Day 331 - the last Monday of November

 Today is the 2nd day of the 48th week, the 27th day of the 11th month, the 331st day of 2023 [if you aren't don't shopping for the holidays yet, it's close to panic time], and:

• Cyber Monday
• National Bavarian Cream Pie Day
• National Craft Jerky Day
• National Electric Guitar Day
• National Pins and Needles Day
• Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal feast day [Roman Catholic] - the medals were first made in 1832
• Pie in the Face Day
• Slinky Day
• Turtle Adoption Day
• the full Beaver Moon at 4:16 AM EST
• and Voyager 1 is 22h 32m 05s of light travel time from Earth 

Quote of the day:

"Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your good health has vanished."

~  Og Mandino, American author and salesman extraordinaire 

Teen-age Roman Catholics did not go to Sunday school in our archdiocese after our confirmation, instead we had Monday evening classes of CCD [Confraternity of Christian Doctrine], from which we "graduated" when we were 17 years old, altho there wasn't any ceremony, at least not in our parish.  When I did, my mother gave me this  miraculous medal.   

I don't know where Aunt Nell and Uncle Eddie got the medals, but they were specially blessed.  Both of them, Grandmom Riley, and my mother all had one - and my mother and I wore them every day.  Mom's was plainer, and I actually liked it more than mine, but she picked out mine because she thought I would prefer something fancy, like my aunt's [which was gold and jeweled].  

Those who know me know that my mother and I did not get along very well at all, so perhaps it will seem strange that I have kept and worn this medal for over a half of century.  When she died, I briefly considered swapping my medal and her's [as I had swapped wedding rings with Frank before he was buried], but decided we should both keep the ones we have.   I honestly don't know why I wear it all the time, other than it is a mark that perhaps, after all was said and done, my mother loved me and wanted to take care of me, and it helps me feel connected to my spiritual being - a part of me that I am guilty of neglecting in the midst of concerns for health and emotional wellbeing.  I just know I need it.

Meanwhile, folks are online doing their Christmas shopping, I am still getting packages dribbling in from my efforts in that direction.

The good news is the locksmith was here this morning and said he would be back later to replace the lock.  No word on the mailbox problem.

And of course, today was a regular workday - the last full week for me until the week before Christmas!