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All names on this blog (except for other Bloggers' names) have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals. However, each pseudonym has been chosen with care, and reflects in some way or with some meaning the character/personality of each individual.

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"With God, all things are possible."

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Just A Day








I've been wanting to do a post where I document a day in my life - solely in pictures. Probably no words at all, just the images to tell the story. The idea seemed to promise both fun and challenge.
But... I've tried to do it twice this week, and neither day went very well. I got a few pictures I really like but, the experiment as a whole didn't 'work'. Either I missed things I wanted to include, or something was out-of-the-ordinary for the day (rain, the Grandparents needing to get up earlier than usual, canceled music practice on Tuesday, etc.), or I didn't have the focus right, or there was something else. I'd just wanted to include a typical day. I tried to do it Tuesday, and again yesterday, but it just didn't work out.
So... I'm just going to post a couple from yesterday that I like that I did get. Hopefully I can try again, right?

Thursday was a nice day though! The morning was gray and over-cast, but I still did my morning bike ride, and then went up to the Grandparents' to help them get up and get breakfast. Then it was off to work at the restaurant, and after that at Victory Rd. Christian Academy.
The restaurant is doing a special on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-7:00 where ice cream cones are fifty cents instead of $1.50, so as a treat, after I got off at the academy, Dad, Mom, Trissy, and the Grandparents met me there and I bought us all ice cream cones. The day started out warm, but by mid-afternoon, it was beginning to get cool, and we were actually wearing jackets as we sat out on the patio of the restaurant and ate our ice cream!
When we left, Trissy drove the Grandparents in their car back to their house, and I joined them there to help the Grandparents get out of the car, into the house, and settled in the living room where they spend their evenings. Dad and Mom went to our house, because a man was supposed to be bringing a part for Mom's vacuum cleaner. But after Trissy and I'd helped the Grandparents get into the house and settled watching "Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye", the Grandmother asked if we'd like to stay for a little while. So I went back out to my car and got my crocheting, and we sat in the living room and watched an episode of "Sue Thomas", one of "The Andy Griffith Show", and one of "The Waltons", until it was time to help them get ready for bed. It was so relaxing and enjoyable! Our whole family tries to go and eat supper with them and spend the evening on Friday nights, but it had been a long time since Trissy and I just went up for a visit. This time we didn't have to fix or clean up after supper, we had our crocheting or projects to sit and work on, and we spent a leisurely couple of hours just relaxing, enjoying each others' company, and watching a little bit of nice clean TV.
We helped them to bed, then headed up the lane to our house. Dad had ordered an ultraviolet light that makes some of the rocks in his collection glow, and it had come a day early, and the vacuum cleaner man brought Mom a new piece to replace the carpet-cleaning part of her vacuum cleaner that was broken. So Dad and Mom had to show us how their new 'toys' worked before we went to bed :) .
By the time I did get to bed, I was super tired, but it was a 'good' tired - the kind you feel after a long, full, good day.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Recent Happenings No. 7

Last Tuesday (Oct. 1), after running for our family (or part of it) for roughly 30 years, our refrigerator was replaced. This is a big deal. Maybe a little silly, but still a big deal. That thing ran for Mom for several years before she met and married Dad, and for them and Trissy and me until now. It's just now giving out. They built quality back then. It's like giving up an old friend :( .



Last Wednesday (Oct. 2) night, Uncle Alvin's oldest daughter and her family came down and brought us their chickens to 'babysit'. They are moving, and mom offered for us to keep the chickens until they are settled into the new house they're building. They have some pretty chickens, and they are so friendly too. I guess my cousin and her husband's eight kids have them pretty much used to anything :) .
When Trissy and I came in from church, my cousin's oldest daughter was calmly fixing peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches while the next-to-youngest little boy was sitting sleepy-eyed next to the counter. The adults were out in the night, trying to get a chicken coop and pen put up so they could deposit the chickens and get back to finish up a long list of things before my cousin's husband had to be at work in the morning. The kids were loving our country place (they currently live in the city, and are moving to the country), roaming the yard, playing with Murphy and Jack (our two cats), trying out our small basketball court, the older boys helping with the chickens. I know my cousin and her husband have taught and trained their kids well, but I was still so impressed to walk into the house (tired and, I admit ashamedly, rather cross and irritable) and find the oldest little girl calmly making everybody supper. And soon the baby was brought in for her to look after, so my cousin could help with the construction of the chicken pen. She deftly hoisted him to her back, and there he clung like a baby opposum, while she supported him with one hand and continued making sandwiches with the other. Her responsibility and calm just impressed me so much, and warmed my heart in a way I can't explain!

I snapped these pictures of a few of their chickens yesterday morning when I went out to feed them.





Wednesday (Oct. 9) afternoon we had Joy over for a little while. Wednesday is not the best day to have 'the girls', because they (at least Joy and Lela - Abigail and Piper are a little more flexible since they are home-schooled) have school 'til 3:00 and then we have church at 6:30, even if we cancel Piper's 5:00 piano lesson and Joy's and my 5:35-ish discipleship session. But Wednesday was the only day I had off work this week, and we've been wanting to have the girls come over for quite a while, so we worked hard, got the house clean, and invited them. Turns out, Joy ended up being the only one who was able to come (Trissy and I picked her up from school, then took her with us when we went to the church). Mrs. S's mother was to have surgery the next day and Abigail and Piper were going with her, and they had packing to do. So Joy came and we had a short, nice, afternoon. We made and ate corn dog muffins (only we put two 'dogs' in them, side by side, and called them "pig noses" instead!), and Mom played a game of Rummikub with us. Joy had never played but caught on quickly. We finished the game and the muffins right about time to leave for me to get to the church for Piper's piano lesson. It was a quick but very refreshing, enjoyable, and fun afternoon treat with a dear friend.


Thursday afternoon when I came in from a long day of work, Mom and Trissy had hot tea waiting for me in a china cup, and some of Mom's hoarded 'French Vanilla' creamer in a small matching pitcher (Trissy took the photo below, of her tea. She was working on some project in the sewing room).



Thursday night I stayed up late updating/preparing/working on the 365 photo blog I hope to start the first of 2014. I'm enjoying my new Nikon so much. I'm already taking lots of pictures, so set up a page for some of my favorites before the "365" challenge actually starts. The blog still has tweaking and work to be done (for instance, I'm not sure I'll keep that title... But I've got a couple more months to think about it.), but I feel very happy with the beginning results.




Biscuits and gravy last night for supper at The Grandparents'. The Grandmother's biscuits and gravy are still the best, and Friday evening is a special treat - the six of us together for a bonafide Southern home-cooked supper, and usually a movie or game or reading out loud afterwards until bed time. So thankful for these times together.



Today is, I am afraid, one of the last flip-flop days of summer. The weather is getting cooler and is so beautiful. Fall is, hands down, the most wonderful season. I'm lovin' it.
And yes, I do wear mis-matched flip-flops around the house.





I had a little free time today, and a burst of inspiration, and pulled out my things to make some more reversible flag pendants. The academy is going to be doing a "Fall Festival" fundraiser in the old part of town near the end of the month. They are renting booth spaces to craft and food sellers, and I'm thinking about renting half a booth with Niclole and her mom.



Yesterday as I left work at the restaurant, I stopped at the vacant lot next door where a family was having a yard sale. They've had about three during the time I've been working at the restaurant, and I always go over and see if they have any books. When I walked up this time, one of the ladies said with a smile, 'There's a box of books over there. They came from my husband's aunt though, and some of them look a little strange.' As I knelt and looked through them, one of the little girls (there was a whole passle of cute kids playing in the tall grass behind the lot - this one was probably about seven years old) bent down to me and asked, 'Do you want some lemonade?'
"Well, how much is it?" I asked.
She answered shyly, "Fifty cents."
'Fifty cents. Then yes, I'll take some lemonade!' I've always been charmed by the fact that there are still kids who do the old-fashioned lemonade stands, and I couldn't turn down this sweet little cutie. I chose two books - "Heidi", an old classic, and another old one that looked promising - and as I paid for them, she came back and handed me a sturdy plastic cup full of icey lemonade. And it was some of the best lemonade I think I've ever tasted!

{Note: I considered it quite providential that Jewel had just loaned me an old book called "Penrod: His Complete Story" which, so far (I just started it this morning), has proven to be quite well-written and very entertaining! The book I bought from the yard sale was not good, and left 'a bad taste in my mouth', so to speak, though I only skimmed it.}


Blueberry jelly :) . The end.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

My "Thankful List"

This morning I woke up about 5:00-ish as usual, and as usual tip-toed into the living room, curled up in a corner of the couch, and turned on the lamp to do my morning Bible reading. But somehow I got started just writing down some things I'm thankful for. I ended up filling three of these narrow purple sheets of scrap paper I had, just writing to God, thanking Him for some of the things He's blessed me with. Little things, some of them. Big things, some of them.
I believe being thankful is important. I know alot of my prayers consist of requests for the Lord's intervention, protection, supply, etc., and I want to also be careful to give Him praise and gratitude!

After a little debate with myself, I decided to share my "thankful list" from this morning. Maybe it will inspire you to make your own list - thank the Lord for some of the things He's given you.





Aaaaand, just in case you can't read my handwriting, I'm typing it out, too :) . You're welcome.

1) Unlimited access to running water - clean drinking water
2) Fresh milk
3) Soft covers
4) Good nights of restful sleep
5) Teddy bears
6) Law & all he's meant to me
7) Hope
8) Your [the Lord's] faithfulness & mercy
9) Cool fresh air
10) A place to go to church
11) Freedom to worship publicly
12) A good name
13) Fun adventurous books
14) Unmarked writing paper
15) Purple ink pens
16) Waking up from unpleasant dreams
17) Alarm clocks that work
18) Indoor lighting
19) Indoor plumbing
20) Well-done family movies

21) Pretty floor rugs
22) Soft carpet
23) Real-wood cabinets
24) Small businesses
25) Breakfast
26) Lunch
27) Supper
28) Potted plants that can live indoors
29) Vintage & antique dishes
30) Recycling
31) TV remotes
32) Warm water
33) Sermon notes
34) Small polished stones
35) Hens that lay an egg each day
36) Country/farm life
37) Nice photography
38) Independence
39) People who are considerate of others
40) Pets

41) Home-made milkshakes &/or smoothies
42) Organization
43) Umbrellas
44) Cheddar cheese
45) Small-group Bible studies
46) Games
47) When people share or loan their things & rescources [Yes, I spelt 'resources' wrong. Sorry.]
48) Memories
49) Christian music
50) Automobiles
51) A full tank of gas in a car
52) Snack crackers & granola bars
53) Miniatures
54) Thunderstorms
55) Bike rides
56) Nature walks & hikes that aren't exhausting
57) Outfits that are modest, & pleasant to look at
58) Small papers w/ ['with'] Bible verses
59) People waving
60) Prayer