The Question and Answer of the Day!

Today, Patrick asked Esther to marry him...and her answer was, "Yes!" Oh, my! Time really does need to slow down. Surely Esther is still that tiny little girl, who loved to wear the dresses I made her all the time! That's changed!! She's mainly a jeans and boots kind of girl these days! Esther's life is really changing, today she's engaged...yesterday she moved some of her things into an apartment where she will be living when she starts college next week! Lots going on...her head must be spinning! Anything that I can add to this news from my day pales in comparison! Let's just say that I have had a good day! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite!

A Positive Joy Report!

It has been a good day...rather busy. I got up and did a few things around the house...nothing that "had" to be done, but things that I "wanted" to get done before Melany, Wade, and Erin got here. Those "things" that I tend to put off unless someone is going to pay me a visit. I got all those "things" done before my Cottey College Alum Zoom Bookclub meeting. We had a good time discussing and chatting among outselves. It is always good to get with this group once a month. Today was especially enjoyable since my friend, Randi, from childhood lead the discussion. After the Zoom meeting, I ate my lunch before Melany, Wade, and Erin got here, and, then went and just sat in the living room awaiting their arrival. I got to feeling sleepy so I dozed just a bit because I knew that I would hear their car doors when they arrived...and, it worked. I got a very short cat nap in, which helped me not be sleepy during their visit! We had a really nice visit. Erin seemed to feel the best that I had seen her feel in some time. She joined in our conversations. Hurricane Erin came up and we talked about the Hurricane Erin that happened 30 years ago just prior to Erin turning two. I made a special page in her scrapbook about Hurricane Erin. I aked her if she would like to see it and she said "yes." I went upstairs and brought it down...it is a REALLY big scrapbook...and, shhh, don't let the others know, but they don't have scrapbooks...that's what happens when you are the first grandchild! Alex has one, but there is hardly anything in it! Anyway...back to the scrapbook...Erin enjoyed looking at that page and then she paged through the rest of the scrapbook from that page to the back. I think she enjoyed it. She remembered some things in it...most she did not! But she learned a few things that she did and said due to me capturing them for posterity! Melany, later, looked through the whole scrapbook. At some point, Melany read a message on Facebook that Kathy had posted with good news about Joy...a breakthrough...last night they had one of Joy's friends come over. Joy and this younglady co-lead the youth worship band. The two girls started talking worship music and songs...Joy's first real conversation since her concussion happened six weeks and one day ago. And, she spoke quite a bit...quiet talking at times because her head was hurting so much--but it was a real conversation. This is very encouraging. She's not back totally yet...but this is progress...good progress. Kathy said that she saw Joy push through her pain last night and join them for a little while. Continued prayers are definitely still needed. Soon college classes will start. We will see how she rallies through that challenge! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday Doings

The first task of the day was to finalize the grocery list and then head to Kroger. Donna and I decided that we are oretty much on the same schedule. We walked in Kroger's doors at exactly the same moment. We, of course, had to visit and catch up! After all we hadn't seen each other since Tuesday! I hadn't been to the store in two weeks, but still didn't need a lot, as I am determined that I will continue to use what's in the freezer. For supper this evening, I made chicken salad with a 2-cup package of cooked cut up chicken from the freezer. Tasted good. I have Sweet 'n Sour Pork thawing in the refrigerator for anotheer meal this weekend. I have spent quite a bit of time on the phone this afternoon...catching up with some and making plans with others. I've also been straightening up around the house. Melany, Wade, and Erin plan to come for a visit tomorrow. They plan to come after lunch. I am a little farther along on the Christmas ornament than I was last night...closing in on a finish. Not sure that I will get it finished today as I have a couple of other things to do around the house before I go to bed tonight. Tomorrow is another Cottey College Alum Bookclub Zoom meeting. I have that book finished. This Zoom discussion is supposed to be lead by my childhood friend, Randi. It will be good to spend the time with her and the rest of the group. I read the book some time ago, so I have looked up a summary of the book on the internet to refresh my memory! I have actually read the book twice. The first time was during Covid. I was intrigued by the title, The House on Mango Street. The reason that it caught my attention is that We lived on Mango Ave. when we lived in Sunnyvale, CA back in the early 70s. I will say that it wasn't my favorite read back five years ago and when I reread it for the group, it is still not very high on my list...perhaps the reason that I haven't kept details in my mind! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

The Lost is Found!

I have been looking for my sunglasses for a while now...trying to figure out where I could have lost them or where they might have put them. Well, today answered the question as to how long since I have had them...our last barn trip..so the end of June. I had looked in my "Barn Trip" tote bag, but hadn't thought about my camera bag. I decided to clean and straighten up around my downstairs recliner...lots surrounds that chair since I "live" there a lot of the time. There are things for needlework and things for photography and just general things like pencils, books, etc., etc. I have a three-tier tray rolling "shelf" that sits next to my chair. The top tray usually has stitching things on it. The middle has kleenex box and pencil holders filled with pencils and pens and other items I might need while sitting in my chair. The bottom tray has camera things on it...including my camera bags. I decided that I would take things off all the trays today and dust and put or throw away things that had accumulated on the various trays. Since it is on wheels, I pulled it away from my chair and out into the room so I could get to the things better. I looked down and there tucked into the pocket on the bag of the camera bag was my glasses case and inside were my sunglasses! I was very happy to be reunited with them! I will get them back into the car, where I usually keep them. I had taken them out of the car because I was going off with Marie and Carolyn on a barn trip. In saying all this, I have summarized a bit of what I have done today...trying to do a litte cleaning that doesn't get done all the time...like going behind my chair with the vacuum, straightening out the basket container next to my chair, clearing off the table next to my chair...just general straightening up. I still have a little more to do...but getting closer to having "my spot" cleaned up a bit more than usually gets done. I have done some more stitching on Melany and Wade's Christmas ornament. I took all the finished Christmas ornaments upstairs to join the pile of others that are up there. Got all my clothes out of the family room and upstairs and put away. I have a load of clothes in the washer that I will put in the dryer when I finish this blog. So it has been a little of this and a little of that day. I'm going to finish up a little more and then stitch. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Back to Class

The day started out very rainy. It rained hard for a while and then rained a good part of the morning. I poured out 4 inches of rain from the rain gauge yesterday. I haven't gone out to empty it today...but...drum roll...looking out my sun porch window, it looks like there is another 3 inches in it! I still wonder if this is registering correctly. But then I heard about flash flooding on Interstate 24 near Chattanooga...so "just" down the road from me, it was a nightmare for cars and trucks and rescuers and the interstate in that area was closed for a while. So I know that there has been unusual amounts of rain in short periods of time happening around me...so guessing that my gauge is perhaps fairly correct. The yard looked like a lake for a little while this morning. Today I went back and forth between doing some things around the house and stitching. I am well underway with Melany and Wade's ornament...hoping to get even further this evening. I still have a load of wash to put away...just haven't gotten upstairs with it yet. I just returned from church. The class I referred to in the blog title is the Bible study started back up tonight after the summer break. It was good to start up that routine, again. I decided to run to the Credit Union before church...but to my surprise they now close at 5pm...wonder when that started. I rarely go in the evening, but it used to close at 6pm. Oh, well, I tried! I am home and settling in for the evening per usual. I got to see Kathy and Joy this eveninng. They joined us for the Bible study and sat right behind me. Joy very quiet...but there. I talked to her a little and got a couple of smiles and shrugs from her. Esther has orientation at Columbia State Community College tomorrow. "Things" are gearing up! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

How Can 25 Years Have Passed Us By?!?

Twenty-five years ago today, Nathan and Kathy said, "I do!" How does time go by so quickly! In some ways it seems just like yesterday and in others like more than 25...especially when I think of all the things that have happened in those 25 years! They had a special get away planned to celebrate, but had to postpone it till Joy is doing better. They had planned to go to Alaska...something for them to look forward to...they can look forward both to the trip and to the fact that Joy is well enough for them to go! Joy continues to progress but very slowly...way too slowly in our eyes! I was awakened this morning by a really hard downpour that lasted for a while. It rained so hard that you couldn't see out the screens or the glass in our windows. I attempted to see what had been deposited in the rain gauge, but couldn't really see...but...thought that it showed around 1/2". After lunch, I headed to the church to work in the library with Donna. We got the books, that we started working on last week, the rest of the way ready and are now on the new-book shelf ready to be checked out. It started sprinkling on my way home, but I got in the house without meeting a drop of rain. Not long after I got inside, the bottom dropped out of the clouds, again. I was looking out to see if I could see the rain gauge and to my surprise, I saw that where I saw the splat of a rain drop in the gauge at about the 4" mark! So I'm guessing that the rain on the screen and window panes this morning kept me from seeing the actual rain line. So between the two rains I guess we got almost 4". Guess I won't have to water for a few days! I did get the next Christmas ornament started last night. Plus this morning, I checked in the pile of finished ornaments that were upstairs, as I realized that I had one up there that I hadn't "asssigned" to anyone. I looked at it and realized that it was a good one for Alex and Brooke...so one more finished...which puts me down to the one I am stitching and I think four more ornaments and I will be finished with my ornaments to gift this Christmas. Countdown is on! Then I can go back to stitching whatever I want when I sit down to relax in the evenings...or whenever. And, I can start thinking about finishing them into ornaments. To be continued! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday…a Good Day

The end of the day is fast approaching and when I look back on the day, I am wondering just what I did today. Over the weekend I did finish Erin's ornament. Today I spent some time trying to figure out what ornament I want to do for Alex and Brooke. I have in mind most of the ornaments that I will be stitching for gifts this Christmas, but I'm still not sure about what I want to stitch for them. I think that I will go on and stitch Melany and Wade's while I ponder that question. I did look through several Christmas Cross Stitch magazines that are dedicated to ornaments, but I still haven't made up my mind for Alex and Brooke. I put away the floss that I used for Erin's ornament and getting ready to get out what I need for the next ornament. I got my hair cut today. I am so thankful that Jody is back to cutting hair, since Joy still isn't up to trying her hand at hair cutting yet! And, because I got my hair cut...it had to be a good day! I am home from prayer meeting...so I am watching the waning of this latest Monday! I do think that I will begin the next ornament before I go to sleep tonight. If I have calculated correctly, I "just" have six more ornaments to stitch. I think that I will have stitched around 25 by the time I have finished these last six. I will gather them all together and find out the final count once I am finished. Right now I have upstairs a stack of ornaments and another stack down here with me that I have finished stitching. Eventually they will all be stacked together all ready for the finishing process...stitching is only the beginning...still making them into ornaments to go...but that task takes less time than the stitching and I can do a little assembly-line sewing when making them...at least I hope I can! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautiouis!

Sunday Favorite

Technology! 🙄

Ugh! I rarely use a Windows computer these days...have pretty much moved to Apple. This morning Melany asked me if I could send her a picture of Alex when he was in my niece Rachel's wedding. Well, those photos are only accessible through a Passport external drive which has to be used with one of the Microsoft laptops. The laptop that I consider mine is very old and I mainly only use it with my sewing machine. So I brought the Passport down and plugged it into Woody's laptop. I was able to get to the photos and found the ones that I wanted to send to Melany, BUT...I could not get to gmail with this computer...though, I know that Woody used to check email on it just about daily. It took a while, but I finally managed to get the email open...as can be seen in tonight's photo...BUT what a pain! I have never been too thrilled since I had to change keyboards for my iPad...the workings of it still leave a lot to be desired and has already given me problems in typing this tonight! (More eye rolling!) But at least I was able to get a photo sent to Melany...I was determined to do it...and, today...I won! This has been a slow day for me. I haven't felt the greatest...really tired...so I just gave in to that and have sat a lot today and stitched and watched sewing shows. Erin's ornament is coming right along. While I stitch hers, I am thinking about what ornament I will stitch next! I am also thinking that I am closing in on being finished with Christmas ornaments for this year. I "hope" that I will be finished with ornaments by the end of the month...but that may be pushing myself a little. Kathy told me yesterday that she thought that Joy was a little more alert, but that she still wasn't doing anything on her phone or computer. She has glasses to help her with the blue light...she's trying those out, but still not interested in using them with screens! I got tickled and asked Nathan and Kathy if they ever thought that they would be wishing that one of their children would use screens more! Usually it is the opposite...wishing that they would use screens less! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday Comes 'Round Again

It seems like every time I blink it's Friday, again! Time is really flying by. As Woody and I often said to each other: "Times flies when you are having fun...and, even when you aren't! I continued with my reorganizing of my freezer and can say that I have gone through everything...consoladated some things, threw some away, put thiings in fresh freezer bags, etc. I'm not sure that I have gained any space...but at least I do know what is in my freezer now. I mentioned last night that I had taken some things out of the plastic containers that I had frozen them in and that the containers pretty much filled up the dishwasher. Well, today the freezer clean out lead to another job...sorting out and reorganizing the storage containers...had to find space for all those that had been in the freezer! I got a couple of shelves straightened out, but there is still one that I need to reorganize...that will wait for another day. I am through in the kitchen for this day! I decided that I had no need to go to Kroger today so skipped that trip. The only errand I ran today was to the Credit Union. I headed out mid afternoon and looked in the sky and realized that clouds were gathering, but figured that they would lead to nothing as they so often do these days. But as I was coming out of the Credit Union, my phone told me that it was going to start raining in the next six minutes and that it would last for 26 minutes...or some such. And, the phone was right...before I got very far down the road heading home, it started raining...rained pretty hard for a few minutes...but lessened as I approached my house. I put my car in the garage and decided to run between raindrops nd head in...after all I won't melt! I did get a little wet. I think that the rain gauge shows about 1/4"...we had a pop-up shower yesterday afternoon, too. That one really didn't give us any measurable rain...or so my rain gauge said. I decided that it rained enough to forego watering this evening. I have a load of wash drying now...so will put them away when they arer dry. I washed them this morning, but it was close to when "peak" hours for electricity go up so waited till we were "off Peak" to dry them. Trying to help out the grid...and my pocketbook!!! I plan to cross stitch and read this evening. I am a little farther along with Erin's Christmas ornament. It's turning out cute...though still looks very big to me after my tee-tiny stitches for the other ornaments that I have made so far. I started another book yesterday after I finished the one I had been reading. So I'm settling in for a quiet evening of stitching and reading...and, perhaps a little TV if I am stitching. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday Thoughts

I just hung out around the house today...once again, doing a little of this and a little of that. The place that I worked the most was in the kitchen. I decided that I needed to organize my freezer. I ended up taking out things that were in containers, for example, if I froze chicken broth in a Tupperware container, I took the frozen broth out and put it in a ziplock bag. I also looked for things that had been in the freezer for too long and threw some things away. I am trying to store the things in ziplock bags a little bit differently than I have in the past...still trying to decide if my change is good! This is a work in progress. The freezer is sill pretty full. I need to continue to dig through and reposition items and continue to find out just what exactly is in there! I also made some Dilly Cheese Bread. I thought it would taste good with the ham salad that I made while the bread baked. Cheryl made this bread recently and said that it was good so I decide to try it. It is supposed to be made with Bisquick and I didn't have any so I got onine and found out how to make a substitute for it from scratch...it worked. The bread tasted good with my ham salad. The bread is like a biscuit in loaf form. I have stitched more on Erin's ornament and I also finished another book. I'm still thinking through and working up to starting a sewing project...maybe I will dive into it one of these days. Currently just being inspired when I see the fabric laying on my cutting board! I just started the dishwasher...lots of Tupperware containers and also have a load of wash in the dryer. Sounds like the clothes are ready to be taken out. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Mid Week

I'm going to blog a bit early tonight because I want to go out to water before it gets dark. i should have done the watering this morning, but didn't think about it when I should have done it. It is still in the mid 80s...but it has been a while since it rained and I think that my plants are thirsty. I have stayed home all day. I have done a little cleaning...very little, a little reading, and a little stitching on the latest Christmas ornament, and, a little playing with my camera. This ornament seems so strange to me...I am stitching it on a larger count base than I am used to stitching on...so the Xs are about four times bigger than I have been making. Most of the ornaments that I am stitching this year are less than a two-inch square. Erin's ornament is already 3 1/2 inch across and I'm not all the way across it, yet. I don't have to use any magnification other than my usual reading glasses...just seems strange after I have made so many small ones! Hope my eyes won't have a problem adjusting when I go back to smaller after I finish this one! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Truly Tuesday!

Tonight's photos show off my great-granddog, Mabel. She got her photo taken in several places on Webb School campus and then put on social media for welcoming back the Webb students for the new school year. Mabel belongs to my grandson, Alex and his wife, Brooke. Brooke teaches Spanish at Webb and Alex substitutes there. They are both dorm parents. The school year is gearing up to get started. I talked to Melany part of her way home today. She was telling me about the progress of her school getting back underway...so far no children have graced their campus...tomorrow the children come for a two hour day and then they will get underway "for real" on Friday. Melany teaches art at Barfield Elementary in Rutherford County...part of Murfreesboro, TN. Murfreesboro has many schools...part of them are Murfreesboro City Schools and part of them are Rutherford County schools. I have had a pretty good day. Last night I finished stitching another Christmas ornament. Today I got underway with another one. The ornament I finished last night was the last for Nathan and Kathy's family...now on to Melany's family. I'm working on Erin's right now. Donna and I worked in the church library this afternoon. We worked on a new book order. We about got trapped in the library. New carpet is being put down in the hallways outside the library and we were told that it would be quite a while before we could get out due to glue being put down outside our door...but then were told that we would be able to exit to the right of our door. We wondered if it was going to be like an escape room to get home! But by the time we were ready to go some of the carpet was covering the glue...so we were able to leave the usual way...I guess you could say we were one of the first to walk on the new carpet! I stitched and did a little napping after I got home. I am hoping to get a bit farther on Erin's ornament before my eyes close to go to sleep for the night. And, I will admit that I am glad that I am not getting ready to go back to teaching...glad that I am retired!!!To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Cooler August Day

The last two days have brought us cooler temperatures...didn't get out of the 70s! I know that this is just a teaser...but the cooler temps do bode hints of Fall! I have had a stay-at-home day except for this evening's prayer meeting. I have done lots of "a little of thats" and "a little of thises." I generally picked up around the downstairs things that belong upstairs, but had found their way down. I did do a little more cooking. A week or so ago, I looked through a cookbook just to see if there was something that sounded good to me...something that I hadn't fixed in a while. I came across a recipe for tapioca pudding and that sounded really good. That is a childhood memory of Mother fixing it for us when we were sick...so I guess that probablly puts in a comfort food category. One of the things that needed to be put away in my "picking up" was the box of tapioca that I had recently bought. I had left it on the counter so I would be reminded to make it. Today, I decided that I would either make it or put the box away in the pantry. I decided that I would make it and then put it away. It definitely brought back memories when I ate some of it. I talked to Cheryl today and asked her if she remembered Mother making it for us and whether she liked it or not. She does remember and also does like it. I will file that away in my brain and perhaps make it when she and Rachel pay me a visit in the not too distant future. They are thinking about coming perhaps sometime in September. We had an enjoyable time celebrating Esther's 18th birthday yesterday. I will report that I thought that Joy did seem a little better. I saw several real "Joy smiles." She joined us in the kitchen when we sang Happy Birthday to Esther and then got in line for cake and ice cream. So...little by litltle...To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Happy 18th, Esther!

Part Lazy Part Busy Saturday

So my day started out quite early as I woke up waaaay too early and then couldn't get back to sleeep. This happens to me because once I've slept any where from 2-4 hours, my body knows it has had a good nap...so...I am ready to go for a while. I usually read or stitch till I am sleepy again. Well, this morning I never felt sleepy so finally got up, had breakfast, emptied the dishwasher and went upstairs to work on the tablecloth for Kathy. I gathered things together that I needed, but decided to sit down and read for a few minutes before I got started and read. Well, I fell asleep and, I guess, caught back up on that sleep I missed in the middle of the night! Once I woke up, I was ready to get going on the tablecloth and knocked that job out very quickly. It is alll folded up and back in its storage bag. Then...just for fun...I got out fabric, pattern, etc. for a top that I have been wanting to make. Maybe I will be inspired to work further on it! I am so out of practice sewing for myself...we will see! Once I was back downstairs, I got back to working in the kitchen...freezing items that I have been cooking so I will have them for meals in the future. I just finished the Chunky Tomato Sauce with Sweet Italian Sausage. I am letting it cool, then I will put it in the refrigerater over night and will put part of it in the freezer and have part of it for me to eat this coming week. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Proof of Joseph’s Fish Story

Nathan and Kathy stopped by this morning and shared the above picture of Joseph and the fish he caught yesterday...yay, Joseph!!! I got up and completed my grocerey list and got ready to head out. Nathan texted me just as I was checking out at Kroger...so they waited for me to get home. Good helpers for getting the groceries in! They stopped by to share about meeting that they and Joy had at Motlow State Community College this morning. Joy is determined to go on and go to college this semester and they were finding out what type of accomodatioins she can have due to her concussion. They were also checking about what would happen with her scholarship if she isn't able to go this semester. It was a good meeting and it looks like they will work with Joy and hopefully she will be able to at least attempt to take some classes this upcoming semester. Several suggestions were made to make it easier on Joy. Kathy and Nathan both said that they have seen more improvement over the last days...still slow, but she does seem to be heading in the right direction. Kathy had snapped a picture of Joy laughing and it looked like "our Joy." After lunch, I took a short nap and then headed off to run an errand for Melany. Melany was looking for a couple of items that she had found at their local Dollar Tree that she wanted for her school room. I told her that I would check out Tullahoma's Dollar Tree. I did not find what she wanted, but at least I tired! I ended up cooking...again...seems to be a habit this week. I guess I just want to clean up messes in the kitchen! I made one of the recipes that I got ingredients for at the store today. I didn't want to wait to make it as I had thawed things for the recipe so needed to use them. I made Sweet 'n Sour Pork...very good...plus it used several things up from the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. I never got to my sewing room to work on the table cloth for Kathy...guess it is put off till tomorrow...and, at this point tomorrow never seems to come! I'm going to their house on Sunday to celebrate Esther's birthday so I am determined to take it...finished...to Kathy on Sunday! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Happy August!

Lazy Days of Summer

On days like today...hot ones when we have a heat advisory...it is best to stay in and just be lazy! I have done a little of being lazy and a little getting a few things done around the house. The lazy part was I finished reading another book. This book keeps me one book ahead...completed the first book for August. So far this year, I am ahead in my reading goal of 52 books a year = one book a week...but the last week, I did more stitching than reading. The last few days I have done more reading than stitching. My main plan is to read 4 books a month...and once in a while 5 in a month to give me the 4 beyond 48 books...and in the end I will have read at least 52 books by December 31. There have been years that I have more than doubled my goal...especially during the "Covid years." I also dealt with the tomatoes that I have grown this year...peeled them, getting ready to make a pasta recipe that is a favorite of mine. I will need to go to the store for a few items tomorrow so I can make that recipe plus get this week's sales items that I need. I ventured out long enough to check the mail and empty the compost bucket. You could pretty much cut the atmosphere with a knife! Pretty stifling! Supposedly the heat advisory ends shortly this evening...and hopefully we will see a break in our heat...time will tell! I went upstairs this afternoon to get the sewing table ready for my sewing project for Kathy...and ended up doing a little vacuuming and dusting, too. I am about ready to do the project...maybe this evening if I'm not too tired...but probably will wait till in the morning till I am fresher...less chance of error! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Try to stay cool!!!!Well, I had a photo posted...but something went wrong the link...now it won't let me access my photos...I'll try again later!

I Cooked and It Poured!

I spent part of the morning searching for a recipe. I needed to do some substituting because I don't have rosemary growing this year...this was part of what I rub the pork roast with that I was going to roast today. I was trying to find something that works with dried fennel...I ended up using dried sage. Worked well. I cooked thee roast and then made gravy. I froze the gravy to be used with the enchilada sauce I froze yesterday. I will be slicing the roast once it is good and cold and will freeze some of those slices. My freezer is pretty full at the moment...though I did remove this roast I cooked today...I filled that empty space pretty quickly! This afternoon around 4pm we had a downpour that lasted 10-15 minutes...came down hard with the sun shining most of the time. The photo with the cardinal light catcher shows the streaks of rain if you enlarge it. I went out to bring in my trash can and get the mail and found some branches down...one was really one of the trunks of my multi-trunk Dogwood tree. I moved it as much as I could and got it off plants. It will stay there till someone with more muscles than I comes over. That trunk/branch held a bird feeder and a birdhouse...both of those are now on my front porch. Continue to remember Joy's slow recovery...we are all waiting, perhaps not patiently enough, for that big improvement that she becomes Joy again! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Hot Day!

I just got inside from watering. i didn't get to water early this morning. I did water the tomato plants early afternoon to help them get through the hot afternoon. Then I watered the rest this evening. This has been an interesting day. I did get all my enchilada sauce into the freezer...enough for three recipes of enchiladas. I've done a lot of visiting on the phone today. Melany called when she was finishing up with her room at school and I talked through leaving and getting home! At some point I took a nap...probably after I had lunch and went out into the ot to do a little watering. Then I talked to my sister on her way home from my niece's house. While I was talking to Cheryl my moved-from-Tullahoma-to Alabama-sewing/stitching friend called and I returned her call. So a lot of phone chatting today. I also had lots of messages from a group message about our September trip. It looks like everyone in the group, at the moment at least, is planning on going. Happy to hear that! It will be fun...and hopefully this year...NO Hurricaane! Last year our trip was cut short by Hurricane Helene. I just checked with Kathy about any update on Joy... she thought that it was just a usual day...no worse...no better, but Esther just told her that when they were all outside doing chores that Joy had gotten out her guitar and played a little...Esther knew because she went back inside to get something. So picking up the guitar seems like a good thing. Joy loves music and so far at this point she hasn't wanted to play the piano or do much musical because it hurts her head...maybe a little quiet guitar music is what she needs! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Having problems getting the blog to post...had to copy and paste what I had written and it may be all jumbled! Technology! (eye roll!)

Monday Musings

It's been one of those days when I have gone from one thing to another...sometimes finishing one thing before I went to another...but sometimes not. I worked in the kitchen for a while doing some little jobs that I see when I am doing something else, but don't have time to do them when I see them...thus often forgetting about needing to do them. I did a little vacuuming, a little dust mopping, too. I decided that I wanted to go back to studying my camera...checking out some of the features that I don't use very often, if at all. Just working on trying to improve my photos. While I was doing that, Marie called about the annual trip that she and former First Baptist Church Tullahoma members go on. They are including me again this year. She gave me some details on when and where and later in the day she told me that she had set up plans with the hotel. She asked if I wanted to go on and attempt to book before she sent off the information to the rest...that way I could see if I was able to get the rate that she had been promised. I spent some time doing that...I got into a general reservation place first, not the actual hotel. Then next I got a number that just rang and rang. I finally asked Marie for the number she called and that time I got put on hold for long enough that I decided that it was time to hang up and call again. That time I finally got the reservations made. I'm not sure that I was the best person to be the one trying out getting the correct reservations!!!!! But I did get a confirmation email and all looked on the up and up! I talked to my sister a couple of times. We're talking about possible dates for her and Rachel to come to TN. Lots of travel arrangements in my day. Their trip can't be totally planned yet, as it awaits dates for possible cataract surgery for Cheryl. But talk of a trip here is happening. I have been to Monday night prayer room and am now home and ready to settle in for the evening. It has been another hot day. I went empty the compost bucket after I got home and it was still very warm a little after 7pm. About the only pleasant time of the day is early morning. I was told today that we are supposed to get cooler temperatures by the weekend. Time will tell! Joy watched some of Anne of Green Gables...about 45 minutes worth...and said that it made her head hurt more. Kathy has come up with some questions and is contacting Joy's neurologist via the Vanderbilt portal. I hope this doctor is as good as Woody's doctors at getting back with answers...the doctor or someone on her staff. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

A Tomato Saturday

I should proabably taken a picture of all the tomatoes on my counter before I messed with them today, but I didn't. I peeled and cut up most of the tomaatoes that Melany had brought me. I made one miscut whille cutting out the stem part of the tomato. I had just dipped the tomato in hot water, peeled the skin off and then was attempting to cut out the stem part...well, I was holding the tomato in my hand and my knife slipped and I managed to cut my thumb. I did this in the afternoon and since then I have had trouble doing tasks keeping my thumb out of the way. I ended up putting on a glove (leftover from Woody's dialysis supplies) so I could finish peeling and cutting up the tomatoes...seemed like it took forever! I ended up with two quarts of cut up tomatoes. I have put them in the refrigerator and will make the enchilada sauce when I am fresher...hopefully tomorrow after church. I have my thumb bandaged with a folded gauze square and tape...again from Woody's dialysis supplies. I wanted it padded at the start, but will change to a bandaid to make it less clumsy now that I'm not cooking cutting, washing dishes, etc. It is my left thumb, but it is surprising how much I want to use it! I managed to do the dishes without getting it wet. This morning I worked on setting up my serger to do a rolled hem. I have a tablecloth that Kathy has aksed me to change the length of it. I haven't changed the serger to do a rolled hem in I don't know how long. But I have been successful. I got the amount I am to cut off both ends of the tablecloth marked with pins. It is on the sewing cutting table awaiting the next steps to be done. Kathy needs this by the middle of August for a conference. She asked me months ago to do this...so I had best get going on it so she will have it in time. Joy was supposed to come sit over here while her family went someplace this afternoon. But in the end they decided that she would be okay to stay at home, since Graham would be in and out. Sounds like she slept through most of the time they were gone. But "perhaps" a good sign since they felt it was okay for her to be by herself for part of the time. Hopefully the sleep is helping her brain to heal! The other part of my tomato Saturday was that I had a BLT for supper...so good using homegrown tomatoes! I still have some tomatoes left that I have picked from my vines that are finishing ripening on my counter. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Tangled Web?

This may not be the best blog photo to post...you might not be able to see what it is unless you click on the photo to enlarge it. This spider web has been in the garden for some days now...it has survived rain and being sprayed with the hose, when I am watering. Definitely a tough web and sso far no more tangled than the spider weaver meant for it to be! I went to Kroger this morning. I didn't need much, but wanted to take advantage of a couple of their sale items. I like going on Fridays as shopping then adds 4X the gas points on to my months total. I came home and put away the groceries. Then I got some packages ready to mail...that's a funny story. Cheryl had sent something to my house from Amazon. Her husband didn't check about the address he sent an order he made...so I got three of his orders! They had finally all come so I mailed them back to him today. I had planned to make fresh tomato enchilada sauce and some marinara sauce with the tomatoes that Melany brought me, but in the end I decided that all my comings and goings today were enough extra activity for today. I, now, plan to make both of those tomorrow. My Joy update is that it is still a slow go. Nathan, Elijah, Isaac, and Joseph have been at a camp in Texas is past week. They got home last night. Nathan and Isaac and Joseph came over today and mowed my lawn while I was at the grocery store. Everything is looking all neat and trim around here between them and Melany! When I talked to Nathan, I asked him if he saw an improvement in Joy, but he said that he really didn't...but he also said that he hadn't really seen her awake much since he had gotten home. I hope as he saw her later in the day that he saw some improvement. Yesterday, Kathy asked Joy if she thought she felt better than three weeks ago. Joy's answer was, "I think so." "Patience" continues to be the word of the day! I will end wishing our oldest grandson, Alex, a BIG Happy Birthday. He turned 28 today...oh, my how time has flown! He and Brooke and their dog, Mabel, are spending part of the weekend with Melany, Wade, and Erin. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Naked Ladies ”Dancing” in the Backyard!

Another name for the Naked Lady Lilies is "Surprise Lily"...they pop up overnight and bloom before there are any leaves. I learned the "Naked Lady" name for these lilies in one of the garden areas at Colonial Williamsburg. I took these photos after I watered this morning. We have had so much rain this spring and summer, but give us some hot temperatures, and, the ground dries out pretty quickly. After I watered this morning, I came in to rest and cool off and finished another ornament. This afternoon, I ran errands...Credit Union, Hobby Lobby, and my pharmacy. I was getting embroidery floss that I had run out of. I was getting some for the ornaments that I have planned to stitch next. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel for this year's ornaments...still around 8 to stitch...but quite a few more stitched than I have left to stitch. i think the final count will be around 25 ornaments that I have stitched this year. Joy reached her three week mark from when she got her concussion. She continues to improve very slowly...but she definitely is better than she was three weeks ago.To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Too Hot Even For Squirrels!

Melany spied this little fellow all sprawled out on this limb...too hot to move! By the time I got back with my camera, he had moved to a place on the limb where he was taking advantage of the leaves to help cool him. It was 91° when this was taken. Melany didn't do a lot today...partly due to the heat, but it was what she planned to do...just some keep-up-with-the-weeds weeding. She used the weed eater till it ran out of power and used the hoe of some of the weeds out in the more open spaces. We had a very nice visit. We looked through a scrapbook of three of our family vacations over the years...a trip to Massachusetts when Melany was 7, a trip to Williamsburg when she was 11 and a trip to Yellowstone when she was 14...I think I have those ages right...I put the scrapbook away and I am too lazy to go check the years we went! My Joy update for the day is that when she is awake she is more awake...but Kathy has decided that her favorite thing to do is sleep! It still hurts her head to do very much. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Smelling Pretty Good Around Here!

I just took three loaves of Zucchini-Apple Bread out of the oven.I must admit that I will be heading out to the kitchen for a slice after I finish blogging! Blogging is making me wait till it is a bit cooler...if not blogging, I would probably already have had a piping hot piece. This is a recipe I haven't made before. But I had all the ingredients so decided that this recipe was "meant to be!" This morning I shredded the zucchini that Nathan had brought to me last week. I froze what was left after I got what I needed for this recipe. I froze them in portions for future zucchini bread. The other thing that I did today was freeze chicken broth. It was a busy morning in the kitchen and busy again this evening. Donna and I worked in the library this afternoon. We did maintenance and also chose books for a book order. Melany is going to come tomorrow for a little more weeding. I think her last weeding trip of the summer, as she starts back to school next week. Boy, the summer has passed by all too quickly. I still think that the school year should start after Labor Day...it has been many years since that happened. I have stitched a little today. I do have the next ornament underway...this one is for Joy. Speaking of Joy, I checked with Kathy a little while ago and Joy is pretty much the same...she is staying awake more, but her head is still hurting which keeps from doing things that she loves to do, for example playing the piano. She just keeps taking baby steps toward healing and we just have to keep on being patient with the process! Well, I think I have waited as long as I can...the smell of zucchini bread is drawing me back to the kitchen! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday…Again!

I will blog quickly tonight, as we have a storm coming through and it made a glitch in the power, which made the internet disconnect for a moment. It seems to be back on...guess I will know, if this posts or not! I want to give an update on Joy, since it has been since Saturday since I gave one. She seems to be more awake, when she is awake and has started doing a little crafting, though it does seem to hurt her head so she doesn't do it for very long. I think she is starting to take baby steps back. We just have to be patient...not easy to be...when we want her to be "our Joy!" I got up and went out to water plants this morning, since we are under a heat advisory. I think that whatever is blowing through has made taken a bit of a bite out of the extreme heat. When I went to prayer meeting a little before 6pm it felt very hot...but an hour later, when we were coming out of the building, the black clouds and the breeze had cooled it down. It looked like it was going to dump rain on us...but so far just a few sprinkles and a few rumbles of thunder. I was glad that I got back in the house befoe the storm came. Of course, now the storm may not even come...though the thunder is getting louder. I finished another Christmas ornament last night and started the next one this morning. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel...but still quite a few more to stitch...but, at least, not as many as I have already stitched! I will take a count one of these days. I think I figured out the other day that if I get as many stitched as I want to that it will be around 25! And, once they are stitched, I still have to make them into ornaments...but that process is shorter than the stitching part. I enjoy stitching...but am sort of ready to go back to stitching a sampler. I could stop and stitch on something else for a while, but I hate to leave the momentum that I have at the moment with the ornaments. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Zoom Saturday

I sort of had a slow start to the morning...but finally got going after I had breakfast. I made preparations to stew a chicken that I got at the store yesterday. It was finished cooking just before it was time for my bookclub zoom meeting. That was good timing as I was able to put it on a plate and tent it with foil so it could cool while I was zooming. We had a good discussion this morning. My Cottey roommate joined us this morning. It was great getting to see her. We texted a little with each other after the Zoom meeting. After the Zoom meeting, I got the chicken cut off the bone. Then I put all the bones back in the stock and simmered it for three hours more. The stock has cooled down enough to put it in the refrigerator to chill so I can defat it before I freeze it...that job is done for today...well, some of the dishes still remain. I have the stock pot soaking. While the stock simmered, I completed my notes for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson and have printed it off. I have a stack of things to take with me for the lesson tomorrow...so I think that the lesson can be "put to bed" until I share it in the morning. Once the dishwasher is running, I think that I will stitch. I veered away from stitching for the last couple of days so I had best get back to it...time is moving along till Christmas...and, if I don't get cracking, my plan to have all the ornaments stitched early this year so I won't be rushed making them into ornaments. Update on Joy, she continues to improve slowly. She actually did a craft project...wove some pot holders today...a good sign. Joy loves to do crafty things! Glad to see her doing something with her hands. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Summer Friday

Tonight's photo showed up on Facebook today. It was taken many years ago. I believe that one of my blog readers is very familiar with this photo...if not this one than another very much like it! Today has been a fairly busy day. I got up and finished up my grocery list and got ready to head to Kroger. It was "one of those days" when I had to get more than just food...which tends to run the total up a bit more. But even with adding those on it wasn't too bad considering the way costs have gone up and that I hadn't been in two weeks. Lately I have been to make the grocery trip be every other week. I have been trying to use things in my freezer and just getting things that I need to make recipes that sound good to me. I will admit that the heat has sort of pulled the rug out from things sounding great...nor the cooking part of those recipes! For some unknown reason, I decided today that I wanted some kind of fish...now, those who know me well, know that fi sh isn't high on my list of favorite foods. I decided that I would get some kind today...if...the big if...I didn't have to get very much. It seems like everything these days is packaged in multiples that I don't need. My freezer is fairly full so I don't have a lot of room to freeze extras (reason I am trying to use what is in there). Well, I found a package of two small perch filets and they were marked down...which I know means that "the date" is fast approaching on their packaging. Well, since I was going to eat it right away I took advantage of the lowered price and got a package. I had one of them for lunch and it did taste good...I am okay with fish as long as it doesn't have bones...when I was a child...all I can remember was Mother warning me about watchig out for bones...which didn't appeal to me! So I enjoyed a piece of fish, some pan fried potato slices and some fresh corn for lunch. A good meal in the middle of the day. I got that mess cleaned up quickly because another reason that I don't like to cook fish is the smell! I think I conquered the smell...of course, I may have just gotten used to it! If you come in right now, perhaps you could tell what I had for lunch! After all that and getting the groceries put away, I had a pretty bad pain in my shoulde, so I decided it was time to rest and even though it is summer that this rest time meant the heating pad. I tolerated the extra heat and managed to take a short nap, too. My shoulder does feel better, though when I tried to sit at the table to work on my Sunday School lesson it wasn't very comfortable so I moved to the couch, which is where I am now. I sat here and typed up more notes for the lesson on Sunday. I am nearing completion of what I am going to share. An update on Joy is that she has been quiet, sleeping a lot, but eating well today. All that sounds like healing activity to me. Tomorrow is my Cottey College Alum bookclub Zoom meeting. I always enjoy that time with friends who love to read like I do. I will be leading the discussion in October on the book, Paperboy, by Vince Vawter. I had good news today that the author will be able to join us for our zoom meeting in October. That will be the first time an author has joined us. I have a connection with his wife due to her being a former member of my church. She and Vince gifted out church library with a copy of this book back when it came out and have since given the other two in the trilogy. So I decided that I would ask the author's wife if she thought that he might be able to join us for our zoom meeting and he willingly agreed. I'm excited! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Visiting Thursday

I'm going to blog early today as I am going to be with Joy for a while this evening and I think that the sound of the keyboard might bother her. I plan to work on my Sunday School lesson while I am with Joy, but I can type with the keyboard on the screen when doing that, but that keyboard doesn't work well with blogging. I have had a pretty full day. Melany and Erin came here for lunch. After lunch, the three of us went to see Joy. We got several smiles out of her...a good thing. Melany did some weed eating after we got back from Joy's house. Erin and I visited in the living room while Melany worked...at least she didn't have to be out very long on this very warm day...we are at 90, again today. Melany and Erin left fairly soon after Melany cooled off from her time outside. I came in and put on my librarian hat, after they left and got notes off telling families about books that had been given in memory of their loved ones. Those are done and are in the mailbox awaiting the mail carrier. I just gathered up my Sunday School literature to take with me when I go see Joy for the 2nd time today. I will put on my substitute Sunday School teacher hat for a little while and maybe get the notes for the lesson on paper. I finished reading the Sunday School literature earlier this morning. Now to pull out what I will share with the class. This is the last night of Vacation Bible School at their church and Graham has to work tonight. Where she is with her concussion, the doctor recommended that she not be left alone for too long a time. I can say one thing...I know that it will be very quiet while I prepare the lesson! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Hot Mid-July Day

I think that the heat has gotten to me. I felt really lazy today. It's cool in the house, but somehow my body knew how hot it was outside. I did make two trips to the compost pile this afternoon and checked to see what the temperature was and it was 91°. Earlier in the day I did water, knowing how hot it was going to get today. The tomato plants in containers dry out pretty quickly in hot weather. This afternoon I spent some time cleaning out my refrigerator before I go to the grocery store on Friday. Tomorrow Melany and Erin are going to come spend some time here. I have been working on the Sunday School lesson, as I am going to be teaching on Sunday. Here is my "Joy update:" a special person from my church paid Joy and her a family a visit to pray with them and visit for a bit. He gets the prize for the day for getting Joy to smile. He teased with her that she was just trying to get out of chores...and...she smiled! Joy continues to rest for most of the day...resting her brain and slowly getting better. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Funny Find & Got Paid!

I got the other half of the draweer cleaned out today. Tonight's photo shows the thing that made me laugh...why a Double Bubble wrapper in the drawer?!? And, I did get paid a penny from this side of the drawer. I did find other coins on the other half...but not much...just a couple more pennies and a few Canadian coins and some tokens for a car wash. I was sorting through things when Nathan and Kathy dropped by to bring me some zucchinis. I got them in on the decision making of what to throw and what to keep. Nathan did go off with a small load of nuts and bolts and a hinge and some lightswitch covers. I did send home a card game called Risk so the kids could try it out. I got online and printed out how to play the game and sent those along with the cards. Going back to zucchini...they are part of my Joy update today. Nathan came in the house with his arms loaded with a LOT of zucchini...he estimated about 50 lbs. Joy saw him with all the zucchini and he said he guessed he should have picked them sooner. Joy sort of laughed and said, "Yes!" The fact she said "yes" is an improvement...since her accident she mainly nods her answers. The other positive Joy story is that Esther had asked her mom what she could do to help Joy and Kathy said that Esther could take Joys clothes from the dryer and put them away. Esther knew that under normal conditions that Joy would not like her to do that...that Joy always wants to put her own clothes away. Well, Esther had something else to do before she got to doing that and Kathy was doing something else. When they came back, they found that the laundry was gone. Joy was still sitting on the couch so Kathy went to check and found that Joys clothes were put away and that the empty laundry basket was back in Esther and Joy's closet...where it belongs. Joy had done it and gone back to sit on the couch! So major progress, in our eyes! Praising God for each small sign of her return to being our Joy! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Mindful Monday

Today has been one where I did a little of this and a little of that...while I waited to find out how Joy's appointment with a neurologist went in Nashville. Not a lot new was learned. The doctor said that Joy not talking was probably her way of dealing with the pain. They were told that the first three weeks after a concussion were the worst and that it could take up to six months for her to recover. So the waiting "game" continues. That was the first time that they had heard that the first three weeks are the worst...so Joy is half way through that time period. I think that the six months were a little longer than anyone had said before. We just have to be patient and wait for our sweet Joy to emerge! I mentioned the other day that I was tackling one of the drawers that Woody put "every thing" in...so there are paper clips, shoe laces, picture hanging paraphanalia, I even found a receipt from 1999 for tires he had bought. Now, this is the second or third time for me to go through this drawer. I had already gone in and pulled out all the broken pairs of readers that he had put in there. We bought the dresser when we lived in California...so 51+ years of accumulation! It is a divided drawer and today I finally got everything out of one half of the drawer. Some of the things went in easily into the wastebasket...but others I have to maake decisions about...as this is the drawer that I go to when I need certain things...so decision has to be made as to just what exactly do I want to leave in that I might need! I did ask Melany about some of the things that he had for when they were collecting butterflies...those I have put in a container for Melany to check out and bring back memories with...but hoping that she doesn't feel the need of keeping...as she doesn't need to add to all that she has collected over the years she has been married. She doesn't need to take on our stuff...but, then, she is sentimental! I probably shouldn't have mentioned them to her...just let them disappear!?! I did find a neat little light in the drawer...looked like it had never been used. I will be getting batteries to see if it could be useful. I vacuumed from the bottom of the drawer small circles of paper from the paper punch...found the paper punch, too. This drawer is a mirade of treasures! Of course, now all these are on my sewing table...that I cleared off a while back hoping to get back to using it for sewing...well, it will have to be cleared off ONCE AGAIN! I have been to prayer meeting and am now back all ready to settle in for the evening. Working steadily on the latest Christmas ornament...hoping to get a little farther on this one this evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

A Good Day…But A Little Sad, Too

I always say that my haircut day is always a "good day!" And, today was my haircut day...but it was a little sad because Joy couldn't cut my hair this time due to her concussion. But I was really glad that my former "haircutter" is now feeling well enough and able to work me in for a hair cut! It was good to see Jody, again...it had been a while. Nathan and Kathy and some of the kids stopped by today so they could pick blueberries (oops! Melany and I may have picked the lower part of the bushes too clean yesterday!). Joy stayed inside with me while they went out to pick. They didn't last too long outside as a rain shower blew in. We visited for a little bit. I felt like Joy has improved a little since I saw her earlier in the week. She opened a care package that Cheryl had sent her and checked out what was inside and then put the things back in and closed the box back up. Walking seemed easier today than it was when I saw her last. She's still not communicating a whole lot...but I see just a little more glimmer of our sweet Joy. The day after tomorrow is when she sees a specialist in Nashville. We are all waiting to find out what the doctor has to say. A little after they left, I headed off to get my hair cut. So that was my good day = hair cut with Jody and got to see my Joy, too. I told Joy that this month Jody was doing my hair and, that hopefully next month Joy would be back to feeling like it! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

Tonight's photo makes me think of my father. He loved to take pictures of dead trees. Melany came, again, this morning...another weeding day. She pretty much has a handle on the gardens that we are going to do this year. I have one large flower garden between my house and the house where Nathan and Kathy used to live. We have always called it the "shared garden," as ever since we moved here we have shared it with the neighbors that lilve in that house. The garden straddles the property line. It is mainly in our yard. This year, we have decided to let it sort of go wild. We did that another year and it was fine. We'll tackle that one another year. Melany and I had a nice visit. Just as she was finished with what she was going to do today, and was coming up to the porch to sit, Ruth stopped by and the three of us visited for a little while. We didn't get anything more than a sprinkle, but there was rain somewhere in the vicinity, as it definitely cooled off and there was a pleasant breeze for porch sitting! Before Melany went home, we did some more blueberry picking...still lots out there and more to ripen! Melany got home safely. I am running a bit late tonight as I called Cheryl to ask her something and, of course, we talkled longer than we probably needed to! We probably got around to hanging up a couple of times, but one of us would think of something else to discuss of "utmost importance!" Our calls are often, as if we rarely talked...which, of course, if far from the truth, as we talk quite frequently! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Joy is still not doing well. Sleeping most of the day away...hoping that this is healing sleep! We are counting the hours till she can be seen by a specialist!

A Quiet Thursday

I say quiet...but then when I think about it, I have visited with several folk...both on the phone and Nathan stopped by for a few minutes this morning. I did a little vacuuming both downstairs and upstairs. The funny thing that I cleaned today was my new vacuum cleaner...I purchased filters for the vacuum...one of my Prime Days "bargains." The filters that are in the vacuum need to be cleaned every so often and the way you clean them is washing them and they they can't be put back in the vacuum cleaner till they are totally dry. Around here, it takes things a while to dry sometimes so I decided that it would be good to have an extra filter so I had one to put back in when I washed one. So I did that today since I had the new ones. Joy is still not "back to herself," I'm sorry to say...patience is the name of the game. We will all be glad once she has been seen by a specialist in Nashville. Kathy did say that perhaps she isn't in as much pain as she has taken less of her pain meds today...hopefully that is a positive sign. Going back to my Prime Days bargains...the only things that I purchased were things that I was planning to buy last week and decided to wait till Prime Days to see if by any chance any of them were marked down...and three of the four items were. So I just bought what I was going to get anyway...just saved a little due to Amazon Prime Days. I have alternated between a little cleaning and cross stitching. I did finish another ornament yesterday and started another one so I have stitched on the new one today. We did have a short period of rain this afternoon. After it stopped raining, I went out with my Grandpa's Weeder and pulled a few more weeds...it does work...works better on certain kinds...likes weeds like dandelions better than 'skinny" weeds...needs some heft to grab on to...at least that is what I found out with my short effort this afternoon. The mosquitos drove me back inside...they were quite interested in checking me out...their interest was not welcomed by me! Melany is coming in the morning to complete what weeding she plans to do for me this summer...her summer is waning all too quickly! Less than a month left of her summer vacation. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!