“Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding. ‘Christ is nigh,’ it seems to say…”*
by chuckofish
Well, we are well into Advent and it was good to be back at my home church yesterday. Last Sunday we pilgrims were celebrating the first Sunday in Advent at St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. Established in 1899, it is the seat of the Bishop of Jerusalem of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. The Bishop gave the sermon (in English and in Arabic) and we sang good old hymns. It was a lovely service.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, daughter #1 was home and she helped me a lot getting out more Christmas stuff…
putting up the outside lights and buying and setting up our small tree in the dining room.
We also went to the church bazaar and to a couple of estate sales where we picked up some books, including the hard-to-find St. Louis Then and Now. She spotted it, grabbed my arm and stage-whispered, “Pick it up! Pick it up!” I knew then and there that daughter #1 has become a true estate sale-er with an eagle eye for the rare find!
We watched the 1951 A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim (the best version) and The Bishop’s Wife (1947).
The wee babes and their parents came over for tacos on Saturday night. In 2 1/2 weeks the babes have apparently made huge leaps and bounds in the talking department.
The switch really flipped in the little guy and he is so verbal now! When you pick him up, he says, “Down!” Amazing.
After daughter #1 left on Sunday, the OM and I girded our loins, donned our mittens and went to the Optimist lot to buy a big tree. We were successful and carted it home to the garage. Setting it up and decorating it will be a task for next weekend.
It’s good to be home.
*Hymns Ancient and Modern
dual personalities 
Love that the wee babes have Patagonia jackets… also, Christmas decor looks SO great with the blue wallpaper!
Your little tree is so pretty! I also love all your window ornaments. Well done!
I was quite excited about that find! IT was a lovely and busy weekend–and so good to have you home!
The babes (and we) are so happy to have their Mamu home!
It was a fun weekend all around. In recent years we’ve ended up buying the first tree we looked at. This year followed recent practice (but you have to look at more than one) :).