January 7th
You were excited to tell me Fiona has been painting! She has been using acrylics on canvas. This is an answer to waht to do with your supplies in your studio. You are happy for her to take anything she wants and she says she wants it all.
We talked about Ted trying to plan a retirement trip. Right now he thinks there is too much going on to plan something. It might be too overwhelming for him to think about. We’ll see…
January 6 –
You sent a lovely thankyou note after spending Christmas at our house. You always have been a good letter writer. I still have letters you wrote me when I went to camp and from college. I have lots of cards from you and sweet and funny poems you have written over the years. You are creative in so many ways.
I talked to you yesterday while you were walking and it sounded like your energy was back after your bad cold. You said it is!
You were sad to hear from your Pastor, Father Frank, that the Franciscans would be leaving the Catholic Center. You said everyone was upset about it. You remembered Father Paul coming into Holy Cross as a new priest with big shoes to fill. He said he would do his best and he did.
Donatella cut your hair a little because she wants it to get longer. She wouldn’t show you how much she charged you on your credit card. You like your hair, you sent me a picture and said Donatella has a good hair dryer, HA!
January 4th – Patsy’s 75th birthday
When you were here for Christmas we set up location sharing on our phones. Yours is off when I checked today. I wonder where you are now. I say that a lot because you are go go go all the time.
You came back from your Germany River Christmas Village tour with a bad cold. You are finally getting some energy back so I won’t know where you are.
January 3
We had a nice long chat this morning. You said it has been raining non-stop there so you’re going to walk at the mall. You are thinking about cleaning out your studio, keeping the things you want and selling the rest for $100.00. The buyer has to take EVERYTHING or nothing.
You told me about having breakfast with Don and asking Alexa to make different animal sounds. Alexa asked if you would like to hear fart sounds and you couldn’t get her to stop. You two thought all of that was pretty funny. (laugh)
January 2, 2020
Taking my Christmas tree down today I was reminded of you and the special gifts you gave me for Christmas and my birthday.
You made a beautiful Shuttefly album for all of us with pictures from your 80th birthday cruise and beyond. You brought me piano books to practice after I told you I am trying to learn to play. You gave me a pretty coffee mug — handmade — that you picked out just for me. You also gave me a colorful Swarovski crystal necklace! But what made me think of you and your creative love was a tiny envelope with a tiny card with a little gold tree on it that just says (heart) Mom. I put in in the tree. (heart)
January 1, 2020
How fun to hear about Michael’s 5th birthday party at your house. You didn’t realize it would be a birthday celebration but it worked out fine. You had fun going outside with Michael for a little adventure through the neighbor’s yard and down the street. You said Michael calls you Grandma Julie and I can tell you were smiling when you said that.
You always have been good at taking time to be with all of us — one on one and giving all of your attention to us. What a lovely gift!
2020
JULIE’S
JOURNEY
One year in the life of Julie Cashin Schneider
(by Carol)
Today is the 4th anniversary of Dad’s death. I had scheduled a Mass at 5 p.m. for him, but our two priests had to go out of town. Instead there was a communion service following Adoration. So, I rescheduled and the Mass will be tomorrow (3/22) at 8 a.m. That worked out well, actually, because Grant will go with me. I decided to attend Adoration and the communion service, though.
Adoration was very nice. There were many students there, some sitting around the Blessed Sacrament on the floor and praying and reading Bibles. These were all guys. There were also some girls there, but mostly guys. I’m so touched by the devotion of these UGA students and how prayerful they are.
I am a support person in the RCIA classes on Tuesday evenings. These kids are so smart and inspire me with their faith. We have 4 students who will be Baptised, 3 who will be Confirmed (+3 adults), and 4 students who will be confirmed. They have become so close and really just like family to one another. I’ am blessed to be involved with this group.
Sister Marie, who leads the RCIA classes, conducted the Communion Service this afternoon. She knew that it was Dad’s anniversary. She asked me to read the first reading at the service, and she also prayed for me and for Dad during the Prayer of the Faithful. I was moved and appreciative of her support.
I’m very blessed to have been married to such a good man for 47 years, who loved me in spite of all of my faults. It’s good to sit back and remember all of the good times. Now, I am going to reread all of the Sympathy cards and think about that amazing week-end when he died and our family came together to plan the funeral. What a great job you all did!
TO DAN!
12/1 – Downtown Athens Parade of Lights. Yazna’s son, Nico, rode on the Flagpole float.
12/6 – Attended “The Star of Bethlehem” at Hodgson Hall with Bette McNeely.
12/7 – Lunch at Heirlooms with Carlene and Sue, then mah-jongg at my house with them and Arlene.
12/7 – Ushered at “My Fair Lady” at the Classic Center. Excellent!
12/8 – Met with mentee, Yocelin at lunch.
12/8 – Christmas party OLLI Super Club at Cathy Hefners. Donna Conway and Terri Arthur rode with me since Cathy’s house is in Monroe. Beautiful house and fun party.
12/9 – Talked with Jason Garrett, my financial advisor about my investments.
12/10 – Fiona’s piano recital. She played one piece by herself and a duet with Camille Flurry. She is such a natural pianist and so confident. Loves to perform and works hard. She has absolutely no trouble memorizing her pieces.
12/11 – Ushered at Classic Center for the Athens Symphony Christmas concert. Jami, Grant and the children went and I sat with them. A wonderful concert.
12/11 – Carol arrived in ATL from Savannah and Jeb picked her up on the curb with her suitcases (where her ride had dropped her off). Kathy fixed a very good dinner and the house looked beautiful all decorated. Ted, David, Danny and Mary, Nicole, Kelly, Claire, Carol, Jeb, Kathy and I had dinner and played a game afterwards. David won. Carol and I headed back to Athens about 9 or so.
12/12 – Grant came over then Carol & I exercised at Y. Carlene took us to lunch. We drove to Atlanta, picked up Hope and went to the FOTA Christmas party downtown. Spent the night with Alan and Maria Turk at Stonehedge in Buford.
12/13 – Breakfasted at Sugar Hill Bakery with Maria and Alan. New, adorable place, but awful food. Then, to Marilyn Hill’s for mah-jongg Christmas lunch with Mary Sydney and Phyllis. Back to Athens.
12/13 – Fiona’s dance recital. We picked up Grant and Michael. Jami took Fiona early.
12/14 – Packed all day. Grant and Jami took Carol and me to dinner at Aqua Linda. David came in on the Greyhound bus at 8:45.
12/15 – We left for Lakeland at 8:45. Arrived at my condo at 5:15. Surprise! Carol had decorated my condo for Christmas. Wreath on window, Christmas trees in LR and guest BR, Christmas decorations all over, plus a beautiful nativity scene. Even a painting hanging on the wall that she had done. Yea!
12/16 – Bob invited me and Carol to the Rotary Christmas lunch at the Yacht Club. Lovely lunch and very nice people. The Lakeland Christian School choral group sang Christmas carols. About 40 boys and girls, all dressed in black and white. It was a beautiful concert. I had never heard most of the songs and they were beautiful. Then Carol and I went to the mall and I finished by Christmas shopping. We had our picture made with Santa. He wanted to know what we wanted for Christmas and Carol told him “world peace” and I said I wanted a gay boyfriend. I walked when I got home.
12/17 – Getting ready to start addressing Christmas cards.
