: 37 Half: 18.50

 

Lasagna of the week:

Who knows where this one came from.  I stuck it into the wall next to the spot that used to house my phone.  I got rid of the "land line" but do find myself slipping over to this little reminder, even when I am on my cell phone.

 

This one showed up just the other day, a gift from a sweet friend with whom I rode my bicycle across the country.  She has been a steady friend through this odd year of mine, sending me regular cards and notes and sweet wishes.

 

Well, I told you about this beautiful gift last week.  I do hope you come see it in person, because this picture does not do it justice, does not show the inner light that shines forth from the painting.  But I know many of you don't live near enough to get here soon, so I'm sharing this snap with you.  Imagine how beautiful it is in person.  It really, really is.

 

 

December 24, 2011

 

It is Christmas Eve. I’m here at work, enjoying the clink of dishes, the murmur of voices in the café and in the kitchen. The morning is quiet, sort of. We have a big day here, many Christmas Dinners to Go are in progress. Noel will be here soon to help pack them up. It is nice to think of so many of you sitting at home with your friends and family tonight, warmed by our dinners. I like that thought.

 

My sister Heather and I are going to spend the evening making cookies and pies. Our other sister arrives tomorrow night and we are going to gather together with a couple of friends on Monday night, slightly off the actual day of Christmas, but what matters is being with each other, no matter when it happens.

 

I have had some lovely slow days this week. I finished my treatments on Wednesday and have just been home sitting in front of my fire with my sweet pup, deeply grateful to feel okay and to know that I don’t have to do that treatment thing anymore. It’s a very hard thing, harder, even, than riding my bike across Texas, which, at the time, was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. It’s funny, to voluntarily do something hard with the idea that, if something arose that one had to undergo involuntarily, that voluntary experience would rise up as proof that one COULD get through hard things. Well, I’m glad to be done with this recent involuntary journey. I’m not done with the entire thing yet, but I am giving myself the gift of reflection and the hope that the upcoming surgery will be the completion of this adventure. Please.

 

If one thinks about Christmas as a time when gifts are given, then this one has been amazing for me. Since finding out that some of my cells had taken off on their own adventure, I have received so much love and support and kindness. I am surrounded, lifted up by the prayers and thoughts of healing. My desk is full of flowers and cards and cups of greenery. My house is full of candles and cookies and more cards and even more cards and more flowers. These gifts are reminders for me of you and they are one of the things that has buoyed me up. I have a little card in my bathroom that says, “Expect miracles.” I did not expect any but you appeared and I now believe I will make it across this particular route that is even bigger than the state of Texas.

 

When I did the bike ride my friend Barbara, who had done the ride a few years earlier, said, “Just keep making little circles with your feet.” I just keep looking at all the messages and reminders and keep finding a way to keep making those little circles, even though I am not on my bike at the moment. This ride is long but, thanks to you, I am still riding.

 

My sisters greeted me at the end of my bike ride, which was a most joyous occasion.  My friend Annie made the snap into a little poster for me and it resides right behind my desk.  I don't know where this "joy" came from, but it makes a lot of sense to me that it hangs in front of this picture.