Pancake Tuesday PWYC

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

It's Pancake Day!

We are going to dd's since she has other friends visiting and we want to see their children. Oh, and eat pancakes. Dh is known far and wide for his waffles, and dd is known far and wide for her pancakes. She perfected her recipe when she was about 13 (it came out of a children's cookbook) and she has made them for families she has stayed with ever since.

I just learned, from Wikipedia, that Pancake day was another festival Christians stole from the pagans!

Like many other European holidays, the pancake day was originally a pagan holiday. Before the Christian era, the Slavs believed that the change of seasons was a struggle between Jarilo, the god of vegetation, fertility and springtime, and the evil spirits of cold and darkness. People believed that they had to help Jarilo fight against winter and bring in the spring. The most important part of Shrovetide week (the whole celebration of the arrival of spring lasted one week) was making and eating pancakes. The hot, round pancakes symbolized the sun. The Slavs believed that by eating pancakes, they got the power, light and warmth of the sun. The first pancake was usually put on a window for the spirits of the ancestors. On the last day of Shrovetide week some pancakes and other food were burnt in a bonfire as a sacrifice to the pagan gods.

No word on whether you are to clean the window before or after putting the pancake in it!

It is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) for those that celebrate the debauchery before settling into Lent. Shrove Tuesday for those into old words. To Shrive means to ask to be absolved for one's sins by confession and/or penance. I guess we are to think about what we are to work on during Lent during today.

The interesting thing about the Wikipedia article above is the US is not one of the countries that celebrates Pancake Day. Hmmmmm. I had no idea. On the other hand, that means that churches that use today as a fundraiser by having a church supper won't have to worry about the fact the roads are impassable in so much of the country today.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

If anyone just read my opening post for today, go back and reread it. I edited it 5 times! (Possibly a new record for me!)

Hope all you in ice areas are save.

It is to get above 0*F today here! But starting out cold. Our weather station receiver is still not working, although now it might be a battery issue. Before dh reset it last night, I asked him to check the batteries but he didn't. Now that it has been reset, it is giving a battery error. On the other hand, it is now wirelessly connected to the instruments outside, just not displaying the results. Before, it couldn't 'see' those instruments. I need to pull out the manual.

The humidifier (which I spent an hour cleaning yesterday) did not work overnight. So I had a miserable sleep, sore throat, dry nose. So that's on my to-do list for this morning.

It will be a paperwork and errand day. The car desperately needs washing. As I work through paperwork, I'm sure I'll create banking for today. Oh, and I need to make more phone calls and reservations regarding our trip, including applying for the Australian Visas (just a form to fill in online.)

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Pastoral email sent. Email's not the best way to respond but a response was needed. My heart will be holding someone today.

I've refilled the vitamin dispenser and had breakfast. Tidied the kitchen and tamed a small paper pile of things that needed to be filed and/or shredded.

Next challenge: get dressed.

[Twins' Mom]

Kathryn, at my first accounting job the managing partner always offered to take anyone who wanted to go to a nearby church pancake lunch on Shrove Tuesday. I think it was Episcopalian - don't know whether they still do it or not but that was probably at least 35 years ago. I did go once or twice. Also have been in New Orleans once or twice for Mardi Gras as well and recall seeing ashes on foreheads on Ash Wednesday.

Today is desk day and I have an evening meeting at 5:30 at the temple but otherwise am free. Discussion with dh this morning re whether to go see dsis on Thursday or Friday so still not sure about that.

-breakfast
-meds/vitamins, me + ddogs
-call mother's credit union to reset account access (couldn't get in yesterday...)
-get the garbage can out to the street
-kitchen counter clean up

[Harriet]

Look who's still among the electrified! So grateful. We are definitely "socked in" though, and, unfortunately, another weather alert says roads will refreeze with a slick coating tonight and we'll start over at square one tomorrow. Then tomorrow it will even snow some, not a lot. Hmmm... and then we are just a frozen-solid place until Saturday, so I wonder if we are going anywhere. There will be sunshine, but can it really change much at a low temperature. I hope so, but Wed and Thurs nights will be 6 and 4 degrees, so whatever it can do will still turn into a recipe for an ice skating rink.

Windchills over that time will get down to 13 below, and one of the meteorologists says "the story will be told in the re-freezes" because he expects black ice back again Thursday.

I never heard of Pancake Tuesday, but, hey, pancakes are a good thing. Our minister did mention Lent on Sunday, although mostly in the context that we knew so little about it, and he gave a brief explanation of what it is. He gave us a devotional handout with thoughts for next Sunday through Easter.

I will spend today trying to get the "vacation day" concept out of dd's head and some housework done!

[DeeClutter]

I remember something about pancakes and Fat Tuesday, I think, Kathryn. Going to have to look it up.

I was very late getting up (8:30). Didn't sleep well -so what's new? It is warmer here today but supposed to be very cool starting tonight/tomorrow.

DD goes to Daytona after school today for a couple of days. (She & 2 other teachers are part of the 'driving experience' and have garage passes. Clemson University has invited them every year for at least the past 3 or 4 years). DD didn't go last year as it was the same week as her TSA competition in Orlando. They have tickets to the twin 125's Thursday night and she plans to dress VERY warm! Supposed to drop below 40 that night. Think it's the first time those races have been run at night and she's always wanted to see a night race.

Trying to decide whether to do a load of laundry today or tomorrow. Guess I'll check the laundry room first to see what state it's in and if both the twins are empty.

Our room is in desperate need of a good cleaning/organizing so think I'll work at that today.

he doesn't know it yet )

Oh, how many times I used that statement over the years, Sunny! In fact there's still plenty up in the garage attic at our old house that still belongs to all the dks. Know after I came south last fall the house owner called dh to see if the boys wanted any of the trophies, etc that are up there.

[Twins' Mom]

Things are fine for us weather wise today. Some icing on secondary roads on mtns and some power outages but we are within city now (not on mtn!) and never lost power. In fact, I believe we saw almost completely rain, not ice. Twenty four degrees now, with wind chill of 13 so I am trying to put off walking those pesky dogs for now. They have been in and out all morning anyway so the walk is for exercise, not to relieve themselves.

Once I got dmom's account access restored, I went ahead and downloaded and reconciled her accounts, looked at temple and religious school accounts and my own account. Also backed up Evernote.

I'm giving myself a little break then will go again:
-make the bed
-deal with 10 pieces of paper
-call vet for refill for dMacs meds
-upstairs photograph 10 stamp sets to Evernote
-fold and put away three accumulated loads of laundry

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm dressed and bedroom is tidied, towels changed and first load of laundry is now done. Will hang that up and start the second load.

I've also reconciled one bank account so paperwork is progressing although at a much slower speed.

Edited to add: the outside temperature is up to 8 already so it won't be as bad as yesterday by a long shot.

I still can't get the weather station to work, though. And can't find the manual.

[lucylee]

Growing up in the Baptist church, I knew next to nothing about Lent, etc. Now that I'm in the Mthodist church, I am very familiar with all the traditions surrounding this time of year. Our church is having a pancake supper tonight and Ash Wed. Service tomorrow.

DS and family are back on the road.
DH can't believe he will make it in time for college game tonight... But we shall see...

[helia]

That was an interesting article, Kathryn. Thanks for sharing! I'm familiar with Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, pancakes and all!

We do Lent as a family just b/c we like the practice -- and no, we don't believe we're earning spiritual brownie points by doing it. Our Presbyterian church doesn't do it as a church, but individuals might do it as a private practice to help them focus during this time.

We're up to a balmy 18* here! I can tell, it actually feels warmer outside.

Another day going from one thing to another; I thought I'd get a break this week but maybe not. It's all good things, though.
- had coffee with dfriend 9 - 11 this morning
- prepped for class; more teacher-made materials b/c this is a low level class. Had lunch while prepping
- will leave in 5 minutes for payroll; will walk out of payroll about 3:45
- groc. store; still don't have a list finalized. Still need confirmation on when we're celebrating dfriend R's birthday this week. .
- dinner: leftovers, a redo from last night. Dh and I decided to go out last night since dd16 was away tutoring in the inner big city with the youth group.
- exercise??
- those last NY cards?

Alright, I'm off. Have a good afternoon all! Stay safe, Harriet and those of you with icy conditions.