And now it's Sunday.

Woo   I added an L which made wool.  And we need all the wool we can get.  It's colder than a brass toilet seat in Nome Alaska.  Have you heard that one?   Well...when the temp gets to zero the house furnace just doesn't keep up.  I guess the boiler is not big enough for all the registers or something like that.  That's my explanation.  And we've been at zero and below now for a bit and there is more bits to come.  So...I'm using my  wool when I need it.  Love my Goodwill wool blanket...my Kimmy wool scarf and the hat I knitted from Oscar's wool.  I just bundle up and stay warm.  Today church was interesting.  One service was scheduled and then the sanctuary was around 50 degrees.  So...we have worship in the chapel which was just a tad warmer with expectations of  a small crowd.  Well...that didn't happen.  The chapel holds about 90 max but the hall held the overflow.  The Sunday after Christmas is always the Wesley renewal of our commitment and dedication  service and Darren does such a good job of tying this service all together.  Very meaningful and worthwhile to hear again. Then home to watch football, feed the birds...Carolina Wren...hum...Carolina's would be warmer than here.  Not to much planned for tomorrow except two times at the Y.  Early morning and late afternoon.  The sugar levels have improved and that's a good thing but it takes exercise along with diet.  Tues...I'll be at church again starting to get Xmas back in the box.  I'm going to work on the last Doris banner that needs some help. I'm excited about that having some good ideas of what will make that banner better and last for a long time.  It originally was made for a conference but finally we have found a place and time to use it at North. So...I hear the TV loud and clear so back to the game.  Colts won...Who would have thought.  Pitts and N Eng. also won.  Go Pitteburg.

Now it's Friday.

Well...it's the same old same old Friday.  Yup...Mi kids were to arrive this afternoon...Yes were.  4 out of 5 are sick.  So...things change.  Woo...was I ready so now it's moving the food to the freezer.  Soon will be lambing time so I'm not holding my breath for Christmas 2017.  It could happen in March or April or next weekend.  I'm letting them call the shots.  So...today was Andrew and Noah time.  Noah was in a funk when he got here.  Not sure exactly why but I do know that he was trying to create something and didn't have the things he needed.  So...after a conversation...He wanted to make a Noah doll.  And...we did.  So...diversion helped a great deal.  There is now a Noah doll with shirt pants, jacket, hat...mittens and boots.  A call to talk to Kimmy happened.  Got to watch that kido.  He knows their 9 digit number.  It continues to be very cold and trips to the Y continue.  So...that's about it for now.  Missing my Mi grandsons but I'll get over that at some point.  There is hope. 

It's Wed.

Yes...Christmas weekend was the best.  I love being at ease and able to take in ALL the services.  No hurry, no worry.  Sun. morning...good sermon and great music.  Sun. evening 3 services all different.  The crowd was a little slim.  I think for most folks think one service in the morning is enough.  well...not for me.  For those of us who attend more than one and there are a few of those...the church provides a meal.  And it was very nice eating with good friends Christmas Eve.  Christmas day...I made sweet rolls and apple pies and froze them ready for this weekend.  Doug and I exchanged gifts.  Today I did a little cleaning in the sewing room and that lead to more cleaning then I've done in a long time.  The cobwebs are fewer in number.  Continue to go to the Y twice a day.  This morning it was -1.  brrr but that doesn't make me stay home.  Tomorrow Thurs...is usually soup kitchen but the church canceled for this entire week.  That is the first time since I've been doing soup kitchen...17 years.  Woo...Hope the guys can find some food.  Doesn't seem right but I don't make the rules.  So tomorrow...finishing up some food for the weekend.  Mi, kids coming Fri.  Andrew and Noah will be here and the fun begins.  I love doing the family thing on New Years weekend.  Stockings are filled and hung.  The place looks quite festive even though there is no tree in sight which makes more space for all of us.  So...Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year as well. 

Sat. and the big weekend.

Yes...it's coming.  Tomorrow it's probably 3 services at church.  Could be 4 and that might happen. 
All is ready for Sun. morning.  And then it's a little of this and that for the next three.  5, 7:30, and 10:30.  And then it's Monday and a quiet day with supper at Kat and Eric's around 5.  I might do some baking sometime on Monday.  I've been spending time at the Y the past two weeks.  Diabetic numbers are returning to something close to acceptable.  Woo...I can't do one goof and the numbers get out of whack.  So...Good numbers are a huge goal at this point.  I can get at least 3 miles in at the Y with usually 1 1/2 mile in the morning and 1 1/2 mile later in the day.  I love that place.  It has great new treadmill equipment and is not crowded.  So that's it for now. 

It's Monday .

Yesterday was another big day.  I love it when I'm busy and that was the order of the morning for sure.  We get to church at 7 am...get all the pastries ready for folks which means at least 10 plates full of goodies.  Doug makes about 7 pots of coffee and pitchers of juice...tea and more and we have three other folks who also help getting ready for folks.  Panera is so good to us giving all of their left overs Sat. night at 9pm.  What we don't use at church goes to 3 different shelters.  Larry...who is part of the crew is having surgery Wed so his not being with us will really be noticed.  Good music...good sermon continue.  We had an extra long rehearsal Sunday and that will continue Thurs. and next Sunday getting ready for the Sunday evening Christmas eve service.  Almost every Sunday brings a new setup during Advent in the sanctuary for some reason.  Today was no exception. For the coming Sunday morning and the three services Sunday evening we're trying to make it as easy possible for all.  Sunday morning...one service.  Sunday at 5 families with children and that service is entirely lay planed and implemented with children and youth participation.  Then 7:30 communion and 10:30 music and lessons and carols.  I spent about 2 hrs at church this morning with the preacher and the sanctuary set up.  It looks stunning and I think should work for all with just a few easy changes.  A little touch of something can make all the difference visually. 

Woo...I spent a day last week wrapping and filling all 9 stockings.  I usually do that Xmas day or so because we have our celebration on New Years weekend.  But...I'm done with that.  Still need to get some gift certificates.  And then DONE for sure.
 I'm looking forward to working on the last banner I have identified as needing help.  We're using it for the first time in about 30 years and people are really understanding the message of light it brings.  But it is old and time for a bit of snapping up.  So...after Xmas...that's my job.  It's finally found a place to be used which  is a wonderful back round for the Advent Candles, I was unable to find until now.  Woo...It is a Doris made and she would be so happy to see it used again. 

It's Friday again.

 Funny how Friday keeps coming around.  This week was pretty quiet.  Woo...what a gift.  Got a hair cut.  Woo...the air is pretty cold.  Made a cheese scone this morning and froze 3/4s of it.  We would eat all of it in a day if I didn't.  Walked at the Y this week...morning and late afternoon.  It's a 3 mile day.  Little by little.  Sugar numbers have improved wonderfully well.  Now...I've got to keep at it.  Did a little Xmas shopping.  I think it's just about finished.  Yesterday was soup kitchen with wonderfully well mannered folks eating with us.  Love it.  Last night was choir practice.  Woo...we have work to do before Xmas eve.  It's 30 minutes of singing at 10:30 and then again during the 11 o'clock service.  I think it's my 49th service.  Didn't go to church on Xmas Eve. the year Doug was sick.  Made a pot of Chick/Veg soup.  It smells delicious.  So...that's it for now. 

Brr

It snowed today.  Not much but there is a little white outside.  This week was lights week.  Woo...Lights in the kitchen, dining room, living room, outside...Love it.  I think the kitchen lights will stay up all year.  They are on the shelf that lines two sides of the kitchen and really makes the clear glass sparkle that's on the shelf.  Also...I managed to get 35 votive made for the advent candles at church.  That should be enough for at least 3 years.  Simple thing to do 5 at a time.  Did some rug braiding work and managed to break the lacing needle.  Dumb thing to do and I ordered another one this afternoon.  Need to keep braiding and lacing.  I'm also making a renewed effort to walk at the Y.  There are new machines and I really don't have a very good excuse not to do that.  I think my diabetes behaves better when I get some walking done.  It's 30 fast minutes...watching TV so the time goes really as fast as my steps.  Not much on the schedule for the coming days.  Yahoo. 

Up Date.

Wonderful day of music Sun.  First Sunday of Advent...the church looked stunning.  What fun and excitement.  Lots of  goodies for Hospitality time Sun.  LOTS.  and just crumbs left.  Late Sat. afternoon it was  St. Luke's Meth. Church for a wonderful evening of music with Sylvia McNair.  What a gift of music she brings.  And such a genuine person full of love.  And the choirs were just as good. Sun. evening went to Sec. Presby. for Lessons and Carols.   Today I was a bit lazy.  We made a trip to the Mamlin's and brought 6 trunks home with us which will eventually be sent to Kenya via folks who will be going there.  Tomorrow we're taking Sarah Ellen and Joe to the airport with 8 more trunks that will go back to Kenya with them.  I took the back seats out of the van and we'll haul 6 and 2 more will go with Joe to the airport via his rented car.  That's our afternoon work.  One more thing that must be done this week...making votive candles for our Advent Candles at church.  That's about it.  It's really a good feeling to not be on a tight schedule.  Love slow sometimes. 

A Week Later.

Our Georgia trip went off with not a hitch.  Left Tues noon...overnight in Manchester Tenn.  and then on to Georgia Wed.  Big trip to the grocery with Uncle Rick.  What a generous guy.  And then 4 great days of family time.  Played lots of card games.  Watched some movies and did a bit of walking with a visit to the bakery and gift shop.  Lots of monks came to see us.  Such good friends.  Rick left on Sat. to visit with son Jason in Nashville before going back to Tex. on Monday...Jared and family left early Sunday morning arriving home in 14 hrs.  Woo...that was impressive.  And we left early Monday morning and home after an 11 hr trip.  So...it's time to get back in the groove which I hope will be next week.  I'll be churching from Tues to Fri. this week.  Yup...it's Advent decorating.  Tues...it was getting ready for the six member crew that arrived today to get the banners up...wreaths up...west entrance taken care of...outside doors taken care of and the chapel ready among other spaces that needed attention.  It's always a huge job that seems to come together every year.  We're ready for the first Sunday in Advent...that is after the poinsettia arrive on Friday.  Tomorrow is soup kitchen...choir practice...Fri.  poinsettia time and time with visiting grandsons.  This morning started with a last trip to the dentist to get the crown on my tooth.  Woo...do we have bills.  And another one coming the first of the year for a furnace repair.  When it rains it pours. This week is draining the energy tank for sure.  So...looking forward to next week already although Tuesday is the day that the Mamlins and some trunks are sent on their way to Kenya.  Our car will be loaded.  And trunks will move to our house that don't make the plane.  So that's about it.

 For Georgia pictures go to rockin-r-ranch.blogspot.com.  Jared has posted a bunch! 

Mon. evening

Sunday was a block buster.  Had many things to remember to do at church and I remembered them all.  Then to St. Luke's Meth. Church for decorating.  The dinner was wonderful with about 200 folks eating together and celebrating the Umoja Project in Western Kenya.  This morning I unloaded the van getting all the decorations back where they belong.  Then lunch with my teacher friends...a bit of packing for Georgia.  And Doug says we are leaving tomorrow instead of Wed.  I'll go when the van goes so I need to get it together tomorrow morning.  I hope we leave by noon with the thought of getting to Atlanta Wed. at a time when the traffic isn't at it's worst as it would be if we left on Wed.  Doug is NOT an early riser...I am so getting him out of bed early, early Wed. for a day of driving is something he will do but hates.  So...tomorrow pack the ice chest with frozen stuff.  Add the mixer and electric skillet along with a good pan for cooking potatoes.  The farm house has lots of room but the kitchen accessories are not the best.  I would think no visitor cooks like we do for the number of days we do.  So...that's it for this Monday evening. 

Friday.

Well...everything I said on Monday happened...with one exception.  Went to Sarah Ellen's Thursday after soup kitchen...Repacked some trunks that were over 50 lbs...and now there are 12 trunks.  Woo...The plan is for Sarah Ellen and Joe to take 5 trunks back to Kenya with them and I with some help will deliver the rest of the trunks to folks who will be traveling there.  Lots and lots of B Babies for Chirstmas 2018 along with toys/books/games/craft supplies for sick hospitalized kidos.  It's the least I can do for children so far away.  Tomorrow...Sat.  Hum...grocery stop for hospitality time at church...visit with weavers/spinners at St. Luke's church.  First meeting I've gone to.  Looking for wool selling places for Kimmy/JB.  Don't have a weaver or spinning machine!  So..should be interesting.  Sunday morning...church and lots to do there as usual and then early afternoon back to St. Luke's church at 1: 30 to decorate for a huge fund raising Thanksgiving dinner for the Umoja Project in western Kenya.  Then the dinner in the evening.  Then...clean and get all that stuff out of the way.  Work on Georgia stuff and then we're out of here early Wed. morning for days in Georgia with family.  NEVER a dull moment. 

Monday...

Packed trunks...Eleven of them.  Woo...SEM is in great shape to move on to N. Carolina at the end of this week to be with family for another two weeks.  I'll see her again Dec. 4 for a final packing and then they are off to Kenya again on the 5 th.  Here again and then gone for another year.  This week...knitted again...laced a bit of the braided rug...bought a turkey for Georgia this morning.  Thinking about baking it here and then slicing etc. freezing and then taking it to Georgia DONE.  I'll miss the smell on Thanksgiving morning.  But...less mess for sure.  Bone scan this afternoon just to check how bones are doing.  Wed. is the next step in making a crown for the root canal tooth.  Thurs.  B and B.  So...the calendar is full enough for me!  Thinking of baking two apple pies before we leave for Ga.  I'll freeze them...easier life on Thanksgiving day.  Grandson Andrew turned 11 Sunday...HUGE Henry Potter Birthday Party Sat..   I mean Huge.  Kat's been planning for over a year Eric tells me.  It was fantastic theme party.  Some true POT  heads...Potter heads. 

Even more stuff.

Busy morning at church once again.  All Saints Sunday with candles and names read.  Woo...we named 18 new folks who have joined those not with us this year.  It was a very good service with lots of tears and memories.  Colts won...well they almost lost but they won.  Then today had a doc appoint with my Lauren Baker...diabetic doctor.  Sort of an OK report but I can do better.  I love her.  Took a pair of knit little house slippers for her little girl.  Then to Trinity Greek Orth. Church to talk about candles and then to church to clean up the Sunday service.  It was a sand and candle job.  Ordered food for Soup Kitchen and then home to make Deviled Eggs for the Herb Society meeting tonight.  See...even more stuff.  Tomorrow and Wed. packing trunks with Sarah Ellen.  That will be a busy time.  That's it for now. 

More stuff.

Rehearsal Sat. with orchestra for the Dan Forest Sunday event.  Wooo...this piece of music I think was the most difficult thing I've ever song but the outcome on Sunday was the most awesome event.  Woo.  More comments from people I never heard from before and it was just a most worshipful experience.  Sooooo Good.  Monday I met Sarah Ellen to do shopping for Kenya.  Tues. met Sarah Ellen for shopping for Kenya.  Wed. I sewed 5 lined cloth bags for her to use in Kenya.  Plastic has been outlawed in Kenya...Yahoo.  So...she now has 5 bags that will NEVER wear out. Today was Bread and bowl with the usual running around and meeting needs.  Then it was hanging banners and getting the sanctuary ready for All Saints Day Service Sunday.  Candles to light...Sand trays to use for the prayer candles...It's a service that really draws a lot of folks.   Members who have died during the year are remembered and their families are usually with us as well.  So...this afternoon...bushed in Carmel...but as usual...a bit of sitting and napping will get me ready for choir rehearsal this evening.  Tomorrow...and tomorrow and 8 am appointment with the dentist for maybe a crown and cleaning.  Who knows...but I'll know tomorrow.  Then it's a day with the grandsons.  Got to get some hotdogs. 

Hummm

Don't know if I've mentioned this but I've been having jaw pain for a couple of weeks.  Sometime good sometime bad.  I had a regularly scheduled dentist appointment on Monday and...Humm...the bad went down hill fast...Off to get a root job at Doc. Nasser.  Humm...not cheap for sure.  But...since that is over I'm feeling much better...Could it have been the infection...Back to the old pep level that I seem to have.  That's good.  Taking pills to get rid of the bad  and that's another good thing.  Wed. met friend Ray at church and we have two huge wreaths done for Advent.  Cleaned up the visual arts closet among other things.  It always makes me feel good that wreaths are waiting to be hung.  The rest is a piece of cake so to speak. But...lots of places need decorating.  Today was Soup Kitchen day and we had a huge number of folks that kept me hopping.  Woo...we were busy and had enough food for everyone.  Tonight is choir rehearsal and getting ready for Dan Forest and music Sunday for both services with a small orchestra.  It's stewardship Sun..  Special rehearsal on Sat. as well.  Did a bit of sweeping this afternoon but not before I spent at least two hrs working on the vacuum.   Found one big plug..washed it up nice and clean...then back together...then belt broke...apart...back together...then found another big plug in another part of the sweeper...back together.  So...I'm feeling that if I had taken it to the repair shop they would have charged an arm an leg.  It's such a simple thing to fix but sure takes patience and time. 

The good and the bad.

Woo...It's Sun. evening and I'm a happy camper for a lot of reasons.  Sat. is over...Just a lot of responsibilities to cram into the day.  The sale at church went well and one of the best things that happened was that the vendor beside me was a weaver and did I ever ask a lot of questions?  Yup.  Such a fun conversation. Then the bad...backed into a car while leaving the church parking lot.  Home to unload stuff.   Then off to niece Beth's house for a wonderful supper with a great friend from Va along with sister Mary K.  Just a lovely time together.  Then off to Panera where we picked up pastries for church...back home and realized that I had lost my car phob.  Doug thought I left it at Panera...I had no recollection of that and was in a totally frustrated mood about what could have happened.  My tooth still was hurting...and I knew I left that tiny bottle at Panera so made a 10 pm trip to the drugstore for more.  Well...the good news is that back to Panera today and there were the keys and medicine.  What a dunce of a brain that is with me.  So...this afternoon...asleep on the chair...good for my tooth...and good for a sleepless night.  Tomorrow the dentist.  Woo...won't be to soon.  Football wasn't the best.  So it was a total good and bad this weekend with the hope that the good will win out.  Oh, yes...a wonderful offertory solo by friend Mark.  That was sooooo good.  Talented guy singing words and music written by a great choir friend Denise.  It was GOOD!

Friday.

Woo...this week has been busy.  When I get old I'm going to slow down.  It's been a week of visiting doctors among other things.  And the doctor stuff is coming together.  Big church meeting Wed. evening with a positive vote by the church body to get the building project going that will bring some economic growth to the neighborhood with additional housing perhaps a grocery store as well as other businesses.  North owns land to the west of the church where this project will happen.  Will take some time but we now have begun.  Thurs...Soup kitchen with lots of work.  Woo...bushed again with a good nap in the afternoon before my mammogram and Doug's Doc visit with a new doc.  Then choir practice.  Today the little kids are coming...if time a trip to church to set up for the bazaar on Sat.  And through all this...I have a bad tooth ache that will be taken care of on Monday.  Grr.  Happy to have the liquid that numbs the tooth area.  I'm using that big time.  Must have a cracked tooth. Did a library visit Wed. and now learning about dying fabrics.  Won't do it but it's fun to read about.  Picked up some weaving books...ordered black lacing thread and when that arrives will start back on the braided rug.  I hope this time lacing will go better with what I've learned about lacing.  Remains to be seen. 

The WEEKEND!

Panda Poo is back home with my little friend looking quite well.  And the rest of the week was busy as ever.  Soup kitchen Thurs...Picked up a car for Sarah Ellen who will be back soon from Kenya for 6 weeks. Choir practice.   Then Fri...off to see Jared/family.  Woo...we had a lot of great fun.  Gave JB/Kimmy a huge box of cut up t shirts for the loom.  Asked lots of questions and Jared said...We're weaving a rug.  Woo...I learned even more after the explanation.  So...Kimmy posted a few pictures on facebook.  I learned that at least 80% of the work goes into getting the loom prepared with thread...leaving maybe 20% to weaving time.  It was sooooo much fun.  I carded wool...8 oz. Kimmy spun some wool.  Worked on my braided rug resulting in taking almost the whole thing apart.  It just wasn't laced correctly.  "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right".  Guess who told me that.  R Russ.  So it will be correct.   Bought two wool coats at Salvation Army...took them apart and will wash them to make the rug bigger.  Visited with the kittens.  Checked out the sheep.  Saw the kids get off the school bus...Yahoo.  Went to church.  Went antiquing and Kimmy got something to hold  wool when winding into balls.  It's really old and unusual and works really well.  And a GATE LEG table.  It's sort of beat up but I still call it a great find.  5 bucks.  I think JB/Kimmy will refinish it.  This is only part of the weekend.  So back home in Indiana.  I'm knitting...will start again on the rug at some point and getting ready for the bazaar Sat at church.  I'm selling honey from Michigan. 

Sunday!!!!

Well as bad a last Sunday was, this Sunday was the exact opposite.  Woo.  Wonderful.  Infact the whole weekend was good. North Church has a Green Team that is doing lots of things that reduce our negative foot print on the earth.  So...Sat.  North hosted an Indiana Conference Team that brought in 3 powerful speakers that are related to the care of the earth.  Two speakers in the morning and one in the afternoon.  I added the visuals to the Sat and Sunday events.  And then today...one of the guys preached.  Well, the weaving of the music by the children's choir...adult choir...scripture...responsive reading and response to the sermon  along with the selection of hymns for the day was so impressive.  what a package.   And then we had a wonderful friendship time in the court yard with perfect weather.  Lots of visiting with people just hanging around I think not wanting the morning to be over.  It was a very good weekend.  This afternoon ended with the blessing of the animals.  And then...Amy gave me patches to sew on her son's boy scout shirt and I repaired another little friends badly chewed up Panda Poo bear.  This little girl just finished successfully a long long series of chemo treatments.  And her Panda Poo that went with her from the beginning of her treatments until she was finished was badly chewed by her dog.  Badly chewed.  Well in my Goodwill wonderings...I found another good Panda that gave up it's eyes and tail to fix Panda Poo.  And Panda Poo looks wonderful again.  I surprised myself about the great job that has healed Panda Poo  Can't wait to get the two re aquainted again.  It was a very good weekend and the Colts won!  Woo, woo. 

Back to church in the morning to put away stuff and get out some other stuff for the sanctuary.  It was a good day.  Did I say that.  Oh, yes I also did the altar arrangements with grasses, seed pods from the caster bean plant and some other things.  They were much appreciated by so many folks. 

Good Grief.

Sunday was a crazy day that I want to forget.  Way to much responsibilities with way to little time.  I will remember that for sure.  So...better planning on my part much better planning.  The weather still continues to be warm.  Where is fall?  We're in the 80's...Need to get the wool blanket off the bed.

Wed. at Good will is Senior day.  30% off.  I found another good wool coat with the Blocks label on the inside.  That store has been out of business for at least 20 years.  The coat is wonderful.  The lining is in the trash.  The wool is in the washing machine and I'll be able to tear long strips and the rug goes on at some point soon.  Dropped the wool for a few days and knitted two pr. of house slippers.  Watching TV.  So sad so I switch to Love it or List it.  I love that show along with a few others on FYI station.  It gets one's mind in a better place.  We had RAIN this morning.  Maybe 15  minutes.  But the ground is one desert place.   I'm back at the Y which is a good thing. 

Servant Day.

Today...Saturday was servant day for many churches in Indianapolis.  About 40 folks from church fanned out to different sites to work on projects that were identified for the day.  Well...where did I go?  North's Soup Kitchen.  A bunch of new folks from church came to work and they seemed to enjoy the experience and it might be a go for this group of people when there are 5 Sat. in the month.  We had fun...worked hard and made a difference for neighborhood folks.  Then...where did I go.  Yup...Last Chance Goodwill.  This time...found yards of brown wool never used for anything.  Two wool skirts...one Pendleton Wool.  And then a stop at another store and found a wool blanket for 5.99.  Better and bigger...could be a queen size, than the one we have on the bed..So...I' adding an old blue wool blanket to the tub of wool.  Got some washing to do.  Could be a second rug coming.  Tomorrow will be a very busy Sunday at church.  Of course Hospitality time getting pastries ready for the morning.  We arrive at 7 to start the morning.  Singing both services, Taking new members on a tour of the church at 9:45 and a 10:20 choir rehearsal and then a committee meeting at 5 in the afternoon.    There is NO time to get into trouble. I hope I am at the right place at the right time. 

Wednesday.

Just got to say that the braiding continues on the rug.  But...need more wool so off to last chance goodwill again.  Now...I looked for a wool coat and found it in the first 5 minutes after arriving...Did I go home...NO.  So...kept looking...found two pr. of new dockers in Doug's size.  Snow suit for Jared when he drives the tractor this winter...or for Kimmy when she delivers sheep.  Flannel shirt for JB.  A sandwich toaster. Looks new.  I think it's makes Panenies  Humm...a pr. of fleece pants for me to wear in the house...Getting ready for winter.  I love that store...spend 14 dollars. 

This morning I once again filled two huge garbage bins with garden trash.  Got to keep going on that job.  I have another week to fill the last one.  Time to get rid of black eyed susans among other things.  Cleaning up flowerbeds tells me that the seasons are changing.  I like that.  Never bored.

Now down to the washing machine to rescue the black wool that I washed.  Coat is a has been.  More braiding soon.   

Sunday evening.

Well...after Wed. comes Thurs...So..of course...soup kitchen day.  Plenty of food and a good visit with my church neighborhood buddies.  The infection has gone away in the neighborhood buddy's finger.  He was so happy.  Saw him at church this morning and he if feeling wonderful.  So happy for him.  Choir practice Thurs eve.  Friday with the kids.  And Sat. a long day of choir retreat.  Good singing...good friends...good food and a nice cool place to sing.  It's been so HOT!  And continues until at least Thurs of this coming week.  Good church this morning.  Health and Healing Sunday.  Sang two wonderful anthems.  And then great football this afternoon and evening.  Colts won...Packers won...Can't get to much better.  The Braiding continues and today I started to lace the rug together.  Well, started yesterday but the rug wasn't looking right so did a little u tube hunting and decided to pull it all apart and start over with the lacing.  Better job the second time.  So...back to football and then to bed.  Tomorrow...visit to church to do some decorating.  I'm taking a wonderful driftwood piece that Jared found at Copper Harbor.  He thought I would be taking it to church...No way I said...It's in the garden.  So...now it will be at church.

It's Wednesday.

Since I wrote...
Humm...Monday.  :Oh, yes   Spent lunch with the girls.  We really had good talk and great food.  Rest of the day was sort of forgotten.  Humm...could be age and then could not be age.  My teacher friends say is it NOT age.  Tues...went to church and changed some of the stuff.  Ate a horrible meal at Soup Kitchen.  Those cooking folks are lazy.  No salad and no veg.  To lazy to make it and it's so easy.  Took one of my neighborhood buddy friends to the drug store to get him some ointment and band aids for a really, really badly infected finger.  Woo...he's been sick, in bed and I think the infection in this finger might have been the cause.  He said his whole hand was swollen.  Then to last change Goodwill.  Woo...sort of jack pot...picked up three wool new sport coats.  Guess those folks who shop at Goodwill don't have office jobs.  And I found a wool army blanket.  What a great find.  So...that leads to my bucket list.  I think braided wool rugs are just about the most beautiful eye candy around.  So...last week I got out my container of wool and started to braid after reading books.  And now the rug is about 15 inches across.  It's lying on the table and waiting for the lacing thread that I purchased on line.  Nothing found around here.  All that stuff comes from the New England states where braiding is king.  or maybe queen.  So waiting to lace meaning sewing the braids together.  It's really not sewing but lacing the loops together.  I learned something.  So today...getting more wool ready to braid  Lots of tearing strips.  SO!!!! To my few readers.  Send me your 100% wool.  Yes...I know...folks don't wear much wool these days.  I'll take the garment or blanket apart...wash it...tear it in strips ready to braid. Braid and lace and wallah...a rug.  And...color.  I don't care what color.  My next bucket thing is to learn how to dye wool.  The word is that it takes the dye very easily.  Humm...what's coming?  Google.  I think my Xmas list will include any old wool.  That is if I get asked what my Xmas list includes.

Sunday.

Another Colts game and we had a game until the last 10 minutes...It's not over till it's over.   Another chance next week.  Another week of stuff went by.  Soup Kitchen was BUSY and all the food was gone in 45 minutes.  Closed 15 minutes early.  Busy noisy morning.  The rest of the week was pretty ordinary.  October calendar on the weekends is crazy busy.  But...closed the last open weekend with a trip to see Jared/Kimmy etc. the weekend of the 14/15.  Yahoo.  We have a huge box of stuff I hope they can use on the loom.  Way to heavy to mail so that's one great reason to make the trip and at the same time we'll be coming home with honey to sell at the church bazaar the following weekend.  And need to get Kimmy's birthday gift to her.  To awkward to mail.
So the schedule from now until the last weekend in Oct. showing why the calendar is crammed.
Sept 23...All day Choir retreat
Oct 1...new members with tour of the church
Oct 7 and 8...Creation Care weekend.  All state conference at church and I'm decorating.
Oct 8...Andrew and Noah are acolyter's at the second service.  First time for them.
Oct 14/15...JARED and KIMMY family weekend.
Oct 21...Bazaar at church
Oct 29...big music Sunday...Stewardship Sunday.

Woo...Looking forward to a nothing doing weekend after getting through all that.

Tomorrow meeting my 3 good old buddies for lunch that I taught 1st grade with years and years ago.

Tues...need to work at church getting a few things ready for Creation Care weekend.  Always good to plan and work ahead.

Denver is whipping the Dallas Cowboys.  Yahoo.

Another Monday.

Sat...cleaned the kitchen...woo...I am determined to keep it looking spiffy.  Well all the cut zinnia's are helping in that regard.
I am worn out with hurricane news.  Way to much TV watching but for some reason I have got to know.  So much work to do in Florida and other places.  So...yesterday morning...church.  Great preaching on forgiveness and of course great music.  Choir is back until next July.  Saw lots of folks.  Watched the Colts.  What a bummer of a game so I spent most of the afternoon watching the Packers.  Now there is a team.  That is if I wasn't sleeping.  Funny how that happens on many Sun. afternoons.  This morning made a run to McFarlings for Soup Kitchen butter...greenbeans.  Got to keep that ministry going.  And I don't like to hear from our other cooking teams that we are out of something.  I can always substitute but that seems to be almost impossible for others.
The weather forecast   Rain and sure enough the sky has been white not blue all day and the clouds are from Irma.  This afternoon more white clouds and by tomorrow we should have rain.  We are desperate and my hope is that Irma behaves her self and gives us just the right amount.  We'll see.  Made chicken veg. soup this afternoon.  The first of the fall season.
That's what is happening so far this week.

Interesting Day.

Yesterday I decided to go to Last Chance Goodwill.  It's a great place to hunt through bin after bin of stuff that will eventually be packed up for somewhere else.  One pays by the pound.  I spent 3 hrs there just looking and looking and finding some really good stuff.  The bins are filled every 2 hrs and there are at least 80 bins.  Just a fun place when I'm really bored.  Spent 40 dollars and came home...looked on line for my finds and one thing was 100.00 dollars.  I bought 6 pr of jeans and discovered when I got home that 2 pr. fit Doug and 1 pr. fit me. That was not planned.  So...3 were gone from my project.  Found 2 NEW bras my size...that would have been at least a 50.00 purchase at Kohls.  And...spools of thread.  Woo...at least 30 new ones all different colors.  So...it was a fun day.  Today is Soup Kitchen...Farmers Mkt. at church.  I made 50 little bead bracelets that I'm giving to kids.  Well...probably 15 or so...And then first choir practice for the fall.  Supper provided.  That's great.  So...not a boring day.  Sometimes it's hard to keep me busy.  I hate that.  To much politics, DACA and hurricane news gets to me.  It's a sad time for lots of people.  But today the guys coming to soup kitchen will keep me busy.

Cooler days.

Yup...last night...wool blanket on the bed.  Well, the windows are open and the breeze is coming in.  So...wool blanket night for sure.  It was a cloudy, windy day.  Maybe a bit of Harvy.  Maybe not.  Not to much happening...made a wonderful black berry scone yesterday.  Yum, yum.  Took a piece to the neighbor where she added icecream on her scone for a wonderful lunch.  The entire scone was gone by supper.  Yum, yum.  At the Thurs. sale I had a blast giving little girls and boys...pony bead bracelets that came to the Farmer's Market with their parents.  So...last night made 30 more to give away in a couple of weeks.  A good place for all the pony beads that have been given to me.  So...moving them on to where they are loved.  Played Tonk with the grandsons.  They informed me more than once that it was not called Konk.  I think I've got it now.  What a good laugh.  Today we're going to a birthday party for Kat's 90 year old grandmother.  Other than that...the slate is clean for things to do.

NO more pain! Happy Days are here again.

Finally...all evidence of Yellow Jacket Botox is gone.  Thanks a bunch.  Sunday evening Jane Sweet felt so bad about my stings that she invited Doug and I for supper.  Woo...what a nice lady.  Great food...sat by the lake...ate on the screened in porch.  And great talk.  MOnday I went to church to clean up all the flowers that were used Sunday from the garden.  Good to get things back where they belong.  Today I took 4  huge bags of blankets, clothes etc. to Good will.  Woo...made me feel a whole lot better to see a closet looking a bit better.  Then I rummaged a bit farther and found the vests that Doris' daughter's gave me.  They are beautiful but way to small.  So...I tore them apart and am making something new with them.  First I thought pillows and there may be one pillow but I'm working on something to hang on the wall.  Such a good memory of a wonderful lady.  So...morning Goodwill and afternoon sewing machine with watching news from Texas.  Woo...what a mess that won't be over for a long time.  Tomorrow meeting Audrey and Jay Smith at Stake and Shake for supper.  Thurs. it's Bread and Bowl and then the craft fair at church.  Got the suitcase jammed full of stuff that I hope to sell and get rid of.  I need some luck.  That's from 4 to 6:30.  What ever I sell I'll be happy.

Once again.

Opened 9 jars of Blackberry juice...added the correct amount of sugar and walah...Blackberry jelly.
Dah.  Don't skimp on the sugar.  Jars are washed...labels on and they are ready for something.  Thurs...B and Bowl.  It was a good morning.  Thank you Jesus.  This morning thought I'd pull some weeds on the North side of the house.  It's a bit neglected.  Well...neglect brings yellow jackets.  Bad news.  Got stung 5  places.  My had looks like botox and all of the spots hurt.  Bummer.  So...ice packs it is.  Made sweet rolls with Andrew.  He's looking forward to tomorrow among other things.  Roll time!

Wed. morning.

Busy two days.  Blackberry picking on our community bush.  Made another 8 cups of blackberry "Jam".  Humm...not doing something right.  Well, that is if you want jam.  What I have is really yummy blackberry syrup to put on icecream.  It's REALLY good.  Really good.  So...that's the outcome.  Spent a long morning at church changing out things to reflect something new is my hope.  And found a drawer to house 16 new green tablecloths for use in Fellowship Hall.  I had time to talk to folks, eat at Bread and Bowl and just get orientated back into the life of the church after being on vacation for a while.  Today...I need to pick up a load of Beany Babies for Kenya.  Tomorrow Bread and Bowl and a committee meeting at church at 5:30.  The weather will be perfect today so I'll be outside cleaning up some stuff, spraying other stuff and enjoying all the flowers.  Sunday the altar flowers will be from the garden.

Where did the time go?

Well...Copper Harbor vacation with both Eric and Jared's family could not have been any better.
Ate pancakes every morning with some or all of the grandsons...read books...got a super tan because to stay warm one needed to sit in the sun.  Shade meant a jacket or sweatshirt.  Visited with Leslie at the pottery shop, went on a date with Doug celebrating 50 years of marriage and then on to a wonderful evening in Calumet where all the art shops were open.  We had one tremendous all night and part of a day rain.  It's just great when in a tent that doesn't leak.  Ours was the best.  We decided to drive through on our way home.  That was not good.  Started at 9:30 am after packing up the tent, eating breakfast at the Pines.....home by 1:30 am.  Bad decision.  Seems we did that last year as well.

So...camping things put away the rest of the week and then late Sun. morning we left once again for Midland Mi.  This time...County 4-H fair.  Both Jacob and Adam showed their sheep that they had been working with for most of the summer.  Love seeing them in action.  Back to INdy Tues.  And the rest of the week...just being at home.  Soup kitchen Thurs was a bit crazy.  Just loud talking, and it seemed that there were more spills and food on the floor.  And we were a bit short of help.  It was a very tiring morning.  Today was church and this afternoon a wonderful Prayer for the Country service at Sec. Presb. church.  Well attended I would add.  So...it's the beginning of another week.  Stuff to work on.  We'll see how the week goes.

Well,,,Now it's two more sleeps.

Doug decided that we would leave Sat. morning instead of Fri. afternoon.  What ever works is just fine with me.  I know vacation is coming so the carrot is just down the way a little farther.  Soup kitchen was today and all went well.  Great help...lots of laughing and it's just a great way to visit with the neighbors of the church.  Got sand digging shovels for all the boys.  They will be well used.  Library books are packed.  Microwave is clean and ready for it's container.  Easy getting ready.  The hardest part is the 90 plus degrees of heat.  But...this to shall pass.  We'll probably pack early tomorrow before the heat comes.  Enjoy the day...Steak and Shake for Supper...a good sleep in our bed and the on to Madison for Sat. night...Sun. afternoon Copper Harbor!  Yahoo.

Woo...two more sleeps.

Took the seats out of the van this morning.  That's ready to pack.  Now it's just wasting time time.
All is ready but still need to do Soup Kitchen Cooking tomorrow.  Andrew and Noah come on Fri. morning.  We're packing the van tomorrow evening.  The dining room is ready to be emptied.  Woo.  C Harbor...here we come.  We'll stop in Madison Wi.  Moisy on up to C H Sat.  at a snails pace.  Sleep in a motel Sat. night and then set up Sun. afternoon when our plot is ready for us.  Woo.  C H...here we come.

Excitement is plentiful here.  Our streets in our addition are being paved.  The top has been ground off and I would think that by Sat. the whole thing might be finished.  Woo...It might depend on how hot it is.  The guys started working at 6 this morning.


That's it for now.

Woo..Three more sleeps.

Now this camping thing is getting a bit serious.  Moving right along.  Never a dull moment.
Sunday was good church.  Came home to another tree coming down at our neighbors across the street.  This is the second dead one of three.  This is a huge dead Maple.  Huge.  And the wood was so hard that it was not an easy job to make a wedge in the tree...So...two trucks with belts helped to pull the thing over.  But...wait...one of the belts broke so the tree landed somewhat on the house.  Woo...Bad target...just to the side.  We've waited for the house to come down for 5 years.  It's been vacant.  Could have hit the middle of the target but it didn't.   Lots of excitement.  So...most of it has been cleaned up.  The house still stands and at some point it will come down.  Need another tree maybe.  The third dead tree is to far from the house to be used for that matter.

Bought zipper oil stuff at Cabelas along with some fishing lures for the grandchildren.  Such a fun place to look for things.  Sleeping bags are stuffed into their sacks.

We have had really, really hard rains that have packed the dirt big time.  I've really kept the weeds out by raking between rains.  I was really discourage with doing that one more time but yesterday and this morning back in the garden.  Did another weed control job.  So...looks good again.  We had a deer attack a few days ago.  That deer really loves Sunflowers.  But the oils make him feel good.  Just happy that I think it's only one deer.

Just finished reading Bringing Nature Home...Douglas W.  Tallamy.  It's a MUST read if one wants to learn about the importance of planting native plants.  Woo...have we gone a bit wrong about not doing that.  It was almost a "can't but this book" down.  I remember when a kid screens were available to put on the front of the cars to keep the bugs out in the summer time.  And bugs on the window shields and bugs in the headlights.  That doesn't happen any more.  Bugs are bird food.  Bugs make butterflies.  Bugs are good.  So...I recommend this book if one wants to know what is happening to our environment and bugs.

So...time to get on...only three more sleeps.

Sort of Same Old...same old.

Well, sort of.  Another busy couple of days.  Thurs. was my ???? birthday.  This age thing is getting serious.  And...I had a fun day of just a ton of things to do and get done.  So the day was good in most respects.  Soup Kitchen guys sang Happy Birthday and that was just the best.  What a hoot and they made it a funny thing.  Shopped at Goodwill.  Favorite place.  Found some good things.  Grocery shopping is finished for camping.  Clothes are ready. What more to do but pack the van.  Can't do that till next Thurs.  bummer.  I'm ready to go.  Today is our annual Christmas in July event with Kat and Eric.  Got to get the white elephant gifts wrapped.  I made a cherry and apple pie for lunch.  Then it's off to Eagle Creek Park for a church picnic for supper.  No cooking today for sure.  Yahoo.  Tomorrow church...Next week I'm meeting with Patty to do some Kenya Umoja decorating in the sanctuary.  The Duke Interns are returning after their 8 weeks in Kenya.  Church next Sun will be a Kenyan event.  We're always in Mi. so once again I won't hear of their experience.  So that's the same old and the rest of the story.

Where did I go?

No where...Just spent the past week or more doing other stuff.  Jared/Kimmy family came on July 2.  We did PROJECTS!.  Woo...and I need to say that I think I kept up with them.  Plastering the ceiling.  Laying a new floor in the bathroom.  Redoing the baseboard.  Moving to another bathroom and caulked the bathtub and installed baseboard.  Fixing the Eric/Kat tent zippers ...It  went on and on.  When one thing was finished another one took it's place.  Great results.

Back to Mi. they went on Wed.  Well...chilled out for a few hrs. and the Thurs.  Soup Kitchen.  And the beat goes on.  The garden is spectacular.  The rains are coming at the right time and it's really exciting to see what happens each morning.  Guessing colors for zinnia.  Cleaning up after the deer took a sunflower down last night.  Muddy tracks at the pond.  Must be another opossum.  Friday took grasses and more to church for the altar.  Woo...did folks talk about those simple arrangements.  I must say simple is better.  It was just different green things...two different grasses and more.  Today I spent the morning again at church this time taking down red and putting up great green banners in the west entrance and making other changes going from red...pentecost...to green ordinary time.  Woo...I was really tired of seeing that red. This afternoon went shopping for camping food.  Getting ready needs to happen when I have time.  Tomorrow morning is free for garden checking, but then it's a doc visit and a hair cut.  Woo...Love these curls but it's way to much hair and vacation is coming.  I think I have 6 months of growth.   Weather is warming up.  Tomatoes will like that.  So...the livin' is easy.

Winding up or down.

Still living in the yard for most of the day.  The inside needs attention but it's not a priority right now.  Garden continues to look great.  Planted a white swamp milkweed.  I picked out a few freebees at a friends house in Sharpsville.  She had an open house for her yard.  I guess it should be called an open garden.  Such fun stuff she has planted and her hard scapes are just funny.  So...that's a huge encouragement for me.  There is someone else that likes junk among the flowers.  I added a big bundle of sticks to the yard.  I also used some of Noah's hole to put in a small pond.  Today I added some green plants and went to the Reef to get them.  Yup...Reef is still here after my helper said it was 52 years old.  I think it's older than that.  I also covered the picnic table with a checkered "oil" cloth.  I think I'm done making a mess in that space.  So now...just hoeing, a little water here and there although the moisture content is good at this point.  Zinnias are starting to bloom.  Tomatoes continue with blooms but the nights are a bit cooler then they would like.  Light weight blankets on the bed.  It's been in the 50's.  Tomorrow is soup kitchen.  Tomorrow evening a church committee meeting with supper provided.  Yahoo.  Friday the kids come...Sat. is getting ready for Sun. and then JB and family will be here till Wed.  That's a big Yahoo.  Got a few projects planned.  We need HELP!

Life is good.

Wonderful weather with just a little heat  and a HUGE rain storm Wed..  Love working outside even though it results in a shower when finished.  I can sweat till the cows come home.  The garden really looks good.  I planted peppers this week and the tomatoes are starting to bloom.  Still transplanting zinnias.  Something is wrong with some of the plants.  Don't know exactly why but they are not growing as a usual zinnia does.  So pulling bad zinnia...moving some more seedlings.  Spray painted two wicker chairs that were along the road.  Kimmy...you are not the only one that finds things but you do find a whole lot more than I do.  I made pillows for the chairs along with matching seat pads.  Sprayed the large copper butterfly orange...a wren's house orange...a basket with bird seed orange...It's just a splash of color.  Today I spent time on the patio watching the wrens, chickadees, house finch and humming birds.  Just a quiet hr. or two...that is after 2 hrs in the garden and a shower.  Woo...Doug and I got a big bearded Iris out of the ground.  Almost took a crane.  It was crowding the day lilies and I have two even bigger bunches of Iris.  So...later today, off to Nicci's with three bags of Iris.  She'll plant anything.  That's about it.  For some reason it was a 5 hr. night so I feel a nap coming on.

Saturday.

This week was an ordinary week.  Monday worked a bit at church making a few changes.  Thurs. worked soup kitchen which was uneventful.  Thanks for that happening.  I continue to move little zinnias here and there and water...No rain this week but some coming next week.  Yahoo...thanks for that.  For some reason I keep thinking about the folks in southeastern Kenya who have no rain and their main occupation is looking for water...sometimes walking for days to find it.  And...mine comes out of the faucet and I'm using it to water flowers.  I have no other words.  Tomorrow is church.  And that's been the week.

What a weekend !

Sat was a fun sort of day.  Now hear this...fun because I went to church to work in my visual arts closet sorting 5 lg. tubs of fabric that we use during the year at some point.  But the best part of that was that the choir was rehearsing the Mass in Blue...a huge jazz Mass...unbelievable music.  Woo...And then I heard it again Sun. morning when it was sung in church.  What a treat.  And it was Pentecost...so the sanctuary was wrapped in RED and looked it's best.

 I finished the new banners Sun. afternoon.  And today some of the red came down and the new banners are up.  North does a lot to support the Gay Pride movement and these banners are the 6 rainbow colors with words attached that support the mission to LGBT folks.  Such as Trust...Celebrate...Love...Freedom...Belong and can't think of the last one.

 Now for more Sunday news.  The choir music was wonderful and this is a time when Mark...the director usually makes a plug for summer choir at the beginning of the service..So...he started talking about supporting the church...read the vows said at the time membership happens with time,,,talents and financial support being a part of membership...And...I thought...good for you Mark...Great invitation for summer choir.   Well...after that...he deviated and said that he wanted to recognize two people who have given 110 years of time to the choir program...Well...my heart did a flip and I'm thinking...Mark's not going where I thought he was going.  Yup...he called Doug out of the choir...60 years of committment...and me from the pew...still can't sing because of bronchitis...but it's better...I'm 50 years.  I was DUMBFOUNDED...And Doug was as well...Choir folks got info from Jared and Eric about all the stuff that they could remember about being at North with their mother from when they were little.  Then the congregation stood and clapped and clapped.  My Lord...what a morning.  And...the little envelope gift will give us 10 meals  at Steak and Shake...How perfect.  What a hoot...After church the choir had their yearly picnic...and then home for a few minutes and on to Eric's for a birthday supper.  Eric's birthday and now I have a 47 year old son.  Woo, woo.  That was the day.  Did some watering this afternoon...the first day I felt like doing something outside.  Got two wicker chairs from the neighbor's throw away pile...and make pillows for them.  It's been a very good couple of days and the best part is that I'm feeling much better.  8 weeks of this stuff is enough.

This week

Spent Wed. putting away more things at church.  Woo...made a big difference.  Tomorrow I'm sorting fabric and hope to get the tubs in better shape.  We have so much fabric but sometimes we use all of the color needed.  Thurs. was soup kitchen.  Lots of good help but it would seem that the drug traffic was evident with three more than middle aged ladies under the influence.  Grr...There are always surprises.  Today...Andrew and Noah were here for most of the day as they usually are on Fri.  We walked to the park and they played for about an hr. there.  Home then and Andrew made his own lunch.  Woo. Woo.  and he made Noah's as well.  Water some things that needed watering.  Did a little digging and trimming.

I started a huge sewing project Wed.  so purchased fabric and now working on 6 banners of rainbow colors with words attached...so far.  Love...Joy...Freedom...Trust...Belong...and I need to select the last one yet.  I'm typing for a break.  Hope to have these finished by next Sunday.  I need sewing time.

Tues. eve.

Monday...what a slow day.  Loved every minute of it.  The have a heart trap was set Sun. eve. and the ? took the bacon right out through the wire sides and left it in the yard.  Picky eater to say the least.  So...the trap was set again with a hot dog hanging from the top of the cage.  Smart trap setter and sure enough...Mon. morning...a dirty raccoon.  So...back across the river to Fishers park.  And...the raccoon is in a better place.  That's my opinion...not sure about Fishers.  The town is being reanimaled with friends from Carmel.  We should be thanked!  The raccoon dug the grass out from under the cage...bummer so...washed the cage and now another hot dog is hanging for who ever needs a meal and the trap is sitting on the driveway.  Very interesting what goes on in the dark!
Got the church ready for Pentecost with two really good workers...Phil and Ray.  They have helped me many times and this time...gave the instructions...got some other work ready for them in the sanctuary and they just carried right on!  Love those guys.  Tomorrow morning I'm going back to take apart flower arrangements getting the flowers back into containers until we need them again.  Love working half days.  

Sunday...

Easy day today.  We helped with Hospitality time.  It's fun to see the church folks as well as the neighborhood people in the community room.  Church was really empty today...It's Indy 500 time.  We could have easily had one service.  Got my Sunday afternoon naps in...dug in the garden visiting with all the plants.  This week should be in the 70's so hopefully I'll see a bit of a change in size.  Friday Noah and I planted tomatoes.  I had Noah dig flowers and move them to other places.  He's my big gardening buddy.  Not much planned for tomorrow.  Tues it's off to church to put away Easter decorations and get out the Pentecost Red.  Not doing as much this year but there should be enough.  Yes...I'm all better but I must admit that the energy level seems to be a bit less than in the past.  So...might do two day instead of trying for a one day decorating.  Still doing a bit of coughing but that is so much better.  So...that's about it.

I'm ALL better.

Plant exchange was yesterday and I made a huge haul.  So excited...And this morning...my body was back to it's old self.  I knew that when I felt like working in the garden and did I work.  All the plants from yesterday and a bunch of other things are in the dirt.  My little herb garden is looking sweet with some new soil added.  Bags and bags of good stuff.  And...it was a two Aleve time tonight.  Woo...all that hoeing is now showing it's ugly head in my sore muscles.  But...Heck...I'm really not complaining...just stating facts.  So...tomorrow...I'm moving some Hostas.  All of this rain this spring has all of the plants either dead or looking overweight.  I think the dead have been added to the compost pile and now I"m looking at all the overweight plants that are covering up all the little plants.  Woo...what a great problem to have.  Love, love being outside.  Woo...can't get enough but I'm giving it a good try.

On the mend.

Back to the doc and medicine for the cough.  So...that's calmed down and there seems to be a bit of ambition from time to time.  That's good.  Planted a few more things and then back to the time out chair.  It's cool with a bit of rain this morning.  Noah and I planted the two peanut plants.   Added a bunch of soil fixer to the hole.  We don't have southern sand soil for sure.  A few other things now are planted with a few more to do.  All the rain that came down a few weeks ago has given the perennials permission to outdo themselves.  It's fuller everywhere so not so much room for annuals.  I want some pepper and tomato plants and the herb garden needs a bit of tending but it really looks great so far.  Love spring.  Sunday is our plant day at church.  I have 7 plants to trade for something.  Yahoo.

Good grief.

I think I'm better and then I'm not.  I think I live in a body that's to old.  I need one that's at least has 20 less years.  I did plant a caster bean today but that's about it.  I'm trying to do things that my brain tells me..it's about time.  And then it's back on the chair and a nap.  Woo...took one this afternoon and then woke up to a whole new Trump thing. Way to many things happening.  Pooped in Carmel...back on the chair.  One might think I'm being punished...you know...time out.  Just think away.  Tomorrow is 10 days.

Keep on Praying, Penny!

This is getting old really fast.  I need more prayers for patience!  Last night was a 2 am morning...and then on the chair watching TV. My throat was the worst it's ever been.  If I have another bad night...the doc will be called in 9 days from the start instead of 10 that he suggested.  I can do without antibiotics but it sure would be nice to have a little release from all this stuff.  My friend Alice had the same thing...Took her 3 weeks and 3 antibiotic rounds.  I think the three weeks was the solution...Not the antibiotics...Getting old makes it worse.  BUMMER!  Sunny day out and at this point...I probably should not say this but ...who cares.  Lots of plants waiting to go in the ground.  I did find out that I have one Red Sage plant coming up that I started 3 weeks ago.  Woo...NOW that's good news.  I planted 20 seeds in pots...Yup...the directions said...you need patience.

Easy...Yes

The rest of the week has been interesting...Yup...real interesting.  That cough...bronchitis.  That's what the doc told me today.  And...there is nothing to do about it...Just let it go away.  Well, it certainly is slowing me down.  And...the energy is gone big time.  Weather has been nicer but no energy to get stuff in the ground.  Sometimes things just do not go together right like a puzzle.  So...me..the biggest puzzle piece is missing right now.  My throat is so sore but I think it's the coughing that has allowed that to happen.  I have cough med. with codeine so hope that calms that part down.  Back to my chair.

Didn't last long..

That is the sunny day...Bummer.  Monday was pretty good.  So tired from all the going on with the Sunday event...but somehow being outside with a little rake working up the dirt was just what the doctor ordered.  Lots of fun looking at everything and wondering when the SEEDS are going to germinate.  Hard to wait.  The lower level finally got dried out in the house and Sears came to get the fans.   Just another flood...The smell is terrible.  But it's gone now.  And today we bought 12 bags of plain old dirt and changed the slop of the ground around the chimney.  That along with the new guttering might just do the trick.  But...this morning more rain and I was in a tizzy inside my brain .but the lower lever stayed dry.  Surprise, surprise.  I hate those 3 hour down pours.  Makes me nervous.  Spent a little time at church today putting away stuff that we used in the Sunday worship.  Banners...banners...fake grapes and bread and more but now it's time to sit a bit.  I've developed a huge chest cough since Sunday...Sucking cough drops is my treatment.  I hope this doesn't last very long.  Maybe I burned the candle a bit short this weekend.  Herb meeting tonight...Doug has a dinner to go to.  Tomorrow we both have checkups with the hearing doctor.  The rest of the week is easy.  So...it's carry on.

The sun is shinning...Oh...happy days.

Or something like that.  Today was a huge work day at church.  Tomorrow is our  Arts in Worship Festival.  Humm...my idea to do this so guess who does the work.  You got it.  So today I spent the day at church working on three presentations for tomorrow.  We are having an art exhibit in the parlor so lots of new art on the wall done by Wendell Lowe...Super stuff...A Parkinson's artist.  Hard to describe but good pictures.  We hung 12 pictures on the parlor walls..6 easels...and more smaller pictures.  Such good stuff.  And now there are 7 banners hanging done by Doris Douglas along with a stole and descriptions of everything.  This will be in place for the entire week.  Moved a lot of furniture and the room looks GREAT.  Fun, fun.  And...then made 12 doz cookies for the lunch tomorrow.  Beth Galloway is doing that for us.  And then went through what I'm talking about.  That would be Doris and her banners with about 6 banner stories and more.  Hope I'm not to long. That happens in the chapel in the afternoon along with a talk on liturgical dance and painting of an Icon of Jesus that now hangs in the chapel.  That was done by another North member.  Worship will have liturgical dance, scripture dramatization, special processional for the children bringing in grapes and bread...communion...Theirs is really fake.  Music, music and once again a great sermon on the talents.  Using as many children as want to participate in the communion processional.  It will be a fun day if only 80% goes well.  There is a huge vase of wheat and a big basket of real grapes for the altar area ready to go.  No flowers.  I'm tired.  It's a good tired.  Excitement is in the air.  The afternoon will close with a litany of remembrance written by our minister remembering Doris.

The sun is shinning.

Rain, rain go away.

It's still raining and should continue through at least tomorrow night.  Floods.  Lots of plants in the garage.  Safest place for them at this point.  Well...the latest in the pest story...Suet comes in the garage.  Raccoon goes down the long hook and breaks off the branch that the empty for the night feeder was hanging from.  Soggy. Wet.  I need to get that trap.  Suet feeder is in the garage and the raccoon continues to slide down the pole.  Worked soup kitchen today.  Smaller crowd since some of these people get a small check at the beginning of the month.  And it was a cold wet rainy day ALL day.  Doug went to choir practice tonight.  I'm taking the first choir break in 50 years.  I never sing summer choir.  So...late Aug. I'll be back at it.  One really drunk guy but I kept him occupied so he did not cause much of a rucks.  Just a little one.  He had a mother's day card to send to his mother so he told me what to write for him.  I included that he was eating at the soup kitchen.  I think what every mother would want to hear.  I'm sure she knows about all of his problems.  Mothers usually do.
Tomorrow the grandsons come.  I have the stuff to make chocolate chip cookies.  Andrew wanted to do that last week.  We'll see about tomorrow.  Might be sweet rolls or who knows what.

pest update.

Got hit again...this animal is to smart for me.  And I think he's a huge one.  This time...must have slid down the pole to the suet...then fell into a nest of ferns smashing them as well as the hosta a couple of days ago.  Next thing...bring in the suet feeder...borrow a have a heart trap...Big trap and then take him across the river.  Should paint his tail red to see if he comes back. Grr.  It's cold and windy and yes...rain, rain again...living in a swamp!  Went to the plant sale at the Blind School.  Got a few things but to cold to plant them...so they are in the garage.  Worked yesterday evening and this morning on stuff that needs completion for the weekend of Worship and the Arts.  It should be lots of fun.  Such good people are working with me and we had to eliminate some things.  Next year perhaps.  I can't believe I said that.

Rain and then rain again and again.

Must be the rainy days of April. A huge down pour that lasted last night...all morning.  Lightening and thunder and then it did it all again.  We are to get more tomorrow.
We're swamped but I did take a walk around the yard and it looks like the hostas...and more grew about three inches from yesterday.  It's a full patch of stuff.  My maple seedling count is up to over 300.  This year the maple trees have very few seeds.  I think they got hit by a frost.  Have had trouble with a raccoon...This one climbed a shepherd's crook to a bird seed suet.  Ate it all.  Then I moved the feeder to a pole hanging from the tree branch...Well,  the critter jumped from the patio chair to the feeder hanging on and eating until the critter fell off the feeder landing in the middle of a hosta.  I don't think the hosta will recover easily.  So now I'm trying another place further from the patio.  Tonight a trip to Panera for goodies for church tomorrow.  I've got to do some work on next Sunday's worship service as well as an afternoon of Worship and Arts.  Giving a speech about friend Doris who was a wonderful mentor in the Arts pertaining to worship and needle work.  I'll work on that tomorrow afternoon.

This weather...perfect, perfect, perfect.

Yes..it's perfect...did I say that again?  Yup!  Still working outside.  More edging done...worked in the old garden where I killed a ton of milkweed a few weeks ago.  So sad...It's Round-UPS fault.  There was so much grass in that garden space and I thought I was early for the milkweed.  Guess I wasn't.  But...some plants are coming back but not enough to fill the space...so...I planted flower seed and I'll be getting a few veg. to fill in.  Today I pulled at least 100 maple trees planted by the wind last year.  Grr.  More to go and I'll get them all eventually.  Herbs..must have planted to early.  Woo...they don't look to hot but May 1 sale at the Blind School is coming.  Yahoo.  I planted 10 pots of Red Sage Danshen.  The seeds are so small I needed to use a tweezers to plant them. Could not find the plant anywhere so I'm getting plants the long way.  Might take 20 days to germinate.  I'll need to winter them over in the garage...They will bloom next year.    Zinnia and lettuce are up.  The ground is so warm but I'm taking a chance on frost.  .  Cleaned out the garage yesterday.  Woo...it's looking good now or maybe just better.  One car gives us so much good space.  Filled a huge blue garbage bin this morning with ivy that was beginning to climb the house.  Now it's all a foot away from the foundation and that should stay that way for a while.  No ivy on my house.

A different week for sure.

This was a digging in the dirt week.  My favorite.  And I've dug...replanted...watered...fertilized...and then did it all over again. And every night I creamed my hands...I hate garden gloves.  The weather has been cool for perfect  digging, dividing and then moving plants to other empty spots.  All the herb plants are planted...need a few more.  Dill was transplanted and a marker made for that spot, Sweet Annie was pulled out.  I'm looking for the 4 o'clocks to appear.  We watched a Monarch.  Woo...don't see them  until Aug.  There is a huge plant sale at the Indiana School for the Blind May 1st.  Kids do the planting and the variety is awesome and the prices are wonderful. I bought cotton plants there two years ago.  Lettuce and parsley have been sewn.  Pots have been filled with free flowers given to me by friend Lydia who works at Sullivan's in the plant department.  Her boss said they were on the way down but I found them to be perfect!  Three flats of Proven Winners.  How lucky can I get!

Another friend Kelley gave me a whole tree of dead Curly Willow last year which now has been made into a trellis for Morning Glories.  That was a fun project that has been in my head for some time.  I hope raccoons don't attempt to climb it.   The branches are stacked and intertwined together  around a plant shepherd's hook and then tied together with fishing line.  I love tall things in the garden that gives the garden an interesting form.  Last night was really cool.  And the plants are all looking happy this morning.  I usually make a round early morning with my coffee cup to determine what will happen in the garden for the day.  Zinnia seeds went in last week.  The ground is warm!  Today...a little edging of another bed and I'll work on more seed planting  Doug hates my ditch edging.  Says he falls in the ditches!!!!!

Grandsons came yesterday.  Noah has been sick with the flu...yup...diagnosed by the doc on Tues.  So...he was a bit under the weather but perked up in the afternoon wanting to DIG. Temp finally left.  Well, I gave him the little trowel.   Big shovel was out.  He is my gardener for sure!  We hunt fishing worms and rolly pollies. Two weeks ago he dug a huge hole which I just could not fill in while he was gone.  He wanted to enlarge it yesterday but that request was denied.  Needed to get better.  Maybe next week although the hole will soon be in the yard and not in the flowerbed.  We'll need to talk.   It's been a very good week of dirting...Yes...a new word.

More news!

The story ended with Palm Sunday...Now for the rest of the story.

Yes...Kat and the boys came to help with putting away Palm Sunday and preparing the sanctuary for Good Friday.  That meant...draping everything in black...Everything!!!!  Busy morning.  Tuesday was a day to get the chapel ready for Holy Thursday Service.  Another church day.  Wed. Long rehearsal for Good Friday service.  Another church day.  Thurs...B and Bowl Soup Kitchen and evening service. Another church day.  Friday...evening service.  Another C. D. Sat...pack away the black and make Easter happen visually.  What a day that was. Another C. D.  Decorated everywhere with banners, processional crosses, flowers on the altar and more. The decorating crew was smaller this year but we got it all done!!!  Then...it was EASTER.  Wonderful exciting service with all the bells and whistles pulled out to celebrate the risen Lord. Doug and I put together coffee and pastries for the choir between services.   Woo...then on to the Jordan household for a wonderful lunch with their huge family.  Entertainment to the max.  Wonderful way to just "let it all go"loving every minute of the time with the Jordan's.  And after that...on to Kat and Eric's for another good family time together for supper.
That was the week that was.
Yesterday I gardened...birds singing...digging in the dirt...pulling weeds...trip to the hardware for fertilizer...potting soil...on to Rosie's garden shop for a few herbs.  There was a trip to church to put away some Easter things...and order and pick up 60 lb of margarine for soup kitchen.

With all the "going on of last week another big choir commitment that has been ask of us singers...I've decided to take a break from choir until fall.  Two important Sunday jobs are on the books that will keep me more than busy.  May 7th will be Arts in Worship Sunday that I have asked for so my job is to work with the minister on that and then Pentecost is June 4th where visuals are needed.  A break from choir will be good.  It's been a 50 year commitment.  Yup...Doug's commitment is at least 60 years.

So now you know the rest of the story.  Today...Tues...Garden work.  Yahoo.  Best place to be.  I heard a wren yesterday and the woodpeckers kept us busy while eating supper on the patio.
And I'll be working on the May 7th church service with lots of phone calls.

Wonderful, Wonderful

We had a wonderful time in Michigan with the JB Family.  Great kids...great sheep...great pottery making and just sitting around talking.  Rained quite a bit but who cared...NOT me.  Got home Wed. afternoon.  Thurs. B and B and got the church ready for Palm Sun.  Friday and Sat...great time at the annual huge herb meeting.  Today...Palm Sunday and church was good.  Great music and scripture reading with a visual.  8 readings of the last week of Jesus life.  This afternoon just taking it easy.  Did a tad of weed pulling.  Not much.  Bought some interesting plants at the herb sale.  To early to plant but happy to have them in pots in the garage.  Warm today in the low 70's.  Tomorrow afternoon rain again.  Tomorrow it's the y and then off to church with Kat and the kids help putting away Palm Sunday and getting ready for Good Fri evening service.  Great to have help.

Work.

It was a work week and happy to say that I'm feeling in a good place.  Decorating decisions made and almost all is completed for Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter.  Woo...I knew it would come together.  Met with Pastor Darren and got the word on what I need to do for Palm Passion Sunday regarding asking folks to participate.  A total of 14...7 for each service...so Phone calls made and 13 are ready to go.  Waiting on a phone call...who knows...it's spring break for schools and folks may be in Florida.  Well, not panic time yet.  All of the completed work will help to put a smile on my face when attending Noah's 8th birthday celebration tomorrow.  It's a sleeping bag for their summer Michigan vacation.  Andrew will have one waiting in the car when the party nears completion.  Early birthday for him.  Monday we'll be on our way to see the Michigan grand kids along with their baby sheep.  Fun, fun.  And by the way...we'll see JB and Kimmy as well.  Got to include them. We'll be back in Carmel Wed. evening.  Then B and B...set up for Palm Passion Sunday...Fri.  Andrew/Noah and then an afternoon of work at the huge Sat. Herb Society all day meeting.  Woo...then Palm/Passion Sunday...Monday  a sit down day...Tues.  Ultrasoundon my thyroid...no problem...just a see thing.  And then Wed. it's getting ready for Holy Thurs. Good Fri.  and Sat. decorating and SUNDAY...Easter.  Monday...another sit down day.  Wo...Hope I remember to be at the right place at the right time.

This week.

The goal this week is to have all the decorating ideas settled for church.  That includes what's happening Palm/Passion Sun...Thursday and Friday of Holy Week and then Easter.  Woo...makes my head spin but I know it will all come together.  It always does.  So...Yesterday, today and tomorrow...I'm at church deciding and making things for Easter.  A lot is expected and a lot is enjoyed with gratitude so...the beat goes on.  Lots of silk flowers...west entrance cross fixed...processional crosses done,,,six inserts ready for instillation....tomorrow there is one big wreath to finish for the back of the sanctuary. Banners have been repaired and pressed.   This year...lots of yellow and purple.  The 12 inch crosses with mirror really look good tucked in among the flowers.  A few more decisions to make.  Palm/Passion Sunday...need to meet with the preacher!  I think I know what I'm doing.  Just need to get an OK so he knows what I'm thinking about.  So...it's a busy time of year...Love every minute.

Working on a huge Herb show our group does every year.  Last night and this morning I sewed shut 600 little bags filled with lavender.  Woo...the smell is wonderful.  Good thing I like lavender.  That's about it for now.  Kitchen is a quiet place to be...Yahoo.

The horrible terrible very bad bang in the kitchen.

Never heard anything like it and hope to never hear it again.  Watching Butler ball game...and a horrible noise came from the kitchen.  Humm...what could it be.  Well, now I know what the sound is like when the cabinet falls off the wall and slides across the floor with my good dishes...canned goods...cookbooks and some small appliances hit the floor.  And I know how one cleans up the mess.  Snow shovel helps to pick up the dishes...paper towels clean up the virgin oil and soy sauce combination that smears around making the floor brown...and husband is right there working along side picking up the cookbooks.  Woo   A couple of months ago I thought the cupboard looked funny but I forgot about it. I guess that was not a good thing to do.  Well, since the dishes are gone, my choice 50 years ago...I guess I don't need as many storage shelves.  The dented cans look like I found a really good dent sale.  Dishes...my choice matched the same dishes of my mother-in-law...So...I had hers as well.  About 3 months ago...I thought...don't need so many dishes...and I took about  half of them to good will.  Well, Now I'm down to one plate...one cup and one small desert bowl.  Funny what life gives you.  Kimmy/Kat don't need to worry about what to do with my dishes!  They are in the recycle bin in pieces.  Butler lost.  Today...I will think of what to do with the dented cans.  The cookbooks...in the computer room on the shelves which I emptied 3 months ago of children's books saved from teaching.  So...that was last nights events.  Worked in the flowerbeds yesterday with the rake and clippers trimming...more to do with plants popping out of the ground.  Gardening makes me tired for a good reason...Cleaning up cupboard mess just makes me tired.  Win some and some you don't win. Feel very fortunate that no one was in the kitchen with the big ban occurred.  It would have been a hospital visit for sure.  Hickory doors are heavy.  So...life is good.

The days are flying...NO the weeks are flying.

So...finished the six forms with flowers that will be used in the sanctuary this summer...then got a lame brain idea about doing something on the back for Xmas which will make the forms reversible.  Having a little difficulty with making decisions about what that might be.  Went to the library to look for books on liturgical tapestries...didn't find anything but did find a book on Cistercians...well...brother in law Dee is one of those!  So...my nose has been a book more than one or two days reading and rereading  about this order.  Wonderful history. And with the book...back to the library taking a huge bag of books home to do more educating of the brain.  Such interesting history about life in the church in the 9th/10th century.  My brain is really interested in all of that.  More books on the Rule...more books on the Templars...more books.

 Another thing...about two years ago Kimmy/Jared gave me some wool.  It's been hanging in my sewing room looking just beautiful but I thought...it's time.  So...found a simple pattern and I'm knitting a wonderfully warm brown, soft and beautiful hat.  Well, my hope is all of that.  Just hope that I have enough wool.  But if not...I'll think of a solution...hint, hint.  I've discovered that knitting with wool is easier than acrylic yarn.  The yarn just slips through the hands.

And another thing...Last December when my wonderful friend Doris died, her family elected to do her memorial service at their church...not ours when Doris worshiped for about 40 years.  Needless to say it was a bit upsetting not to celebrate where she was so well known and loved and worshiped.  So...we will be doing a bit of celebrating May 7th at church with a Sunday dedicated to the arts in worship.  This morning my little committee of 4 made some good decisions as to how the day will flow.  I'm feeling good about that after giving them 4 different ways to form the day they made a choice which I think is a good one.  So...worship will include the arts of liturgical dance, dramatization of the scripture and more...Three of our church people will talk...Wendell Lowe a retired art teacher who is one terrific retired teacher who now suffers from Parkinson's disease no longer able to paint but has now become a wonderful painter just using his hands taking finger painting to a new level.  Wooo...is he good.  Kathy Williams...another painter who has creating a icon of Jesus now hanging in our chapel...This was a new endeavor in a new medium.  And I will talk about the process Doris used to create her banners.  I have some wonderful notes she used when giving a speech at the Fellowship.  So...That's where we are.

I must add that this past Fri...had a wonderful time with the grandsons again and the project was making sweet rolls.  Yum, yum...the kitchen smelled wonderful and they tasted so good.

This week I'm meeting with the preacher to finalize Palm/Passion Sunday service...going out to lunch with some old teacher friends, Working at B and Bowl which was much easier this past week.  Yahoo...for that.  And choir practice Thurs.  Life is good.  No LIFE is wonderful.  

Back to winter!

It happens from time to time.  Guess this is the time.  No snow now, just cold.  Busy week.  I started a new project that's been on my mind for several years.  Yup...now is the time.  I have been given lots of crewel yarn over the years from projects that people either got tired of or just didn't want to do.  So...lots of colors and lots of yarn.  I just didn't want to throw it away.  And...now the project.  Instead of coloring with fabric...it's coloring with yarn.  From a book that I have from Doris Douglas, I've selected 6 illustrations of flowers that have some special meaning.  Like...the Lilly representing purity...thistle representing sorrow etc.  So...that's been the fun project for the week.  I've finished 4 and want at least 6 flowers.  Then these will be attached to a triangle form and used in the sanctuary this summer.  Something new and easy to do.  So...that's just easy and fun.  Soup kitchen had it's good and bad times this week.  Grr.  Ouch ouch folks.  Choir practice was good.  Fri. evening I helped Beth G serve 35 choir members from Illinois Wesley College their supper.  Great singers...90% were voice performance majors...Golly gee...could they sing.  So beautiful.  Just wonderful.  Today...stitching and coloring with yarn and spending my 40 minutes at the Y.  That's a must now and some days I do an early morning and late afternoon on the treadmill.  Tomorrow is church.

Sunday, Sunday

Woo...For a reason I can't think of...short night.  It ended at 3 so 11:00 church was hard.  And this afternoon...the chair has held a sleeping lady for a couple of hours.  Time to get over it.  Yesterday I colored with fabric all day.  What fun...Added 8 more bibs to the stash and the fabric just keeps on giving.  Church spaces looked great today.  And was much appreciated.  Weather continues to be warm.  Some flowers are out.  Perennials are popping out of the ground. No big plans for the week until Fri. when I'm helping my friend Beth feed Ill. Wes. Choir sing at church that evening.  So...slow and easy for a bit.

Good Grief...Tues.

Time just goes somewhere.  Sunday as usual we were at church at 7 to get ready for Hospitality Time.  We have such a great crew that just knows what to do and we do it.  We're usually finished by 8.  Then it's host and hostess time for the community folks.  Church folks start to arrive around 9 and we are in that space until 10:15 .  The rest of the crew finishes up and then at 12:00 another group comes in to take care of the folks leaving the 11 o'clock service at 12 o'clock.  Methodists eat!  Well, this Sunday Doug went on home after the 12 o'clock and I stayed to get the ball rolling for Lent, meaning decorating.  Quit at 3 when Doug came back to get me.  Then Monday...back at it with my wonderful crew of folks.  And...we finished around 11:30.  All is ready for Lent.  Went to the Monon to do the treadmill mile.  And then home for the evening.  Today I'm home all day.  Yahoo.  I love being home.  I've been sewing bibs for Kenya, North Church Babies and who ever I can think of.  If the Mi. kids do Farmers Mkt. I'll give them a stash if they want to sell them and if they do the market.  Such fun with decorating on Doris' sewing machine.  I miss her a lot but for some reason she seems to be in the room with me when I'm sewing.  I have a "Ford" machine.  Doris' machine is a "Bently!"  Such fun. I think there are about 35 bibs now in the stash.  Need to find some babies. Lots of classical music today.  The news channels are crazy for a lot of reasons.  It's mind boggling.  The weather is quite warm.  Bergamung is coming up and I'm having such good tea.   Woo, Chocolate Mint needs to grow a bit.  Yum in coffee.

Warm Friday.

Woo...enjoying the weather although the house is as hot as ...you know where.  Not time to turn the furnace off says someone at this house.  Ugh!  Probably not but it sure would be nice to have a window open.  Little kids here today.  We took a walk around the block and planted lettuce.  Dug out some weeds and watched the rain come down.  Made scones this morning and snickerdoodles with the kids.  I'm stuffed so it's a no supper making Friday.  Just graze around which we did all day.  Cleaned up the sewing room yesterday.  There were 25 bibs in the stack.  I gave 6 to our minister of families last night for a new baby gift from church.  Saving 12 for Kenya so...need to get on to making more bibs one of these days.  Need more poly fill.  Wonder why?  Waiting for cooler weather but then it should be back into the 60's again next week.  Eric and Kat are planning vacation with us in the UP.  Yes, yes.  5 little cousins will be having a blast.

Warm Wednesday

Yup...continues warm.  I turned the furnace down.  I don't think Doug has notices.  I'm just a hot person I guess.  I've been spending time with the sewing machine and fabric.  I just need to turn that fabric into something so it's been Bibs...Last count 25 finished.  Twelve will go to Kenya sometime.  Don't know when since I don't know when Sarah Ellen will be back in town.  Lots of colors and lots of decorative stitching.  If Kimmy/Jared do a farmer's market thing I'll donate them for sale.  I just like to have something to do.  Now the sewing room looks like a terrorist attack has hit.  That's sewing.  Spent some time at church yesterday sewing numbers on to the banners.  I think another 30 minutes will complete the job.  No rush but it's a to do job for sure.  Tomorrow is soup kitchen/committee meeting and then choir.  Life goes on.

Warm Sat.

Another beautiful day to be outside.  My neighbor does her...no she doesn't do it...she has a garden center company clean up her flower beds in the fall...I do most of my stuff in the spring.  But...it's not spring but yesterday and today I spent a lot of time outside.  Last night my shoulder needed two pain pills to be happy.  The first day of work always does that to me.  Today was another day in the yard.  I continued  to rake and pull ivy and do some burning of leaves and stuff.  I've burned some places that I never burned before like over the iris.  The beds are beginning to look like they are ready for spring and some stuff is emerging.   Cellidine poppies...Touch Me Nots...blood root...ginger...and I saw a flower on the ground cover.  What's with this warm weather?   There still are a few beds to do but most of the hard stuff is finished.  We need to burn the big grass yet and will probably do that Fri. when the boys are here.  That job is a bit scary.  It burns so fast and is so LOUD!  Fire every where.   Today Eric and Kat and kids came over and set up their camping tent.  They are planning a Michigan vacation with us...Yahoo big time.  Should be even more fun this year.  I don't know if it will be one week or two but what ever it is...it will be good.  There are new things at Copper Harbor that they haven't seen...New swimming hole and the Monks woods.  And ofcourse a newer Jam POT!  And Dennis and Leslie's new shop and back yard deck!  Woo, woo.

Hump Day...

And I remembered to go to Krogers and get their throw away bread and deserts for Bread and Bowl tomorrow.  That's a real accomplishment since I forgot to do that two times.  Grrrr...I hate that.
Sunday Paul Gilarik brought to church 6 2 ft. barbed wire crosses that I'm using for decorating at church during Lent.  I sprayed them black and they are awesome.  Paul is so good about working with barbed wire.  It's NOT easy.  So...they will hang in the west entrance.  Awesome...The barbed wire gives such a cruel look.  I took them to church today along with the Kroger stuff and two more banners that needed repairing.  Then it was knitting time.  Finished a children's pair of slippers...Green and Yellow...Packers!  I added a little football with the Packers name on it.  My Doris sewing machine does letters.  Yahoo!!!  Started an adult size...Church Friend...Sue the veterinarian grew up in Green Bay...so she is getting a green /yellow pair and I'm going to put a cheese head hat along with a football on her pair. Lots of fun to think of crazy things.  Butler B Ball is tonight on TV...and the political world is just crazy at this point.  I won't say more.  So...tomorrow is soup kitchen and choir.  Should be a good day and the temp is crazy warm.  Love it except when the house gets to warm or maybe I'm having hot flashes.

Sat. and it's 60 degrees.

Out in the flowerbeds pulling weeds and watching the bulbs jump right out of the ground...Lenten Roses are blooming.  Crazy winter.  Grand kids came on Friday...Didn't do much but went to Stake and Shake to eat supper with them.  Today...knitting the second slipper...put the back on a second church banner.  Praise banner is finished.  Sleepy.  Got to go see the flock of cranes that are flying north. Well, I missed the second bunch.  Maybe there will be a third.  Warm and beautiful outside.  Such a teaser.  Watching B Ball...and enjoying the day.

Wed. and it's snowing.

We've been without snow for a long time but it's coming down as I write.  Something like 3 inches is predicted.  We'll see.  Doug is taking a walk around the block.  I walked at the Y this morning.  And...fixing banners is the on going project.  Each one is different so what works for one doesn't work for another.  Taking a break to do a little sweeping in the sewing room.  It's a mess to say the least.  Chicken veg. soup is on the stove for supper.  And that's about it for the day.  Tomorrow is soup kitchen day.  My hope is that a few more ladies show up to work.  There were 3 of us last Thurs along with our 2  highschool boys.  Woo...I really like to have 5 adults.  We'll hope for the best.  I always take a snooze in the afternoon.  This afternoon...coffee and a nap.  Are they suppose to go together.  Well, they do for me.