Ending August With A Birthday & A Hodgepodge…

What better way to end the month of August than with another Wednesday Hodgepodge?!  As always, I’m grateful to our hostess, Joyce, and all that she does to keep The Hodgepodge running smoothly, week after week.

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Are there any men or women in blue on your family tree?

Yes, I have one first cousin who’s a retired police chief, and twin second cousins who also work in law enforcement.  One of the twins is the police chief of our town.  The twins are nephews of the first cousin who’s retired.

2. Are you someone who suffers from the Sunday night blues? What helps you get over it?

I don’t think I’ve suffered from the Sunday night blues since I graduated from high school.  As an adult, I loved both of my jobs, and never really minded going to work, most of the time. If I ever did get a serious case of “the blues”, I’d take a sick day.

3. I read the color blue is an appetite suppressant since there are very few naturally blue foods out there. How do you feel about blue cheese? Love it or blech? If you’re a fan, what’s something you like that’s made with blue cheese?

I’m not a fan of blue cheese, but I do like blue jello and blue Popsicles!

4. We can’t head in to the Labor Day weekend without a related question, can we? Complete this thought:

I work best when I’m not being rushed.  I don’t work well under pressure.  Never have, never will.

5. ‘Everything yields to diligence.’ Antiphanes Your thoughts? (on this particular quote or on diligence in general)

I agree with the quote.  If you stick with a task, eventually you’ll complete it, no matter how long it may take.  Our oldest son is a great example of this.  It took him sixteen years to do it, but he finally earned his college degree.  We couldn’t be prouder!

6. The National Park Service turned 100 years old on August 25th. Have you been to many of America’s National Parks? If so share with us a favorite or two. Which National Park would you most like to visit before the next birthday rolls around?

No, I haven’t been to many of America’s National Parks, but we’ve been to several Georgia State Parks.  We live near several National Park sites we really should visit.  #1 – Cumberland Island (St. Marys, GA), #2- Ft. Pulaski (Savannah, GA), #3- Ocmulgee (Macon, GA)  Of those listed, I’d most like to visit Cumberland Island.

wild horses of Cumberland Island – photo via Google

7. Bid farewell to August in seven words or less.

Good riddance!  Your weather’s made life miserable!!!

Random:

After two weeks, my back is finally feeling better.  Praise the Lord!  It’s not ‘normal’, but so much better!

Yesterday, Ed and I were able to hit the road, early, headed for St. Simon’s Island, to celebrate my 62nd birthday.  There was a 50% chance of rain in the forecast, but all I prayed for was two good hours under our favorite tree.  God gave me three and a half hours before the clouds blew in.

photo taken as we were leaving

By then, I was almost ready to leave anyway, so I didn’t mind.  We finished the day by doing a little shopping, then having supper on the way home.  I had a nice time, and it was a very good day.

Although I had already celebrated my birthday, this past weekend with family, they still took time out of their busy weekday schedules to come over and wish me happy birthday,again, after Ed and I got home from St. Simon’s Island, on Tuesday night.  It was a wonderful birthday, and I feel very loved.

Friday night’s joint birthday celebration with DIL, Jennifer

 on my actual birthday (on St. Simon’s Island)

Reflecting On Sixty-One Years Of Life…

Tomorrow will be my birthday, and I will turn sixty-two.  As I sit here in my glider/recliner chair, I’m feeling many things, but none of them are the kinds of things I want to share.  Instead, I think I’ll take a little stroll down memory lane.

I remember…being a young girl, of fourteen, and meeting the love of my life on a blind date, only, at the time, I didn’t realize he was the love of my life.

I remember…saying “goodbye” to the love of my life, at a bus station, just three short months later, as he left for army basic training.  By then, I knew he was the love of my life.

I remember…many lonely days and nights…marking days off of a calendar…waiting for a letter to arrive in the mail, or a special weekend phone call, all while attending my last two years of high school.  This was my life, for nearly three years, while Ed was in the army.

I remember…an unexpected call saying Ed was at the airport…home from Okinawa, discharged from the army.

I remember…us planning a wedding in just three weeks…getting married, and moving away from everyone we knew.

I remember…a honeymoon phase that lasted almost six years..getting to know each other…riding our motorcycle…having fun with our boat..working together at the hospital.

I remember…being pregnant for the first time…morning, noon, and night sickness for a while…building onto our home during the pregnancy.

I remember…lots of 2 a.m. feedings, and six months of colic…being very insecure as a parent.

I remember…changing cloth diapers and making baby food from scratch.  There’s nothing like having someone accidentally flush a [soaking] cloth diaper down the toilet…money was tight.

I remember…two more babies arriving within the next seven years…breast feeding…getting Pampers at a reduced price through the hospital where Ed worked…free baby formula, too.

I remember…our children growing up…leaving them at school for the first time…that nervous feeling when each one of our children drove the car to high school for the first time…sleeping lightly, waiting for the sound of each teenager to arrive home from a Saturday night date.

I remember…the apprehension I felt as each child graduated from high school, trying to find their path in life…the agony felt when each stumbled and fell along the way…the relief I felt when each one eventually found their way.

I remember…the heartache felt for each one of my children when they experienced a failed relationship, but also the joy felt when each finally found their true love…the madness of wedding planning, which I never liked.

I remember…“the empty nest syndrome”, learning how to connect with my husband again, after so many years of raising children…loving not having to be responsible for anyone else, after all of those years.

I remember…dealing with each of our aging parents and their needs, as time quickly passed and they grew old.  Watching them grow older, knowing they were slowly slipping out of our lives…saying “goodbye” to them as  each passed away…dealing with the aftermath of losing a parent, while helping the remaining parent deal with their own grief.

I remember…dealing with unexpected health issues…a hysterectomy for me, a thyroid problem for Ed…two more surgeries for me, along with rheumatoid arthritis…then a heart attack for Ed…both having to pack pill organizers each week–just like our parents.

I remember…being present for the births of each of our grandchildren…Marveling at each new, tiny little miracle…being a little sad at how quickly I know they’ll grow up.

I remember…giving unsolicited advice, to our grown children, too many times, then, finally, realizing they have to learn by making their own mistakes, just like we did…and learn they will.

I remember…watching our parents navigate this thing called “retirement” while living on a “fixed income”, knowing how quickly the years will pass.

Now it’s our turn to navigate this thing called retirement, and live on a fixed income.  It’s not always “sunshine and roses”, but it’s a very welcome change from running in “the rat race”.  I just wish time would slow down so I could savor these retirement moments a little longer!

Tomorrow, I’ll celebrate my 62nd birthday with gladness! I’ll walk ‘sideways’ with my ‘bad back’.  I’ll get a stronger prescription for my failing eyesight.  I’ll even wear these wrinkles, surgery scars, and graying hair with pride!  After all, they’re my “battle scars of life”…and, believe me,  I’ve earned every one of them!

Life, bring it on– let’s take another trip around the sun!

 

 

 

Waffling Through The Hodgepodge…

It’s Hodgepodge Time again!  Many thanks to Joyce for continuing to host this fun meme.  I appreciate her more than she’ll ever know…

1. It’s National Waffle Day (August 24th)…what decision are you currently ‘waffling over’? (or share one you’ve recently ‘waffled over’)

I’ve been waffling over whether or not to make a doctor’s appointment concerning my back issues.  My back seems to be s-l-o-w-l-y improving, so I’m going to give it another week, or so, before I make any decisions.

2. It’s the middle of August, but I’m already seeing lots of autumn-related posts. Do you think we rush the seasons? If so, does that bother you?

Yes, I do think the seasons are rushed.  When Hobby Lobby puts out Christmas decorations in the middle of summer,  I say that’s rushing things a bit!  And, yes, it does bother me when people rush the seasons.  Why can’t we fully enjoy one season before rushing into the next?

I saw (here) an end of summer bucket list that included-

make s’mores, read a new (or favorite) book in the park, eat something delicious and bad for you at a state fair, be a tourist for the day, have a pot luck picnic, book a last-minute summer getaway, relax by or in the pool, take a hike to watch the sunset, have a day on the lake, try a new summer recipe

Which activities on the list might you squeeze in before summer officially comes to a close?

I’m going to say “have a day on the lake”, except I’ll switch the lake water for the salt water of St. Simon’s Island.  Next Tuesday is my birthday and if there’s any possible way, I plan to spend it sitting beside the water, under the shade of my favorite oak tree, looking at this view:

3. Your favorite summertime ‘art’ found in nature?

I love finding ‘pictures’ in the clouds on a bright, sunny, summer day–like this one:

photo via google

4. Stephen R. Covey is quoted as saying ‘We judge ourselves by our intentions, and others by their actions.’ Agree or no? Do you define yourself based on your intentions, your actions, or something else?

That’s a difficult question, and I don’t have an answer, today.  I’m not sure how I define myself, but what’s the old saying?  “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”, so I don’t put a lot of stock in those.

5. Are you useful in a crisis? Elaborate.

I’m a bit slow to react in a kind of crisis of any kind, in fact I usually ‘freeze’ for a moment or two, which can be disastrous during a crisis.  My husband, Ed, on the other hand, is quick to react, and always great in a crisis.  This probably comes from years of working as an x-ray tech and an EMT, as well. Ed’s helped save lives, by doing CPR on several people, including my father.  In addition, he once prevented our youngest son from drowning, and acted quickly enough to keep our house from burning down after some pool chemicals ignited under our carport.

6. What’s been your go-to dish this summer? Is it something you’ll continue making as the seasons change?

The first thing that comes to my mind are the delicious grilled chicken finger salads we’ve enjoyed throughout the summer.  Yes, I’ll continue making them, at least for a while, but they won’t be nearly as good without our garden-fresh carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

7. Adult coloring books are a thing now. Have you jumped on the bandwagon? If not is this something you think you might enjoy?

No, I haven’t jumped on the coloring bandwagon, but I’ve been thinking about it.  I’m not sure if I’d enjoy it or not, but I might give it a try.  I enjoy coloring, I’m just not very good at it.

Random:

After being ‘shut in’ for over a week, I was finally able to do a little shopping, yesterday.  My back only ‘acted up’ when I’d first get out of the car, after I’d been sitting for a while.  Within a few minutes I could stand up straight and walk normally.  Walking wasn’t painful, like before, and Ed did all of the bending for me.

Folks, don’t ever take your back for granted.  Just to be able to sit, stand, walk, or bend painlessly is such a blessing!

A Simple Woman’s Day Book…

For Today

August 22, 2016

Looking out my window…

I see large brown patches of dying grass.  We could really use some more rain and cooler temperatures!  In the meantime, at least Ed’s not having to mow the grass nearly as often.  It looks like today is shaping up to be another hot, sunny day.  We’ve had a lot of those, this summer!

I am thinking…

how much I’d like to be able to do all of my own housework!  It’s horrible having to depend on someone else to do the things I’m not able to do, right now.  Ed’s great, and never complains, but I feel somewhat useless.  I do what I can, that doesn’t involve vacuuming, sweeping, bending, or lifting anything heavy.

I am thankful…

for the thoughtful people in my life.  Our sons and their families came over for a visit, on Saturday evening, and they brought supper with them.  After having been a shut in all week, the food and fellowship was much appreciated!  My favorite moment of the evening was seeing little Evan dragging his own high chair into the kitchen.  He was letting us know he was ready to eat!

One of my favorite things…

is sitting on the little deck outside of my bedroom door, watching the birds at the bird feeder, while rocking in my new chair.  It’s very relaxing out there, and the view of the woods gives me the illusion of being somewhere in the mountains.

I am wearing…

my nightgown.  I haven’t bothered getting dressed, yet.  One of the advantages of living in the country–I can wander around the yard in my nightgown, which I chose to do today.

I am creating…
something new out of something old.  Ed and I are taking turns painting another garden statue.  This statue is a girl who matches the boy we recently finished.

our work in progress

I am reading…

almost finished reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.  I’ve enjoyed the book, but, at times, it made me sad. Especially after Corrie and her family were imprisoned for hiding Jews.

I am watching… 

The Best of the Statler Brothers TV Shows on dvd (an early birthday gift to myself).  I’m still amazed at the talent of these four men!  They wrote all of the material for their shows, as well as most of the songs they sing.

I am listening to…

We are still making our way through the audio version of the Bible that our oldest son gave us.  We’re almost finished with II Chronicles.

I am hoping…

and praying these back issues will resolve themselves on their own.  If not, it’s back to the neurosurgeon for God knows what.  It’s only been 11 months since my previous back surgery.  I’m not ready to go back.

I am learning…

to have more patience.  If there’s one thing I’m learning about this season of life I’m in, it’s that you must have plenty of patience.

In my kitchen…

Ed and I made two batches of grape jelly, last week.  It’s the first time we’ve ever had enough grapes [on our vines] to make jelly with.  It was a joint effort, and it turned out well.

In the school room…

Here’s our oldest grandson, Caden, on his first day of 2nd grade home school, last week.  Granddaughter, Madison, will start home school today, I think.

photo borrowed from Caden’s mom’s FB page

In my garden…

grass and weeds have been running rampant.  Nobody’s been out there with a hoe in quite a while, since Ed’s been helping me with housework and rewiring the chicken coop. (Actually, I think Ed may be out there, now, as I write)  Oh, there are also a few peas growing out there, too, along with the last of my zinnias and some sweet potatoes!  We have some lettuce and cabbage seedlings planted in cups, to be transplanted, later, but that’s it.

Post Script…

There’s not much going on here, these days.  I’ve spent the past few days moving from the couch to the chair to the bed, trying to get comfortable.  I’m beginning to feel a little better, and even walked a short distance [outside] yesterday evening and this morning. The soreness in  my back is better, but I’m still walking weird, especially after sitting for a while.  I’m also concerned about the numbness in my left leg, a sign of nerve involvement.

Shared Quote
“Have no fear for what tomorrow may bring.  The same loving God who cares for you today, will take care of you tomorrow and every day.  God will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”  St. Frances De Sales

A moment from my day…

This hibiscus is one of my “plant rescues” from Wal-mart.  I found it among their reduced/discarded plants.  It’s grown tremendously, since we brought it home, and has had some of the most beautiful blossoms (the picture doesn’t do it justice) I’ve ever seen.  I think it might like its new home 🙂

 

Closing Notes:
We have no real plans for the week.  As soon as I’m feeling up to it, we need to make a shopping trip to pick up a few pet supplies.  Our cats, chickens, and fish will not be happy with us if they run out of food.

However, there will be a joint family birthday celebration [for Jennifer and me], at the end of the week.  I sure hope I feel a little more like celebrating by then!

Enjoy your week!

Thanks to Peggy Hostetler for hosting The Simple Woman’s Daybook!

Wednesday Hodgepodge #277…

 

What a week this has turned out to be!  I’ve spent most of it, so far, stretched out on the bed or on the couch. Why you ask?  Back problems again!  I bent over, on Saturday morning, and that’s all it took.  I’ve been moving like a very old, very bent over person, since then.  Again, I ask, “What else is going to happen this summer?”  Thank goodness for The Wednesday Hodgepodge, to take my mind off of things!  I’m so grateful to our hostess, Joyce, for keeping the Hodgepodge going.   Two hundred, seventy-seven sets of questions is no easy feat!  Speaking of questions, here they are:

1. I read here four creative activities to try this month. They were-calligraphy, make your own cookbook, dance or learn a new type of dance, and letter writing. Which activity on the list appeals to you most? Will you add it to your August?

Making my own cookbook appeals to me more than the other activities, but, no, I won’t be adding that to my August list of activities.  I couldn’t sit long enough to do that, even if I wanted to.

2. Bertrand Russell is quoted as saying, ‘To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.’ Agree or disagree? Explain.

I’m going to agree.  I think if we had everything we desire, we wouldn’t have anything to look forward to, which would probably cause us to be less happy.  At least that’s how I feel.

3. August 17th is National Thriftshop Day…are you a ‘thrifter’? If so, tell us about one of your best or favorite finds.

I like to visit thrift shops, but I’m not a ‘die hard’ fan who spends hours there.  I won’t spend a lot of time digging and searching for bargains like some folks do, but if I spot a bargain, I’ll buy it. One of my favorite finds was a large, ‘talking’ rocking horse we bought for the grandchildren, while visiting a Goodwill Store, one summer, near Amelia Island.

4. On a scale of 1-10 (with 1= almost none and 10=loads) how would you rate your sense of wanderlust? What kicks your wanderlust into high gear?

My sense of wanderlust is probably about a 2.  I enjoy seeing new places, I just don’t enjoy the trip to get there.

5. Has life felt more like a marathon or sprint so far this month? How so?

This month, life has felt like a marathon.  There’s been a lot turmoil and strife in our lives, and now that’s been complicated by more health issues, as well.  I keep telling myself, this, too, shall pass… and I know it will, eventually.

6. What do you need to get a jump on before fall officially arrives?

I just need for my back to get better so I can put out all of my fall decorations, next month.  I usually decorate inside and outside.

7. What’s the last thing you did with friends or family where you lost track of time?

I’ll say sitting around the fire pit, with family, talking and watching the fire burn.  It’s been quite a while since we’ve done that, and I’ve missed it.

Random:

A picture of me, relaxing and feeding the birds on St. Simon’s Island, last week.  The birds enjoyed sharing my popcorn.  I, in turn, enjoyed feeding it to them!  The little fellow on the arm of my chair would eat out of my hand!

 

The Monday After…

Saturday morning started out much like many others.  I hadn’t slept well the night before, so I was moving slowly.  I went over the 50 pound bag of chicken feed that sits in the corner of our pool room. I bent down to fill up a bowl for the chickens, like I do every morning… and that’s when it happened. I felt a “catch” in my back, in other words, a sharp pain, and I could hardly straighten back up.  I don’t know exactly what happened, but it sure was painful!

I don’t like to give up easily, so I went ahead with my chicken chores.  I fed the chickens and cleaned their coops. Once more, I felt that sharp stabbing pain in my back when I tried to bend over.  I avoided all bending, after that!

Call me crazy, but, a few minutes later, I still decided to change out the towels that are protecting the swing [from cats] on the front porch.  It was at that particular moment I  also got stung by a wasp!  How was I to know a huge wasp nest was located on the back of the swing?  Wow, two painful episodes within an hour.  I couldn’t decide which felt worse, my back or my ring finger.  It quickly became obvious that Saturday, the 13th wasn’t going to be my day!

Our daughter-in-law had a cookout planned for Saturday evening, so I willed myself into the kitchen to make some rice krispie treats.  I didn’t want to let my aches and  pains get the best of me. By lunchtime, my back was good and sore, and I moved slowly and painfully the rest of the day.  I took pain medication twice that day, so I was able to make it to the cookout.

The Saturday afternoon cookout was to honor our oldest son, who finally finished up his degree.  He graduated from high school in 2000, and has been s-l-o-w-l-y working toward his college degree for many years.  Nobody could convince him to take more than one class per semester, but just like the tortoise, he very slowly and very steadily completed his task.  We couldn’t be prouder!  He graduated with honors, but the very best part is he graduated with no student debt, too.  There aren’t many who can say that, these days!

College Grad

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful.  I spent the majority of it alternating between laying down and sitting because of my sore back.  I tried to do a little grocery shopping, on Sunday afternoon, but started having back spasms, and had to let Ed finish the job.  I’m blessed that he can take over my duties when I’m not able to do them.

Speaking of Ed, he had a checkup with his cardiologist, on Friday, and got a very good report.  His doctor told him if all of his patients got along as well as Ed has, it would make his job a lot easier.  Praise the Lord for Ed’s smooth recovery!  He’s approaching the 10 month anniversary of his heart attack.

It has started raining, as I’m writing this post, and I’m glad!  Our grass has turned brown due to extreme temperatures and lack of rain.  Perhaps a good shower will help to bring it back to life.  It would also be nice not to have to water my plants for a day or so.  Speaking of watering plants, there’s nothing like being “down in the back” to show a person they have too many things to take care of!  And speaking of being “down in the back”, I think I’ll go and rest mine for a while.  I hope it helps!

Have a great Monday!

 

I

 

 

A Medal Worthy Hodgepodge…

It’s back…After taking a week off, The Wednesday Hodgepodge has returned!  Many thanks to our hostess, Joyce, for providing the thought-provoking questions, and a place to link up!  I think she deserves a medal!

1. Are you watching the Olympics? Your favorite summer Olympic event?  I read recently a list of the most iconic Olympic moments in history…what stands out in your mind as a great moment from some past summer Olympic games?

No, I haven’t watched any of the Olympics, this year, but, whenever I do watch,  my favorite summer Olympic event is always gymnastics or swimming.

Mark Spitz winning his seven gold medals, along with Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton’s gymnastic feats, stand out in my mind.

2. Have you ever been to Rio? How about the place that started it all-Greece? Have you ever been to any of the Olympic Games in person? Is that something you’d like to do? Have you ever met an Olympian in person?

I’m afraid I’ll have to answer “No” to all of the above questions.

3. The ball’s in their court (tennis), cross the finish line (track and field), on target (archery), make a splash (diving), on a roll (gymnastics), out of one’s depth (swimming)…which Olympic-related idiom best applies to your life right now? Explain.

“The ball’s in their court”.  Family problems, for three months and counting.  Enough said.

4. What have you earned a ‘gold medal’ in recently?

I’ve managed to keep all of my hanging baskets of flowers alive, all summer long.  That’s quite a feat for me, considering I’ve never had much of a green thumb.  I even “rescued” several dying plants from a Walmart, and they’re doing great, now.

5. What is it (or who is it) that motivates you to eat right, exercise, and do what you can to be healthy?

I want Ed and I to live as long and be as healthy as we can.  That’s my motivation. I can handle the “eating right” part okay, but I’ve never been big on exercise.  I walk for exercise, whenever I feel like it, which is sporadic, at best.

6. Are you young at heart or an old soul? Explain.

I’ve been an ‘old soul’ all of my life.  I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt older than my years.  As a result of that, I feel like I have more in common with someone who’s older than me, than someone who’s my own age.  For instance, I felt a strong bond with a couple of the “eighty-something” ladies at the church we recently left.

7. It’s National S’mores Day (August 10th)…are you a fan? Will you celebrate with a s’more today?

Yes, I am a fan of S’mores, but I won’t celebrate with a S’more, today, because, unfortunately I don’t think I have any chocolate.

Random:  Yesterday morning, Ed discovered the strangest thing.  Something had stolen one of the watermelons out of our garden, rolled it several yards away, even crossing a small ditch!  The watermelon ended up in the middle of our nearby dirt road!  The melon was covered all over with bite and claw marks.  Our guess is a pesky raccoon must have tried to steal himself a melon, but didn’t quite get to finish the job!

Words From A Simple Woman’s Daybook…

For Today…

It’s Monday, August 8, 2016 ( I can’t believe this year is almost 3/4 gone!)

Looking out my window…

I see multiple hanging baskets of blooming plants, and the windmill my children gave me for Mother’s Day. (It’s one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received.)  I’ve enjoyed watching the flowers blooming, all summer, as well as the windmill turning whenever the wind blows. The wind is blowing, and the wheel is turning, as I write.

I am thinking…

How quickly things can change!  The last time all of our children and their families were in the same place together was on Mother’s Day.  At one time, we gathered on a weekly basis, but that was then, this is now.  I’m afraid our family is broken, and I don’t know how to fix it.

Also thinking how four months ago, I was pretty sure Ed and I had found the church home we’ve been without for the past five years.  Now, due to some unfortunate circumstances, we’re without a church home, again.  Things can change quickly, and not always for the best.

I am thankful…

We were able to go to the assisted living home (where Ed’s mom once resided) and share their worship service, yesterday.  Although it was a bit depressing, to me, it was also a blessing.  It’s depressing to see what lies ahead of us all, if we live long enough.  Sometimes, the aging process is unkind. However, it was a real blessing to witness our son ministering to these folks.  He has a love for them that is quite evident in his interaction with them.  He delivers a message to them every Sunday at one o’clock, holidays included.

One of my favorite things…

Is getting together with our old friends, Herman and Diane.  We’ve been friends since we were all in high school, almost 50 years ago.  We don’t live in the same town, anymore, but we still visit each other.  We had a nice visit together, on Saturday.

I am wearing…

My nightgown.  I haven’t gotten dressed, yet.

I am creating…

Nothing special.  I’m still painting a garden statue that I’ve been working on for a while.  My eyes have begun to bother me when I paint, so it’s taking me a while to finish.  At this rate, I’ll finish it just in time for winter!

I am reading…

An encouraging devotional book entitled This Too Shall Pass.  I’m almost finished reading Sunday Morning Memories, by former Statler Brother, Don Reid.  Next on my reading list is The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom.

I am listening…

To lots of gospel music on The Gaither Music Channel. I discovered this channel, on Dish Network, back in the spring, and have really enjoyed watching the old “Homecoming” concert series.

I am watching…

Ed and I watched the movie Thirteen Hours (story of Bengazi), on Saturday night.  That was one intense movie!  Sometimes I lose interest or get sleepy while watching a movie, but I didn’t this time!  I still find it reprehensible that assistance was withheld from those folks!  It’s a wonder ALL were not killed.

I am hoping…

To have a good week!  Ed has an appointment with his cardiologist, on Friday.  I have an appointment with my dentist on the same day.  I hope we both get good reports.

I am learning…

How to be more patient.  I used to be a very impatient person, but that’s gradually changing as I’m growing older.  It’s good to learn patience, since it takes me twice as long to get things accomplished, now!

In my kitchen…

I didn’t cook the entire weekend!  On Friday night, Brad and Jennifer brought pulled pork for supper, and ate with us.  On Saturday night, we bought pizza because Herman and Diane were visiting, then, on Sunday night, we ate Thursday night’s left-overs of homemade chicken pot pie.

In the school room…

Two of our grandchildren will be starting home-school in a few short days.  It’s hard to believe one will be in fourth grade, and the other will be in second grade.  Our public school has already begun.  Their first day of school was last Friday.  It’s too hot to be riding buses with no air conditioning!

In my garden…

Ed has a partial row of sweet potatoes growing, as well as three rows of peas.  My partial row of zinnias are still blooming.  I cut a small bouquet, last week.  Soon it will be time to start some fall seedlings for lettuce and cabbage plants.

From my photo files…

a rare photo of all four of our grandchildren

Shared Quote…
“Something good is going to happen to/through me today!”  Joyce Meyer

A moment from my day…

Recently, I looked out of the kitchen window and observed this:

Ed…watching for the pesky ground mole that recently messed up our grass

Closing Notes:
My time in blog land has been limited, lately.  I’ve been spending some leisurely days doing nothing, now that the garden season is over.  Sometimes, it feels good to do nothing–including blogging.  Hopefully, I’ll become more energetic with the arrival of cooler weather–whenever that will be!

Many thanks to Peggy Hostetler for hosting The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

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Friday Fragments…

They say “no news is good news”, but that’s not always true.  Sometimes “no news” means the writer just hasn’t felt like blogging.  This blogger falls into that category. It’s been nine days since I last posted, and I hate to get too far behind.  I’m attempting to do a little catching up, today.

Last week was very hot, and very dry!  I felt like a prisoner in my own home, all week.  With the exception of feeding the chickens twice a day, picking up the eggs once a day, and watering my flowers, I stayed inside.  Thankfully, this week has been somewhat better.

Ed and I did venture out in the heat, last Wednesday, to take our van back to the car dealership.  We  needed to let them install an [over-flow] drain hose that apparently got omitted when the van was built. This factory over-sight caused  massive fume build up [inside the car], every time Ed over-filled the gas tank.  We spent three and a half hours waiting for the repair, but even that was much better than the guy sitting next to us who spent  about seven and a half hours waiting to have two bulbs changed and an a/c switch ordered.  That’s ridiculous!

Then, on Thursday, of last week, we had a surprise visit from the pastor of the church we’ve been attending [for the past four months].  He came to bring us some sad news–that he would be resigning as pastor of the church on Sunday.  We were very sad to hear this news– not just because we like the pastor, and many folks at the church, but mainly because of the reason behind his resignation.

We knew, for a while, there have been some problems within the church, but, the church leadership (deacons) recently made a decision that the pastor couldn’t, in good conscience, support.  (They basically got together and reversed a decision they’d made, earlier, at the advice of the pastor.)  This reverse decision was made at the recent deacon’s meeting, so we didn’t know anything about it.  Ultimately, what all this means is we’re now without a church home–again.  We can’t, in good conscience, stay at a church that condones sin, and that’s what this decision amounts to.  Sigh.  My heart aches.  It aches for the pastor and his wife, it aches for us, it aches for our son (who has also left the church), and it aches for the church, itself, which is headed down a very destructive path.

It was a somewhat stressful weekend, following the pastor’s visit, but we had the opportunity to go and spend some time with our youngest grandson, Evan, on Saturday evening. His parents went out for the evening, so “E” and “Mimi” got to babysit.  I think we all had a good time, I know we sure did!  We kept Evan at his house, which meant it was almost 1 a.m. when we got back to our own home.  On the way home, I made the comment to Ed, that it had been a l-o-n-g time since we’d been out until 1 a.m. Ha!

I’m not ashamed to tell you that I cried off and on all day Sunday.  It felt like we’d had a death in our family.  I couldn’t help but wonder what else is going to happen to us, this summer?  Ed went to church, one last time, as a show of support for the pastor, while he resigned.  I just couldn’t bring myself to go.  I prefer to keep the happy memories, of the Sunday before, as my last ones of that church.

On Monday morning, I still felt “blue”, so I asked Ed to take me to my “happy place” on St. Simon’s Island.  We threw our chairs in the van, and headed out on a road trip.  I’m so glad we went!  I could feel my tension melt away as I breathed in the salt air, and felt the sea breeze on my face.  I came home feeling much better.

We had a nice surprise, on Tuesday, when Brad (our youngest son), and grandson, Evan, came over for an evening visit.  Brad said Evan had asked to see us, so they came over to visit with us while Jennifer worked late.  They also ate supper with us.

The rest of this week has been fairly uneventful.  Just the usual things have been going on–Ed mowing some grass, while I’ve been doing a little bit of housework–and I do mean a little.  I’ve been doing some painting on a statue for the yard, and we “dusted” the chickens for mites one evening.  That was an adventure, since chickens don’t appreciated being disturbed after they’ve gone to bed for the night 🙂

We have no real plans for this weekend.  As far as church plans go, for now, we plan to go and visit the assisted living facility where our son brings a message every Sunday afternoon. Hopefully, the folks there won’t mind if we visit and worship with them. Perhaps we can all be a blessing to each other.