Waving Good-bye to November

I've been having trouble getting logged onto the internet so I will blog quickly while we have a connection!

I had school as usual for a Thursday.  Elijah and I read and then he helped me with decorating for his long time today.  He was a big help clearing tables, shelves, etc. and putting the things on the dining room table.  I found the Byers Carolers first and started putting them out...of course...I haven't come across all "their boxes" so that part of the decorations isn't complete till I find the rest of the boxes...but at least well underway in the living room.  The only thing that I actually completed was the shadow box in the kitchen.

Woody got his four-mile walk in today.  The temperatures have been very pleasant.  This evening he and I went to the annual Deacons/Widows Banquet at church.  We had a delicious meal, good fellowship, and heard a young girl (12) sing for our entertainment.  She has a beautiful voice.

Tomorrow Marie, Carolyn and I have plans to go off on another photo excursion...I'm sure that barns will be a major focus for this trip.  Wonder if we will find some Christmas barns!?!  'Tis the season!

Errand Runner!

Woody kept busy either running errands for me today or visiting friends from church or raking or blowing leaves.  I got the box all ready to go to Arizona...except we didn't have packaging tape to close up the box nor did we have any mailing labels.  So his first errand for me was to purchase those items so I could get the box totally ready to be mailed.  He visited with one of his deacon family members and later in the morning he visited with other church member friends.  While he headed off for one of his visits, I got the box ready to be mailed.  By the time he got back it was time for me to go to work in the church library.  Donna and I got several more books ready for circulation.  Not long after I got home, Woody headed off to the Post Office to mail the Arizona package and get some Christmas stamps.  Hip Hip Hooray!!!! I am so glad that their package is on its way.  This is the first time in some time that we have gotten it in the mail before December 1.  I did have school with Joseph and Isaac and read with Elijah and Joy.  Abigail still hasn't gotten totally over her sinus infection so didn't have her long time today.

Woody exercised running errands...but mainly raking and blowing leaves.  When I got back from the library the driveway was piled high with leaves...and he had to move them before he could pull the car into the garage.  The leaves are definitely thick under foot...about knee deep in places!

Well, now that the Arizona package is off, it is officially time for me to get busy and decorate the house.  I thought I would start tonight, but I am lacking the energy at the moment.  Though I may get a second wind.  I thought that I might start clearing off surfaces tonight so when I find decorations I can put them out.  We'll see if that gets accomplished or not...'tis the season!

Edging Toward the End of November

This is one of my all time favorite fall pictures that I have taken.  I took it on one of our walks on the Tullahoma Greenway...quite a few years ago.  I am considering having this enlarged to go over our couch in the living room.

Woody has just returned from making some visits to his Sunday School boys.  While he was out and about he also went to the prayer room.  Because he planned to drive to the prayer room tonight, he went for a four-mile walk this afternoon.  It has been a very pretty day.

I had school with Joseph and Isaac and then Elijah and Joy came over to read. Esther had her long time today.  She is getting sooooooooo close to finishing her apron...hopefully it will be finished by the time they do their holiday baking.  I think that she should be able to finish it next week.  I continued to get the packages ready to send to Arizona...I seem to be in slow-motion when it comes to getting them ready!  I keep getting interrupted by one thing or another that I need to do and then it takes a while to get back to working on them.  Mid afternoon I stopped and made a pot of Turkey Barley soup...the first time to make this recipe and we both say that it is "a keeper."  On Thanksgiving I wondered about my sanity when making turkey stock  right after our big meal.  But when it came time to make the soup today, I was very happy that it was all done and waiting to be poured into the pan to make the soup!

I have had to tend to some Sunday School duties today as this coming Sunday is our annual class Christmas party.  I had to email the class with the final details as a reminder.  I am thankful that we are having it at the church this year rather than at our house...seeing that I haven't "really" gotten a start on decorating.  Of course IF I had been having the party, I would be all decorated as I would have started early.  All I can say is that Christmas is fast approaching...I guess it is to be expected that time is flying...after all 'tis the season!

Monday After Thanksgiving

It has been a pretty busy day as we attempt to get back into routine after the Thanksgiving holiday.  I had school with Joseph for a little while and then Woody claimed him as he had gotten a movie about wild cats at the library.  They watched that for a while and then Joseph headed home.  I read with Elijah and then Esther and then Joy came for her long time. Joy completed some more blocks for her lap-size quilt.  Perhaps a never-ending sewing project!?!  While I was reading with children, Woody took Kathy and Isaac and Abigail to the pediatrician. While they were seeing the doctor, Woody went to Life Care and had Bible study with Jeff and visited with another friend.  He headed back to pick them up and stopped at the pharmacy to pick up the prescriptions for the children.  Looks like a strep bug has gotten into their household.  I understand that it is going around town.  It looks like Elijah is also puny with it.  Abigail also has a sinus infection.  Hopefully it doesn't go through the whole family!

This afternoon, I gathered my thoughts together to head out to do some Christmas shopping.  I went next door before I left to check out the floor that they were working on in their living room.  When Kathy found out that I was going shopping she came along.  She is still wearing a boot so can't drive.  We both managed to find what we were looking for at WalMart.  I think that this shopping trip completed my shopping for the Arizona gifts...maybe...though, I do have one more idea that may take me on a short shopping trip tomorrow.  Now to get busy wrapping what I have gotten and/or made.

Woody has gone to Monday night prayer meeting and hasn't returned.  I am thinking about getting the gifts organized to wrap after I finish blogging...though my energy level is starting to run down.  All I can say is that November is coming to an end all too quickly!  Christmas will be here before I blink many times!  Gulp!  'Tis the season!

Small Business Saturday

When I started thinking about a photo for tonight's blog for some reason this one popped into my head.  I took it at my sister's back in 2010 when Woody and I went there for Thanksgiving.  This pilgrim girl was a part of my Aunt Lois' doll collection.  She made the pilgrim dress, hat, etc.

Today has been a pretty much "back to normal" day after all the festivities and feasting of the last couple of days.  I was glad not to cook anything today except to warm some things in the microwave.

Woody went to the public library and picked up a prescription for me at the pharmacy.  Later in the day I ran an errand...I needed thread for the machine embroidered ornaments that I still have to make and some quilting cottons to make a couple of gifts.  That was my support of small businesses for today...my Janome sewing machine dealer and the local quilt shop.  I have spent a good part of the morning and afternoon working on the last steps in my niece's Christmas gift.  I decided that I had better get back to work on it and put the Christmas ornaments aside since I need her gift for the Christmas box for Arizona.  My main goal at the moment is to get those gifts in the mail...soon!  I did make one Black Friday purchase...Isaac's Christmas gift...but did it online at a Black Friday sale rather than in an actual store.

Woody has watched one football game or another this afternoon.  He has also been challenging our old computer to Scrabble games.  He has also done some reading and of course his daily crossword puzzles.As soon as I hit "publish" I am heading back to continue putting the hem in my gift for my great niece, Julianna...completion of her gift is in sight.  It's about time for me to start thinking about decorating, too.  I guess I have been "thinking" about it...just not moving in a direction to get really underway with it.  But as I keep reminding myself...'tis the season!

Black Friday Bargains

 Woody's Black Friday bargains were fresh turkey breasts.  He found them for 50 cents a pound so took advantage.  Came home with quite a few.  Took some over to Nathan and Kathy's to put in their freezer.  And, I cooked three...one for Nathan and Kathy since their kitchen is still out of commission.  And, two for us...one to eat on now and one to slice and freeze for later.

 Our leftover turkey from yesterday is no longer as I made one of my mother's turkey leftover recipes: Turkey Ole and invited the neighbors over for day after Thanksgiving supper.  Nathan isn't pictured...just his place at the table as he was still grouting the tile in their kitchen.  He did make an appearance and enjoyed one of his favorites that his gramma made.  So after this dinner...the turkey (yesterday's), the cranberry relish, the black cherry jello, the cranberry apple relish, sweet potatoes are all gone. Oh, and, all four pies are gone and 2 1/2 doz. rolls!  I haven't even had a turkey sandwich yet...so a reason that I didn't mind cooking more turkey today.

 Woody did our weekly grocery shopping this morning amidst the Black Friday shoppers.  I spent a good part of the morning putting away cooking dishes and other things used yesterday...and then promptly had to get them out again when I decided that we would have company for supper tonight.  I am pretty tired...but think that I will go down and see what needs to be done with the turkey breasts.  Even though a lot of yesterday's food is gone the refrigerator is still pretty full.  Not a lot of room for the meat still on the bone...it will be easier to find a spot for it if I cut it off the bone.

Here's what the Fisher Price nativity looked like yesterday after they got it out and all placed.  It looks different now...Joy and Esther were making it into a play and moved it all around...again.  It will take on many different arrangements before the Christmas season is behind us. ' Tis the season!

Happy Thanksgiving 2017 from the Dorrells and Proctors!

7 of our 9 grandchildren + our daughter Melany (Alex (20) didn't
get to come because he had to work and Abigail hadn't
come over yet.

While the final feast preparations were being taken care of
the kids set up the Fisher Price nativity...part of our Thanksgiving
traditions for a number of years.

The adult table

The children's table!

Pie to top off the day!

T-Day minus 1

Note my helper with the pumpkin pies!  Esther did a great job stirring up all the ingredients for the pumpkin pies.  This was not a good day for pie crusts...I really struggled with all four crusts that I made.  I am wanting to blame it on the flour that Woody bought...a store brand that we had never used before.  I still stand by Gold Medal when it comes to making things like pie crusts.  I finally managed to get four pie plates covered with pie crust...but it took forever and lots of patches.  I seem to be more behind that I had wanted to be at this point...as I wanted all four pies on the counter when I came up to blog...instead I have two on the

counter and two in the oven.  At least pie making is drawing to a close...thankfully...hmmmmm something to be thankful for at this thanksgiving time!

Esther came over and put names in the turkey place card holders (turkeys made of k'nex by Graham several years back).  We keep them in a shoe box so they are at the ready when we need them for our family feast.  Esther had also drawn each family member a small picture of something that was either their favorite or that Esther thought about when she thought of them.  She tucked those into each persons place card holder.  Isaac and Joseph had their school time together again today.  Elijah came over too and did his school work over here while his mom and dad went to Kathy's foot surgeon.  Her foot is coming along as expected...she is still to be careful and keep it up a good portion of the day.  Nathan and Graham have spent their day laying tile in their kitchen.  I haven't had time to go over, but I have had reports that they are coming along.  Woody has pretty much stuck around the house today taking it easy.  His hearing is still not good.  I find myself about to holler at the children when I talk with them as I have gotten so used to raising my voice when talking to Woody.

Well, off to take the pecan pies out of the oven.  All other food tasks for today are complete.  I should mark a couple of things off the cleaning side of my list...but...not sure that I have the energy...or that my back will allow it tonight.  I figure that it is better to have food than a clean house on Thanksgiving!  I'll bet that there would be some groans if I were to tell folk tomorrow that I decided that cleaning was more important than cooking this year...so they could sit around in a clean house...but sorry about no dinner!!!!!  Elijah, Isaac and Joseph helped me find the Fisher Price Nativity boxes in the Christmas closet and also the cover for the coffee table...so that is ready for Thanksgiving tradition...something for the children to do either before or after we eat.

T-Day minus 2

Today was roll day...2 1/2 dozen are now safely tucked away in a zip-lock bag awaiting the day of the big feast to arrive.  I have also chopped, sliced, and diced the celery, onions, and mushrooms for the dressing, made the topping for our sweet potato casserole and crumbled the crackers for the top of the broccoli casserole.  Woody made fresh apple cranberry relish and also made a cooked cranberry relish...both tucked away in the fridge. The cooking tasks assigned for today are all checked off the list!  

I did have school this morning with Isaac and Joseph.  Then it was get busy on the rolls and they were barely out of the oven when it was time for me to leave for my hair appointment.  After the hair appointment, I went to the Credit Union and then stopped at Kroger for a couple of things that we needed...the main thing that we really needed was the whipped topping for our pie and I felt that we needed another loaf of bread as what would Thanksgiving evening be without a turkey sandwich!

Woody has pretty much stayed in today until a while ago when he walked to the prayer room at church.  He hasn't returned yet.

The one thing that I haven't had time to do yet today is any cleaning...and I am not sure that I have enough ooomph left in me to tackle even the least of the jobs.  The first thing that I need to do is load up the dishwasher and let it do some work for us!  The kitchen looks like something exploded in it at the moment.  I want to get a handle on at least the kitchen tonight so I can mess it up tomorrow.  Tomorrow is "pie day!"  I like to make pies...but still dread the work that they entail.  When I blog tomorrow night, I hope that I can say that they are all sitting prettily on the counter awaiting the next day to have the first slices taken out of them!  I'm off to rest for a few minutes before I tackle the kitchen.  Gobble, Gobble!

T-Day minus 3

Isaac and Joseph are really getting in the Thanksgiving spirit.  This morning they decided to use the Buddy Blocks...they look at a picture on a card and try to replicate with the various shaped blocks.  They made an elephant and an elephant head and then found the card with a turkey on it and decided that they needed to make that because it is so close to Thanksgiving.  They had a fun time having school time together this morning.  They each did "their own thing" and then they did some lessons together.  Since this is Thanksgiving week, I only did the school with the little boys and then got back to my Thanksgiving preparations.  I only had one thing to make today--the gelatin salad.  So we have at least one thing to eat on Thursday.  The rest of my preparations centered around just getting organized.  Today I got out the pans, casserole dishes, pie plates, etc. that I will need to cook the recipes.  When Woody shopped on Friday I didn't put away the items that I would need (except, of course, the items that needed refrigeration!) so those items are now with their dishes. I also pulled out a couple of serving dishes so I won't have to be hunting them last minute...and not being able to find the stainless ladle that goes with the gravy boat, etc!  I also did a little cleaning...trying to not have to do too much on any one day...I sort of laugh at that one...there is no way not to have to do "too much" by the actual day!  But at least I have gotten a little of this and a little of that done trying to lessen the load on Wednesday and Thursday.  I also decided on a roll recipe today.  I think it is the same one that I used last year...found another that doesn't use milk or eggs (Joseph is allergic to both), but when I compared them they are almost exactly the same.

Woody decided that it was time to go back to urgent care and see about his ears.  He got more antibiotic and some nasal spray and some instructions hoping to unblock his Eustachian tube.  He came home and showed me the instructions that the doctor sent home with him and asked if I noticed that the doctor said that he wasn't to help with anything!  Hmmmmmmm...Is that your interpretation of "get plenty of rest?"  Woody first went to the Life Care Center and had Bible study with Jeff and then visited with other friends and then made his way to the urgent care center.  He was there quite a while.  While he was gone I cooked onions and peppers and minute steaks for Philly steak sandwiches for our lunch. By the time that he got home I had to rewarm things for him (guess by that statement that you might have guessed that I didn't wait for him!). This evening Woody went to Monday night prayer meeting.  Graham needed a ride to his Civil Air Patrol meeting...and Woody let him drive...first time for Graham to drive our white car and also, I think, the first time that he had driven at night...Woody is braver than I!  Graham mentioned as to how low our car is to the ground...he is used to driving their Suburban and their 15-passenger van!  Graham still drives quite slowly...Woody was a bit late for prayer meeting!

I think that we are settled in for the evening.  I'm going to go decide if there is something else to do this evening...probably should push the vacuum around a bit more before calling it a day!

T-Day minus 5

Not a lot that I can do to prepare for Thanksgiving five days out...turkey is thawing in the fridge...that is a major start!  When I got up this morning I decided that it was time to start my "to-do list" for food prep for Thanksgiving 2017.  I assign days to do certain tasks that can be done ahead so I am not overwhelmed when the actual day arrives.  I have last year's to-do list on my iPad so just needed to pull it up...only one problem...this year we are having Thanksgiving on the actual day and the previous years for some time now we have had it on either the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving.  So I had to plug different days of the week in for the various tasks.  I got that done and started a "to-do" list for things around the house that need to be done.  That list will grow as the day gets closer and I think of things that need to be done.

Woody headed of to the public library for his usual weekly visit.  Later in the day he went on a four-mile walk.  He has also read, worked crossword puzzles and watched TV (football this afternoon).

I decided that I had better harvest some of our herbs as the temperatures are supposed to drop after the front goes through that is going through as I type.  So I cut basil, sage, parsley and tarragon, washed it, dried the leaves in the microwave, ground them up in the food processor, and stored them away in their herb containers...all put away now and the multitude of bowls, etc. are washing in the dishwasher...and most of the little pieces that landed on the counter have been wiped away. Tonight's picture shows the herbs after I dried them and before grinding them up.  Good job done...all the containers of these herbs now have a nice layer of brand new.  I will be using the sage in our dressing for Thanksgiving...so guess in that way it was a preparation for Thanksgiving!  Drying them in the microwave works very well and dries the leaves out quite quickly.  Our house has quite a distinct herbal smell at the moment!  Esther came over and said that something smelled good...I was drying basil at the time.  I told her that she was smelling one of the ingredients for spaghetti sauce!

I don't know what has come over our laptop...but it is behaving nicely compared to the last few days.  I will quickly publish this before it decides to change its mind and become a trouble maker once again!

T-Day minus 6

I had better go on and blog while the blogging is good!  Having trouble with the internet tonight...and also with our laptop.  I don't think that I dare wait for the length of time that it has been taking lately to download a picture.  And, as I typed that last sentence the internet went away.  I will go on and type and hopefully I will get it back on long enough so I can post. I will put a picture at the end if I can get one to upload after I finish writing and getting the blog to publish...then I will edit and add the picture...maybe!

Our Thanksgiving Day (T-Day) preparations have begun.  Today Woody got items on the list that we need for our Thanksgiving family feast.  I have all the recipes that we use at Thanksgiving in a notebook of our favorite recipes...so it is fairly easy to go through the recipes and add items we need to our grocery list.  I did a little double checking the list before Woody headed out the door to do our weekly shopping.  While he was shopping I cleaned the fridge.  Then I started a pot of soup, Ham and Barley.  I got the veggies cut that we had and just had to do a little more cutting once Woody got home with a couple of items that I needed to complete the recipe.  I imagine that this will be the last pot of soup that I make till after Thanksgiving. And, that  the next soup I make will be turkey soup.  Lots of cooking to happen here before that pot of soup!

After lunch, I took Abigail to pick up her new glasses.  Woody followed Nathan to the RV place in Manchester where they are going to do some work on the RV.  I did the last steps on the soup after I got back home.  Woody helped me clean up the kitchen after he got back.  He decided that today was a good day to get back to walking his four miles, as today was quite a nice day...but the weather is due to change over the next few days...rain and then much colder temps. Woody did say that the four miles seemed long today.

After supper tonight, we headed out for a treat...buy one get one free Blizzards at the DQ. We both decided to get into the Christmas spirit and had a Candy Cane Blast...pretty good!  We are now settling in for another quiet Friday evening in this Dorrell household.

Thursday Comings and Goings

Today saw both Dorrell households up and at'm fairly early.  Nathan and Kathy left first.  They were heading to our local hospital for Kathy to have foot surgery.  Woody and I left just a bit after 7am and headed to McMinnville, TN as I had my 6-month check-in with my doctor for lab work and to see the doctor.  It started out quite foggy.

 The fog had pretty much cleared by the time we got to the doctor's office and blue sky was trying to peek through by the time we were on our way home.  We were on the road longer than my appointment took.  Kathy got home about an hour after we did. They didn't keep her at the hospital long at all.  I just texted with Kathy and she said that she finally woke up about 4pm and at this point wasn't in too much pain.  Abigail is keeping Kathy entertained...playing games and watching DVD's with her.  Abigail is very empathetic with surgical patients since she has been in their shoes so often.  I'm sure that she is treating her mama the way Abigail likes to be treated after surgery.  She has even cooked special for her.  Yesterday she came over here and made a surprise cheesecake for Kathy...and managed to keep it all a secret...or so I think.

I guess the morning of travel and seeing the doctor got to me as I wasn't worth much this afternoon...mainly read and dozed in my chair.  I'm feeling better after supper, but still feel like I could fall asleep very easily.

Woody has stayed in today after he got home from our morning trip.  He did his crossword puzzles which he didn't get printed off before we left this morning.  He has also read and watched TV this afternoon and evening.  He still can't hear and the TV is so loud it's about to drive me up the wall!  I told him that he should have taken the appointment to see the doctor and that I should have just gotten lab work!

Leaf Pick-Up!

When I headed out to go to work in the church library this afternoon, I spotted the leaf truck...always a welcome site in our subdivision as all the houses have MORE than a fair share of leaves at this time of the year!  The leaf truck makes a swipe through neighborhoods about three or four times a fall/winter season.  We had already had it come through our neighborhood once before the leaves had REALLY started to fall and we didn't have many next to the road.  This time was perfect timing as Woody and several from next door (Abigail for one) had blown a ton of leaves yesterday.  Woody got back out there today and blew off our driveway (which was almost knee deep in leaves...not quite...but close!). And, he blew off our front yard again today.  It was a good day to blow leaves and vacuum them up in this truck as they were dry and rain is coming...as a matter of fact it rained while I was working in the library...but after the leaf truck had picked up from in front of our house and Nathan and Kathy's before it rained.  But to tell you about how many leaves we have...our front yards were blown clean yesterday afternoon and by this morning you couldn't tell that that the yards had been blown at all.  It will probably look that way by tomorrow morning too.

Today I had a fairly usual morning of school.  Isaac got to start a new Dick and Jane book.  And, we got the cover for his sewing notebook finished.  Esther had her long time and she sewed on the last pocket...so on to constructing her apron the next time.  "Maybe" she will have an apron by the time they do their Christmas baking.  I worked the church library for a couple of hours.  We got a lot accomplished with our new books. We have quite a few new titles on our "new book shelf."  I have also finished another Christmas ornament--Joseph's.  Now to make Erin and Alex's and I will have grandchildren's finished.  I still one to make for Wade and Melany and one for Kathy and Nathan.  So if I have it figured right...those are the last ones that I need to make for this year...so just four more...maybe.  I started to say that I didn't do any cleaning today...but that wouldn't be right as I did dust the living room and dining room this morning before school started...just so far back in the day that I about forgot that I had done it!

Woody has taken it fairly easy today...again his outside time was blowing some leaves...no walk. He also ran an errand.  He has been reading, working crosswords, and watching TV.  His ears are still blocked so he can't hear very well...so when the TV is on it is very loud.  At the moment there is silence except for the clicking of the laptop keyboard...so that means that the TV must be off!

I'm trying to decide if I am going to make another ornament tonight...'tis the season!

Finally

Finally I am able to log in to be able to blog.  I had about given up on our laptop opening up the blog this evening so was in the process of opening up the iPad to blog without a picture...and, what to my wondering eyes should appear...but the blog page on my laptop...guess it didn't want to give up ground to the iPad and decided to come through for me!

Woody spent some time outside this afternoon...blowing leaves...probably not the wisest thing for him to do since he already is having allergy problems and the leaves almost always give him problems...oh, well...
He chose not to walk to the prayer room this evening so drove instead and just returned.

I have worked around the house again today.  And, once again I haven't gotten into my sewing room except for a very short time...to choose the thread colors for Joseph's Christmas ornament...but so far haven't gotten the machine turned on.  But I can say that the upstairs bathrooms are clean, the downstairs has been vacuumed and the kitchen has been mopped.  So I did accomplish something today.  But didn't accomplish getting any closer to being finished with Christmas sewing.

I did talk to Melany this evening and we made plans for Thanksgiving.  This year for the first time in many years we are going to have our family Thanksgiving on the actual Thanksgiving Day.  Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex have a family wedding reception to attend on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (our usual turkey day for the family).  I will have to rethink since I won't have those extra couple of days for preparation!  We also talked about when we might get together for our family Christmas.  So looks like it really is 'Tis the season!

Busy Monday

It seems like I have gone in a hundred directions today.  I started off doing some much needed cleaning. Last night I decided that today I would do a thorough vacuuming of the fireplace hearth and move what was on it and put out Mr. Snowman.  The other day when I was looking for ribbon in my Christmas wrap, I needed to move Mr. Snowman out of the closet and decided that he wouldn't go back in...that I would just put him on the hearth.  He is a large...over 5 ft. tall stuffed snowman...who has sat on our fireplace hearth for quite a few winters. He blocks the cold air that comes in around our fire place doors.  He will sit in this place of honor till the cold temperatures go away for good in the Spring.  But I guess you can say that I have started decorating for Christmas!

I vacuumed a couple of rooms, started cleaning bathrooms, washed, dried and put away a couple of loads of wash, ran errands, made a pot of soup, and probably several other things that just aren't coming to mind at the moment!  I am about "done in" for the day!  I "may" embroider another Christmas ornament this evening. One of the reasons that I ran errands was to get some felt and polyfil that I needed to continue.  Since I am restocked on sewing supplies, I can continue my Christmas endeavors...if my energy level rises to that task!

Woody went to Life Care to have Bible study with Jeff and then visited with some friends.  He is feeling better, but still taking it easy.  He didn't walk today. He has read, worked cross word puzzles, watched TV, etc.

Tonight's photo shows the gingko tree that is in front of one of the Lutheran churches here in town.  I happened to drive passed it on my way home from my errands.  It is such a pretty tree!  And, the amazing thing about this tree is that in just a few days the tree will be totally void of leaves and its leaves will make a lovely yellow carpet on the ground.

Veterans Day 2017

We have had a fairly quiet day.  I have felt lazy almost all day...have only done a little of this and a little of that.  I did manage to get all the ornaments that I have made so far (24) completed and ready to give...well, as I typed that I realized that I have to put names and the year on the ones that we give to our neighbor grandchildren so at a later date I will come up with how I will label them this year!  I still several to make...but the list is winding down.  I have to make ornaments for our two oldest grandchildren and our two youngest.  I know what I am going to make for Erin and Isaac, but am still considering what I will make for Alex and Joseph.  Then there are a couple more for friends and then I will be done with ornaments for gifting this year.  I just completed another one to start newest stack of ornaments just stitched but not yet in ornament form.

Woody has stayed close to home today too.  He did attempt to go to the library and after getting there realized that they were closed for Veterans Day.  I started smelling onions upstairs a little before lunch time so went down to investigate. Woody had sliced onions and green peppers so I could cook them for Philly Steak Sandwiches for our lunch.  That's all the cooking that I have done today.  The rest of the day has been scrounge for leftovers.  Which reminds me that I haven't gone down to scrounge for my supper!  I got intent on finishing another ornament.

I have a big mess in the upstairs hall...reminds me that it is about time to decorate for Christmas.  I needed some ribbon to put on the gift basket that our class is giving to the new preacher and his family tomorrow and had to pull out my Christmas wrap from the Christmas closet looking for it.  Now I'm tyring to figure out if I want to put it all back or just leave it out since I will be wrapping gifts soon and...probably starting to decorate too.  Just don't know if I'm ready for that mess in the hall along with all my sewing mess upstairs!  I guess I may as well go on and say it for the first time this year...'tis the season!  I found my Christmas CD's when I was looking for ribbon and I may pull them out...I hadn't gotten in the mood quite yet for them as you can't hear the music over the noise of the sewing machine when it is embroidering...so had waited...but now that I see them and they are within arms reach... I don't know how much more sewing of ornaments that I will be doing the rest of the weekend as I am nearing the end of my supply of several things that I need and I never got enough energy to go shopping today...so will make do till Monday (as we don't shop on Sunday unless the "ox is in the ditch").  I guess I will go get a load of clothes out of the drier.  I did manage to get one load washed and dried...now to put them away!

Finishing Touches

Another beautiful fall day here in Middle Tennessee.  The leaves are falling, falling...soon the colors will pretty much be gone...the brilliant colors fade fast once they turn.  And, the trees quickly drop them...unless they are certain oak trees (of which we have an abundance) which wait to drop their last leaf when the new ones come out in the spring. I'm glad that I have so many picture at their peak...so I can remember the brilliance when it is a bit dull during the winter!

Woody got his exercise at the three stores that he went to today to do our weekly shopping.  I think that he is some better...but the TV continues to be quite loud.  He still isn't feeling the greatest.

I spent quite a few hours trying to figure out with Nathan's help what was going on with our internet connection.  I'm not sure what either of us did...or if the computer just decided that it was time to reconnect...or if perhaps the combination of various things that we did finally got our computers back to being able to communicate with the world.

I decided that today I would work on finishing touches on some of the ornaments that I had made over the first nine days of November.  The pile is growing and I inventoried them yesterday and listed what I have made and paired them up with those I will give them to.  I still have a few to make, but the majority are stitched...so now on to finishing touches.  I am using the sewing machine that the children use to learn how to sew on (my original embroidery sewing machine) to do the sewing that  needs to be done on some.  This way my machine is still ready to do the last few ornaments.  There must be 50 or more spools of embroidery thread surrounding that machine!  It gets too complicated to keep putting them away...because as soon as I get them back in their storage area, I need to get them out again.  So I am working around them and moving the ones to the front that I need for designs.  And, I will put them all away when I am through with the marathon sewing of ornaments.  I have 24 either finished or just waiting for finishing touches...some of those finishing touches are no more than adding a ribbon or cord to hang them with.  Some need to have the disolvable washed away and then dry and they will be done.  It is good to be at the place that I am with this part of my Christmas sewing.  I wish that I had done them over the whole year...but by putting the goal of two a day starting on November got me going in the right direction.

Woody is downstairs watching a library DVD...and will probably read some this evening.  I am going to continue on my bent of finishing the ornaments and figure out what are left to be made.

Back to Living Color!

It was fun using black and white photos for a few days...but I am ready for some color...especially at this time of the year.  This is the tree that we look at across the street when we sit on our front porch.  Not that we are doing a lot of sitting on the front porch lately...but the view is lovely as we come out of our house and look across the street.

Woody has stayed in today...no walk today.  He still isn't feeling all that well.  He is now having trouble with hearing due to his congestion, etc.  When the TV is on, I can hear it so well that I can almost understand what is being said...when I am upstairs!

I have spent the whole day making ornaments.  I am on my fourth one for today.  I didn't have school this morning because Kathy and the children went to our local community college to see a production of Charlotte's Web.  Nathan continues to work on their kitchen...and, progress is starting to be seen.  Today some new kitchen cabinets were being installed when Woody and I went over to check.

We have had problems with the internet most of the day...so I'm not going to make this very long as it may not post!

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries!

The last day of the seven day black and white challenge.  I thought this just as a positive statement about life in general...but then realized that it had another meaning for me...dark cherries are supposed to be good for people with gout...so guess this could have that meaning when looked at through my eyes!

Woody is feeling much better today.  All the meds seem to have gotten to work pretty fast.  He slept pretty well last night.  Woke up early and decided to go to the church to the prayer room since he missed his time yesterday.  He also made a couple of visits to church friends to deliver literature and to check up on a friend who had had surgery.

I had a usual Wednesday school day.  Esther got back to work on her apron today.  She is coming right along, but with just sewing on it one hour a week it is going to take a while.  I am hoping that she can get in an extra sewing session or two so she will have a new apron when it is time for them to do their Christmas baking.  After school, I ate a quick lunch and then turned around and headed to church to work in the library.  We got busy and got quite a ways in processing this new stack of books.  I came home and got started on the next ornament.  I am still working on that one.  This is one of the more time consuming ornaments.  But it is almost finished.  I'm on the last color change.  And, another will be put in the stack of those completed.  I guess that it is time to head back to finish it and decide if I have it in me to make another one tonight!

Meeting Myself Coming and Going!

Here is the photo that I chose for day six of the black and white photo challenge on Facebook.  And, this picture portrays exactly the way I have felt most of the day...that I'm meeting myself coming and going just like these squirrels.

Woody is not feeling very well today.  He's congested and his ears and eyes are bothering him.  He must not be feeling well at all as he actually...on his own...decided that he would go to one of the urgent care clinics here in town...much easier to go there than to get in the car and drive 45 min. to an hour to go to our regular doctor.  He got a shot, some antibiotics, some eye drops, and some allergy pills...hopefully all those will get him to feeling better!  He hasn't moved much from his chair today except to go to the clinic.

Tuesday is an out of norm day for school.  Kathy has Bible study at church and Nathan takes the children and has juggling practice.  So Joy is the only one I had come over today.  She came over after lunch and after she got her regular school work done for the day.  She finished her paper pieced blocks and started piecing five inch squares together.

This morning since I didn't have school, I decided that I would do a little cleaning and then get back to work making Christmas ornaments.  I thought for sure that I would have two ornaments made before blogging tonight...but NO!  The one that I chose to do this morning is one of the more time consuming ones...by the time that I chose colors and made sure that I had bobbins wound with those colors quite a bit of the morning was already behind me.  Then the stitching took a very long time.  While I was stitching that one out, Nathan and Isaac arrived with an urgent need for Isaac...his upper front tooth had come out and now he REALLY needed a tooth pillow!  So once I got the ornament finished, I started on making him a tooth pillow.  I delivered it to him late this afternoon.  He rushed in his house and showed his dad and then headed upstairs to put it in a safe place.  He came back to report to his dad where the pillow is...as Isaac knows that it is important for his dad to know exactly where that pillow with the tooth will be when Nathan makes his way upstairs (and hopefully remembers) after Isaac is asleep.  I'm sure if Nathan forgets that Isaac will have no problem reminding him!  Isaac now has quite the gaps in his teeth...two missing on the bottom and one on the top...with, I am sure, another on top to follow soon.  Looking like all Isaac will want for Christmas are his four front teeth!

I'm not sure that another ornament will get made tonight or not as a book order for the church library arrived this afternoon so I need to do the first step in those before going to work in the library tomorrow afternoon.  I will have school in the morning so no time to work on the order tomorrow morning...so tonight it will need to be if that job gets done before I arrive at church tomorrow.

I think that we are both in for the evening.  I went to the drugstore down the street to pick up Woody's prescriptions that the clinic phoned in for him and I took the garbage out...I think that has my tasks to do outside the house done for today!  Now to eat some of the soup that Woody made over the weekend and attack the book order!  There hasn't been a lot of time for me to sit in my recliner today...I think I hear it calling my name!

More of My Life in Black & White

My 7 day challenge of posting black and white photos that tell about my life has moved on to Day 5.  I think that today's is pretty obvious as to the part of my life depicted...just two days of the challenge to go.  The hardest part of the challenge for me is picking someone each day to challenge!

I guess we continue to adjust to the time change.  The main thing that I have noticed is that it does get dark around 5pm now and that I keep thinking that it seems later once the evening gets here...guess my internal clock still wants it to be 7:30pm instead of 6:30pm...but blogging early due to this discrepancy in the time that it "feels" to me and "actual" time.

Woody probably woke up a bit early due to the time change and walked early this morning.  We are having above normal temperatures at the moment so it hasn't been quite so chilly in the

early hours.  He got rained on this morning.

I had a regular Monday school day.  Joseph and Isaac had their school time.  Elijah, Esther, and Joy read with me.  And, Abigail had her long time.  She is coming right along with her latest zippered bag...she decided to personalize this one so we used my machine to embroider her friend's name on the bag.  She should have this one finished with one more sewing session.  Isaac has been waiting for me to get him a notebook so he can start making a sewing notebook.  I bought him one the other day.  So one of the things that we did today was print a couple of pictures of him sewing the button on Goosey's (Woody's) shirt.  I need to go back a bit and find some of the first pictures of him sewing a button on.  He wants a Paw Patrol cover.  The other children have machine embroidered a design for their sewing notebook covers.  I don't have any Paw Patrol embroidery designs so I suggested he bring over some of his Paw Patrol characters and I will take a picture and we will put a photo on his sewing notebook cover...should be less time consuming and he should be happy!  Just trying to please!!!

Woody went to the Life Care this morning and had Bible study with Jeff and visited with other friends who live there.

I worked on several things for our Sunday School class this afternoon...the school supply basket for our new preacher's family that our class is giving came together great...everyone brought their item/s yesterday and I have attempted to get everything into the large basket that one of our members gave us to use.  Our Sunday School class is also in the midst of planning the annual Christmas party.  This year we are going to have the party at the church rather than at our house.  I just didn't feel up to putting a time limit on being decorated and ready for a Christmas party by December 3rd.

This evening I made one of our long time favorites...Ham Stuffed Potatoes...a glorified twice baked potato.  They really did taste good after not having them for some time. We are now settling in for a quiet evening.  I guess I had better think about cranking up my machine if I am going to make any ornaments today.  At the moment I feel too tired to thread the machine...but maybe if I just get started...

Sunday Blessings!

Continuing the Black & White photo challenge on FaceBook that is supposed to tell about my life: A two-for-one day: My church in Arizona where I grew up attending.  Woody and I were married in this church in 1969. And, then our Tullahoma church...guess this is where we are growing old together!

Challenged!

I got tickled after I wrote tonight's blog title...as I am challenged in more ways than one!  But tonight's title refers to a photo challenge on FaceBook.  I have been challenged for the next seven days to post a different black and white photo each day.  These photos are supposed to tell about my life.  There are to be no words added and no people in the photos.  Tonight's blog photos are the ones that I used for the first three days. What do you think?  Do you think that so far these describe me at least a little?!? The problem for me was trying to figure out just which of my thousands and thousands and...photos that I would use.  Then I just converted them to black and white and put them in a folder on my computer and there they await for the rest of the days.  We are also supposed to challenge someone else to do the challenge...that's the part that I don't like...but so far I have been a bit creative in the ones that I have asked...one is someone who I have never met, but she is a photographer...so seemed like the perfect challenge for her...she picked up on it right away and posted immediately.  Another is my "at times" cohort in crime when it comes to driving around the countryside taking pictures...especially of barns...so far she hasn't taken the challenge.  The third lives in Europe and I said that I wanted to see her countryside in black and white...a way that I could travel there with my eyes!  She did post a beautiful picture this morning.  So now to decide who I will challenge tomorrow.  Hmmmmm some of you are my FaceBook friends...

Woody got up early and walked in the fog...very dense fog.  After the library opened, he and I went to the library.  After perusing the library for a while, Woody took me to WalMart so I could pick up a few items.  I was looking for school supplies.  We are changing the idea of a "pounding" for our new pastor and his family...instead different classes in the church are making up themed baskets of items that the family could use...we're trying for them to not have sugar or mustard for the rest of their lives!  Our class is making a school supply basket to help thm out with their home schooling needs.  We've enjoyed doing it.  We are taking them to Sunday School in the morning to see if our basket has all that it needs.  We have each taken just a few items and will add those with the rest.  We had a good sampling of school supply items on our list so it should be a fun and useful basket for the family.  We will have the reception a week from tomorrow for the family.  Our new preacher and his wife have six children ranging from 13-year-old twin boys down to an 8 month baby girl.

I have managed to get two ornaments sewn out today.  And, after I blogged last night I met yesterday's quota too...so I am still just a bit ahead of schedule of my plan to make two ornaments a day.  Today while Woody was working on the laptop and I couldn't use it for my sewing, I did some more of steps needed in finishing the ones that I have already made...most are done except for a hanging string.  I think the ornament that I just finished completed the ones that I planned to make to send to Arizona...good to have the "long distance" ornaments completed.

I guess it is time to close down tonight's blog and head off to complete my attempt to change the clocks...we are falling back an hour tonight...which means that we move an hour closer to my sister in AZ!  I know that most don't like this particular time change...but for me it is my favorite...there is something about having to adjust phoning times, etc. for two hours that makes it more difficult...I look forward to being just an hour different for the next four months (not fair that savings time gets more months!).  

November Blooms!

These two blooms surprised me...not expecting to see such beautiful blooms as November arrives!  Usually our first rose is the prettiest...and, often the only bloom on this particular rose bush.  Such a pretty one for a final bloom! The gerber daisy photo shows that the leaves are starting to fall. The Fall colors are really becoming vivid.  I think that I see a "need" for Woody to take me on a short excursion in the car to take a few Fall photos.  I hope that we can get away from the gloomy clouds for a couple of days.  I'm looking for a gorgeous fall-blue sky...and lately the clouds have been hiding it!

Woody got up before the rest of the household and went on his four-mile walk.  Elijah and Esther were ready for breakfast, I guess (I was still sleeping and they didn't wake me up!), so Woody took breakfast into his hands and made them pancakes and bacon.  They were happy campers when I came downstairs after being awakened by breakfast smells wafting up the stairs. After breakfast, they continued to play with the blocks that had gotten their interest last night and made quite a few other things.  Woody headed off to get our weekly groceries.  Around 10am our guests decided to head home.  They have been in and out at various times today as they continue to create with the blocks.  I put away groceries when Woody got home and decided that I would bake the ham that he got today.  I also deboned some chicken breasts and popped them in the freezer and made chicken broth with the bones.  So it has been a bit of a cooking afternoon for me.  I also did a little cleaning while he was at the grocery store.  I guess that it is good that I got ahead of my "schedule" for making ornaments as I have yet to find  time to make any today.  We have had a couple of quick thunder storms cross our path today and when the weather is unpredictable, I don't have my machines plugged in...so for a whle I couldn't make any ornaments and then when the weather cleared up, I was busy doing other things.  Perhaps I will set the machine to humming after I hit "publish" on the blog tonight.  Esther thought that it was funny that her "block man" made the blog last night!

Spend the Night Guests

Esther's creation with one of the building block
sets that we have in the toy closet under the stairs.

Watching Peter Pan after supper.

We have had a pretty busy day.  Woody started out the day with a six-mile walk.  I had a usual Thursday day of school.  Elijah had his long time.  He was joined by Esther and they both did experiments.  One experiment was finding out why leaves change their color.  It worked sort of...problem is that we should have done this experiment before the leaves started changing color...the chlorophyll is almost gone from the leaves as they are beginning to change color.  We will try this experiment again in the spring or summer.  But we were able to extract some of the color from the leaves using rubbing alchohol.

Esther and Elijah hatched the spend the night plan earlier in the week.  They wanted to spend a week night over here since they are on their Fall Break.  Fall Break has been declared next door while they concentrate on their renovations.  They got quite a lot accomplished...or taken apart today next door...part of the cabinets are moved out from the wall...boards that had damaged have been sawed out...dishwasher is now sitting in their school room, refrigerator and kitchen table are in the living room...I think that you get the picture!  Anyway, the children are enjoying a break from school and several...especially Graham are very much involved with the work.  We had quite the dinner this evening.  I tried a new pork chop recipe...Caramel Apple Pork Chops...I figured with a name like that the children should like them...which they did.  Woody made his new potato wedge recipe...so we both got into the cooking.  The dishes are washing.  The children are having their screen time watching Peter Pan.  Woody has been working at the dishes that didn't fit into the dishwasher.  I got other things put away and then I was ready to sit in my chair for a while.  Now I am in the sewing room with the children...they are watching Peter Pan on the little TV that I have in here to watch DVD's on...came in handy tonight.  Woody can have what he wants to watch downstairs and we can retire up here.  Elijah thought that he might fall asleep while he was watching the movie...he is one who goes full force...but get still for a couple of minutes in the evening and he is gone! So far he is still awake.  

This afternoon I worked on embroidering some more Christmas ornaments for gifts this Christmas.  I challenged myself to making at least two a day starting yesterday.  Yesterday I made two and today I made four...so I'm ahead of schedule...at least for the moment!  I don't know how  many I need...but lots more.  I will make a list as the time goes on.  Well, back to the slumber party!

Welcome, November!

Isaac decided that he would do some button sewing with his sewing kit this morning towards the end of his school time.  I remembered that Woody had a shirt that needed a button sewn on and Isaac fit that job description!  He did a great job and found that it was a bit harder to sew a button onto an actual garment than it is to sew one on a square of fabric.  Woody was glad to find someone willing to do the job!  

We have had a fairly normal Wednesday. Woody walked early this morning. I only had school with Joseph and Isaac as the older children had some place to be this morning.  Esther did come over for her long time and we got underway once again with her apron.  She was very happy that she accomplished sewing a pocket onto the front of her apron.  After lunch, I headed to the church to work in the library for a couple of hours.  When I got back from the library, Woody and I headed off on a mission = free taco day at Taco Bell because someone stole a base in the World Series.  Woody has been watching the World Series games so knew about Taco Bell's free give away today between 2 and 6pm.  Woody went to church tonight for a Bible study class about the Protestant Reformation...500 years since.  I have been trying to get myself into the sewing room to make an ornament or two this evening.  Writing the blog has gotten me into the sewing room so maybe I will now stay here and accomplish a thing or two...time is ticking...I've got to get a move on it if I am going to get ornaments and a few other things made before Christmas...part need to be done early enough to be shipped...so those are the ones I am concentrating on at the moment.  Yesterday I finished looking through my machine embroidery designs and chose ones that I might like to make this year for gifts.  At least they are now all in one folder on my computer and I don't have to keep looking through folders.  Now to get the machine humming!