Thursday Doings

Melany gave up one of her Spring Break days to come spend it with me and do some work in the yard. She planted three kinds of onions, garlic, and ginger root. She also cleaned out several bird houses. I filled up a couple of bird feeders with seed and also put out a suet cake and put out hummingbird food for the first time. The word is out that folk are starting to see hummingbirds in Tullahoma. She also cleaned out leaves from a couple of the beds and planted my shamrock plant they gave me for my birthday. She got all that finished before lunch. It was a very warm day...got into the lower 80s today...and, I will say that humidity is up...feeling more like Tennessee! After Melany left, I got cookie ingredients together and mixed them. The dough is now in the refrigerator. I think I will attempt to bake them tonight so I won't have to think about doing it tomorrow and can just take them to the funeral reception tomorrow afternoon. I will be heading out the door fairly early in the morning to go to my 6-month check in with my doctor...that will take about three hours out of the morning. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday

I have donek a little of this and a little of that today...a little cleaning, a little reading, a little work on the Sunday School lesson, etc., etc. I did a little picture taking and tonight's photo is one of them. This one is using a feature on the camera to choose if the camera focuses near or far from you. By pusing a button that controls the far focus, I was able to take this cardinal through the window and get beyond the screen. I think that it did a pretty good job of getting a picture of this pretty cardinal. This evening I went to Bible study and am home, hoping to get a "little more" done this evening. Melany is coming for a visit tomorrow. I am making cookies for an after-funeral gathering on Friday...so sometime between now and Friday afternoon I'll need to get them made. Today I looked through recipes to decide what kind to make. And, I think that I have made that decision...so a step closer. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Welcome, April!

It's April 1...and, I have not heard "April Fool" even once...must not have had any grandchildren around!!!! I'm pretty sure that there were probably one or two or...pranks, at least, attempted at Nathan and Kathy's house! The turning of the calendar page is how I can distinguish the new month. The thing that I just can't believe is that 1/4 of the year is behind us. Zoom! Zoom! This morning I made a tuna casserole that is a "tried and true" recipe in our family...literally it is in my notebook of favorite recipes that I titled, "Tried and True." This particular recipe came originally from a Better Homes & Gardens Casserole Cookbook. When I remodeled the kitchen, I got rid of a lot of old recipe books (fodder for one of Nathan and Kathy's yardsales). Before getting rid of them I went through the cookbooks and copied recipes that I had made in the cookbook and that we really liked. That is pretty much what my Tried and True Cookbook notebook is made up of...Dorrell family favorite recipes from many, many sources over the years. This notebook lets me have one major source to get recipes. Of course, I didn't get rid of all my collection of cookbooks. I still have many cookbook notebooks to choose from along with many favorite recipe books...two shelves full...still. But I did pare my collection down by many during the kitchen renovation. Today's recipe is called Company Tuna Bake...no telling how many times I have made this recipe over the 56 years since Woody and I married. One of the things I have been doing over the last couple of weeks is look a year back in the blog and see what Woody and I were doing on that particualr day. I sometimes wonder who I am reading about...sometimes hard to realize that we went through certain things...sometimes it is almost like I am reading about someone else's lives and other times I can't believe how Woody went through what he did...and at other times...the same about me! I am glad to have the blog to look back at...like a diary and/or journal. After lunch, today I headed to church to meet up with Donna to do some work in the library. We discovered that quite a bit of activity had been happening in there while we have been out of pocket over the last few weeks! Just because we haven't had work days, didn't stop our readers from enjoying the library...checking out and returning books. Donna came up with a system to get the stacks of books organized so we could get them checked in and reshelved...without as much as one library mystery today! We got everything back to rights and will start work on the new book order our next work day. I didn't sleep the best last night and when I got home from the library, I couldn't keep my eyes open,when I sat down to rest my back...feeling more refreshed, I have gotten the garbage out to the road and have had my supper...enjoyed that tuna casserole for supper. Now I am ready to work a little more on the Sunday School lesson (I got a few teaching helps from the library) and hopefully do a little reading and stitching before my eyes close again for the night. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Good-bye, March

And, just like that...the winds of March have blown the month away...and it has been a very windy month...so perhaps that is the reason that the month of March seemed to pass by so quickly! I guess it can be said that March went out like a lion, as we did have some storms in the wee hours of today...but not really bad storms...just quite a bit of rain (I'm so sad that I forgot to put my rain gauge out, oncr again.) and some lightning and thunder. This storm did pass through leaving us with much colder air. I have felt chilly all day. I have kept busy around the house doing a little of this and a little of that...mainly putting some things away and straightening up the downstairs a bit. I received the latest book order for the church library in today's mail, so I did the initial work on those books and will take them to the library when Donna and I plan to meet at the church to work tomorrow aftenoon. I think we may have our work cut out for us after taking several Tuesdays off! I have just returned from the Monday night prayer meeting and plan to settle in...do a little studying on this coming Sunday's Sunday School lesson and then stitch and/or read for a while. I did stitch some in the night when the storms awakened me. I also read a little this afternoon. Time will tell if my book or my stitching will get my attention. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Simply Saturday

Such a pretty day today...a bit cloudy and we have had a few sprinkles...but today is what I think of as a Spring day. It is seeming more like Spring is really here...more temperatures in the 70s for highs and less lows going down to freezing or below. I'm sure that we aren't through our winters...yet...but at least days like this are pretty good promises of the mostly warmer days to dome. We do have predicted storms tomorrow night...again typical as we move from cold to warmer temperatures. Last night I did finally decide on my next Christmas ornament to stitch. That decision made me need to go to Hobby Lobby, as I didn't have all the embroidery floss colors that I needed for it. So this afternoon, I made a short trip to meet this need and while there I looked through their Spring decorations as I had been thinking of a couple of things that I wanted for my decorations. Their Spring decorations are getting pretty thin...as they gear up for summer and the 4th of July, but I was able to find exactlly what I had in mind. I came home and found "just the right spot" for my purchases. And, now I plan to spend the evening using the embroidery floss that I purchased to continue with my latest Christmas ornament. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Final Friday for March 2025

This month seems to have flown by...but then, of late, every minute, hour, day, month seem to fly by. Today was a quick trip to the grocery store to get a few things that were depleted in my pantry and refrigerator. A lot of others had the same idea as I...but the Kroger visit didn't take overly long. Before I parked to shop, I checked out the Kroger gas pumps...none available...so I continued on to the store. I did my shopping and on the way home, I checked to see if there was a free pump and this time there were plenty. So I stopped and filled up my tank. I use very little gas these days, but since I have to travel a bit farther next week than usual, I decided to go on and get it and take advantage of last month's gas points, which I would lose once March was over. So got food for me and fuel for my car on my excursion out today. I got the groceries put away and then was very ready for a rest...I sat down to read a little or watch a little TV...but I think that my eyes closed before I got to do much of either of those. I'm still trying to figure out what my next Christmas ornament to stitch will be. Maybe I'm not in the mood for an ornament and that is why I am having trouble deciding. I've had supper, cleaned up the kitchen. The dishwasher is going so the kitchen is closed for the day! I do think that I will put in a load of towels to wash after I publish tonight's blog. Then the rest of the evening is for reading or stitching and/or TV watching. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Pretty, but Lazy, Thursday

I think I have come as close to doing nothing as one can in a day! I have done a little reading, a little resting, a lot of sitting, a little cooking...more warming than cooking, a little TV watching, messaging with a childhood friend, talking on phone with a friend. and my sister, and my daughter. It was funny when on the phone...when I was about to hang up, someone else would call...so three calls all strung together. I guess you could say that my accomplishment of the day was catching up with friends and family! I am trying to decide on my next Christmas ornament to stitch...so far haven't decided, just have done a lot of looking through charts, which doesn't get another ornament stitched! So far today...no stitching. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Pretty Spring Day

It has been a very pretty day today. I still didn't do a lot, but I am feeling much better and just gradually getting back to "doing!" I did a few very easy tasks around the house, read, caught up on a few things, and went to Bible study this evening. I'm home and settling in for the evening. There is a book discussion on Facebook about a book that I read for the Cottey book club, that I am going to attempt to join...reason this is rather short! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Quiet Tuesday

I started out the morning sitting in the living room with a cup of tea. Then I decided to get my camera and "play" a ittle with my new lens. So took various shots of my Spring decorations using various settings. Then I decided to listen to some YouTubes about different features on my camera. So it was a slow and quiet start to the day. I texted with Donna and we decided that it would be okay to take another day off from working in the library. I felt like taking it easy another day without "having" to go any place. I made a book order that we had put off because some of the books hadn't been released yet and I had been waiting till they were available. So my library work for the day was making that order. Perhaps the order will be here by our workday next week. I needed to do a little cooking today so ended up messing up the kitchen and cleaning it up again. By the time I had the cooking done, I was more than ready for my recliner. I have felt pretty well today, mainly still tired and my back was not happy after my cooking session. I needed to use the veggies that I had bought for my "gout diet." I cooked zucchini with onions, peppers, Italian seasonings, and tomato sauce. Tasted pretty good. I also prepared some things for some salads...hard cooked a couple of eggs, toasted some almonds and pecans. I had the veggies for lunch and then had a salad for supper. I'm trying to be good and not eat things that might trigger my gout again...or make it come back...or whatever! I plan to sit for most of the rest of the evening with my heating pads. I did remember to take my garbage can to the road...thanks to me seeing my neighbor take his to the road. The fact I didn't work in the library made me almost forget that it was Tuesday night. I'm back to working on my march wind cross stitch piece...kites flying. I think that I will be able to finish stitching it tonight. I just have one more kite to stitch. Sounds like a plan for the evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday! Monday!

Today has been a pretty good day, which I interpret as my gout is going away. I have had less hurting today and more energy...so that has me heading in the right direction. I actually got the one task done that I have been aiming to get finished for a long time...last Christmas boxes are finally into the Christmas closet and those closet doors are closed till it is time to decorate again! Good job done. I did a few more things around the house...and then it was time for lunch and then a nap! Still a bit tired...but nothing like over the weekend. This evening I went to Monday night prayer meeting. I'm now home and ready to settle in for the night. I may stitch or may read or may do nothing! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Wedding Bells Rang 56 Years Ago Today

Wedding bells rang for Woody and me 56 years ago today at First Methodist Church in Glendale, AZ. Tonight's photos are not the best as I took pictures of pictures that are in one of our wedding books. My father took both of these. The black and white photo is taken about the time of the wedding...note car in parking lot to right of the church. But the most interesting part of this photo is that the house that you can see beyond the parking lot was my parent's house at the time of the wedding...pretty convenient access to the church! After the ceremony and reception, I walked home and changed into my going-aaway clothes before we made our get away! I'm still not feeling the greatest...not hurting as much...but hurting in lots of different places at different times...my shoulder one minute, my wrist another, the edge of my knee at another, etc. I have always said that I have traveling gout. Today I have been lathargic all day...lots of little naps...a little stitching...a little reading (having trouble getting "into" my new book), a little TV watching (watched a little "Say, "Yes," to the Dress"...figured that was appropriate on an anniversary day!). I did do one thing with the blog...I looked back through all the blogs and read about March 22 for each year. 16 years of anniversaries. I am hoping to be able to sleep tonight...an awful lot of napping has taken place today...hopefully napping was good for what ails me! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

First Spring Friday

And, today was much more spring-like...not as windy...pretty blue sky and the temperatures started out quite cold, but warmed up nicely as the day wore on. I did venture out after lunch. I mailed in my tax check and went to Kroger to do a little grocery shopping. I try to make a grocery trip every other week. But this week my thinking that I might be on the edge of a gout attack, I decided that I should go buy some more gout friendly foods. Some of what I bought last week isn't recommended to eat when having gout problems. I hadn't had problems with gout for so long that I had wandered away from even thinking about gout appropriate food. I have just been eating what appeals to me...so I will try to be better at least for the time being! I will say that one point when I was in the midst of a very bad bout with gout, my doctor told me that what I ate wasn't going to make any difference with my gout. But I figure that if I am on the beginning edges of gout, that perhaps what I eat will make a difference. One of the most important is to drink plenty of water and also green tea is good for ails one when one has gout. So I have water and green tea next to me all the time...and try to keep drinking. I am feeling better, but "things" still aren't exactly right. I have worked some more on the Sunday School lesson...hoping to have my notes for the lesson ready to type off before I go to bed tonight...time will tell on that one...but at least I do still have tomorrow to get it finished. I did finish reading another book today. Tonight...work on Sunday School lesson and hopefully do a little stitching and a little TV watching before I go to sleep. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Brrrrrrrry Welcome to Spring

Well, Spring arrived and the warmer temperatures disappeared. It was chilly and breezy. And, supposed to be down into the 20s again overnight. ive had a more normal day and think that I feel better and was able to do a little more than sit in my chair with heating pads. But as the evening has progressed, I have slowed down a bit and am welcoming sitting in my chair with heating pads at my back. I went to my accountant's office and signed my tax return papers so they can file them. I still have to run by the Post Office and "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." It's good to have that job done. The first time in the 55 years that we were married that we had someone else prepare our taxes...and, the last time that I will file jointlly...after this year...I am single. I forgot to mention last night about the piece of mail that I got from Vanderbilt yesterday. It was from the brain study that Woody was a part of. I'm guessing that it is the last time I will hear from them. This was the results of his brain autopsy...what I gather what the reporters checked for was Alzheimers and from what I read that he didn't have dementia. The reason he was in the study was because of his extended time in ICU and the confusion that can come about when staying for a long period of time in ICU. Linda reminded me earlier today that "our shows" (Matlock and Elsbeth) won't be on tonight due to basketball games. That brought back memories of March Madness...something that Woody always looked forward to watching. If we look back in past end-of-March blog posts, I often mentioned March Madness. I doubt that I will be watching much March Madness...I like basketball, but don't think I would enjoy it all that much watching it without Woody. My dryer is calling...that last load that didn't get done yesterday. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Signs of Spring

I looked out my sun porch windows today and saw the colors of Spring...pink, yellow, white, and some light spring green...across the road behind my house. When I walked back to empty the compost bucket, I took another photo to show it a bit closer. Today started out to be a pretty good day. I decided that it wouldbe a good day to catch upon my wash. But before I had gotten it done completely, I wqs having a problem with my back...which really made no sense as I didn't do anything to have it feel like it did. It just cqme on suddenly. As I tried to figure out what might have caused it, the thought of the fact that my elbows had had "a feeling of gout" the last few days. With that thought came the remembrance of how a bout of gout started one time...I was fine and the next moment I was having extreme pain in my knee. So I got to wondering if backs could have gout. I looked it up and backs can get gout. Who knows if that is what this is, but I decided that since there was a possibility that I would go on and take my gout rescue medicine and also start taking my gout med every day that I usually take every other day. So we will see if that helps. I have spent a good part of the day sitting in my recliner with heating pads on my back. I have studied the Sunday School lesson for Sunday, read some, taken a couple of naps. Just turned the TV on for the first time today and I think that I will do a little stitching this evening. Going to drink lots of water and lemon tea! Today we bid farewell to winter! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Play Day

Well, the whole day wasn't for playing...part of it was for waiting...waiting for a FedEx delivery. While I waited during the five-hour window for the delivery, I did a few things around the house...trying to stay close to the front door so I would hear when the delivery person came to the door. I finally got the Hummels back in the little bookcase. I had Nathan bring the bookcase back downstairs when he was over here last week...so the living room is finally back to "normal" after moving things around for Christmas. I also finished a book and got underway with another one. I also worked on this Sunday's Sunday School lesson. I fixed my lunch and had taken one bite when the delivery came. I was right to stick close to the front door as he only knocked...didn't ring the doorbell. I was supposed to have to sign, bu all he asked was my last name and I had the package in hand and he was heading back to his truck! I was disciplined and finished my lunch before opening the box. When I did open it, I found the order to be exactly what I had ordered...a new lens for my camera. So I ended up walking around in the yard snapping photos trying it out. It is a telephoto lens that ranges from a wide angle to a medium range zoom. I think that it will be a good lens for our barn trips! This lens fits sort in the middle of the other zoom lenses that I have...I have stronger ones and ones less strong..but this one is a lot newer than the ones that I have and the "glass" is much better in this one. The more powerful lenses are almost too much for the barn trips unless we find a lot of birds that I want to get some really good close-ups. Tonight's photo of the robin is a crop of a photo taken at the broadest end of the wide angle of this lens. The robin was pretty small in the photo and I cropped it with my photo software. I was very pleased with the sharpness of the crop. I will post at the end a photo like the one that I cropped. I'm settled in for the night...I may stitch or may continue reading my new book...the book has taken an unexpected dramatic turn...so I may "need" to continue with my reading tonight. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Cheryl says that the tree shadow is creepy in this photo!

St. Patrick’s Day 2025

It's been a pretty, though chilly, day for the wearing of the green. I always seek out something green to wear on St. Patrick's Day...when children and grandchildren were around, it was protection from getting pinched! No one around today to pinch me...but...I still wanted to wear green and I realized that I have very few clothing items that are green...I had to choose a floral top which had green leaves in with the flowers. But then Woody was not fond of green, as his mother loved it and there was a lot of green in his house which he didn't care for. The same situation goes for Melany...she is not all that fond of yellow, which was her mother's and father's favorite color! My other tradition for St. Patrick's day was corned beef...but this year, I didn't cook a corned beef roast, instead I had a Reuben sandwich...so had my corned beef that way. Tasted pretty good! A Reuben is one of my favorite sandwiches, not so for my sister, though we both love a boiled New England dinner. I considered cooking a corned beef roast as I have a Reuben soup recipe that I do love to make every now and then. But this year went the sandwich route. This afternoon I got a call from my financial advisor. He had another paper that I needed to sign so he stopped by and I signed it. This evening I met with our prayer group at church. I am now home and planning to settle in and stitch and read this evening. I did meet my goal with my Bristol Orphanage Sampler...I now have the width and length defined, the first page of 16 chart pages completed, and last night I trimmed down the large piece of cloth so it is more manageable. Here is a picture of it before I trimmed the cloth down to size. Lots of stitching to go! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Maybe I Should Have Said "A Short Night!"

When it was time to go to sleep last night, not much was happening yet. About 3:30am there was a big thunder boom that woke me up and that is when watching the weather started. We mainly had heavy rain from that time through most of the morning. Then it was quiet for a while until the next part of the storm came through. I guess that was the more severe part of the storms. We did have the tornado warning siren go off once...but the siren stopped pretty quickly. I did sit in my "safe place" for a little while. It is still raining and now we are having flood warnings. But, at this point, all is safe and sound for me here. I have stitched a little, continued to work on the Sunday School lesson, had my Cottey Alum Zoom book club meeting, and made a recipe of meatballs...my accomplishments of the day. I still have to review my lesson for tomorrow and then I'm going to stitch for a little while. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

May Be A Long Night

We have bad storms predicted over night and into tomorrow. I guess we need to batten down the hatches for the strong winds that are possible...and, of course, at this time of the year there are possibilities of tornadoes. Storms like this in the night are no fun...can't see what is coming! We have to depend on sirens and radar and the weathermen. I'm sure that once this gets underway all the major networks will be broadcasting storm updates constantly over night as long as there is a threat. This morning was dedicated to getting the grocery list ready and then shop and then put away the groceries. I didn't feel very well for a time after I got home, but seem to be okay this evening. I spent part of the afternoon studying the Sunday School. Marie, our teacher, is sick so I am going to be the substitute teacher on Sunday. I will continue studying the lesson for a while longer and then switch over and to do a little stitching. If the storms keep me up, I will have extra time to devote to the lesson and stitching and/or reading...got to fill the hours if I have to ride out a storm. Hopefully we won't blow away over night or wash away when the rain comes. I'm sticking to the house for the next 24+ hours! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Oops...just checked and I posted this same picture a couple of days ago...guess I really like this one. I is easier to just leave it than to delete it and find another one! I'll try for one I hacen't posted before when I blog tomorrow night!

On the Road Again!

Nathan arrived before 7am to remove the battery and take it to Auto Zone for a new one. Before 8am the car was up and running once again. I used it to go for an appointment with my financial advisor...decisions that were always Woody's to make. I think that I made okay decisions...guess time will tell on those! I headed to the Credit Union after my meeting. By tat time it was lunchtime so I headed home with plans to go run a couple of other errands after lunch. But...after getting home, I decided that those errands could be put aside for another time. So I spent a lazy afternoon on this beautiful Spring-like day. I stitched and watched a little TV and did a little napping. I did finish the first chart page for the sampler I am working on. I checked how many pages there are and there are 16 so I am 1/16 plus a little more finished...guess this will take me a while! I continue to enjoy stitching on it. I had planned to stop working on it for a while and go back to my March stitch...but I have felt like continuing on this one for at least a little while longer. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Good Day

I always say that hair-cut day is a good day! And, Joy came over this afternoon and cut my hair...so it had to be a good day! She brought Joseph with her and he got a few things out from the closet under the stairs...where I store games and toys. He found a couple of things to keep him occupied while his sister practiced her trade on me. I had planned to run a couple of errands this morning, but got busy doing something else and decided to do the errands just before I went to Bible study this evening. Well...neither the errands nor the Bible study happened for me today. I headed out early to accomplish my plans...well, the car had other plans for today. One week afer it didn't start for me...it happened again. At least this time I was at home and the car was in the garage. Being in the garage may be a good thing as it may be raining tomorrow. I have talked to Nathan and he and a helper or two plan to come over in the morning...remove the battery and take it to the local Auto Zone to have it tested and I'm sure purchasing a new one and coming back here and installing it. Soon I will be "zooming" around town once again! Today I found a spurt of energy and got back to organizing the last of the things that need to be tucked away in the Christmas closet. There are just a few boxes left...but there are gift boxes and tissue paper that need to be sorted through, some discarded, and the rest put away. I also got back to organizing and purging things in my closet. Now...the length of time that it is taking me to work on my closet, you might imagine that it is a huge walk-in closet...not so! It is probably one of the smallest closets that I have ever seen in a master bedroom. From the day we moved in here 40 years ago, I took over this closet and Woody used the closet in what was originally the guest room, now the sewing room. It's the bedroom next to the master bedroom. When Melany moved out, I took over the closet in her room to use as an off-season closet. It has worked all these years. I just haven't gone through the clothes in the master bedroom closet except for changing them from one closet to the other depending on the season. I just needed to "start" getting my closet ready for spring...though leaving some warmer items in it, too. This is always a hard time to keep my clothes straight...I start shifting cooler weather clothes over on warmer days...but can't get rid of the cooler weather clothes because of the cooler days...our back-and-forth weather at this time of the year. So I can't totally get rid of the cold weather clothes...so at the moment my closet is a mixed bag for whatever weather we are presented. Soon more and more of the winter items will travel to the off-season closet as I wash them and put them away. Eventually it will be just for spring/summer. Today I removed clothing items that I no longer wear...threw a few away and started a stack to give away. A few of the items made their way into my scrap container on the floor of the sewing closet...these have large enough yardage that I can repurpose them...a dress and a few skirts found their way into that container. So my closet isn't as crammed as it was this morning. Once I post I am going to do some stitching. I am finishing out the row of motifs on my Bristol Orphanage Red Sampler. I am very close to having the first chart page of the multiple chart pages for this sampler. Then I will get back to my March kites stitch. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

March Tuesday

This will be short and sweet. This has pretty much been a do-nothing day...or as little as possible! I did manage to get the garbage can out to the road.And, have moved a few things here and there in a manner of picking up. I have read a little, dozed a little, watched some TV, walked aroud outside a little...it has been a beautiful Spring day. I did wash the cookie jar and considered what kind of cookies that I wanted to make...no decision yet...have looked through a cookie cookbook for an idea. Donna and I decided to take the day off from the library...so it really was a day that I had nothing that I "had" to do. Still basking on the thoughts of what a great day I had yesterday celebrating my 77th birthday. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Presents, Calls, Texts, Breakfast, Shopping—Oh, My!

This has been truly a day of celebrating my birthday. I had texts greet me this morning and the greetings carried on the entire day. Jo treated me to a birthday breakfast at Coffee Break in Shelbyville this morning. We had such a good time chatting and catching up. After breakfast we walked around part of the square and checked out a couple of the shops. Jo found something in one of the stores and I found something in another. My purchase is in tonight's photo...the bunny cookie jar. The other day as I was getting out my Spring decorations and putting them around, I had the thought that I would like a rabbit cookie jar. I had looked online, but didn't find what I wanted. So today we were walking through an antique store and came upon shelves filled with cookie jars. I mentioned to Jo what I was looking for and she spotted this one on the very top shelf all the way to the back...pretty much blocked by one in front of it. Jo helped maneuver them around and was able to reach this one...and I decided that it was pretty much exatly what I wanted. So, I guess you could say that I bought myself a present. When I got home I opened my gift from Cheryl. I talked to her on the phone while I opened it. Then before I hung up (We talked quite a while!), the mail carrier placed another gift on the front porch. It was from Connie. I walked out to the mailbox and I found cards. I have a very nice array of cards lined up on my mantel. I talked to Nathan, Alex, Melany, Cheryl. I have had a ton of posts with wishes on Facebook. Then, when I went to prayer meeting tonight, I was sung to and was presented with some yummy cake. So it has been a very nice day...looks like I will make it through this day of turning 77...and, I just want to know how that number can be right!!!!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Ready to Spring Forward

It has been a very nice day. Melany and Wade arrived at lunch time. They brought lunch for us. We had homemade turkey soup and turkey salad and strawberry shortcake...all yummy. They left some leftovers so I will get to enjoy what they brought again. So Wade and I got in a prebirthday celebration. We had a nice visit after lunch. They are now safely back home. And, I'm settled in for the evening. After they left, I went around the house setting my clocks for tomorrow's time change...so at the moment my mind is confused as to what time it is...my clocks say one thing and my stove,phone and iPad say another, as they await an automatic update in time at 2am tomorrow. I wanted the clocks around me to read the new time so "maybe" I will believe them and go to bed at a normal time. I dread getting used to the time change...never easy! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

I have kept busy most of the day...woke up even earlier than yesterday. So I did doze a couple of times when I sat down for a rest. I got together a gift for a wedding shower that's on Sunday. It is a Kitchen Blessing Shower. I made a recipe of my dry rub that I made up usng several different dry rubs. I got a container to put the rub in...so got that all put together and then typed up the recipe and got it to the right size to put on the recipe card. That all took a while...but the gift is ready...now to find a gift bag for it! I worked in the kitchen wiping off the counter tops before getting the rest of the Spring decorations placed in there. The Spring items are in place...now...to put away the tissue, etc. that they were wrapped in. I need to get the dining room table uncovered as I am having guests tomorrow for lunch...Melany, Wade, and Erin...coming to celebrate my birthday (and, I guess Wade's...we share a birthday...though, hardly fair about his as they are bringing me lunch...so he will probably have a hand in its preparation). I did a load of wash this afternoon and I made a pot of soup. I still have a little clean up in the kitchen. I did finish my sampler last night. I moved on and am working on my redwork Bristol sampler...going to stitch a little more on it before I get back to my Spring/March stitch (the kites). To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Just One of Those Days

I'm not sure that I ever totally woke up today! I have been sleepy all day and there is no telling how many times I have dozed off in my chair. First, I woke up pretty early...before 6am. I decided that I would go back to my stitching. As, before I went to sleep last night, I came really close to finishing the sampler. I got back to stitching before the sun rose and got all the sampler part done early in the morning. When I took a break, I just had the year and my initials to add at the bottom. I do have the year stitched...so just have three letters left to stitch. I dozed off after I got the sampler part done. Slept for a while. When I woke up, I fixed my breakfast and ate it. I did a few things in the kitchen and brought a few more bunnies downstairs. At some point before lunch, I sat down to rest my back for a few minutes...and...once again dozed off. And, that is the way the day has gone...do a little...doze a little. I hope that I will be able to sleep tonight! I am close to finishing setting around spring things here and there in the rooms downstairs. So about ready to be able to put away the storage tubs that they were stored in. I went out and started the car to be sure that it was still alive. And, it started with no problem. While outside, I got the mail and put up my new spring yard flag that is tonight's picture. I switched spring for the winter doormat. So Spring is showing up at my house. I guess this evening I will stitch my initials and the sampler will be completed. HOpefully I will be able to stay awake to finish it...surely I will be able to keep awake after all the napping I have done today! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

March Winds Continue!

The March wind blew all night and a good part of the day...continuing still, but they seem to be lessening in strength. The temeratures are dropping...supposed to go down to 30° over night. Back and forth is the way "things" go at this time of the year! It's nice to see the pretty daffodils, jonquils, crocus, Dutch iris, and hyacinths are looking pretty as they peek their little heads up. Today the bunny's upstairs started hopping downstairs...also found a few more downstairs hiding out. I did a little cooking. I cooked two pork tenderloins...one to eat this week and one went into the freezer. I also made gravy which I need when I make enchiladas. I got home from church a little while ago. I was a bit later tonight as I had a problem getting my car started. But in the end I think that it wasn't a problem...just a feature to keep the battery from running down. I went out and got in the car after the Bible study. I put the key in the ignition, but didn't turn the car on, as I wanted to wait till some of the cars in the parking lot left before I backed up. I feel uncomfortable even with the back-up camera when it is dark and lots of families with young children are loading up into their vehicles. Anyway, having the key just in the ignition had things turned on. I think that after a few minutes and I hadn't started the car, it shut down. When I tried to start it, it didn't respond. I should have waited a few minutes more, but I knew that I needed to get back inside the church before the doors got locked and before most had left. I called Kathy, but wasn't thinking that we were out sooner than they get out of their church...but I knew that I could wait till they got out as long as I could wait inside out of the cold. But I found someone that I know who I was sure could jump my car...I have jumper cables...just needed someone with a vehicle and the know how! He headed off to get his truck and meet me where my car was. I headed back to my car. Abigail met me in the hallway, as Kathy had called her. Abigail babysits at our church on Wednesdays. She said that she would take me home, if I didn't get it started. I headed out to my car and decided to try it one more time...and it started with no problem. It started about the time my rescuer pulled up next to my car...but I headed him off and told him that I had gotten it started. I think under different circumstances I would have sat there longer and turned it off and tried again after a few minutes...but jumped the gun since the church was clearing out! Oh, well...alls well that ends well! I have had a bite of supper and now plan to do some stitching...I am very close to finishing a sampler. Now...close doesn't always take just a little while. I may have a couple of more hours of stitching left on it...but at the point it is...I can see the finish...just takes longer than it seems it should when it is this close! Ready to pick up my needle! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

The March Wind Doth Blow!

It has really been windy for a good part of the day...just as predicted. When I came home from working in the church library, the wind speed was 25mph. Donna and I had a good work time in the library. We almost always have a mystery to solve each time we work...and, today was no exception. We are weeding books and decided to remove a whole series of books along with others. When deleting them from the computer, I was "told" that they had already been deleted...all four of them. Neither of us can figure out how they were back on the shelves...no markings that we always put on them when we delete books or anything...looked just like a book that is supposed to be on the shelf...that's one library mystery that we will probably never solve...oh, well, all four of them are now definitely discarded! I have done a little Spring decorating as tonight's photo shows...only a little more than this. I did put a couple of other things here and there in the kitchen. I decided to cut some of my daffodils as the wind was knocking them to the ground and then I knew that if it rains as expected that they would be beaten down even more. I decided that I would enjoy them in all their beauty inside my house...such a pretty bright spot in my kitchen! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday! Monday!

I've just gotten home from Monday Night Prayer Meeting...so ready to settle in for the evening. Today has been a day of doing "a little of this and a little of that" or as my sister would say: "Dinking Around." I did a load of wash and got it put away. I continue to work around the house getting the last of Christmas/winter decorations put away and am in the process of getting out Spring decorations. Today I found the items that I have stored downstairs and put them on the dining room table. Then I went upstairs and worked on getting some boxes out of Melany's former room. When Abigail moved into their home, she brought back two boxes of Montessori equipment that she had borrowed that she had used at the preschool where she previously taught. I am hoping that I can get the equipment that is now in one box into the Christmas closet. I think that there is room for it since I consolidated Christmas items into less boxes...so surely there is room for one more box...we will see. I still have the last of the Christmas boxes to put up...but if I am going to put this box of MOntessori equipment in that closet, it needs to go towards the bottom of the stack since it is heavier than other boxes going in there. The items that didn't go in this one box, I put up on the top shelf in the closet in Melany's room where other items that I used to use in my Grammy School are stored. So I rearranged the shelf in the closet and did get those items put away. But haven't moved the equipment box into the Christmas closet...yet. I want to label it before I put it in there so I will know what is inside it. The rest of what I did was...if there was something out of place in a room that I went into today, I would pick it up and put in its proper spot. Slowly but surely I am getting a handle on the upstairs once again...it has been sort of "fruit basket turnover since I decorated for Christmas...time to get it straightened out once again. I still have to get the two tubs out that have holiday items in them and get out the Spring things...then I can brighten up the downstairs with some Spring pretties. Yesterday I finished stitching another Christmas ornament, the third for this year. Now it is time to decide on the next one to stitch, as my plan is to have a Christmas ornament in progress at all times. After I finished the Christmas ornament, I switched over to the one I am stitching to put out with my Spring decorations...a group of kites flying. I hear that tomorrow might be a kite flying kind of day...if we get what is predicted, the winds will probably be too strong for flying kites. But we are under a wind advisory parts of tomorrow and the next day. Hopefully we won't be blown away and I will be able to blog again tomorrow night! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Special Day!

Melany spent the night and got had some breakfast and got to work in our yard/gardens. She raked LOTs of leaves! She finished the garden that she is pictured raking and also the leaves in the garden at the head of the driveway and leaves between the ramp and the house. My birthday present from the Proctors is working in my gardens...a very appreciated gift!!! While Melany raked, I went to Graham's house to celebrate his 23rd birthday. We had a nice time...eating cake, opening gifts, and having lunch...it that order. Another special part of the day was Joy heading off to her first day at work in the beauty salon at J.C. Penneys. I hope she had a good day. So big day in our family. Melany met her leaf raking goal around noon. She came in and had lunch and then we talked for a while before she headed home. Nice day all around! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Posting Late Tonight!

Melany came to Tullahoma after her school day was over. She has raked a bunch of leaves before stopping for the evening. I think that she said that she had raked up 8 tarp loads of leaves so far...maybe more. Nathan and Kathy stopped and picked us up to go to Payton's and Abigail's for dinner. We had a nice visit and good eats. I have a picture, but it is so late that I just want to get the blog posted. Melany will continue her raking/clearing of gardens tomorrow. She has had a busy day...taught school all day, drove an hour to get here, raked up a lot of leaves, went out to supper, and now home and she has headed to bed. She should be tired! I will admit to being a bit tired myself! And, I did no where near as much as she has today! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Is It Possible?

Is it possible that this little boy could have turned into this 23-year-old-young man?!? Happy Birthday, Graham! We will celebrate Graham's birthday on Saturday. Today has been a day to stay around the house and once again do lots of small jobs. I picked up all the winter decorations today and took them upstairs and got them packed away in boxes to be stored with the Christmas decorations...now to get into the Spring decorations. I also put quite a few boxes into the Christmas closet. One half of the closet is packed to the gills from floor to top of the sloped ceiling with boxes of various sizes. The other side already has a start. I believe that what I have left will fit in...always a concern! I did do away with some boxes this year, so they should fit...but I will only know when the last box is placed...and...the doors close! I am hoping to be able to add two boxes of Montessori equipment in with the Christmas, too...we'll see! I did some more cleaning in the kitchen...today's job was to clean the filter in the dishwasher. It is not a hard job...just one that I tend to forget about as my last dishwasher I didn't have to clean the filter...or if I was supposed to, I did not ever do it because I didn't know that there was one to clean! I have worked some my grocery list. I guess I need to go tomorrow...I didn't go last week, hoping to finish off some of what is in my freezer. But it is sort of slim pickings around here and since Melany is coming tomorrow, I guess I need to have something to offer her to eat! Now I am working on a load of wash and that is it for today. Rest of the evening I am going to sit and stitch and watch my two favorite shows, Matlock and Elsbeth. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wonderful Wednesday

We had a beautiful spring-like day. It got into the 70s. I had to go out mid morning...no need for a jacket and then coming home after dark from Bible study this evening...still no need for a jacket. Nice! I'm sure that we have more cold temperatures ahead, but we'll gladly take these days that promise Spring! I did something for the first time today...had an appointment with a CPA...Woody always did our taxes. I hope I gave her everything needed to prepare our/my taxes. I came home and did get further information that she needed and emailed that back to her...hopefully that was what she needed...I haven't heard otherwise from her. I did get the guest bed made for my Friday night company. And, more boxes found their way back into the Christmas closet. Everything around here seems to be going "slowly but surely!" I'm glad to be in for the night. I haven't done much stitching or reading in the last few days. I think that I need to do one or the other or both of those the rest of the evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday

I checked in with Donna today about skipping the library work today. We are pretty much caught up in the library...well, there is always something to do when working in a library...so I will reword and say that today we had nothing pressing to do. I felt that I needed the day to do some tasks around the house. I did get several things done and several others I got a beginning on. I'm wanting to get the Christmas boxes put away...time to get the upstairs hallway cleared! I did start putting boxes in the closet, but my back had other ideas...so I did little things with time-outs so I have accomplished a few things today. I do have the guest room all clear of boxes...just in time, as the guest room will have an occupant for a night this weekend. Melany is coming Friday after school to start getting leaves out of one of the gardens. She's spending the night and will do more work on Saturday. She's trying to get the leaves off the bulbs that have leaves popping up. One of my tasks was to change the bed in the guest room...they are washed and dried and ready to go back on the bed...rest of that task...tomorrow! I have done a couple of jobs in the kitchen that had been on my "to-do" list for a while...I now have a clean microwave (it wasn't as dirty as I thought) and also the range hood. So a couple of kitchen cleaning jobs done that were fairly quick and easy to do...I just had to find the time to do them! A friend stopped by to pick up some cross stitch patterns that she asked to borrow. I talked to Cheryl, my favorite sister aka only sister, for a while (a break for each of us). She had received her birthday gift from me. I was glad to hear that it had arrived. Tomorrow I have an appointment in the morning and then Bible study in the evening...so there will be time before, in between, and after those to accomplish a few more things...slowly but surely. It was a beautiful spring-like day today. Maybe that was the reason the I felt like doing some little cleaning jobs...time for spring cleaning?!? To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday Memories

I got home a little later than usual from prayer meeting and did a couple of things and am just getting to the blog. It has been another day of doing a little of this and a little of that. I have marked several things off my list of little things that needed to be done...a quick library "job," continued working with my photos, writing a note, texting a friend that I have found some cross stitch patterns that she wanted, and other "little' things that tend to be put aside. I got a sweet note from one of Woody's college friends and his wife. This friend was Woody's best man in our wedding. Another thing that I did...and, maybe it wasn't the best idea...but in the place where I store my photos, I got an "offer" to show me photos from this day two years ago. I went to the pictures and it was Woody all ready to leave Vanderbilt. I looked back in the blog to see which hospital visit this was and it was the nightmare one when he developed the arterial bleed. I sat and read blog posts around that hospital visit and some of what happened after. It made me tired just reading all that happened that time. I will say that it is "nice" to have the blog as a diary, but I don't think that I want to sit and read it every day...if you know what I mean! "It" all came back at me...what we went through during the last years of his life! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Last Saturday in February

Well, it warmed up enough today, that I did venture out for a little and when I returned home, I actually brought in the last two or three days of mail...nothing extraordinary...the one interesting thing was a menu and coupons for a new pizza place in town. What was funny that pizza place was recommended for me to perhaps use to feed my family tomorrow. But I just talked with Melany and they aren't going to get here until after lunch...so food is a moot point. They will just come and visit for a couple of hours after I get home from church. I have once again spent a good part of the day getting to know my cameras and lenses. I took a "few" pictures today. This evening I am going to do a little picking up around here...still working on getting the cross stitch books, etc. put back away...that way if we land in the family room tomorrow when we are visiting, there will be more than one place to sit...when it is just me, I tend to use the couch to hold whatever I am working on at the moment...this past week the couch has held both cross stitch and camera stuff. I might have a little time later this evening to put a few stitches in my cross stitch piece...or read a few pages in my latest book. I guess I will see what the evening has in store for me. Perhaps more work with my cameras? I guess it depends on which rabbit I choose to chase! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Frigid Friday…

About tonight's blog title...it has been another cold day...but not quite as cold as the last couple of days...I just liked the sound of putting frigid and Friday together! But it was definitely frigid over night. It got down to 10° last night and at a point the windchill was below zero. But as the day continued on, it actually got above freezing. I still chose not to go out...keeping the warmer air inside, inside! Currently it is 32° and supposed to get into the upper teens tonight...so our cold isn't over...yet! I have done a little of this and a little of that today. I have been putting away needlework magazines, etc. that I got out to look through during my "holiday weekend." I continued to work a little on my cross stitch piece with kites. But mostly I switched directions and have worked with my cameras today...trying to figure out some of the settings that I still haven't mastered on my newest camera...also tried to figure out something on one of my other cameras...always something new to learn! I think that I have my newest camera synced with both my iPad and my iPhone so my pictures will tell me where I took them. Not sure that I have accomplished it...but will test it out to see. Then I transferred the few pictures from my iPhone...I rarely take pictures with my phone. I backed up the latest pictures that are on my iPad and am now in the midst of reducing the number that I have stored there. Two of my cameras will transfer photos directly to my iPad so they get stored there until I find time to back them up and then delete some of them. I still like to leave some of the best on the iPad so I have them there to share with you here on the blog. Tonight's photo is one that I hadn't shared yet and I found it when I was going through the pictures. Many of the photos that I take are almost duplicates of another, as I take them out of the car window from different distances and angles...then I choose the best of the almost duplicates. It is now time to delete duplicates. I still have these that I am deleting in my backup. So today has been sort of dedicated to cameras, lenses, charging of batteries, and going through all the thousands of photos that I have taken!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!