and perhaps for the new year ...
1. Birds at my feeder
2. A fire in the fireplace
3. A mug of hot coffee
4. No work or school today for anyone here!
5. A new year ahead that we can face with all of our (even extended) family healthy and relatively secure, even in these difficult financial times.

Posted by sunybank at 02:22 PM |
filed under: Days of Grace

1. The Christmas Village in our foyer
2. The fact that I do NOTHING to set up the Christmas Village (except getting called in for frequent opinions on housing placement decisions)- Thanks Honey!
3. New Pub and Inn for the Village
4. Birding Dad and Willa who create the Christmas Day snowfall in the village.
5. New pictures of the Village - See Below - (I think next year these will be on my Christmas Cards (if in fact I get Christmas cards out next year)

Dept 56 New England Village - Set up every year by my husband.

Close up of the Church on the hill - note the working waterfall and stream - a gift two years ago from Willa

Our residential zoning hamlet.

The Warf (where it all began)

More houses.
Most of the pieces have been gifts from the girls or family. Every year we think we could not possible fit another piece - but yet again he managed to re-zone, move some building and we continue to grow!

Posted by sunybank at 12:20 PM |
filed under:

Too Much Grace for one weekend ... I actually need to get back to work for a dose of reality.
And because of this I MUST do TEN!!
1. Managing to get in the rehearsal and an impromptu rehearsal dinner/pizza party in spite of the 10 inches of snow.
2. The bride getting over her stomach virus and no one else coming down with it on the wedding day!
3. Willa looking great! in a headful of curls (and a little too much eye makeup)

4. The look on Joe's (the Groom's) face when KT entered the church.
5. The Wedding.

6. Michael's girls (my stepdaughters) and their husbands sharing the day with us (and looking damn good all spiffied up).
7. Seeing friends and family that I have not seen in far too long.
8. The beauty and grace of the Bride (KT)
9. My father dancing with his first grandchild to be married (even though he came to the wedding in a wheelchair).

10. One last morning of coffee and chat with my sister before I take her to the airport.

Posted by sunybank at 12:03 PM |
filed under: Days of Grace

This will be a hard one ...
* The wedding rehearsal dinner is cancelled (due to the major snow storm)
* The rehearsal itself is in serious jeopardy (due to the snow)
* My nephew and his fiance are travelling in the (Major) snow storm from Long Island ... and have been on the road for three hours
* The bride has contracted the gastric 24 hour virus her father had yesterday ... (we are praying for the groom)
* Umm .... the snow is pretty!!!!

I know they are not all good ... but I'm still working on it.

Posted by sunybank at 07:30 PM |
filed under: Days of Grace

1. My sister is "home" from Tennessee!
2. I have tomorrow off!
3. Decided on my dress for the rehearsal dinner - and changed my mind on my dress for the wedding - but it's all good!
4. Getting my hair cut today
5. The weather on Saturday looks good (can't say as much for Friday night).

Posted by sunybank at 12:43 PM |
filed under: Days of Grace

1. Coming home after yet another corporate trip
2. "acing" my presentation for the corporate Directors
3. Birding Dad's specialty Spagetti with meat sauce
4. Driving two hours in the rain ... then two in snow and finally driving OUT of it all for the final hour (and most hilly hour) of my drive home.
5. Did I mention "coming home"?

Posted by sunybank at 10:31 AM |
filed under: Days of Grace

I was away for five days ...
then when I got back ... I was overdone with being behind ...
then we were without internet for 24 hours ...
then yesterday we had unexpected guests ... who brought 6 children under the age of 10 and I had to entertain for four hours whilst their dad worked in the workshop with my husband and brother-in-law ...
- Oh, it was five graces ... not five excuses ....
OK
* Coffee (real coffee) with 1/2 and 1/2 (Apparently in St. Thomas they drink something like demitasse in 16 oz cups with at best skim milk)
* A fire in the fireplace all day
* A morning of shopping (yesterday) with my daughter (a little retail bonding)
* Finding shoes for Willa for the wedding - the first pair she tried on!
* Birding Dad merrily working on his Christmas Village (It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!)

Posted by sunybank at 01:52 PM |
filed under:

since tonight will be a late one at work for me, I'll choose my daily Grace from this mornings view.

1. Turkeys chattering out in the early morning darkness.
2. The first cup of coffee in the morning
3. Going into work late
4. Attending concert rehearsal for my daughter
5. .. a second cup of coffee

Posted by sunybank at 12:29 PM |
filed under: Random Writings

OK, what the heck, I'm paying for this web space, I ought to use it.
I will sign on with the others (her) and (her) and (her) and start posting my Days of Grace in Small Things

1. Audio Books (currently "The Tenth Gift) that make my commute not just bearable, but FUN!
2. My husband taking control of dinner (almost every night)
3. Diet Coke
4. Sunshine and warm after a rainy/icy day.
5. My friend Sandy - who will keep me company in St. Thomas

Now I know they are all snickering at this saying I'll never keep it up, but hey, maybe I will suprise you all!

Posted by sunybank at 01:24 AM |
filed under: daily wanderings