Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #

"Make A Wish For Me"
"Happy Birthday, Dear Beany"
by Lenora Mattingly Weber
[teen fiction, mainstream, (Catholic family), 1950s]

"Johnny-up and Johnny-down"#
by Mabel Leigh Hunt
[children's fiction, Quakers]
{Open Library Loan}
(quick read)

"These Lonesome Hills"
by Letha Boyer
[fiction, teacher, Ozarks]

"Little Clearing In The Woods"
by Maria D. Wilkes
[children's fiction, historical, biographical, family]
Little House: The Caroline Years
{carrying over into next week}

Only ONE for 2012

I've decided to keep things simple by making one, yes, only one,
New Year's resolution.
I will spend at least one full hour a day, [90 minutes on Sundays] in online Adoration. I'll probably, almost definitely, have to divide the hour into several segments. The larger
portion will be in the morning.
Do you notice that I said "portion," as though speaking of food? Well, Adoration IS food; food
for the soul.

From RAnn's Blog: Review: Strawberry Girl

This That and the Other Thing: Review: Strawberry Girl: Strawberry Girl About the Book: How can Birdie’s family grow strawberries when the neighbors let their cows into the berry fields? ...

Great Homily by Fr. Anthony

God bless Fr. Anthony and his twin sister on their birthday
and every day of the year!

Jigsaw Puzzle Site

I came across an online jigsaw puzzle site.
I've always enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, even though my perceptual difficulties make
them hard for me. Or perhaps the truth is that I enjoy them all the more
because my perceptual difficulties make them more challenging.
I really hope it is the latter!

Holy Innocents

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents. We remember
the babies Herod ordered massacred.
May these innocent babies intercede for the innocent unborn.
"Innocent unborn"
ALL unborn babies are innocent. No matter what the circumstances of their conception,
all unborn babies are innocent.

The Great Train Robbery

I've just added The Great Train Robbery to my Vintage Media Collection.
It's about time I put this landmark film in my collection!

Christmas is Over

Thank God, our Christmas season has just begun! However, for many who celebrate only the secular aspect, it was over as soon as the last present was unwrapped, the Christmas dinner was eaten, and the last belch was belched!

Joy To The World!!!

I'd just like to take a moment to wish everyone a very blessed
Christmas, and to share some pictures from my Rosary Art Collection.
And to quote from a book I read every December 24th:
God bless us, every one!

A Lovely Video from Barbara's Blog

Silent Night
Incredibly beautiful rendition!

Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #

"The Second Form At St Clare's"
by Enid Blyton
"The Third Form at St Clare's"
"Kitty At St Clare's"
by Pamela Cox
{fill-in titles}
[children's fiction, English, school stories, series]

"Pollyanna and the Secret Mission"#
by Elizabeth Borton
[children's fiction, series]
{the last book in the series; some
were better than others}

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

"Once Upon a Christmas Time"
by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
[memoir, childhood, Christmas, Sweden]

"A Christmas Carol"
by Charles Dickens
[fiction]
{my yearly December 24th tradition}
(I read this book for the first time in 1962,
after the first broadcast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol.
Since then, I've read it every year around Christmas, but I don't
remember when I decided to make December 24th my day to read this
book.)

A Different Sunday Schedule

I'm using a different schedule from the one I usually follow
on Sundays. First of all, I usually light my Sunday candle (electric, for safety!) and pray
Evening Prayer 1 at 6:30PM or thereabouts. This evening, however, I ushered in my Sunday
at 5:00PM, which was Midnight in Bethlehem.
Usually, at 1:00 AM, I am asleep; today I'll be watching Midnight Mass on EWTN . The Mass will
be rebroadcast, but I'd much rather see it live!

Two new Pictures in My Collection

I found two pictures,
The Annunciation
and The Nativity, both by Botticelli, for my Rosary Art Collection.

Different Ways of Collecting

So many people, myself included, have collecting hobbies.
What one collects depends, or should depend, on his or her interests.
How one collects, of course, depends a great deal on what he or she can afford to spend.
Let's take two men who are fascinated by antique clocks. One is a multi-millionaire, the other
is just managing to make a decent living. The first man can afford to buy the actual clocks, and
a place, perhaps a whole house, in which to store his collection. The second must content himself with pictures.
As for me, I collect things on my two hobby blogs for free!

Old Newspapers

I am constantly amazed by what can be found online. Today, for example, I found an archive of old newspapers
from New York State.
I'm especially glad to have these old editions of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

An Embarrassing Case of Sacramental Mistaken Identity (From Patrick Madrid's Blog)

An Embarrassing Case of Sacramental Mistaken Identity
There are times when silence is, indeed, golden. This was one of them.

Fr. Denis Wilde, OSA, Associate Director of Priests For Life, on EWTN

Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Fr. Denis Wilde chanted (or is "intoned" a better word?) the Gospel, and judging
by the look on his face, I'd say he enjoyed doing it as much as I enjoyed listening!
Great homily, too!

TV on Sunday

Most of the tv shows I watch on Sunday are on EWTN, either
while they are being broadcast, or later, on my DVR. (I ALWAYS watch the live Mass while it is being broadcast!)
I also watch, on my DVR, one, just one, sitcom from the 1960s, and I watch it only
on Sundays. And what is that sitcom?
"The Flying Nun!"
Rather appropriate, don't you think?

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Join me and a growing group of Catholic bloggers at Sunday Snippets. Thanks to RAnn for hosting!

Semper Gaudete!: Sleeping Through Mass

Semper Gaudete!: New Picture in my Collection

Semper Gaudete!: Emulating Johnny Malone

Semper Gaudete!: The Bible in Chronological Order

Semper Gaudete!: Oh, That Cat!!!!!

Semper Gaudete!: Counteracting Worry

Semper Gaudete!: Changes To My "Books I Plan To Read" List

Semper Gaudete!: One LESS Item in Media Collection

Semper Gaudete!: Great Column From Fr. Frank Pavone

Semper Gaudete!: In Case of Accident, Please Call...

Semper Gaudete!: New Picture in my Collection

Semper Gaudete!: Books Read in the Past Week

Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #

"The Twins at St Clare's"
"The O'Sullivan Twins"
"Summer Term at St Clare's"
by Enid Blyton
[children's fiction, British, school stories, series]

"Pollyanna of Magic Valley"#
by Virginia May Moffitt
[children's fiction, series]
{faithful to the original books by Eleanor H. Porter}
(Early in this book, Virginia May Moffitt writes:
"It was a simple game of just finding something to
be glad about. But sunshine is simple, too; yet
what would the world do without it?")
Exactly! And it was Pollyanna's "Glad Game" that
inspired my "Gratitude Attitude" Game!
And now, I'm actually thankful for the so-called "Pollyanna" book
that I read prior to this one, because it made me appreciate this
one all the more!

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

New Picture in my Collection

I've just added a new picture
to my Rosary Art collection.

In Case of Accident, Please Call...

Many Catholics carry, or used to carry, a card with these
words printed on it:
"I am a Catholic. In case of accident, please call a priest."
Well, I knew a priest who had a card that read:
"I am a Roman Catholic priest. In case of accident, please call a doctor."

Great Column From Fr. Frank Pavone

Click here.
I wonder how the student responded to that teacher's request. I wonder how
I would have responded.

One LESS Item in Media Collection

Charlie Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" is no longer available at "Internet Archives," and since that's where I got it from, it is also no longer available in my Vintage Media Collection.
This is the second time I've lost this item; the first time was when it was removed from YouTube.
I believe it's available there again, but I'll wait for awhile before replacing it.
And, on the up side, it gave me something to blog about!

Changes To My "Books I Plan To Read" List

Starting this week, my "Books I Plan To Read" list will be published on the "My First Word Was "Read!" page of this blog. It will be edited frequently,
and will no longer include the words "This Week.

Counteracting Worry

I find that the Gratitude Attitude game helps when I am worried about something.
"Thank God I don't know the outcome yet, because what I've been worrying about may never happen. And thank God that whatever happens will be according to His will, whether it is His ordaining will, or His permitting will.

Oh, That Cat!!!!!

Winky gave Mom and me a scare today.
I had taken out some turkey (packaged, not cat food) to have for my lunch.
Usually, when I take this turkey out of the refrigerator, Winky comes running, and
gives me the "poor starving kitty" routine.
Not this time. At first, I wasn't worried, but after Mom and I had looked
around, under the beds, in the closets, and hadn't found him, I have to admit we
were rather scared.
I checked downstairs. No Winky.
I wondered if he had somehow gotten out when I went to get the mail.
I went onto the porch and called, "Winky! Weeeen-ky!"
No response.
Mom looked.Meanwhile, I was praying to St. Francis of Assisi,
and to St. Gertrude of Nivelles, patron saint of cats and cat lovers.
We called him, both in the house and outside.
No cat.
Mom left the door ajar so he could come in, if he had gotten out.
Mom telephoned our neighbor, Aron, who had recently retired from his job.
And then, guess who came out of Mom's bedroom closet! He had been all the
way in the back corner!
We were so glad, and so relieved to see him. And yet, at the same time,
we wished we could ground him!

The Bible in Chronological Order

I've sent for, and received the Bible Timeline Chart.
Now I can read the books of the Bible in their chronological and historical context.

Emulating Johnny Malone

Every time I read Lenora Mattingly Weber's books about the Malones, I find myself wishing that I knew as much about the history of New York State, especially Brooklyn, as Johnny Malone knew about Colorado, especially Denver.
Well, I could always follow his example:
Research and read.
And I have at least one advantage over Johnny Malone. He did not have access to the Internet!

New Picture in my Collection

I've added another picture to my Rosary Art collection.

Sleeping Through Mass

I'm not talking about myself; I'm talking about Winky.
He was curled up on the couch, fast asleep, for most of this morning's Mass on EWTN.
He woke up very briefly, raised his head, looked right at the TV, gave one "Meow,"
and went back to sleep.
And yes, the celebrant was Fr. Mark!

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Join me and other Catholic bloggers at Sunday Snippets. Thanks to RAnn for hosting!


Semper Gaudete!: Differing Viewpoints

Semper Gaudete!: Great Homily by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Semper Gaudete!: Mass is Mass

Semper Gaudete!: Another Homily I HAVE to Share!

Semper Gaudete!: Another Great Homily from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Semper Gaudete!: Not Just Doodling

Semper Gaudete!: No URLs to THOSE Rosary Websites

Semper Gaudete!: Change Is Good

Semper Gaudete!: Fr. Mitch Pacwa's Homily on The Immaculate Conception

Semper Gaudete!: Fr. Andrew Apostoli's Homily for December 9th

Semper Gaudete!: Winky's Views on Water

Semper Gaudete!: Books Read in the Past Week

Semper Gaudete!: Books I Plan To Read Next Week>

Books I Plan To Read Next Week

"The Love Of Our Lord Jesus Reduced To Practice"#
by St. Alphonse de Liguori
[religious non-fiction, Catholic, spirituality]
{free Google e-book}
(carried over from last week)

"The Gates of Heaven
A Beginner's Guide to Jewish Prayer"#
by David M. Schaps
[religious nonfiction, Jewish]
{carried over from last week}

"Miss Erin" #
by M. E. Francis
[religious fiction, Catholic]
reserved for Sunday
{carried over from last week}
(free Google e-book)

"Candy Stripers"
by Lee Wyndham
[young teen fiction]
{Open Library loan}

"Look Homeward, Angel"
by Thomas Wolfe
[fiction]

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #


"The Love Of Our Lord Jesus Reduced To Practice"#
by St. Alphonse de Liguori
[religious non-fiction, Catholic, spirituality]
{free Google e-book}
(still reading)

"The Gates of Heaven
A Beginner's Guide to Jewish Prayer"#
by David M. Schaps
[religious nonfiction, Jewish]
{still reading}

"Miss Erin" #
by M. E. Francis
[religious fiction, Catholic]
reserved for Sunday
{still reading}
(free Google e-book)


"Just Plain Maggie"
by Lorraine Beim
[children's fiction, summer camp story]
{Open Library Loan}

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

"Pollyanna's Protege" #
by Margaret Piper Chalmers
[teen fiction]
{this book could really have been about any group
of characters. The Glad Game is briefly mentioned, but not
the history or the premise thereof.}

Winky's Views on Water

My cat, Winky, firmly believes that water is meant for drinking, and only for drinking. Therefore, when he sees me bless myself with Holy Water, Winky looks at me as if to say, "What are you, nuts?"

Fr. Andrew Apostoli's Homily for December 9th

Wonderful anecdotes about, and quotes from, Archbishop Fulton Sheen!

Fr. Mitch Pacwa's Homily on The Immaculate Conception

They can fix anything in Chicago!

Change Is Good

Yes, once in awhile, it is good to make a change. And
that is why I've made some rather major changes to the structure, but not the content, of this blog!

No URLs to THOSE Rosary Websites

I recently googled "Rosary Meditations", and I found a website which I will never share on this blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, or anywhere else.
Why? Because it turned out to be a New Age site, where Our Lady is depicted as a goddess.
You can guess how fast I got out of THAT website!

Not Just Doodling

A little girl, about two and a half years old, lay on the carpet
in her grandmother's apartment, making marks with a crayon on a sheet of shirt cardboard
She seemed to be drawing, or perhaps doodling would be a more
accurate word.
Her grandmother looked down and asked, "What are you doing?"
The child looked up from her work and answered, "I witing a towy."
Yes, even then, even before she could read, even before she could print, even before she knew the alphabet, even before she could pronounce the word, I knew, that she, or rather, that I (for I was that little girl) wanted to write.

Another Great Homily from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

That makes three in a row!

Another Homily I HAVE to Share!

That's two in a row from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers!

Mass is Mass

About 20 years ago, I was spending the day in the city, walking around, shopping, going to the library (and avoiding the crowds as well as I could; being jostled is not good for me. Not, of course, that it is good for anyone. But I digress.)
I went to evening Mass in one of the many Catholic churches in New York City; I forget the name
of the parish. That is probably just as well!
The readings were mumbled, and I do mean mumbled.
The singing was waaaaaaaaaay off-key.
The homily was more of a ho-humily.
But these are, after all, not the most important elements of the Mass; they
do not even make up the Mass.
The priest, for all his shortcomings as a homilist (and it's really not fair to judge on the
strength, or weakness, of one sermon,) offered the Eucharistic Prayer beautifully.
THAT is what makes the Mass; the Eucharistic Prayer. The Consecration. Otherwise, what
we have is a Communion Service.
As we walked out after Mass, a woman turned to me and grumbled, "That Mass stunk, didn't it?"
"No," I answered softly. "Mass never stinks."

Great Homily by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

Before Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers was halfway through this homily, I knew that
I had to share it on this blog!

Differing Viewpoints

This is a clip from Walt Disney's version of "Pollyanna."



For once, my viewpoint is different from Pollyanna's. I thank God that there are ONLY six days from one Sunday to the next!

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Join me and other Catholic bloggers at Sunday Snippets. Thanks to RAnn for hosting!

Semper Gaudete!: John Paul Stelten (Fr. Anthony Mary's father) RIP

Semper Gaudete!: Fr. Frank Can't Attend Abby Johnson's Confirmation!

Semper Gaudete!: Two Collections

Semper Gaudete!: "Christmas Can Can"

Semper Gaudete!: The Windsor Hotel, 1960s

Semper Gaudete!: Incident in a Restaurant

Semper Gaudete!: 'Tis The Season????

Semper Gaudete!: Books Read in the Past Week

Semper Gaudete!: Books I Plan To Read Next Week

Books I Plan To Read Next Week

"The Love Of Our Lord Jesus Reduced To Practice"#
by St. Alphonse de Liguori
[religious non-fiction, Catholic, spirituality]
{free Google e-book}
(carried over from last week)

"The Gates of Heaven
A Beginner's Guide to Jewish Prayer"#
by David M. Schaps
[religious nonfiction, Jewish]
{carried over from last week}

"Just Plain Maggie"
by Lorraine Beim
[children's fiction, summer camp story]
{Open Library Loan}

"Party Line"#
by Louise Baker
[nonfiction]
{Open Library Loan}

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

"Candy Stripers"
by Lee Wyndham
[children's fiction]
{Open Library Loan}

'Tis The Season????

Doesn't it seem as if the secular Christmas season, (or should I say "HOLIDAY season?") begins earlier and earlier every year? If the trend keeps up, we could
very well be hearing Christmas music on Mother's Day. Make that Groundhog Day!

Books Read in the Past Week

Books read for the first time are marked with a #

"The Love Of Our Lord Jesus Reduced To Practice"#
by St. Alphonse de Liguori
[religious non-fiction, Catholic, spirituality]
{free Google e-book}
(continued from last week)

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]
{continued from last week}

"Snips and Snails"#
by Louise Baker
[nonfiction, memoir, school]
{online, Open Library loan}

"The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough"
by Neta Jackson
[Religious fiction, series, Protestant, multi-denominational and non-denominational]

"The Gates of Heaven
A Beginner's Guide to Jewish Prayer"#
by David M. Schaps
[religious nonfiction, Jewish]
{carrying over into next week}

"The Home Has A Heart"
by Thyra Ferre Bjorn
[nonfiction, Protestant, anecdotes, recipes]
{December chapter only}

Incident in a Restaurant

Once, when I was by myself in a restaurant, I ordered steak, even though I have trouble cutting meat. Several men in business suits at the next table began talking, loudly enough for me to hear. In fact, they probably meant for me to hear; they probably wanted to embarrass me.
"Look at the way she cuts her meat."
"I guess nobody ever taught her proper table manners."
And so on.
Well, I was embarrassed. More than that, however, I was just plain mad!
I turned to them and said, "Excuse me, but I am awkward cutting my meat because I have a slight physical disability and poor co-ordination. YOU have bad manners!"

Fr. Frank Can't Attend Abby Johnson's Confirmation!

Please read this post from Abby Johnson.
I have ordered her book, "Unplanned."

The Windsor Hotel, 1960s

Posted here in slightly different form.


I remember going to The Windsor Hotel in South Fallsburg for a week every summer back in the 1960s with my grandparents, Rose and Nathan Rosenthal.
I remember being fascinated by the color tv in the lobby; our sets at home were black and white.
I remember people gathering around the piano in the lobby, singing and dancing
I remember a woman who played that piano. I remember the way she sang "Yankee Doodle." For some reason, I can remember most vividly her singing the line, "I got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart."
I remember how everyone would clear the floor, and my grandparents would dance
the Peabody.