Boo!

Happened to pass by this highly decorated Halloween yard the other day. It was decorated in the front and down both sides and the roof and..! I guess this family is in the Halloween spirit! I have had a very nice day...lots of visiting. Jo and I went to breakfast here in town this morning. Always to catch up and just talk and eat good food...especially good biscuits this morning...only problem...they had run out of jelly...that was the first! I came home and did a few little things around the house, then I called Cheryl, my favorite (and only) sister. Later this afternoon Linda H. stopped by and we had a short visit before she needed to get home to be there for her little spooks. And, a little later I got a call from Connie in Alabama...so more visiting. Now I'm settling in to enjoy my favorite shows this season...Matlock and Elsbeth. I chose to be a bah humbug and not turn on my lights...which is what I have done the last few years. We always have very few trick or treaters...so few come that it is just easier to keep the light off and this year I would just as soon not open the door to strangers no matter what their size! The big surprise for me...and I did open the door to check on this as I hadn't heard it for so long...but it has been raining...not a usual occurance here lately. We are in drought conditions. So it was very nice for it to rain enough to actually hear it when I am downstairs...and I'm thinking that there will actually be more than a couple of drops in my new rain gauge. And, finally "good-bye" to October. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Results

My efforts of the last couple of days have produced results...not much to see with the lacing...but you can see what I was doing. I'll show you the other sides when I get them in the frames. One of the needlework pieces I ended up having to lace two fabrics onto the core board. The white board behind the light weight cream colored fabric on the one piece just didn't look good so I laced ona piece of cream muslin under the piece and that made a lot of difference...if I had let Hobby Lobby lace the pieces onto the board, that step wouldn't have happened and I probably wouldn't have been all that happy with the end product! I am very pleased with the box that I FINALLY finished. I have had that sitting waiting to be finished for months. When I finished lacing the three pieces for framing, I thought that I should just keep doing finishing...this needed lacing too so since I was lacing, I continued to lace that piece, too. So I actually have a fully finished project. That was one of the samplers that I stitched after I got back to stitching seriously during shut-down during Covid...note the date of 2021. Well, I bought the graph back in the late 90s and finally stitched it in 2021. It took me a while to find the right box to mount it on. I found that at Hobby Lobby earlier this year. And...FINALLY...it is ready to set about in my house the end of October of 2024. Yay! I am slowly but surely finishing projects that have been laying around. Part of getting things cleared away so I can work on the stockings that Melany needlepointed. No way could I ever get bored with what all I have to do around here...can always move to another project as soon as I complete one...or can just move to another whether it is completed or not! I have been to Bible study at church tonight and am home settling in for the evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday

I never know how my days will go or which direction they will go in. Though...I do usually have a plan for after lunch on Tuesday...work in the church library. Donna and I got our usual library work-day plan in place and then I decided what I would do with my morning. The three needlework pieces were sort of staring at me. I knew that I needed to get them stretched on the core board, as I want them ready for Hobby Lobby's call to tell me that the frames are ready. I managed to get one stretched and ready and another one almost ready. I plan to complete that after I blog. i'm not sure if I will work on the third one tonight or wait till tomorrow. After lunch, I headed to the library and we continued to weed books and worked on a new book order. The phone was ringing when I opened the front door and this time the phone was telling me that it was someone I know calling...Melany. We talked for a while. We even talked a little about Thanksgiving...I need to get input from Melany and Wade and Nathan and Kathy as to just what we will have. We're all going to share in what we are going to make. In the past when had Thanksgiving Dinner here, I usually made all of it and we pretty much followed the same menu. This year I think we will stray from that and let the two families bring favorites of theirs for this meal. I'll make the basics...turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and pies...and whatever else we decide as we get more into planning. Thanksgiving is four weeks from Thursday. Christmas...do we really want to know?!? Christmas is eight weeks from Tomorrow! Lots happening in the next two months! I did stitch some more last night and now have four stitched of what I am planning. I finished another book. It looks like I'm on the path of having read about two books per month this year...my usual goal is a book a week...not this year. That's okay...lots has gone on this year! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Picturin’ and Stitchin’

I woke up this morning and went to work on working on photos on my iPad...some new taken this Fall. I wanted to see what I have and just go through them. I will admit that my morning got pretty much eaten up going through the photos. Then I needed to break away from that and decided to do some cross stitch...more Christmas stitching. I got another one stitched. I hope that I will be able to stitch another or at least get a good start on it before I go to sleep tonight. I have just returned from Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. So back in and settling in for the night...once again. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Not Enough to Measure…BUT…

But...it did rain today, though not enough to measure. My new rain gauge that I bought more than a month ago finally got wet! The rain certainly did do enough to break out drought, but it was nice to have just a little. I have moved from one thing to another. This evening I have been working with my cameras and almost forgot to blog. Then when I realized that I was late blogging, I realized that the few photos that I had taken today with the blog in mind were still in the camera and the camera was upstairs charging. So it took even longer to get to blogging. The main thing that I did today was go to a virtual Cottey College meeting/reunion. Not a lot joind in, but there were four or five from my class. The current Cottey president spoke to us and then we got filled on several things that are happening on campus. Then we chatted amongst outselves. It was an enjoyable time. I cleared a spot on my cutting table and put my first cross stitch picture on the table along with its cardboard that I will stretch it over. I have it lined up and ready to lace it onto the cardboard...but that is as far as I have gotten. I have done some more Christmas stitching, though what I just finished...or am about to finish, I don't think that it is going to work due to its size. At least it didn't take too long to stitch! I will move on to the next one. Well, back to finishing up a couple of things in the kitchen and then perhaps go back to stitching a little longer before I head to bed. I also have a load of wash that needs to be transferred to the dryer. I did do a couple loads of laundry today. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Fall Surrounds My House!

Note my driveway and front walkway...clean! clean! clean! One of my neighbors and I didn't see which one blew my driveway and front walkway earlier this afternoon. I did hear it happening, but I wasn't in a room that gave me a view of who my helper was! Earlier both were crunchy with leaves, sticks, and acorns. I so appreciate their effort!!!! But, as tonight's photos show, the leaves are really starting to change. The last photo shows the progression of the tree down the street...still pretty, but I noted a lot of leaves falling from it today. Today was an errand running day...a stop at the Credit Union, a stop at Hobby Lobby and a stop at the drugstore. My plans at Hobby Lobby were two fold. I needed some embroidery thread for the next cross stitch projects that I am planning to get underway with and I had three needlework pieces that I want to frame. One of Melany's friends from school was the person who helped me choose frames. The items that I took to frame were stitched long ago...they had just been sitting around waiting for me to decide what I want to do with them. One of them is dated 1984, another one my mother started years ago...maybe even before she married and at some point I picked it up and decided to finish it. That one is signed by both of us. The third, I had forgotten that I had stitched it, but it works well with these others. I plan to hang them over the family room couch with another one that is already hanging...trying to make a grouping since the now-hanging picture isn't centered. I brought the pieces home with me along with the core board that I will stretch the pieces over and take back to be put in the frames once they are back. I like to stretch my own needlework...that way if they aren't even in the frame, it is my fault and not that of the employee at Hobby Lobby! I needed to pick up a prescription at the drugstore and also bought my Christmas cards. I came home and divided up the embroidery thread between the upcoming cross stitch pieces. And, then I sat down and got busy stitching. I have quite a few small stitching projects planned...so need to get going since they have to do with Christmas. I have not stitched Christmas all through the year like I usually do...so I may have worked myself into a corner. I've almost finished one. I'll go back to my stitching once I publish tonight's blog. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Trick or Treat…at My House!

Look what you get when you trick or treat at my house! That's all this heron got in his treat bucket...at least it is a pretty leaf! The second photo is the tree that I have been keeping tabs on as it changes its colors. Today much more colorful than yesterday! Tomorrow the leaves may be mostly on the ground. These maples turn their vivid colors, but drop them pretty quickly and they will be a carpet on my neighbor's lawn! I didn't have anything that I "had" to do today, so I decided to stay home and take advantage of an at-home day. I am gearing up to make stockings from Melany's needlepoint. I have two to make...one for Wade and one for Erin. I just have to get into the right frame of mind to get going on them. I have been getting the sewing cutting table ready to have room to work on them. I did roast the pork tenderloin that I got for a bargain price of 96¢. There were two pieces so I roasted both of them and froze one to have at another time. I figure that an equal amount of lunchmeat would cost a lot more than this...I will have some good eating for several meals from the one and then several more from the one I froze. I got the kitchen all cleaned up so I would have the evening to stitch and watch TV. Tonight have my two favorite new programs: Matlock and Elsbeth. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Seeing a Little More Fall Color

It has been another beautiful Fall day in Middle Tennessee. We saw the 80s today...won't be seeing too many more days this year that let the temperatures get into the 80s. Today was a cooking day for me...a rice and crab concoction that I made up the recipe for years ago. By the time I had that made, ate some of it for lunch, and then got the mess cleaned up that about did me in for the rest of the afternoon. My back and neck were really hurting...so...I headed to my upstairs recliner and turned on the heating pad and rested and read. I never did take a nap...just got comfotable and relaxed for a while. I talked to Cheryl. It's her granddaughter's 18th birthday, today...lots of birthdays in our family during October! After I talked with Cheryl for a while, I headed off to church for Wednesday Bible study. I'm home and once again, very ready to settle in for the night! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday

It has been another very pretty Fall day...we still need rain, though. It was one of those days when I started doing one thing and ended up doing another. I picked up the iPad to look up something and ended up going through my photos on the iPad and deleting a bunch of them. I have all the pictures that are on the iPad backed up on a memory stick. So I am attempting to take off all except for the very best ones...so I can just add more! Donna and I worked in the library this afternoon. We did more weeding, thus freeing up shelving space. Got to make room for all the new books we have been adding. I had thought about running a couple of errands afer working in the library, but ended up deciding to run those another day. I was just ready to head home and do nothing, which is pretty much what I did. I have read a little more in my latest book. I have been doing a bit more reading lately. I have definitely not read as much as I usually do. I'm close to averaging about 2 books a month...my usual goal is to read one book a week...not going to happen this year. And, that is okay...I've enjoyed what I have read...so far. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Fine Monday!

It has been a really pretty day. It started out chilly, but warmed up nicely. Today I went to lunch at the Motlow Baptist Collegiate Ministries. It was time for me to get a haircut. I ate lunch with Nathan and others eating lunch there. Joy came over for lunch after her class ended. She ate with friends and then cut my hair after she finished lunch. I am so happy that she went to cosmetology school. She has made it so much easier to transition from someone who retired, who had cut my hair for years. I am very pleased with my haircuts that she has done for me...three so far! Good job, Joy! I saw four of my Dorrell grandchildren this afternoon and my son and my daughter-in-law...so another perk for eating at the BCM every so often! Abigail had exciting news. They finally have the electricity turned on at their new home...so they can move in for real now and that process was happening while I was at the BCM. They had already moved a lot of things to their house...but were moving the last of their things out of the tiny house on Nathan and Kathy's property. Exciting times for the newly married couple! After I got home, I decided that it was a good afternoon to do a little stitching so I sat and cross stitched for a little while. Then it was time to head to church for Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. I am home now and once again settling in for another night. I need to do a few things in the kitchen and then I will either stitch or read for a while before time for bed. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Leaves Showing a Bit of Color…Finally

This afternoon while I was talking to Melany on the phone, I glanced out and noticed that the leaves down the street were finally showing some color. After we finished talking, I grabbed my camera and decided to try out different lenses on the same scene. This one I took with one of my new lenses...as you can see, the sun was trying to peep through the leaves on the trees in my neighbor's yard...most of the photos that I took, I was able to block the sun with leaves and branches...but this one the sun peeked through...and, I like the look so decided to share this one with you tonight. The sun was shining on the leaves just right to make the colors shine. I was beginning to wonder where our color is this year...maybe not going to get as much due to our drought? But at least these are letting their colors shine forth. Last night I got my grocery list ready and this morning, I headed off to Kroger. I got some good deals! (Is that even possible any more?!?) But I got 24 bottles of water for free. I don't usually have bottled water around...but for free, I couldn't resist. It was their free weekend come on. Then I had an e-coupon for free peanut butter. And, the best...drum roll...a pork tenderloin roast for 96 cents! It was buy one, get one free and if you only buy one it is half off...so you aren't penalized if you don't buy two. I'm still not sure about the low price. It isn't very big, but I saw others that looked about the same size...but I didn't see any others for under a dollar! Looks like I will be eating "high off the hog!" It is the perfect size for me and a lot better than a package of cold cuts that would have cost a lot more. I'm happy with my bargains! Not that these bargains made up for the high cost of many other items!!!! But, I felt like I had a good day at the grocery store. I got all my groceries put away...well, I say that, but there are still some pantry items that need to be put away. Not long after I got home, it was time for my monthly Cottey College Alum book club. We had a lively discussion about a book I hadn't read...I listened this time. I was unable to get this book via my local library or their e-book library selections. I have read and dozed some, talked to Melany and took pictures to fill out the rest of the afternoon. I was looking at the pictures that I took, when the doorbell rang. It was Nathan, Kathy, Graham, Isaac, and Joseph. We had a nice visit catching up. I sent them home with some pig food = some old produce that was probably only fit for my compost pile or the pigs. Nathan was glad to take it for the pigs. Maybe the pigs will be happy. Kathy was not too happy with the pigs today. They had gotten out of their pen and she got hurt herding them back (do you herd pigs?). She managed to duck under barbed wire and one of the barbs got her on the forehead on her way back through. The photo of her shortly after this encounter with the barb looked pretty bad. Nathan came home quickly when he saw the picture! Let's just say...remember head wounds do bleed quite badly...but tonight, I could hardly see the place where the damage was done. But the picture was "impressive!" I understand why Nathan rushed home quickly!!! I got the latest on Graham's college experience at Middle Tennessee State University. He has made it through mid terms...so now downhill to the finish line for his first semester there. He's doing well at this point! We had some laughs with Isaac and Joseph when we asked Alexa what they would be when they grow up. Joseph was rather upset when told that it would have something to do with acting...he is not fond of the stage. But then Alexa changed her tune and said something to do with fashion design...he wasn't happy with that either! The best was just trying to get Alexa to say our last name correctly...part of the time "Dole" and part of the time dorrELL (emphasis on the last sylable and we emphasize the first...though we answer to either!) I think she did say it correctly one time...Isaac tried very hard to get her to say it correctly...he was saying it correctly...Alexa had a problem with her hearing, I believe! So that was part of our entertainment this evening. That all started when it was suggested to Isaac to decide what he wants to do with his life before he declares his major...that it is best not to change majors midstream...adds more time onto getting your degree...ask Graham how we know that!!!! They headed home and I sat down to write the blog. I will either read or stitch or both or neither tonight before it is time to go to bed. I do still have to load up tonight's dishes and get the dishwasher going...the dishwasher runs a lot less these days! I have some ideas as to what I am going to cook next...that bargain pork tenderloin for one...maybe tomorrow! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A “Traveling” Day

It wasn't the most exciting type of traveling day, but I did travel farther by myself than I have in some time...probably since the last time I went for a doctor appointment. This is not a bad drive...no interstate driving and a 4-lane-divided highway most of the way. It is chock full of school zones and I was traveling at morning school-drop-off time. I figured those slow-down places so started early enough for me to have plenty of time to get to my 8:20 appointment time. I was at the doctor's office early, but they called me in pretty quickly. The nurse was asking me questions when my doctor popped her head in and asked if I had planned on having labs today. I said that was the main reason for being there. She said that she thought so and didn't know why they weren't scheduled...she said a mistake on their part and asked if I had come fasting, which I confirmed that I had. She came back in after the nurse was finished with all her questions and taking my blood pressure. One of the first things she asked was about Woody. I was amazed that no one had notified her of his death...since she was his personal care physician. Shortly after Woody died, I had considered notifying her office and told myself that she would be notified. After all every where we went, she was noted as his personal care physician. Oh, well, she knows now! I decided since I was going to be out and about in some beautiful countryside, that I would take my new camera and my point and shoot camera and would find a road to turn down and hunt for a barn or two. Tonight's photo is one that I found. The next picture is the one that the above photo is cropped from:

I had the wide-angle lens on the new camera so I couldn't zoom in on the barn...but thanks to cropping you can see it better than you can in the uncropped photo! I came home and brought my cameras in and then turned around and headed off to my early voting polling place. So...I have voted. Done and Done! The rest of the day, I have done nothing. I tried to read a little, instead I dozed. I picked up my needlework but never picked up the needle and thread, I dozed. I did a little TV watching, but mostly I dozed. I guess the morning wore me out. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Look Who Is 21!

Today is Abigail's "real" birthday. I wished her a happy birthday on her party day this past Saturday. So she gets a double wish on my blog! Look how happy a 21-year-old is with a dryer for a gift!!!! I texted with Abigail today and they didn't get to be able to move in to their new home today...her birthday wish! They do have their water hooked up. But now they are waiting on an electric meter...might not happen till next week. She says that it is "ok" but I know that they have to be a little disappointed. Today has been another cooler day...starting out around 32° and the high only got to the lower 60s. Yesterday, figuring that it might get cold enough to get the basil and the coleus, I trimmed a few stems from each and brought them in to root. The question is...will they make it through the winter so I can plant them next year. Depends on my dedication to watering them over the winter! Today was another day to take it easy around the house...trying to get up some energy in these cooler temperatures. It seems that my mind (and body) just wants to sit and read. So read I did! I finished a book that I started a couple of days ago. It was a fast read. I have also been reading on a nonfiction book that is NOT fast reading. I did do a load of wash and have just about gotten it all put away...still a few pieces spread out on the couch to take upstairs the next time I go up. Tomorrow will be an early day out and about. I have an early appointment with my personal care physician in the morning. I will have to leave the house much earlier than I would choose normally! And, tomorrow's low is supposed to be 33°...definitely I would rather stay all wrapped up in my afghan in my recliner. But guess I will HAVE to make myself get up and out the door! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

It’s Weally Wednesday

I have sort of taken it easy today. It was a cold morning and I decided it was a good day to stay under a couple of afghans and read for a while after I woke up. I have talked to friends and my sister on the phone. I did a little cooking...more reading...and then headed off this evening for Bible study at church. I am home and glad to be in for the night. It got down to 32° overnight and is supposed to go that low again. I'm not ready for the cold nor for it getting dark so early. By the time we came out from Bible study (6:30pm), it was already dark. I'm ready to sit and stitch and watch a little TV. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Totally Tuesday

I have definitely come to the end of my energy for this day. I am guessing that the earliness of my first awakening time may have something to do with it. I awakened at 4am and then ended up reading for a while till I was sleepy again...which happened about sun up time. I did go back to sleep for a couple of hours. After I got up, I sort of went about the house in slow motion. I did a little picking and straightening up. Looked up a couple of recipes, trying to decide what recipe I am going to cook next. By the time I did whatever little I did this morning, it was time for lunch and then time to go to the church library. Donna and I completed processing the last books from the last order. We got those put on the shelves and then got to looking at the shelves. We realized that once again space is at a premiun and in order to be able to put away some of the older new books that we needed to shift books on shelves to make space. Then we decided that it was time to do some book weeding. We took quite a few from the shelves that were really old and hadn't been checked out in years and pulled them off the shelf. Donna deleted them from our computer card catalogue and did the first step of preparing them to be able to discard them and not have them find their way back to our library. Inevitably discarded books do, at times, find their way back to our shelves. Today we had an example of this with one of the books. When Donna, pulled up one of the book numbers, the computer told her that it had been previously deleted...but we had just pulled it off the shelf and it had its card in it and had no markings that indicated that it had been deleted previously. We have not a clue...but guess that this time we will hope to do a better job of deleting it permanently! When I got back home, I got all the inside wastebaskets gathered and emptied them into the kitchen wastebasket. Got all that out to the big trash can and rolled it to the road. Took a couple of collapsed cardboard boxes to the curb and that about does my recycle and trash duties for this week. The mailperson must be really running late today, as she hadn't made it to my mailbox when I checked around 5:30...so my thank yous were still waiting for her to pick them up. I guess there was a lot of mail to handle today since it didn't run Sunday or Monday. I did catch a glipse of her truck one time...but it was heading away on the opposite side of the street rather than coming my way. I guess I will get today's mail tomorrow, as it is getting pretty dark out there now. And, I know that there wasn't much of any import coming my way today. I am informed early each morning, as to what will appear in my mailbox, if anything. That's something that I just recently signed up for and it does come in handy. I now know whether there is a reason to go out to the mailbox...if I don't get advised as to what is coming then I assume that there is nothing and don't go out to check. They don't show me advertising flyers so once in a while there is something...but nothing that can't wait for another day. Our temperatures seem to be dropping. Our overnight low was in the mid 30s. I don't think that I am ready for cold temperatures! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Musings

Tonight's photo is from The Gospel Family Farm (aka Nathan & Kathy & family's farm). This is a photo of Halo and her calf, Harmony...pretty much Esther's pride and joy! I have just returned from prayer meeting. We moved the time again to a little later thus I am a little later posting. I was determined that today would be the day that I would have all my thank yous written...before the mail came...well, I didn't realize till this afternoon that that could have meant sometime before tomorrow's mail comes. It's Columbus Day...no mail! Well, at least all those envelopes are in the mailbox and ready for pick up tomorrow! Task completed. That task about wore me out. I am ready for a recliner and my book or TV and my stitching! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Happy Birthdays, Joy and Abigail!

Since it is Joy's actual birthday, I will put her name first, though she is the younger. Joy turned 19 today and Abigail's 21st birthday is in five days. So a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both! A bunch of us had lunch at Nathan and Kathy's, then gifts for both girls, and then birthday brownies and ice cream. After lunch, Nathan, Kathy, Elijah, and I headed out to Payton's and Abigail's new home with Payton and Abigail close behind. They still can't live there...still no water or electricity...but getting closer. Abigail is hoping by her birthday, on Thursday, they will be living there! They have started moving things in. We took one of Abigail's BIG birthday presents, a dryer, out to their house along with some other things. Abigail is so excited to finally get to place their wedding gifts throughout their new home! The house is really nice and they got quite a lot done even while we were there. When we left, Nathan hauled off a lot of empty boxes to free up more floor space! It was fun to see it take shape and see them moving furniture, etc. into "just the right places!" They are excited, to say the least! After the new home tour, I am home again, home again...ready to settle in for the night. Time to read my Sunday School lesson! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

First thing I did this morning was finish the book I was reading. I was getting close to the due date, when it would be whisked away into cyberspace so needed to get it read. Then later I began running errands. I had to stop at the pharmacy and pick up one of my prescriptions...had to look around! They are getting ready for their Christmas Open House that happens next month. I was there when they switched the music over to Christmas...not so sure about that! But I will say that it always makes me start getting into the Christmas mood when I go into their store and start seeing all the Christmas things being put on display. They have lots of pretties/temptations! My next stop was the Credit Union...had to get some birthday money for two special girls! Then it was a stop at JoAnn's as I needed some cording to make pipimg for the Christmas stockings that Melany needlepointed and I will finish into stockings. That was a successful stop...plus found a couple of other things! Then it was off to WalMart...ugh!!!! They are remodeling out WalMart and all I can say is what a nightmare...nothing is where it used to be. I finally found the two items on my list and I got out as fast as I could...even to the point of self-checking out (which isn't my favorite thing to do). I had considered stopping at Kroger, but at that point I was over wanting to do any more errands and I have plenty of food to get me through the weekend. I'm still trying to use what is in the freezer...so I won't starve...guaranteed!!! Once home, I had lunch and then the rest of the day I didn't accomplish much, though I did talk to Cheryl, Connie, and Marie. I have had lots of texts from Melany keeping me posted on the happenings of her Fall break. While in JoAnn's I had a call from Nathan needing an answer to a question. So I have had a busy day of keeping up with family and friends...always a good thing! Maybe I will get some stitching in tonight...last night I decided to read instead of stitch. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Sewing Day

Once again, I ended up changing my plans for the day. I "thought" that I was going to do one thing, but doing an entirely different thing. I was going to write more thank yous and ended up sewing. Kathy had asked me to make a label for Joy's graduation quilt. So I woke up today realizing that I needed to do it...then Kathy texted me and I found out that she was getting close to finishing the quilt so the square that I had would be needed soon...so that is the direction that I turned. I haven't embroidered with my machine since my last year's Christmas sewing. So it was a bit of a "getting back on the bike" experience. It took me a bit to remember just what I had to do with the software in my laptop and then get it ready to get it over to my machine. It did come back to me...but not as quickly as I might have gotten it done if I had been doing this type of task all along. I got the label embroidered out and then blanket stitched it to the square. Task accomplished! I let Kathy know when it was done. Not too long after that text, Esther and her boyfriend stopped to pick the quilt square up. We had a nice visit. I'll see them again on Saturday when we celebrate Joy's birthday. And, now...I am ready to wind down and settle in my recliner for a while and hopefully stitch on the sampler that I am working on. I stitched a few more letters last night. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Confused As To What Day It Is!

I keep thinking that it is Saturday. There are at least two reasons for that...one: Melany, Wade, and Erin came for lunch today and they usually visit on the weekend...two: Wednesday I usually have an evening Bible study at the church and there wasn't one this week as it was cancelled because it is Fall Break from schools in Tullahoma. They don't have activities during Fall Break since so many families are away. So I have stayed confused most of the day! It really does feel like Saturday to me. I had a nice visit with Melany, Wade, and Erin. They weren't here very long as they had more plans for the day...first an appointment in Tullahoma, then lunch with me, and then they were going to visit with Wade's brother and family. They are fitting in lots of things into their week, since Melany is off on Fall Break from her school in Murfreesboro, too. The tortilla pie met with everyone's approval...and...I have leftovers. I haven't been good for much since they left...I have just lazed around. I haven't yet had the enegy to even pick up a needle to stitch or a book to read...I watched some TV, checked out a couple of things on my iPad and took a nap...that about sums up whaat I have done since they left. I did load up all the dishes into the dishwasher...Erin cleared the table and Wade rinsed them...so that only left me to have to load them. I did walk to the mailbox to pick up the one piece of mail that came...and then I did make enough of an effort to put said piece of mail into the paper recycle container. I have been a bit chilly today...our temps are cooling off and it is starting to be felt in the house. I sort of dread feeling cold, again...and, really dread when it is time to turn on the heat again. It has been so nice these last couple of weeks not needing either the air on or the heat. I wish it could stay this in-between temperature for a while longer. But, I do think, that it is supposed to warm up again this coming week for a couple of days before our next cool down. This is the back and forth time of the year...one day need short sleeves...the next long sleeves and maybe even a jacket early or late in the day. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Totally Tuesday

I have been getting ready for Melany, Wade, and Erin to pay me a visit tomorrow. They are coming for an appointment here in Tullahoma and then coming to visit me for a little while. They will be here for lunch. We had thought about eating out, but since I have been going through recipes, it seems like I should make one of those recipes. After lunch, Donna and I worked in the library for a couple of hours...processing books and doing maintenance and changing a book display table. After I left the church, I headed to the grocery store to get a couple of items that I needed for the recipe that I decided to make. I needed some tomatillos and the grocery store down the street usually has them, but today they only had six left...so I had to go to Kroger, too. The funniest thing about going to Kroger was that the check-out person must not have known what tomatillos are as when I looked at the receipt after getting home, she had charged me for brussell sprouts. (rolling eyes!). I haven't bothered to see if brussell sprouts or tomatillos are more expensive per pound...too late now as I have already made the green salsa that I need for the recipe. I have also cooked the chicken thighs (had boneless chicken thighs in the freezer). After cooking them, I shredded them while they were still warm with my Kitchen Aid mixer...I knew that I could do that, but had never tried it before. Worked great! The major parts of tomorrow's lunch recipe are now done. I will put the rest of it together in the morning and pop it in the oven a little before they are supposed to arrive. I'm ready to sit for a while now. I have started cleaning up the kitchen, but still have a few more dishes to put into the dishwasher and a few to wash by hand. I also have a load of wash to get out of the dryer and put away...but other than that and the kitchen, I am done in for the day! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Task Complete

Exactly "why" this task needed to be completed is probably up for question...but...I guess I will say "just because I wanted to complete it!" I have my thousands of recipes all neat and organized...to a point. I still wish that I had a "list" that would get me to the correct recipe book...but what I have done will help. I do laugh, I talked this afternoon with Melany and decided what I will make when she, Wade, and Erin pay me a visit this week...then when I went to get the recipe, I couldn't remember which book I had seen it in. I have two of the notebooks indexed...but that just isn't going to happen...takes too much time! Most of the time I can put my hands on what I want pretty quickly. I guess today I got to thinking about "just how many" recipes I have made over the years! Thousands and thousands and...! Some I have only made once...but many, many I have made many, many times! I've done a LOT of cooking over the 55 years that we were married...lots of recipes tried...some very good...some not so much. But over the years, I became a pretty good judge of recipes, as to whether we would like them or not. Woody always said that he would try anything that I made...not his tune changed over the last few years. I can only think of one recipe that neither of us liked...a Black Bean soup from Southern Living Magazine...and, that was a surprise since Southern Living recipes were usually "keepers!" There were others that we did not care for all that much and said that I wouldn't make it again...but that is the only one that I can call to mind that we just didn't like at all! I'll bet if Woody were here, he would be able to bring that recipe to mind...we talked about it every so often. I'm thankful that we had ever so many more that we loved and made over and over again! I stayed in today until it was time for prayer meeting tonight. I am now home and settling in for the night. I'm going to put away the things that I have been using to organize the cookbook notebooks, then I am going to watch some TV and maybe stitch. Recipes have taken the place of stitching for the last couple of days. First Baptist, Tullahoma welcomed our "new" preacher yesterday. He is really our "new-old" preacher, as he left three years ago to go on the mission field. In that time we had not found just the right person to fill his position. A while back he came to the conclusion that he wanted to be back in the pulpit in the United States...and we still needed someone to fill our pulpit...and...the rest is history. He and his family have come back to Tullahoma and First Baptist Church. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Another Day of “Organizing”

Really it was a day of just doing more of what I was doing yesterday. I needed to run a couple of errands in order to be able to continue. I needed a surge protector to plug Woody's laptop. And, I also wanted a pot of mums to add to the front door fall decorations. I decided that Lowe's would work for both of those items. In the end I got a bargain on the mum...they had a whole section of mums marked down probably due to the fact that they were pretty much in full bloom. But I decided that since I was going to have them on the front porch instead of in full sun, that a fully bloomed out one would work for me. I will just snip off the ones that become brown. Hopefully that won't happen to all the blooms at once. Once it is no longer pretty, I will see about digging a hole and planting it for next year. i also stopped at Office Max as I needed some labels. I want to label my notebook cookbooks on the spine so I and others will know what we are pulling off the shelf without having to look inside. One of the "organizational" things that I did was to clean up the pages of my "Tried and True" Recipes...I have the recipes in plastic sleeves in a notebook...some of those pages were looking pretty rough. So I went through and wiped off each of the pages...being sure that they were dry before turning to the next page. So I have a nice and clean looking recipe notebook of recipes that I use most often. I am checking my other notebook recipe books that I have complied over the years to see if any of those pages need to be wiped off. The funniest thing about the "Tried and True" was that the pumpkin pie recipe page and the pecan pie page were stuck a little more than the other pages...I discovered the reason...a very small drip of Karo syrup (ingredient in my pecan pie) had slightly glued them together. I have started putting labels on the spines...that will help when pulling the cookbooks off the shelf. I know the color of the notebooks...but if someone else needed to be cooking in my kitchen, this will make it easier for them. Anyway, it is some organizing that I want to do! I continued cleaning in the family room. I guess that I am in the mood to nest...getting ready to stay in more when cooler temperatures arrive. The folding chairs that go with the card table have upholstered seats...which had gotten a bit grubby looking. So I got out my little Green Machine and cleaned them. While I had that little shampooer out, I decided to clean an area of the carpet where a spill had occurred. With all that I have been vacuuming in there, too. I'm about finished...almost ready to remove the vacuum from the middle of the floor. I am ready to sit for the rest of the evening...might work some more on the cookbooks...or may stitch...or read? To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Look At That Smile!!!

Elijah got his braces off, finally, last week. Today was the first time that I had seen him since he got them off. I say "finally," as he has had them for a looooonnnng time. His original orthodontist, I think retired, and then another one took over. Different orthodontist = different method...so Elijah has been through several methods of straightening his teeth. His teeth should be very straight!!!! He is happy to have them off after all this time. I had a plan, as to what I was going to do today. I did head in that direction...but...in getting ready to follow the original plan, I took a detour and worked on something else entirely...but it really did get me almost ready to do my original task. I got into an organizing mood...still working on finding places to put things and how to organize areas that hadn't been my areas before. I worked on getting a good spot to put the cameras I am using most these days. I want them where they can be gotten to easily. And, I think I managed that. I also decided that it was time to "claim" Woody's laptop so found a good place for it. I spent some time figuring it out...I have become so much an Apple user with my iPad and my iPhone that I am not used to Microsoft...though I have a microsoft laptop, too. Mine I pretty much use only for sewing these days...and, since I haven't done a whole lot of sewing, I am out of the habit of using Windows. I prefer Apple, I think. I am wanting to use Woody's laptop for working with photos. I did get that figured out a little bit. I also dried and put away a couple of loads of clothes. I came up with a new way to get the clothes from the dryer downstairs to my closet upstairs...so they will be less wrinkled by the time that I get them hung up upstairs. I am going to store extra hangers in the closet in the family room and hang up the clothes that go on hangers when I get them out of the dryer and then carry them upstairs on hangers. I have them hanging on the door into the kitchen at the moment...waiting for me to take them upstairs and put them into the closet. Seems like a good idea, at least for the moment...till I come up with another idea! I just worked a little more on making the family room work the best for me. I had worked on the side with my recliner and now I am working on the fireplace end of the room. Nathan and Elijah stopped by when I was doing some of the organizing and they carried off some books and other stuff to donate...good timing! I had Nathan move a couple of things away from the garage walls so it would be easier for me to get in and out of the car. The other day I almost needed to be a contortionist to get out of the car. Our big leaf blower was next to my car door and didn't allow me to open the door very far. I got him to move the leaf blower up next to the steps where the bicycles used to be stored...and, we threw a couple of other things away so that should help me to be able to get in and out of the car without having to twist and turn and duck so much! Nathan and Elijah also went over to check out their former house's back yard. Our new neighbor is digging a hole for an in-ground pool. I have stayed at home today after all my galavanting this week. I enjoyed my activities this week, but it was also very nice to just stay home today. And, I am glad to have gotten a little more organizing done. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday Doings

Today was the day for our Sunday School class potluck lunch. We met at Sherry G's house and had a good turn out. She had recently remodeled her house so besides visiting and eating good food, we got a tour of all the changes she had made. Very nice! As always, we had a good time visiting with each other. And, we had LOTS of good eats! Ruth stopped and picked me up so we rode over together and got more visiting time both going and coming back. I was ready to just sit when I got home. I don't think that I snoozed today, but I did read for a while. I'm settling in for the night and going to watch some TV and stitch for a while. I think that I will be staying close to home the next couple of days after all my galavanting this week! I have a few things that I probably "should" do that I haven't been home to do! We'll see what gets done! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Flitting Around Like a Social Butterfly!

This has been quite a day of me going from place to place in town. First I met Jo and Carolyn for breakfast at Hardee's. We visited for a while. When we left, it was time for me to head to Applebee's to meet up with Marie and Gloria. Gloria hadn't gotten to go on our trip to northern GA last week due to an accident on the interstate, so we got together to fill her in on what all we did and show her pictures and catch up on her life and her on ours. We had a good visit along with a good lunch. I came home and rested for a while so I would be able to go to Bible study this evening at church. I am home from Bible study. I am about done in for today. I have one more cookig task that I want to do...nothing too great...well it is "grate" as in grating some cheese for the Italian baked dish that I am making tomorrow to take to our Sunday School luncheon...I will be a social butterfly once again tomorrow! After tomorrow's lunch, I will fold my wings and stick around home for a couple of days! I'm pretty tired this evening...not used to so much socializing nor to so much eating out. I am not used to salty food (one reason that I pretty much avoid eating out), so I am extra, extra thirsty this evening. I guess it is time for me to go grate the mozzarella cheese...then I will get up in the morning and get the dish layered and ready for the oven so I can pop it in and be ready to take it out just prior to leaving for the lunch. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Calendar Page Turned

Welcome to October...how in the world can it be October...already?!?! Another situation that we blink and another month has passed. With this blink three quarters of the year...behind us! I made a quick trip to Kroger this morning to get a couple of things that I need for a dish that I'm making for a pot luck lunch that our Sunday School class is having on Thursday. After lunch, Donna and I met at the library to work for a couple of hours. We got some more books closer to being ready for the shelves. We got slowed down a bit when I had a paper jam on our printer...that was a first...and we have had the printer for many years. We did manage to get it unjammed and back to printing all on our own. After I got home, I got the garbage taken to the road for pick up tomorrow. Then I got down to business in making the first part of my dish for Thursday's pot luck lunch. I got my sauce made for a pasta dish. Tomorrow is a busy day...so I decided that I had better get the part of the recipe that takes the longest finished and in the refrigerator waiting for me to put it all together and get it baked on Thursday. Melany called and we talked while each of us cooked...hope we didn't forget any ingredients! I'm ready to sit for a while this evening. I guess I will watch tonight's debate and put a few stitches into my sampler that I'm working on. I did put a few stitches in earlier this afternoon before I headed to the library. I'm rather tired this evening...wonder if the debate will put me to sleep! I've also had a sinus headache...hope that the debate doesn't make it worse! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!