Pressure is on!!!!

What a crazy week so far and more to come.  . 
Monday...get ready for Christmas Eve in the morning and then in the evening three services and then to bed at 1:00 am. 
Tuesday...Christmas day was sweet and quiet with a little of this and a little of that.  
Wed...the blizzard of 2012 hit.  Lots of snow, wind and cold.  We got about 7 inches.  Not a good    traveling day and most folks stayed home.  We were really snowed in big time.  I made two gifts for Kimmy and Kat. 
Thursday...Super good neighbor shoveled the driveway during the night and the hill in front of the house.  So...off to cook at soup kitchen.  There were three of us which is a bit rough doing all the work but Nora can move faster than lightening and we pulled it off.  Then home and it's time to start wrapping gifts.  Baked a pie for the neighbor who shoveled us out.  Time to do stockings next.  Hit the grocery big time this afternoon and tomorrow it's baking cookie time again.  And the pasties that I ordered from Copper should arrive tomorrow to be lunch for Sat. noon. 
Fri.  Jared, Kimmy and the boys are arriving in the late afternoon and
Saturday is gift giving day among other things. 
Next Tuesday the Michigan kids disappear again. 

Now I need to get to those stockings, do some sweeping at some point and time for bed.  The next deadline is coming soon.  All is well at the Russell house. 

7 days have flown by.

Christmas Eve.  It will start with a trip to church to fix the altar and place the flowers get the candle baskets out for the first service and just guzzy up the places that are mine to do.  Might do a bit of wrapping today but then maybe not.  I love having Christmas on New Years weekend.  That means that I'm just responsible for me for this part of the month.  I've said on facebook that no presents wrapped, all the cookies eaten and I've ordered the Sat. Dec. 29th  meal from Pasty.com.  The house is pretty well ready unless I get into a sewing frenzy.  And there is no need to do that.  We'll be back at church for the 5 pm service.  Andrew is singing and I'm in the choir loft when that happens so this time we'll get to see him.  7pm service is communion and I need to fix the communion table.  Then it's on to a 9:45 rehearsal for the 10:30 service.  With supper inbetween events!!  Church provides.  And home by 1am.  So...Christmas morning will be slow and easy for us.  Yahoo.  Cookie making might happen, fixing food for the weekend, stuffing the freezer might happen, but then maybe nothing might happen.  Vacation day sounds good. 
Merry Christmas.  Oh, yes...we're to get some snow the day after!!!  LR

Monday.

Woo...emotions are everywhere with all first graders going back to school today.  The trust that children and parents put into their children's teachers is extrordinary and most of the time all is well but not the case last Friday.  That event is something to be remembered that should make changes come about with guns.  Let's hope that will be the case.  And lets not forget the mentally ill.  There is no easy solution.  Today Noah is here.  What a healthy diversion.  We made cookies.  More to bake waiting to cool down in the refrigerator.  Noah is such a wonderful little boy.  What a gift.  So more cookie baking. Found Elmo on TV this morning and it just made me sit and remember so many good times watching this show with Eric and Jared. 

I need to see what needs to happen with Christmas gifts this year.  I have some but don't know exactly what the count is.  That needs checking.  We will be celebrating New Years weekend.  I like that because all the church hubhub is over.  Time to take it easy, easy. 

Noah is here waiting for attention.  He's ringing one of Grandmother Russell's bells.  I hear him!!!!

Long day better than expected

It's Thursday and it's always to busy, to long and a lot of other to somethings.  Soup kitchen was this morning and had sooooo many calls about workers being sick.  So I thought we'd be short of folks but sure enough we had enough with one substitute and all the rest who showed up.  That happening allowed me to leave at 11 and have a wonderful lunch date with 11 of my most favorite friends at Doris Douglas' invitation.  We talked and laughed and then did it all over again leaving around 2:00.  What fun.  Then on to finding a pair of jeans for Andrew.  Seems he can put holes in his knees faster than many kids but not as fast as others.  Found the brand he likes to wear.  That was a plus.  Then home by 4 and it's time to sit for a spell.  Tonight is choir practice and we'll sing some great Christmas stuff.  Tomorrow I have a trip to pick up new poinsettie for church, get juice, etc. for church  and finish up a few things here at home.  Easier day I hope.  Weather is beautiful today with lots of sun and mild temps.  Woo, woo. 

4 days later

Not fair...the older I get the faster the time goes.  As usual the days are full.  Yesterday Noah came to see us while Kat was off doing volunteer work at school.  And...on the menu was decorate the house.  The tree came out and is full of stuff and lights thanks to Kat.  Dining room and kitchen tables are decorated and there is stuff on the railing steps.  Done, done, done.  I'm working on some gifts for the little boys in the sewing room, finished 4 place mats that I started about 2 years ago and made Christmas Tree Napkins for the four mats.  Those napkins are the new thing for this year.  Many folks are making them and they are cute.  I think cook Diane will be getting these.  I also finished two sets of paraments for the Communion Table at church.  White for Christmas and green for the ordinary time.  That's when it's play time in my brain because I just do what is appropriate for a table.  No pattern, no nothing.  Just brain play.  Today I'm off to Kroger to get pastries for tomorrow's B and B.  I'm the third sub and it works for me this week.  Tomorrow, friend Doris is having a bunch of ladies in for lunch.  Should be fun but I will be late. 

It's B and B day and a very disturbing event has happened.  One of our Bread and Bowl guys was killed in a police shooting.  He was found in a basement during a burglary.  Wrong place...wrong time...bad decision.   I never saw this side of him, just always friendly, always helping.  Circumstances can take one to a very dark place. 

Tonight is bell practice.  Time flies!!!!!!!  Talking to Brian today about doing something tomorrow honoring Lenon Henry's life.  It's grace, grace, grace. 

Woo..where did the week go?

Can't believe it's 5 days later.  A couple of things have happened.  Doug's mouth is getting better.  More events with him  this week than I would think possible but that's the truth.  He actually ate a bit of meat tonight that had been in the crock pot all day.  At church we are moving all the altar banners to one closet for safe keeping and that means that the closet needs to be cleaned out ready to install banner hangers etc. So...I've been working in that closet for parts of the last three days.  Lots of work but I'm really discovering what is in that space, throwing out a bit of stuff and moving everything to a not used classroom.  I'm not opening that door for another week to get more done.  The real construction work will start in January.  I'm working on a pickle pillow for a friends great granddaughter's Christmas, and I'm putting together another communion altar table piece that we can use during the green season.  One of these days I'll have everything finished but not yet.  This kind of sewing is like painting with fabric.  It's playground time for the brain.  I need to do a white something even before we use green.  Tomorrow morning at 8 I'll be at the fabric store for a really good fabric sale for a little of this and that.  Pacers are playing, Sitting in a chair feels wonderful if I can stay awake! 

Monday morning

Noah will be here soon with a  fun, fun morning on the way.  Great weekend of taking it easy and doing a bit of this and that.  Sat. I finished up some sewing stuff to send to Ga.  A little more needs to be added to the box today.  We did the Panera run and got pastries for Sunday morning.  Up and on the way to church and did some church stuff in the morning setting up hospitality,  moving food to the freezers, nativity sets from the atic, singing for sec. service, talking with Doris Douglas and greeting my new North neighborhood friends for their 4th time attending church. I look for them each Sunday.   Watched the Colts play and left home before the amazing end to the game. Woo...should have stayed home.  Our annual Advent Festival at church was last night and I usually don't attend but did last night.  Great session with Preacher Darren and then a good pitch in supper and then back home.  Nice weekend. 

Today Doug has a Doctor Day.  Dr. Goens and Dr. Jim for his mouth.The mouth is much better so Doug says.  I might be making more than soup soon.  It's been a crazy two weeks of pain. 

Yahoo...it's Friday

Woo...This week has been a duzzy...and I'm not surprised.  Tues. Wed. Thurs. and today I've been at church for a number of reasons.  Tues. Wed.  Got all the Advent decorating done.  What a job but little by little it all got finished up.  There are so many corners not including the sanctuary.  But we have great bones to build on in that space.   My two favorite helpers came in Wed. to do ladder stuff.  Wed. eve was bell practice.  Thursday was Bread and Bowl and such a nice group of neighbor folks and more came to eat.  I really enjoy them and they are most appreciative of good food and a great space to eat with friends.  And then it was on to Choir practice.  Today I picked up the poinsettia to take to church.  We are using two big ones each Sunday.  I would prefer not to use any but they do make good Altar fillers.  Some churches use many many pots...Such a waste in my brain.  We have 4 blue banners,two on each side of the sanctuary, two huge wreaths with blue ribbon, flowers etc.  and huge blue/pink/white advent candles with some greens, pine cones and blue hydrangea on the altar but not much.  Just a touch.  Next Sunday we'll add the Root of Jesse Tapestry to the pulpit.  Oops...almost forgot. I made another frontal cloth in Duke Blue for the Communion Table.  That was a Monday night Tuesday thing    Good grief...no wonder I'm ready to sit for a while.  My "dogs" were screaming with all the walking that went on this week.  Much better today.  Might need to get new shoes. 

Doug continues to have mouth problems concerning extractions but he says it's getting better.  I made great potato soup for tonight.  Looking forward to SUPPER.   He's loosing weight which is not bothering him at all.  He just laughs about it.  He says he's not hungry.  I'm always hungry.  Crazy!

Finished putting the binding on a quilt this afternoon.  It's just great sitting around for a spell.  No hurry to go anywhere for a change.  Nothing much planned for tomorrow as well.  That's a huge Yahoo.  Don't know if I'll put up a tree this year.  I've got to think about it and maybe next week I'll be in the mood.  Christmas comes anyways.  Tree or no tree.  Another great week just passed. 

Thanksgiving in Georgia

Another fun filled week with the Russell brothers...All three of the elders!  Great talk, great food, great walks in the leaves and lots of time playing with legos.  It was a great memory week.  Doug had oral surgery the Monday before we left and was miserable for most of the time.  Pain pills and more helped a bit but he has lost 15 lbs since that Monday.  I'm feeling sorry for the guy.  I drove both ways.  I love that cruise control.  9 hr.s and 30 minutes got us home.  We stopped at a motel on the way down and Jared and Kimmy stopped also with us.  First motel stay for the little boys.  Such a good time was had.  Arrived home around 4:45 last night.  Ate a bit, unpacked and found that the material I needed for church arrived so I started to sew.  Drank coffee and just relaxed but didn't sleep till 1:15.  Uck.  and woke up at 5 am.  What a bummer but I probably caused it all to happen.  Today I finished the sewing project and took it to church and then began getting out all the Advent decorations.  More work tomorrow with help.  Yahoo.  It all needs to be in place for Sunday.  Leap Year has it's advantages.  There is always one Sunday between Thanksgiving and Advent.  Such a help with the Georgia trip.  Tomorrow is more work and by the end of the week all should be in place.  Noah came today for a couple of hours.  What a fun guy. 

Sunday evening

Woo...the busy week is gone.  At least that's my hope.  Typical Sunday sort of out of bed and on the road to church by 6:45.  That's the usual time.  Around 7 we arrive at church and start to get the hospitality room set up.  It takes at least 45 minutes with Larry, Waldene, Ann, Dave and Doug and I working.  Some of these folks come around 7:30.  So around 8 we're finished and church and community folks start to arrive.  This morning both of the handbell groups played for church.  Fun, fun but it really keeps one's brain on the up and up.  Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.  Found a person to fill a communion, lay reader position.  Woo...that was an exciting find.  I'm chairing the Worship Commission and I think all the leadership positions are filled.  Tomorrow Noah is coming for the morning, then there are a few things that need to be finished before we leave for Georgia on Tuesday.  Doug is having more dental work done in the afternoon.   It's Thanksgiving with the Russell brothers again as well as JB's Michigan family.  It will be busy but the days will not be so packed with stuff.  Yahoo.  I'm taking my sewing machine to mess with as well as turkey and a few more food items. We should be back home on Monday after Thanksgiving just in time to Advent decorate at church. 

This afternoon Doug and I went to Andrew's 6th birthday party.  He is such a grown up little guy.  School is doing him a lot of good.    He is really interested in reading and beginning to figure out words. 

It's crazy at this house.

I don't know where to start but it seems like a barn burner is going on.  I need Georgia on my mind...not all this other crazy stuff.  Today...started with a refrigerator delivery call at 7 am...yup...7 am.  By 7:15, the truck was at the house and the old 35 year old refrigerator is gone and the new one is in the kitchen.  Well, it's B and B soup kitchen morning so the ref. came and I left with stuff just stuffed in a big container sitting in the refrigerator waiting for the afternoon to get all the ref. pieces in place. .  Came home from B and B and read a note that Doug was at Immediate Care.  He has a horrible fainfully looking foot  of two days and the diagnoses is Gout!!!  Woo...he's on pain meds. and will probably see Dr. Goens soon.  I stayed at Immediate Care with Doug and then on to see Dr. Gones for a follow up concerning some problems with B Pressure med.  Got that settled and then back home...Need to pick up new med.  At 3:30 the ref. is looking ok.  Pancakes for supper and then on to church choir practice tonight.  Bushed already.  \

\That comes after Wed. when I met with two other guys at church all morning doing Christmas Wreaths for church which will go up the week of Nov. 25th.  We did a bell set up before we left church.  Waited for the Plummer for most of the afternoon.  It's the third call for a plugged up drain that helps the softner to work.  Hope it works this time and then on to Greggs to buy refrigerator.  Looked one other time so didn't need to spend to much time looking this time but bought something completely different than I had thought.  And...surprise, surprise...Mary K and Phil were there at the same time looking at washing machines. Then finished that just in time to head to bells.  Woo...that was a crazy day as well. 

Tues. wasn't much better but I did have fun with both Andrew and Noah for part of the day.  Andrew had pink eye so he was home from school.  Kat did some volunteering at school.  That was a fun day.  Such nice grandsons.  I told Andrew I had horrible granddaughters...he wanted to know their names.  Well, we had a good laugh. 

So that's been Tues, Wed. and Thursday...I can't remember back more than three days.  Thank goodness.  What a blessing. 

OOPS.  Because I had the refrigerator on my mind...I needed to clean the kitchen so Monday and Tuesday also...I cleaned out the kitchen cabinets of ALL the stuff I didn't use.  That includes a wedding present of a lazy susan of 45 years in my cabinets among other things.  Then I took all the cabinet handles off and scrubbed them till they looked like new...oiled the cabinets...cleaned the stove...cleaned behind the refrigerator...Uck...Uck...Enough said. 

Oh, yes...Maybe on Sat. I bought the turkey for Georgia.  But...Now I need to start making a list of things to get together for the Georgia trip.  Woo...Next Tuesday we will be out of here for almost a week.  Should be nice.  Then it's decorating the church when we come back.  We are keeping it simple this year.  Ha!  My two good friends...Alan and Don will make it work for me. 

8 days later and still cloudy!

It's Wed and I'm at church at the front desk.  All is quiet here.  I did a couple of fall arrangements here this morning.  Found lots of bittersweet near SEM's house and some great big ornamental gourds and pulled some stuff together.  So...we have a season change.  Need to change some banners as well.  Moving a trunk on to Eldoret this afternoon.  Two down 10 to go.  bummer.  But two are gone!  Shopped for fabric yesterday for the communion alter.  woo...that was a chore finding fabric that matches what we.  Bells tonight, soup kitchen tomorrow, choir tomorrow evening and then the weekend of bazaar at Sec. Presb. Church.  Should be interesting setting up on Friday morning. That continues for most of Sat. 

Cloudy Monday

Moving things around.  Last Sat. Doug and I moved the twin bed back to it's owner.  We used it about 2 years ago when Regina was with us and now that the O'Neills are in a bigger house with a little girl, the bed needed to go back home.  That meant that the computer room needed to have some changes made and that happened.  So...now all three rooms in the upper level has had some attention making them all look a little better and a little different. 

Yesterday was a great music day at North.  Yum, yum.  Lots of Mark Hayes that can be heard on the North United Meth. web site.  It was WONDERFUL but crazy busy.  Then we had lunch with Joseph from Kenya with two other couples.  What fun.  Back home and football time but I slept through so much but did catch some important game changing events.  I always fall asleep Sun. afternoons.  Manning's Denver and Giants won as well as the COLTS So...it was a good football night in America.  Then lots of wakeful moments...bummer.  This morning I changed out my drawers of clothes from summer to winter, filled bags with stuff that needed to be delivered to various places and then off on the road to do that.  Some wonderful news.  My quilt...first long armed   quilter said I needed  to do lots of trimming...the second long armed quilter said...NO more trimming needed.  Woo...the trimming would have taken months.  So...I'm on the calendar for the second long armed quilter which should happen in about 6 months.  I can wait.  Didn't want to spend time trimming.  Dah.  Long armed quilting business is healthy.  Second opinions are good.  All the bags of stuff are gone to their rightful places. 

In two weeks I'm helping a friend at a bazaar at Sec. Presb. Church.  All the money will go to the Umoja project in western Kenya.  So...this afternoon I'm making three Colt hats that I hope will bring some money to the project.  I have other stuff as well that I'm happy to move on. 

Tonight Doug and I will go to the Mamlins and load trunks on the truck.  Doug will deliver them tomorrow morning to the airport, that is if they are flying out.  It seems the airline business could be changed a bit with Sandy.  Hope it doesn't hurt them. 

Tomorrow morning Noah is coming while Kat does some volunteer work at Andrew's school.  It will be an interesting morning for sure. 

Tuesday number 2

I took my flower garden quilt top to be quilted at a new friends house.  Man...I'm green with envy or something like that.  She has quilted for years and has a room that is bigger than our living,dining and kitchen room conbinded for her stuff.  Then she opened double doors which I thought would lead to a closet.  Well, NO closet but another room lined with shelves from floor to ceiling with shelves filled with fabric.  Then there was a quilt wall where one puts quilt patches to help design quilts.  Oh, well, I'm way to old to think that I could make good use of all that stuff.  So...came home and moved tables, and more stuff around in my quilt room. Swept, dusted and I'm just fine with the memories of the morning.  But it was something to see for sure.  I'm sure she's not the only one with all this stuff.  I forgot to mention that she also has a long armed quilting machine that would fit nicely into our two car garage in her space.  She said that when shopping for houses they looked at over 100 to find one that would work for her.  Uck!  Not my style for sure.  Really...If I'm thinking correctly...my money goes to other things of what I conside of more importance.  She majors in fabric...I minor in fabric.  But...I was impressed with how nice everything looked. 

Tuesday morning

Another week started.  It's been a bit simpler and I'm not complaining.  But ready to move on at some point soon. 

Sunday was fairly easy.  Did a substitute job singing alto in the quartet first service.  Brahms...Yumm, yumm.  Hospitality time and then singing sec. service again.  Voice just isn't where it should be yet.  First service went well.  Could have sat in the cong. second but didn't.  Crazy asthma would have been better if I had thought of the inhaler.  Colts game in the afternoon. 
And I did a bit of cleaning up in the garden filling almost another 55 gal container for the garbage.  Monday was a lazy day.  Kids came for supper.  Raked leaves for the kids to play in but by the time they arrived rain changed that plan.   Eric and Doug tore down a twin bed and we will send it back to it's rightful owner.  We used it last summer for Regina from Kenya who had heart surgery.  This morning is very dark with thunder storms coming our way.  Lots of lightening.  Not much planned for today either.  Tomorrow is work at church again and bell practice. 

Choir is getting ready for stewardship Sun.  and will be singing 6 spirituals arranged by Mark Hays and his TaDaum as well.  Will be a fun Sunday with lots of music energy. 

Friday evening

This has been the craziest week.  I feel like I'm squeezing every minute out with something to do that is out of the normal routine.  After that Tuesday 9 pm haircut Wed. started.  It was work at the church desk till 11:50.  Then off to SEM's to shop for toys and educational stuff.  Home by 5 and then off to sister MK for supper with Stephen and Patty Kim.  Thursday started with a gas trip, a Sun. morning Hospitality Trip and a Walmart Trip for Lettuce at 7 am.  Then Soup Kitchen till 12 and then on to SEM's to start packing leaving her house at 5:15 in time for Stake and Shake and then to Choir practice.  This morning started with trips to 3 Walmarts looking for trunks to load stuff for Eldoret.  Out of the drive at 7 am.  Then back to SEM's by 9 am to start packing.  We made a huge, huge dent in the job.  Feels so good.  Had friend Kathy O. join us and we worked big time, filling, labeling recording contents, weighing trunks, closing trunks,,,repacking trunks.  That's the nature of the game.  Six trunks are filled with approximately 700 stuffed animals used for Xmas gifts on the wards. Another 10 are filled with toys, office supplies, art supplies, things to make a wonderful Thanksgiving event for American's living in Eldoret and more.  Woo...some trunks weigh near 70 and some near 50 depending on how they will travel to Eldoret. We finished around 2 this afternoon.   So...the day has been very worthwhile and will make a difference for children in Eldoret.  Sarah Ellen and Joe are on the road again Monday for another week in N. C. at Duke and Wake Forest, back here Sun. evening and then on to Eldoret early Tuesday morning.  So...trunks needed to be finished EARLY.  Gosh...I miss them already.  Did some house cleaning this afternoon.  Tomorrow morning we're having breakfast with Stephen, Patty and MK and Phil and then S. and P are coming for a late lunch.  We'll have our usual Panera run later in the evening and then on to next week.  Woo...Life is full and I love it when I feel I'm keeping up with all of it and making a positive difference for someone.  !!!!

Tuesday morning

Keeping up with stuff.  Finished the 48th little pink flower to clip to the choir folders with the thought of keeping Kathy O in our prayers.  She is a long time, long time choir friend of at least 35 years who now starts working soon toward a healthy body free of cancer.  Cancer sucks.  Friend Ellen just finished successfully a 9 month Cancer treatment journey.  Cemo, surgery and radiation.  Yahoo for sure. Friend Charlotte had her Cancer stuff before Ellen. 

Moved stuff around in the garage with the thought of returning the car to an inside position rather then in the driveway.  Got rid of a bike by just sticking it out in the lawn.  Someone now has a bike.  This morning I'm off to get some blood work done.  Need to be fasting and that involves remembering not to eat breakfast.  What a challenge to get that in my sleepy brain at 6 in the morning.  Later this morning I'm off to church to change out banners for the fall.  Then a 1 pm meeting at the med center with a bunch of powerful ladies who are working on sustainability for the Sally Test program in Eldoret.  That's always a very stimulating meeting although I don't add a thing.  They are way ahead of me knowing what button to push.    Tonight...at 9pm...a hair cutting appointment.  That's crazy but the only time this week that would work.  9pm!!!!  Meeting SEM near the end of the week to shop for toys for the Sally Test room.  Then, pack, pack. 
Knee report.  It's wonderful.   I missed the bullet.  Well, not really a bullet but the knee is over the bump it got last week.  Finished sewing 3 hats that Marcia ordered to sleep in.  Never thought of the hats as keeping a head warm during a cold Michigan night.  Hope to get them in the mail today if I can find a postoffice. 

Coming through

Goodwill came through and I delivered to SEM's garage three huge grocery carts of stuffed animals.  I think there are about 600 now.  My 75 bucks went far.  But...I called it a bushed Monday.  Enough of Goodwill for this week.  SEM is coming back to Indy Sat. evening.  Should see her in church Sunday.  The other thing that almost has my eyes crossed permanently...I just completed a pillow for sick friend Kathy O.  She has had a diagnoses of breast cancer and will start treatment next month.  The pillow has all of the choir folks names stitch on one side and the words from the hymn O Love that will not let me go on the other side with a wonderful quilt patch pattern and Robert's Indiana  LOVE in the middle of the block.  Woo...worked all day on some of the stitching so my eyes are TIRED.  Yesterday was soup kitchen with wonderful neighborhood people coming in.  Such a great bunch of people on Thursday.  I took one horrendous flop on the floor giving my gimpy left knee a huge knock.  Pastry containers were way to heavy and stacked way to high and I lost my balance and got tangled up in a chair I guess.  Poor knee.  It's not real sore but it is really stiff.  Might be full of fluid.  Will be interesting to see what's up in a week.  Cough continues but Doc. thinks I need a change in med which has been known to cause a cough.  So...that's something new to figure out.  Weather has been delightful.  I filled two 55 gal containers with garden trimmings.  Could do another two perhaps next week.  Getting the garden ready for winter. 

Monday morning.

The week is beginning.  Well, guess it started yesterday, come to think of it.  Good church and we sang three great anthems.  Woo...First of the month communion as well.  Then home to watch the Colts beat Green Bay.  I thought it wasn't going to happen so out shopping at Columbus Day sales at JoanAnn Fabrics.  Got some half priced pillow insides for some outsides I finished last week.  Then back home to watch the second half when the Colts turned on a dime and BEAT the Packers.  Woo, woo.  I love Sunday football.  This morning Noah is spending time with us.  Kat is off to school to do volunteer work.  I've bought ingredients to make cookies.  Should be fun.  I'm continuing to shop for small stuffed animals for SEM and the children at Eldoret.  Last Chance Goodwill is my favorite place to find cheap but  good animals.  It just takes a little time but the bargins are unbelievable if one takes time to dig through stuff.  It's time well spent.  Friend Carolyn gave me 50 bucks yesterday and I can really make that go far in gathering up 700 of those little gifts used at Christmas.  Yahoo.  So...watch out LC Goodwill.  I'm on my way on Tuesday. 

7 days later

Got to think a bit.  Humm...7 days ago I was coughing up a storm.  Not doing that as much but made a fall check up appointment with Asthma Julie for yesterday.  I thought I was pretty good but I guess not nearly good enough for her.  So...the treatment continues and happy to do that.  She certainly knows more bout asthma then I do.  Biggest gripe but not so big when I think of my cancer ridden friends is that singing is almost impossible.  Hanging in there should help that at some point.  The weekend included a Fri. night...Sat. choir retreat at Olenburg, In.  with the nuns.  Fun, fun and there was plenty of music to listen to and learn by listening.  There were about 25 of us.  Food was great, place was as clean as a pin and there was plenty of talking.  I'm staying inside for a while which leads me to the next sewing project.  I'm making big bibs for a little c palsey girl who is living in the Sally Test room at Eldoret.  No one wants to adopt her.   I made her 4 bibs in May which were quite the hit and did their job well and now I've got 7 more made.  Yup...still using gifted fabric.  What a gift!!! Tomorrow is working at the front desk, bells, Thurs. Soup Kitchen and Choir...Same old same old.  That's about it from 10420. 

Tuesday noon

Well, coughing still continues but I can live with it most of the time.  It will get better eventually.  Who knows when eventually will happen?  Singing in the choir is almost impossible.  But that's the way it is.  I'm staying out of the outdoors.  I think that is making a big difference and today that's easy.  It's on the gloomy side with a little rain spitting down.  A couple of weeks ago Andrew found caterpillars in the garden.  He took them home and now they have emerged into Black Swallowtails bringing a lot of excitement for Andrew and us as well.  He named all of the caterpillars and now Charlie is flying around in the back yard on sunny days.  This afternoon Andrew will bring another one to join Charlie although Charlie is no where to be found because of the cool weather.  Yesterday Noah was here for a big part of the day.  What fun.  I can see so much of Eric when I see Noah. 

I've been using Jo's fabrics and now have another quilt, Humpty Dumpty, bibs and burp cloths set.  So...there is one for Grace and I will probably donate the other set to the Umoja project.  There is a big sale at Sec. Presb church in November and Umoja has been given space to sell stuff.  I'm ready to move on to sewing something a little more difficult. 

Crock Pot is busy again.  So easy to use and so nice to have supper ready with not much help from me.  It's pork chops with pineapple/and barb. sauce. 

Sarah Ellen and Joe arrive this week.  Wed. evening...hope to see her Friday and then they are off to the beach house for two weeks.  Back here and then back to Wake Forest for college reunions and then back to Kenya. 

So much better

That's right.  Lungs are better.  Not perfect but much better.  Medicine is working well.  I think it will be sometime before I can say that lungs are clearer but and I can breath and sleep and cough with ease.  I'm just not working outside.  That's not a very good place to be at this point but I'm sure with more time that will change also.  So..the sewing machine has been busy.  Woo, woo.  Jo P. gave me a ton of left over wonderful quilt fabric and I'm using some to make a baby gift for Grace...at church.  It's a Humpty Dumpty wall hanging, baby crib quilt, 2 bibs and 2 burp shoulder cloths.  All of this is in coral and green colors.  It's been fun.  Today is work at the church front desk in the morning and bells tonight.  As usual tomorrow is soup kitchen and choir.  Two busy days for sure.  I'm into crock pot season.  Great lentil soup last night.  It surprised me as to how good it was.  Found the idea in a library book.  A few weeks ago I filled 12 pints with beans and recipe to give to folks and I decided that one was meant for me.  Yum, yum.  Crock pot makes a whole lot more than we can eat so I'm taking some to church today for Nancy.  My good old teaching friends each got a pint yesterday when we went out to lunch together and a few were sold at the Kenya Carnival.  So on to what's up for Wed. the 19th. 

New tricks

The new tricks are working but I'm also staying inside most of the day.  Outside just doesn't work well yet.  I slept in BED last night with coughing on the decrease.  Will try the same tonight.  Doctors do make a difference.  I'm also noticing that my brain is starting on occasion to say...do something.  That part of my brain went to sleep for a few days so I worked on a pillow top today.  I also took garden stuff to church for Sunday morning altar flowers.  Humm...hope they last till then.  The weather is getting cooler.  Some leaves are turning but not to many at this point. 

Thursday

Still Ucking around.  Went to the doc this morning and have a few new tricks to try.  There are not a lot of them so I need to be patient I guess.  I'm staying home tonight...Doug's at choir so the only person to hear me cough is me.  Guess we can call Uck...asthma for sure.  I think getting this under control is going to take some time.  What a bummer.   

Uck

That's right...Uck.  I have developed the mother of all coughs.  Could be asthma, could be allergies, could be a cold.  But ...it 's miserable.  I'm on my wonderful asthma inhaler for one thing.  And it's helping a bit, I think.  I had that inhaler since spring and haven't used it once until Sunday afternoon.  At night sleeping in all parts of the house is happening or awake in all parts of the house one might say.    This thing is just the biggest waste of time.  I'll head on to the doc tomorrow if things don't improve and will probably be told...hang in there although I do have a wonderful doctor.  He's the best.  Other than that Uck...working at the church desk two days this week.  That's easy with just telephone calls.  Kids came for Monday supper.  That's about it. 

Almost another week.

Rick mentioned Naptown!  Well, no one is sleeping in this house in the town of Carmel.  Woo.  Life is full and lovin every minute.  Well, not this minute.  Colts are loosing.  Woo...Chicago is killing us.  This past week inches of rain fell.  The garden looks like a jungle and I've got to start to uncover it.  Well, I started with one 55 gal container filled and ready for the trash but there should be at least one more.  We'll see.  To much fun at the sewing machine again.  Added a bunch of sport decals to curtains for Andrew and Noah's bedroom curtain.  And I've finished a frontal for the communion table at church for WW Communion Sunday.  I had a pulpit hanging made while in Kenya a few years ago and brought home 3 extra yards of fabric which finally had a purpose for being.  Today we had CHURCH!  Darren is such a good preacher and the message was on our call one point being that we are called at our baptism.  Woo...a wonderful benediction at the baptism font.  He just can pull it all together.  Music was great with a brass group playing with Martin at the organ.  Today I put the binding on a blanket that Jim sent and now it needs to get in the mail back to Va.  Jo is sending more fabric my way.  She is a fine quilter and her fabric choices are the best.  I get her scraps.  Whoo...Whoo.  I also worked on 4 placemats that have a beautiful Christmas fabric with free style motion quilting on the sewing machine.  I started those a few years ago.  Now I need some binding tape to finish them.  Nothing new going on this week.  Working at the front desk at church two days this week, Bread and Bowl on Thursday as well and Bell practice is starting on Wed. and Chior Thursday night.  Nope...it's not Naptown at this house. 

Memory

Something tells me that I need to write more often because I'm forgetting stuff.  So...Sat. was the Carnival and Isaac came.  Bummer.  Raised about half the money that was needed so plan b is being hatched.  Isaac's rain just comes straight down for a long time.  There was a huge rainbow when we were leaving for home.  Beautiful, beautiful.  Then Doug and I went on to Panera's for Sun. morning hospitality.  Getting up Sunday was almost impossible but we made it.  Stayed for just part of second service but went home early and out for lunch  Rearranged the two Kenya suitcases getting stuff packed away again for another time and just did a bunch of sitting..  World Wide Communion is the first Sun. in Oct. and I want to use Kenya fabrics on our banner poles so I chose some nice lessos and got them hemmed for banner pole hanging.  Today Andrew and Noah came over.  Fun, fun.  But...I wish I had a mother's energy and not a grandmothers.  These two are so funny.  Their little brains are creating great conversation times.  I decided to take them to the neighborhood park in the wagon which is a little walk from our house.  And...wouldn't you know it.  Noah took a huge spill after tripping over a board and hit the ground FACE first with a huge nosebleed which also resulted in what I will think will be huge bruising on his cheek.  Well, of course I wasn't prepared for this so his shirt became the blood receiver.  We put him in the wagon which I told him was the ambulance and we headed back home with him lying down for a while.  Didn't want that nose to burst open again.  He has some great souvenirs for the day.  Then Andrew has learned to turn great somersaults and that resulted in one being taken where the cast iron scotty dog door stop was.  And...another big bruise on his back.  Woo...Stuff happens.  Today I'm also working on putting together banners for 3 more Umoja schools in Kenya.  The kids at the Carnival decorated the squares and now it's put together time.  Some are finished and more to do.  So...soon it's to bed time.  Another great weekend including crazy Monday. 

Good grief

What I thought was to be an easy week with not much on the calendar didn't turn out that way.  Life is full of surprises.  My friend Beth's mother died about two weeks ago and she needed to clean out her mother's apartment at the Forum.  And her mother was a sewer.  You guessed it.  Monday I went to the apartment and Beth said...take it all.  So I didn't take all but a lot of it.  Thread!  Fabric! and more of the same.  Monday afternoon and evening I spent going through bags and bags of stuff and making decisions.  Woo...wore me out.  Most of this is drapery fabric but not all.  So...I have some beautiful pillows finally on the couch.  Tuesday went to lunch with teacher friends.  Wed. got my three suitcases packed for the Kenya carnival today. Two are full of education things and the other is full of things that can be sold at the Kenya Store.  The plan is to come home with nothing in that suitcase.  Fingers crossed.  Thursday was b and b and also took Saloma to Walmart for another job interview and then on to Sec. Presb. for an Umoja meeting with a group of ladies who are working with ladies in Kenya who want to start a small business Things are moving right along.  It seems that raising onions is a big money maker.  Friday Doug and I finally folded up all the vacation tent stuff.  It's packed away for next year. 

And of course spending time wondering where Isaac is heading has been on the agenda.  Rain should arrive today and the Kenya Carnival is all set to be held inside Sec. Presb. church.  Should be an interesting day.  Sec. Presb. is huge and I'm sure it will be stuffed with people.  I'm leaving home around 10:30 and expect to get back here around 7.  A total of $35,000 is needed to support another year of activity and today's Carnival goal is at least $15,000.  Kids have worked all year on money projects. 

4 days later...Sunday

Woo...in some respects I feel like I've been hit by a mac truck.  That's what 74 feels like after way to much going on.  Thursday was the beginning.  Bread and Bowl or soup kitchen with no Diane to cook in the kitchen.  I knew that...So...I cooked and supervised.  That means keeping folks busy with jobs that needed to be completed...3 Marion Un. nursing students and 18 yr. old dear Joe who has some learning difficulties, Jeff who is doing community service and Salome who butters the bread and Eva who makes the salad.  It's just a bit to much but I made it through.  Diane will be back Thursday.  Yahoo. 

Friday Doug and I helped to move many, many office supply boxes filled with school supplies donated by church folks to school 43.  The truck was full, Eric O's 15 passenger van was full, Tom's Taho was full and the trunk of the car held the spill overs.  Twenty some teachers some of them getting 4 boxes of requested supplies.  That was about 3 hrs. of really intense work.  The teachers should feel as if they got a wonderful boost.  North sends at least 10 folks to tutor all year long.  Patty H. organizes this project and she does a better then ever job to make this work for us.  Organization is her name. 

This morning was hospitality time again and when arriving at church noticed that helper Waldene was NOT there.  So...It could have been called the Doug and Lela show.  Doug makes the coffee, sometimes at least 15 pots.  I really could have used help but after moving like a house on fire...we were ready for the crowd by 8 am.  And we closed up early...10:15 and I made it to church...Two other folks did help close up.  Yahoo.  People are coming back to church.  Kids are in school and we were busy, busy.  Second service was full. 

The music was the best ever and the sermon about the Carmel Housewife was great.  Now this is the Carmel lady Abigail who lived during David's time in Carmel.  Gotcha!  A great sermon to affirm woman.    So this afternoon...a two hr. nap and I hope to ease into next week with a little more sanity.  Some weeks are like this even in Australia.  Remember Alexandra? 

Finished two tooth fairy pillows for Andrew and Noah.  Fun, fun.  I'm ready to work on decorating some drapes for the little boys room.  And I have 4 robes to shorten for church kids.  I also started a knitting project.  That's a wonderful sit down job but my hands do a bit of screaming if I work to long.  So...now you are sort of caught up.  Nothing on the calendar tomorrow.  Tues. lunch out with my great retired teacher friends and that will get the week going.  Thursday B and B and a meeting with Laura who is home for a visa renewal which will take her back to Kenya to work with the Umoja project and Sat....Kenya Carnival and Sec. Presb.  I will have a booth.  Woo...tired thinking about that but I know the energy will be there.  Kenya kids have many, many school needs.  The goal again is to raise 35,000.00 dollars.  Some Indy kids have worked all year raising money.

Back again

Yes...back again to life in Carmel.  But the two week vacation is still with me for many reasons. 
Doug has been asked to have a display at church part being pictures and he chose many from vacation.  It's just a delightful way to once again remember the two weeks camping at Copper Harbor.  That has been on his busy list to finish.  And...it's done.  Joe W. will put the display together. 

I've finished 12 felt fabric boxes for Kat that she will use to help the grandsons  keep their toys sorted. 
I'm pretty well finished with the altar cloth.  Yesterday I sorted out pieces of felt and have a large container filled with donated to me felt.  Didn't buy an inch.  Now...it will be interesting to see what requests I have for other things to felt sew. 

Yesterday I also met with Doris D and Joe and Joel at church to hopefully get started with permanent storage for banners etc.

Weather has been wonderful.  Great sleeping nights and work days.  Grass is green, supper on the patio is delightful. 

Back Home Again In Indiana.

That's the song and I'm not happy singing it.  Copper Harbor was wonderful again.  Morning pancakes with the kids just can't be beat.  We finished up 5 boxes of mix.  I made eggs and bacon one morning and it was NOT a hit.  Won't do that again.  Weather was wonderful, company was wonderful, new tent was wonderful, icecream was wonderful, pasties were wonderful, smoked salmon was more than wonderful and the temperature just couldn't have been better.  Woo, woo.  We had a few sweatshirt days.  Star program needed two of them.  Woo...the stars are huge  Lots of them went shooting through the sky.  Saw the milky way once again.  Two weeks with the 3 grandsons really let me know that they have growing bodies and minds.  So much fun to see all of that first hand.  We took two days to arrive and come back home stopping in Madison Wi for a sleep.  Woo...I'm not a truck rider but got to do it.  Micro wave went and was used.  Toaster oven went and wasn't used.  Don't need a few other things as well.  Now...I need to write that down somewhere but I'll forget where.  Left knee is wearing out.  What a bummer and it is now in the stage of waking me up at night.  Humm...my plan is to fix it next fall, 2013.  Wish me luck.  So...that's my 3:30 am call this morning.  Pills.  We hit the library last night.  Doug had some overdues.  Ran out of books this year and knitted a dish cloth, did lots of walking and talking.  Kimmy and Jared knitted MANY of them during the two weeks.  Clothes are washed, Camping stuff is back on the shelf, E-mails are cleaned out, facebook is done.  Now on to life in Indy. 

Still Wed. and hotter than you know what

Just checked pictures on a blog in copper harbor.  It's RAINING there.  Woo...Woo...Things have gotten messed up a bit with needing to get SEM's trunks to Kenya but I think we have it figured out.  They will be moved tonight and early tomorrow moring to Wishard.  So...truck gets camping gear packed tomorrow instead of tonight.  It's HOT.  Little kids are having a blast.  They are easy for sure. 

Now it's Wed.

Heat has returned...102 today.  And Doug now tells me that we're leaving for Michigan on Thursday afternoon after I get home from Soup Kitchen stuff. .  He is sick of the heat.  So...we're leaving.  Most things are collected in the garage at this point.  It's interesting that we used to do the trip in one long 14 hr. day on the road.  Now we stay in a motel for two nights one at Madison and one in Copper Harbor setting up the tent Saturday.  JB will bet there also on Sat.  Today Noah and Andrew are spending the day here.  I hope I can think of enough cool things to do with them.  I'll finish all the stuff that needs finishing.  Pack the truck tonight...Soup kitchen in the morning and then on the road asap. 

It's Monday

Monday before the Friday we leave for Michigan.  Packed the suitcase already.  The weather has been better.  Well, maybe I'm getting use to it.  Yesterday was 95 and the guys from church including Eric played two and some folks played three softball games at Riverside Park in a one Sun. church league.  The fans sat in the shade although there were lots of clouds around.  The shade included lots of dusty dirt with lawn chairs and lots of talk.  Watering again this morning and clipping dead flower heads.  We set up a tiko climber in the backyard after a good scrubbing and the little guys will have more to play on when they visit.  Last Friday we had a blast with them and they are coming back on Wed. for more fun.  I have two funny Indy grandsons for sure always thinking of things to do.  So...on to looking at the camp kitchen...off to the grocery for a few things like dishsoap and microwave popcorn and I can check off one more thing finished and on the way to Michigan. 

Cooler...no kidding

It's cooler...Big rain, at least an inch late yesterday afternoon with lots of lightening and thunder.  What a beautiful sound.  And...this morning it's cloudy and cooler...Woo, woo.  Started to find camping stuff, airmattress, sleeping bags, and more.  Rather do it slowly than quickly but much easier to do when cooler for sure.  I've had many hot summer days in the past collecting stuff.  Checking on battery needs, medicine perscriptions with a few groceries but not many for sure.  I think all the church backup stuff is done and if I forgot something...tough cookies.  I can claim getting old.  Cleaning the sewing room.  I need to fold one of my sewing tables to take along with us.  It becomes the kitchen table under the trees.  More to do. 

Big weather change

It's in the low 90's now...Woo...Woo.  And we had about 5 minutes of rain on two days running.  And...Copper Harbor's high is low 70's.  Now that's something to look forward to.  And...thinking Michigan for a lot of reasons.  Bought a new pair of crocks...Mine must be 5 years old at least and wearing thin on the bottom.  I'm ready to go...not really but my mind is ready.  Haven't watered for the last two days.  That's wonderful news to write about. 

Today was Soup Kitchen Day and it was a fairly good day.  That's something to celebrate.  A new North lady Sandra walked in to work and she is a gem.  She's planning to come back as well and lives just north of the church.  We need good workers and she works.  Some crews have ladies that come to talk to each other which can be a good thing but if that's all they are there for...Go HOME is what I would say.   GEtting all my ducks in a row to fill all my church jobs while I'm gone.  It's like writing lesson plans while working at school.  Nothing on the calendar tomorrow.  Woo...that's a first in a long time.  Sat. is clear as well.  We should take a mini trip. 

This is getting old!!!

Yup...the heat continues and the not rain season is well underway.  So...what's old that I'm doing?  Watering morning and night.  The garden looks relatively good but I'm needing another outlet.  Woo...
So...staying cool is a priority.  Fans and air condition Y and library and church do it reasonably well. 

Sewing is waiting for an order of silk floss to arrive.  Hope that happens soon.  Sitting in the sewing room just isn't the same when my hand doesn't hold a needle.  Doing a lot of reading and some TV watching and yesterday I watched Andrew and Noah at their swimming lessons.  Woo...those two little guys are learning to LOVE the water.  So good to see water safety in their lives. 

Yesterday I had lunch with my three teacher friends who taught first grade together about 25 years ago at least.  It's always an interesting lunch to say the least.  Andrew and Noah spent a bit of the afternoon with us while Kat went for a job interview.  Hope, hope, hope it works for her. 

In less than two weeks we will be camping.  Yahoo...I'm pretending to feel the cool breeze of Superior with my toes in the sand at Great Sand Bay.  New tent was put up..and down.  Pancake mix is bought and waiting for breakfast and I'm thinking just a bit of other things.  We've done this for so many years that getting ready just doesn't bother me to much.  And...it's easy to purchase food stuff right in Copper Harbor.  Such a difference when I need to think about just myself.  Packing the microwave, electric water pot, electric skillet and the camp kitchen...That's all it takes.  Well...some clothes, blow up airmattress and sleeping bag.  Woo...easy, easy. 

So...it's time to move the sprinkler. 

Heat continues

Learning to live with it.  Library gets a visit...Y gets a visit...church gets a visit and the rest of the day just goes along. 

I'm starting to create some communion paraments.  New preacher wants them...we haven't used any for a long time and the ones I found at church are in horrible condition ready to pitch.  So learning something new with what to make and how they should be used.  The Episcopalians are in town for their general conference and I think I'll make a visit.  So...it's another something to learn.  Now we can buy them but the cost is really impressively huge.  So...fingers are working at this point.  The first item is a linen cover for the alter.  One is finished...need more for sure.  Who is going to take care of all this stuff.  It's not going to be on my plate. 

Beginning to think vacation.  Pancake mix is bought.  What else...well, need to figure out how to set up the tent.  That will happen when it cools down.  So...not soon for sure.  On to another hot Sat.  Sunday might be cooler by comparison.  Just a chance. 

Writing mode

For some reason my brain is in a writing mode.  Maybe it's to hot! 

Today has been just the best.  It started with breakfast on the patio, reading the paper and drinking coffee with Doug and eating my usual peanutbutter and jelly on rye toast.  Then off to the garden areas to check out the evidence of deer.  We have a mommy with twin babies that is roaming the neighborhood.  And...flowers on the hostas are gone.  I really don't care, happy to have deer eating them.  I have cut a bundle of them off already.  Then on to filling a 55 gal trash bin with cooked hostas among other things, that at one time were in the shade and now the sun.  They needed to go being that they were all burned up.  Started the sprinkler and then to the patio with another cup of coffee and time to watch the birds.  There are so many.  Doug took pictures of an almost gone cake of suet that the woodpeckers have turned into interesting textures.  Made a great picture or two or more.  Doug never takes one.  After that into the house and I did a bunch of free motion quilting on a wall hanging of 9 cars and trucks that I want to sent to Kenya at some point.  Now there are two hangings finished for the orphanage that has Sarah Ellen's interests at heart.  After that was finished, I was off  to church to do an inventory and then on to MCFarlings to get 4 cases of food that we are needing for Soup Kitchen.  Talked to some good friends from Columbus, Ohio at church...Home again and did a bit more free motion sewing, attached the binding and then made supper...Yum, yum...blue berry pancakes and watermelon.  Pancakes are getting me ready for Mich. where we have the same almost every morning with other family members.  Now it's icetea time and MSNBC news programs.  Interesting to hear the spin on what's going on.  Now isn't that a good day?  I think so. 

Sunday

Temp is not bad.  Still in the 90's but NOT 100.  That temp. makes my skin feel like it's burning.  And a cool or cooler breeze is coming through.  Good church today.  Watering the beds this afternoon as well as watering neighbor Judy's many pots while she is in Colorado for the week.  Not much other stuff planned other than finish some stuff I started months ago.  No rush.  Not a bad idea. 

God

Well, God did a watering job this afternoon.  Woo, about time...we had one good rain with wind and hail added.  And it's cooled down somewhat.  104 degrees yesterday.  That's the best news yet.  Got another sewing job finished.  Our minister of children and families, Danyelle is fixing up a nursery for baby no. 2.  And...she needed blackout curtains expanded which now are navy with brown boarder,, which I did and I offered to turn her window seat cushion from purple to brown with navy cording since baby no. 2 is a boy.  So...tackled the job yesterday and finished it today.  The cushion is always a bear but with Doug's help in getting the cover on to the foam, the job is finished.  I reused the foam and cord and used the old cover for a pattern.  I love challenges and these seat cushions always are that.  It's a wrestling match getting everything together.  So, the sewing room is sort of cleaned up but could use a good sweap which it won't get for a while.  I'm sitting for a while.  Well, just a while. 

Where's the rain

Woo...it's water world around here.  I'm the waterer!  The back yard is the world.  It just doesn't stop and thank goodness we still have the well.  Dragging the hose around is getting old.  So come on God...Do your part!  it's your turn. 

Other than that job, the sewing machine continues on it's way, trips to the library are resulting in lots of summer reading and life goes on.  I made 50 bags to send to Kenya to use as care bags for victims of rape.  North Church ladies are providing the contents for the bags.  Another denim bib got finished today and I found places for ALL the fabric that came via Beth.  The room is crammed and I'm lovin' every piece of fabric and have plans to use some of it.  I'm livin in a Yahoo world.  Time to move the sprinkler.  Keeps me busy.  Not much going on this week.  But sure as I'm breathing that will change. 

Thursday evening

Sunday proved to be BUSY and we both survived.  We fed a whole bushel full of people.  To pooped to cook so went to S and S for lunch.  Took Doug out for Father's Day.  The sewing machine has been busy again.  The fabric that I got in Goshen is now in a stole for our minister of children and family.  Lots of detail and fun to do.  Now I'm working on some cloth bags to send to Kenya at some point.  The weather has been more than hot and dry so the well water has been working overtime.  There are days when it's water in the morning and evening but the plants are looking like the water is doing them justice..  The deer have made visits so still checking on damage.  They love bean plants for sure.  Chipmunk's have decided not to move into our yard.  They are smart after all.  Wed. I worked at the front desk at church, today was soup kitchen with lots of folks but NO fights.  Yahoo.  Tonight we had about 5 minutes of rain.  It smelled sooooo good.  LOts of garage sales in the neighborhood.  I picked up a really nice folding table for 5 bucks.  It folds up like those canvous chairs and has a slated wooden top. .  It's the first piece of furniture for the new tent.  Yahoo.  Don't think we need more.  We've till not set the tent up at this point and need to get at it soon!  I also bought some Heisey stem wear for .50 cents a piece at the neighbors.  On line it's almost 8 bucks per stem.  That was fun. 

5 days later

Woo...lots of fun stuff to report.  Monday I went with neighbor Judy to the south to her garden club tour.  We saw two of the finest perfect house gardens and the third site being the rock garden and butterfly garden at Holiday Park.  We had a lovely lunch at the third garden given by the two guys who own the house/garden.  One loves to cook and the other loves to garden.  Lots of huge rocks, beech trees and wonderful plantings of just about every kind of plant grown in Indy.  Then Tues afternoon...off to see cousin Ada in Goshen Indiana.  We had supper at the South Side Soda Shop.  Then Wed. we left for the Meijers Gardens in Grand Rapids.  What a wonderful treat.  So many huge sculptures, wonderful plants, children's garden and great wet lands.  We spent the whole day there looking and walking and more looking.  I'm sure there is something on line about the place.  Thurs. morning we headed out to fabric stores and I found some wonderful batiks.    It was home in the afternoon and then off to the choir picnic.  Lots of good food, good talk with good friends.  So nice to have unhurried time to just listen and talk and eat.  Today I decided that the shade garden needed some help.  It has been asking for that for a few years and I decided on what I needed to do that wouldn't take a week to change.  So...we moved a huge iron kettle to the back from the front yard, planted it with perennials and tomorrow I'll add 4 small hostas and a fern to the shade garden.  Some unwanted things have moved into that area so I did a lot of tearing out of stuff that is over and needed to move on.  We're also catching chipmunks and moving them on to chipmunk heaven.  They are horribly distructive in flower pots completely tearing them apart.  Sunday morning we will be especially busy at hospitality with breakfast for 45 kids and adults leaving for ASP.  Then it's on to the old folks who are doing part of the service.  They have asked for a pick me up between services so we'll do what we usually do and add a bit of fruit.  That should carry them through.  We have a bit of extra help for the morning.  I'll do some setting up for that tomorrow so Sunday won't be so crazy. 

Woo...two weeks

Can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted.  Guess I've been way to busy to think about the blog.  Since I wrote, Sarah Ellen and Elsie and the 4 Duke interns have all left the states and are back in Kenya.  We had a birthday dinner for Eric early because of other stuff going on.  The gardens are looking pretty spiffy but we are having a long dry spell so the watering continues every day.  I'm determined to get these little plants going.  We lost so many because of the drift that occurred when the lawn guys sprayed for weeds.  And...now it's deer season.  It's the luck of the gardener to say the least.  We've eaten lettuce, radishes and onions already.  Squash and melons and the pumpkin are growing well.  S. Corn is up but the beans are taking a beating from the deer along with some of the flowers.  GRRRRR.  Busy weekend at church.  Two of our ministers were ordained Sat. morning which Doug and I attended along with a bunch of other North folks.  Today was big reception time in Fellowship Hall for both of them and much to my delight I went as a spectator.  Wonderful, wonderful  We also attended a graduation open house for our ministers son Joe.   Wed. I set up a huge traveling display of minister's stoles from many denominations in our chapel and tomorrow that all needs to be packed up and sent on it's way.  So...much to do.  Hopefully then Tues. Wed. and Thursday I'll be in northern Indiana and the Grand Rapids area with cousin Ada.  So...that's the diary for this time. 

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day and I didn't do much that would say I was celebrating the day.  In fact...watered the flowerbeds, pulled up some going to be dead plants...thanks to the man who sprayed for weeds in the yard.  There must have been a strong wind.  Watered the garden.  Went to a good sale at Hancock Fabrics and got a few things.  Then eventually I got to to SEM's house to pack trunks.  This was to be the final push.  That means...filling and weiging now 13 trunks to the max of 50 pounds, labeling the trunks with three different labels, listing what is in each trunk numbering the trunks so that I know which ones to send when I can find people to take them ,attaching the content list and then closing the lid.  SEM needs to do the last two things but did we work?  You bet.  Hot and sweaty day to pack, weigh, move and label to get the trunks on their way.  SEM is taking 4 trunks with her on Wed.  Son Burke will take 1 and that leaves 8 to move on to other people asap.   
Neighbor Judy invited us for supper.  What a treat.  A little wine, beef tips and veg. on the gril, a great salad, fresh fruit and icecream with a great little fancy cookies for desert.  After the busy afternoon it was a great supper.  I sat in a chair and let Doug and Judy put stuff in front of me. 

Yesterday was crazy...Went to get SEM at the airport at 10:40 am after a busy morning at church fixing altar flowers...hospitality...with only Doug and I working.  Others were sick.  Then out to the airport...waited for SEM...called her on the phone and she was on a hospital tour in Baltimore.  Well, she hadn't indicated if it was am or pm and I didn't think to ask and ofcourse it was pm.  Really surprised about the evening arrivals of many planes.  Just another story about us doing stuff.  Life is an adventure.

We talked about her Wed. departure to Kenya and we got the time right!  I HOPE!  Arrive at the airport at 9:30 am.  Since she is taking 4 trucks...Doug will take the truck to the airport and I will take SEM and her carry on. 

Tomorrow there is a meeting of a few folks who are pursuing plans to provide some steady financial support for the Sally Test program.  I certainly am a newbe to this sort of program.  Don't think I'll do more than dip my toe in this project. 

Back to the Heat Celts game. 

Bummer

Well, not a good basketball evening.  But I did get some bibs made.  That's lots of fun  time thinking up new ways to make babies look good in their bibs.  Sending a few again to Kenya baby caretakers.  Tilled the garden again and last evening planted melons, broccoli and squash.  Now...the challenge is keeping them alive.  It's worse then taking care of children.  Today I'm helping SEM pack trunks, and then supper is with the Hefners and SEM and who knows who else.  Weather continues to be wonderful but is promised not to last through the weekend meaning a hot race day. 

Doug ordered hearing aids yesterday...no excuse not to hear me.  I had an appointment with Dr. Batler of Urology fame.  I think he's looking for a needle in a haystack.  Nothing is showing up yet.  So...it's stay vigilant with the hope that whatever, if anything  going on will go away.  Well, that's my mental attitude at this point.  Doctors are paid to be vigilant.

Nervous

Lost yesterday afternoon!  Boo Hoo.  But crying doesn't help any basketball team.  Back to Florida again. 
Dry, dry outside so watered most of the afternoon The ground is like chalk.  Plants are dying. Today I'm spending the afternoon with a favorite friend Sarah Ellen to eat, shop, and maybe pack. 

Pacers again

Another game this afternoon and I aim to take a short sleep before the game.  Today was a crazy morning at church.  Why does everything come together all on one Sun.  Arriving early to get hospitality off the table and on to the courtyard for a reception for the new minister and wife.  Then...7:30 handbell practice...8 am choir practice for a double quartet thing, then handbells played for prelude, then sing in the choir, then play offertory and then I was out of there and on to hospitality to see the miracle my dear little crew pulled off.  Time in the courtyard went well, took Joe home...then back to do all over again what we just did.  Woo...I'm feeling a sleep coming on real soon. 

Andrew and Noah sang in church this morning.  Andrew had a solo.  Fun little group of kids with Mark directing.  Sem was back in town and to church.  We'll be packing this week.  Then she is off to a conference and back in town for two days next week and then it's Kenya time. 

Woo...Great, great news

Pacers won again in a BLOWOUT.  Let's hope the same goes for the next game. 
Dee is back in town.  Hopefully we will be meeting Kristen for lunch and then Dee will be on his way to the southlands mid afternoon. 

Weather cold at night...very pleasant during the day.  Putting together flower arrangements for church today.  That's lots of fun but I wish sometimes church was closer to our house.  It's a time on the road thing. 

Busy Sunday coming up.  I'm ready to eat out after what's happening Sun. morning with bells, choir singing and reception for new preacher for first service and second as well.  All would be better if Joe were not involved.  He's a stir pot addition that needs humoring and was not asked to help from me.  Good thing I know about him early.  So...it's chill out for me time.  I can do that.  We'll carry on. 

GREAT NEWS...

PACERS WON!  PACERS WON!  Next game Thursday at 7.  Fingers crossed.

Tuesday Evening

Pacers are playing and making me nervous so I think the game will be over by the time I finish this.  It's Miami with one win and maybe two.   Hope not.  Jim has been here and back once again to Va.  Nice visit with MY brother.  Dee was here and will be coming back again on Thursday for about 24 hrs.   Nice brother-in-law.  Flower and veg. gardens are coming along although they would be doing better if we had warmer nights.  The nights in the low 50's just don't make anything growing grow.  I'm having way to many sick friends.  Kathy O had a pacemaker put in this morning.  She has been one sick lady but should be out of the woods or hospital maybe Thursday.  Ellen continues with chemo, Allen continues with who knows what at this point.  I'm grateful for being healthy.  Ears continue to hear better than ever with aids...Doug went to the hearing lady this afternoon with me and now he is wearing tester aids as I did.  We are two old duffers that just don't hear very well although he is hearing better than I.  Surprise, surprise.  Tomorrow I'm working at church on the front desk and bells tomorrow night.  Last time before fall.  Love having my Wed. evenings at home.  That's about it for now.  One minute to go and one point ahead.  To close to call. 

8 days later

Spring weather is moving right along.  Some hot days...some cool days.  The flowerbeds are looking good with a whole bunch of Lantana plantings.  It's such a tough flower that does well in hot dry days.  It's found in the south and also in Kenya among other places.  So...it's in the flowerbeds.  Lots of different strong colors that are favorites to humming birds and butterflies.  So...it's a good one for no care from me.  Lots of dill  and parsley which is also necessary for butterflies who lay eggs on those two plants.  Another trip to Rosies this morning for a few more veg. garden things.  Big rain yesterday so the ground needs to dry for a bit before more planing.  Interesting weekend one thing resulted in being given 4 tickets to Faust.  What an opera.  I just can't get the story plot out of my mind and ofcourse the singing was wonderful, wonderful.  Went with sister MK, Mary B, Joe W.  Doug wanted to stay home.  His loss of a wonderful musical event.  It's just not worth an allergic reaction to inside environmental issues.  Learned that brother Jim will be coming this week along with a stop in from Doug's brother Dee on his way to a conference in Michigan.  It's brother week for sure. 

Went shopping with SEM this past week.  More toys for sick Kenyan children are being packed in trunks.  And then Friday I sent her on her way to see daughters in Ohio and N. Carolina.  She is one busy lady.  Yesterday I spent the day cleaning and pitching.  It's wonderful when the spirit says pitch.  It comes along from time to time and I do enjoy being in the decision making mode feeling productive. 

Sewing continues with felted wool.  Birds are fun and toadstools are fun things that occupy the mind.  And it's so much fun shopping at Last Chance Goodwill for cheap wool sweaters.  I say Last Chance because it's the last chance to pick up Goodwill items before they are shipped overseas.  It's stuff by the pound.  Woo. woo.  Cheap! 

Last evening I went to a Kenya Carnival meeting.  Connected with lots of friends and heard about K Carnival plans, sang Kenyan songs, played Kenyan instruments and ate Kenyan food.  This event organized by highschool students from many different religions including Muslims, Jews and Christians is most impressive.  Last year $35,000 for students in western Kenya provided HS tuitions for 125 students, school lunches for 20 elementary schools along with other items such as uniforms, lamp oil for studying at night in homes and more.  Woo, woo.  It's always a energy filled evening. 

Gray but warmer Monday.

Testing these new hearing aids is going well.  Some surprises along the way.  I have these till Thursday and then the big bucks will fly out of the retirement fund.  Not fun to do that but hearing will improve.  Never thought I'd be spending money on hearing aids.  Books from the library...there is something called soft sculptures and the book had directions so...it's felted sweaters that have been used to make two birds and the cutest fox ever along with a big bunch of toad stools.  Toadstools are in the garden with many more awaiting Dougs sawing up a bunch of walking sticks.  Good grief.  I could make 100 toadstools and there still would be walking sticks left in the garage.  Friday evening I collected Sarah Ellen from the airport.  She was one tired lady after being in the air and on the ground for 30 hrs. coming from Kenya.  She looked much better Sun. at church.  7 of us went to Rick's Boat Yard for lunch.  G. Wilsons, D. Russells and two other ladies, One from Nigeria and the other from Uganda and SEM.  Great conversations about what is happening in Eldoret with a whole lot of laughing mixed in.  Tomorrow I'm meeting SEM at 11:30 for a shopping trip probably lasting all afternoon.  10 trunks to fill.  This moring I'm having an asthma evaluation.  I just wanted my inhalers renewed and Doc. G said I needed to do an evaluation.  I don't have a lot of trouble but when I do it's a bit scary.  So...I don't even know if anything will come of this evaluation.  We'll see soon.  More checking...Doc really believes in this.  He's a crazy man sometimes but he does keep me healthy. 

Crazy Tuesday

Yup...It's been crazy.  Started out with a followup visit after visiting the thyroid doctor last week.  Don't need to repeat the thyroid thing for another two years.  Which was followed up with a trip to the hearing doctor.  Woo...As my sister said a long time ago...Your ears are plugged...that's why you can't hear!  And...JB saying Mom...pay attention.  Well, they are not plugged so the hearing test said I needed hearing aids.  Well, I thought about that for a few days and this morning I went to get a set of aids, trying them for 10 days.  Woo...I hear everything.  Some things make way to much noise like the leaves blowing in the trees, water in the sink and the loud and crazy wren.  Guess I'm hearing like everyone else come to think of it.  We'll see how this goes!  Another doc. visit for what might be another kidney stone.  I'm dragging but no pain yet.  So...we'll see where that goes.  Cleaned a bit in the gardens.  Makes me TIRED!  So..little at a time.  Then did some sorting of fabric in the sewing room making some decisions to pitch stuff.  Need to do more.   Doug and I visited the library and came home with some fun books.  No church job tomorrow...My day to be off.  Yahoo.  Bells tomorrow evening.  Same old on Thursday and dear Sarah Ellen is coming back to Indy Friday at 3;03 pm.  I'm off to the airport for her!  Watched Andrew play a bit of soccer Monday evening.  It was way to cold and way to windy for me to survive very long in that environment. 

Monday morning

Quite an eventful few days.  Late yesterday afternoon I got an e-mail from friend Emily which required a quick trip to her house with supper with some good Kenyan friends.  Great talk, great Kenyan food and just a wonderful evening that ended at almost 11 pm.  One of the evening Kenyan friends a young lawyer is here for a procedure on her vocal cords this morning.  Another is Elsie who has been here for 6 years working with the Imani workshop but is returning to Kenya to live in mid May.  There were in-laws from Vancover, as well as others.  Fun,fun. 

Yesterday afternoon I planted 3 cabbage and 3 broccoli plants along with some onions.  I was surprised how warm the soil was.  The nights are very cold near frost but I think that will change soon. 

This morning I am taking Salomi to Wishard Hospital for an 8 am appointment with a doctor.  I'll leave the house at 7 am so this will probably be a long morning watching people while waiting for Salomi. 

I had a lunch date with old teacher friends but that might need to be ignored if we're still at Wishard. 

The quilt top is finished.  Last patch went in at 4 pm yesterday.  It doesn't need me any more.  Now I need to talk with someone about long arm quilting to put this thing all together.  I'll be spending more time in the flowerbeds and garden in the next few days. 

Tuesday evening

Woo...back home yesterday afternoon. Time went by quickly while on the road because I worked on the quilt for most of the way. Ran out of fabric. That stopped everything. So...cut more squares last night and so far today just did about 2 hrs worth of work. Tonight I'll do more. Went to the library with books, then watched some men take a wrecking ball to the grain storage unit in downtown Carmel. It went very slowly so came home and got Doug and his camera for a few pictures. Boy...did we waste a bunch of time with a whole lot of other retired people watching the wrecking ball. Worked a bit on the flower garden replanting some things that heaved out of the ground. Went to Rosie's nursery. Man...what a beautiful place. Bought a few things. Surprise, surprise...I tired out myself in the garden in record time. I think this spring thing will be a bit on the slow side. Heated up supper and soon it will be quilt/tv time. I think this year in the garden I'll be the new turtle that sits in the garden at this point. Slow and easy gets the job completed. Still thinking about wonderful memories of Michigan. What fun.
Watched the Indy grandsons soccer practice. The ball is as high as Noah's knees. He's loving every minute as well as Andrew.

Michigan

We are spending the weekend with JB and family...What fun. Lambs are everywhere. They move around the field as birds fly. It's herd time. Smallest 12 lbs...largest in the low 20's. All black little animals that jump and twist and turn and make so much noise in the barn with their mommy's that one can't talk above them. They are inside at night and outside during the day. I'm so impressed with the time that Kimmy and JB put into this project. It isn't easy. We weighed all the babies last night. Three get a supplementary feeding because of their weight. The chickens are also around...not laying eggs yet but soon to be egg layers. Yesterday we found a fox den in the field. Bad news but it might be an old den...That's the hope at this point although two chickens and the rooster have disappeared. NOT GOOD. Went to church this morning. Doing a bunch of coupon clipping this afternoon. We'll visit Jacob and Adam's school tomorrow morning and then back on the road to Indy. Worked on the quilt for a while here and on the road and it's coming together. Pictures on Facebook and Vikki Shard Monroe's facebook site. Vikki and her kids came over as well as Kimmy's parents yesterday. Lots of good visiting and watching the beautiful twin babies belonging to Vikki. Now off to the barn to feed the babies. More fun.

Crazy Cold Tuesday

Woo...I knew it wasn't spring yet but this has been a cold windy day. Frost is predicted tonight. Brr. What a whimp!!!!! Cortisone shot in the foot came yesterday. I think it so far it is doing the trick. I did the Y today but only did a short time on the treadmill because of pain. Bike was a snap. My sugar is sky high because cortisone does that. What a bummer. I'm closing down to the last patch for the quilt with a total of 101 patches and 12 half patches. Then it's lots of white blocks to get the last 10 patches to hang together and another two times of white hexagons around the outside of the quilt. I need to start talking to the quilt shops that put the quilt together with free arm quilting. I've stayed away from church for the last two days and tomorrow...no plan to get in the car. Thursday is B and B and Choir and Friday we're off to Michigan for the weekend of fun with everyone including lambs. Pacer game tonight. They really are doing well. Fun to watch. Started to use the crock pot again. Great Greek Chicken tonight. More is in the refrigerator.

Easter Sun. Evening

Well, church was good today. Extra chairs used for the second service. Good music, good preaching and good visiting with a whole host of folks. The two Indy grandsons looked reallyi spiffy in their matching outfits right on down to the shoes. And...it was Stake and Shake around 1:45. Yup...first to arrive at church and last to leave. Something is wrong with the picture. So...the plan is that there will be no trips to church on Monday or Tuesday for sure and maybe not even Wed. Thursday is Soup Kitchen and I'll finish up all the altar mess that is left from today. Worked on the quilt this afternoon. More patches ready to sew. I think it's that last of that exercise. And the usual nap in the afternoon and I haven't moved far from the chair. Tomorrow is foot day. Getting a shot in the afternoon to get rid of what is wrong or at least that is the hope. Leaving Friday morning for Michigan family. Hope to see Jacob get off the bus. Yahoo.

Wed. already

Weather continues to be beautiful. Meaning I'm outside looking around at some point every day. There are three huge garbage containers filled with weeds waiting for the garbage truck this morning. Woo...that took a lot of bending, pulling and throwing. Great exercise. Didn't need the Y. A gardener is never finished as you all know and there will be more filled garbage containers but I'm seeing plants that made it through the winter. The herb garden even has herbs that didn't freeze. That was a first. I'm ready to plant a few pansys. Not many just a few. They never last to long before getting leggie.

Still piecing quilt top. It never seems to stop but some day it will. I thought I needed 81 patches, then I thought I needed 91 and NOW I think I'll be working toward 101.

The next few days will really be busy as usual for this time of year...been to church every day. Today I'm on the desk again and working on candles for Fri. evening, no bell practice. Yahoo. But...we're playing Sunday. Uck...that means a very busy early Sunday. Tomorrow is Soup Day, pick up flowers for Easter, choir practice and church. Fri. morning is getting the sanctuary ready with visuals for two services, choir practice and church. Sat. is get the sanctuary ready for Easter. Sunday is EASTER! Already planned to go out for Sun. lunch! Good old Steak and Shake. Monday is the day I get a shot in my foot for pain that I've had for about 4 months now. Still wearing the brace which is a God Send. Now...will the shot work? Hope so. I can't go barefooted right now! Life could be worse.

And...NEXT WEEKEND...we're off to Michigan to see the expanded JB family...It's up to 15 baby sheep at this point. single births, twins, and a set of triplets. Looking forward to lots of fun with the three boys, parents, dogs and ALL the sheep. And...JB fixed my dishwasher! Yes he did. Well, it stopped working. He gave me a check list of things to look for and walah...the first on the list worked. Fork sticking in the float that stopped the water from coming in because the stuck float was giving the wrong message! The fixit bill was wonderful! That's if for now. Need to get my coffee cup filled and clippers in hand for a walk through the gardens to see what happened overnight. Might have missed something.

Palm Sunday

Well, the Palm Sunday parade was a bust. Rain, rain but church was good. Great music, great visuals and it was a great morning. Then off to Noah's birthday party. Fun, fun. I had a wonderful conversation time with Andrew. What a talker and just carrys on with the adults. It was most enjoyable. Noah was a delightful birthday boy pleased and excited with all of his presents. Great meal. Then home and the weather was beautiful and I decided to bite the bullet and get started on the flowerbeds. It's April 1 and it looks like May 15th. So...pulled a lot of weeds, trimmed a whole lot of butterfly bushes and used a little weed killer on spots. The butterfly bushes are coming up like weeds and I can't bare to cut them off. But I did a whole bunch of trimming and filled one garbage container already with clippings. The beds look so pretty when cleaned up. Got to keep at it at some point. It's probably a weeks worth of work or more. Showered, visited with neighbor Nancy and then made another quilt patch. One more to go and then it's getting everything connected together.
Heading back to church tomorrow to start knocking down all the purple lent stuff, put the donkey back on the stage, deliver potted palms to the preacher's house and all that should take at least a good part of the day. Looking forward to Easter afternoon nap.

Monday Even

Great B B this weekend...Go Buckeys. I love to see a GOOD game. Weather still continues to be warmer than usual although tonight it is to be in the high 30's. Grass is growing, weeds need pulling, and I'm lovin my quilt sewing. Humm...got to rethink some things. It's back to doc. land. Getting old is crazy. I was to have my thyrid checked two years ago and I finally got to the doc today. Ultra sound tomorrow. There are bumps discovered three years ago and I was supposed to get them checked yearly. Well, I could say my year is 1000 days or so. So tomorrow is the ultra sound. Don't think there will be any change because I can still swallow. Foot is still in a brace and we'll take care of that little thing is April. This week is preparation for Palm Sunday. I'll be at church everyday this week doing something. Today I took down all the stuff in the west entrance and put up some flags. Tomorrow I'm meeting a friend and we're picking up Palm plants from a greenhouse and I will work at church with a few more things in place. Wed. is same old...desk and handbells. Thurs. is B and B and choir. Friday is preparation of palm frons for the parade which is on Sunday as well as preparing for a work shop on Sat. I was asked to have coffee/pastries/tea etc. for 45 folks who will be attending the workshop. I'm using an overflow of Parana which we had last Sunday. I would say it's easier to do this then tell someone else where to find stuff and all that goes with it. Then on to Panaras Sat. evening and Sunday...Parade time with a whole bunch of hoopla.

And the best is finding time every day...I can do that...for Y workout. Today it was 15 minutes on the Treadmill and an hr. on the bike with a good book and earphones. Time flies. It seems that when 3:00 rolls around I'm off to the Y. I made another crockpot meal and had neighbor Judy come over for supper.

Now back to my room, Chris Mathews, quilt makingand a cup of coffee. Life is good.

This week

The week has been pretty tame compared to last weekend. But...it was busy none the less. I'm moving on with the quilt top. It's about 2/3rds finished. There is no rush but I do like to keep moving. Speaking of moving. Our new minister moved with the family to be nearer to North. They bought a cute little old house and Tues was the last minute cleaning. Well, not only cleaning but painting and somehow I got that job along with another lady. By the afternoon I had painted 4 different rooms with 4 different colors. Some was baseboard, some new plaster but the first room was a bedroom and I covered all 4 walls with a bit of help. Woo...I'm getting to old for that as I realized Tues. night when I thought I hurt in every muscle. I just have never remembered what all that work does to the body. But I can say I really had something to show for the day. I spent some time making doctor appointments. One for a thyroid checkup, and one for an asthma evaluation. I also have an appointment for an injection in my foot which should help but that doesn't happen until after Easter. So...I'm hoping the body work is finished for a while at some point. The weather continues to be warm with every flower on every tree and bush in bloom. It's beautiful. Today is a bit cooler with some rain. It's B Ball time. Back to see N. C. and later IU and Kentucky. Woo...I hope we win that game. It will be tough. Last time we played Kentucky we beat them and I would imagine that will be great motivation for Kent.

It's Saturday

Interesting week to say the least. Quilt top continues to grow slowly. The longer I do it the better I like it. That's encouragement to say the least in connecting all 81 patches. I'm up to almost 36 at this point. Tuesday I spent some cleaning time at the new preacher's house. It's a charming little old nugget not to far from the church. Wed. was church desk and handbells...Thursday soup kitchen and choir...Friday was clean out the flower beds and I really got a bunch of stuff pulled up and raked out pulled up and most beds sort of ready for spring besides working on the quilt. NCAA basketball is in full swing so that also took care of part of Thursday and Friday and now Sat.

Now the following ends up in the plus column. So...here's the story. 3 weeks ago I went to Indy Ortho to try to determine why my foot has been on the fritz for about 2 months. Doc. Lehman game me a brace to wear which really has helped but has not eliminated the problem. So...we discussed on Fri. what the options are and sometime next week I'll get a shot of cortisone. Yahoo. it usually is a miracle worker. All the eggs are in the basket and am hoping for the best. That happens sometime next week. The second event!!!! Friday night I felt a little twinge in my chest thinking that all the garden work during the day or maybe all that repetitive hand sewing was the cause. It just hurt when I moved a little. Well, around 4 am this morning Wooo...woke up with a horrible pain in my chest. Got up...walked around for a while wondering what was going on and finally thought...dah...just get on with it so woke Doug and we were off to the heart hospital. The short story is ...after xrays...lots of blood work...talk with the cardiologist...I probably pulled a muscle when gardening. And...it's right over my heart. It must have been a big pull. So...Tylenol is keeping the pain under control Doc. said...If there is any unexpected pain between your head and feet...time to see the emergency room doc. So...anyone who reads this remember the doc. Thank you heart for remaining healthy.

Then around 8 this morning off to IU North for my usual bloodwork for Doc. Goens. Wooo...three hospital related visits in less than 24 hrs. That must be a record.

The garden weeds are still in piles...need to get them into the garbage containers at some point. Not in a big hurry.

Oh, yes. another Friday thing. It's been 80 degrees for most days this week and the flowering bushes are all out in beautiful form. So...no flowers from the florist reserved for Sunday services so...Sunday there will be forsythia, star magnolias, flowering pears and more. The arrangements are huge and look so spiffy in the sanctuary on either side of the altar. I call them southern arrangements because they have no definite form and one can see and the air can flow through them My car was a mess after taking all that stuff to church so did a little car clean up today. It was unfit for the living. So...back to sewing and watching Ohio State play.

Sunday afternoon

Woo...I say that a whole lot. Today was a woo day. Time changed first. So off to church at the new 6:30 but was really 5:30. Arrived at 7 and started hospitality stuff. Today a visiting Free Meth. collage choir from Greenville, Il. sang and we prepared a little big more for them. Beautiful kids singing beautiful music.

Pizza for lunch was ordered for them and Mark needed clean up people so.... we were the clean up people eating with the kids. Fun...fun. So...I've already had a sleep and now am ready for the Ohio St. Mich. St. game. Should be a good one I hope. And choir director Mark is singing at the opera and then he's off to Germany for a week to hear his favorite female person sing. Some people do lead different lives. Crazy world but room for all of us. Preacher Darren preached a wonderful sermon on radical hospitality. Woo...it was a good one. He had some interesting thought provoking information on poverty. His brain is full.

This week...hum...got to think. Worked on the quilt top almost every minute I was home. I hit the jack pot on fabric Thursday. Favorite person Jo and husband are moving to Atlanta and having an open house today and Thursday moved her stash of fabric on to me.. She is a beauitful quilter and now I have beautiful stuff and a whole bunch of it. She said and I would agree that I won't be at the fabric store for a long time. That happened Thursday evening so Friday I sorted and ironed all day. Then yesterday another favorite friend Beth called and said she was unloading her fabric and moving it to my house. Woo...What gifts. So HOLD the fabric friends.

First meeting for the 2012 Kenya Carnival at Sec. Presb. on Labor Day weekend is Monday. I always like to go to show my support. I don't need another job but I think an old lady at the meeting is important. I can do that. Friday I go back to Doc. Lehman for my foot. The brace I think is helping but the foot is really sore when it's not on. I would think it will take a lot of time for the tendon to say..."HEALTH". That's about it from HIllsdale Dr. this time.