RELATIVES AND RISTRAS

This past week was a typical week in Lent. We attended the Lenten series at St. Andrew's in downtown Fort Worth on Wednesday where the Rt. Rev'd John Guernsey was the guest preacher. He's a wonderful preacher and teacher and we learned a lot.




The stained glass windows there are remarkable and it gives you such a peaceful feeling to sit in their Nave and study the windows while you are listening to the organ concert that precedes the noonday service.


Last Monday was my Father's birthday. He was born on St. Patrick's Day and would be 105 if he was still alive. He was a sweet and a very handsome man and I still miss him very much.








On Sunday we had a Family Day gathering. It was at Nicholas and Dayna's this time and we had a wonderful time.

They live in Dallas now, so we had a 30 mile drive to get there which wasn't bad at all. We are so blessed to have the family near by. We have friends who don't get to see their children and grandchildren as often as we do and they are missing out on a lot.

Ian had just returned from a skiing trip to Vail the day before where he spent the week with his good friend, Billy, and his Mother. It was spring break in the Metroplex, so all the young ones were out of school.

Ethan followed Connor's lead and spent the day on his hand held Gameboy (I think that's what you call it)

Those little machines have turned our youth into anti-social creatures who never interact with people anymore. It's a pity as we'd love to talk to them and visit about what's going on in their lives. The art of conversation is no longer a subject with lots of the young people and that's a shame. They don't know what they're missing! Guess I'm just old fashioned but I liked it when we all visited with one another.
Nicholas and Dayna were the perfect host and hostess.


It was a real treat for Frank and me to be able to go to their home and be guests instead of the ones doing everything. Nick prepared fajitas and they were delicious. The rest of us brought snacks and dessert and that made it easy for everyone. We will have Easter dinner at our house and then Beth and Franklin will host the next Family Day in May.





While he was cooking, Franklin played a game or two of Frisbee Golf and he was really good at it. Frisbee golf (also called Disc Golf or frolf) is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc."

For the first time in a long time, everyone was there that day!

We even had a new family member there. I think his name is Dangle and he's a Bearded Dragon.

He even has his own "desert dwelling" in Nicholas' office.

I am told that Bearded Dragons are popular exotic pets, most commonly Pogona vitticeps, the Inland or Central Bearded Dragon. They are a popular species , because of their friendly and calm nature, along with the relative ease of caring for them.

I, personally, would rather have a cat or a dog, but to each his own!

We also noticed a family resemblance that we hadn't discovered before. It seems that Franklin and Nicholas now have the same "hairline".

There again, I'd rather have a cat or a dog than a shaved head!

I returned to my Easel early this week. I was commissioned by a client who lives in Las Vegas to paint some Chilies for her. Here is the final painting. It's 8x10 on a Gallery wrapped canvas and she really liked it. So do I!

It was good to be back to my paints again. It's been a while and I really miss painting. Life sometimes just gets in the way ;-)

I'll be writing again as soon as something new or interesting happens in our lives. We still Dance with the Stars each week as well as sing along with American Idol wannabe's, so that keeps us content in the evenings.

Take care and have a good rest of the week.

XOXO, Pcasso

FRENCH FOOD. FRIENDS AND FUN

We have had another busy week. Aside from studying and doing the usualt things, we went to a little French restaurant last Friday night with friends from Dallas.

Walter is an antique dealer and they were in Fort Worth this weekend as there was a show there, so they called us and we joined them for dinner.

Saint Emilion is a quaint little place and they start you out with a blackboard filled with the specialties of the day.

Of course, as soon as you have selected what you want to eat. the somelier magically appears with wine suggestions to accompany your meal.

The wine list was extensive and expensive, so we settled on something that was suggested and it was the perfect compliment for our food.

There was a large selection of appetizers and they were all very good.

As you know, I love to cook and I really love to eat, so I always take photographs of the food both at home and when we are out.

I had a mixed green salad which was followed by a steak and pomme frite. As good as it looked, I was a little disappointed in my entree as the steak was tough. What a disappointment!

However, I wasn't disappointed very long. Dessert came and it was wonderful! I had the Moitié - Moitié, which is a tarte that is topped with half raspberries and half chocolate. It was dark chocolate and I'm a milk chocolate person, but this was to die for!

Anne had Oeuf à la Neige which is also known as a Floating Island. It consisted of poached soft meringue on top of a rich English custard with caramel sauce drizzled over the top. She said that it was delicious.

It was a delightful evening and we had a great time with old friends. Don't remember if I mentioned this before, but we met on a cruise in the Mediterranean three years ago and have seen a lot of one another since then. They live in Dallas and have a second home in Santa Fe (does that sound familiar?), so we are with them both at home and at our homes away from home!

We took Saturday off and had what I call a "gown day". It was wonderful to have a full 24 hours to do absolutely nothing. It was a dreary, rainy day, so I took advantage of the weather and read a book and stewed a chicken for our evening meal of chicken and dumplings.

I make drop dumplings using Bisquick and they are always good. They make this wonderful rich gravy as they cook and you can put it both on the chicken as well as the dumplings. It was the perfect comfort food to end a very comfortable stay at home day.

We attended church yesterday morning, went to breakfast with friends after as we always do, and then had a party to attend in the late afternoon. We were going to Ridglea Country Club in Fort Worth to help celebrate Donna Iker's birthday.

I'll be nice and not tell which birthday it was. All I can say is that she still looks like a teenager and is as beautiful as ever.

We all had a wonderful time and were back home by 9:00. I gave her one of my paintings for her birthday. It's entitled "Fruit of the Wine" and I hope that she likes it. She promised her grandchildren that they could help her open her gifts, so she took them all home with her unopened so they could enjoy that part of her special day.

I have a busy week ahead and am really looking forward to next weekend for several reasons. We will have our family day over at Nicholas and Dayna's home on Sunday and my dear friend from childhood will be coming in town from California for a week's visit. We have promised to spend some time together, so I'm really looking forward to that. We were to have seen him when we were in California several weeks ago, but if you remember, we had to cancel the trip as poor Frank had the flu. We're all up and running now, so maybe things will work out better this time!

Speaking of running, I'd better run and get ready for church and book club. I'm looking forward to Father Matkin's lecture to help me understand what I've been reading! Have a good week. I'll be back in touch soon.

XOXO, Pcasso

MY LITTLE ROCK STAR!

I was finally able to figure out how to post this video of Ian at J. Gilligan's which is a local pub. He and his group, "Save the Assassins" played for a benefit for Arlington High School. It was a fund raiser. It was a fun evening and they had a really big crowd there. He's a really good guitarist and be sure to keep in mind that he's only 11 years old. He has, however, been playing the guitar since he was 5. Enjoy as best you can. It's rock, so be prepared ;-)

XOXO, Pcasso

GUESTS, GILLIGANS,FOOD AND HENRY VIII

It has been an extremely busy couple of weeks around here and we've loved every minute of it. To begin with, we were hungry for something different so I decided to make a Chicken Pot Pie from scratch (sort of)
Frank is always very complimentary of my cooking, but he said that this was the best Chicken Pot Pie that he had ever eaten and that's saying something!
One of the best things about it is that it is really easy to make and this along with a salad makes a delightful meal.
I stewed a whole chicken so that made it especially good. You could also buy a pre-cooked bird, but I don't think the flavors would be as interesting. Here is the recipe just in case you're interested and it's pretty and good enough to serve to guests!
It's a quick meal! Ready in less than 30 minutes if you don't stew your own chicken!

Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Prep Time: 25 min ; Start to Finish: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 6 servings
What makes a classic? Chicken and mixed vegetables in a rich homemade white sauce fill a flaky pie crust that's perfection.
Crust
1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth (I used the broth I cooked the chicken in)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups Green Giant® frozen mixed vegetables (from 1-lb bag), thawed

Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
We're into our second week in Lent and I've been really busy studying and doing special things for this time in the Church year. Each Wednesday there is an Organ Recital followed by a noonday service with Bishops in the Anglican Communion as guest speakers which is held at St. Andrews Church in downtown Fort Worth. Last week our own Bishop, The Rt. Rev'd. Jack Iker was the guest preacher. He gave an inspiring sermon which more than 100 people were blessed to have been able to hear. There will be a different Bishop there each Wednesday during Lent. The service is followed by a light luncheon and you have the opportunity to visit with and share with other Anglicans. It's always nice to be with old friend as well as new acquaintances. The Hartley's went as well (we all attend St. Alban's in Arlington) and we plan on attending all of the services in this series together.
On that same Wednesday night we attended a Lenten series at our own parish. We are studying "The Snakebite Letters". Our clergy are taking turns leading this discussion each Wednesday during the Lenten season.
The Snakebite Letters are described as Devilishly Devious Secrets for Subverting Society As Taught in Tempter's Training School


This is a followup to C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, and, while not as good as the original, it is an excellent way to get a "tour" of the current problems in the church. It has the merit of a humorous approach to problems ranging from priests and professors who discourage faith in Catholic colleges to a short discussion of confusion and its role in teaching people that sophistication is better than truth.

We will gather each Wednesday night during Lent for the Holy Eucharist followed by a meatless meal that we will share, and then discuss the book in general, then break into small groups to discuss the book and share our own ideas. It's a wonderful time of fellowship, discussion and learning.
Along the same lines but in a much heavier vein, we are studying a book written by Henry VIII in our Monday Book Club.

Most Christians identify King Henry VIII as a co-founder of the Protestant Reformation, along with Martin Luther. However, prior to his schism from Rome and persecution of Catholics in England, Henry was an accomplished theologian and staunch defender of the Catholic Faith. He was even granted the title, Defender of the Faith, by Pope Leo X for writing his masterpiece Defence of the Seven Sacraments.

In 1521, the staunchly Catholic King Henry VIII of England wrote a theological treatise “Assertio Septem Sacramentorum” (aka. a "Defence of the Seven Sacraments") as a rebuttal of Martin Luther’s "Babylonian Captivity of the Church," in which the reformer had crossed the line from reformer to revolutionary, attacking the doctrine of the sacraments and describing the pope as the "antichrist." King Henry received the title "Defender of the Faith" from Pope Leo X for his work of refuting Protestant heresies. This new edition of the "Assertio" (edited by our very own Father Matkin) reprints the English (only) text of Henry's work along with Fr. Louis O'Donovan's classic analysis and commentary, plus three new appendices: A historical timeline of events, the text of Henry's Six Articles of Religion, as well as Fr. E.S. Buchanan's translation of Luther's scathing reply to Henry and his “Assertio Septem Sacramentorum.” Though a crucial element of our Anglican heritage, this classic writing was largely forgotten, until now.

I must admit that I'm lost a great deal of the time in this study, but it is fascinating and I'm finding that after Father Matkin discusses what we have read with us, the picture is becoming more clear to me. I've really had my nose to the grindstone the past 10 days (it's just like I'm back in school again with all of the assignments) but I've decided that you're never too old to learn.

Now, on a much lighter note, last Friday was extremely busy. We were invited to a private tour of the new Cowboy Stadium which is nearing completion. After much serious thought, I decided to pass and let Frank go and be my "eyes" through the lens of one of my cameras. There was a tremendous amount of walking and stair climbing and I thought I might slow the group down too much. After the tour, Frank said that I had made the wise choice. Since we have season tickets to the games, I'll have a chance to visit the stadium a lot in the years to come.

Above is a photograph of the stadium last October, so you can see that they have come a long way. It's supposed to be completed in 3 months. I've included a slide show at the end of this blog so you can see the interior and all of the activity that's going on there.

There are two huge arches that are the main supporting structures for the entire stadium. The one above looks out onto our baseball complex, Ranger Stadium.Here is one view of the interior. As my daughter-in-law would say, "It's gy-normous". Depending on what event is going on inside, that have the capabilities of seating 140,000 people. That's a bunch of folks!



The huge LED scoreboard had panels on each side as well as facing the end zones and stretches from one 20 yard line to the other. It's really amazing.

It is said that you can stand the Statue of Liberty up under the scoreboard inside and it would not reach the bottom of the board. You can also lay the Empire State building on it's side inside and still have room to spare on each end. This structure could probably be classified as the 8th Wonder of the World as it is the largest sports arena in the world.
Here are a few shots of Papa and his compadres as they are taking the tour. They were happy campers!

Frank thought that he had spied some of the cheerleaders practicing, so he tried to get a shot of them. He was really sorry that he didn't have his binoculars with him so he could get a closer look ;-)

These trucks looked like little ants as they were delivering supplies to the workers.

This is a shot of the exterior as it is today. They're almost ready for opening day!

There will also be another scoreboard outside so the tailgaters will be able to see what's going on inside and won't miss any of the action.
We had a wonderful surprise bestowed upon us in the midst of all the goings on. We had met these delightful people when we were on a cruise in Antarctica. They live in Newfoundland, but they also have another home in Florida (wise move to have a place to get out of the cold) We have the opposite situation ... a place in Santa Fe to get out of the Texas heat in the summer!
Anyway .... we received a phone call that they were in Texas and were coming by to see us. I had extended the invitation to come by anytime to dirty a few ice cubes with us and they took us up on it! We have stayed in touch over the years so it was delightful to find out that they would be in town. We spent time together in South America as well as Antarctica and truly enjoyed each other's company. They were in Texas visiting other "Newfie" friends in Austin, so the four of them came up for drinks and dinner.

After drinks here at the house, we went to Piccolo Mondo which is a lovely little restaurant for a wonderful meal.

I had my usual Spinach Ravioli which is always delicious.

There was music during dinner which always adds a nice touch.

We also saw quite a few people we know who were also there, so that was great since we could introduce our Newfie friends to them.
As we were leaving, Antonio, the owner, asked if he could take our photograph. I'm so glad that he did as it's a good shot of everyone. Tom, our friend, went to school with Dave in St. John's. They grew up together. The four of us had a delightful time sharing stories and laughing and enjoying one another's company. We love meeting and entertaining new people and when friends bring friends along, we always feel that the more the merrier is the perfect motto. I might add, it was a very merry night. I can't remember when I've laughed so much. A good time was had by all!
The next morning we joined the at their hotel for breakfast and took them by the new stadium so they could get a closer look. It was here that we said our goodbyes and hope that we will all meet again soon.

Saturday night was another big night for us. Ian, our 11 year old grandson, had a "gig" at Gilligan's, a local pub, where he and his band were playing. It was a fund raiser for one of the local high schools. His group is called "Save the Assassins" and the were good and they were loud. The music was not for the faint hearted! They played to a full house and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I tried to include a video but sometimes I'm electronically challenged, and this seems to be one of those days! Here are a few shots from last Saturday night.







Here are Franklin and Ian. Franklin used to help them out with vocals and his guitar, but they've "outgrown" that, so he runs sound for them now. Seems that the next generation is taking over!

I can't really tell if it's a proud Papa or a proud son here. Probabaly both :-) Since our eldest son was a musician, Frank and I have been groupies for over 40 years and have loved every minute of it!

Yesterday was our typical Sunday with church, breakfast and another evening gathering of Ultreya at our parish. Mid-afternoon we decided to watch a movie and it was wonderful. It was one that I got from Netrflix that I had not only never seen, but had never even heard of! It was entitled "Snow Cake" and it was wonderful. I highly recommend it.

Snow Cake is a 2006 independent drama film starring Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Hampshire, and Callum Keith Rennie. It was released on September 8, 2006 in the UK.
Filmed in Wawa, Ontario, Snow Cake is a drama about the friendship between Linda, an autistic woman (Weaver), and Alex (Rickman) who is traumatized after a car accident involving himself and Linda's daughter (Hampshire).
Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver form the quintessential indie-film odd couple in this intimately observed drama that makes a memorable detour from the usual high-concept, special effects-laden studio fare. Rickman is in his element as Alex, a morose, laconic ex-con just released from prison. A tragic twist of fate brings him to a Canadian small town and the doorstep of Linda, a functional autistic woman with a decidedly anti-social personality. Weaver is a wonder in a fiercely committed, vanity-free performance. "I don't like normal people," Linda states, and neither does Snow Cake, the heart of which is clearly with the outcasts and misfits, including Vivienne (Emily Hampshire), Linda's vivacious, hitchhiking daughter, who bums a ride with Alex because he looks lonely ("Lonely people have the best stories," she observes) and Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a nurturing type who is very quick to take damaged soul Alex into her bed. This is a palpably heartfelt project (screenwriter Angela Pell has an autistic daughter) that--the unfortunate title notwithstanding--mostly manages to avoid the cloying or manipulative. The smiling faces pictured on the DVD cover suggest an upbeat romantic comedy, but Snow Cake is a slice of something much more filling. It's a delightful film and I'm sure I'll watch it again.

It's time to bring this long missal to a close. I promise not to be so "wordy" next time, but a lot has happend since I last posted.

There are several more exciting things about to happen soon, at least for me, so stay tuned.

XOXO, Pcasso