Letters from Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary

Wren took a quick look back at 2025 - that year's almost gone, but she lives in the moment anyway! Shocking as it may seem, no one at Sanctuary House will be staying up until midnight to watch the year change - we'll all go to sleep in 2025 and wake up in 2026! Mec the beagle and I made a last trip to the bank in 2025 and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for coffee and a pup cup to celebrate the year's end. Yes, Mec enjoyed every taste of her treat! However you choose to celebrate, we hope that you have a safe and fun New Year's Eve and a marvelous 2026.  

My very first cat was Thomas, named after Thomas Becket, whose Feast Day is today, because that is the day 40 years ago that he walked into my life. Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170, known for his conflict with King Henry II over the rights of the Church. He was canonized as a saint in 1173 and is venerated in both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.   Wikipedia Thomas Becket spoke truth to power and paid for that with his life. This is his collect in the Church of England (and maybe in the Episcopal Church here too, but I'm going by the book most at hand): Lord God, who gave grace to your servant Thomas Becket to put aside all earthly fear and be faithful even to death: grant that we, disregarding worldly esteem, may fight all wrong, uphold your rule, and serve you to our life's end; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. ...

We hope you have had a marvelous Christmas day and will celebrate throughout Christmastide! There have been Christmas carols and hymns on the local NPR station all day - no substitute for in-church worship but spiritually uplifting none-the-less. And if my animals spoke in English (or the two bilingual ones in Spanish) at midnight I wouldn't know because I was asleep, knowing full well that by 5 a.m. they would certainly be speaking in their canine and feline voices!  

 Even the animals know that it's only a few days until Christmas, and Mec (somewhat reluctantly!) agreed to try on a red t-shirt to celebrate. . . she'd rather have her harness on to ride in the car while I do errands, but she's always happy when activities involve Milk-Bone treats. Trying on a t-shirt? Yep, that came with treats! We hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

 Emma and Sally were not amused when I moved Asher into their room - Asher wasn't too happy either, but he needed more space to run and play. The girls climbed onto the cat tower to glare down at us - a few other cats moved to the window seat in an effort to ignore the entire situation. Louie and Casper are trying to be friends with Asher . . . and I'm hoping that goes well!

No need for expensive toys for these fur children! Crumpled brown paper is fascinating and fun. In a world that so often seems filled with politics, hate, and violence, cats can provide a moment of hilarity and appreciation for the simple things in life. 😸  

Eddi wanted to help wrap Christmas presents, but the ribbon was just too interesting - chasing it, tasting it, flopping down on top of it! For a cat, ribbon is a gift in itself!  

 Yes indeed, today is St. Nicholas' Day! Want to know more about the "real" St. Nicholas? Well, you could use Wikipedia  St. Nicholas or you could go right to the  St. Nicholas Center !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ...

Our first snow of the season! Thea had only one thought, "Let me back inside!"  Apparently, the beagles love snow the same way I do - watching it from indoors! If you, too, are having snow, stay safe and warm and dry! We hope you can watch the amazing beauty of snow and ice from indoors.       **************** Every now and then our local NPR radio station (WSCL) surprises me. Just now they played an Advent hymn by Charles Wesley, so I'll share the words here in the hope that you will feel as blessed by them as I do: Lo! he comes, with clouds descending, once for our salvation slain; thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train; Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ the Lord returns to reign. Every eye shall now behold him, robed in dreadful majesty; those who set at nought and sold him, pierced, and nailed him to the tree, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see. Those dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears, cause of en...

Dear Readers, I know some you will have seen our email about fund raising for Little Buddy's surgery and may even have contributed already. Assuming the weather cooperates, surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday and the great news is that we have raised 76% of the needed funds! If you know anyone who loves beagles and might want to help, please will you forward this information to them? Go Fund Me accepts donations from $5 and every contribution of any size is important!  Little Buddy says "Woof" and "Aroo" - the beagle versions of Thank You! https://gofund.me/9653e4dd0