May and June, 2008
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MUSE INDEX Dropdown menus LINKS Previous issues What's New Who's Who Birthdays and anniversaries Muse readers' own websites Muse History May-June Photo Gallery Nancy's Quilts |
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE: UPDATE ON MY HECTIC LIFE (Missi Sargent) Click 68th BIRTHDAY (Doug Howlett) Click UPDATES-WHO'S WHO (Diane Murdock) Click TIM'S WEDDING (Becky Murdock) Click MY NEW GRANDDAUGHTER (Barb DiStefano) Click FOGGY MORNINGS (Nancy Murdock) Click THE NEIGHBORS (Mer Murdock) Click SLEEP (Gene Murdock) Click R.I.P. SHIRLEY GREEN (Bob Murdock) Click Part 2 CONNECTICUT MEMORIES (Karina Murdock Huber) Click PERPETUAL MOTION (Sean Murdock) Click FROM THE HEART-LAND (March 8)(Charles Frost) Click BY THE STREAM ( Regina Howlett) Click MY BAPTISM (Christel Murdock) Click THE MURDOCK NATURALISTS (Gene Murdock) Click STARTING A NEW CAREER (Robert Foster Murdock) Click Part 3 LOOK WHAT JACK FOUND! (Margery Aukstikalnis) Click REMEMBERINGS (Barbara DiStefano) Click ANOTHER SCRABBLE GOAL (Nancy Murdock) Click A COMEDY OF ERRORS, OR CHARLIE'S FOLLY (Charles Frost and Pamela Clark) Click GEMS - A WAY WITH WORDS (Eugene Murdock) Click SEASONAL SMELLs (Barbara DiStefano) Click MY 55th BIRTHDAY(Valerie Davidson) Click DESIREE HOWLETT, INVENTOR (Various Authors) Click MY APRIL ADVENTURE (Colleen McKay) Click |
2008 Quilt Show Gallery photo
quilt Gallery photo Quilt index |
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Doug Howlett Thanks for the Birthday greeting. It sure was a big jump from 8 to 68. I had a great birthday with all my sons and DIL's and 5 grandchildren here -- plus several friends. We did 10 Cornish Game Hens, a few at a time, in a propane powered turkey deep fryer that Chris owns. Worked out great with son Doug doing the cooking. Carol made a great antipasto salad to go with it. |
May 2002 |
Diane Murdock Ron and Diane Murdock, and our 5 Children Andrew B-day 12/23/70 engineer for SRC tech, has three children Brian, B-day 3/3/91; A.J. (Andrew John II) B-day 3/3/94; and Kirstin 12/24/2003. Walter B-day 1/18/74 Photographer working @ FIT in NYC. Karina Huber B-day 3/18/78 Wife of Mike Huber Director or Camp Conference and Retreat Ministries for the NCNY Conference of the United Methodist Church is a stay at home mom - Ethan B-day 4/9/2004 and Sydney B-day 11/3/2006. Kari has written a wonderful story about visiting Grandpa and Grandma Murdock in Connecticut. (Ken and Millie). I hope that she will submit it to the Muse. Benjamin B-day 10/14/79 Will be marrying Ericka Brown on May 17, 2008 in Clearwater, Florida. After a stint in the Marines he is back in college working for a degree so he can keep a job he has been working in for the past 3-4 years. Ericka is a program consultant at Hotels/Inns when she is working. She is currently looking. Bartholomew (Bart) 7/21/89 High school Senior planning on attending Roberts Wesleyan, Rochester, NY. Ron is ready to retire but with 4 years of college looking at us he may go into semi-retirement just cut the work week by a day. Don’t know how that is semi anything. Diane is teaching 3rd and 4th Grade at New Life Christian School in Hamilton, NY where Bart is a Senior. Hopefully I (Diane) will get back to you with more information and pictures at a later date, since Ron hasn’t done this so far. |
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Becky Murdock Hello everyone: I am not sure or not if you guys heard that Tim is getting married this year to a girl named Kay he met in the Army. The wedding is going to be held in Belmont Shores, CA, on Oct. 11th. It will be a beach wedding (right on the beach). Guests will be staying at the Long Beach Marriott. The reception will most likely at this point be at my house. I have a huge backyard that would be perfect for it. Since the couple is deployed until Sept. in Kuwait, the planning has pretty much fallen to Natt and me to make it happen. I will be compiling the guest list, so if you know anyone from out of state that might want to go, please let me know. I really hope that you can come; I know it would mean the world to him. So I guess this year we will add one more Murdock to the mix. [Ed. Note: If you don't have addresses for Becky and Natt, you can email us at murmuse@comcast.net, and we promise to forward it quickly. Barring any unforeseen problems, we will plan to join you all on this joyous occasion. I think we will call this "The Year of the Weddings!" There are two others scheduled, so far. NAM] |
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Barb DiStefano My latest (16th) grandchild is Lillian Marie Lesperance, shown in this hospital photo. She was born on March 10, 2008 and her parents are Ben Lesperance and Mary Anne (DiStefano) Lesperance. I also have a great-grandchild, Ethan James Sampson, a son of Lisa Sampson who is David's stepdaughter. |
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Nancy Murdock On a foggy Saturday morning in July 2006, I wrote a poem about the impressions of quiet, dampness, and softness of that morning. Since then, when I see we have another quiet, foggy Saturday morning, I like to grab the poem and read it aloud. Yesterday all of the elements were in place, except that it wasn’t Saturday. I couldn’t read that poem out loud. So I told Bob I’d have to write another one, and I took the pad of paper into the bathroom with me. I read it to Mer over the phone this morning, and she really liked it. So maybe one or two more of you might be at least mildly interested. Here it is, and no, I was not late, but I did have to dash to be early. “ANOTHER FOGGY MORNING” It’s not Saturday today - Today is a work day . Bob rubs my feet to get me awake – It’s warmer today, he says. You’re taking the car – You want to be early. Mm Hm, I say, as I blink- It’s kind of hard to think - So quiet, so comfy under my quilt. Peaceful, as I struggle to my feet - One car hums down the street. I really want to get back into that bed But am steadfast to get that thought out of my head. Work today, I know- Time to dress and go Into the foggy morn This quiet, foggy morn. (April 10, 2008; Thursday) |
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Meredith Murdock I live in an apartment building, and have some noisy neighbors. We have a duck pond, and usually have several ducks living here quacking away - especially in the early morning! They're really cute. Quite often there is a mama duck with her babies following her everywhere. One morning, long before I moved in, I was walking along the sidewalk in front and was suddenly startled by a mother duck and about eight tiny ducklings popping out of the flowers where they must have been sleeping. Even though there's a duck pond, I often see a duck or two gliding around in the pool. Well, it's a nice pool - who can blame them? My black-and-white cat, Charlie, has some problem with his vocal chords, and can't meow properly. He actually quacks, which can be quite disconcerting. A couple of times I have started down the stairs, heard one of the ducks, and thought Charlie followed me out the door! I plan to stay here a long time - I love my noisy neighbors! |
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Gene Murdock GEMS - Sleep (May 5, 2008) Back during grade school days I recall two particular events that influenced my thinking on how to go to sleep at night. One was a teacher who gave us daily “sermonettes” on various things and one day talked about sleep and quoted Shakespeare with “Sleep knits up the raveled sleeve of care.” Wow! That was something deep and significant! What a great way to look at it. The other was when Dad showed us some of his techniques for getting to sleep. He would lie flat in the bed with nothing out of place - no crumpled pillow, no folded sheets or blankets - just everything in its proper place. Then he would start at his feet and imagine them as being totally relaxed and rested and do the same with the ankles, legs, etc. until he had the whole body at rest, usually falling asleep somewhere during the process. When my own kids were infants I recall singing to them, crooning softly in a lullaby mood. The songs I remember singing were “Rock-a-bye Baby,” “Too ra loo ra loo ra,” “Across the Alley from the Alamo” and “The Serenade of the Bells.” Many years later I wondered if those songs were imprinted on their minds, so I asked them if they recognized them as I sang a few bars from each. Not a note! They claimed to have never heard those songs before! My own techniques are ones I developed over the years. First of all, I stop all work at nine PM, then spend the next hour or so reading, doing crossword puzzles, watching TV, or just thinking. When I finally climb into bed, I do so with great anticipation. I love my bed! As I settle in and pull the covers up, I think how comfortable and secure it is and how fortunate I am to have such ease. I settle in, relaxing all my muscles the way Dad did, and generally try to slow down my whole metabolism - breathing easily and slowly and even thinking slowly. I am on a medication that says TAKE JUST BEFORE GOING TO BED. Well, I take it at about 6 PM, and it takes me about five minutes to fall asleep at ten. When I don’t immediately fall asleep, and before I was on this medication, I had several mental devices to help the process. These are all variations on the time-honored tradition of “counting sheep,” or “playing alphabet.” For instance the simplest devices are to just list, in alphabetical order, common things like animals, birds, trees and the like. Personally I like to list things like restaurants and museums. I use these mind-games in other places as well. In the dentist chair I will list boys names using a double-alphabet bit, starting with Aa, Ab, Ac, (Aaron, Abner, Achilles,) and working the alphabet as far as I can go. If it’s a real long visit ( as some dentist visits unfortunately are) I just switch over to Girl’s names. When I’m standing in line in a store I look around at all the various signs and try to pick out the alphabet in order. Many of these devices I use in waiting rooms and as I’m occupying my mind and enjoying myself I look around at all the people who are fidgeting, bouncing their feet, shifting around, sighing and looking at their watches, and just smile. Try these things yourself, and here’s a toughie to start with: Name the eight states that begin with the letter M and give their two-letter postal identifications. This will either put you to sleep or drive you crazy. |
Telegram photo |
Bob Murdock Tom Howlett sent us the obituary notice for Shirley (Woodward) Green, who departed for Greener pastures on April 27. You can view the Worcester Telegram obituary and guest book here. Shirley lived in Hubbardston all her life. She was married to Kenny Green for 57 years! She is survived by Kenny, brother Charlie, sister Carmen, two children and five grandchildren. |
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