A Red-Letter Day!

It RAINED!!!!!! As a matter of fact it is still lightly raining and looking at the radar, harder rain might be heading our way. My plants are much happier. They like God's watering better than mine! I did water this morning since we never got the rain that was predicted yesterday. I just watered in the front yard...but now the herb garden and the new garden at the head of the driveway has also been watered. Jo and I took lunch to a friend who had surgery last week. That is the reason that I was making Tomato Basil soup and homemade bread. I made the bread this morning and it worked out well...I got up and got it going in plenty of time for it to be finished by the time we planned to deliver the meal. We had a nice visit and our friend is doing very well. When I got home I was ready to do pretty much nothing...I had lunch and then just sat! Nathan and Elijah arrived...Elijah drove over here! He got his learner's permit earlier this week...so another Dorrell on the road!!! I sent Nathan on a sonny-do errand...to get me some new filters for my air return at the top of the stairs. I cleaned up the kitchen after they left...I hadn't gotten up enough energy to clean up the bread making mess. The kitchen looks much better now. Oh, the rosemary bread turned out really well. I enjoyed a grilled cheese made with it. Nathan and Elijah each enjoyed a piece with butter on it before they left. I spent time typing up a couple of recipes this afternoon...one to go in my recipe app and one that Cheryl and I want to try from the Gilmore Girls' cookbook. I've also planned a few meals that half-way sounded good to be to eat in the upcoming week. I am working on using items that are in the freezer. I think that I may have the next week all planned for. I'm hoping for a low-key week. And, now to bid August farewell. I have already turned my downstairs calendar page to September...I was up on a stool putting away some dishes and realized that I was right next to the calendar...and...that it would be good to turn it while I was already up on the stool and not risk my neck climbing up again!!!! Another day is drawing to a close as is the month! To be continued...next month! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday! Friday!

I'm going to blog quickly, as my internet has been going out off and on since late afternoon. I was going to blog early tonight and when I went to blog, I couldn't. Today has been fairly busy. I headed to the grocery store this morning, stopping to get gas before I went to the store. I got the items that I needed and then headed home and stayed home the rest of the day. I am in the process of making Tomato Basil soup for the first time. So far I have the tomatoes peeled and seeded...now I guess I had better get busy with getting it made. My energy played out a little earlier so I have now rested a bit and think that I can get back to making it. I have bread planned to make...that job will happen early in the morning...hopefully! When I went out to get the mail, our next door neighbor was out and he asked if I wanted to get rid of the basketball goal. I told him that Nathan had plans to haul it away. But the neighbor offered to pull it out to the road and then post that it was "free for the taking" online. I said that would be fine. I moved the car and he dragged it to the road, took a picture of it, and posted it online. I want you to know that within the hour it was gone! Yay! No more basketball goal at the head of the driveway. Now I can see my pretty new flowerbed so much better! Well, I must go get busy in my "soup kitchen!" To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thoroughly Thursday

I've had a little more energy than yesterday. One of the first things that I did this morning was go out and water. That takes a while..especially with the dry and hot conditions that we are under at the moment. Just got a notification that we may get some rain tomorrow! I do hope we get some rain...so, so dry! My watering isn't doing much to help my plants. I hunted through recipes today so I can get needed ingredients when I make a quick run to the store tomorrow. I enjoyed looking at a couple of the cookbooks...found a couple of other recipes...both new ones and ones that I have made in the past. I realized that there are a couple of things around the house in need of cleaning...as I have looked "over them" for some time...both for reasons on not having time and just not thinking about them needing to be done...my mind hasn't exactly been on needed cleaning over the past months...just doing the basic needed cleaning. So today I did several things that make "things" a little cleaner around here. I have read a little...at the moment I have three books started...one in-hand book upstairs, one e-book that is where ever the iPad is, and one in-hand book downstairs. I'm not doing a lot of reading at the moment...going to try to get back to reading more. I have started the next small cross stitch piece. I plan to work a little more on it this evening. So not a lot, but did do a little more than yesterday. Tomorrow = grocery shopping and doing some cooking...going to try a new recipe and a tried-and-true recipe. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Low-Key Day

I have decided that a low-key day seems to always follow a busy day, that is if, it is possible to have a low-key day! Today, I just didn't feel like doing much...so I didn't...since I didn't have to. I have done a lot of sitting...I have read a little, stitched a little, watched TV a little, and dozed off and on. I did finish the one small cross stitch project that I had been working on...so another Christmas finish...there aren't going to be many of that kind of finishes this year...but at least a few. I returned a little while ago from the Wednesday evening Bible study...so I did leave the house today! Today, I just felt lazy and gave into it. We'll see what tomorrow has in store for it! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Hot and Hotter!

This morning started out in the 60s but soon rose well beyond that. I watered this morning and it wasn't too bad out. BUT...when I was coming home after working in the library this afternoon, the car thermometer read 99°. I'm not sure that it was that hot outside, but it was pretty hot. The car was REALLY hot when I got in it to head home. I had an appointment with my lawyer today. So information has been given for a will and powers of attorney. He will email me the draft and when I approve the draft, the documents will be drawn up and then it will be time for me to go in and sign on the dotted line. But for the moment one more "thing," that needs to be done, has been done. I came home and had lunch and then was back out the door to meet with Donna. We got under way with the next steps in the processing of our new order of books for the library. We worked for a couple of hours and then headed home. I have had a nap since coming home. Then I stitched for a little while. I'm getting close to another cross stitch finish...another Christmas present. I did have one more possible place to go this evening, but decided against it due to the heat and allergies...decided that I didn't need to spend a lot of time outside tonight. But Abigail is giving a birthday party for Payton at their property. I hope they are having a good time. But this Grammy is just ready to stay in and call it a night! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Rolled Around…Again!

I just think that this little guy is cute...and he isn't causing havoc in my yard...so can be cute. This isn't my photo. I have borrowed it from Kathy...one of their many photos from a recent trip to Colorado. Today I started out determined to work on a sewing project. I did get part of the pressing that needed to be done...but "something" pulled me away from it and I never got "back to it!" Seems to be the story of my life these days. One of my accomplishments of the day didn't even take five minutes. I made an appointment with a lawyer to make a new will...one of the things that has been on my list for a while. I gathered a few things that might be needed at the appointment...so have made a folder to take with me...hoping that I have thought ahead and will have information that he will need! The appointment is in the morning. A book order arrived today so in a little while I plan to get the books out and write the information in them...the first thing to be done to them after the books arrive...start of processing the books. Donna and I plan to work in the library for a little while...to move the books along a little further in the process of getting them ready to check out. I did go to prayer meeting this evening...but this evening's was a little different. I knew that all of the regular attendees were out of pocket tonight. I went just in case someone new decided to attend. So it was a prayer meeting of one tonight. Graham had his first day at Middle Tennessee State University. I asked him what he thought about his classes...his response: "That there were a lot more people in the classes than at Motlow!" Joy texted me that she had had a good day with her first two classes at Motlow State Community College. I checked to see if she had stopped at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM0 building. She said that she had. I guess I missed out on checking on one more person...should have asked her if she saw her father! Nathan is the director of the BCM...so Nathan is back to his other part-time job starting today! Busy times in their house and out and about! I'm sure the rest of the famiy are busy with their home schooling. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

She Blew Her Candle Out!

Melany, Wade, and Erin brought Erin's birthday lunch to my house. We had a good time celebrating. They brought lasagna, a garden salad, and a broccoli salad. I provided rolls and blueberry iced tea (tea made from Alaskan tea they brought to me after their last cruise to Alaska the end of May. They also brought cheesecake and strawberries dipped in chocolate for dessert. I managed to round up a candle for Erin's piece. She blew out her candle while we sang happy birthday to her. I can't believe that she is 31 years old...time has flown! The day she was born, I was at church for Wednesday night activities. I was in the library working and someone came to call me to the phone in the office. It was Wade's brother's wife...which really confused me...confused me even more when she said that Erin was already here. She was brought into this world via an emergency C-section, as she had gotten under stress...which we found out after she was born was caused by the cord being wrapped around her neck. I can still see me going outside to tell Woody. He and the RA boys were outside playing a game. He was taken off guard, too, when he heard about her unexpected arrival. She was born in Nashville. We headed off to Nashville the next day to meet her for the first time. That day we bought a port-a-crib to have at our house for her future visits with us and a home copier...funny the things that you remember. We also went to the Baptist Bookstore that day. We did all this after I had a doctor visit and labs done...I was having a medical problem at the time...extremely anemic...so there you pretty much have how we spent both August 25 and 26th. You see...tomorrow is Erin's real birthday and our first glimpse of her was August 26. We did have a nice day today visiting. Erin seemed to be pleased to be celebrating here today. Alex and Brooke couldn't join us as Brooke has Covid. Nathan, Kathy, and crew were out of pocket...so it was just the four if us. And, now I have some of their yummy homemade lasagna in my refrigerator and in my freezer...oh...and a piece of cheesecake and a couple of strawberries, too. Melany and Waade helped me hang a couple of suet bird feeders that were too high for me to reach. So now the birds (and probably the squirrels) can be really happy that all the bird feeders are full. I will admit to taking a little nap after they left to go home. Now I am just sitting around and relaxing for the rest of the evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Feed the Birds!

I did run my errand today...in the end I only went to Walmart, as I realized that I only needed to get two things at the grocery store and could easily get them at Walmart and only make one stop. One of the main things that I needed at Walmart was bird food. And, tonight my birdies are much happier. I also made humming bird nectar so the two hummingbird feeders are fresh, too. My sweet next door neighbors shared their supper with me...pretty yummy and very thoughtful! My errand running made me tired, so after lunch I took a nice nap. It was after my nap that I got up the energy to fill the bird feeders. After supper, I headed outside and watered the gardens. The plants are suffering from lack of rain and fairly hot temperatures. My attempt at watering just doesn't hold a candle to what a good rain could do! Plans for tomorrow are for Melany, Wade, and Erin to come spend some time together and to celebrate Erim's birthday. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

More Finds

Can you believe these two receipts...the cost of the hospital for both mother and baby back in 1970! This is dated three days after Melany's birth...guess Woody was reckoning up to get us discharged! Note that there is no balance. The check marks show that we were inpatients...and I can add that I was admitted early on April 8th and Melany joined us a little after noon that same day. So we were there the 8th, 9th, 10th, and discharged on the 11th. So parts of 4 days...all for less than $200. Note that there are only three ways to pay...check, cash, or money order...no "cards" back in those days. I found these two receipts in one of Woody's dresser drawers that I hadn't gone through yet. I will say that a lot of the receipts that I did find, I am not quite ready to put in file 13...many brought back fond memories of our early years of marriage. I have put those I deemed worth of keeping a little longer back in a pile in the same drawer for the time being. I may slip these two receipts in Melany's baby book. I remember sayint that Melany cost in the range of $200 and I know that two years later, when Nathan was born in California, the cost had risen many times over. But with Nathan we dealt with the problem that I entered the hospital with a bad kidney infection and he was born in the middle of the night of the day I entered, so the cost of our hospital stay wasn't seen as totally a maternity stay by the insurance company. Maybe I will find his hospital receipts?!? I did find Melany's first visit to the pediatrician out in California...so maybe...also found a receipt from my OB in California. I can't remember if we said that Melany cost $200 or $250...but the rest of that amount would be the amount we paid my OB in Tullahoma. Definitely a bit different than the cost of babies and hospital stays in 2024! But thought that this was a fun find to share with you on the blog tonight. Today has been a stay-at-home day. I began catching up on my wash today...still have one more load to wash...waiting till I have my clean pajamas on so I can wash the jeans I am wearing today. I have felt tired all day. I'm wondering if part of my tiredness is tied up with waiting on reports from one of my friends who had open heart surgery today. I kept checking in with her Facebook page, where her granddaughter was keeping friends and family up to date. Her surgery started around 7:30am and we didn't get word that it was over and successful till around 4pm. Now to wait for the next 48-72 hours as these are the critical next hours. Definitely a sigh of relief when I heard that it was over and the doctors were pleased with the outcome. I never did get up the energy to run errands today...maybe tomorrow?!? Pretty good chance of tomorrow...it is 4Xfuel points at Kroger so I will go out and make my stop or two prior to stopping at Kroger. I don't need much but will stop and get the few items that I do need. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday

Tonight's photo is probably more for my sister than anyone else! I made a stop at the public library on my way home from church this evening. I needed to return a book, and decided to go inside and browse a bit. This book happened to be standing front forward and I could't resist checking it out. I needed to find out how Gilmore's eat! Gilmore is my maiden name. Of course this is a book that has something to do with the TV series, The Gilmore Girls. I enjoy this series so decided to check it out. I also found a photography book. By browsing, I found out that they library has been weeding books...it all looks very neat inside. I was a little saddened by the fact that their photography section had shrunk noticeably. Today I didn't do a lot of anything...sort of making up for my busyness of the last few days. I did water the gardens a little before I left for tonight's Bible study. I didn't go out early this morning to water, as it was quite chilly...56° when I got up...brrrrrrr! I guess we are getting a little preview of Fall, though the predictions for 90s are in the 10-day forecast. But today was delightful! I managed to wash a large load of towels. I split the load into two for the dryer...and, still have the second load to remove and fold. I also worked on my latest cross stitch piece. I had thought that I would run a couple of errands, but changed my mind and put errand running off for another day. I talked with Melany this afternoon and they plan to come see me on Saturday. We are going to celebrate Erin's 31st birthday. So plans in the works for the weekend. Now, I am going to go have supper. I watered before heading to church instead of eating an early supper...so now...a late supper! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday—-Busy and Then…

I got up this morning and got busy, busy, busy! I had rolls to make and a little picking up and cleaning to do. Zoom! Zoom. Everything was ready for our lunch before she arrived. We had a good visit and a good meal...at least she seemed to enjoy it...and, I enjoyed it. We talked for a while after lunch and then had dessert. About that time she was ready to head home. I will say that all the busy of the early part of the day left me pretty drained late afternoon...I think that my adrenalin got up and left! I have pretty much just sat in the downstairs recliner...talked with Cheryl for a while...watched a little TV...still in my chair...then napped a bit...ate a light supper (nibbled on some of the leftovers), and am still in the chair...except for the time it took to go to the kitchen to get my food. The dishwasher still needs to be loaded...problem with that is that the dishes, that I washed after my last cooking frenzy of the morning, are still in the dishwasher. I will get some "get up and go" in a while and will get that job done and the dishwasher reloaded. The rest of the evening will just be sitting...oh, and sleeping, but since I sleep in my upstairs recliner, I guess that is still technically sitting! All this to say...I'm tired! Not as young as I used to be! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Cookin’ and Cleanin’

I have a friend coming over for lunch tomorrow so most of the day has been spent getting ready...at this point I have mostly cooked...not much cleanin'! I figure lunch is more important than a clean house! I have cleaned the kitchen...once! But now am in the process of making cookies and rolls...so making another mess there. I got out all the ingredients for the cookies before I left for prayer meeting. I figured that it was a good time to let the butter come to room temperature. As soon as I publish this, I will mix the cookies up so they can chill before I bake them. I "might" do a little cleaning while the dough chills! I still have rolls to make. I have to decide if I am making the rolls tonight or wait till in the morning. The recipe has instructions for slow rise in the refrigerator over night or just rise regularly. Decisions! Decisions! I will have to sit back and prioritize jobs that still need to be done. But I have the caserole and a gelatin salad and homemade applesauce all in the refrigerator all ready for tomorrow. So I am in a good place. And, like always I probably won't be ready till my guest walks through the door! That's just how I do things! Well, back to work! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Saturday Doings

I got busy and lost track of time. The mail carrier brought me two packages and I was busy going through them, when Nathan arrived to pay me a visit. He helped me with my new purchases. I bought more reading glasses and some beaded chains. He helped me attach the chains to my multiple pairs of glasses. I have been putting them various places that I might need them...the kitchen, next to my chair in the family room and my bedroom, near my purse, and around my neck! I may not need as many pairs since I chose to try wearing them on a chain around my neck. But, as Nathan said, I now have multiple glasses to choose from to try to match what I am wearing! Ha! Ha! Such a fashion statement...glassses around my neck! I do like the new pairs that I ordered, as they are a thinner rectangle...easier to look over to look far away. I'm still adjusting to not needing glasses for far away...but really needing them for reading and other close-up things. I sort of just took it easy this afternoon...decided that it was Saturday and I wasn't going to do much...not that I do a tremendous amount these days. This morning I had my monthly Cottey College Alum Zoom Book Club. We had a pretty good group and a lively discussion about a non-fiction book for a bit of a change. I'm ready to go back to reading some fiction...don't feel like thinking a whole lot while I am reading these days...just want to be entertained! I have alredy read next months book. But I read it so long ago, I will have to find a good summary of it so I can review it. I did some stitching this afternoon and redid what I had to pick out last night and got a little beyond that. I am very close to finished with it. So I think that I will watch a little TV this evening and finish up this small cross stitch piece. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

2 Months & 1 Day and 2 Months

In so many ways it seems much longer than 2 months. Two months from yesterday Abigail and Payton were married and two months from today Woody died. I had to go back to June 16 and count on my fingers twice as it seemed like it was more than "just" two months. Today was pretty much the same as any other day...these days. Get up and decide what I will do on any given day. I will say that last night I made my decision of the first thing to do today...get up and go to the grocery store. I needed to go early as my financial advisor said that he would stop by today so I could sign the papers that they had drawn up since I saw him yesterday. I didn't know when he would come, but I felt that I could go early as he probably wouldn't come by very early...plus I had asked them to call before he came. I headed off to Kroger...want to go on Fridays when I can, as that is the day that you can get 4 times the gas points...IF you remember to sign up for that digital coupon. And, I did get signed up for it for today's shopping trip. I really could have gotten by with waiting a couple of days, except that I am going to have a guest for lunch on Tuesday and I didn't want to go shopping on the day before she comes over, since I need to be cooking that day instead of shopping for food! I also was out of a couple of things that I am glad to have in the refrigerator again. I came home and got busy putting the food away. I also straightened out a couple of the shelves in my pantry. Plus also put away some dishes that require a step stool. I often leave the dishes that are on high shelves until I have several to put away...so it is worth pulling out the step stool! Today I rearranged one of the upper shelves in the pantry, put away the rectangular casserole dishes, and put away some of my gold dishes which I replaced with some new ones that I bought. After I put away the casserole dishes I ended up deciding that I would get out the dishes that I need to use for the things that I need for my cooking for my lunch guest. So I climbed up my step stoop one more time and got out what I needed...which was a redundant move!!! Oh, well... Instead of putting away all the groceries I put the ingredients that I will need for my lunch so they will be within reach when it comes time to make the recipes for our lunch...trying to escape putting away and having to get out ingredients, again! Saved some steps for me when I am cooking on Monday! Plus...it will keep in my mind what I plan to make for that day...I took a good nap after lunch. Then I talked with Ruth and Connie on the phone. And, in between all of the above I have done a little of this and a little of that. I did stitch a little...BUT...I misread the graph...there are two heart symbols on the chart...one solid and one just an outline...I read them just as a heart...so am now taking out most of what I stitched to get back to where the color is supposed to be different! Oh, well...not in a big rush to get these finished! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Thursday

It has been an in-and-out kind of day. I gathered together some information needed for my financial records and took it to my financial advisor. That little chore done, I went to the Credit Union. That was enough "going" for the morning and I came home to do a few things around the house. I continued putting things away. Today worked some more on the cross stitch supplies that I got from my friend the other day. Last night I got out all the DMC floss that was in what she gave me and put it in numerical order. Today I got it all put away in my special DMC cabinet, a section of one I purchased from a cross stitch store that closed many years ago. I also cleared away a bunch of papers that had gotten stacked up on the dining room table. It seems that I have lots of papers to deal with these days! There are still medical stuff, insurance stuff, financial stuff, tax stuff...lots of stuff! At least most of that stuff is now in two file folders. I've at least gone through them and have gotten rid of stuff that isn't needed. I also put away camera equipment that had landed on that table. I'm just trying to get on top of "things." I keep telling myself that next I will attack the two places in the family room that still house medical supplies...quite a bit to go through. I also started watching a series of shows on TV...good time to go through these supplies...just have to get motivated to go through them! This afternoon, Marie picked me up and we went to visit a member of our Sunday School class. She is in rehab in a local facility here in Tullahoma. We found her in good spirits and had a really nice visit. I came home did a few things, had supper, and at some point fell asleep in my recliner...and, now it is almost the end of another Thursday...a pretty good Thursday. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday

Today has been one of those days that there wasn't anything I "had" to do till this evening when I had a Bible study at church. I read a little, stitched a little, cleaned a little, watered my gardens a little, talked on the phone a little, maybe dozed a little. Lots of "a little" going on! I did watch a movie today, Sister Act 2. I watched Sister Act (1) with Cheryl when I was visiting in Arizona...many years ago. You can tell how many movies that I have watched when I can pinpoint when and where I watched a movie! I once again have shifted items from one place to another...sometimes those items find a permanent place...sometimes they just get put another place till I find a permanent place! Lots of shuffling!!!! Eventually things will settle into a place of their own...or get donated or put in file 13. Today was garbage day so I once again have an empty garbage can to put some of the throw-away things in. I did do a little more paper work that I needed to get done...will get that to the proper hands tomorrow. Sort of rambling tonight! Guess that is what happens when I really didn't do much of anything to do! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thoroughly Tuesday

Looking back on the day, I guess it has been fairly busy. I did some cooking this morning before I went to the church library after lunch. I made another of my mother's recipes, Artichoke Rice Medley. It can be served either warm or cold. I made it this morning so it would be cold by supper time. I did eat a few bies warm...but I like it better cold. So had a few more bites of it cold for supper! Donna and I did maintenance in the library and then worked on choosing some books for our next book order. Before I left for the library, my latest lamp order arrived. I ordered a floor lamp to go with the table lamp that I ordered for the family room a couple of weeks back. I brought it in off the front porch before I left. After I got home, I put it together. One of my friends who is moving and also has eye problems decided to get rid of her cross stitch supplies and sent them by way of Donna. So I loaded up the two bags of stitching stuff and brought that home after we finished in the library. I have sorted through what all she gifted me for the first time. I will go through it again and do a little more organizing of it at another time. It looks like she started stitching back in the 90s...a lot of memories of past stitching in the bags she gave me. Only a couple of duplicates. One of the small charts have a sticker on it that says Windsor Castle and the cost is in pounds. I am guessing that she has traveled to England. Interesting what our needlework choices tell about the stitcher. I wonder what people will learn about one day when my needlework supplies are gone through!!!!! I did a little more stitching on the Christmas stitch that I started yesterday. I also finished the church library book this morning before I headed off to the library. I turned it in and checked out two more. The librarian allowed me to check out more even though I was so delinquent with the one returned today! Today is the day to get recycled items out to the curb along with the trash can. I did that job which I had to knock down seveal boxes...I got all the boxes that the lamp came in today out to the road...so no cardboard boxes hanging around...at the moment, anyway. To be continued! Be safe! Be well Be cautious!

24 Years Ago

24 years ago, we were in Statesboro, GA for Nathan and Kathy's wedding. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in others it seems like a really long time ago! Happy anniversary, Nathan and Kathy! I've had a stay-at-home day except for going to prayer meeting tonight. I have been home for a little while...had supper and am settling in for the evening. This morning, I got busy on my downstairs' stitching project, as I was almost finished with it last night. I finished stitching it and then headed outside to water the gardens. We are so dry. It has been some time since we had any rain. But so far the gardens are doing well, so I keep watering. We have had quite a few days of very pleasant temperatures. I am starting to feel that Fall isn't all that far away. I'm sure that we will have plenty of very warm temperatures ahead of us over the next couple of months...but Fall isn't all that far off. I'm working on finishing a book before I go to work in the church library tomorrow. I have had this book for a really long time...the librarian's privilege? But it is time to return it!!! So my plan for this evening is to finish it. That will be two finishes today...one stitching piece and one book. I have already started a new needlework piece...this new project is for a Christmas present. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Pretty Much a Do-Nothing Saturday

I didn't have a very good night and when I finally just went on and got up this morning, I still didn't feel good. So I just took it easy. I did do a few trivial things around the house, but other than those few things, I just pretty much just sat in my downstairs' recliner. I played around with the TV and found out more about what all I can watch on this Roku TV. This TV has been Woody's TV and I just left it to him to choose what was watched, so I never learned what all I can watch on this TV. I found one of the home-type programs...this one dealt with tiny houses and since Nathan and Kathy have recently gotten a tiny house, I was interested in seeing what all can be done in a tiny house for storage. Right now Abigail and Payton are living in the tiny house...until their house is ready. After a few of the tiny house programs, I decided that I would watch the rest of the movie that Cheryl and I started while she was here and that we never finished. I also did some napping and do feel better since I napped and just did close to nothing most of the day. Right now I have discovered that I can watch YouTubes on this TV...so found out that I can watch the needlework videos that I enjoy...what we needleworkers call "FlossTube." It's interesting to watch them on the TV screen after watching them on my iPad small screen. I have done a little reading, too. I did do a load of wash that I need to get out of the dryer before I head upstairs tonight. I'm hoping that when I wake up tomorrow I will feel more like myself! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

I let the day start slowly...because I could! I had a late breakfast and then headed out to run an errand. I stopped at the library to pick up a book that I had put on hold. I just realized the other day that it is almost time for my Cottey bookclub and that I hadn't read the book nor did I have it. Luckily one of the libraries in our county system had it and it got brought to our local library very quickly after I requested it. I started the book this afternoon...I will have to keep my nose in it to get it finished by a week from tomorrow. It is a non-fiction book...about the US governmet...probably not the easiest read...though so far what I have read is interesting. While at the library, I decided to tell them about Woody's death so they could update there records. It wasn't necessary to tell them. The library worker told me that the funeral homes let them know about deaths and he had already been taken out of their system. I wish that you could see Woody's library card...it was well used and only a fraction of it's original size. He had used it many years. Up until recently...probably prior to the pandemic, he made a weekly trip to the library. Many, many books were checked out using that card...and, it shows. After the library, I made a quick stop at Kroger to pick up a couple of things that I neglected to get last week for a recipe that I plan to make. I made one of those recipes this afternoon...so a seafood salad is in the refrigerator awaiting one of my meals tomorrow. Instead of stitching this afternoon, I read my book. Working on a load of clothes while I write this. Hopefully that load will be dried and put away before I head to bed tonight. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A New Friend

I took a picture of my new friend to share on tonight's blog. I spotted him out the sun porch window after I watered this morning. He was very content to just sit there and bask in the sun while I moved from place to place up on the ramp...I was NOT close to him...so no chance that he could surprise me by jumping closer...but he just sat very still like a bump on a log! I think that today was just one of those days that I didn't feel like doing much. I think that the busyness of my week so far sort of caught up with me. I just stayed home and sat around for most of the morning except for going out to water. I watched some Olympic events. I made myself an easy lunch. Melany and Wade brought me lasagna from Maggino's Little Italy Restaurant in Nashville. I had it in the freezer and yesterday moved it to the refrigerator so it could thaw. Today I heated it up in the oven for lunch...yum! I still have enough for another meal. Definitely an easy fix. I ended up taking a nap after lunch. After my nap, I felt a little better. I wrote a few more thank-you notes. FedEx made a delivery. I had ordered several pieces of the dishes that I chose as our "china pattern" before we married. I bought some to replace a couple of chipped dishes and also bought two serving pieces that I hadn't had before. I got those unpacked...talk about well packaged pieces...no chance of breakage! I washed them by hand and have them put away...then I wrestled with all the packaging along with bagging up all the packing peanuts...so that mess is gone...just have to collapse the box just before recycle next week. After picking up packing, I did a little vacuuming. So as the afternoon was waining, I sort of woke up and was able to accomplish something. Nathan and Kathy stopped by a little while ago. They had been on their Thursday night date and stopped on the way home. They watched some of the Olympic diving and Nathan tried to trouble shoot the doorbell...batteries needed that, of course, I did not have. I have already gotten the kitchen cleaned up...easy tonight after not really cooking much today. The rest of the evening I plan to watch some Olympics and maybe do a little stitching...another day coming to a close. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Our Poor Cardinals!

Our poor cardinals are looking a bit worse for wear! From what I understand from seeing them like this one in the photo...or worse...that they are molting. But in the meantime they look rather evil!!!! This one is such a beautiful red...but that red is rather spoiled by his balding black head! I spent a little while the other day on the front porch attempting to capture some of the birds that visit the feeders. Today has been a day of coming and going. This morning I had an appointment with my financial advisor...some decisions have to be made so we were working on reaching that goal. After I got back home, I had some bills to pay...one of which needed to be sent certified mail so I headed to the Post Office. While I was there I bought some more forever stamps. I continued to work on my photos...still working on deleting all but the best and the latest family pictures and the most current ones that I have taken. I'm planning to keep on top of the photos on my iPad and not let them grow to such a large number! This afternoon, I balanced the checkbook...and, it came out to the penny...always a good feeling. I did doze for a few minutes in my stitching chair, but I also did manage to make a few stitches on my little project that I am working on downstairs...now that I have two places to do my needlework...I have upstairs' needlework projects and downstairs' projects! Though at the moment, I am stitching downstairs more than upstairs...partly because of the Olympics. We'll see once they Olympics are over if I go back to stitching more upstairs. I have a small sewing project that I am planning to do...haven't gotten back to sewing very much. "Maybe" this project will inspire me...not sure that it will! But I do want to get this made and hung on the wall in the family room. I will be using a piece of my grandmother's embroidery to make a small wall hanging. I have chosen fabrics to make it with...now to get the inspiration to complete it! This evening, I went to church for a Bible study...an interesting study in the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments. So I am now home. I'm going to have a light supper after I publish this and settle in for the night...hoping to stitch while I watch some more of the Olympics. I didn't watch this morning since I had an appointment so tonight's Olympic events are new to me...at this point, anyway. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thankful for Friends!

I often wonder what people do without close friends and I have been graced with so many! Today I got to spend time with friends...first my hair dresser...I always look forward to hair cut day so I can catch up with Jody. Right after getting my hair cut, I headed to the church to work in the library with Donna. It's always so good to get time to work with her and get to visit while we work...always lots to catch up on. Today we got the stack of books that we left the last time finished and ready to be circulated. The job of the day was to put contact paper on the paperback books...not the most fun task in the library, but we have done it so much that it goes pretty smoothly...most of the time! I headed home and got the garbage can pulled out to the curb and placed the recycle items on the ground near the garbage can. When I came out the door, I discovered the pretty bouquet of flowers and the sweet note from a secret friend! So pretty in my kitchen. So nice to be thought about. I got a phone call from Marie and she was offering to let me ride with her to a funeral on Saturday. So many thoughtful friends! So thankful for each and every one of them. And, this is just one day of interacting with friends. It will all begin again tomorrow...can't wait to see which of my many, many friends that I will talk to and see tomorrow! I still have one more friend to "talk with" tonight...Linda H. and I will have our nightly check-in/chat/text. Tomorrow I have an appointment in the morning and then I'm trying to make up my mind if I will go to a study at church tomorrow night. My calendar seems to be fairly full this week. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Rolls Around Again

Tonight's photo is Peaches, one of the cats we gave Esther many years ago. Peaches greeted me when I was at the Dorrell farm on Sunday for Esther's birthday. This photo I took a few years back. My main task of yesterday and today has been to clean up the photos on my phone and my iPad and transfer photos from my cameras. At this point I have all that is on the phone and iPad and cameras backed up in two places. Cameras' photo cards have all been formatted...no camera has any photos on them for the moment. I have deleted all but the one that is my screen saver on my phone. And, I have been working on deleting a good many from my iPad...trying to just leave ones that I might share on the blog and the most recent family ones. I still have photos on the iPad since I got it four years or so ago. Way too many! I am slowly whittling the number down. I have gone through them once since I backed them all up. I have deleted a lot, but still many more to dispose of. Around the house, I continue to go through things...not sure exactly what I did today when I look back...but...I do know that I have made MANY trips up and down the stairs today...putting one or another item away...also doing a lot of throwing away. Since tomorrow is trash day, I have gone through what I had set aside to throw away...I did find a few things that I hadn't realized were in that pile and I moved them to the box of items to keep. But the papers to go through that I have found at this point are getting less and I have thrown away more than I have kept. I did find another small stack in a box today...so pulled them out. I'm still going through those. I went through the pencil holder today...Woody liked different pencils than I do...I removed "his" pencils and added mine to the pencil holder next to the chair in family room. The basket next to the family room recliner had Woody's books, puzzles, and papers in it. I have cleared it out and now have put books, notepads, and other things that I want to have at hand. I feel a little funny about taking over his space...but guess it is better to utilize that recliner and space around it than let that area sit empty! I have spent a lot of time in this area especially since the Olympics are on, but also because of what I have been doing...some stitching and a lot of photo sorting...all of which can easily be done in that recliner. I stayed home today until it was time for prayer meeting. I went to prayer meeting and came home and am now settling in for the night. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Celebrated Esther's Birth Today!

Happy 17th Birthday to Esther!

The top photo shows Esther when she was modeling one of the dresses that I made for her...back in the days when she "loved" dresses. The bottom photo shows her the way she prefers to dress currently! She wore the bridesmaid's dress for Abigail's wedding, but she was out of it and into her jeans as soon as she could that afternoon. Today she turned 17...that doesn't seem possible! We will celebrate her big day tomorrow. I stayed home all day today and did a little of this and a little of that. I cooked a little, got back to writing thank you notes, did some more sorting through Woody's papers. He had a stack on the floor next to his side of the bed...now those had to be there for years as he hadn't been upstairs in the last couple of years. I have them in three stacks...throw away, personal things he had written, and medical information. I got rid of a lot of them, but still need to look through the ones that I kept againto decide what is to be kept. A slow process...but I am enjoying the memories of some of the things I have found. The new lamp arrived today (the lamp to replace the one that broke when we moved it the other day). I had to put it together...including the lampshade. It ended up being quite easy and I will say this kept the lamp shade in good condition. The lamp that broke the other day had a defective shade when it arrived many years ago. The company sent another shade, but it still had a problem...so sending actual lampshades through the mail can be iffy on the outcome. But the way this one came...with the shade material all rolled up and ready to snap on the metal ring frames, it came without a bend or dent in it. I am happy with the way my stitchy spot is turning out. I haven't stitched yet today, but do plan to in a little while, once the kitchen is cleaned up. I had a late supper and just finished up so still have some dishes to put in the dishwasher. I will stitch and watch the Olympics this evening. I have watched the Olylmpics some during the day some, so there may not be much new to watch this evening. So I may move on to something else. I'm trying to do some meal planning...trying to get inspired to cook and eat in a different way now that there is only one for me to feed most of the time. I did make a macaroni/ham salad this afternoon. It's a favorite salad that Mother used to make. I seem to be leaning toward recipes of my mother's lately. I have been looking through cookbooks trying to find recipes that appeal to me. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I Can See Clearly Now!

Today's "big happening" was being released from the eye doctor after both my cateract surgeries. He said that I was seeing perfectly and that I no longer had an astigmatism and that both eyes were healed from surgery and also the left eye was healed from the abrasion. We got to talking about how miraculously the eye heals and I never got what my vision was corrected to. Oh, well...as long as I can see well! He told me to get 2.50 readers and they work perfectly. I stopped after my appointment and got a couple of pairs to try that strength out. I will purchase more now that I know they work...and place them stragetically around in places that I might need them. They definitely make reading easier...and even typing this, I can easily read the screen with them. I have tried them when stitching and they work for that, too. So I think that I am good to go at least for the time being. My morning was wrapped around making a grocery list and doing the shopping and getting the groceries put away. I spent a little time trying to reorganize the pantry...at least a little. It probably needs more organizing, but for now it is better. I have watched a little of the Olympics. Seeing the track and field get under way and also watching volleyball, takes me back to Woody's and my trip to Atlanta for the Olympics in 1996. So glad we got to experience that together. I just got out the folder of things thwt I saved from that day so many years ago. I usually get the folder out sometime during the summer Olympics to relive the memories. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I Voted

I feel like I kept fairly busy today...but lookig back...not exactly sure just exactly what I did! Nathan and Elijah stopped by this morning to change the water filter that is under the sink in the kitchen. It filters the cold water. The first filter was put in when we renovated the kitchen. It was a five-year filter...and as unbelievable as it seems, it has been five years since we renovated. Still love my kitchen! Elijah and Nathan brought my magnifying dazor lamp downstairs and put it next to the recliner in the family room. This way I have a stitching spot in the family room as well as in my bedroom. I have two of these high powered magnifying lights...we gave my mother one that she used for years, but when she stopped doing stitching that required magnification, she suggested that I take it back home with me. So one of the times that Woody and I drove out there, we brought it back. The one I had them bring down has been in my sewing room. I didn't use it a lot in there...except to help me thread heedles, etc. I think it will get more use down here. I did stitch a little this morning prior to them bringing the lamp downstairs. This was the first time that I had stitched since I had my 2nd eye operated on. I can still stitch...so I am happy! I will go back to see the eye doctor tomorrow afternoon. I am still trying to figure out how much power I need in readers, but I'm sure that is still to be determined over the next weeks...probably too soon to determine what I need for reading correction, yet. In the process of putting the dazor lamp next to the recliner, we had to move the table-floor lamp. That lamp had been giving us a problem for a while...it kept getting loose and was hard to tighten. Well, today, it chose to not tighten...so that lamp bit the dust. I spent time trying to decide what I would use for a lamp...decided that I want to have a side table and a table lamp. I have a small side table that we used on Woody's side of the bed. When Cheryl was here, we brought it out from it's place next to the bed to see if there was another spot to use it. I decided that, at least for the moment, I will use it in the family room in the space between the couch and the recliner...then I had the problem of a lamp. I have been looking online for a new table lamp, but in the meantime, I am using the lamp from "Cheryl's room." I'll try to have a new one for downstairs and put the borrowed lamp back before she or someone else uses the guest room. For the moment this is working. I had been wanting for some time to replace some of the dishes from the dishes we chose at the time of our wedding. Some of the most used one have over the years (54) have a few chips. I still use this set a lot so decided that I would replace several of the pieces...so that was one of the things I did this morning...made an order. Mid-afternoon, I headed off to vote. This was the first time that I drove since my surgery. I have watched the Olympics today...and, now I can stitch while I watch while I am downstairs. I have brought down one of my projects to work on when I am down here. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I spotted the subject for tonight's photo out the window when I went into my laundry room this afternoon. I got my camera and headed out the front door, to not disturb him, and found him moved over a bit, but still close to where I spotted him. Interesting fellow! Glad the lens on my camera let me be far from him...didn't want him to do any jumping towards me!