Good Bye, January!

There has been too much sadness in the last few days. The sadness that came with the plane and helicopter and the loss of so many lives. Then this morning I learned of the unexpected death of one of our Sunday School members. A bit later I found out about the death of an icon in the needlework world. I have never met her, but she is one of the needleworkers, who I follow on Flosstube/YouTube...so it's "as if" I know her...if you know what I mean. Then something good happened...but it still made me sad. My oldest granddaughter has many major health diagnoses...type-1 diabetes, aspergers syndrome, bi-polar...three of five or six diagnoses that she has to deal with. But these three make it very difficult for her to make decisions for herself. She has trouble seeing consequences due to her aspergers...and that is a bit dangerous when you are a type-1 diabetic. And, when her bi-polar kicks in she just can't make decisions...as she is "not herself." Since she has been diagnosed as bi-polar (the latest of her diagnoses), I am so very much aware of what poor mental health care there is out there. There have been problems for Melany and Wade to be able to make decisions for Erin when it comes to times when she is in the hospital. Erin is a 31-year-old adult, so legally her parents couldn't make decisions for Erin when Erin isn't able to make a decision for herself. Her parents have had problems in the past getting the best care for Erin when medical personnel wouldn't let them have input into her care. They needed a conservatorship to be able to make these decisions for her. This was accomplished today so now her mom and dad and brother can make decisions for her when she is unable. I am so glad that they have done this, but then it is sad for me to think that Erin needs to sign over these rights to them. Erin knows that she needs help in making these decisions and told the judge that her parents and brother are taking good care of her and she wants them to continue caring for her. She is the sweetest young lady, but does need others to help keep her on track with decision making and needs extra care. After having the rug swept out from under me, I finally did work out frustrations and sadness by plugging in the vacuum cleaner and vacuuming the downstairs. And, with that the downstairs is back to "normal" for winter months. I have worked on a couple loads of wash and one load is put away and I am waiting for the second load to be finished so I can put them in the dryer. I talked to a friend a while ago and am now ready to have a late supper and then sit down and stitch. I am going along at a pretty good rate with my second Christmas ornament for 2025 gifts. I hope that I will get a bit closer to a finish this evening. To be continued. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I guess I will turn my calendar page this evening to be ready to welcome in February in the morning!

Last Thursday of January

Once again I have just done a little of this and a little of that. I did get a lot of things put away. If I picked up something I made sure that I found a final resting place for it. Yesterday to limit going up and downstairs too often I just gathered things into groups. And, today I took care of the groups that needed to go back upstairs...and, I didn't put it down to be picked up again! So lots of little odds and ends are put away. The task that I just did was to take the tablecloth off the dining room table and it is in the washing machine. There are still some items on the table in the living room...but because they go on the little bookshelf in the living room. And, that bookshelf hasn't made it back downstairs because it is still surrounded by Christmas boxes to be put away. My other main task of the day was to make a pan of enchiladas. After that feat, I was ready to rest and stitch for a while. And, I took a bit of a nap. So now I am ready to sit back and stitch and watch TV. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Tonight's barn photo shows one of the barns that wont be able to be seen once the leaves are back on the vines and trees.

Wednesday!

I continue to get back to "normal" around the house...so I am doing a little of this and a little of that. I move one thing there and then bring something to another place and...not sure that I am accomplishing much!!! But eventually...maybe? I ran some errands this afternoon and then went to Bible Study tonight...that's about it for today! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Major Progress

Today I had the goal to have all the filled boxes upstairs and all the boxes that I had emptied out at the road for either trash or recycle. And that has been accomplished and even a few of the boxes back in the Christmas closet. The hall still has lots of boxes to be fit back into the closet, but at least it is at that point in the "process!" I had one "bump" in the road, when I discovered well into the afternoon that there was still a box for ornaments upstairs that I hadn't realized was upstairs...so I went through all those boxes and got rid of the small ornament boxes. But this box actually had quite a few ornaments in it that I hadn't put on the tree this year. I took all those ornaments out of their boxes and got them all into a much smaller box. This is the first time in a long time that I have about filled the large garbage can. I have run the vacuum in the living room...but at this point in the day I am through...but very glad that I have all Christmas upstairs and boxed up. I even got all the extra Christmas serving dishes into a box. So unless there is something hiding somewhere (probably in plain sight) all Christmas is boxed up...nothing downstairs. Donna and I didn't work in the library today. We have things pretty much caught up. We could have found something to do, I'm sure. But I sort of suggested that we not go today. I really had tunnel vision to get this pack-up job finished as much as possible. And, I'm glad that we made that decision. I still have to move some furniture around in the living room...but I think that "tomorrow is another day!" To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

57 Years Ago!

To explain tonight's title: 57 years ago Woody asked me to marry him, We had just met three months before...what were we thinking!?! But whatever we were thinking...it seems to have worked out! We were married for a little over 56 years. We had one disagreement about that day...one insisted that he asked me in the afternoon and the other insisted that he asked me in the evening. I guess that wasn't too big of a disagreement! I guess you can tell by tonight's photo that the tree is gone. A big thanks goes out to Nathan and Elijah for their help. They stopped by after lunch and I grabbed them to assist me. The three of us quickly took the rest of the ornaments off the tree and put them on the dining room table and then Nathan and Elijah brought tree branches up to me and I placed them in the Christmas tree box. I started going through the boxes that I have stored ornaments in the past and took out all the boxes and threw them away...trying to get rid of some of the boxes that go in the Christmas closset. I finised that job today and then chose three or four of them to put the the last of the ornaments. I managed to get that job done this afternoon. So now I am just left with cleaning up from the tree undecorating mess. I still have some Christmas serving pieces to go into a box...they including the box to put them in are upstairs in Melany's old room. But it is just about time to start putting the boxes back into the Christmas closet. Major progress! I got home a little while ago from Monday night prayer meeting. So now...ready to settle in and do a little stitching. I have been making pretty good progress on my cross stitch projects. I'm coming along with my second Christmas ornament. And have been stitching on two different samplers. Hopefully tomorrow I will get things straightened out and cleaned up a bit better. At the moment it looks like I might be moving with all the empty boxes around. I will collapse the boxes and get them out to the curb tomorrow for recycle pickup on Wednesday. Our temperatures have warmed up a bit...though felt pretty chilly when I was going and coming from prayer meeting. Pretty much the way things are around here in January and February. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Saturday Progress

And, the undecorating continues! I didn't get as far as I wish I had, but getting closer. I finished filling up the new large box that I had saved to store ornaments. And, I have taken off all the handstitched ornaments and put them in "their" two storage boxes. I am a little concerned about the new box that I really loaded up...it is very heavy. It will have to stay downstairs till either Nathan or one of my strong grandchildren come over...and it can't be put in the closet until I have the tree back in its box. I finally had to quit undecorating the tree as my equilibrium got a little wonky...I think do to all the turning back and forth between the tree and the storage boxes. Or it was just where I was standing...passing in front of the staircase when I was in the hallway upstairs heading to get another box. It passed quickly...but I decided that it was time to quit...doesn't take a lot to convince me to move away from undecorating the tree!!! I would rather read or stitch and/or watch TV! I have gotten farther on my mext Christmas ornament. I don't know if I am going to stitch on the ornament or work on one of my other projects...or...read, a new e-book I had on a waiting list became available. Right now I am going to have a late supper, a bowl of soup and then decide what my evening has in store for me! It got into the upper 40s today...a heatwave! And, tonight it is "only" supposed to get into the upper 20s...so temps are climbing just a bit. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious.

A Start

Perhaps by tonight's photo you can tell that I have begun taking decorations off the Christmas tree. I have worked for quite some time on it, and, you can see that there are many more to remove! I started taking off the very flat ornaments...except for the needlework flat ornaments...those will come off later and will be placed in a couple of special boxes. I had an interesting Facebook message early this morning. It was from one of Woody's first cousins who lives in Montana. He's looking for a relative in Woody's mother's family to oversee a trust for a grandson of one of the cousins in my kids' generation. I gave him what I knew about another of his first cousins. I found out several things about several other relatives...wish that I could share the information with Woody! We warmed up into the upper 30s today and it only went down into the mid 20s overnight last night...but tonight we are going back down into the teens. When i went out to the mailbox a little while ago, it was still in the upper 30s, but the breeze made it feel quite nippy. I have stayed inside today except for my trip to and from the mailbox...trying to stay warm. I am through with the Christmas tree for today...it gets pretty tiring and my back doesn't like going back and forth between the tree and the box I am putting ornaments in. Time for some down time in my recliner! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be Cautious! And, I guess I should have added earlier than tonight...Be warm!

A Low-Key Thursday

I had sort of a lazy day...afraid that all these cold days have helped to make me feel lazy! I also woke up around 3am and then didn't fall back to sleep till 6am...which meant that I slept in a bit later. But all that was okay as I didn't have anything specific planned to do today. Well, I say that...I did have plans to make sourdough banana bread, which I put into the oven just a little while ago...the kitchen is jusst beginning to have baking smells coming from it. When I was getting something out of the freezer the other day, I found some frozen mashed bananas and decided that this was a good time to get them and their containers out of the freezer and use some of my active sour dough starter...of course, I will put something back in the freezer that will take up more room than the two containers that had the bananas in them! But I plan to freeze the bread so I will have it when I need a treat...or need to share a treat with someone. My other "accomplishment" of the day was to choose and start another cross stitch Christmas ornament. I have talked on the phone with Marie and Melany...so caught up with them. I just about have the kitchen cleaned up from the banana bread mess. The temperatures warmed up to above freezing today...it actually made into the 40s...barely. So I was able to stop dripping fauces for a time period. It is supposed to "just" get into the low 20s tonight, but I guess that I had better start faucets dripping before I go to bed tonight. I will be glad when the overnight lows ease up a bit. Right now it is 30°...practically a heat wave! I stayed at home all day...just because I could! I still like the days when I don't have to go anywhere...I think back to having to take Woody to so many appointments during the week...when there were very few days that we/I didn't need to go somewhere! So days that "let" me stay home are still very much appreciated...even though I don't "have" to go very many places these days. The places that I go during the week are places that I choose to go. And, now it's time to go check my banana bread. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Look Who’s Eleven!

It doesn't seem possible the my youngest grandchild, Joseph, is already 11! Happy birthday, Joseph! He and his dad and Elijah and Isaac stopped by this morning so I got to see him and give him his birthday gift in person. I continued to get things around the house back to normal...except, as you can see from the picture, for the tree. I have taken a few things off the tree, but not to put them away...but use them in a couple of winter vignettes that I have around the downstairs. I finished putting out winter decorations on my coffee table and one of my end tables this morning. I guess...maybe...I am about ready to tackle the Christmas tree. I took more pictures of ornaments on the tree...again...testing out a lens and settings on my camera...just playing around. I baked my sourdough English Muffin loaf after it had a rising time of 24 hours. I really wondered if it would turn out, but it did make quite a good loaf of bread. I stitched for a while this afternoon and met a goal...I finished stitching my first Christmas ornament for 2025. The last few days I have been rotating between several stitching projects...three samplers, a surface embroidery piece, and the ornament. So one of those projects are finished. In stitching language...these unfinished pieces are considered WIPs (Works In Progress). Some stitchers have hundreds of unfinished projects aka WIPs and others only stitch on one project at a time (known as monogomous stitchers). I am inbetween those...I do have some WIPs but not to an extreme...well, the monogomous stitcher would probably think that my multi projects are extreme. I used to work only on one at a time, but find it more fun doing it this way...trading out projects as I feel like it. I will say that once I get really going on one, I can easily turn into a monogomous stitcher as I get going on it and just want to get it finished. But at the moment I am rotating through and am thoroughly enjoying the variety in my stitching. Now to choose my next Christmas ornament to stitch. I plan this year to have one ornament in my "line up" all the time...aiming towards next year's gifts. I did go outside today...it actually warmed up to right at freezing today. I brought my garbage can back to the house and got my mail...and, on that trip out, I got my car out of the garage, as I did go to Bible study this evening. I am back home and ready to settle into my warm house. It is supposed to "only" get into the teens tonight...much better than single digits!!!! I'm ready for a major warm up! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Another Frigid Day

We are still in the middle of a deep freeze here in Middle Tennessee. To tell the truth, I am ready for it to warm up quite a bit. I did venture out late this afternoon to take the garbage can to the road and check my mail. But I was back inside as quickly as possible! Today turned into a baking day due to needing to use some sourdough starter. I made a small recipe of biscuits...pretty good! And, I have started a recipe for Sourdough English Muffin Bread. It is supposed to rise for 12-24 hours...so far not a lot of rising. I think that I will be putting it in the oven on "proof" in the morning hoping to get a rise out of it! I haven't done a lot more during the day...a little reading and a little cross stitching. I plan to do some more cross stitching this evening. I do feel better today...not blowing my nose as much and my sinus headache is only dull...so I think that I am heading in the right direction. I have been glad to have the last couple of days to not have to do much and pretty much just take it easy. I did play around, again, with my camera. Having fun taking close-ups of some of my tree ornaments...for no reason, especially, except to try out lenses and settings on my camera...the ornaments give me something to practice on! I have a load of clothes to get out of the dryer and need to finish loading the dishwsher...then I am through for the night and plan to just sit around and stitch and watch a bit of television or perhaps some YouTubes about cross stitching. Those YouTubes have been dubbed "flosstubes" by stitchers. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Last Christmas Standing!

I met my goal for yeasterday...to have all the Christmas decorations boxed up except for the Christmas tree. All the boxes containing these items are in my upstairs hallway...lots of boxes! But at least I can once again sit down in the living room...The couch and chairs had been filled with boxes to be packed up. Today, I haven't pushed myself to do much. For one reason, I was enjoying my efforts of the last days. My goal had been to get all of the downstairs undecorated except for the Christmas tree...that goal was met and now I can have a few more days to enjoy just the tree...my favorite of my decorations...except for the Precious Moments nativity. But another reason for taking it easy is that it is so cold and over the weekend my sinuses started bothering me...today the most bothersome about this was a sinus headache...it got pretty bad this afternoon...Tylenol and a nap worthy! But this evening it is better...not gone...but better. I have done some picking and straightening up downstairs. I also changed lenses on my camera and experimented with that lens...tonight's photo was taken with it and I also took close-up photos of some of the ornaments on the tree...just for fun...experimenting with camera settings. Over the weekend I picked up my large Bristol red work sampler and have been adding letters to it...again...just for fun. I'm hoping that my headache is such that I can go back to stitching this evening. The predicted very cold tempertures came true. At the moment it is 14° and feels like 6°. Over night the feels like was below zero and our low was in the single digits...waaaaaaay too cold! Due to my sinus problem, I have stayed in trying to keep my head out of the cold air! I don't think that it is supposed to get above freezing until Wednesday. I'm hoping to feel like venturing out by the time for Bible study on Wednesday evening! I have plenty to do inside until the temps rise a little...plus it is a good time to get some extra rest! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Simply Saturday

I've had a pretty good day...got a decent amount done. I slept in a little bit later than usual, but managed to get underway before too much of the morning had passed away. The first thing that I attacked with my undecorating was to get all the trees put in as few boxes as possible...and that happened...most fit into just one box. The others either had a box or were fit into another box and were later joined by some of my snowmen. I just have angels and some odds and ends that don't fit into a category left to box up. The dining room table and the table in the living room are "almost" clear. After I got the trees packed and the boxes upstairs, it was time for my Cottey Alum Bookclub. Today I just listened, as I hadn't been able to get the book that we were discussing. I enjoyed getting to be in on the discussion even though I knew only a little about the book. I had read some summaries of the book and listened to an interview with the arthor about this particular book. It's just fun to get together with this group of ladies once a month. It was lunchtime once the Zoom meeting was over. I read for a little while and then attacked more of the undecorating. I hope that maybe tomorrow afternoon after church that I will be able to get these last holdouts into boxes and upstairs...then I will enjoy "just" the tree a little more before I tackle it. Late afternoon, I stopped and put together a casserole. I'm a little later than usual eating, but heading to get a serving once I have published tonight's blog. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday

Well, I did a little of this and a little of that today, but not a lot of anything! I went to the grocery store after it warmed up a bit and stopped at the pharmacy to pick up a couple of prescriptions. I did a bit of organizing of the Christmas decorations that still need to be put away...sounds like something that might not be necessary! But I wanted to get all the trees together and all the angels together and all the bells together and all the snowmen together. I have always wished when decorating, that when I needed trees, I could find them, as well as other types of decorations. So I am going to try to do a better job of grouping them when putting them away. This rearranging made room so I could get the remaining angels off the top of the china cabinet. I have brought more boxes downstairs to pack up, and, I did take a couple of boxes back up with some things packed away. I almost have all the boxes out of the guest room...that's quite an accomplishment, as there were a lot of boxes stacked on the guest bed and around it. I think that there are still two to bring down. But I will pack those downstairs first. After I got the groceries put away, I decided that I was going to go back out and do a little running around. When I came home I played around with some of the photos that I have taken this week. And, I have done a little stitching. Earlier in the day I read a little. So like I said at the first of tonight's blog...I've done a little of this and a little of that...not a lot accomplished...but I have had a good day. Today was a let-what-happens day. And, it is nice not to "HAVE" to accomplish anything specific. One thing that I did do...bought a stack of Tullahoma Newspapers...Kathy submitted a picture of five of my grandchildren juggling snowballs in the snow to the newspaper Facebook page and it made it into the paper. Kathy asked if I could grab up a few of the papers if I came across them today...last purchase at the grocery store...six of Wednesday's News! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thoroughly Thursday

I've had a fairly productive day...got a lot done with the undecorating. All the Carolers have found their way into storage boxes and are upstairs ready to put away when that time comes. I have placed everyday decorative items...so the living room is looking a little more like normal...still a ways to go. Some snowmen found boxes. All the Christmas bells are now on the table in the living room...where the Carolers had been...not quite as massive a group!!! The dining room table lost a few things to storage boxes. I had quite a few resting times which meant reading times and I finished another book. I'm not sure what I will do this evening with my "free time"...read, stitch, sleep! Note I didn't mention undecorate...don't consider that to be "free time" activity. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Mid Week/Mid Month

Can you believe that almost half of January has come and gone? Time is certainly flying by. Today's major accomplishment = arranging with Joy to stop by and cut my hair! Good job, again, Joy! I so appreciate her skills...she learned her lessons well at cosmetology school. She is now making a decision as to where she will start practicing her skills "for real!" She is checking out one more place before shse makes her decision as to where to apply for a job. The rest of the day I did a little of this and a little of that. I started getting Carolers into their boxes...but got interrupted and haven't gotten back to that task, yet. I did carry a couple more filled boxes upstairs to join the ones that are ready to go back into the Christmas closet. I have read some of one of the books that I brought home from the library yesterday. I have just gotten home from Bible study and made a stop in the library before I left the church. I decided that I want to read the other two books that continue the story that I am reading now. I guess that I am getting back "into reading." But I do note that I haven't done much stitching since I have picked up a book. And, it is usually feast or famine when it comes to reading...once I get going on some good books it is hard to put them down and I want to keep on reading to the detriment of getting other things accomplished!!!! Oh, well...to be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Back to Tuesday Routine

What's funny is that I almost put in Wednesday instead of Tuesday...guess that routine isn't very well established after the holidays and snow days! Donna and I did get together and worked in the church library this afternoon (Tuesday routine). We got more new books out on the shelves ready to be checked out. I've been extra tired today and my back was hurting after I packed up the Christmas objects that were in my shadow box. I emptied out the Christmas items from the shadow box last night and got the everyday items back in. Today I got the items packed up...ready to eventually go into the Christmas closet. My progress is very slow...just don't have it in me at the moment to go "at it" for a length of time. I did finish reading the e-book today when I was sitting in my recliner with the heating pad on my back. I have also listened to an audio book today...finished listening just a little while ago. That means I have finished three books this year. So at this point I'm on track for a book a week...well, a little ahead. Last year I only read 26 books...only two books a month. I can always tell when I am doing more needlework or sewing...I just don't have as much time to read. I did bring home two books from the church library...one I have already read...going to give it a quick second read to decide if I want to recommend it to my Cottey book club. I will see if I can read a book "in hand" again...it had become problematic for me to read a "real" book as I was getting cramps in the hand that I hold it with. We'll see if my hands will allow me to read a book "in hand!" I also like reading e-books as I read e-books faster than real books. I did pull off some more Christmas items from shelves and gathered them into piles to put away when I either find the box/bag they go in...at least they are all together and off the shelf. I am trying to empty shelves and table tops so I can place everyday items back on them when I find them stored in the boxes I need to put the Christmas items into! It's sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul...the box that held Christmas items when I was decorating now hold everyday items...so the boxes need to be emptied before I can put Christmas back in them! If the shelf or table top is cleared then I can put the everyday back on them when I find them...and then can put Christmas into the boxes. There is a method to my madness...but at the moment it is still a slow process...but rooms are getting back to normal. The family room is back to the way it was preChristmas, as is the kitchen...so slowly but surely...I am getting things back to "normal." My plan is that the tree will be last...all will be back in boxes except for the tree and then I will enjoy attacking that...getting to touch each of the ornaments one last time before they are out of sight till I decorate again come November! Again...my goal is have them away by Valentine's Day...that means a month from now it should be done...I hope in my head that it will be done before that! Time will tell! In the meantime...I want to read, stitch, cook, and maybe get back to sewing in between packing boxes! At a point it will go faster...famous last words! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Fun Afternooon

Perhaps you can tell by tonight's photo that Marie and I went on a barn trip this afternoon. We were hoping to catch a little snow in our photos...and "a little" is about all that we found...but there was some along the way in shady places. The sky was so pretty, too. So a good afternoon to take a few photos. I have just gotten home from Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. So it has been sort of an active day in comparison to the last few snow days! I managed to finish an e-book before it was whisked away. And, another e-book was made available to me...one that I was 3/4 of the way through when it was whisked away from me a while back. So I was able to pick up where I left off. I actually was able to remember what was going on and able to get back into the story. That will be a book that I should easily be able to finish this time before it is taken back into cyberspace. I haven't gotten any undecorating done today. Oh, well, there is always tomorrow! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Still Snowed In

At least I didn't attempt to go out today. Things did start thawing out some this afternoon. The road in front of the house has pretty much cleared. My driveway still is pretty solid snow. It didn't look pristine today like it did yesterday when it was snowing...like in tonight's black and white photo. It is supposed to drop down into the teens tonight so that means that what melted and was still wet will be ice in the morning. Tomorrow afternoon it is supposed to get into tne 40s so that means that lots more melting will happen. Our church made the decision not to have the church service or Sunday School...so I will stay at home again tomorrow. Today I spent quite a bit of time making a pot of soup...lots of chopping and slicing of veggies and a long time of cooking...but at a point mid afternoon I had a pot of Ham and Barley soup. I enjoyed it for supper. It is really a good and hearty soup...good for snowy days. It used the ham bone that I had in the freezer that I saved from the last ham I cooked a couple of months ago. Nice to be able to pull that out of the freezer on a cold winter day. I also had a piece of cornbred that I had frozen a few weeks ago. Items in the freezer definitely came in handy on a day I am snowed in...of course, this soup was planned as I got the other needed ingredients at the grocery store on my nightmare visit earlier in the week when everyone in town seemed to be out shopping for the possibility of snow! I have also done some reading...I'm trying to finish a book that is going to be taken back into cyberspace Monday morning. We'll see if I manage to get it read. I haven't been doing much reading lately...my stitching has taken up reading time. I did do some stitching today and plan to do more tonight. My undecorating took a back seat to my cooking today...when I wasn't cooking I was resting in my recliner...which meant reading or stitching. I'll attempt to get more undecorating done tomorrow...unless I take Sunday seriously and declare it a day of rest...that would mean more stitching and reading. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Isaac is a Teenager!

Looks like Isaac got his birthday wishes...snow, no school, presents, and pie...a good way to begin his teen years. Just think...only one of my grandchildren aren't either a teen or in their twenties or thirties!!! I'll bet that means I am getting older!!!! It has been a pretty day. We did get the snow promised and last I checked it was still snowing. I don't know for sure how much we have gotten...predicted around 4.5"...I'm guessing that we got that or a little less. I didn't go out with a ruler! I have stayed inside all day, except for going out one time late this afternoon when I saw that the steps were slushy...so I swept them off. I still won't be going very far since the walkway is covered. I salted the steps, too...hoping that I can keep them from getting icy. I have done a little of a lot of things. I dontinued to undecorate...didn't get a lot farther, but have done some more at leasat. Today I took all things off the walls that were Christmas and have gotten out most of what goes back. I have some of those back in place...still a few to go. I have done a little reading and some stitching and took some snow pictures out the windows. I'll share some of those tomorrow when I don't have a birthday boy to celebrate! I was going to make soup...but changed my mind...maybe tomorrow! There wasn't really anything that I had to do and I'm here by myself...so can pretty much do what I want to do. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Ending with a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ISAAC!

Two "Lasts” For Today

Today is the last day that Isaac will be a preteen. It's also the last gathering of my carolers...one last gathering to sing one last Christmas carol before they snuggle back in their storage boxes till next I get them out when I decorate! "Things" are progressing in my undecorating efforts...still a long ways to go, but at least heading in the right direction. I have gathered most of the snowmen, trees, angels and put them on the dining room table. And, have been putting them in their boxes as I come across the right box. The table is pretty covered at the moment! But other areas are clearing...like kitchen counters and other table surfaces. It was time to use some of my sour dough starter or throw some away...so today I made sour dough waffles and fed the starter. I have washed towels and linens...amongst that wash load were holiday napkins, aprons, dishtowels, etc. and those are now folded and either put away or are now on the dining room table waiting for me to find their place to store them. The rule of the day is that if I go upstairs, I take something up to be added to the stack of boxes that are ready to be put in the Christmas closet. And, when I come downstairs, I carry another box or two to fill up. As I said already...eventually! Nathan and Kathy, Joy, Esther, Isaac, and Joseph stopped by this morning so I could give Isaac his birthday present since it looks like his birthday party will happen without other traveling to or from their house due to the incoming winter storm. One of his presents is supposed to be snow tomorrow, his birthday. We were supposed to gather for a party on Saturday, but we are believing the weather folk and have decided that that probably won't be possible...so I handed off his gift today. I got Nathan to hand down an angel from on high, as I had a box for it...one that is now upstairs. I have done some stitching, a little reading, and a little dozing. So all in all it has been a pretty busy day. I wonder if I will be posting a snowy photo tomorrow night. I'm ready to stay in for a few days...if necessary. Only time will tell, if that will be necessary! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Results of Predictions = Long Lines in the Grocery Store!

The predictions are that this field of cotton that I took a photo of back in the fall might be covered with snow day after tomorrow. Now...if you live in Middle Tennessee and other parts of TN and the vast U.S., you may find that everyone has the urge to go to the grocery store..."just in case" we get snowed in. Well, I would have normally gone to Kroger on Friday to pick up a few things to get me through the next week. Knowing the prediction of snow during the day on Friday...and "they" say that we have a 95% chance of getting it...so for us that sort of means that we will probably get something...I decided that I had better go get the ingredients for the soup that I want to make, today. I decided...knowing what happens to our stores just prior to predicted snow...I would go today instead of tomorrow. Well...half or more of Tullahoma must have had the same thought. I don't think that I have ever seen the Kroger parking lot fuller than it was this morning. I got parked and headed in to the store. It wasn't too bad until I was ready to check out after getting my ten or so items. It was very difficult to get out of the aisles that had a check out place...the people were lined up ten deep at each of the open checkouts. I had to go way back to the back of the store and approach from there in order to get in line. I did manage to get in a line that didn't have people with overloaded carts! And, it wasn't too long of a wait...but all open checkout lines had probably at least ten people in them. I finally got my groceries on the conveyer belt and it wasn't too long till I was able to escape the madness! I will say that all were in very good moods...I got to talk to friends I hadn't seen in a while and also probably made a new friend or two! That experience wore me out! I took a good nap this afternoon! I got back from Bible study just a few minutes ago...and, I think that was probably the last time out for me for the next several days. The car is in the garage, the doors are all closed and locked against the cold air that is out there. I'm ready to hunker down and enjoy whatever happens from inside! Hopefully the electricity will stay on, I'll be able to continue to undecorate (didn't happen today), read, stitch, cook some good hot soup...really do whatever I want within the walls of my nice warm home. I'm still an Arizona girl at heart...and, it is hard for me to not get excited about snow. I look forward to watching it fall from inside! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! And, I'm glad that I don't have to face a grocery store tomorrow if it was as bad as it was today!

Dorrell Delineations Beginning 17th Year!

I started the blog January 7, 2009...a lot of water under the bridge since then! I am including a link to the first one...all the old blogs are listed to the right of the blog...quite a bit of history. The list on the side is clickable. I am glad that all continue to be included in the history of the blog...the blog is like a diary/journal for me. Going back might be of interest to someone who has a loved-one undergoing Melanoma treatments...compare treatments of 17 years ago to those of today...great strides have been made...partly due to folk like Woody going through what they did all those years back. Here's the link...the question is whether it posts as a clickable link! https://wdorrell.blogspot.com/2009/01/fork-in-road-which-way-should-we-turn.html It has been another cold day...guess we are in for cold for some days to come. Donna and I did meet at the church library and had a good first work day for 2025. We accomplished quite a bit...processing new books. It was good to be back to our routine of working Tuesday afternoons at the library...we enjoy the work...but what we probably enjoy the most is getting to visit catching up with each other! I continued to work on undecorating. I have moved most of the Christmas out of the family room and the dining room...the rooms that have the least Christmas in them. A lot of what I have moved is on the dining room table waiting for me to find a box to store each item. At least he undecorating process is started. I have move boxes filled and stacked in a space for boxes ready for the Christmas closet...once the Christmas closet is ready to receive them. A lot of shifting and packing is involved. Not a process that will happen over night! Eventually the last box will be behind the Christmas closet doors and it will be done...once again. My main mission at the moment is to keep warm. Sounds like there is a pretty high chance of us getting snow on Friday. I just talked to Melany and she is in hopes of a snow day being called...even though...she still hasn't had kids in the classroom this week. She have her first day with children tomorrow...so she is sort of counting on just two days with children this week...the first two days this week were inservice days. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

I just got home from the Furnace Room Prayer Meeting and it is cooooold outside! Brrrrrrrr! Glad I am back inside and staying in for the rest of the night and that I don't have anything to be out for tomorrow till after lunch! Good night for lots of throws piled on while I sit in my comfy chair! Today I have gotten a little more done on undecorating...my Precious Moments nativity figures are all back in their boxes and upstairs awaiting for me to pack them back into the Christmas closet...eventually! I haven't felt the greatest today. I think that the front that is coming through has gotten to me...achy bones, etc. I did finally give in to Tyelenol midafternoon and then took my usual Celebrex this evening...and some of the aches have at least taken a back seat to what they were feeling like earlier. I woke up really early this morning and decided that I wasn't going to get up at that hour so picked up my upstairs cross stitch project and stitched a couple of letters on that sampler. After that I got a little sleepy and went back to sleep and slept a bit longer. I wasn't all that interested in getting up and going this morning...but eventually did make it downstairs. I guess this gray cold day made me rather lazy. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Tonight's photo is of the amaryllis that Cheryl gave me...one of those that the bulb is encased in wax and you don't have to water it. It is fun to watch it grow with no effort on my part! It is almost all the way open.

Sunday Favorite

First Saturday of 2025

Today has been a stay-at-home day. I only went out the door to get the mail. I did manage to accomplish the first "stage" of undecorating. I got all the Christmas dishes put away. I carried the serving dishes upstairs awaiting me finding the boxes in which I store them. But for the moment the dining room table is empty of Christmas items awaiting the next items I decide that I am ready to put away. I'm not in any hurry...but undecorating is sort of underway. I am very happy to have my everyday mugs back and in their place in their kitchen cabinet. I climbed a lot of steps while putting plates, cups, etc. away...step ladder steps and also climbed the stairs quite a few times getting the serving dishes upstairs. Late this afternoon, I made my red clam sauce and cooked some angel hair pasta to serve it on...pretty good. I hadn't made a red sauce in some time. Woody and I used to eat a lot of various pasta sauces until he had to cut back on tomatoes...so this tasted good after not eating pasta very often in the last few years. I have gotten the kitchen all cleaned up and the dishwasher is going...so kitchen closed for today! I have done some stitching this afternoon. I also did some napping. I'm now ready to settle in and do more stitching this evening. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Three Days In

The photo shows what I have been stitching since January 1. Well, I have also stitched another letter and continued on a row of a border motif on my Bristol sampler. The Bristol...I mainly stitch upstairs when I am winding down to go to sleep. Today I have gathered more dishes and did manage to find my everyday mugs...so I am happily sipping out of a larger mug. I managed to deliver my snack items to the funeral home. I made a stop at the drugstore on the way home. And, have stayed home the rest of the day...puttering around the house and stitching and watching some TV. Ruth stopped by and visited for a while...a good break in the day! I've talked on the phone with Cheryl and Connie...so more catching up and chatting. I have had supper and am now back in my chair and going to do some more stitching and TV watching. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

2025 is Underway

I guess I am getting back into a routine following the holidays. Today I made a quick trip to the grocery store. The reason for the grocery store trip was for a major ingredient for these cookies...gluten-free flour. So the above cookies are a first for me...baking gluten free. They look like they came out fine. The recipe made exactly two dozen cookies so I chose not to try one...just ate a crumb that seemed to taste fine...so will go with it! I have them all bagged up and on top of a box of individually packaged potato chips...the cookies and potato chips are from my Sunday School class to be taken to a funeral visitation tomorrow so the family can have some snacks. I will deliver them in the morning...first time that I have gone to this funeral home since Woody's death. I have started to gather the Christmas dishes and putting them on the dining room table...once they are all gathered I will put them away...some are stored in upper kitchen cabinets and some are stored in the Christmas closet upstairs. I'm not quite ready to undecorate, but can start with a few things. My goal with undecorasting is always to have everything put away by Valentine's Day! I am ready to get out my everyday mugs...my Christmas mugs are on the small size and I have missed my everyday ones! Maybe that is why I was ready to put away the Christmas dishes! This afternoon I alternated napping and stitching! I don't think that I placed too many stitches in the wrong place! I worked on the new sampler that I started yesterday. I'll work a little more on the Christmas ornament that I also started yesterday. And, hopefully stitch a little on my red-work Bristol sampler. I did manage to work on all three of these yesterday. I'm still running on a low gear...taking it slow getting back into routine. Still a few more low-key days...I guess next week I will be back to a regular routine. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Welcome, 2025!

Well, 2025 has arrived...now to see what this new year has in store for us. I spent the day quietly working on my stitching and also doing a little sewing. Tonight's photo shows the ornament that I finished for me. This was the 7th sled that I completed into an ornament this Christmas. There were three different designs of barns and I stitched two twice and the one seen above the third time. I was detemined to have one on my tree...always looking for a barn to add to my tree! I got up this morning and got busy on mine. I had already outlined the shape and today I filled in the rest of the design. I hemmed a pair of slacks and also fixed a velcro closure by replacing one side of the velcro. My main plan for today was to start a new cross stitch sampler. I came downstairs a couple of hours ago and started on it. I am working on the border and have a little done...at least it is a start. The other plan for this evening is to choose and start an ornament for Christmas 2025 gifting. I think I know which one I am going to start. Getting underway on a positive note for 2025 with my stitching. I also plan to work on my large redwork Bristol sampler. I had to set it aside due to Christmas stitching and am ready to get back to it. This is a huge sampler...that may not ever be finished in my lifetime...but...I do enjoy stitching on it. I guess I will say one more time...'Tis the season...well, 'tis the ending of the season! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!