Advent So Far

Cranberry-Nut Bread:  One large, three small.

It has been a trying Advent.  Kathleen's one job takes about 60 hours per week.  My three jobs (Only two now.  I resigned my rental housing job last week.  Now I only work at Bass Pro Shops and and as a substitute teacher.) have kept me super busy, too.  Nevertheless, I have been able to get the boys and Kathleen to read through the Gospel of Luke with me; a chapter a day for 24 days, then the next morning is Christmas. 

I've managed to do some baking.  I donated three of my fruitcakes to the parish bake sale.  Tonight when I came home from work I baked four loaves of cranberry-nut bread.  (I'll probably give them to the people I work with at Bass Pro Shops.) It reminded me of when Cyndi and I used to bake a loaf for every family at Holy Trinity Cathedral.  It was so hard.  We both worked (I for AT&T. She for BAVC) but would be up all night long on Christmas Eve to get all the loaves baked and wrapped.  But it was so much fun to give them away after the Divine Liturgy on Nativity.
Somehow, I have to find time to take the boys to get a Christmas tree and we still have to grind and stuff the Christmas sausage.  Gosh.  There is so much to do.  I'm glad I don't have to do Christmas shopping. Presents bought at shops are the worst part of Christmas.

So, if I don't want boughten presents what do I want for Christmas?  To see my children wiping away tears at Confession.  To marry Kathleen so I can approach the chalice again. To cook for lots of people and make them happy.  To see Alastair Sims as Scrooge again. 

A Mouse in the Garden

I took out the last tomato vine and composted it.  Actually, I took the opportunity to turn the compost, something I haven't done in a couple of months.  In one bin I found a giant ant colony.  In the other was a mouse nest.  The mouse was little brown and afraid.  I didn't kill it.  I don't think it's hurting anything. All that is growing in the garden now is garlic and onions.

It seems that St. Nicholas visited my boys and Kathleen's kids early this morning for there were chocolate coins found in shoes.

A Christmas Gift List for Women Who Buy Presents for Men

One of my more popular posts (Like the Fall of Constantinople and Egg Nog it gets millions and millions of page views.) is the Christmas list for the man who has everything.  So, I'm going to make another Christmas list. If it is popular as last year's I'll probably make it an annual event.

10.  What is that sound, you ask?  It's the sound of majesty!  When your man wakes you up in the morning by playing these beautiful bagpipes you'll feel like Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle. 

9. Remember that time you and your man got lost while taking the tour at MGM Studios, and how you walked in the wrong door and got to see George Cukor berating Angela Landsbury for stealing every scene she was in?  Well, did you notice the chair?  Your man did, and he wants a director's chair just like that one, but made of leather.

8. Your man looks Irish but he is very in-touch with his Native American ancestors. His mother's mother's mother was a Cherokee so you just know he would cherish these Trail of Tears bookends.

7.  He's never ridden a bull.   He's never been on a cattle drive.  He's never worked on a ranch.  But he has a cowboy hat and he likes to eat at Harris's and Alexander's.  So get him what he really needs:  A steer horn chair. Just think of the hours of enjoyment!

6. When he joined the church you thought it was just another phase, like fly fishing or pasta making.  But now, decades after they let him in he's been elected to be parish warden.  He has the broom for sweeping up after services.  He has a plunger and a wrench for fixing the toilets.  Now all he needs is this gorgeous churchwarden pipe.

5.  His tools were given to him by his dad and he can tell you all about the many things he's built or maintained with those tools.  But they are all in a pillow case in the corner of the garage.  Give him a worthy home for those tools.  Give him a leather tool roll.

4. He was Colonel Potter's favorite author and he'll be your man's favorite author, too. Just as soon as you give him a a copy of one of Zane Grey's books.

3. He hunts. He cooks.  He camps.  He likes to play with fire.  Bring all his hobbies together with this wonderful memory-making dutch oven and tri-pod.

2.  He's wanted them ever since he saw Grease when he was a kid.  Get him what he always wanted but was too practical to buy for himself:  Fuzzy dice!!!

1.  The Leg Lamp. 

An Advent Wreath Service for the Domestic Church

We Orthodox (I still call myself Orthodox even though I am unable to commune for the past few years; a situation that will be rectified before this time next year) don't do as much during the Nativity Fast (In the west it is called Advent) as we do during Great Lent.  Pretty much, all we do is,  beginning on November 15, abstain from wine, oil, meat, fish, dairy, and sex.  Positively we give more secret alms and there are the two services on the two Sundays preceding the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ According to the Flesh. (In the west it is called Christmas).  Oh, there is also the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple but other than that there isn't much that is different about this time of year; very unlike Great Lent in the Spring which is totally jam packed with stuff.

So, what can a person do to get the most out this time of year.  Well, if you have little children there are many books you can read to them.  My children are not little anymore so

Two Good Bakers

Today I taught two little girls how to make the Cranberry-Walnut Pie.  The little bakers did  a very good job on them.

Toms

I took the morning off from work ( I am working later tonight though) to go turkey hunting.  I got my limit so the season is over for me.  I got two toms with one shot of Federal #5 steel shot. I was only aiming at the big one but at 40 yards the shot pattern is pretty wide and I got the smaller one by mistake.  They are, after plucking and gutting, 14 and 17 pounds.  The gun is a Stevens Side-by-Side 12 ga. made in1943.  It looks like I am all set for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Water Temple and Pumpkins

Anselm at the farm

Basil wore his plague doctor costume

I had my 90-day review at work tonight.  They said I am doing well and will keep me on.

Yesterday Anselm and Basil and I went to Bob's Pumpkin Farm over by Half Moon Bay and then to the Water Temple.  It was their first time at the Water Temple since they were little boys but we go to the pumpkin farm every year. Anselm says he is planning on moving to Texas or Alaska next spring when he turns 18 so I suppose this will be his last year to go to the Pumpkin farm with me.

We each got a pumpkin for carving and I got two for cooking.  I still have two out in the garden that are almost ready to pick.

Each each year since 2006

The Water Temple

Fishing at Coyote Lake

In the early 1990s my parents used to go to Coyote Lake in their motor home.  One summer, I remember, they stayed there for a couple of months with my two oldest sons, Billy and Devon.  (I miss them greatly.)  I went down and saw them at the lake several times during that summer.  I had to work but I got down there when I could.  Weekends.

This morning, about 20 years since the last time I at that lake, Anselm and I went fishing down there.  It was strange for me.  I loved being with Anselm (He caught a bass on a crawdad lure but it was two small to keep). but I was also sad because of my first two sons.  We saw three different flocks of turkeys (one was mostly Gould's variety but the others looked like Rio Grand variety.  I was surprised to see such sharp distinctions.) a covey of quail, several mule deer, and a bobcat.  but no coyotes.

Sometimes, it seems like I have had too many lives.  Everything and everywhere is full of memories.

Anselm and I are going to make a regular thing out of Thursday mornings, I think.  I am able to arrange my work schedule so that I don't have to be anywhere until 2pm on Thursdays, and that is fine for fishing.  I am very happy about that.

A Fourteen Year Old

Basil Wenceslas turned 14 today.  It is amazing.  I can hardly believe it. It seems like yesterday that I wasa driving his mother to Good Samaritan Hospital, that Fr. David was naming him, that Bishop Benjamin was baptising him, that he was going to his older brother's cub scout meetings, then becoming a Cubs Scout himself.  I loved reading to him.  Blueberries for Sal was one of his favorites.  It was given to him by an old woman who lived next door to us when Basil was still in a stroller.   For this birthday I gave him a Koine Greek curriculum.  I hope we get to read it together.  He is even taking a college class now.  He is doing so well compared to where he was a couple of years ago.  I am proud of him.

Nematodes, Tomatoes, and Hornworms

The good news is that the nematodes worked!  All the grubs are dead and the tomato plants are producing again. Cucumber and squash are recovering, too. We are very pleased.

The bad news is we now have tomato hornworms.  Kathleen has recruited neighborhood kids into an anti-hornworm task force.

Nematodes and a new Life Scout

I want to plant garlic seeds before November but not with all those nasty grubs in the soil.  So Kathleen bought 40,000,000 nematodes and I treated two of the raised beds.  She said she is going to buy more so I can treat all our other growing areas.  Hopefully the nematodes do their job and we will have lots and lots of garlic in the spring.

Anselm (AKA the little boy) had his board of review for Life Scout tonight.  He passed.  Next step is Eagle Scout.  I can hardly believe he is almost there.

Pumpkins

There are only three pumpkins left on the vines.  I ate a couple.  I gave one to some neighborhood kids who like to play in the garden but never hurt the plants.  They were pretty excited.  It took two of them to carry it home.  I hope their mom cooked it for them.

In addition to the Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good I have roasted pumpkin then cooked beef stew in it.  It was pretty good.  I think I'll make it again.  But sometime this week I want to make pumpkin soup.  It is something I've never made but I want to try out a couple of recipes before Thanksgiving.  If I like any of them I might make it for that great day.

Oh, about the powdery mildew.  It killed most of the pumpkin vines, but what it didn't kill is very healthy.  It is even flowering again this morning.  Amazing.

Cherubic Hymn

A couple of Sundays ago son #4 heard me explaining to someone what the Cherubic Hymn (It is part of the Divine Liturgy) is all about. He became unusually excited and said, "How come I'm just now hearing this?" At that time I thought, "What is he talking about? It's all I've talked about with him for thirteen years?" But later, I began thinking about it and it dawned on me that if one doesn't know everything that that is going on during that part of the service, the Cherubic Hymn really is the most boring and pointless part of the liturgy.  I think it really helps one to stay engaged if it is remembered that the liturgy of the catechumens has just ended, that the liturgy of the faithful has just begun, and that the faithful are mystically present in God's throne room and are offering worship in the place of the cherubim. Additionally, while the faithful are singing the cherubic hymn, the priest is at the altar quietly praying this prayer:

"None is worthy among them that are bound with carnal lusts and pleasures, to approach or to draw nigh, or to minister unto Thee, O King of glory, for to serve Thee is a great and fearful thing even unto the heavenly hosts themselves. Yet because of Thine ineffable and immeasurable love for mankind, without change or alteration Thou didst become man, and didst become our High Priest, and didst deliver unto us the ministry of this liturgical and bloodless sacrifice, for Thou art the Master of all. Thou alone, O Lord our God, dost rule over those in heaven and those on earth, art borne upon the throne of the Cherubim, art Lord of the Seraphim and King of Israel, Thou alone art holy and restest in the saints. I implore Thee, therefore, Who alone art good and inclined to listen: Look upon me, Thy sinful and unprofitable servant, and purge my soul and heart of a wicked conscience, and, by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, enable me, who am clothed with the grace of the priesthood, to stand before this Thy Holy Table, and to perform the sacred Mystery of Thy holy and immaculate Body and precious Blood. For unto Thee do I draw nigh, bowing my neck, and I pray Thee: Turn not Thy countenance away from me, neither cast me out from among Thy children, but vouchsafe that these gifts be offered unto Thee by me, Thy sinful and unworthy servant: For Thou art He that offereth and is offered, that accepteth and is distributed, O Christ our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy Most holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages."

Two Jobs, the Boys, and a Diploma

I have two jobs now.  My main job is as a hunting outfitter at Bass Pro Shops in San Jose.  I advise people on scopes, binoculars, guns, ammo, knives, decoys, and stuff like that.  It's fun.  Not much money but fun.  My other job is for Golden State Property Management.  In that job I drive around and show vacant apartments and houses to prospective tenants.  Its more money per hour but unpredictable.  For example, last Thursday I had six showings but today I have none.

Basil (Son #4) is spending two nights a week with me now.  That is because on Mondays and Wednesdays he is going to class at Evergreen Valley College.  That is where Kathleen works, and she drives him to school.  Right now he is only taking one class but that class meets the UC and CSU degree requirements.  My hope is that next semester he will take three, and by the time he gets a high school diploma already have the first two years of college knocked out.  He is the most academically inclined of all my children.  But my real joy is lighting the candle and incense, and singing the morning and  evening prayers with him when he is here.

Anselm (Son #3) is a qualified welder but isn't old enough to work as a welder.  No one will hire him until he is 18.  Until then he is working at Starbucks, which pays good money.  He is also taking advanced TIG classes.  Last week he survived the Ordeal and achieved the Brotherhood rank in the Order of the Arrow.  He is progressing toward Eagle Scout. He says that as soon as he turns 18 he is going to move to Alaska or Texas to find work as a welder, I'm hoping for Alaska; there's a higher percentage of Orthodox there.  Oh, how fast these years have flown by!

Perhaps, if you've read this blog for a long time, you remember that I began working on a masters degree in ancient and classical history about 11 years ago.  Well, I finally finished all the work and paid my bill but I took longer than allowed so I don't get the M.A. (One only gets 7 years from start to finish to earn a M.A. degree in the U.S.)  Instead they are mailing me a "Graduate Diploma".  So, that's something, I guess.  It's not an M.A. but it's something.

Radio, part two

When I was 6 or 7 years old my brother Mark got a job selling Bison vacuum cleaners door to door.  It was the same year I caught both the mumps and the chicken pox.  He gave a teddy bear or a transistor radio to everyone who let him do a demonstration.   He gave me one of the radios.  The cool thing about it is that it was attached to a wristband like a watch.  My mom, following the watch theme, tuned the radio to pick up the signal of KLOK 1170 kHz AM.  She said they would announce the time.  That was the first time I ever thought of radio doing something useful.  It was also my  first exposure to "Oldies", rock music from the 50s and early 60s.  One thing I remember about the Bison is that it messed up radio reception.  I guess the FCC is stricter now about electrical tools interfering with radio signals.

Meteor Shower

I got off work at 10 p.m. 5 hours ago and I went to the boys' house where I picked of Basil to go see the meteors.  It was the third or fourth time we have watched the Perseids. On the way to the San Antonio Valley (we summited Mount Hamilton to get there) we stopped and bought It's It.  I took the opportunity to tell Basil about the first time my Dad bought me an It's-It. 

The moon was very bright tonight, so even though we were far away from the city light we only saw 6 or seven seven meteors over 2.5 hours of watching.  Basil brought his mother's camping chairs.  I drank coffee from the thermos Kathleen gave me.

Oh, speaking of Kathleen, I had to work Sunday and was not able to go to church.  She went without me and picked up Anselm on the way there.  I bought her an Icon of St. Katherine last week.  Anselm had the priest bless it for her On Sunday, that i was two days ago.

Working and healing

Well, I've been working 30 ours a week as a hunting outfitter for Bass Pro Shops.  It's kind of fun.  Mostly, I help people pick out range finders, scopes, binoculars, and knives.  I am astounded every day by how much money people spend on hunting equipment.  But, I guess, if you are flying to Alaska to hunt moose, or to Kyrgyzstan to hunt ibex you don't want want to miss the shot because of not having the best possible equipment.  I enjoy my co-workers.  Politically, it is exactly opposite from working as a teacher.  Instead of gay pride flags and coexist stickers I am now surrounded by American flags and Don't Tread On Me stickers.

Yesterday, I accepted a job with a real estate/property management company.  I'll be serving notices, inspecting properties,  and showing vacant properties to potential tenants.  It is only about 20 hours a week but the hourly rate is jut insanely high.

My thumb is healing. The other day I saw my doctor and she took the cast off my arm and made a plastic brace for me instead.  It only covers my thumb and half my hand.  My left thumb is longer now.  And it barely moves.  I'm doing the exercises.  The doctor said It should be back to normal in 8 more weeks.

Radio, Part One

When I was a kid I travelled all over the country with my parents.  There were Bible conferences, conventions, board meetings, and sometimes a vacation and we almost always went by car.  The first long trip I remember taking was to Missouri when I was 4 or 5 years old.  We drove from Palo Alto, California to Springfield, Missouri where we visited Mammy, my dad's mother.  I don't remember much about the trip: her flowers, the manual water pump in the front yard.  Very green thick grass.  On that trip I remember hearing Paul Harvey on the radio.    I don't remember anything he talked about, but I remember hearing the sound of his voice two or three times a day while we were driving.  He always began his broadcasts with "Hello, Americans!" And I remember noticing that he always said the page numbers when he was reading the news.  I thought it was funny.  That trip was the beginning of my love for radio.  He read the news several times a day, did the famous "Rest of the Story" (though I didn't hear it on that trip to Springfield.  I remember hearing it on a later trip to Dallas Texas in 1978.) program, and commentaries.  Later, when I was a teenager, my parents gave me Paul Harvey's book.  I devoured it in one day and night.  He died about the same time my parents died.

Here is an example of his commentaries.  It is titled From Freedom to Chains.  (Is it any wonder I am a conservative today?)

The garden

The garden has had a rough go of it this year. We had aphids and thrips.  We have subterranean beetles that killed some tomato plants.  We had a cold and cloudy spring.   We had an outbreak of powdery mildew in June that damaged the cucumber flowers and resulted in less production.

The cure for powdery mildew is a mixture of vegetable oil, water, baking soda, and dish soap, but it is a cure for powdery mildew like radiation and chemotherapy are a cure for cancer; it hurts the patient almost as much as the disease.  So, now we have powdery mildew in the pumpkin vines, in the yellow summer squash, the butternut squash, and half of the cucumber vines.  Since it is so late in the summer I'm going to let the disease run its course, hoping to harvest before it kills the plants.  I think next spring I will treat the whole garden with copper sulfate and lay down barley straw as prophylactics.  (I tried the milk cure last year.  In my experience it does not work.)

Even with bug, weather, and disease working against us we have harvest a lot of food.   We planted more this year, and harvested less than last year, but it is still more than enough to eat all summer.  Not enough to pickle for the winter, but enough for now.  And that's okay.  I just hope I get those seven pumpkins in before the vines die.

A Pumpkin, Camps, Bones, and Jobs

Today's harvest from our garden

Today I harvested the first pumpkin from our garden; no easy feat with only one hand.  It makes be happy.

Basil, Kathleen, and her children have been camping up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains for the last 5 days; first at San Jose Family Camp then at Yosemite National Park.  I couldn't go with them because of job interviews.   I had an interview for a great job.  I am pretty sure I got the second interview.  And I was hired for a thank-God-I-got -the-job-offer-because-I-don't-have-anything-else job.  I start on the 27th.

I got a message from Anselm.  He's been working as a life guard and swimming instructor up at Camp Hi-Sierra all summer.  Somehow, he's managed to find the time to earn three merit badges when he was scheduled to work.  And, he's been having a lot of fun.

I was hoping that the hand was almost healed, its been over a moth since I broke it, but I saw the doctors the other day and was disappointed when they took off the cast just to put a new on on.  The cast and the pins holding the bones together will stay put for another month.   The good news is that even if the broken bone hasn't yet healed, at least, the dislocated carpals have stayed in place since the surgery.  The side of my toe is numb to the touch (nerve damage?) unless I bend it, in which case the bones hurts quite a bit.  I can hardly believe I broke both a hand and a toe.  How clumsy can one man be?