Nonnie's Observations

birthday greetings, Love! sending my loving feelings via heartfelt prayers sharing with Rebecca's own warmest heartfelt Haiku My Heart

my husband Charles    Not known to us, this was to be our last Christmas. Would we have done anything differently? I think not. We celebrated Christmas with all the bells and whistles, shiny ornaments on the tree,  lots of them homemade by family;  many were gifts from my students over the years. Tons of gifts stacked beneath the tree for all our loved ones. Of course, the genuine celebration of Christmas began with Christmas Eve Mass.   When Charles and I were much younger, the children and I went to midnight Mass.   But as the years flew by,  my energy didn’t last long enough for that.  Beginning with the new millennium,  our Christmas started with opening gifts on Christmas Eve,  then our going to 5:30 p.m. Mass.  From there, our children and their families headed for home. I hope that I’m not seeming maudlin sharing this,  but it seems that no matter how much time has passed  since my husband died,  that warm memo...

My Haiku Dedication to Joe Spado: Dear God, welcome Joe, with Your loving open arms and the kiss of peace.  Receive, Lord, in tranquility and peace,  the soul of your servant, Joe Spado ,  who has departed out of this present life to be with you.   Give him the life that knows no age,  the good things that do not pass away;  through Jesus Christ our Lord. ~ Adapted from Saint Ignatius Loyola~ I knew Joe only from his blog Round Circle:  The Truth Is Spoken Here. However, what I learned from reading  his posts was that he was a deeply caring man  who endured physical pain,  with more than a modicum of humor, as one can tell from his own profile: Spadoman I'm a Renaisance Man. I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things. I tell stories, sometimes, when I'm in the mood or especially when someone asks me. I don't want to believe I have an ego problem, but I admit I have an ego. All I really desire is when you hear that I have passed...

This was the home of William Ruttan, an ancestor of my late husband. The first members of the Ruttan family migrated from France. Canada is now home to many Ruttans. Charles' father and his siblings ventured to Detroit, Michigan. In the 1950s, Mr. Ruttan and his family moved to Muncie, Indiana. He owned a Ford car dealership here. linked to Vintage Weekly a meme worthy of note hosted by Jane

Today's All Souls Day, Dia de los Muertos, honoring the dead No matter the name we use, we remember our dearly loved dead with prayer. Our three Catholic parishes, St. Mary, St. Lawrence and St. Francis, came together for Mass at Elm Ridge Funeral Home's chapel to honor and pray for all our beloved dead. After Mass, we walked to the grave site of St. Mary's much-loved former pastor, Father William Grady. Father Dudzinski, current pastor, led us in prayer. birthday bouquet placed by my husband's sister September 26, 2013 my husband's grave stone Near Father Grady's place of repose are the gravestones of two friends of my husband and me. In addition to their being friends, I had the fortune to teach two daughters and one son of the Greens; and the three Schmaltz sons. Both men were honorable examples of outstanding Catholic husbands, fathers and friends. Indeed their families and friends miss them. Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,  and let perpetual light sh...

MG car before I knew him loved his car By the time I met this handsome fella, he was driving something not sporty, a very plain black 1957 Chevy. He and I married in 1958. We kept the car till 1962 when we were expecting our third child. We bought a red (my color idea) station wagon; he gave the Chevy to my younger brother. He drove it till it was worn down. All three of us were saddened to see the '57 Chevy become a classic in later years. Who'd a thunk that a car  so plain looking  would rise so high? visit Vintage Weekly