I pray to Asclepius and his daughters to visit my huband Robert and restore him to health.  May they guide the hands of his physicians and nurses during this current hospitalization.  
He has been suffering from anemia and kidney failure as well as a cyst on the pancreas.  We live in Connecticut and he will eventually be transferred down to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where there is a world-class endocrinological surgeon (he also did the surgery to remove my husband's parathyroid glands).  All of this may be connected to the primary hyperparathyroidism with which he had been previously diagnosed.  Any of you who read this who want to add your prayers, I sincerely thank you.

Wow, has it really been 13 weeks since I've posted!?!  Life has really been getting in the way.  However, two very positive things have occured since I have last been here:
1.  I got a job teaching knitting, counted cross-stitch, embroidery/crewel, and decoupage at the local Michael's.  May Athena Ergane be honoured with kleos and timai.
2.  I was accepted at my first juried craft show (again, all praise to Athena Ergane), which will be toward the end of October.
I have been very busy making jewelry/prayer beads and knitted examples of the projects I will be teaching.  In addition, I am also making decoupaged wooden boxes for the show as small jewelry boxes/prayer bead containers.  Eventually, I will be putting up a web-site (maybe by the end of the year -- after I have made some money).  At least I am a few steps ahead there:  I already have my Connecticut tax ID number and my business is registered with the Secretary of the State (Ergane Enterprises, LLC, with sub-sections Ergane Designs and Naos Press).  Hermes has also been very important to me during this time as well.  I think he might like my shiny jewelry.

Last week started out very stressful.  I had to take my husband down to Yale - New Haven Hospital for an appointment with the endocrinological surgeon who had previously done a partial parathyroidectomy.  About two months earlier, he had again been diagnosed as having primary hyperparathyroidism.  The doctor took one look at him -- and immediately arranged to have him admitted that day!  When I arrived the next afternoon, imagine my surprise when I was told that my husband was in surgery.  I knew that this doctor would have admitted him sooner had the local doctors ambulanced him down at the time of his hospitalization in April.  Anyway, he looked better after surgery than before (even with all his parathyroids gone).  I recognize doctors who have been blessed by Asklepios and Hygeia: so, Dr. Udelsman, here's to you!  May you practice long and may your talented hands, blessed by divine Asklepios and Hygeia, give back to people their health!

I am frustrated!  For two months in a row, no one has shown for the monthly libation ritual.  However, I must say that they really missed out this last Saturday.  
The day was stormy (rain and thunder) -- perfect!  Instead of using the room at All Souls which I had booked, I went up to my Dad's house (he was at work).  When I entered the house my nostrils were assailed with the scent of cut flowers -- and there were NO cut flowers.  In addition, my sense of smell is blunted, so the fact that I smelled flowers at all was slightly miraculous.  During the libation, I raised my hands and arms to the orant position during my prayers and felt the most tremendous amount of energy pouring down into them that I just stood and trembled.  I have experienced Zeus before as my guide to both Hera and Athena.  It was really quite wonderful that he acknowledged me in my individual worship of him as well.

As many of you have already stated, I don't rejoice in his death.  There is no way now that he can atone for the many wrongs he did during his life -- and wake-up to the fact that he was wrong.  
I do have problems with *any* religion which claims that it is *universally* true and that *everybody* must believe in certain ways, or else be damned.  However, this is a part of most, if not all, Christian sects from the most liturgical to the most fundamentalist.  Yes, they are mistaken -- but, it is their dogma.  I really don't know if they will ever be able to discard the "one, true" trademark which they have lived with for so long.  I gave it up when I was less than 10 years old, way back in the late 1950s.  
Fred Phelps, however, is another case entirely, along with Pat Robertson. 

I am particularly devoted to Athena Ergane (the Workerwoman).  Right now, I only have 2 members on my list over on Yahoo.   Anne and I are making prayer shawls, soft hats for preemies and chemo patients, etc.  Our work and the objects we make will be dedicated to Her.  This type of positive gift to a hospital or nursing home does mean a lot to the person receiving it.  Please consider and become a member of the group so that we all can do this under Her aegis.

I did not like having to shake a particular tree as I did.  However, what was I to do when I was being deliberately ignored?  I am just glad that things may be simmering down (I do refuse to go read a certain LiveJournal -- don't want to stoke any more flames) and things will turn out right after all.  My Mother always told me to take the high ground whenever possible, especially when others call you names.  Good advice.

Recently, I have been accused of trying to de-fame another.  It seems that some people have a real talent for "shading" the truth so they seem to be the aggrieved party.  Even at my age, I am somewhat naive in that I expect people to act with honour.  However, I should never be surprised when they don't.  When someone runs away from e-mails and then complains when I say the actions now look like theft, that should be their problem -- not mine.  Even though it now looks like things may come out OK, I still feel as though I am somehow the guilty party when I was just the reporter of someone else's bad behaviour.  Where is the truth in all of this?  I know that Zeus and Themis know I told the truth; and, though I am by no means an expert on how to make an oath, I would certainly NEVER want either Zeus or Themis to be upset with me.  Oh, well.

Last night I had "more"  than just a "dream."  This was way to real to be just a dream. 

I am having a problem with a person who I thought was honourable, although I didn't agree with some of her decisions.  We used to worship together in the former Demos Oreiadon -- and we both knew Drew Campbell.  
When Drew decided to leave Hellenion (with a lot of personal pain, I might add), he gave his book collection to the Demos, so that we could develop a lending library for Hellenion.  At that point I couldn't do it, even though I am a librarian (commutes too long &c.).  Then the Demos fell apart about a year or so later.  I was devastated!
Work issues continued to haunt me until I finally retired at the end of 2005.  Finally, I have the personal ambition to do what Drew wanted.  I e-mailed the person who was keeping the collection in trust.  I have heard absolutely nothing from her!!!  I even asked an acquaintance of us both to run interference.  Still, nothing.  I am at that point that I want to embarass her in front of the whole community and call her out on what she is -- OATH BREAKER!!!!
I am also considering filing a criminal complaint against her for THEFT!
I do NOT want this to get ugly; but, I am being pushed.  Iffy mental status or no, she needs to keep her word!