Saying Good-Bye to July!

Once again a month is soon to just be a memory...this time the seventh month of the year.  Just think there are only five months left in 2018!

Woody has avoided strenuous exercise prior to his appointments at Vanderbilt.  He has been told to do this in the past prior to having scans.  This time he has heard nothing from Vanderbilt...except for when they changed his appointment from July 31st to August 1st.  Since we hadn't heard I checked online to make sure that the appointments really existed!  I was glad that I did check, as I found out that his scan is scheduled at an imaging place away from the Vanderbilt campus.  We would have gone to the wrong place first if I hadn't looked.  By looking he also did e-check-in...we will see if that makes him fill in less paper work! We pass the street the imaging place is on when we head to Vanderbilt so that isn't a hard change to make.  He has gone there for scans before.  His appointments start around noon tomorrow. At least we don't have to leave at the crack of dawn! Woody is hoping that the appointments go like clock-work so he can be back in time to go to his Bible study at church tomorrow evening.

Woody drove to the prayer room at church tonight since he was avoiding exercise prior to tomorrow's scan.  So he wasn't away as long this evening as usual since he didn't have the walking time to and from.

One of the first things that I did this morning was pop a turkey breast in the oven.  Woody is thinking that it will be okay for him to eat a little turkey (white meat)...but, when I sampled a slice, it was obvious that it had been injected with a saline solution...so probably not the best for him.  Definitely his diet is very limited! Sunday night Woody went to a covered dish meal at church and about the only thing that he could eat was fruit and the gelatin salad that I made for him to take.  Even if it was something that was okay for him to eat, he had no idea on how much the items had been salted.

Last night I did find a picture that my friend said would work for the gift that her Sunday School class wanted to give to a member who is turning 100.  I printed it out last night and then she picked it up this morning.  I did do some sewing today.  Esther's top is coming right along.  At this point Esther will be able to tell what it will look like after it is finished...but there is still a chance that I can get it finished before Friday.  I'm not sure how much more sewing I will do this evening as I have been sneezing my head off due to a break-through in my allergies...this happens quite frequently but usually late at night.  Between blowing my nose and sneezing and my eyes itching, I'm not sure how much I can concentrate on sewing at the moment!  It's perhaps a good idea that I leave my sewing alone and not take chances since so far it is going together well!  Maybe once this attack passes I will be able to work on the sleeves?

I'll fill you in on what Woody's melanoma doctor has to say when I blog tomorrow night.  I think that Woody would like to try to convince Dr. Wyman to put off the next visit for a year. I have a feeling that the doctor won't do that till January.

Well...when next we "meet" it will be the Dog Days of August!

Monday All Over Again!

As I was trying to think of a title for tonight's blog, I realized that this is my last "free" Monday for a while...school begins next Monday!  The summer has flown by...well, summer is still with us, but summer vacation has flown by!

Woody got up and walked six miles this morning.  He has also worked some more in the yard...still working on his mulching.  He is getting close to being able to say that the beds in front of the house are finished.  He went to Life Care for several hours this morning doing Bible study and visiting with several of the residents.  He has returned just a while ago from the Furnace Room Prayer meeting at church.

I have spent most of the day working on one of Esther's birthday presents.  I can say that I am now about ready to start the actual sewing of the garment.  Today has just been preparation for the sewing...cutting out the pattern and then doing some other work at the machine to get one of the pattern pieces ready to be put into the garment.

Just before starting tonight's blog, I got a phone call from a friend and she is in need of a picture of our church so I went looking through my "stockpile" of photos.  I found a couple, but I think that I will be taking cameras in hand and trying to get some new ones from a different angle.

Saturday

Woody walked to the library and back today for his daily walk.  I managed to get the Clinton/Patterson book finished before Woody left to go to the library.  The end of the book went much faster than the first of it so I was able to easily finish it.  Woody has worked outside quite a bit today.  He mowed and also started mulching the other garden in front of the house...the one on the other side of the steps up to the porch...it wraps around the house and goes to the air conditioning unit.  After I got the book finished, I made my way downstairs and put together Mother's recipe for Boston Baked Beans.  Woody even took a little taste of them, though beans aren't on his "okay food list."  A bite won't hurt him...at least not much!  I got them into the oven and then was able to forget them for six hours.  At the six-hour mark I took the lid off and let them cook another 30 min.  Once again they turned out quite good!  I got the pattern for one of Esther's tops traced and have started cutting out a muslin.  I haven't made anything for Esther in such a long time that I'm not sure what size to make for her.  Kathy says that she wears a 10, but a 10 in bought can sometimes be a lot different than a 10 in a pattern.  I have two more pieces to cut out of muslin.  I don't think that I will have to make the whole thing...I think that half should let me see if it will fit and check sleeve length and top length and width, etc. I guess I will head back to the sewing cutting table!

One Down...

 One garden bed down since Woody got the mulch delivered. You can still see the size of the mulch pile at the back of the third photo.

Woody was very close to finished when I snapped this picture out the guest bedroom window.  I'm not sure that the pictures do the garden justice as to its size...it is very large...it wraps around the front of the house from the steps and up to the garage on the side of the house.  Lots of little weeds have been taken out of this garden...lots of hours of hot work for Woody.  It really looks great and I know that Woody is glad to be finished with this one!

Besides weeding and mulching today, Woody did our grocery shopping and ran errands with his friend who needs transportation in order to be able to do errands. That took up several hours of Woody's morning.  Then he concentrated on finishing the mulching of this garden. This afternoon, he managed to find time to make up some of the Apple Zucchini bread that is kidney friendly.

I worked a little more on the PDF file that I "thought" was finished.  When I read it through one more time this morning I found a couple of words that were words but weren't the words that I meant to be in the file.  I fixed those.  Then the head or our sewing club approved them and I posted them to the files in our club's Facebook page.  So one more done and out there for others to have access to.  I have the photos for the next one ready once I take notes on the video and then start writing.

I have also been reading.  The book that I checked out last week is due tomorrow and I still have 200 pages to read!  I have read a little over 300...it is a long book and I'm not finding it a very fast read...lots of characters and lots of plots and subplots and lots of action.  I am enjoying it, but I don't like the fact that I have a time limit facing me!  If I don't get it read I will just add my name back on the list and wait for it to be my turn again!

Look who took over my sewing chair this afternoon!  I did start work on one of Esther's birthday presents, but luckily didn't need my machine since Peaches has decided that it is a place she likes to sleep.  (I really would have booted her if I had been ready for the machine but I'm not at the sewing point yet!)  Esther is due back from camp tomorrow.  I have a feeling that Peaches will be more content at her house once her mommy is home!  But I will say that she is liking it over here pretty well!  She enjoys taking her afternoon naps in air conditioning!

Her Majesty Princess Peaches
on her royal sewing throne!

Woody and I are both settling in for the evening with our books...Woody just doesn't have the time crunch on him!  He has already read this book, so if I do manage to get it read before the deadline of tomorrow evening, then we will have both gotten a 512 page book read in 7 days (really if I drop it off on Sunday morning before going to church it will be in on time...as long as it is in before it opens on Sunday afternoon!).  Guess I had better go and find out what happens next...I left a young lady sneaking up on the President with plans to assassinate him...the President has already foiled an attempt by her once earlier in this book...bet she is VERY determined to succeed this time!

Remembered This Evening!

I actually remembered to blog early in the evening tonight!  It hasn't been quite as busy a day...so perhaps my mind wasn't going in a million directions.  I woke up early so started working on the next PDF file for my sewing club...mainly got all the pictures together and printed them out so I can choose which ones I need to use.  We've been doing a lot of printing lately.  Yesterday Woody had me change the black cartridge and this morning before I could print out the pictures for the file, I had to change all the colored cartridges...good job done for a while...rarely do I end up changing all of them at the same time.  Now I just have to watch and be sure to order as I used the last we had on hand. I will be watching for a sale of the ones we use.  I usually order them online and every so often they have a good sale...then I stock up.

Woody has pretty much had an uninterrupted day today to mulch.  He has stayed at it most of the day with just a break every now and then. I worked on putting embroidery thread away that I got out to make Isaac's "girlfriend" a personalized scrunchy.  I'm getting everything ready to get started sewing Esther's birthday present.  The fabrics came today.  I spent some time getting it ready to put in the washer.  One piece is in the drier and two other pieces are in the washer.  After I blog I will go get the one that is dry along with the other things that I washed with it and then transfer what's in the washer to the drier.  I'm pleased with the fabric.  According to the tracking information the hand embroidery thread is supposed to be here before 8pm...but I'm not holding my breath!  I still haven't heard anything more about my light box that got sent back to the sender before it got to me.

I did hear back from the contractor that I got in touch with about redoing our kitchen.  He is supposed to call me back and make an appointment sometime in the near future...but kitchen renovations probably won't get underway till after the first of the year.

We are both settled in for the evening.  Woody is downstairs reading and watching TV.  I think that he has already done all his crossword puzzles today.  I think that I will do a little more toward getting ready to sew.  Next step...head to the drier!

Oops! Almost Forgot to Blog!

I guess I can blame almost forgetting to blog on my new "job!"  The "job" that I write PDF files for my sewing club.  The one that I wrote today was a bit of a struggle and about blog time is when I started having the biggest struggles because I was finishing it up and that is often when problems arise!  It has been sent to the club's head for her approval...my writing duties are behind me unless she finds something that she wants me to change!

I think that Woody started out the morning mulching gardens...a slow and tedious process! He walked to the local farmer's market this morning and bought a big bag of corn.  He said that it was rather heavy for his trek home!  I got up and decided that it was time to finish this latest PDF file so worked on it some this morning.  After lunch, I went to the library.  Donna and I again got more books ready to check out.  Woody was gone when I got home.  He had an appointment (non-doctor this time!) in town and had gone to that.  I came in and rested a little, read a little and then got busy on writing my file again.  Woody went to church for a Bible study after supper.  I continued on my quest to finish with the file.

I was sad to learn today that the package that I was expecting had been sent back to the sender due to osme problem so I didn't get my light box today.  I was a bit disappointed...but if it had come, I might not have finished the file for my sewing club...so it may have been a good thing.  The other two orders are due to arrive in the mail tomorrow...hoping that nothing has delayed them or turned them back.  I got notification that the light box would either be replaced or my money refunded.  Now I'm wondering which!  Oh, well...such is life!

Cheryl, my sister, just emailed me that I forgot something else!  That I forgot to wish our oldest grandson a BIG happy birthday!  I didn't forget that it was his birthday...did wish him a happy birthday earlier today...so guess I'm not totally in the dog house!  And, he turned an amazing age--21--I can hardly believe it!  Happy 21st birthday, Alex!!!!!

Look Who Visited Today!

We have had quite a day!  Busy! Busy! Busy!  The day started out with a call a little before 7:30am that our repairman was on his way...and, within a couple of minutes he was here.  He only worked on refrigerators...and a little after 8am he had it fixed.  Woody headed outside with phone in hand so he could answer if our washer repairman called.  I headed in to get ready to go to breakfast with friends.  We had a nice breakfast eating and catching up with each other.  When I got home this little girl was waiting on our front porch and "asked" to come in for a while!  She is missing her mistress.  Esther is at a camp again. Woody had brushed her really well the other day and I decided that she could come in.  She has been shedding so badly that I haven't really wanted her in the house.  I guess that she enjoyed her afternoon in air conditioning...hope that I didn't spoil her too much!  She napped and bathed on my lap for quite a while this afternoon.  She was pretty happy. I read.  Woody has finished the book that we got on Saturday so I have started reading it.  It is a pretty long book and it doesn't read quite as fast as some of the books that we usually read by this author (James Patterson).  We think that combining authors that the two together became a bit wordier and thus write longer chapters! The other author is former President Clinton...so between the two of them there are more words and longer chapters.

Woody didn't head off to the prayer room at church as soon as he usually does on Tuesday.  Mainly because the 2nd repairman didn't get here till 4:45pm...but he didn't take too long.  Pretty much as soon as the repairman left, Woody headed off to the prayer room.  So the repairmen who were supposed to be here between 8am and 5pm...one a half hour earlier than the 8am time and one barely squeaked in under the 5pm time!  But both are fixed! I'm running a small load at the moment to make sure that the washer really is working.  Woody is still at the prayer room.  I guess I will go downstairs and check on the washer.  I will say that today was once again quite busy...except when Peaches pinned me down for a quiet time this afternoon!

Hopping Right Along!

Do you think that this bunny is checking us out?!?  I took this bunny some years ago when Woody was checked into National Institutes of Health for his three-week stay of various procedures for his melanoma and I was staying at the lodge provided for spouses and families of long-term in-patients.  I have a feeling that I have posted him before but it seemed appropriate for all the hopping around that we did today.

I can't even think of what happened first.  I guess that Woody went to Life Care to have Bible study and then visit with some of the residents.  Shortly after he left I headed to downtown Tullahoma...about a five minute drive...we are such a big town!  I finally got everything together including my thoughts and went to engage a contractor, at least in conversation, about redoing our kitchen.  I got there and walked into the showroom and the lady there seemed surprised to see me.  Come to find out they are only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  But, since I was there, she let me fill out the paper with my name, phone number, address, and what I wanted done so she could give it to the owner.  He will contact us.  She did say that he was pretty booked till the end of the year.  But that is okay...we're not really on a time frame.  I would just like to be alive and able to enjoy it when it is finished!

Woody had stopped at our pharmacy on his way home from Life Care and found out that one of his prescriptions had no refills so they needed to phone it in.  He came home and told me to expect a call from the pharmacy when they got the go-ahead from the doctor and they had it filled.  Well, we did get a call, but not the one that we expected.  The pharmacy called to say that they had gotten a fax from the doctor's officer that Woody was not one of their patients!!!!  So I took it upon myself to call the doctor's office and see what was going on.  They claimed that he had never been to their office.  Not correct information!  He doesn't go all that often since he is seen by so many specialists and they keep a watch on his medications, blood pressure, etc.  I finally convinced them that he had most definitely been to their office and their office where it currently is located.  I got transferred to the doctor's assistant and/or nurse.  She kept looking, but said that there were no records.  I asked her where all the reports from Vanderbilt and his nephrologist were going. This doctor had sent in a referral to the nephrologist a while back...so at that time they still had his records! Anyway, she finally checked more closely and found out that some how...they don't know how or why nor do we...but he had two files.  Supposedly as soon as we hung up she got rid of the empty file!  The doctor wouldn't fill his prescription without seeing him so a hasty appointment was made since he was totally out of this blood pressure medicine.  He got a 3:45pm appointment...so left at 2:30 and got home around 5:30pm...but he had his medicine in hand as the pharmacy had gotten a fax from the doctor and had it ready for him by the time he pulled back into town.  I was working on supper when he got home.  He ate a quick supper and then headed out the door for the Furnace Room Prayer meeting at church.

I neglected to mention on Saturday that we had a washing machine problem.  I was doing a load of clothes and when I went to transfer them into the drier...the water was still in the machine.  Oops...it wouldn't spin nor go through the rinse cycle.  I wrung them out some and then Woody helped me get them next door to put them through a rinse and spin cycle and then I carried them back home to our drier.  While all that was happening, Woody was slowly but surely dipping water out of the washer...it took lots of dips to get it drained!  We also have a refrigerator problem so called a repairman for both.  He is supposed to be here between 8am and 5pm tomorrow.  Well, the last time he arrived around 7am...well before his 8am scheduled time, so I wanted to be ready for him.  I have taken everything out of the laundry room...brooms, wastebasket, cleared off the top of the drier, etc. And, I have gotten the refrigerator ready...magnets off, things cleared away.  So I think that we are ready for him whenever he arrives.  I will be glad to have both working correctly again.  The refrigerator is working...just has a problem with a drain that must be frozen up and the water is collecting in the bottom of the freezer...which means that it freezes there and I have to chip it out periodically...will be very glad not to have to get down on my hands and knees to do that job!

And, I think that brings our day to a close...at least things should calm down and quiet should set in for the rest of the evening!  I don't know about Woody, but this day has just about worn me out!

Upon Closer Inspection!

 I never know where a title for the blog will come from...some evenings I never get a good idea.  Tonight when I was deciding on which picture to use of the flowers that are blooming in our little triangular garden that surrounds our mailbox, I realized that I had several views...a lot of flowers, a few flowers, and a visitor on one of the flowers (the one that gets you close enough to inspect just exactly what is also in the photo besides the flowers.  These Black-Eyed Susans are just so pretty this year...wondering if it is all the rain that we have had...but on closer inspection you can tell that they have been enjoyed by insects as their petals aren't as perfect as they seem in the top picture.  There is a visitor on one of the flowers in the middle picture, but the bottom gives you a closer look at something that is attracted to these flowers, but I don't think it is what is eating the petals.  I have a feeling that the top picture probably has a lot of visitors on the flowers...but we are just not close enough to see!  I'm sure that there is a life lesson in that, but I am too lazy to try to find one at the moment!!!

Woody's walk this morning was to the library and back.  Later in the day we made another trip to the library, as I got a call from them late in the afternoon that they had a book I had requested.  I knew that this book was one that both Woody and I wanted to read.  I had to check it out since I had requested it so we both took a little drive to go get it.  Woody was just about to finish a book that he had so was glad to get this one as he hadn't found the greatest books to read this morning.  We are going to have to hustle on this book for both of us to get it read in the seven-days we have to read it.  If only one of us gets to finish it, we will just put our name back on the waiting list and wait our turn once again.  I still have several books that I am in the midst of so I'm not really anxious to start another one!

Woody has worked out in the yard some today mulching and mowing.  We didn't get any rain last night during the storms.  I did hear in the middle of the night when the wind picked up, but that was all that we got from the bad storms that passed through TN yesterday.

I did get my sewing orders all placed so I have fabrics coming, buttons, sewing thread, hand embroidery thread, and a couple of new items to make my sewing easier.  One I am really looking forward to especially--a light box to help me when I have to trace patterns...in this dress to help me transfer the embroidery pattern onto the bodice of the dress. I had been wanting one, but kept putting it off and then this one blouse that I am going to make suggested you use one because it was going to be hard to see through the fabric.  So I decided the time was right!  Now I just have to wait for three orders from three different places to arrive so I can get busy on Esther's birthday presents.  I have some extra time to sew at the moment, but will have to patiently wait and then try to fit sewing into busier times.  I'm pretty sure that I will have to give  promises to Esther.  I "might" be able to finish the one that doesn't have all the embroidery on it before her big day, but, again, it all depends when all these packages arrive!  I am going to find all pattern pieces that I need and have that part ready when everything does arrive.  I did do a little sewing today.  I worked on what I have decided is going to be a Christmas present.  What I did today I am pleased with so I think that it is going to work...I'm making this item by trying to make it look like something that I was gifted with.  The one given to me was made entirely in the hoop with a machine embroidered design.  I have done the machine embroidered design and am making the rest of it on the regular machine...but so far it looks like it is going to work.

Progress!

As you can see, Woody is making progress on spreading mulch on the gardens.  I took this yesterday and today it is even farther along...last I looked he was almost down to the driveway.  This is a tedious job as he has to weed and then spread the mulch.  He has also been attempting to pull leaves out from under a very large Nandina bush...definitely not an easy task!

Woody did our weekly grocery shopping and then after he brought our groceries home for me to put away, he took off again to run an errand with his friend who has no transportation. Later in the day Woody did some cooking.  He made his slaw recipe (really yours, Connie) and he also made green beans to go with our supper.  He skinned some chicken breasts and I deboned them and put them in the freezer.

I worked some more on the next PDF file for my sewing club.  I think that I accomplished the first couple steps before taking notes on the video to transcribe into step-by-step directions which will eventually be placed next to pictures to both show and tell how to do a specific sewing technique.  I also continued to try to make decisions on the sewing that I would like to make for Esther for her birthday.  I checked some more websites and also called our local quilt store to see if they had one of the fabrics called for.  They do have that specific fabric, but do not have the color that I was looking for.  So now to decide if I order the exact thing called for from a different website or order a substitute from the website that has the other things that I need.  To be continued about final decisions...

We Voted!

Woody and I early voted today.  For a change there were quite a few people at the polling place...often it is a very quiet place.  But today we even had to wait a bit.  We had an interesting new machine.  We voted in one computer "booth" and then a paper ballot came out and we took it to another machine and fed it in.  Woody thought that perhaps it was to help with voter fraud.  I have not a clue...but it was different and they were all excited about the new machines.  To show you the size of our town...we saw about 20 people while there and we knew probably about half of them.  Small town living!

Woody didn't walk today instead he got his exercise in the yard...mulching and mowing.  I'm not sure how much work he will get to do in the yard tomorrow.  We have been advised that bad storms are heading Alabama and Tennessee way.  I heard about the ones today in Iowa and would just as soon that they stay away.  But I think that they have issued a "high risk" warning about storms tomorrow.

I woke up early and didn't have any campers coming over today so I decided that I would work on another file for my sewing club.  I have another one finished, proofed by me and proofed by Woody.  I'm just waiting for corrections or approval from the club leader.  I have done a little reading, but mainly shopped on the internet for fabric to make something for Esther for her birthday.  I got a magazine the other day that had some really cute patterns/adaptations for patterns.  One was an adaptation of a pattern that I have...to make a cute dress into a cute top.  That one has a lot of hand embroidery on it.  I have been looking for the thread that I need.  The other one can either be a dress or a top and I think that I will make it a top also.  I think I have found the fabric I want for the second one but am still trying to decide on the fabric for the first one.  Decisions!  Decisions!  The decisions are a bit harder to make online since I can't touch the fabric and know that it is the right weight for what I want to make.  I have posed a question to the fabric shop via email.  Now we'll see if they answer in a timely manner. I have other things to do while I make decisions and wait for my order to arrive. I have a feeling that, if this sewing comes about, that Esther may have to accept a promise for her birthday...especially with lots of hand embroidery on it.

Grammy Camp: Day 3 aka Last Day of Camp!

I don't know what is going on with the blog tonight...but all of a sudden everything went blue and underlined and when I tried to fix it, I kept losing part of the words...hopefully erasing all the words and rearranging the photos will make a difference!

Today was the last day of Grammy Camp and it was "building day."  We had lots of different building sets out and they moved around and played with the ones they wanted to.  Isaac said that today was much different than yesterday!  I "think" that he meant that building is better than doing art! So they REALLY liked Cooking Day, didn't much like Art Day, and liked fairly well Building Day.  I think that they had a pretty good time over all.  And, no one was dragging their feet this morning as I thought that one of them might be...the one who was "bored" yesterday!  At least he didn't say "bored" today!

 Woody got his exercise mulching today.  He also ran a few errands this morning.  And, he made one of "his" recipes (kidney friendly) for supper.  I had spaghetti and meatballs!  This evening Woody went to church for a new Bible study that started today.

I got a sewing assignment from Isaac--put a little girl's name on a couple of scrunchies.  He will be seeing her at camp soon.  He made friends with this girls several summers ago.  They write each other.  She is twelve and he is six!  This will be her last year to go to this camp so I guess they will bid each other farewell!  Isaac hopes that he will get to see her some other time in the future!  I got that sewing assignment done and got another one from Abigail--hem a pair of capris for her.  Both sewing assignments are done!

I worked in the church library this afternoon.  It was just Donna and I this afternoon.  We did some more work on the new book order and got several ready for circulation. I stopped at my sewing machine dealer to get something that I needed to be able to embroider the scrunchies.  After I got home, Isaac joined me to help pick colors for the thread and then helped me push buttons on the machine.  We talked a little about him starting to learn to sew on the sewing machine during his long Grammy time this year in school.  I usually start them sewing on the machine when they are six and in first grade...the time is here!

Grammy Camp: Day 2

Today we had "Art Camp."  It was not enjoyed quite as much as Cooking Camp!  They were ready to go home earlier today.  I thought that they would be so excited to get their hands on paint...well, I guess that they sort of enjoyed that part.  They also did pictures tearing construction paper and making pictures with it...that let them use the glue.  Isaac drew a magic marker picture.  And they also got to get their fingers all chalky using chalk pastels.  Joseph played with play doh, but Isaac decided that he was done at that point!  Wonder if they will come as willingly in the morning.  Tomorrow is the last day of Grammy Camp...wonder what is in store for them today.  I will just say that I got some bins out of the garage that I had to do a lot of cleaning on before they came inside.  I hope that they will be surprised when they see all of this and ready to to give it a try!  We'll see how cooperative they are after their boring (according to Isaac) day today!  Grammy does not like the word "boring!"

Woody got up and walked early this morning.  While I was having Grammy Camp, Woody went to his nephrologist's appointment.  He only found that his kidney function was less than the last time and that he needed to drink more water.  He asked no questions about his diet and if it was helping.  They also didn't give him a copy of his labs.  He's going to stop by their office and get a copy of the labs.  I want to see them before we head off to Vanderbilt in a couple of weeks. After lunch, I headed off to get my hair cut. We have had rain and storms this afternoon.  It was still threatening when it was time for Woody to go to the prayer room at church so he drove to and from today. The rest of the afternoon and evening have been pretty low-key...per usual!

Grammy Camp--Day 1

They have their fingers up to show you that it is Day 1!

Theme of today's camp = COOKING!  Isaac and Joseph made cucumber jello and play dough.  They had fun playing with the play dough for quite a while after we cooked it.They took the jello home to serve for one of their meals today.

Isaac and Joseph were feeling a bit left out as over the last few weeks everyone except for the two of them and their daddy had been to one or two camps and this week four of their siblings are off at another camp.  Abigail chose not to attend this one and the little boys are still too young.  Last night Kathy called and asked if they could have Grammy Camp for a few mornings this week.  I had to get my thinking cap on and decide just what we would do during those three days!  I thought about making play dough and then remembered about all the cucumbers that were coming in in their garden.  Woody had bought the jello so it came to me that the boys and I would make them cucumber jello = lime jello & pureed cucumber and water.  Pretty easy and they all like it.  Plus it is something that Joseph can eat and make with his allergies...not a lot of those recipes exist with ingredients that we have over here. They enjoyed themselves so much that they came over after they had supper and were begging for more Grammy Camp!  Plus they were trying to worm out of me just what they would be doing tomorrow...but I kept tomorrow's plans a BIG secret!  Partially a secret from me at the moment too!

Woody got up and walked four miles this morning.  About the time the boys got here for their camp, Woody left to go to Life Care and also to make a hospital visit. He has worked in the yard a little.  We did have a few drizzles this morning.  This afternoon he read, did crossword puzzles, played Scrabble, watched TV, etc.  At the moment he is at the Furnace Room Prayer meeting at church.

This afternoon I made meatballs and spaghetti sauce for our supper.  I hadn't made meatballs in a long time.  I decided that was a way that Woody could skip the meat if he wants to...but he can't have much sauce either since it has tomatoes in it.  But he can have the spaghetti noodles!  What a diet!  I've got my hopes up that his diet restrictions may be lifted a bit after his visit tomorrow to his nephrologist.   Time will tell!

Quite a Job Ahead of Him!

Here's the pile of mulch that got delivered yesterday by this big dump truck.  Getting in and out of our narrow driveway is always a bit of a challenge for these dump truck drivers...they barely fit...but usually they do a pretty good job of backing in...don't run over too much of the gardens that run along the side.  Looks like the mulch pile sort of tipped the basketball goal backwards a bit!  We have to have them put the mulch as far as possible at the end of the driveway so we can get our car in and out of the garage.  I guess we will see how well they did placing it when Woody gets the car out in the morning. The car hasn't been used since they delivered yesterday. Woody got a start on mulching the gardens in the front today...has quite a ways to go till they are all done!  But gives something to do!

I spent part of the morning finishing up tomorrow's Sunday School lesson for my ladies' class.  Before I was finished, I had two little boys over asking me to come over to their house for a little while.  They wanted to show me a new Wii game they had gotten recently.  It is all a mystery to me as to just what they are doing as they jump characters across the big screen of their TV.  But they were happy just to be able to show me!  I stayed over there till Nathan and the Graham, Esther, and Elijah got home from running an errand.  Then I got busy on the lesson again.  I put the finishing touches on before noon.  Then I was free to do "whatever!"  I did finish another book.  So I'm down to two e-books and one in-hand book.  I did get a notification that the cyber library had purchased an e-book that I had recommended and that I am now on that list.  Hopefully I can get these two done before it is sent to me through cyberspace!  After I finished the book, I sort of put away my iPad as my eyes were bothering me...I don't know if I have been reading too much on a screen or if it is allergies or not getting enough sleep.  I just know that I have spent part of the afternoon just resting my eyes (didn't sleep, though).  Joy came over and asked me to shorten a pair of capris for her so I got busy on that.  I will finish them up as soon as I publish the blog.  I went down to make us some supper and Woody had already started one of "his" recipes so I left him to it.  I'll cook another day!  He has done his usual group of daily crossword puzzles, read, watched TV, played Scrabble with the computer and made his weekly trip to the library.  I have stayed in except for a trip to the garbage can to throw something away!  It is just too hot to spend much time outside especially with allergies perhaps trying to bother me!  When I came back in, the air conditioning surely did feel good! Well, I guess I had better go hem Joy's capris.  She asked me to have them ready tonight as she has a camp to attend starting tomorrow!

Friday the 13th

It has been another hot day here in southern Middle Tennessee. At this time of year after having so much rain lately, when it reaches 90+ it is hot and HUMID!  It was pretty steamy whenever I poked my head out today. And I did go out at least two times!  The inside in the cool air conditioning feels best to me when it gets like this.

Woody walked four miles early this morning.  He headed off fairly early to do our weekly grocery shopping at two stores.  He dropped off our groceries and came in to rest a few minutes and he was off to run errands with his friend who has no transportation.  He also arranged for a load of mulch to be delivered to the house.  I just remembered and that was supposed to be tonight's blog photo as I took a pictures of the delivery.  Since I have already chosen a picture for tonight's blog and don't have the pictures that I took today uploaded, I will wait and perhaps post those tomorrow night (if I remember!).  We have both done some cooking today and Woody got the kitchen all cleaned up a little while ago.  I did load some of the dishes into the dishwasher (my part of the clean up).  I have worked on Sunday's lesson for my ladies' class and read.  Woody has done his usual round of daily crossword puzzles, played the computer in a game or two of Scrabble, watched TV, read...his usual daily routine!  We haven't been up to anything very exciting lately...pretty much drivel to report in the blog...which really is a good thing considering what this blog started out to be many years ago...reporting on Woody's melanoma treatments...glad those are behind us and that things are pretty ho-hum these days!

Little of This...Little of That!

We had another hot day...a good day to do a "little of this" and a "little of that!"

Woody worked out in the yard off and on again today.  He also ran some errands this morning.  He has challenged the computer to several games of Scrabble, read, done crossword puzzles, watched TV, done a little cooking and a little kitchen cleaning up.

I have had a paperwork/computer/iPad kind of day.  I wrote letters for the church library for an honorarium, wrote another PDF file for my sewing club, worked on Sunday's Sunday School lesson, and am now writing the blog! Type, type, type!  I also finished another book AND another one I had on hold became available for me!  I think that was the last of the ones that I had on hold. Well, I say that but I did put one on reserve at our public library...so that one could become available, but I am guessing that we have a while to wait for that one.  It is one that both Woody and I want to read.  So now I should be able to work my way through the ones waiting for me and not add any more till I get these read! I think that I am in the midst of three books at the moment...one "real" book and two e-books.  Read, read, read!

Wednesday Wanderings

Woody walked this morning and then he has worked on picking up sticks out of the yard so he can mow.

This morning, I worked on the newest book order for the church library--checking what came in the mail with the shipping invoice. And, this time they didn't match up.  They neglected to send one item that we had ordered.  So I had to contact them via email.  They probably already have the item in the mail.  Very rarely is there a mix-up with our orders and when it does happen it is fixed quickly.  After lunch, I went to the church to work in the library for a few hours.  Today we were fully "manned."  Donna, Fran and I got quite a bit done on the new order.  Before heading home I stopped at WalMart to pick up an over the counter medicine that I take...and a couple of other things..."since I was there!"  I came home and fixed supper.

We have eaten and have settled in for another quiet evening.  I'm tired from all my wanderings! I don't imagine that I will accomplish much this evening.  I was even having trouble keeping my eyes open while reading on my latest book.  I had requested several books be put on hold from our e-branch from our public library.  They all had varying numbers of people waiting for them so I never dreamed that they would all become available at the same time...but I think that I have three waiting in the wings.  I've got three weeks to read them...so had better get on the stick...well, iPad...and get to reading when there is a spare moment so I can get them read!

More Rain!

Woody managed to keep dry on his walk back from the prayer room at church this evening.  He realized that it was just about to start raining so he holed up under the carport for our church van/bus.  So he kept dry and safe when the storm blew up this afternoon.  We had several loud claps of thunder and it rained pretty hard for a while.  But he was able to walk to the prayer room in the dry and then able to come back with just the sidewalks wet and the trees dripping...after the storm passed us by.  Woody also did a bit of yard work today and has read, done crossword puzzles and watched TV.

I woke up with a stiff neck so I didn't accomplish much as long as I had the heating pad on my neck!  I was able to finish another book.  Also Kathy and I did a little planning for the coming school year.  Just think school will be in session in a month.  We're starting the first full week of August.  Oh, my...summer is passing us by all too quickly.  I did do a little more on my sewing project--ironed the piece that I machine embroidered yesterday. The only thing that I did for my sewing club today was watch the video about the next technique that I will be writing the file for. This one "should" be short in comparison to some of the others.

Bluebird Monday

I'm not sure that this blog will make much sense.  I have two little boys in the room chattering a million miles a minute. The rest of the family has gone blackberry picking.  Some of them including these two little ones went blueberry picking this morning.

Woody walked this morning. Later in the morning he went to the Life Care Center and did Bible study with Jeff and visited with several other residents.  He has just returned from the Furnace Room prayer meeting.

I have had a pretty busy day, too...sewing, washing, and doing my sewing club documents.  I managed to get one finished yesterday and another today.  I just need Woody to do a final proof reading before sending it to our club leader for her approval.  When she approves it then I will post it on the club page. We are slowly but surely getting caught up with the written files.  I will be glad when we are caught up.

I think that I will post this as I am having trouble concentrating and carrying on conversations with two little boys!  The blue birds have started another family in their special bird house.  I snapped this little guy out our bedroom window yesterday.

Elijah is 9!!!!!

His birthday lunch of choice: fish, rice & a vegetable medley!

A Star Wars Lego Cake--Esther made his cake--it was yummy!

Ready for presents!

Party started off with domino chain reactions...one Elijah started and one Joseph started on the other side of the room!  Let the party begin!

Opening presents!  

Cool dude!  Blue tooth shades!

Checking out his loot after everything is opened! Note that Isaac seems to be checking everything out too!

Unlimited Screen time on his birthday?!?  Guess he will be able to figure out his new game for the family Switch.

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY, ELIJAH!

Quiet Friday

At least it has been fairly quiet for me.  I have just done a little of this and a little of that today.  I worked in the kitchen some and made an eggplant casserole that is a kidney friendly recipe. We had that for supper (I did sneak in a rib, too.).  I have been reading.  I finished one book yesterday and began two more...one book in hand and one e-book. And, I am working on another file for my sewing club.

Woody got his exercise at the grocery stores today.  He went to three stores for our weekly grocery shopping.  He came home got a drink of water and headed back out the door to take groceries to his friend who has no transportation.  He also picked the friend up and ran errands with him.

We had a storm attempt to roll again this afternoon, but in the end we must have been on the edge of it.  We got a little rain, but nothing like we got in the last couple of days.

Our tomatoes and eggplants that we have growing on the patio are coming along...still a ways to go to be picking ready, but they are getting bigger every day.  I know that there are other things growing farther back in the yard, but I can't see them without going outside.  The patio garden I can see through the windows.  I know that Woody mentioned that he had green peppers and I know that Nathan has hot peppers of some sort (He did not mean to buy hot peppers...but that is what they turned into and they are VERY HOT!).  Nathan confirmed their hotness...usually things don't taste hot to him. So that says a lot right there! Woody also tried one and said that it was very hot.  I think that I will keep away from the really hot ones! I have been warned!

Kathy, Graham, Abigail, and Joy all returned home from youth church camp...as far as I know they are all in one piece.  I haven't seen them yet, but Woody saw them get out of their van and...they were walking!  So that tells me that they survived!  Esther and Elijah came over a few minutes ago.  Esther told me that Elijah wanted to know if his birthday present had arrived...and...tada...it had...just arrived in the mail today.  And...I had already wrapped it so it is all ready for the party tomorrow.  Party time...again!

Day After the 4th

It's been a lazy (at least for me), rainy afternoon.  I think that I have felt lazy because of our busy day yesterday. I have "cleaned up" my iPad...deleting emails and then putting documents into folders in my word processor app where I keep all my saved documents in...Sunday School lessons that I have taught, recipes, lessons/experiments for school, and now the files that I am doing for my sewing club.  I needed some rhyme and reason as to where documents are instead of having to look through so many documents to find what  I need. At least I am a bit more organized.  I did print off the pictures for the next file that I will be writing for the sewing club.  Now to put instructions with the pictures...to do that I will need to watch the video again and take notes.  I did manage to completely clear off my sewing cutting table and everything is put away that I had out for my last sewing project...good accomplishment!  I have pulled some fabrics to make a machine embroidery project...and did place it on the cutting table.  After I blog, I will go get the clothes out of the drier that will be ready to put away...so one load washed and dried...now to put them away.

Woody didn't get up early to walk because he had an appointment for lab work this morning and he was supposed to go well hydrated...so he didn't need to go out and exercise for a couple of hours prior to that appointment.  He got home from his appointment before the appointment time...the kind of appointments that we like.  He has read, done crossword puzzles, and watched TV and done some things on the laptop today.  He never got to go for a walk as a big storm blew in from the east (unusual to come from that direction) and dumped a LOT of rain on us.  He went outside to check the rain gauge and we got 1-1/4 inches.  We have certainly gotten the BIG rains lately...so far no threat of drought...at least not at this point in the year!  We still have a lot of summer ahead of us so anything is possible as the summer moves along.

Happy 242nd Year of Independence, USofA!!!!!

Celebrating Dorrell-Style 2018
 (minus Kathy, Graham, Abigail & Joy who are at youth camp!)

Yummy!  Ribs, Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Corn, Potato Salad, Baked Beans
The children made patriotic Jello!
Definitely no one left the table starving!

Chowing down!

Esther figuring out how to eat a complete circle without a plate...not easy!

Elijah got the watermelon bowl!

Some ate their watermelon inside! Joseph may have drippy elbows!

I'll bet Isaac has a sticky tummy!