Happening

Way to much has happened.  Woo...This will be the short version.
We managed once again to vacation in Michigan the last week in July and the first week in Aug.
Jared and family were with us again.  What fun with all the little guys as well as their parents.  The first week was cold.  The second week was just perfect although the cold wasn't very bad.  No bugs, no rain and lots of time spent sewing, reading and sitting on the porch at the pottery shop visiting with friends from Sterling and Novi among other places.

On returning home found that one of our huge honey locust tress had blown down and that took a ton of money to get cleaned up.

Then we learned that brother Jim who had visited with us the week before vacation had fallen, receiving a concussion which led to complications and eventually his death in Richmond.  So, sad, so sad.  What an emotional roller coaster.  So...off to Richmond to attend his memorial service.  He is the first sibling to die.  My sister Mary K lives here in Carmel.  So fortunate for me.

Back home again and then Doug entered Saxony hospital for another heart cauterization adding another stint to his heart vessels.  The total is 4 currently.    I'm ready for some boring days.

We traded in my car and Doug's truck for a Honda Oddessy before vacation and for the 6 weeks we've had it there are 4,500 miles on it.  Woo...Yes...ready for some boring days.  I miss my little Civic.

Tomorrow our church organist and very, very good friend is playing for the last time at North.  He's off to Oregon Monday.  Another leaving.  His replacement's resume is wonderful but no one can fill Martin's shoes like he did.  A wonderful personality that really could role with the punches.  He also directed bells.

Garden looks good.  Gourds are growing, dug potatoes.  Tomatoes are coming on and a few squash actually survived.  The summer has been cooler than usual.  Some veg. want heat.

So that's the short version.  My heart and head are tired and I'm chilling out for a time.

A very sleepy Sunday.

Can't remember when I slept almost all of Sunday afternoon away.  Perfect weather to do that.  Garden continues to show off but now could use a little water.  Tomorrow evening neighbor Judy and I are going to a Herb Society meeting in Brownsburg.  Tues. supper Doug and I are visiting a church friends garden along with some friends.  Should be fun.  Not much more going on.  So...tend the garden and make some carry out dishes for Mon and Tues. and that should be it.  Still sleepy.

Rain, rain...I love you

Well, the garden loves the rain also.  It never has looked better.  Everything is growing up in fine style.  Big issues this week.  Last fall we had a huge hail storm which did a lot of damage to the roof and siding.  It needed to be fixed but couldn't be fixed until we had the chimneys rebuilt.  That rebuilding resulted is a bunch of bricks left over.  So...the big project,issue this week...I'm edging the biggest garden with bricks.  That means digging a small ditch and carrying...placing...bricks.  I think I'm about half way finished with that.  The digging is easy...rain, rain.  Little by little the job gets done.  I also transplanted some JOE PIE WEED...Yup...that's the name...from Judy's garden.  She just pulls it out and I think it's a very interesting plant.  Great blooms later in the summer.  The garden in the gourd arbor is doing very well.  We should have cherry tomatoes this week.  Egg plant and beans and squash are blooming as well as the potatoes.  No deer problems anywhere this year.  It needs to continue.  There are deer in the neighborhood but I think they have changed their route to the creek.  Today is church and this afternoon is the first softball game of the year for church folks.  Just a great time to sit under the trees, visit with families and relax.  Not to much happening this week.  Well, that's the current plan.  There will probably be a trip to the library.  The books of the day are picture books of gardens.  I have a great one from the Hudson Valley.  It feeds my mind.  Interesting enough, I can find lots of plants in the pictures that I have in the garden.  If I don't recognize the name I google it.  One that I did turned out to be Bug Bane.  That's another interesting name.  It's a beautiful plant...I could use another one.  Hard to keep a gardener satisfied with what she has but I give it my best effort.  More rain today.  It's happened almost every day this past week.  Well, I could say this past month.

Woo An evA busy few days...real busy.

And one that changed from day to day.  It all started with a whole bunch of doctors appointments that all turned out well.  Then Tuesday was Andrew and Noah day which I wrote about.  Fun, fun.  Wed. got an afternoon call that JB and family was driving south and was expected to arrive around 10 pm.  What a great surprise although we were trying to make this happen and the weekends were just never cooperating.  So...Thurs. and Friday it was great family time.  Andrew and Noah were here for almost all of Friday so the fun really was 5 times over.  Kimmy has posted great pictures on her blog.  Just so many good memories.  Sat. morning Doug and I left for Ohio attending a retirement party for friend Nancy Baxter.  The Hefners invited us to FLY over with them to Cleveland.  What fun. It was just the best trip.  Patty H. and I have worked for years on visuals at church and now she is spending half of the year in AZ. so I really never have time with her to talk about all sorts of things.  So...it was two hrs of solid talk.  Loved every minute of it.  And the air trip was fabulous.  And it was just wonderful again to see Nancy.  She worked at church with Christian Ed.  I took several trips with her to Atlanta with the confirmation kids.  Memories, memories...oh, so good.  So...it was just one of those super duper trips and I should add the time with the kids was part of the super duper weekend.  We left before Kimmy and JB did and you know...when we got home the house had been swept, cleaned etc. which just made that an unbelievable surprise.  I continue to find places that I hadn't noticed was done. My brain continues to spin about the last few days.  Today our church organist Martin Ellis announced his leaving to live in Portland OR.  We will MISS him soooo much.  But like children...one needs to let him go just as we did Nancy years ago.  He will be leaving Sept. 1.  This week looks pretty clear of stuff.  Lots of rain last week so the dirt needs to be stirred.  Should be a good week to just sit on the patio and read the paper or a good book which I don't have.

Another day

Gardens are looking wonderful.  Did a lot of watering today and this evening.  Now neighbor Judy says it's going to rain.  Fat chance in my mind. 

Fun with the grandsons.  They were here all day and I just had to take a sleep early afternoon.  Woo...they want their grandma to play with them all the time...And I do.  Catching butterflies was just a hoot.  They can run with the best of them and they did manage to catch two cabbage butterflies, much to my surprise!  We found a toad, spent two hrs. at our neighborhood park, played in the sprinkler two times, watered flowers and more and more.  Tomorrow it's off to church to change banners among other things.  Not much more on the calendar.  The Patty trip is off.  Bummer but there are other committments.

Looking forward to another Michigan vacation.  Woo...I'm wondering how old I'll be when I say I'm to old to sleep in a tent.  At least our latest tent is one I can stand up in! 

I'm hear again.

It's been a while for various reasons, probably none of which makes sense.  I've had a blast with all my gardens.  Woo...what fun and things really look good.  Rain has been plentiful so little watering so far although there has been just a bit.  I visit everything every day.  Veg. garden...lettuce, cilantro, egg plant, squash, beans, potatoes and tomatoes and the deer can't get t o the garden because it's in the gourd arbor.  Although a huge surprise when we found a fawn lying in the arbor.  Could not have been more than a week old or maybe less.  Flowers are looking good.  I replanted most of the front bed going across the front of the house with shade plants moved from the back shade yard.  Woo...it's a good looking fresh bed.  So...lots to check on each morning particularly if one looks for evidences of deer which I saw this morning.  I have decided that the deer have a place...maybe.  I've had such fun working with neighbor Judy.  She is a master gardener that just plants and plants but it 's all flowers.  I scratch in the dirt every day.

Andrew and Noah continue to spend Tuesdays with me.  What  a blast.  I love talking to both of the boys.  It takes me back to memories of teaching first grade children. Andrew is ready for 2nd grade and Noah will be in kindergarten.

I've been sewing bibs for Sarah Ellen Mamlin for her Kenyan children.  This is the last week of her being here in the states so it 's packing time which has happened almost every day this week.  It 's a process for sure.  She leaves tomorrow and Doug and I will take her to the airport in the afternoon.

Before Sunday...I have a new preacher robe to hem as well as a stole to finish.  Idle times never last very long which pleases me a great deal.  Last Sun was Pentecost which required lots of red banner hanging, this Sun. is Trinity Sun...white banners.  Last Sunday the choir did The World Beloved. A blue grass mass.  It was wonderful, wonderful.  The church is still talking about it and I think that will continue for a long time.  What fun, fun, fun.  Wonderful rhythms, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and bass.  It's worth looking into if one doesn't know about it.

Next weekend friend Patty is flying 4 other folks including Doug and I to Cleveland for a day with old friend Nancy, who is retiring from her job.  Nancy at one time worked at North...such a great friend.
 So that's it for now.

Here again

Here again.  Easter is over at this point!  Yahoo.  I must say that during Lent and now Easter...we've had the best music ever.  Palm/Passion Sun. was the best with lots of music, scripture and visuals.  It was a sort of Palm/Passion service with hymns and anthems that carried the story of Holy week.  Just awesome.  Then of course great Thurs. and Fri. services...Funeral Sat. morning so we Easter decrated Sat. afternoon.  And then on to Easter Sunday services.  Busy but OHHHHH! so good.  Darren and I are a team like none other!  We're just on the same track.  Now if the custodians could get it.  I really got frustrated with no trust coming from them!  Bummer.  It's been a bit quieter at church.  Thank God!  Sat. our handbell group traveled to Anderson and had a day of bell ringing and program with two other groups.  It was fun.  The weather is finally getting warmer and I'm into the flowerbeds big time.  Loving every minute of it.  Just wish I had enough energy to last ALL day long.  I'm sort of pushing the knee to a place it doesn't want to go so at some point I just need to stop and ice again.  What a bummer again.  It just can't keep up!  At some point it WINS!  This week I have three complete days at home.  MON. TUES. and All of WED.  We're having rain so it's easy to pull weeds.  I've been shopping for herbs.  The green houses are lagging behind my schedule.  Planted lettuse, cilentra, and radishes already.  All of the butterfly bushes have frozen back to the ground and today I cut off at least 8 bushes.  That's hard to do when the whole stock is dead.  No tall bushes certainly will give the garden a new look with lots of sunshine to go all around.  Fun, fun.  Something new again. 

My goodness...It's been a while

Well, a lot has happened.  The best being that warm weather is here.  Today we raked three garbage containers full of locust seed pods and there is at least enough to fill another three.  The neighbor kids   4 of them came over when they saw me raking.  Thank goodness for them.  I thought it would take three or four days to get the job done.  Well, it's done sort of because we need to fill three more containers.  Locust pods everywhere.  Busy looking to see the shape of the perenniels.  And today I started spraying the #$$%^& onions.  They never give up and I decided that I couldn't dig any more.  So spray...

Preparation for holy week and easter has been filling days and days.  But...ready is what I am feeling.  Doug and I prepared the palms for tomorrow.  It's Palm/Passion Sunday and there are a lot of visuals to go with each of the readings along with finding people to be a part of the service.  Thurs. is just about ready, Fri. is Seven Last Words and then Sat. is decorating morning and ofcourse the next day is Easter...Wooo...Busy, busy time. 

Knee continues to perk right along.  I'm back at the Y and have found that when the knee aches, getting on the treadmill really helps.  So...Not quite back to where I was with time but not to far to go to be back where I was before surgery.  I'm very, very happy with the progress. 

Had a wonderful time with Noah's birthday party.  Lots of church children and just had a lot of fun. 
Tonight I'm going with sister Mary K to the Carmel Symphony and the Anderson University Choir proformance at the Palladium.  Such a nice way to spend an evening with a sister.  Doug will do the Panara pick up by himself and he is quite capable.  Go Doug. 

Done...

Well, finished with James the PT man...but the knee still is recuperating.  And I think I know what the expectations are as time passes.  Now with a little patience this to shall pass as folks tend to say. Passed the balance test with flying colors.  30 seconds standing on my surgical knee leg with the other foot off the floor and not hanging on to anything.  See if you all can do the same. 

 Busy warm day last Fri. and Doug picked up lots of trash out of the yard and I raked and ended up with a very sore knee that responded to LOTS of icepacks.  Learned my lesson.  I just need to remember it.  I've been watching lots of B Ball and that also helps rest the knee.  This morning I spent time at the Y on the bike and treadmill...then off to church and worked on Easter stuff...done...Palm Passion Sun...done...Holy Thurs...to do and Good Fri.  to do.  The good thing about the last two is that I'm doing what I've been asked to do.  No decisions on my part.  Now...what's left is finding folks to carry everything out.  I'll start on that later.  Tomorrow is Noah morning and Dr. Fisher at 8:00 am.  Last call for the surgeon!!!

With a little luck I may go to the greenhouse tomorrow and pick up some palm plants.  Such a fun place to snoop in.. Toward the end of Holy Week it's back to the green house to pick up flowering plants for the altar.   Talk of snow tomorrow.  The pictures on Johndee.com web site tell the story of snow in the Copper Harbor area of Mi. along Lake Superior.  It's unbelievable and those folks think the same. 

Time flies

Healing continues with an excellerated rate or so it seems.  I am so pleased as well as my PT guy. 
The second knee has benifited from the first knee in a way I hadn't understood.  I am in charge and the knee has responded.  One more session and then it's a visit with the surgon next Tues.  Went to the Y this morning.  The bike is my friend and just loosens everything up that needs help.  I could do that every day although PT guy said every other day.

Started thinking about Passion Palm Sunday and visuals that will be needed.  Exciting service.  Don't have much thinking done for Easter Sunday yet.  Might play it down this year.  Banners may do it all with flowers on the altar. 

Still crocheting little baby hats for newborns and reading lots of books.  Found an author I like for the time being.  Bell practice tonight.  B and B tomorrow and Choir practice tonight.  Good music this season. 

Tired in Carmel

Woo...Church wears me out.  Well, maybe it's daylight saving time.  Anyway...got home from church and had a bowl of soup and then slept for 2 hrs. in bed.  Now it's Pacer time...Ohio State won.  Duke won.  Michigan beat Ind.  Busy weekend with more games to come in the not to distant future.  Tom W. a wonderful choir member and a grad of Michigan went to the game and arrived back in Indy this morning at 2...What a guy.    Love it.  Continue to crochet and now have 71 more hats ready for Kenya.  That's after the 100 that already have been delived to Jim Lemons.  Woo...yard work better be here soon or I'll be needing more yarn. 

Great service today with wonderful music and good preaching, wonderful altar flowers and great company.  That's North as I see it.  Tomorrow I'm meeting a team of folks from the Fellowship of UN. Meth. in Worship and Arts who are planning a national convention here in Indy July of 2015.  It's a great, great organization that has pulled me to many of their conventions and now lucky us...It's coming to Indy.  North Church will be the setting for the first worship service and the worship team and I will be looking at what spaces will be used for that service.  Yahoo...Exciting news for sure.  Just a wonderful collection of folks from all the Arts will be in Indy for the convention from all over the US.

PT continues to exhibit great progress.  So great that somehow a muscle in my right hip which is probably related to that darn left knee is killing me.  So...decided that another ice pack just might be the ticket since this afternoon's trip to the Y using their bike didn't seem to do much.  Thank goodness for icepacks.  Going down steps really hurts and I think the ice will help.  One needs to think that ice is good for many things...Just not outside as we have experienced this winter.    I did schedule two more sessions and now I'm booked until I see the surgeon Fisher on Tuesday the 25th. 

So...that's catching you all up on the news of the day. 

Warmer!!!!!

Up and dressed in shorts ready for PT this morning.  Today...It is to get maybe to the 50's...Yahoo for sure.  Knee continues to make progress.  Nights could be better but last night only one ice pack time and that just about drove me crazy so pitched it.  This morning much to my surprise I went down the stairs carefully just like all folks usually do...One foot right after the other.  Inbetween days I'm off to the Y for biking and walking just enough to loosen that up one tight knee thanks to the PT's OK.  I think I've enter the complaining stage in wellness.  Got to get patience going again.  Just get it done!!!!  I have two more PT sessions scheduled and I could be finished or perhaps not according to James.

 Worked at church this week and visually we are into Lent.  Had a good ladder climber on Wed. and Doug and I worked on Tuesday with little areas that needed a touch.  So done for now and then on to Easter.  Church responsibilities never cease and I think that's also gets the healing process going.  Good circulation activities when one doesn't have time to sit on their duff!   Infact James the PT man said that was more truer than one might think.  So...hyper activity in this case can lead to something good according to James.    Continue to crochet little baby hats for Kenyan babies.  Still have a bunch of yarn and such a good thing to do while basketball is on TV although it's hard to watch when I need to watch the crochet hook.  Woo   Butler had a blow out...It's about time!  Pacers are on the go for a while.  Season is more than half over and I think they have lost no more than 5 games at home.  Miami Heat...watch out.  We're continuing to feed the birds and we have flocks of Finch.  Such cute little things and I'm hoping they ALL stay around for the summer.  Huge flocks of Robins are attacking the crab apple tree apples.  Really impressive.

That's about it for now.  Need to grocery shop soon.  Frig. is amost empty!  Floor needs sweeping.  Yup...get off the duff here!   

Sunday

March 2...Eli's birthday and he is 4.  Another snow storm today.  This is getting a bit old.  Hard to believe but it's been cold for a lllloooonnnggg time.  Yesterday afternoon was the Kenya Carnival at Sec. Presb. I set up a table and sold some things related to Kenya.  Wish more was gone but it's back here ready for the next sale.  Today was church again.  I'm trying very hard to take it easy on the new knee.  Didn't sing this morning.  Just felt a bit stretched to the max.  Sleeping is not good but this has memories of the first knee experience.  It's about 2 hrs. worth of sleep and then more ice.  Got a few more drugs and I will take them.  This week.  Physical tomorrow...Noah and PT on Tuesday.  Wed. Work at church/bells, Thurs. Soup Kit. and Choir and Friday PT again.  Somewhere inbetween all of this I've got to get the church into the Lenten Mode.  Purple.  It will be simple this year but will need my attention.  So...that's it.  Brrrrrrr.  It's cold. 

Latest Knee Knews!!!

It's all getting better.  All 15 outside stitches out this morning.  PT James is a tough one and certainly knows what he is doing.  Expectations are high.  Yahoo.  Two times a week is the plan and I think it should work just fine doing homework as well.  Still icing from time to time.  Nights aren't so good but this to shall pass.  At this point...no walker...no cane...just me.  Finished crocheting about 120 little premi hats for Kenya.  I'll take them to sec. presb. church for Doc Lemons.  Some yarn completely gone but there still can be more possibilities with what is left.  The last 4 days saw a big push to complete two banners for Lent.  Woo...when first hinted at by Mark G...I thought...NO WAY.  I told Doug I must be getting better because about a week ago I started thinking about the banner possibility again and now there are two completed.  Simple design with crosses and the words...Lord have Mercy and Kyire Eleison decorative letters in shades of purple on net that will hang in front of beigh silk fabric.    Hope to hang them in the west entrance.  Each Sunday during Lent the choir is singing a "Lord Have Mercy" or Kyire Eleison during the service.  I think Mark will be surprised.  If not that's fine also.  But it will be a surprise.  It was up and down the stairs working in the diningroom and then sewing room so the knee got lots of therapy!!!  Woo...maybe to much. 

Weather is turning COLD again.  Sunday the furnace went out!  NO heat.  Brr.  and the house got to 55 on the middle level.  So...bundle up and keep busy.  Got it fixed yesterday and then the dryer broke last week and got that fixed this morning.  Woo...money is running.  Bills, bills.  Pacers are playing tonight. What a fun team to watch and hoveing right behind the Miami Heat!  Way to go boys! 

Supper is going to be soup again.  I made three different kinds...MK brought me two more kinds...Neighbor Judy brought me one more and I'm lovin all of it.  And for what ever reason...I'm three pounds lighter!  That's crazy.  Might just continue the soup diet...May be just as good as Jared's Sub sandwich diet. 

Speaking of Jared R...He and Kimmy managed to sheer sheep last weekend getting those mothers ready to drop their babies in March.  Work....they do it all.   

Sec. of two

Yesterday's was short so I'll give this some attention.  Yes...Ric...plan to wait till the snow melts for sure and maybe even more.  This past summer the garden suffered at the mouths of the deer.  No beans, few tomatoes.  And the deer tracks are still being seen in the snow at this point.  So garden.  If I plant it must be broccoli, cabbage and all that stuff with the hopes that the deer don't like them...And it's not a 10 on my rating chart.  So...garden might be put to rest.  I did have a dream last night the the deer didn't eat peppers. 

Pills...time is increasing between pills.  Haven't taken any since 300 this morning.
PT...doing all three from time to time.  Thinking range of motion.  I think I'm doing fine until I look to see just where that leg is.  It's a long way from where it should be.  But improving. 
Stairs...becoming easier all the time.  Bad leg down first when decending...Good leg up first when assending.  Makes sense. 
Walker not using that much at all.  It's great for when loosing one's balence but that's improving by the hr.
Then it's back to the cane.d

Trips out...yesterday I spent a few minutes at Sec. Presb. attending an Umoja reception.  Saw LOTS of good friends and knew that when I left after 20 minutes...IT WAS TIME to go.  But the coming and going part as well as the friends part was just fine.  Used a cane for that trip as well as the elevator!!! 

Weather...we broke the all time record of snow fall for one winter yesterday.  Today...Ice and rain seem to be coming our way this afternoon.  We'll see.  Feb. 17th is a long way from the end of winter at this point. 

Doug...still going to heart rehab but said that when he's finished he'll move on the the Y.  Yahoo.  Might have someone to drive me there.  Early afternoon is full of old folks just moving along at their best rate. 

Cooking...Doug does know how to use the microwave and two friends have brought more soup.  I'm full but know that surgery tends to take away one's appetite. 

Church Friends and surgery.  Kathy Miller is now considered Cancer Free.  But time will really see how long that wil last.  But...so far...so good.  Liver has been cleared of spots and part of her pancres has been removed. It's unusual for a patient to get as far as Kathy Miller has in treatment.  Kathy Oehler is now considered Cancer Free with the hope that no more breast cancer spots will devvelop and be found.  Marilyn Strawbridge has started on her trial treatment for cancer.  Have not a clue how this will turn out and Marilyn Rhamsey's cancer is now traveled to her brain.  Life sucks in some cases. 

So after that paragraph...a little knee surgery doesn't seem so bad and it really isn't.   

Sunday Feb. 16

Knee surgery is over and I'm on the mend.  It was much as I experienced on the other knee but knowing what to expect has made it a bit easier.  Doing the pill thing, walker thing, cane thing and Tues. I start with Therapy.  In between all that I'm I'm
crocheting and watching TV, sleeping and letting the body heal.  Doug is doing his best to keep me supplied with water, food and the latest news.  So...that's my life so far.  All is well.  I'm sleepy so I'm heading off to bed soon.  

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

What else could I say.  Right now...Tues. evening it's doing it again with predicted 10 inches by tomorrow morning.  We'll see.  And there is even a bigger one coming in over the weekend.  This is getting crazy.  This snow started dumping late afternoon.. I was at the Y and decided it was time to leave but that should have happened 30 minutes earlier.  Took me 45 minutes to go about 3 miles.  Cars, a hill and snow dumping in huge amounts at that point.  Everyone seemed to be very patient. 

Continuing to crochet.  Fun, fun.  more little hats for premi babies.  There are 50 in my box and I think I've given to Riley Hospital about 20 so far.  Good quiet hobby to do while watching Tv.  Thinking TV...Pacers beat Atlanta tonight.  What a fun team to watch this year. 

Tomorrow...stuff to do but now it's will be determined what that is due to the snow fall and us getting shoveled out.  Doug is doing well to keep his hands off the shovel.  He continues to go to heart rehab and is following instructions about what he can and can not do.

Noah spent some time here this morning.  What a wonderful little boy.  We made scones which he loves to mix and talk and mix and talk.  Played some games and the rest of the time he entertained himself in the best of ways.  Next Aug...Kindergarten.  I'll miss his visits. 

Woo.  Less than a week for my knee surgery.  I'm ready with food in the freezer, walker and cane waiting and it's time to get on with it.  I'm hoping that my time at the Y will make the rehab go a bit faster.

Now back to thinking about bed time and let it snow.     

Movin on

The cold weather is gone.  Thank goodness.  A lot of snow has melted and there are ugly patches of dead grass around.  But  we hare having a lazy slowing drifting down to earth snow this morning.
I've been learning to crochet.  Something new although I knew a bit before but never did anything with it .  So...Kat had a lesson for Kimmy and I and now I've moved on to dishcloths which seems to be the rage around these parts.  Fun, fun.  So...I think there will be some give aways soon.  Watching TV and thinking about Watergate as compared to Bridgegate.  Yes...old enough to remember Watergate.  Interesting world to say the least.  Working on the desk today...bell practice tonight.  Tomorrow is Bread and Bowl and then choir practice in the evening.  Back in that routine which I need.  I hate the other kind of life.  Having fun with Noah on Tuesdays.  What a ray of sunshine.  I love his off moods as well as his on moods.  No poptarts brings out the other side of him but making scones brings on the other side.  We had a blast  yesterday with my 4 year old superman and his doll George.  George now is also a superman doll.  Woo, woo. 

BRRRRRRR!!!!!

Woo...has it been cold.  Really, really cold.  Windchill minus 40.  Right now...Tues 1pm it's has risen to zero.  Big whoop.  I think we are past the worst.  Snowed to beat the band Sunday.  Church canceled and then we hit the deep, freeze part of this storm.  Right now...Tues noon the house temp is 55 and it's been that way for two days.  But...not complaining.  We did not loose power!  The shelters are open and there are people in them.  The heavy snow and the amount has taken down trees.  We've lost a red bud and some branches are down but none on power lines.  That's the best of the best news.  So...lots of clothes makes this all work well.  I even wore a hat to bed which stayed on all night.  I was surprised.  Also...socks and the two pr. of slippers JB knitted for me stayed on my feet as well.  I'm sure there are many cold folks near by.  Feeding the Finch.  Such hardy birds and they love that thistle seed.  Two Junkos have been around as well.  So maybe tomorrow I'll venture out.  We should be in the 30's by Friday. 

A FUN two days

Sat. evening.  The kids are on their way back to Mi.  Huge snow storm coming and they beat it out of town much to my encouragement.  We are supposed to get at least 10 inches starting late tonight and into much of tomorrow and then into the deep freeze for sure.  I heard minus 55 windchill for Monday.  What is going on?   Kids arrived Thurs evening driving through another huge storm.  Friday Eric/Kat family were here ALL day.  What fun.  This morning Kimmy and I hit 3 GoodWill stores.  That could keep us occupied all day.  It was half price day.  Everything on sale.  Bought a better office chair for the sewing machine for 3 bucks along with 2 pr. of shoes that I really needed.  Well, one pair would have done it but at half price bringing them to around 3 bucks...1.50 a foot.  I bit the bullet!  Kimmy loves the hunt as well as I do.  They are on their way back home.  So now the question is...Will we have church tomorrow.  Many have closed already although the snow hasn't started.  That should happen around 12 am. and continue through to Sun. evening. 

This is the week to de decorate the church.  Will that happen.  Maybe Friday.  We;ll just wait and see.  Nothing much on the calendar Mon. and Tues.  Wed. I am scheduled to work at church and then Thurs B and B.  Last week we were really, really short on help and we were late on arriving because of that snow storm so it was work as fast as possible and we made it with 5 minutes to spare.  Usually we can have a 20 minute break before we open the doors.  We had about 40 folks or more. 

That's it for now.   

Christmas is Coming!

Well, it's 2014 so I guess we are in the year that it will be here.  But...the family will all be here Friday.  Yahoo for sure.  And I'm getting ready.  Yahoo.  Attitude is certainly in a better place.  Finished gift shopping yesterday with a trip to United Arts and Education.  My favorite place in Indy.  Grocery came in big Monday so I've cooked ahead and still need to do a bit today.  I'm getting ready to PLAY big time on Friday and Saturday.  Those grandsons are entering the best part of living in or approaching lower elementary ages.  The place I lived for 28 years.  So a little more grocery shopping today  (Dr. Pepper for one) and thinking about those long ago sweet rolls.  That was tradition.  Monday I'm off to church again to put Advent/Christmas back in the box.  Here?  Didn't do much of any decorating because of Xmas in January.  Just wasn't in to it.  Better plans for 2014!!!!  House is back to former order.  That's a very good thing.