Saturday Samplings

Woody has done quite a bit today as witnessed in tonight's blog photo...he prepared this part of his raised garden and then planted these cabbage plants and then mulched them. Storm, the cat from across the street, came over to stand guard...to keep any Easter Bunnies or Peter Rabbits out! Woody also walked to the library (I found out that it wasn't closed today so he decided that he would make the trek there and back.). Today seems like a lost day for me...I look back and it seems like it has passed me by with me doing pretty much a lot of nothing...mainly I haven't done what I had planned on doing...so perhaps that is the reason that it seems that way! I have managed to stew a chicken, debone said chicken, and make chicken stock from said bones! I have read a little and made plans to sew...but said plans have never come to fruition!!!!! Oh, and, I did wash a load of clothes (said load now in the drier just buzzed...guess I should go check on them and get them put away!) I did finally make a decision on what machine embroidery designs to buy with the bonus $10 that one of the design companies gave me (hoping that I would spend more...which I did!) to spend in my birthday month...I have been checking out designs for the last couple of days and finally made my decision today. I now have the designs that I will use to make Christmas ornaments for family and friends for this coming Christmas! NOW...if only I would start making them and not wait till the last minute! The designs that I ordered are instant download as soon as I pay for them. So they are in my possession all ready to be stitched out...BUT I don't have all the materials to make them. I ordered what I need the other day when I made an order for some sewing notions so I will be all set once that order arrives. Now to be disciplined and work on them off and on and get them ready early this year! Time will tell...I do have good intentions! Woody finished gardening and got me to take pictures before the rain arrived. So now that the rain is here, Woody has been reading and watching a bit of March Madness on TV...earlier he watched some tennis. And, thus you have a sampling of our doings on this the last Saturday in March...when I report next it will be April Fools' Day! Have a blessed Easter!

Good Friday 2013

Quite a day! A very busy day! Photo scanning...sewing...egg hunting...grocery shopping...walking...eating...gardening...mulch delivery...reading...and I'm sure quite a few other things! I decided this morning that I would scan the photos in our wedding album and then played a bit with the scans using Photo Shop. I have also managed to make a pair of pantaloons for Joy's doll. Woody did our weekly grocery shopping. Our neighbor grandchildren had an egg hunt...fun! fun! Woody has done a bit of seed planting in flats that can be taken in and out of the house while the temperatures still fluctuate. He ordered a load of mulch this morning and it was delivered this afternoon...much to Elijah's delight!! Elijah was impressed by the size of the mulch pile and the size of the dump truck. But the thing that he found most intriguing was that four of the dump truck's tires didn't touch the road! After the mulch was delivered, Goosey (Woody) and Graham started mulching a flower garden. It has been a cloudy day that almost reached 60 degrees. So far no rain...but we are supposed to get some in the next couple of days and still a chance today. Oh, I do know one other "event" of the day. Woody made a request of Nathan and Graham...get a squirrel out of our chimney (yuck!). Why these rascally squirrels find a way to fall into our chimney, I will never know! We had heard him in there some weeks back...and I knew then that once it warmed up we would need to get him out...and today I started smelling him...so Nathan and Graham came to our rescue! When Nathan and Graham came in, I "sang" "Going on a Squirrel Hunt" and Graham laughed and said "Got my bag!" When we got our new roof and the siding fixed after the hail storm, they were supposed to put a new cap on the top of the chimney that would keep squirrels, birds, etc. out...but in the end they supposedly couldn't find one that would fit on our chimney so...little critters can still climb up the chimney and end up falling down inside it and getting trapped. Maybe one of these days it will get fixed. We think that the workers just didn't want to have to climb up as high as the top of our chimney! I have chosen a new audio book: "The Yosemite" by John Muir. I'm enjoying it as it brings back memories of the trip that I made with my parents and sister many years ago! This has been a day of memories...a bit sad...this is the date that my mother died two years ago. Woody took a four mile walk this afternoon. We had our "Mediterranean tuna salad" at lunch with sliced tomatoes...quite good. I didn't sleep well last night so I am well underway with one of the books that Woody got for me at the library yesterday. That gives a bit of a summary of our day here in Middle TN where we are seeing starting to see tulip buds...won't be long till they share their beautiful colors with us! I "think" that Spring may really be arriving.

Beautiful Spring Day!

It has been a lovely day...finally! When Woody came back from his walk to the library, he commented on how nice the day, temp, etc. was for a walk. It actually almost made it to 60 today and not too much of a breeze. Graham and I drove to the church library this afternoon to get him some more books in the series that he is reading (he had finished the one we got the other day) and we really felt the greenhouse effect when we got back into the car. We even drove with the windows down for a bit to cool the car off. Elijah, Esther, Joy, Abigail, and I had a normal morning of school. This afternoon Graham came over and worked on his school work for a while and Esther and Elijah came over to play. I put together a tuna salad that is for a meal tomorrow. It is a new recipe that Woody saw Rachel Ray prepare and he got it off the internet. I would call it a Mediterranean Tuna Salad due to its ingredients: artichoke hearts, black olives, red onion, and capers (first time for me to use capers)and no mayo...just some olive oil. I thought that it would be good to let the flavors meld overnight. After I got the tuna salad put together and the dishwasher loaded, I headed upstairs to read and rest. I had finished all the books that I had been reading so now have a new one downloaded on my iPad, a new one (or two) from the church library, and a new one (or two or three) from the public library. I have started reading the one on the iPad and one of the public library ones. I looked through a sewing how-to book that Woody got me yesterday from the public library. The other day when I was making Abigail's slip, I finished listening to A Girl of the Limberlost...haven't chosen my next audio book yet. Woody felt the "need" to walk to the public library this afternoon as it will be closed for the long Easter weekend and he wanted to be sure that he had enough books and DVD's to get him through that time! Plus he said that he needed a walk and that the library is a good distance for a walk.

The Sparrow Saw His Shadow!

And, since the sparrow saw his shadow that means...that the sun shone today!!!! Hip-hip-hooray! I sewed this morning...that is I cut out (not my favorite part of sewing!). I pretty much have the outfit cut out that I am going to make for Joy's doll. Then after lunch I headed to work in the church library for a couple of hours. We once again stayed busy the whole time...what we accomplished...well...like I said, we stayed busy the whole time...so we must have accomplished at least a little! I came home and Woody was still out on his walk. He ran an errand and made a public library visit. I'm about to join him downstairs to watch one of James Patterson's Alex Cross movies. It was really nice to see the sun today!

Graupel

Well, I learned a new word today...of course, Woody is the one who taught it to me..."Graupel" refers to precipitation that forms when supercooled droplets of water are collected and freeze on a falling snowflake (soft hail)! I tend to learn something new every day! The second picture shows a close up of a piece or two of graupel on our front steps. (I missed an opportunity to take a picture of our back steps covered with graupel (didn't think to take it when they were covered...didn't know that it was graupel or I would have!!!!). Then the top one with the pink phlox shows the graupel falling and landing on the street (not the best picture...but the best for the length of time that I was willing to stand on the porch to get!). (click on the photo--especially on the pink phlox photo so you can see it on the road better) I have felt frozen all day...even Woody has commented on how cold he has felt. It once again never got out of the 30's today. All I can say is Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I have managed to sew today. I got the slip pattern altered to work with Abigail's dress (I hope)and then got it cut out and sewn up. I am now embellishing it a bit to make it look girly! Woody has, despite the cold temperature, walked to the prayer room at church. I am getting ready to head downstairs to watch the first elimination on Dancing With the Stars. The main thing that I usually want to see is who gets eliminated...so could just wait to turn it on till the last five minutes! But tonight Josh Groban is supposed to sing so I look forward to that. Sitting here in Middle TN wishing for more Spring-like temps...but I'm sure that they will come and go all too quickly and give way to hot and humid...and I will be wishing for it to be cooler...but at the moment...

Slide, Isaac and Elijah, Slide!

This has been a stay in the house and stay warm day. It has been so chilly all day...between the fairly low temps (stayed in the lower 30's all day) and the breeze and the spitting snow...it was quite cold when one did step out. Woody went out once to get the mail and I went out once to take Graham and Abigail to the church library. Graham wanted the first book in a series that he had been given some of the others and he wanted to start with number one and number one was in at the library. After we got back, Isaac and Elijah came over and ended up playing on the slide. Isaac is learning to go up the steps and not up the slide! He has a bit of trouble maneuvering at the top of the slide...but can manage all by himself "if" he slides down head first on his tummy! This slide has been about the best thing that we purchased for the grandchildren. We gave it to Erin when she was a toddler and it has been played with by all the grandchildren since. I am still getting prepared to do some sewing. (I seem to move slower and slower these days!) At the moment I am trying to figure out how to make a slip that will work with one of Abigail's dresses. Then I will start on a doll dress for Joy and I also want/need to do a bit of sewing for myself. Woody's knee is still bothering him so it is good that the weather has kept us in today!

Out On a Limb!

A couple of days ago at lunch, Elijah looked out the window and said that there was a baby bison in their tree! They all had to look (and look) to find what he was seeing. Finally they saw this little squirrel out at the very end of the limb snoozing in the sunshine. They called me up to come over to take its picture. By the time that I got over there he had his eye open a slit. The close-up was taken through Nathan and Kathy's kitchen window. When I headed back home, I detoured to their fence that encloses their backyard to snap the other picture. He was waaaaaaaaaaay up there. When I got home, I tried to take a picture of him from our bedroom window, but he had scurried away. I guess that the shape that Elijah saw reminded him of a bison that he had seen while in Yellowsotne. Anyway, we all thought that it was funny that they should have a baby bison in a tree in their backyard! Little ones do say the funniest things! Today has been a VERY lazy day for me. I have spent the day "thinking" about sewing projects, working on the laptop with some machine embroidery designs, and shopping on the internet for a few sewing notions that I need. I did manage to get the sewing cutting table out and the cutting board is open on top of that. A little while ago I did do a quick mend job on our bottom sheet (the elastic that helps hold the corner of the sheet on the mattress had pulled loose). Doing that lead me to change the bed so sheets are washing. That's about all I have accomplished today! Woody went to the library and while out he did a couple of errands. The rest of the day he has pretty much sat in his recliner resting his knees and watching some March Madness. It rained some in the night and then this afternoon it started up again...so far never a hard rain...it looks like the heavier stuff may be on its way. It has been a milder day. It got to the mid 50's.

44 Years Ago...Sigh........

Oh, my...the years have definitely gone by...44 years ago this photo was taken of us shortly after we said our "I do's." I really am not pushing him away...just trying not to squash his boutonniere (that's my story and I'm sticking with it!)! I had Woody look at our wedding album and choose tonight's photo to scan. I guessed ahead of time which one he would choose! See...I know him well! We have had a quiet day/evening...the years are catching up with us! Woody has a gimpy knee (or two). He did make his weekly trek to the grocery store and WalMart. But the rest of the day he has pretty much taken it easy watching March Madness. This morning I did some much needed cleaning. Then this afternoon I planned to read, but took a nap instead. We had "surf and turf" for our anniversary dinner (I'm getting pretty good butterflying lobster tails!). The table was set with quite a few items that were wedding gifts...silverware, dinnerware, glassware, steak knives, and napkin rings (last a gift from our ring bearer). We tried to recall all the addresses where we had lived...we remembered all the streets...but two of the numbers were a bit hard to recall! We checked our answers in the scrapbook Mother made us and the wedding memory book that I put together. We also listened to "our song" ("Dream a Little Dream of Me" sung by Mama Cass) on the Pandora app on the iPad. I'm now listening to "When I'm Sixty-Four." Hmmmmmm we've both passed that number by...doesn't seem possible how quickly the years have gone by since March 22, 1969! In some ways it seems just like yesterday...but in most ways I can't believe all that has happened in those 44 years! Time marches on!

Held Hostage!

Goosey (Woody)and I have been held hostage this evening next door! I was released for a few moments to come back home to post a picture and blog! Must return before harm comes to Goosey!!!! (Three of the six little monsters (or are they aliens?) have been put to bed...three to go! If we are not heard from again, we probably have been whisked off to some other planet!

Ready to Join the Troupe!?!

Looks like Isaac is ready to join the Dorrell family troupe...already attempting juggling skills! I spent some time next door trying to get a few pictures of Isaac. He hadn't had a "photo session" in several weeks. I think I got some cute ones. It was so fun to see him walk across the room and pick up the juggling rings. His siblings were so excited that he picked up three! I had a short school time with Elijah this morning and ended up not having school with the rest as they had a program at the local community college and had to leave mid-morning. After lunch I headed to the church library to work for a couple of hours. Donna and I opened up another couple of cans of worms...but once again we did accomplish quite a bit and left quite a bit to be accomplished next week! Woody went on a four-mile walk while I was at the library. He did do a bit in the yard despite the nippy temperatures this afternoon. He pruned back a couple of bushes in the garden...before they start putting out too much new growth. These particular bushes need to be cut back or they will take over. Well, Spring arrived today, but it is very chilly and supposed to get even chillier over night...as in getting into the 20's. Brrrrrrrr! I'm ready for spring-like temperatures!

Sewing! Sewing!

This was a sewing morning. Joy was the most excited about it as she had her first lesson sewing on the sewing machine. For her first lesson she sewed on paper...following lines that I drew. She also learned how to turn a corner by pivoting. Joy did a great job for her first time! Abigail was thrilled when she finished the capris that she cut out for her doll our last sewing lesson. She was amazed that she finished a sewing project in just two sewing times with me. Graham opted out from a sewing lesson. He had finished his apron last week and wasn't ready to start another project. He voted to continue on a K'nex project instead and finished building a quite tall rocket ship. Esther and Elijah showed up to play with Goosey (Woody) while Graham was over here building with K'nex. I nabbed Elijah and we had his lesson with the Movable Alphabet. Graham is studying about the body in science and he was studying about nerves. So after I had the lesson with Elijah I sat down where Graham was building and explained a bit about my Transverse Myelitis...so he had a continuance of his science lesson on nerves from me. After lunch I headed off to get my hair cut and then stopped on the way home to pick up prescriptions for Woody and me at the pharmacy. When I got home I called to have Esther come over to read to me, but she was off on a date with her daddy! She came over later and finished another Dick and Jane book. Joy came over while she was here and we read stories after Esther finished reading to me. Esther had me read Little Bunny Foo Foo, The Real Story over and over and then when I felt that I had read it enough times she took it to Goosey to read a few more times! Woody headed off walking to the prayer room at church for his walk for the day. I'm ready to head to the recliner to read one of my four books that I have going. I now need to finish the e-book as I only have a couple of more days till it will disappear into cyberspace!

Rain, Rain, and More Rain!

This has been a rather rainy, stormy day. But, as of about an hour ago, the sun is out. Woody didn't go on a walk today as there haven't been enough breaks in the rain. I had school this morning with Elijah, Esther and Joy. Then about as soon as Joy was finished I got underway with tonight's supper...Corned Beef and Cabbage (and potatoes and carrots and onions). I got the corned beef simmering on top of the stove and then I went upstairs to read and check emails, etc. I ended up watching a video of a lecture done by a National Geographic Photographer. He is testing out cameras like mine so it was interesting to see some of the photos that he as a professional has taken with a camera almost like mine. Then it was time to go downstairs and peel potatoes, carrots and onions and cut cabbage wedges. After the meat was finished cooking, I cooked potatoes, carrots and onions next and then cooked the cabbage. This is our traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner. I chose to wait till today since it is a rather all day cooking meal and it would have been hard to fit it in between church comings and goings yesterday. We have enjoyed our meal and now I am getting ready to go down and watch Dancing With the Stars. I am in the midst of four really good books...I rarely have more than one fiction book going at a time...and now I have an e-book, an audio book, a book from the church library, and a book from the public library all well under way. And, I am enjoying them all! And, so far I haven't gotten the plots confused!

Darn Day!

I got up before sunrise today (as did Woody...but that's not unusual for him). I didn't sleep much last night--which translates into me getting some reading done! I headed into the sewing room to work on a new-to-Abigail dress...one that she likes and looks cute on her...but one that we discovered when she tried it on at home had several holes/tears on the back. So Grammy decided that today was the day to attempt to rescue the dress for her. I first checked to see if I had some solid color fabric that would match if I were to put it behind the holes/tears. Upon heading into the guest room where that fabric is stored, I discovered that we were having a beautiful sunrise. So I paused in my mending efforts and got my camera and took several photos of the sunrise out the upstairs guestroom window. Then it was back to deciding about the best method to fix the dress. First came a good press of the dress...in pressing the dress I found another hole/tear! While pressing I thought about the best way to fix these holes and decided that I would change the drape of the dress fabric the least if I just darned the holes!!!!! And, hence tonight's blog title...it has definitely been a "darn day!" I have been at it most of the day...with a nap here and there along the way (making up for not sleeping much during the night!). This "fix" is definitely not invisible...but on a "galloping horse" (Abigail) the mends probably won't be noticeable and she will be able to wear this dress...so she will be happy! It was definitely a slow-go but then there were five different places that needed to be mended. As I darned, I wondered what this dress had been caught on or in...car door, dog's mouth...or what?!? I listened to "Girl of the Limberlost while mending...made the process less painful! I would much rather make a garment from start to finish than to mend a garment...just saying! Tonight's photos show Esther and her doll, Noel, and Noel's new dress and pinafore. The fabrics have lots of stories to tell! The blue check is the fabric I used to make Nathan and Kathy's kitchen window treatments in their house in Georgia. The white eyelet fabrics are from my Aunt Lois' doll sewing stash that I inherited! Woody walked to the library this morning. He brought me back a book that I had asked him to check out for me. I haven't started reading it yet because of my "darn day!" Later in the day he ran errands and the rest of the day he has read, watched basketball and other things on TV, worked crossword puzzles, made tuna salad, unloaded the dishwasher, etc. It has been a breezy Spring-like day...though I never even stuck my head out the door...just sat and darned...but it was nice to see the sun shining in the windows! Don't forget to wear your green tomorrow!

The Ides of March Are Upon Us!

It has been a beautiful breezy, warm day for us here in Middle Tennessee. I spent some time this morning organizing my camera equipment (finding a good place for lenses, etc. to reside when not in use). I ended up clearing a shelf in my needlework cabinet...but of course had to find a place for what I took off said shelf! After all that I decided that it was time to go sit on the front porch and try out some of my lenses (these include lenses that were my father's)and to try out different settings on my new camera. I even got out the tripod for a few of them as one of Daddy's lenses is so heavy that I can't hold the camera still without the tripod. I managed to find several little birdies who agreed to pose for me. While I was doing that, Woody went to the grocery store. He was pretty worn out by the time he got them into the kitchen from the car. After lunch Graham, Elijah and Esther paid us a visit. Graham came over to tell us that he started taking drum lessons this morning. Esther came over to invite one of us to help her find caterpillars! Woody took her up on the invitation...but when they came back no caterpillars had been found...only a few earthworms! Woody's little excursion around the yard added to his grocery excursion equaled a little "eye resting" this afternoon. I had asked Graham earlier in the week if he would gather up the the K'nex pieces that had been in the original set that was the Pickle Present six or so Christmases ago. I wanted that first set along with the instruction book so that either Graham or I could start Elijah off with K'nex using the same kit that Graham started with. Graham volunteered to get that put together this afternoon. After he got it put together, the two of us helped Elijah follow the directions to make one of the simple builds in the book...an UFO! He was very proud of it...as can be seen in the picture above. Graham decided after Elijah went home that he would build something with K'nex...so he built a Space Shuttle. Then he decided that he would like to sew some more on his apron. And, as can be seen in his picture above, he finished it! He did a great job! Woody went on a four-mile walk while we were sewing. After Graham finished his apron, I got busy on making our supper...chicken and rice soup. We're both settling in for the evening. We've both had a pretty busy day...the recliner is sounding pretty good to me at the moment and Woody is already ensconced in his!

Thursday Doin's

I overslept a bit this morning which meant that I got off to a bit later start with school and didn't manage to get all lesson times in during the morning. So sweet Abigail volunteered to have her sewing lesson after lunch! I took a bit longer than usual with Esther's lessons as I had her bring her doll over to for a dress try-on after she finished reading a story to me and then doing a couple of pages in her math workbook...then I sewed the snaps on the dress (dress and pinafore are done for Esther's doll!)...and Grammy's fingers didn't want to cooperate with little snaps this morning! Joy did one of her subjects over here and then we got busy planning the dress that I am going to make for her doll! I now have fabric and pattern pieces laying all over the guest bed. I think that we finalized decisions so now to put away some of the fabric that we don't plan to use. Abigail is going to make capris for her doll that go with the blouse that I made for her jumper. She got the pattern pieces cut out and I serged around the pieces. So next week she will be ready to start sewing. While I was sewing with Abigail, Woody headed off for a walk...his first walk in several days. He walked four-miles and he said that he took it slowly. After Abigail left I settled into the recliner and read more on the book that I picked up at the library on Tuesday. I dozed before finishing it, but did finish it after my nap. Woody has read, watched basketball on TV, and helped with the dishes. He is still coughing, but I think that he is on the mend.

Routine Wednesday!

My day started out with school first with Elijah, then Esther, then Joy, and then ended with Graham's sewing lesson. At some point in the morning, Woody finished the library book that we were both reading...guess I now have exclusive rights for reading it while it resides in our house...no more sharing! I ate lunch and got ready to head to the church library. I delayed my departure a bit to see if the smoke coming out of the Vatican was really white and if the bells would ring. And, white smoke it was and I heard the bells ring. I left before they announced the new Pope's name. I did guess that it would be a South American country...but thought that it would be Brazil...at least I guessed the continent right. Donna and I worked for a couple of hours in the church library...both of us kept busy the whole time...and accomplished something (we think!). I came home and sewed a little more on the pinafore for Esther's doll and then cooked some pasta to go with warmed-up leftover sauce...so an easy supper. Woody has read, rested, watched TV, and coughed today...oh, he did do some dishes and get the mail. Tonight's photo is a little memorial garden outside our library that one of the garden clubs in town planted in memory of one of my former Montessori School students. Always sad when one of my students dies way too young. Yesterday I learned that another of my students died in a training flight crash near Spokane, Washington on Monday. So sad...

On The Road Again!

When we travel this road, we have to make sure that the car stops when it should and not continue on to NIH! Our route to our personal care physician is the same that we take when we head to NIH. We headed off bright and early for me to go to our personal care physician for my periodic (every 6-8 mon.) lab work. Today's visit was a first...first time for me to use Medicare for a doctor visit. Lots of different/new paper work to fill out and forms to sign! Got all those filled out, saw the doctor (always good to see her, as she used to be a member of our church before she moved to McMinnville...we chose to keep her as our doctor after she moved her practice), had my blood drawn, and was out of her office in less than an hour. A one-way trip takes from 45 min. to an hour...so all totaled we were away from Tullahoma for almost three hours. When we got back into town, Woody stopped to run an errand, then we headed to the library to pick up a library book that they had on hold for me, THEN we swung by Dairy Queen to "collect" my birthday Blizzard (buy one, get one free (so Woody got one too!)), then it was on home to enjoy our Blizzards. The Blizzards "made" us have a backwards lunch...after we had our Blizzards, then we had a bowl of soup to warm up! All the comings and goings wore me out and I headed upstairs to read my new book for a while and ultimately to fall asleep. I gave Woody permission to steal my book if I fell asleep! It is another 7-day book that we both want to read. He got ahead of me in the book while I slept! Woody has just taken out the garbage and is now heading to the prayer room...this time driving...as he is still taking it a bit easy due to his cough and whatever else ails him! He is much better and his cough seems to be more of a dry cough now due to the irritation of having coughed so much over the last week or so. I was glad to try out my new camera while on our travels today. I am always interested in how my cameras take photos out the car window as we whiz on down the highways and byways! I am very pleased that my new camera focuses so much quicker--even through the car window or windshield. Tonight's photo was taken out my side window at probably 60 mph...it shows one of the pretty farms along the highway and also shows the Highland Rim in the background. It was rather overcast as our trip commenced this morning and at a point the sun broke through one opening in the clouds...as seen in this photo...very pretty. I got several pictures of the sunbeams coming through that hole in the clouds. The radio newscaster in Nashville kept saying that it was mostly sunny...and we were seeing these quite thick clouds...but that little peek of sun was letting us know that the sun would eventually break through. And, by the time that I came out of the doctor's office there was blue sky with lots of pretty puffy white clouds. It has been nice to see the sun today. It was still quite chilly...only made it a little ways into the 50's. But my afternoon nap was very pleasant with the sun coming in the window, shining on me, and warming me...made it good napping conditions! Since waking up I have had a little energy and have done a bit of dusting and getting out a few Spring decorations...my sister inspired me to get my bunny collection arranged as she sent me a new bunny decoration yesterday! Thinking Spring!

Birthday Popcorn!

The neighbors (aka Nathan and family) had been away for more than a week. After church they came over with a big bowl of popcorn for a Sunday night birthday treat. They came in the door singing (2nd time they had sung to me that day...I had also gotten an on-the-road call from them that afternoon)! Woody sang to me in the morning...so I was well sung to! Since I taught my Sunday School class yesterday morning, I served donuts as a birthday treat. So donuts before Sunday School and popcorn after the evening service. Nice day to turn 65...talk about an eye opener...I can't believe I have moved into the Medicare generation! In my mind I don't feel like I'm that old...but definitely in body aches and pains I know that I belong there (and when I look in the mirror)! Today started out like a "normal" Monday. First I got a pot of beans cooking for white chili and then I had school with Elijah, Esther and Joy. I put the white chili the rest of the way together and on to simmer and then headed to the pharmacy and picked up prescriptions for Woody and me. Then back to make chicken broth (liquid gold). After that I was ready for a rest. By the time I felt rested (did doze off for a few minutes...power nap), I needed to get a load of wash going. Woody has felt some better today, but still coughing at times. He has continued to take it easy. He did walk out and get the mail!

Time Marches On!

Busy changing clocks throughout the house. I guess I am trying to make our internal clocks believe that it is an hour later than it is! "Maybe" I'll try to get to bed earlier tonight...then the time change won't be so hard...but I know that I probably won't! Once again, this is the time change that I really dislike as it makes me move an hour farther away from my family in AZ. And, it really isn't fair now as this time change isn't for just six months...but eight months. Oh, well...not much I can do about it...except pout...and I guess that won't do a lot of good! Woody is still not feeling well...really coughing...though cough medicine is helping him some. I just don't want him to break a rib! He did do the grocery shopping and made his Saturday trip to the library. But by the time that he got home he was really "done in!" He came in to rest before he brought the groceries in. In the end I brought the rest of the groceries in and also put them away. He has pretty much stayed in his recliner for most of the day. He has watched TV and DVD's that he got from the library. I have spent time studying...but this time not my camera...but tomorrow's Sunday School lesson. I did go outside and walk around our yard and take some pictures of flowers, plants, and birds. It was very pleasant out today. I made red clam sauce and linguine for supper. The next time that I blog (Monday) we will have lost an hour and I will have gained a year! Oh, boy... Well, guess I should go look around the house and see what clocks I have missed! I have surprised myself several times this evening when I look at clock clock and think that it is later than it is (at least for this evening).

Housing War?

Even with a broken perch, this bird house seems to be much in demand...wonder who will win...bluebirds or sparrows...yesterday it was the bluebirds checking it out and today sparrows...maybe the blue birds wanted a perch! Woody is still feeling sort of puny due to allergies...or whatever. I drove a friend to her doctor appointment this morning and then the rest of the day I'm not sure what I did...except for taking a pretty good nap this afternoon! I did make Eggplant Parmesan for our supper. I planned to sew some more on the pinafore for Esther's doll...but so far...haven't! A pretty lazy Friday for both of us. It was pretty chilly this morning...but by this afternoon it had warmed up enough to feel quite good out in the sun.

Blue Bird of Happiness!

This little blue bird was perched deciding about which house to choose! The wind was blowing...this little birdie's side weathers were blowing. It has been a quiet day around here today. Woody has pretty much stayed in his recliner. He is having allergy problems...or something...lots of drainage. He has had a dose or two of Benadryl...so that has him pretty sleepy! I have done a little of nothing! But have accomplished a bit...more camera study and I also have worked on Esther's doll's dress. The dress is finished...now for the pinafore! I have watched Food Network shows on my iPad while sewing. I never even stepped outside today...still brisk! Though, I do think that it made it into the 40's...barely...no rain, though...got to see the sun come through the windows. Tonight's picture was taken through our kitchen window.

Windy Wednesday!

I guess that this wind is supposedly blowing Spring our way...but boy has it been cold today. It never got out of the 30's and with the wind felt so much colder. Woody took a four-mile walk after lunch. Shortly after he returned I left to work at the church library for a couple of hours. We continue to work on taking inventory. I have had another day of studying my camera and all its settings. We're looking forward to warmer temps...70's are predicted for the weekend...sounds good...we'll see if the predictions come true! Here's another photo taken with my new camera...this robin posed so nicely on the eave of our roof...yesterday's blog photos were taken with my little point-and-shoot (since it was in my purse when we headed off for our treats...I didn't want to risk getting the new one wet and my little one was protected from the elements since it is so small and fits in my purse so nicely!)

A Yummy, Rainy & Blustery Day!

Woody got up and walked early and is glad that he did as it rained a good part of the rest of the day. It has been very windy also. He just walked in from walking to the prayer room at church...so I guess he didn't get blown away! I worked upstairs most of the morning and when I went downstairs for lunch, Woody asked if I wanted to go to Chick-Fil-A (one has just opened in Tullahoma and we had a coupon for a free sandwich)and also for a Blizzard. Mmmmmm! Hard to turn down that offer...even in the pouring down rain! So off we went. I got a chicken sandwich and some of their waffle fries (Woody had already had a sandwich so no Chick-Fil-A for him...he didn't even steal a fry!) and on we went to Dairy Queen for their buy one medium Blizzard and get a second for 99 cents. We both got a Blizzard. Yummy! We don't eat out often so that was a treat--a double treat. I asked Woody if it was a date. He said, "If you want it to be." I made chili for our supper...all this rain and wind are ahead of some more cold weather...so chili sounded good...plus Woody ground the London Broil this morning...so it was a perfect time to make the chili. I did some tasting while making it, but am not really hungry for it...at least not tonight! I wonder why!!!!

Blustery March Day!

The snowy photo is what we woke up to yesterday morning...more March snow! Today has been rather mild, but windy...the temps made it into the mid fifties...chilly with the wind! I know how chilly because I actually went on a short walk with Woody. After we got home from our walk around the block, Woody walked to the library and then ran an errand while out on his walk. While he was walking I played around with my camera...trying it out on tripods, trying different settings, etc. I sat on the front porch for a little while. I managed to "capture" this little tufted titmouse waaaaaaaay up in a tree. When the sun started setting I went out and took my first sunset pictures with my new camera. I have done a very little bit of cleaning today and the rest of the day I studied...my camera!

March...Really? A Good Day For Soup!

This robin is very confused! He thought that he was a harbinger of Spring, but look what he woke up to this morning! For me it has been a good day to play with cameras, make potato soup, and just laze around. Woody was a bit more ambitious. He went to the library and WalMart and went on a four-mile walk this afternoon. He said that it was a very pleasant walk as it was above freezing and next to no wind. He has done crossword puzzles, read, and watched a library DVD and some TV.

Day of Firsts!

So on this FIRST day of March we have had several FIRSTS. Tonight's photo shows Graham and Abigail on their way for their FIRST orthodontist appointment/consultation. Tonight's photo is also the FIRST photo taken with my birthday present from Woody. UPS finally delivered the package around 8:30pm last night. I asked the UPS man how late they usually deliver...he said that he would probably be delivering till around 9:45pm! I got into the package pretty quickly and found the battery charger and battery so I could get it started charging...since can't use the camera till after it is charged. So I had to patiently wait to use the camera after patiently waiting for it to be delivered! So while patiently waiting I planned out what should be my FIRST photo and decided that it should be of Graham and Abigail...now we have a picture of what their teeth looked like today...and several years from now I will have to take a photo of what they look like after they have their teeth straightened. This camera is the reason that I had been researching cameras and checking out photos taken by various cameras. This is an updated version of the camera that I have...so new and more bells and whistles. Woody and I babysat this morning while Graham and Abigail (and their parents) went to the orthodontist...so I experimented with the camera on several little subjects next door! Elijah was the star of the FIRST movie that I took with my birthday present. Graham will be getting braces a month from today. Abigail will be starting out with a retainer-type appliance to get her mouth ready for braces once she has lost more of her baby teeth--probably a couple of years down the road for her braces. A while after lunch, Graham came over and we finalized an order for extra Lego parts that he needed--the rest of his birthday present. Then I took off to go to the pharmacy and run an errand. The pharmacy was also a FIRST for me...this is my FIRST day of being on Medicare and picked up my FIRST prescription using my Medicare prescription supplement...oh, boy......Woody didn't walk today as he said that he thought that it would get nicer/warmer...and it never did! While I cooked supper tonight, he went to the library in the car to return the 7-day book that I finished last night and that was due today. It has been spitting snow off and on all day. About the time that evening fell...more snow started falling and it is still falling. I don't think that we are supposed to get much, but still it is the FIRST snowfall of March! So that concludes a summary of our day of FIRSTS on this the FIRST day of March. (I forgot another FIRST...Graham's order was my FIRST order from Ebay (may be my last!).)