Monday…Again!

I have been working at various things around the house today. I got the wall hanging done and hung in the grouping on the wall behind my downstairs recliner. About the grouping: On the left is the new wall hanging that I made using a piece called "The Open Door," that my mother's mother stitched years ago. The picture on the top next to the wall hanging was painted by my father's first cousin. It is a painting of the Gilmore homestead in Maine. The little house I stitched the year we moved into this house...40 years ago. The "Home Sweet Home" piece, I stitched. The picture on the right was given to us as a house warming gift from Linda and Doyle H...so another from 40 years ago. This is a framed poem about how a house becomes a home. Everything in this grouping is about home. After I got the new piece hung on the wall, I headed off to get gas...needed to use my gas points from August before the calendar page is turned tomorrow. This is the first time that I have ever gotten a $1+ off each gallon. I only needed a half a tank...but that half tank only cost $12...and I have a full tank of gas again. I am not using any where near as much gas as we used to with all our trips to dialysis and other doctor appointments. On the way home I stopped at the grocery store down the road from my house...they had something that I needed that Kroger seems to no longer carry. This evening I have returned from Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting and am settling in. I think I will stitch for a while and watch a little TV before I head upstairs for the night. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Oops! Just realized that I posted the wrong picture of the wall grouping...well, you get a close-up of one with the new wall hanging and then...the one with the whole grouping.

Sunday Favorite

Another Good Day to Stay Home

Tonight's photos are some barns that I took along the road on our trip...so they could be a TN barn, a NC barn, or a GA barn. I didn't put my GPS on the camera...haven't learned how to do that yet...the way it works is to pair it with my iPhone...and I haven't taken the time to figure that out yet...plenty of other things to figure out first! These photos have been doctored using software...sort of making them painting-like. The rainy conditions didn't make it very easy to get really sharp, clear photos through a rain swept windshield or side window! So I am having fun with what I did get...and the details on these interesting barns are visible. We haven't had a lot of rain today, but it has drizzled off and on throughout the day...more drizzle this evening than earlier. We are still in the very edges of the spin of Helene...the whispy trails...sometimes we are in between trails and oters they pass over us for a little while. Kathy's parents did have hurricane damage in southern Georgia. A tree fell on their house. Their electricity is out and it is not expected to be back on for a couple of weeks. Last I heard they were waiting to hear from an insurance person. One of their grandsons is supposed to come help get the tree off their house and cut up. It's good to have lots of grandchildren, as there is bound to be one who has expertise in something that you need done!!! The damage from this storm is just phenominal...so much wind and flooding damage. A main artery across the U.S., Interstate 40, was partly washed away near the TN/NC border. At one point it was said not to drive anywhere in western NC. We have heard from all our group who met up in GA and they made it home safely. One couple chose to stay at the hotel Thursday night and then decide Friday whether it was safe to drive home to South Carolina or wait another day. I'm glad that they did as I heard constantly about tornadoes in SC throughout the night Thursday. They did go home yesterday and said that they could see where trees had been across roadways, but that they had been cleared and that they didn't have much traffic getting home. They were pulling a camper. We were glad to hear that they had gotten home safely and that their home was okay. Another couple who couldn't come due to another obligation were at a point in the path of the hurricane, but that its path didn't end up doing much damage in their area...just lots of rain...something like 7 inches. And, they had two trees come down, but not on their house. All that to say that is just two people from our group and when I think of ALL who were affected, it is mind boggling. I sort of took another day of not doing a lot. I did get more things put away of what I took with me on the trip. I charged camera batteries. I continued to go through the camera manual with my new camera to see what's new with this camera. I have done a little reading. I have studied my Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. I have read some from a photography book that I checked out from the library. But my biggest effort was to make chili and then clean up the kitchen. I only have the task of turning on the dishwasher...am waiting to see if I have any glasses or mugs upstairs that need to be put in, then I will start that. So it has been a day of doing a little of this and a little of that...I like that kind of day sometimes...especially when it is a rainy, dreary day...good day for ducks, if you are a duck...or a good day to stay in if you are like me! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Today = A Staycation!

I decided that I would just extend my vacation into today, since I had planned to be away. I have worked with some of the photos that I took. When I was up moving around, I put a few things away that I had taken. I worked with my new camera, too...just trying different settings on items around the house. I have read a little...but mostly just sat around and did a lot of nothing! One of our friends, who ended up missing our gathering, suggested that Marie and I meet her for lunch next week. We will fill her in on what she missed and share photos with her. It has rained off and on a good part of the day. At the moment we are in a no-rain part of the swirl of clouds. We have had some wind, but not really bad. I have stayed inside except for going out to get the mail when it wasn't raining. I posted a couple of photos of the place where we stayed...very nice and relaxing spot...plenty of space to be able to gather into a group and visit. All who came were very ready to come back again next year...hopefully without a hurricane. As we were leaving we learned an interesting fact about our hotel. It was built by the state of Georgia for the 1996 Olympics. The Olympics used the Ocoee River for white river rafting competition. I remember that the Olympics that were held in Atlanta did that part of the Olypics in TN...where my children have done white river rafting...not me! Marie and I drove right along the Ocoee on our way to the hotel. The hotel was in Georgia, but also almost withing a hop-skip-and-a-jump from North Carolina and TN. The hotel is owned by the state of Georgia, but run by a private entity. I will end this with a shot of the inside of the hotel lobby...our group is in the distance. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Home, Again! Home, Again!

Well, plans can change! We got up this morning and looked at the weather that was supposedly coming. We were in a place in Georgia that it was predicted to get a lot of rain from the Helene and we decided to head home today before the big onslaught of rain got this far north. We did drive in rain most of the time home...pretty much rained on us till we got to Tullahoma...I got my things out of Marie's car and into the house and Marie backed the car out and it started sprinkling. We have gotten some rain...most I have seen here in a while. I can actually say that the ramp is wet. We're still pretty much at the edge of whatever is coming...so rain...on again, off again. We had a very nice time despite leaving early. The hotel was sooooo nice and the restaurant in the hotel was very good for both dinner and breakfast. The lobby was so spacious...great for visiting with friends. We did lots of talking and laughing...reminiscing and catching up...just a good time by all. All were in agreement at the end of the stay that we would like to do it again next year...same time, same place...just preferably without a hurricane. We came from SC, TN, and AL...only the South Carolinians decided to stay tonight. They had been camping prior to coming to this gathering. I think they were enjoying the luxury of "inside camping." They said that they would stay another night if it wasn't safe to leave tomorrow. Pictures were far and few between...due to the rain...tonight's photo was one of the rare ones that I took standing outside with only a few raindrops falling. Had a great time...but it is good to be safely home...awaiting the storm to pay its visit here. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Greetings From Georgia!

Well, we escaped TN...in the rain...and moved into more rain. I had been wishing for rain...welll we got it and from what we understand there is MUCH more to come...some have moved away from Helene's path...or the predicted path. Well...we have moved right into the predicted path...into one of the areas that is supposed to get a lot of rain. I got tickled when I thought about hurriane parties...well, perhaps we will have one. We are here safely...only 7 of the planned 11 have come. We have had a yummy supper and 5 of us are sitting in the large lobby area visiting. I told them that I was going to be unsociable for a few minutes so I could blog...so here I am. Whether I can blog tomorrow night will depend on whether we have electricity! They keep telling us that there won't be food if the electricity is off. I got a to-go box...so I will have some food! Tonight's blog photo was taken in TN through the rainy windshield with a reflection, but you get the idea. Lots of fairly low hanging clouds was part of our scenery. I haven't gotten to see the photos that I did manage to take with my new camera, but there may have been a few barns captured. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy! Busy!

Tonight's photo shows the best Fall color that we saw on our "barn trip" the other day. So far not much color is showing, but the leaves are falling. We're not sure if it will be a really pretty fall because it has been so dry these last couple of months. Time will tell! I have been pretty busy around the house today getting ready for a little trip. Main concern about our trip now is...the weather. Tropical Storm or Hurricane Helene may have an impact on our trip...again...time will tell. So far we are going full steam ahead. I have been packing and doing thiings to get ready most of the day today. We need rain so badly, but I must say that I wish that it wasn't going to rain on "our parade!" We will make the best of it and be extra careful on our travels. As far as I know there will be internet where we are going but just in case you don't hear from me the next couple of nights, I will fill you in when I get back!!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Muddlings

Trying to prepare for a short trip and doing every Monday "things" plus adding in extra things...makes for a bit of a muddling of my mind! This morning was catch-up-on-wash day...I have put one load away, ut still have one load in the dryer and one load in the sasher...so that task has extended into the whole day! I took a break to get ready to go to lunch. Linda H. and I had made plans to go to The Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) Monday lunch. Nathan is the director of the BCM so I ended up having lunch with Linda and Nathan, Kathy, Joy, Elijah, Isaac, and Joseph. I had arranged with Joy for her to cut my hair today. When she found out that I was going to eat at the BCM lunch, she suggested that she cut my hair there. Joy came over for lunch after her last class of the day, which put her there during the serving time for lunch. So after lunch, she, Linda and I went to one of the rooms in the BCM and Joy set to work. She did a great job. I convinced her to cut it shorter than she had the last time. I told her my test of a good haircut is that when I go out after getting it cut and if the wind is blowing...not a hair on my head moves!!!! No wind today...but I do believe that this cut would have passed "my test!" Going back to the BCM lunch. It has been a tradition just about from the start of the BCM (back in the day it was the Baptist Student Union (BSU) that once a week (Mondays) a lunch is served by ladies from various churches in the area. There is a suggested donation of $3 per person that goes into a fund to send BCM students on mission trips. Good for the students, faculty, and others (like Linda and me). Today workmen doing a job on campus came in for their lunch. When school started, those workers said that they were so glad that the Monday meals would be starting up again...that they had missed them during the summer. We had lasagna for lunch today...good food...good fellowship...and, for me...a good hair cut! This evening I had Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. I'm home and ready to settle in for the rest of the evening. I will go start the dryer and get that load finished drying and then get the next load in. I still have a load of towels to do. We'll see if that happens tonight or tomorrow. In my "down time" today, I have worked on deciding what I need to pack...haven't had to pack to go anywhere except to the hospital to stay with Woody in quite a while! I want to pack light, but also don't want to leave anything necessary out, either! Decisions! Decisions! More on this later in the week! Marie, Carolyn and I did go on a barn trip yesterday...the first one in quite a while. It was a pretty day...lots of pretty clouds. You will probably be seeing photos from this trip for a while...mixed in with hopefully some from another...to be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorites

A First on Last Day Summer

A little while ago, I headed outside to check on the mail...one piece...from Woody's supplemental insurance...note how it was addressed. That's a first. The best part about this mail was that it shows how much I might owe...and the bottom lime was $0...always a good bottom line! I think this may be the last EOB from them, but I'm not sure. It seemed to cover most of his last days in the hospital and his last dialysis treatments here in town. But I won't be surprised if I get another one or two! This one had his air ambulance amount in it. Wow! His supplemental insurance wasn't cheap, but it always came through for him so in that it was worth that big amount each month! Today I have continued to finish my Fall decorating both in and out. I wanted it done before Fall actually arrived...which is tomorrow. And, I made it. I placed the last pumpkin just a little while ago. I have dusted and polished and placed and put away...quite a few trips up and down the stairs. I an glad that it is finished. I still have to pick up polishing cloths and cleaning products and get them put away. Melany texted me a little whie ago to say that it was raining on them...around an hour away from us but nary a drop here. We are soooooo dry. I just went out to put something into the trash can and discovered that my little elves weed eated a path for me so I can walk to the faucet on the backside of the ramp without getting tangled in weeds and brambles. That was a pleasant discovery. They really have got a very good start on cleaning out the garage! Looks so much better already! My other activity today was my Zoom Cottey Alum Monthly Book Club. We had a nice group again today. I had read the book so long ago that I had trouble remembering details, but I enjoyed listening to the others discuss it. I said a little today, but very little! It's just nice to get together. So far I haven't been able to get next month's selection. I may really only be a listener next month! My tasks left for tonight are to put a few dishes in the dishwasher, run the dishwasher, get a load of clothes out of the dryer, perhaps wash another load...if I think I can make another trip up and down the stairs...I will study my Sunday School lesson and hope to gather a few lenses together, as I may do a little galavanting to try out my camera a little farther from home...so far I haven't gone farther than across the street to take a picture of my house! I need to figure out how to travel with my camera...just what I need to take when I take a little trip soon. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Shopping Day

Tonight's photo shows changes (after shopping today) that I made to my fall decorations that I showed last night. I went to Kroger this morning and added a few real gourds and, then this afternoon, I went to Hobby Lobby and added the pumpkin standing on books in the corner...that pumpkin replaced the cookie jar for the moment. After all, the grandchidren will tell you the cookie jar is always empty so guess it won't be missed for a while, at least! I also got some pumpkins that I added to the front porch next to the front door, along with some of the gourds that I bought. I bought the heron/crane a trick or treat bucket to hold. Will update the outside once I get things on the table. I didn't do much with decorating today due to ALL the errand running. This morning was Krogers. This afternoon was Kroger again (had to return Swiffer dusters that were strongly scented for unscented ones), then Hobby Lobby, Credit Union, and the public library. So lots of running around. I just got a call from Nathan and found out that I had missed some of them being here while I was Krogering this morning. They came to start the clean out of the garage...so I had elves at work while I was away and had no idea! I did just peak out the window into the garage and I can see some spots that are now empty...I will check out their work tomorrow in the daylight. It's a start to get rid of a lot of items no longer needed. Cleaning out! I'm gearing up for a little trip coming up soon...a little get-away...to be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thoroughly Thursday

I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to post a photo tonight. There has been an update to both my iPad and to the blog site...not sure which was giving me the trouble...but finally I was able to post part of what I did today...another corner of the kitchen. I have managed to clean all the counter top sections and put out a few fall decorations here and there. Maybe I will be able to get the rest of the decorations out in the dining room and the living room before the first day of Fall, which is Sunday. I got a call from a friend this morning suggesting we go out for lunch and I went. We had a good lunch and and a good visit. I watered the flowers and herbs in the back of the house this evening. We are still quite warm and VERY dry. When I got home from church, I got sidetracked and moved away from fall decorating for a while and decided that it was time to move some more of my cross stitch supplies down to the family room. I am using the cart from Woody's home peritoneal dialysis to put some of my supplies on...perhaps a photo for another blog. I have decided that I will mostly be stitching downstairs where the TV is so think that it will be good to have my supplies handy downstairs. I put away thread from my last project after I got my DMC cabinet downstairs and it was nice to be able to have the cabinet right in the room next to me instead of having to go upstairs to put thread away or get thread. I also brought the large basket of my project bags and put it on the bottom shelf...so things that I am working on are here and I can switch back and forth. I found a tiny fall cross stitch piece that I think I will finish before I get back to stitching on one of my samplers. I haven't been doing a lot of stitching in the last few days...decorating has taken up some of that time and also I have been reading a little more. It is good to have a really clean kitchen so that is a good job done. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Underway

I've been pretty busy most of the day today. Nathan, Elijah, Isaac, and Joseph stopped by this morning to pick up the things that I had packed up for the yardsale that is happening in Shelbyville this week...a yard sale for the children's ministry where Nathan is children's minister. I got rid of a good portion of the leftover medical supplies that we hadn't used for Woody. There were lots of unopen boxes and packages of bandages, gauze, tape, etc., etc. So all of that is cleared out of the family room area. After they left, I attacked some other things that I was ready to throw away. Some of the items I took pictures of as a rembrance and then got rid of them...missed today's trash pickup...but there is always next week's! A few of the things I hesitated over, but in the end I decided that the photos were memory enough. After lunch, I decided that it was time to begin putting the Fall decorations into place. I started in the kitchen and cleaned off sections of the countertops...giving them a good cleaning before putting out the decorations. I got the rolling island and two sections of the kitchen countertops...one big section on the sink side and one small section on the stove side...so it is a start. Makes me feel good to see something new when I walk into the kitchen so I guess I was ready to do this change for Fall. As I was cleaning off the counters of everyday decorative items, I realized that I wouldn't be seeing those items (once they are put away) until after I put away Christmas! It doesn't seem like we should be this far into the year! I went to church about an hour before my Bible study so I could do some work in the library. I checked in books and shelved most of them...there wasn't quite time enough to do them all. While I was in there, I also checked out books to patrons...always glad to see the library being utilized. I am now home...couldn't believe that it was almost dark when I got home a little before 7pm. The days are definitely getting shorter. I came in and closed curtains and then started my supper...will go eat it now! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Terrific Tuesday

I stayed busy most of the day except when I took an afternoon nap! As the photo shows, I got some of my outside Fall decorations out...which meant doing a bit of cleaning on the front porch...I got rather warm and tired from doing that. I haven't put anything fall on the tables, yet. I did clear one of the little side tables off. Combatted a few spiders and their webs...guess I could ignore webs considering the time of year...maybe they would be looked upon as part of the decorations! I've also started working on what I am going to put on the mantle. I plan to work more on that after I blog and clean up the kitchen. I decided that today was the day to make the gravy for the meatballs in the freezer. (I made the meatballs before Cheryl came and put them in the freezer to be able to ave them while she was here...well, we never got to them.) Today I browned onions, carrots and celery to give the gravy some good flavor and color...so it wasn't just a one step process...several pots and pans were involved with the making. It was worth the effort as the gravy was very flavorful. I got the gravy made, popped in the frozen precooked meatballs and let it all simmer till the meatballs were thawed and heated through. While they were warming through I cooked noodles to serve the meatballs and gravy over. I enjoyed a good late lunch. After the effort of cooking and the effects of the meal, I needed a nap! So nap I did. Ater my nap, I got busy again and finished the work, for today, on my front porch. I also swept and sprayed off the spring/summer doormat. It's drying on the ramp. Since I sprayed off the door mat, I watered some in the front. Definitely the gardens have seen better days. The new garden at the head of the driveway is still looking good, but the others are fading fast. I did manage to read a couple of chapters in my current book when taking a break. I rounded up a few more items to give Nathan and Kathy for a yard sale that is coming up. I "think" that the family room is pretty much cleared of medical things now. At this point in the day, I am ready to wind down. I still have part of the mess in the kitchen, as I need to empty the dishwasher so I can reload it. There are several pots and pans that will have to be handwashed...so my kitchen duties aren't quite over. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Remembering Day

Today...another of "those days." It's been three month since Woody died...in some ways it seems much longer ago and in others just a very short time. I did a little thinking back over these past... four months...really. Lots of things have happened in these last months...hospitals with Woody, hospice with Woody, then...home...alone. There have been lots of tasks to accomplish to keep me busy. Most of the necessary tasks are complete...at least, the ones I am aware of. I find myself just sort of floating through life, at times. Sometimes I have great plans to accomplish a lot...and then find myself just thinking through plans and not actually doing them. Sometimes, I find myself just too tired to do anything...other times my energy comes in spurts and I accomplish a ilttle for a little while. I guess this is all part of getting used to being alone after all these years. I am so thankful for family and friends and my church. They are all there for me when I need them. There are times that I prefer to be alone and other times when I am glad to be surrounded by others. I am thankful for the home that Woody provided me and the feeling of security I have. Over the years since Woody was diagnosed with 4th-stage-metastatic melanoma, we had prepared for his eventual death. God gave us almost sixteen years to prepare. There were so many times this year, that we thought we were going to lose him, but he rallied and we once again had more time to prepare. June was the third time this year that he was taken to the hospital and I thought that he wasn't going to come home. This time I was pretty sure that he wouldn't. He had gotten so weak and could do so little for himself any more that I "just knew" that even if he rallied that he probably could not be cared for at home any more. Actually the doctors at Vanderbilt in Nashville told me that he could not go back home. So I had those weeks to get used to the idea of him not coming home. Each time I came home for a couple of days over those weeks, I would look around and remind myself that he would not be coming home. And, I am so thankful that he didn't have to go to a long-time care center. All this to say, that a lot of my grieving happened over the years since his diagnosis...at the time of his diagnosis he was given less than a year to live. Almost 16 years later the time came for the final good bye...never easy. At first I was so tired that I just sort of sleep walked through the days. Then there were all the tasks to accomplish that kept my body and mind busy. Now...things have slowed down. I think I am more rested, though, I could do better with more sleep. Reality has settled in just a little more...sometimes I am fine...sometimes not so much...but all in all "things" are going along fairly well. I thank God for standing beside me and getting me through this. Tonight's photo shows the wall hanging that I finally got around to completing today...one of those tasks that I have wanted to do but kept letting it sit there. This piece was stitched by my grandmother, as I mentioned, a long time ago. I now have to get the motivation to put it in place on my wall! I am hanging it in a grouping that has to do with "home." I thought that this "Open Door" piece was appropriate to join my other pieces. I have been to prayer meeting. We met at the fountain in our church's park across from the sanctuary. A very peaceful setting and we actually got a few drops of rain on us...one of the few drops that we have gotten over the last days. I watered some very thirsty plants today...not sure that all will revive...but then it is at that time of year when plants are starting to fade away. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Looking Back 40 Years

Forty years ago today we moved into this house...so many memories!!!!!

Saturday Doings

I got busy first thing today. First I got started on making a wall hanging out of a piece of cross stitch that my grandmother stitched many years ago...has to be pretty old, as she died when I was two...so older than 74 years at least. I got the first strip of cloth cut and pressed in half and then pinned on around the piece...ready to be basted on. I brought it downstairs and got it basted on a little while ago. Next I will decide how wide to cut the border strip and get it cut. That strip will be machine sewn onto it. After I got the strip cut and pressed and pinned on, I abandoned that project and started taking my fall decorations downstairs. And, the way tonight's photo shows the living room couch is the way the living room couch still looks. I need to do some dusting and maybe some furniture polishing before I start putting them various places throughout the downstairs. I have also begun packing up medical supplies that I don't need at this time in my life. There is a yard sale coming up in Shelbyville that is supporting the children's ministry at Edgemont Chruch, where Nathan is children's minister. I had told myself that when Nathan and Kathy had their next yard sale that I would put all these unused supplies into their sale. Well, they are not having a sale of their own, but I was glad to hear that there will be one so I can move these items out of the house...there are boxes of unopened wound care supplies...that hopefully will come in handy for some one. We had just gotten a new order of supplies just before Woody went into the hospital...so I have an an abundance left over! By the time that I had done all that I havae mentioned, I was ready for a rest! I did do a little napping...but mainly just settled into my recliner and got comfortable. I kept waiting for the rain to come. I think that the question of "where's the beef" needs to be reworded for us to "where's the rain!?!" I keep being told that it will rain at a certain time and for how long and how much we will get...and the most that we have gotten so far today is, again, a sprinkle that didn't even totally make the ramp wet. I finally decided that I had better go next door and water the neighbors' tomatoes again. They had asked me to water them once and then they expected that the predicted rain would do for watering for the rest of the week. Well...I decided that I had better go water them. I figured that watering them would bring on the rain...but no rain so far. Very disappointing! I thought that we would be socked in with rain this whole weekend...planned for that...just stayed in, but not due to an abundance of rain! I did work some more with my camera...figuring out settings and finding out where things are on the camera and setting the camera up to my liking. I didn't take a lot of pictures...I took several photos of the fall decorations on the couch of which you see on the blog tonight. I read some more in a book about landscape photography...suggestions that they make for camera settings. When I decided that I wanted to see how to do something with my new camera, I challenged myself to find out how to do it without looking in the instruction book. This camera is the same brand, but set up a bit different as they made improvements and updates to this camera...so things have been added and some things have been taken away...and somethings have been placed in a different place...got to get my brain wrapped around how to do them in this camera...plus remember with the older cameras so I can use those still. At the moment, though, I am sticking to JUST taking pictures with the new one so I can get very used to it. I am happy with my new toy! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday The Thirteenth

We're still waiting for the promised rain to fall...I did see a few sprinkles on the ramp this afternoon, but we NEED ever so much more than a sprinkle or two! I have done more camera experimenting today...taking pictures with different lenses and different settings on the camera. I foiled several spiders' plans of webs in various corners in the house...th vacuum helped me with that task. I awoke way too early this morning. I got up and showered, got dressed, and sat back down in my upstairs recliner and went back to sleep for a little while. I considered going to the grocery store, but decided that it wasn't necessary today so decided to just stay home. My allergies were bothering me some for a while after lunch so I took another nap. Late afternoon, Nathan showed up with a new toy that he had gotten today...a small chain saw. He brought over here to cut some branches that were overhanging the roof near the chimney. He had been planning to cut them for a while, but knew that using his big chain saw that needed two hands to operate wasn't a good idea when he was up high on a ladder. I couldn't take a picture of him up on the ladder, as I was the one at the base of the ladder trying to not let it slip! So I took a prework shot of him...the first person I have taken with my new camera. He cut off limbs, took them to the brush pile out at the road, and emptied the wheelbarrow, or as Woody always called it, the yard bucket. I took the empty yard bucket out to the front yard and we both picked up branches that were blown down with the winds we have had the last couple of days. Lots of small branches down. There's still more to pick up, but we picked up quite a few of them. I did start Fall decorating...one thing...I put up the new fall yard flag that Cheryl gave me while she was here. I thought that I would bring the decorations downstairs today, but at this point that hasn't happened. I have been working on finishing the book that I am reading...just one more chapter after I finish the one I am reading now. My plan is to finish the book tonight. I'm still hoping for rain over night. "They" say we will get some, but I have decided that it is best not to hold my breath waiting!!! As usual...time will tell! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Breezy Day

This cardinal can attest to the breeziness of the day. I continued to play with my new toy, but did manage to do some other things around the house, too! I have watched YouTube videos about the camera...I wanted to learn more about setting up this camera. All buttons on the camera can be assigned pretty much whatever task I want to assign it...decisions, decisions! One of the time consuming things was getting my purchases registered. I did manage to get that task done and also got the wireless connection made between the new camera and the iPad. Now I am just trying to find what all this camera can do and how to do them! I did get three new lenses...not in the plan when I started making this order. BUT...when I chose the camera, a bundle possibility popped up that let you choose up to four lenses to add in with the camera at VERY reduced prices. To show you how much reduced...one of the lenses that I chose actually cost -$2.01! That one I definitely couldn't resist! The other two weren't reduced quite that much, but were still drastically reduced. I had been wanting one of the lenses for some time. The three lenses are all prime lenses (one focal length rather than a zoom lens with multiple focal lengths). I still haven't tried these lenses on the new camera, but yesterday tried them on my other two mirrorless cameras. I am pleased with the way they worked on the older cameras so am sure that they will be even better on the new one. The big selling point of this camera is the focusing ability...and it is quite impressive. It actually will focus on a bird's eye and then lock in on its eye and keep the bird in focus while the camera can see it. I read several chapters in the book I'm reading. I only have a few more days to keep it till it is whisked back into cyberspace. It is one of the Cottey book club books so I want to finish it before it is taken away and I have to wait my turn for it again. I also started working on getting ready to decorate for Fall. Putting items away to make way for other things to be put on tables, shelves, etc. I have really been disappointed with the amount of rain that we have gotten...really we have gotten next to none. I "think" that we may still get some, but it weems like the storm dumped way too much south of us and ran out by the time it got to us! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Like a Kid with a New Toy!

My camera order finally got here this afternoon around 1:30, but then I had to unpack the boxes and find the battery and get it in the camera and the camera plugged in so the battery could charge. I noticed that they charge light was off just a little before 5:00. I hurriedly put in a memory card and rushed outside to take a couple of quick pictures before I had to leave for Bible study. So you are seeing three of 7 pictures that I have taken so far...nothing has been done to them. I haven't really studied them and am wondering if they will load as they are a bigger format. I probably should have only put one on the blog tonight. I have one of my new lenses on the camera, too. It is a wide angle lens that is supposed to be really good at taking closeups. I knew that if I wanted to get a photo outside with the camera that I needed to do it before I got home...and, I was right...pretty much already dark at this point of the evening now. I did try out the new lenses on my other cameras...while I was waiting for the new member of my camera family to charge. I haven't had time to figure out how to transfer the photos wirelessly so I just took the memory card and used my card transfer that I have for my iPad. I will be playing with the camera after I post this tonight. I fed birds today so they and the rascally squirrels would start hanging around so I can use them for subjects of photos and check out the special focusing on this camera. Of course, whether I will be porch sitting tomorrow will depend on the weather. I'm not sure when Francine is planning to arrive for a visit and start raining on us. The rain will be very welcome. We may get some wind from what we get as Francine passes through so I decided that I should park the car in the garage. I may be confined to trying out the camera on objects in the house! I'm not going to write much more tonight as I need to see if these will post. I'm off to play with my new toy! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! In the end I just posted the first photo that I took with the new camera...as with three my words didn't post...but then maybe I should rethink...since a picture is worth a thousand words!!!!!

Technical Difficulties

Tonight's photo shows me with my very first digital camera...23 years ago, I think. I could go check, but too lazy! Woody had Nathan choose this one for me. This picture shows me in AZ checking it out. I can remember showing my father my digital and trying to show him how it worked. With all his cameras, he never went digital. If digital had become popular a little sooner, I have a feeling that he would have enjoyed digital. I'm not sure how many cameras have come in between this first one and the ones that I now use...I think 3 point and shoot cameras and two mirrorless cameras. I wore out the first one...well, it did get handed down to the grandchildren at a point. I wore out two of the point and shoot and the third point and shoot is struggling at the moment. Both my mirrorless cameras are still in use at times, but the first is pretty old. The second one I struggle at times with focus or so it seems lately. Last year Panasonic came out with a new mirrorless camera (micro 4/3 camera) that is supposed to have fanatastic focusing capabilities and I have been wanting to give it a try ever since it came out. That was the decision that I was making last night. When I got up this morning, I decided that it was a go and I was going to order it. Well, for a while, I wasn't sure that it would happen. I had all kinds of ordering problems with the site, where I bought my last 5 cameras. I got hung at the very end and it would never let me finalize the order without a message that I needed to call customer service to complete the order. I attempted to call customer service and I kept getting a failed call message. I was beginning to wonder if "it" was meant to be. Finally I did some live chatting and eventually they had someone call me to complete the order! (rolling eyes...big time!!) I'm almost to the point of wondering if I am going to be able to conquer the camera after so many technical difficulties with the order! I guess time will tell. If FedEx comes through, as they say they will, I will be posting a photo tomorrow night taken with the new camera. I'm exhausted after fighting with technology for so long today! I did find time after the order was complete to have lunch and eventually head off to the lawyer and pick up my will and powers of attorney. So that is another task ticked off my list of things to do. I scrounged around in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry and came up with ham stuffed potatoes for tonight's and another meal. Pretty good...a family favorite for many years. While the potatoes baked, I did some watering. Now I have had supper and am now settling in for the night. Tomorrow I will be sticking close to home till my FedEx delivery, as it has to be signed for. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious.

Monday Muddlings

Today, I have done a little of this and a little of that. This morning I finished my little cross stitch piece that will become a Christmas gift. After lunch, I headed off to the lawyer's office and signed my will and a couple of powers of attorney...so those documents are now legal. I am to go back tomorrow to pick up the original and copies...then that necessary task will be complete. I spent the afternoon doing some research on some items that I am considering purchasing...still thinking...think I will sleep on it and decide tomorrow! We had Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting this evening. I am home and settling in for the night. Our weather continues to give us promises of Fall, which is just around the corner. Delightful temperatures and humidity...I love this time of the year...except when I start thinking about the shorter days ahead! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Saturday Samplings

I started out my morning upstairs...attempting to address the papers of Woody's...what to keep amd what not to keep...that done...I finally had the last stack of papers off my cutting board. I then worked some more on my thank you notes. One of the main plans that I had today was to water the back herb gardens and the new flower garden at the head of the driveway. I had two of the plants that Cheryl and I bought while she was there that needed to be transplanted. I accomplished that and watered the newly transplanted plants again. One of the lantanas that Cheryl and I planted in one of the gardens in the front yard, just hadn't done well in the place we chose. I decided to plant it in the new garden where the other two lantanas that we bought that day had thrived. I hope that this one will take root and get established before cold temperatures set in. The other one that I transplanted was a gerber daisy that we put in a pot. I decided that I wanted it to get established in the ground, again, before cold temperatures. Both the lantana and the gerber can be perennials in our climate...depends on the severity of the winter. We have very good luck having gerber daisies survive the winter. Tonight's photo shows how well the lantana are doing in the new garden. I took a few pictures and then went back inside. The weather has been absolutely beautiful today. Our high was around 76° and the humidity was low, too. The feeling of Fall was definitely in the air. I made an old favorite soup recipe: Stuffed Spud Soup. I made just a half recipe...trying to learn how to cook for one! I enjoyed it for a late lunch. Connie and I chatted on the phone this afternoon and caught up. Sometime during the afternoon, I caught a nap...or maybe two! I'm getting ready to work some more on my cross stitch piece and will probably read a little, too, before the evening draws to a close. I had planned to do some wash and feed the birds. The wash may still get done tonight, but the birdies will have wait till tomorrow. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday Rambles

Well, I didn't ramble all that far, but did head out late morning to run a few errands. I made a stop at the Credit Union, Hobby Lobby and Kroger. I looked around in Hobby Lobby...perhaps trying to get inspired to start my Fall decorating. I got the three things that I went in for and then checked out Fall and a little Christmas (not really in the Christmas mood yet). I only needed a few things at Kroger so that wasn't a long trip. My food shopping has changed so much now that I am just cooking for one and because I have quite a bit to choose from in the freezer. I just needed a few staples and some fresh fruits and vegetables. So I was in and out and only had to carry a few grocery bags into the house and had very little to put away. I ate a late lunch due to my errand running...so supper was just a snack. I have done some more reading. I am almost half-way through the Cottey bookclub book. I went through some more of Woody's notes that I found. I keep telling myself that I want to do a little sewing, but always seem to find something else to do instead. One of the things that I bought at Hobby Lobby I need when I finish the wall hanging that I plan to make...maybe now I will go on and work on it?!? At least when it is finished, I will be able to hang it up! Maybe tomorrow!?! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Reading and ‘Riting…But…No ‘Rithmetic

I ended yesterday reading and finishing one of the books that I have been reading. And, began the day reading and finishing the other book that I was almost finished with yesterday. So two books added to my Books-Read List for this year. I am waaaaaaay behind in reading this year. My usual goal is a book a week during a year. I will be far below that goal for this year, but that is okay. I also started another book this morning. I had a book become available that I need to read for my Cottey Alum book club. I have already read this month's book, but this one is for a couple of months down the road. When it becomes available in my library app, I feel that I need to grab it and read it. I had started to listen to this one a while back, but decided that I would rather read it so had been waiting for it to become available. After lunch, I decided that it was time to get back to thank-you note writing. There are several in the mailbox awaiting tomorrow's pick up. I just thought of something...I should have balanced my checkbook and that would have been 'rithmetic! But I did that a couple of days ago! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

An International Day…Of Sorts

Tonight's title references my eating of the day...enchiladas for lunch and sweet and sour pork for supper. I made the sweet and sour pork this morning...my main accomplishment of the day. I am working on using things in the freezer and had all the ingredients needed either in the pantry or freezer...so another item out of the freezer. I have been working on finishing up two books...close to the end for both of them...maybe one will be finished tonight. I had Bible study this evening. I headed to the church a little earlier than usual so I could do a little work in the church library before the study. When I got home from church, I made the rice to go with the sweet and sour pork. I have finished supper and am settling in for the night. I did manage to get an appointment to go sign my will and powers of attorney...not till next week, but at least there is an appointment set. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday Comes After Monday!

It has been hard to realize that today is Tuesday after yesterday's holiday Monday. Today has been a "recovery" day after a busy Labor Day. Once again, I just didn't feel like doing much. I did get a request from my next door neighbor. She needed to take her older child to the doctor and her younger child was napping. So I went next door and read while the baby slept and they were at the doctor. It was a very quick appointment. I was hardly over there an hour. Since not a lot went on today, I will fill you in on yesterday's adventures. I made potato rolls to take to Nathan, Kathy, and family's Labor Day supper. I went over there late afternoon. We had a good time catching on what all had been going on...from Halo, the cow, about to deliver a calf, talk of college life from two of them, silly times from others (found out that one can Moon Walk), and a couple of hair cuts! I asked Joy if she was ready to give me a haircut and she agreed. I am pleased with the way she cut it. Good job, Joy. Nice to have a licensed cosmetologist in the family!!!!! Isaac decided that he wanted a haircut after mine was finished...so two of us were "sheared!" I left to come home before dark...but twilight was oncoming. I got home and opened the door and thought that there was a smell that didn't seem right...then I looked towards the kitchen and thought that it looked smokey, and then realized that the smoke alarm was beeping. Sort of a scary feeling! I headed toward the kitchen and when the light came on it didn't seem smokey...I checked and stove was turned off...went to the family room and sun porch/laundry room and all seemed ok. Went upstairs and checked all the rooms and all seemed okay. By this time I had called Nathan/Kathy and Nathan was heading my way. I went outside and walked around the house...looking up at the attic windows making sure that no smoke was coming from attic windows...or and sign of flames. I checked the garage. At that point all seemed fine. I went back inside and realized that the smokey look in the kitchen was due to the fact that the kitchen lights were out, but there was the blue glow of the Zevo flying insect trap that is plugged in there. I decided that was the cause of what I thought was a smoky haze. And, then the odd smell (might have been fireworks in the area...I heard a few later on) and the smoke alarm beeping added to the feel that there might be a problem. Nathan checked things out and agreed with what I had decided...that all was well. Then he headed out to buy new air filters for the upstairs return. So he put in the new filter and changed the batteries in the smoke alarm...which did not stop the beep...so we will be replacing the smoke alarm. I guess there is always something going on. But all's well that ends well! But that shake up may have made it harder to recover from yesterday's adventures! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy Labor Day From the Dorrells

Sunday Favorite