Chronicles of Narnia
I did the book review on The Chronicles of Narnia. I worked up the text this afternoon and imported a picture of a book. I printed it and thought it looked OK, but really bland. After class tonight, in spite of the fact that I should call it a day, I just had to try out some of the things I've learned in our last class. I kept reworking the page. I printed it four times, each time changing the layout considerably until I decided that I like the last layout the best. Now I've got to get to bed for sure! But I like this Book Review Page a lot!
Classed Out
I have completed my third major class time in two days. I'm classed-out. I'm so on overload that I wonder if I'll be able to face the final driving class tomorrow morning.
Our teacher this morning came late. She hadn't looked at the class schedule and just went from past experience. All her classes had started at 9. We were told that this class started at 8:30. She came late, but we didn't. She kept us till nearly 1 any how.
She has a problem. A dear friend of hers died and his funeral service is tomorrow morning so she cannot teach the class. She wanted us to just work through the afternoon and complete the program. Many were all for it but some felt it was too much. We would all have LOVED to have been finished today, but it would have been strenuous.
Then we learned that "Fran" had agreed to come in tomorrow morning and finish the session with us. That gave me time to rest this afternoon and then spend some time working in Publishing, using some of the things I learned last night.
Tonight's class was really helpful to me, in a major way, but by 8:30, I was having trouble focusing on the instructions, finding the little icons, going back and forth between dialog boxes and the project page. But I have the manual and I get to keep it. I also have Laurie's email address to ask her questions if I can't figure something out. And now I know how to make my own business card! I definitely must buy some business card paper and get busy.
Now, if I just had business. I know! I can be Editor, and Artist!
Radio Alarm Clock
It's hard to remember when I used my radio alarm clock to wake me up last but it must have been when we were making an early morning to trip to get to New Kensington by 8 AM because it was set for 4:45. Since we have to be at driving class at 8:30 and I don't like to be rushed in the morning, I decided I'd better set the clock and not count on my internal alarm to get me up.
But then I was restless during the night because I kept wondering if I'd set the clock correctly and I'd really be wakened at 6:10. So, I wouldn't have needed to have set the clock. I was awake before 6, but it was good to know that I had remembered how to set the clock alarm. I had done everything correctly, and it went off----well, it went off like clockwork!
Publisher Class
I learned a lot tonight, and we finished in our three hours. However, we didn't cover as much as we should have in order to complete our text book work in the 9 hours planned for the course.
I did learn how to put a box around the text, and it's wonderfully simple, once you know the way to do it. I'm eager to apply my learning to the newsletter pages I'm working on. But now, I'm running low on time.
Tomorrow we are taking the 55 Alive driving class. It goes from 8:30 to 12:30! That's a long time! And it's not over then. It meets again on Wednesday morning. I'm already really tired just thinking about it. And my final Publishing class takes place again tomorrow night, 6-9. I'm going on serious overload here, but I'll learn as much as I can. I'll tax my brain, for sure!
Not Hunting Weather
Today is the first day of deer season in PA and the weather here is not what the hunters really wanted. The snow is gone. More than that, the weather is mild, with a promise of warmer weather on the way. Deer hunting affects so many people in our area. I'm glad that my family is not involved in deerhunting. I think of it as a dangerous time in the woods.
We live near the New York border. Their deer season is before ours. It turns out that the really smart deer come into our woods during their hunting season and then the deer go to New York during our hunting season. However, not all the deer live long enough to be that smart, so many deer are taken during this two weeks.
Baby Sitting
I think I've been called on to be a baby sitter, from time to time, since I was about 12. But today the tables were turned. I think I was being babysat! At Aquarobics today, the person who filled in for the instructor was one of the members of the swim team. She pulled up a chair close to the edge of the pool and half heartedly supervised us.
At first she read a list of the aerobic exercises we were to do, then the ab work, and then she gave up. She had no clue what to do about the weights or the exercise at the edge of the pool.
Basically, she was there to make sure we didn't drown, which wasn't a very high probability. Once one of our class members slipped out of her noodle while she was in the deep water, but another one of the students who was close grabbed her and helped her to the edge of the pool. And one other time, a woman who was in Alzheimer's Disease got confused and forgot how to swim and needed to be helped. That's the only two times any of us needed help and today was no exception. She had an easy baby sitting job.
One of Nature's Gift Surprises
This morning as I was going to church along the road that goes to Colza Corners, a beautiful ring-necked pheasant flew across the road just ahead of me. It was a long graceful sweep, just high enough to be above the car. I joyed to see it. I don't remember when I ever saw a pheasant in flight It was glorious.
(I think I made up joyed, using joy as a verb, but it's what I did.)
How Big Is Rusty?
I've been mentioning that Rusty is a big dog. He is big. When my husband or I are at the computer, he likes to come nestle in close beside us. As he sits and leans in against us, his mouth and nose is right there just above keyboard level.
He seems to be looking out the dining room window as he leans against me, but he wants my arm to be around him. It's hard to work at the computer with one hand. But I decided to try. Right hand resting lightly on Rusty's shoulder, I used my left hand to reach over to the mouse to get the cursor in position to click on something. Quick as I touch the mouse, his wonderful, cold wet nose and sloppy wet tongue are right there, kissing my left hand though I think I'm giving him enough attention with my other hand.
His kisses push the cursor out of position and I break up into giggles. He really wants attention.
Last night I watched some TV and wanted to change the channel. I was sitting in the couch with my back to the arm of the couch. I had the remote laying behind me. I kept my eyes on the screen and reached back to pick up the remote. What I got was a handful of Rusty's cold, wet muzzle, --he was not missing an opportunity to kiss my hand.
Though I try to wash often, I usually do have "puppy hands" because my hands are just at Rusty's tongue level and Rusty is a kisser. Rhombus was a kisser, too, but she was smaller. She always gave me a kiss on my ear when I bent over her to put the leash on her. When I lean over Rusty, he goes right for the face. If I don't guard against it, I get a big, sloppy kiss on the face, every time! I should feel like a Queen to be so loved and shown affection.
Windy Morning
It is certainly windy this morning. The hanging bird feeder is dancing back and forth in the wind. I could take it down. I haven't seen a bird there for days now.
It rained all night. It wasn't always so gentle but it wasn't really a hard rain. This morning has the dull, dreary, drab look of November. Soon it will be December and then the typical look of the landscape will be white.
Bring it on.
Night Song
As I'm tidying up the loose ends of the day and getting ready for bed, I am listening to the night song of the rain. On Thursday we had snow, but the snow didn't stay long. Still, I didn't expect to have rain tonight.
It patters, gentle but insistant, at the windows of the door beside me. It's not the right season for rain, but somehow it seems to be a soothing sound. It's easy to be lulled to sleep with the sound of gentle rain.
Being Creative
Recently I was asked to do a quilt square for a memory quilt to celebrate the 50th anniversary of friends I met in Aquarobics. I started work on the design last night and got it transferred to the quilt square.
This afternoon I got out my embroidery floss and set to work to complete the square. I think I can finish it this evening. It feels good to be doing something creative again. I think I may not have done any embroidery for over two years now. I felt clumsy about it for the first ten minutes and then the art of it just flowed back into my hands and I've been doing fine.
Dream Question
It was a school dream again. Usually when I dream that I'm at school, it's not pleasant. In fact, it's often a nightmare. Last night everything was under control and going well.
I had asked the class what I thought was a really creative question. "If you could stand completely still and time would stop while you stayed still like that, would that be good or bad? Why?" We had a very interesting discussion, none of which I remember, just the question.
Then I was talking to my supervising principal and I was telling him about my great question. (He really was my principal when I was teaching, and he never could say, "Good job." He always added, "But next time you could . . . ." or he found fault with something that a person wasn't even aware of happening.)
In my dream he paid no attention to my great discussion activity. He said, "You don't know the names of your own pupils." I was stunned. "What??" Then he told me that I'd called Forest by some other name every time. I had this sinking feeling. I almost blurted out, "I must be losing it!" But I stopped myself from saying it. I knew that's exactly what he was thinking and if I said it, too, he'd have more amunition to take away my job. I felt just awful.
So it turned into a bad dream after all. But I still think it was a creative, though useless, question.
Gloves and Mittens
I was listening to WJR out of Detroit on the day before Thanksgiving and they were talking about the Thanksgiving Day Parade that the whole area was excited about. They predicted that the weather would be very cold and that people should dress warmly. One of the things they said that impressed me was that people should wear mittens instead of gloves because mittens let your fingers keep each other warm. Gloves separate your fingers and keep them from warming each other.
I never thought of that! I've had this idea that gloves are for grownups and mittens are for children. There's so little you can do with your hands in mittens, but gloves give you more freedom.
I don't even own any mittens! Maybe I should get some. It gets pretty cold in our area.
Catching Buddy
I got ready for Aquarobics this morning with ten minutes to spare. That's because my husband cleaned the snow off the car for me. Ten minutes! I could do my blog. I knew what I wanted to say.
I started typing, while looking out the window. There were two dogs out there playing, running in the snow. One was a sort of heavy set, medium sized yellow dog, and the other, younger, was black with some white on his chest and he was about 2/3 the size of the bigger dog. They were having such fun, but it always worries me to see dogs running unattended. They could get lost or get out on the road in front of cars.
Then the boy came to get them. He is a tall, thin boy with curly, red hair. The bigger dog ran to him immediately and he put a leash on him. But the smaller dog just cavorted all around, out of his reach.
I knew I could help him catch that dog. So I stopped writing, put on my coat, grabbed my Y bag and headed out. I called to the boy who was standing across the street now, "Can I help?" He said he did need help.
I asked what the dog's name is and found it is Buddy. Buddy, he said, is friendly and won't bite, but he probably wouldn't come to me while he's running free. I said I thought I could get him to come.
I called and called him, (which the boy hadn't done). "Yo, Buddy!" and I clapped my hands, which gets my dogs' attention right away. Buddy had circled around in back of the houses on the upper street but pretty soon he came back to where we could see him. I hunkered down and clapped and called Buddy to come to me. And he made a beeline for me. He came right to my arms and I petted him and got a good hold on him and the boy snapped the leash on him. He was happy enough, and didn't seem to feel that I'd betrayed him. I was happy, too. I didn't want him running into danger.
And then I went to Aquarobics, --without my towel! I'd had my mind on helping catch the dog and picked up my bag but not my towel. However, I was able to borrow a towel from the Y, so I didn't have to come home for it. I love having adventures like this. I was really happy to be successful in getting Buddy to come to me.
Hunting
When I was young, my dad used to go hunting on Thanksgiving morning. The one memory that stands out is of watching my dad in our own yard. I was standing at the kitchen door looking out. The door was still by the kitchen counter, before they closed it in and moved the entrance to the wall on the other side of the room from the kitchen counter. I was probably in my middle teens at that time.
Dad kicked out a bunny, probably from our berry patch. I got so excited and was really into the chase as I watched. I think I jumped up and down and shouted, "Get him! Get him!" And then it was over. The bunny ran away and my dad didn't get him and I calmed down.
And then I thought, "How could I do that!" I didn't really want my dad to kill that bunny. I was very glad when it escaped, but for a few seconds there, I was wrapped up in that blood chase. I felt so confulsed about how that could have happened to me for those few seconds. I don't think that's ever happened to me again.
I don't remember much about Dad hunting after that. I know he stopped hunting somewhere around the time I was growing up and leaving home. I was glad for him to stop hunting.
Thanksgiving Expectations
Mitch Albom asked the question yesterday, "Is there something that always happens at your Thanksgiving celebration, something that you can predict because it always happens." Then he said that at his family celebration, which includes many people, there's always a time shortly after all the plates are filled when someone will remark, "My, it's awfully quiet all of a sudden," and then someone else will respond, "That's because everyone's eating."
Yes, that does happen, when lots of people start eating. Quiet descends.
Thinking about our own Thanksgiving celebrations, I was reminded that there would be several kinds of pie, and when my dad would be asked which he wanted, he would always say that he wanted a little of each. I think we could count on him to say that. He really enjoyed the pie. He'd have liked my apple and pumpkin pies this year.
Breakfast
Today my husband asked for oatmeal for breakfast. I've done this before so I knew what to expect from Desy and Rusty. Since I like the taste of oats and like to nibble a small handful of them, the dogs really want some of what I have. So I sprinkle a lavish handful of dry oat flakes over their morning food and they think they have the most wonderful treat. One seldom thinks of dogs liking oats, but mine certainly do. It was fun watching them munch the oats.
Critters
The snow is flying today. At the moment, the ground is too wet for it to lay but it's coming down pretty fast right now.
The birds have abandoned my feeding stations except for some woodpeckers who keep coming to the critter log. They have some of the holes emptied out. I'm keeping an eye on it to make sure I put more there for them when they've eaten it all. The brown squirrel has been back yesterday and again this morning.
I don't know where they go, but I hope they'll be safe and warm this winter.
Scrap Pie
Sometimes when I make pie, I don't want to be bothered with with doing something with the scraps of pie dough. In most creative projects, you have something left over that you must think of a way to use up, --yarn, or fabric, or wood if you're building. For pies, there's a little left over dough that you trim off the edges after you line the pie plate.
Mom used to roll it out, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar, roll it up like a log and coil it into a pie plate. Then she would nick it into bite sized portions and bake it. Sometimes she just left the dough flat after she rolled it out and sprinkled the cinnamon and sugar on it and baked it that way. Once in a while she just put the rolled out dough in a pie pan, put some filling in it, (usually apple), and then folded the dough over the edge of the filling, instead of trimming it off and trying to make a top for the pie. I call that a scrap pie.
I discovered that when there's people around, they want to eat my scrap pie as much as I want to. I had thought that it wasn't the real thing and that others wouldn't want it because it isn't neat and tidy. I was surprised when I found that others were eager to have some of my scrap pie. I shouldn't have been. It tastes just as good as the tidy double crust pie. (And it seems like it doesn't count as calories because it isn't the real thing.)
Yesterday I made a scrap apple pie, after I had the pumpkin pies in the oven. I had some Jonagold apples, which are very big. I used two of them to fill the pie pan tucked the dough up over them at the edges. We both had a piece of this, hot from the oven and it was delicious. I saved the pumpkin pie for today.
Did You Hear This?
The news I was hearing today was about the PA Turnpike. The toll collectors went on strike today and the Turnpike was unattended and completely free to drivers! What a strange thing that would be, to drive the Turnpike without any tolls.
All day I've been meaning to write about this unheard of happening and kept forgetting to write it. I'm glad I wasn't using the Turnpike today, though. It's supposed to be the busiest traffic day of the year.
Joy and Pumpkin Pie
I feel like I'm so much more organized since I started ready messages from Fly Lady, Marla. So I had planned to have my pre Thanksgiving dinner arrangements taken care of today so that tomorrow I'll just do the fundamental cooking. I would buy bread for stuffing, pare the apples and make Waldorf salad and bake the pie, --in the afternoon.
I bought the bread right after Aquarobics and the store wasn't crowded. I was right on track.
At home again, after lunch, I worked on the church newsletter, in the Publisher program, to get some practice so I'm ready for my next class on Monday. I stopped doing computer work at 3 and started the pumpkin pie.
That's when I realized that I didn't have enough shortening, and I had to go out and buy more. I knew my supply was getting low but I thought I had enough for one more pie crust recipe. I was wrong!
I left immediately then and went to the most economical grocery store, Save-A-Lot. To my relief, it wasn't crowded at all, though the parking lot was. People were doing what I was doing, grabbing a few last minute things and dashing off again. One man just behind me bought a gallon of vinegar! Just that!
That missed calculation on the shortening cost me the Waldorf salad today. But it's not going to be a big problem for me to make it tomorrow morning.
So, I made the pumpkin pie and oh! what joy I felt as I got the pumpkin ingredients all mixed together. Many times at home Mom and I made pumpkin pie together. I cracked the eggs, opened the canned milk, stirred the mixture for her. And then the tasting! We always had to taste it to make sure there was enough salt and just enough sugar, or maybe just another shake of cinnamon. Sometimes Mom mixed the pumpkin in a four quart pan because the big mixing bowl was used for the pie crust.
At the store this morning I saw that pumpkin pies were selling for $3. I was tempted to buy one. I even remarked to a friend that it seemed so simple to just buy the pie and she told me, laughing, "That's the only way to do it!" But I didn't buy it. I didn't want the easy way today. I wanted the real thing, and I'm so glad I made it myself. I can't explain the joy I felt as I thought of Mom and the pumpkin pies we made together.
As I cleaned up and washed up the utensils, I remembered Mom's rule. "You're not finished with the baking till you've washed up the utensils and put everything away again." It's a good rule. It keeps me from being swamped with a load of dirty dishes.
Feeling Good
It's been so good to get back to routine. I'm feeling really good this morning, like I've had numbness for so long but now I'm starting to feel alive again. The water at Aquarobics was just right. I enjoyed talking with friends.
I stopped at a grocery store on my way home and picked up some bread for stuffing. I'm going to making stuffing to cook with pork chops for tomorrow. We'll have a quiet celebration together and though I won't be roasting turkey, we'll have a very nice meal.
It's still drizzly rain here, but I keep hearing that the weather's going to change soon, and I hear the "snow" word tossed around a lot.
Accomplishment
I have reason to feel good about today. I really did get a lot accomplished in writing thank you letters and filling out the records in the guest book. There's still two more thank yous that I should write tomorrow and in the guest book, I'll make a list of the sympathy cards that we've received. That should be a comforting job. And yet, for all that I've written today, it seems like just when I think I'm finished, I remember a few more people that I should send notes to. We have been so blessed with many sending words of encouragement and I am truly grateful. It was so hard to start this task, but it is going very well now.
Getting Started
Today I actually made myself start filling in the guest book from the funeral. It was really hard for me to do, but once I got started, it wasn't too hard to continue. However, there were things I wrote with tears in my eyes. I knew it would be that way. It feels to me like a major accomplishment that I got that task well started. I should finish it in a day or two. It's a big job, and of course, an emotional one.
Trying It Out
Even though it was really late last night, after I blogged, I went to my Publisher program and tried out some of the things I learned. I did enjoy using the new things I learned, but when I tried to put a box around the church mission statement, I couldn't find how to do that. I asked HELP about using borders but the information I read there didn't fit the program, or my understanding of the program. Oh, I got a big, bold, colorful border around the whole page, but that's not what I needed.
I know I'm going to find out about paragraph boxes (borders) soon. It is exciting to learn and be able to use new ideas and methods.
Four Hours Is Too Long
My computer class was very good but four hours is too long. It was supposed to be 6-9. By 8:30, I was fired up and ready to come home and try something on my own. When it went on to past 9, I started to lose enthusiasm. By 9:30 I couldn't figure out the vertical and horizontal guide settings. The information just boggled my mind and I felt foolish. But I compensated by just drawing text boxes where it looked like they belonged, and I longed to be finished. When it was nearly 10 Sue went on overload, too, and finally our instructor said we'd better not start a new lesson.
I think I would like to have nine days of classes with one hour each. I think I could learn the most that way. Fortunately, I already do know a lot of the basics about the program because most of it so far is just the fundamentals, but I did learn at least five things today. And I have a book that will be mine.
I think the real benefit is that in the end our instructor says that she'll give us her phone number and we can call her if we have any further questions after we've covered the material in the book. I'm all for that. I need a real live question answerer to help me.
Cool Waters
The water at the Y pool was really cool this morning, but the lively exercise made it bearable. It really did feel good to back in the water doing the "froggy jumps," and "football tires" and other exercises. The best part was being back with friends again. The next best was getting dressed again and feeling like a million dollars! The exercise did me so much good.
Morning
It's morning again. This morning is going to be another routine morning, after a week of not getting back to my usual routine. I'll have breakfast and then get out to have my allergy sots and go right from there to the Y for Aquarobics. I hope the water isn't too cold, but I'm so ready to get back to the water exercise. I'm sure my whole body will feel better after the exercise.
Tonight I start my computer class in publishing. I'm really looking forward to this class. It will take three hours of my evening but I hope to learn a great deal and I expect to enjoy the learning.
A Mom Memory
I meant to tell this in my "eulogy" at my mom's funeral service but it just slipped my mind. However I've been remembering it and I want to record it now.
I believe this happened before my parents sold their home and moved to the retirement community. It was probably at a time when Mom could still see to read.
"We get so many requests for money from so many good causes," she told me one day. I know that the elderly are often prey to such requests and will sacrifice of their necessary means to help in a cause that touches their hearts. I felt a little concern about what she would say next.
She went on to tell me, "This is what I do about it. I pray over the letter. I tell God that this is a worthy cause and I ask Him to bless in this ministry. Then I ask Him to lay this need on the heart of someone who has the financial ability to send them money. Then I throw the letter into the waste basket!"
My mom was very practical and had great insight in dealing with all those requests for help which were more than she could handle. I like her way of handling all those requests for money. I've used it myself from time to time.
Unexpected Gift
Today we were invited out to a noon meal of home made soup and pumpernickle bread, with an ice cream sandwich for dessert. It was exactly right! Terri said she just knew I wouldn't feel like cooking a meal after church today so she planned this for me instead of giving me flowers. She also sent me home with a small box of apples. Their fragrance in the car reminded me the whole way home of the blessing which I had just received.
Making Progress
I made some progress in catching up with chores yesterday. I finally got through all the newspapers. It made quite a pile of newspapers to go through.
I started sorting through the cards I've received and perhaps this afternoon or maybe not till tomorrow I'll start working on the guest book from my mom's funeral. There's so much to write there and I know I need to do that soon.
And thank you notes are waiting to be written. So many people have been so kind to me during this time. They need to know that their kindness was deeply appreciated.
Today is a truly typical November day. Dull and overcast, very damp and cold,--just what one would expect from November. No wonder we get excited about the first snow. It covers everything and brightens the landscape considerably.
Holidays Are Coming
Although I went out this morning, fairly early, to get the apples and oranges, I waited till late this afternoon to pick up the milk and a few other things from the grocery. Usually at this time on a Saturday night, there aren't many people shopping and it's easy to get around through the store.
That's not how it was tonight! There was a crowd of people at the store. I'm thinking it was because people were getting ready for Thanksgiving which is less than a week away. It was hard to get through the aisles. It took a while to get through the check out line. But I was really glad when I had completed my transaction and was heading back to the car.
My husband didn't feel up to tromping through the store with me, and I certainly don't blame him for that. But he thought I'd hate driving across town in the rainy darkness and therefore he insisted that he'd take me. I was very grateful for his help.
Oranges and Apples
I've been to the fruit truck and bought my oranges and apples. It is still raining, a steady drip kind of rain, not terribly uncomfortable. I could grab an umbrella and go out walking and enjoy it.
At the plaza, the Sobols have arranged their produce on tables. One table off to the side was set up with beautiful peppers spilling out of a bushel basket. There were bright reds, greens, yellows, and even orange colors. I think there may have been squash and cabbages on the table near the peppers. It was arranged as an artist would set up a still life. It was just begging to be made into a picture.
When I commented on the beauty of the display the older man called to the young man working with them, who was probably in his late teens, "She likes your work! You did a good job!" Now I'm wondering if he's an art major or just interested in display design. It was as pretty as the produce displays at Wegman's, the big grocery store in Erie. I love to walk through their produce department because everything is arranged like beautiful pictures.
More Rain
It's raining this morning and I want to go to get some apples and oranges from Frank Sobol's fruit truck at the plaza. It makes it harder for him when the weather is bad but he comes any way. He's been there when it was very cold and windy and he had to huddle in the back of the truck to be warm enough and was very cold when he had to be selling to customers. This rain isn't that cold but it's still wet.
Dan and Dave worked in rain yesterday to finish up the last gable on our house, the one over the living room. It is beautiful now! The scaffold is still up and there may be a few little things to do to finish the project, but for the most part, it is finished.
Vignette
In 1988, my daughter-in-law and I made a trip together from Maine to Pennsylvania, with her twin babies. On the trip, we had breakfast at McDonalds at Scranton and we observed a strange thing going on.
It was a very hot summer morning in August. After we were settled at a table, we saw this thin woman, her red hair cut short and curled. She was the kind of person who catches your attention right away. I had noticed her when we came in and now I saw she was sitting near us.
She had six servings of hash brown potatoes laid out in front of her and a large cup of coffee. She emptied four little cream cups into the coffe and then she carefully dipped each little cup into the big cup, filling them with the coffee.
Next she turned her attention to the hash browns and lined them up in front of her. She had a supply of paper napkins. She would take a napkin, take the potato patty out of its envelope and wrap it neatly in the napkin, then pat and pat it, take it back out of the napkin and slide it into its wrapper again.
I thought she did this ritualisticly. She systematically rotated the hash browns until she'd done the same thing with each one. Sometimes she rummaged in her baggy purse between treatments of her hash browns. She would pull out a bundle of something, --small envelopes or papers banded together. Then she would drop it back into the purse and get back to patting the hash browns.
At last she took one of the hash brown rectangles and tore its envelope open and spread it out flat. Then she took the white plastic fork and jabbed off the tiniest little bit of potato which she put into her mouth daintily. She picked up one of the napkins and dabbed at the corners of her mouth. On and on she dabbed, two pats right, two pats left, several pats under her lower lip, back to the left corner, right corner, nose and finally finished. After several more tiny bites, she got out the hand bag again. This time she took out a little notebook and began to write.
Although she looked up occasionally, she seemed unaware of others in the room.
My curiosity was raised and I wanted to see what she did with her little cups of cream and how long she would stay. However, we couldn't wait that long. We had a long distance to go. We had to leave while she was still writing.
I made a guess that she probably was deliberately stretching out this process to take hours so that she could stay in air conditioned comfort while her own little apartment rooms were sweltered in heat. However, I never learned anything more about the strange lady who aroused such curiosity in me. Now I wonder if she was writing about the nosy lady across the room who seemed to be watching everything she did!
It's Going to be Some Rainbow
There's a song we used to sing when I was a girl living with my parents.
Remember, the storm brings the rainbow.
Remember, the cloud hides the sun.
Look up when the day seems the darkest,
There's light shining down from the throne.
Remember, the Savior is watching,
He never will leave us alone.
So, why should I fear?
The Master is near,
He never forsakes His own.
I've been going through quite a storm in these last few days. I'm so ready to see the rainbow! What a stupendous rainbow it should be. I love rainbows!
Morning Thoughts
I haven't been able to do my morning routine for days now and today's no exception. I'm ready to get back to normal, --if there is a normal.
I still have newspapers to read from Monday. I've read some of them, but not the whole set. Perhaps today I can go through them and get them put in the recycling pile.
Now, I have a lot of writing to do. There are so many thank you letters to write. I'll try to get started on them today. I also need to get to our local newspaper and have a couple of things put into the paper here.
And, there's the funeral service at 11 this morning for our former neighbor. She was a lovely woman. When she was downsizing her possessions and moving into a nursing facility, she gave me her Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I know she was a good cook. She gave me her recipe oatmeal cookies when we first moved here beside her. She called them "Oatflake Cookies." Apparently, at least in our area, what we know as rolled oats was once called oatflake.
I think maybe tomorrow my life will begin to go back to normal, with routine weekend chores and activities. There's comfort in the usual routine.
I'm Registered!
I've registered, this afternoon, to take a class in Publishing (Microsoft), at our local college branch. I've been muddling around in this program on my computer and have decided that I could do so much better if I take this course.
I went on overload this week and almost forgot to get registered but I stopped in there tonight and got signed up. It turns out that they had said the cut off to registration was today at noon, but they still had openings and they let me register.
I go for my first class on Monday, at 6 PM. I'm excited about it. I hope to learn wonderful things!
Ivy's Apples
Tonight for my dessert after the evening meal, I decided to eat an apple. I found with my first bite that it was rather tart, more tart than I wanted it to be. What to do about it? Ah, slice it up and drizzle honey over it as Ivy told us to do to celebrate Jewish New Year.
A tart apple is truly delicious when eaten this way. I am eatting these apple slices with a touch of honey and thinking of Ivy, whom I've never met. She's one of my cyber friends. New Year's is long over for her, but this sweetness is something that can be experienced even now.
Saturday, the fruit truck comes to the plaza at the edge of our town. I hope to buy some apples, oranges and grapefruit. Frank's truck comes every two weeks from now until some time in February.
Fallacy of Thought
For as long as I can remember, I have held the thought that if I have to purchase a number of things, it's easier for me to do it by purchasing a few at a time, days apart. It doesn't seem so expensive that way. If I buy a little at a time, I don't see such a high price tag, but if you're good at math, you can see that it adds up, whether I see it or not. I think I'm beginning to break away from the concept that it's cheaper to buy a few at a time rather than all at once. Now I'm noticing that it's more convenient to buy it all at once.
Action
I decided to act on the L'Engle quote and I stopped my other activities or lack of them, and sat down to play the piano. I thought that she meant that for the artist to stay in tune with his art, to keep his art sharp, he had to keep up the practice of it. When I started to play the piano, I discovered the true meaning of Madeleine's statement.
I became more in tune with myself. There was an inner shift, an inner focus, and I was more in peace with myself. There's still the grieving to go through, but the practice of art for the artist helps the inner thoughts and emotions to get back into alignment and is in itself a comfort to the whole being.
This was a good day for me to read Madeleine's statement.
A Good Quote
Madeleine L'Engle
"An artist of any kind is like a violin which has to be tuned regularly,--it doesn't stay in tune by itself."
There's a lot of truth in this. Today is a good day for me to think about this. I shall practice my piano pieces and get out my oil paints again real soon.
Thanks
I just want to say thanks one more time to everyone who read my blog and prayed for my family and me during our time of stress, whether you posted to me or not. I realize there's people like my cousin Lynne who told me after the service how much my mom had helped her but she said she'd never be able to say anything publically. I realize that there are probably some who have visited my blog quietly and reached out to me in their hearts and prayed but didn't leave a note. Thanks. Maybe you'll be able to leave a note sometime. I feel loved and supported. Special thanks to those of you who don't know me but felt concern for my time of sorrow.
Slowing Down
I'm taking this morning to write and reflect, to just catch up with me. I think that at 11 I'm going to the funeral service for Helen. She was a very dear person. She often watched my children when they were little and I had to do things without them. She was very good with them and they loved to go to her place. I doubt that they remember her now, they were so little when they knew her.
Soon the demands of the day will prod me into activity but for this short while, I'm just taking it easy, and thinking.
Troubles
On Monday afternoon, my brother found out that there was a problem in his home. When he couldn't access his phone messages, he knew something was wrong in the house. A close friend was alerted and she discovered that the toilet tank had broken in half and water had been continually pouring forth, possibly for 24 hours. It's made heavy damage with massive clean up and problems. He had to leave for a while but returned in time for the funeral service.
When I read the newspapers after we arrived home today, I found that a dear friend in our area had died on the same day as mom, and yesterday our former neighbor died. Both of these are women of 90 years, give or take a little.
Some times troubles seem to rise up to meet us on every side. But, "We are victorious, through Him who loves us so." He never promised that we'd have no trouble, but that He'd be with us. Precious promise.
Home Again
We had a beautiful funeral service for my mom and now we're home again.
I did say a few words. Unfortunately, the timing was bad because it was just after the singing of the hymn, Face to Face,--one that my mom had special reasons for enjoying. I lost my control as we went into the final stanza and had to get up in front of everyone while still sobbing. But I knew everyone one understood and I got started and then went on without too much trouble.
I'm glad I made the effort. It wasn't easy and yet it wasn't hard because my heart was so full of things to say.
I especially remembered her "can do" spirit and I knew that she was pleased that I had participated in my dad's service and she had no doubt expected that I would do the same for her.
I'm glad that I did it. I know it is a loving gift that was important for me to give.
Early to Rise
I'm not by nature an early riser but even though I was very late getting to bed last night, I was awake at 5:30. I rarely see that time of day.
My mind is mulling over what I'll be saying about my mom for her funeral service today. There's so much I could say. What will I say? I want people to enjoy with me the beauty of the person my mom was. She was loving, generous, hard working, and completely devoted to serving God.
I've heard other family members speak at their loved one's funeral service and I thought it was the most meaningful gift they could give. I want to do this for my mom. I need to give her this one last gift.
Joy in the Midst of Sorrow
It's amazing how much joy can take place in the midst of so much sorrow. Tonight is a blur to me. There were so many friends and relatives who came to share our sorrow and express their love and comforting thoughts. I have always been proud of my mom but tonight I was reminded just how proud I should be. She was a loving person and she is well loved. It was so good to greet people I haven't seen in years. Why do we wait for funerals to get in touch with each other?
Today's Events
Today's events have been a mixed bag. I've been with family, which is always good. We sorted through pictures and made a display on foamboard. That really got to me and I cried while doing that.
We looked through the small box of Mom's things. Tears came when I saw the small basket with an artificial African violet in it. She had it as a table centerpiece before she went to the retirement home and took it with her to all her changes of rooms after she was a resident there. I think her sister gave it to her.
Seeing her purse was also a heart wrenching moment for me. It was somewhat of an identity with her. She carried her purse with her when she went anywhere. She would leave her room and walk to the dining room and carry her purse with her. It was part of who she was. Seeing it brought tears again.
I know tears are good. They are healing. There will be many more tears before Tuesday evening.
Mom and the Mouse
I remember an episode with Mom and me and a mouse. I don't remember how old I was at the time, --perhaps in my early teens.
Our kitchen sink had a wide cupboard right under the sink, with the drain pipe going down a hole in the back of the cupboard. This cupboard opened into two cupboards on either side of the main cupboard and there were dividing partitions between the main cupboard and the two side cupboards, but they were only partial dividers. It was all one big cupboard across the front with the dividers separating the side cupboards at the back. Each side cupboard had its own door at the front.
So, one day Mom discovered that this hapless mouse had come up into this cupboard through the drain hole in the center. It had gone over into the left cupboard and she had it cornered there. She had taken a cookie sheet and made a wall between the mouse and access to the exit hole at the drain pipe.
She assigned me to hold that cookie sheet in place and not let the mouse get past it and she was going to bash that mouse and get rid of it. I wanted no part of this operation, but I wasn't given a choice. I had to hold that cookie sheet in place. I kept wailing, "I can't do it!" and she kept insisting that I could and I would, so I did.
I took hold of the cookie sheet. Mom started poking at the mouse. The frightened mouse ran forward in hopes of getting out past Mom. Mom was poised to bash him. When the mouse ran toward us, I panicked and screamed and threw my hands up to protect myself and let the cookie sheet fall. The mouse dashed into the main cupboard and down the drain hole in a blur.
Mom was really annoyed with me. She'd have had him for sure if I hadn't been such a ninny. I don't think I did it on purpose, and yet I know that in my heart I was secretly relieved that the little mouse got away. However, unless he left our cellar and went back outside to safety, Mom got him another day. But at least, he was safe that day.
Wedding Memories
From the Wedding Memories of the Grandparents Book I found this information about my parents wedding.
Dad wore his blue serge suit and Mom bought a nice dress, a light blue crepe.
Question: What is your strongest memory from your wedding? (July 15, 1935)
My dad answered: There was an eclipse of the moon that night and we all went out in the yard at Grandma Baker's and looked at the moon. Rev. Milburn serenaded us on a washboard.
Mom answered: I had to prepare all the food for the reception. Going home that night I was driving because Neal fell asleep and we ran up over the curb. The orange light was burned out and the light went right from green to red as I entered the intersection. A policeman was there and stopped me. I told thim that the light was burned out and he said, "You have to be prepared for such things!" But then he told me to forget it. But I never did!
My dad, all his life, was interested in the moon and what was going on in the night sky. To this day, when I see the moon in the night sky, I think of Dad. I was thinking this morning that my first thought about Mom is about her and her kitchen, always having food prepared for us and and visitors who might drop by. I think of her first in the kitchen. And here in this account of their wedding from their own words, I see that these two threads were evident even then.
The Grandparents Book
Before my mom and dad moved away from the house that my dad built, I bought a grandparents book for them. This is a version of a blank book with prompts to give the grandparents things to write about that the family will want to know about in years to come. My parents resisted strongly the idea of writing about their memories but eventually they allowed me to ask them some of the questions and let me write their answers. After a few pages of this, they did get into the game and seemed to enjoy telling me about things.
I got out the book this morning, to read over it. As usual, I found that we'd recorded things that I completely forgot ever hearing. For instance, Mom told me that her Grandmother Rose Ann had suggested they name this nice little baby Elsie. She said that at that time Elsie Baker was a well known lyrical singer. How could I have forgotten that information?
Mom Had Spunk
My mom always had spunk and was pretty much equal to every task that came her way. I'm remembering some of her spunky behavior today.
First I've been remembering her story of walking alone in the early morning along the road that led to Grandma Emma's house. I don't remember if it was before or after Grandma Emma was her mother-in-law. But she walked along this road, alone, and suddenly there was this very big buck with a big rack of antlers standing there looking at her. At first she was very frightened but then she took courage and trusted that the deer wouldn't hurt her. And, of course, he didn't.
Another time, after she was married, she went to the church for something and there was a grieving mother there talking to their pastor. Her baby had just died and this woman wanted someone to sing a song for her baby's funeral service. She didn't know this woman at all. The woman didn't know any friend who could sing for her baby's service. My mom said she would be glad to help in this way. It wasn't really easy, she said, but she just felt so touched by this woman's grief and she had to do what she could. I think she said that she sang Jesus Loves Me. I wish I'd written this story down just after she told me it so I would remember for sure what she sang.
Mom had a loving heart and was touched by the need of others. Even though she was really a timid person, she could overcome her timidity to reach out to comfort someone in sorrow or help someone in need.
Home Going
My mom died this morning.
We are making funeral preparations. Mom didn't tell us much about what she wanted for a funeral. She would tell me, "You'll know what I like. You'll make the right choices." But she did tell both my brother and me one thing. She wanted the song, What A Day That Will Be sung in her funeral service.
I am feeling the sorrow and there have been tears, but I am comforted when I think of the song she's asked for. The chorus of it is:
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see.
And I look upon His face--
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the promised land,
What a day, glorious day that will be!
As I think over these words, I am comforted to know that this is my mom's home going day.
Emotions Are Confusing
We've had call about my mom this morning. She's not responding at all, she is sinking very low. I've been numb emotionally but my mind has been busy with the flying thoughts darting in so many directions.
And then I called our pastor to let them know what's happening. When I started to talk to my pastor's wife, the emotions kicked in so strongly that I could hardly talk. That's when the tears came.
I can think about it and write about it and not cry, but when I try to express it in spoken words, I'm an emotional basket case. I think perhaps I hurt so much emotionally that I just can't feel it, --most of the time. Because my husband is not well, and I feel needed here, I'm not planning to make the long trip, but that's where my thoughts are, and I think my emotions have gone there, too.
Where are Matches?
I decided that I ought to buy matches, since they are in popular demand at our place,--for lighting candles and fires in the fire ring. I used to know where matches were kept in the grocery store that sold out. Now another store is in that building and most everything is changed around.
I didn't even try to look for matches myself. I asked for help. The first three people I asked didn't know where the matches are. The third person referred me to the first person who was still looking around in a befuddled way. The fourth person knew where to look--in the aisle with the baking things!
I'm not sure I see the reasoning for this but the clerk said that the paper plates are also in that aisle. I think it's suppose to be the idea that matches belong with picnic things.
Where would you look for matches in a grocery store?
One More Time
I said we'd done our last hot dog roast for this year, but, what do you know! We had another one this noon!
We had to deal with the Trumpet Vine that wants to take over the world, starting with our house. It had vined up to the upper window level and was attatched to the siding. I had tried to loosen the vining tendrils by leaning out of the upstairs window and pulling it, but it was too tight for me to dislodge.
Today we lopped off all the branches that were touching the house anywhere and my son used a ladder to climb up and take care of that topmost part of the vine.
Then we had all these woody branches to take care of. We broke them up and put them into the fire ring, and the natural thing to do was burn them, and thus, what follows naturally? Hot dog roast!
I had trouble finding matches. I've kept my box of matches in a certain place for so long that most people here know where they are now. Therefore, they were picked up and not replaced. I took the book of matches that I've been using to light the table candles. There was ONE match left! I knew my son would get a kick out of it, that I would take him one match to start the fire in the fire ring. He responded with indignation, as I'd expected and I had a good laugh. Then I hunted more matches. I got out my little box of matches that I use for my Pysanky candles and there was one match in that box! I took the cigarette lighter that I sometimes use to light the Pysanky candles but I've used it for three or four years and it finally ws empty. I laughed a lot during this time that I was looking for matches! It just seemd so funny to me that the match hunt would turn up nothing.
Then my husband brought the big box of matches. He'd had it in his coat pocket from the last time he built a fire. We got the fire going and roasted the hot dogs and had a fun lunch time. Once again, we cooked the hot dogs outdoors, but ate them in the kitchen.
Slow Start
We're getting a slow start here this morning. We are spending time talking about what we will do but we aren't doing it yet.
I got the day started my usual way and then spent some time with my piano practice. Our choir director has chosen some special music for Thanksgiving and Christmas that requires more practice time for me. This is good for me and has spurred me to get out some of my piano books from years ago when I took lessons. I've been enjoying working on pieces that I used to play that I had let get rusty with disuse. I'm scouring the rust off of them. I dreamed about playing the piano last night. It was an odd, interesting dream. I woke feeling eager to get back to my practicing.
Give In to the Chocolate Urge
Every fall, I think, it happens to me. I start to crave chocolate. I always like chocolate, but when we head into winter, I crave it more than usual. I think it's an urge to bulk up to keep warm in winter.
Whatever it is, it has been building in me and I've wanted to have some fudge. So, tonight, I gave in and made some. To be accurate, I must have given in to the urge on Wednesday morning when I stopped for some groceries, because that's when I bought the ingredients. Today is when I made it.
It's just the simple sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chip recipe but it's what I really wanted.
Ah, but it is good. I still have plenty left for another day, and I even shared a little!
Company Coming
Our son is on the way to visit with us, bringing his younger son with him. We have things to talk about and there are things he'll help me with. It's time to buy another 50 pound bag of dog food again! I need help with that. Our dogs never worry about how I will get that heavy bag home from the store. They just know it will happen and there is a plenteous supply. We'll have time for fun things, too.
There's a Highway
Earlier this morning, I looked out my dining room window and saw the little red squirrel scampering along the the telephone wire on South Street. When it got to the telephone pole at the corner, I couldn't see where it went next.
Then when I went out on the porch to pick up the morning paper, I saw that the sky colors, pink and baby blue with a little gray, were so beautiful that it would make a lovely
Afghan. The trees are now skeletal structures, showing up in bold relief against the soft background of the sky. And then I saw the squirrel again.
He was running along the telephone wires in front of our house now, heading back to that corner telephone pole. He was completely at home on the wires high above the streets. He has his own highway that runs all over town. It's a pretty good highway for him. There's no pot holes, not much traffic (an occasional bird or other squirrel), and there's no chance of being hit by a car on his highway. And, finally, his path really puts the "high" into "highway".
Crochet
Today while I waited with my husband in the doctor's waiting room, I saw a woman crocheting an Afghan. She had a big canvas bag to carry it in. She was using blues, grays and browns and the Afghan looked soft and warm. I couldn't help commenting on her work of art and she brought it over to me to touch it. It was heavy and deep. What a good time of the year to work on such a warm Afghan. It would feel so cozy to work with that growing Afghan covering your lap and your legs.
"I've made 25 Afghans in one year's time," she told me proudly. "From August to August, 25 Afghans!" That's a lot of work. She quickly told me that she works at a job, too, and she works at home, and still she's made 25 Afghans.
When she left the room, another little woman told me shyly that she makes Afghans, too. She taught herself to crochet, I found out by asking questions. She got yarn and a book and read the directions and started making Afghans. She can't crochet now because of arthritis in her hands but when she was younger, she did lots of creative things. She cut shapes out of wood and painted them. She helped with the logging, and she helped building the house. And then the nurse called her to the examining room. "Lucille, you can come in now." I was sorry that our conversation was ended, but soon it was our turn to wait in an examining room.
My mom used to make many Afghans when she could see well. It was such a hardship for her when she couldn't see to crochet or embroider or quilt or do crossword puzzles any more. She always kept her hands busy. I admired those women I talked to in the waiting room today, as I admire the needlework my own mom did.
A Blooper
You know how you tend to see what you expect to see when you look at something? That's what happened to me last night when I read the program at the Memorial Service. When the speaker, Robb, got up to give the Scripture meditation, he said that he wouldn't be doing a Scripture medication as was written in the program, but after all it was nurses who had made out the program so it was a natural thing for them to write. It was kind of funny to me on two counts. First that they had written medication and second that I read meditation as they had meant to write.
The Candle Lighting
Last night at the Hospice Memorial Service, they had 150 tea light candles arranged in tiers on dark velvet at the front of the church. As they called out the names of the Hospice patients who had died during the last two years, someone came up to light the candle. Robb gave the directions that the back rows should be lighted first so that no one would be reaching over burning candles to light one.
If family or friends were there to honor the memory of their loved one, they would light the candle. If none of them were there, the member of the Hospice staff who had taken care of them the most lighted the candle. I felt sad that the Hospice staff had to do so much of the lighting of the candles.
But then I realized that many people felt that they just couldn't deal with the intensity of their emotions in a public setting. Some people are afraid to cry, but those who came let their tears come. I wish that everybody could know it's OK to cry and that this memorial service really is a service of healing. It's a time to do something special in honor of our loved ones, to recognize the meaning of life, to cry and release some of the pain. A person leaves a service like this feeling stronger and more peaceful. I wish they would have all come. They could see that they aren't alone.
It was a beautiful sight, all those candles burning at the front of the room. When everyone left the room, I went back to look for my husband. Ever practical and aware, he was helping with the extinguishing of the candles. Some of the wax had spilled out onto the velvet. There was some concern about the velvet catching fire and then it would have been a disaster.
I didn't light any candles last night. I lit my candles in my heart. These don't have to be extinguished.
Service of Memory
Tonight at the Hospice Memorial Service, I was filled with emotion and during the time of lighting the candles (about 150 of them) I got out my little notebook and recorded some of my thoughts about the dear ones I miss so much.
My Memories
There's an empty place in me
That time tries to fill up.
Some days it happens.
Then my moments and days are crowded and full
And I don't notice the empty place so much.
But, sometimes the emptiness grows,
Expands to crowd out the fullness.
Tears spill down to fill the void.
Remembering the good times brings comfort and relief.
Thinking of my life, enriched by my absent loved ones Pours love into the silent emptiness
And eases my sorrow.
I've forgotten many things,
But, these absent ones, dear to my heart,
Will not be forgotten as long as my mind endures.
I will be warmed and comforted
While their candle of memory
Burns there in my empty place.
Warmth After All
My husband is really good at jerry-rigging so that things will work out right in a pinch. He took fans and space heaters and got it worked out so that it was actually quite cozy in the social rooms. In fact, the kitchen workers were too warm and asked to have the heat turned down so they wouldn't be hampered in their clean up efforts. It was another good day with a very good turn out. I'm glad that the people didn't have to shiver in the cold.
A Cold Reception
Today is the day for our monthly Fellowship Luncheon at the church and yesterday we found out that there's something wrong with the furnace that it won't heat the social rooms.
Actually this happened on Thursday last week and it was very cold in the social rooms for the bereavement meal that was served there in the afternoon. At that time, however, we thought it was cold there because someone had turned the thermostat down.
Over Sunday the men discovered that actually something had gone wrong with the furnace and though they have been trying to fix it, it isn't repaired this morning. It will take four hours to replace the part and they haven't been able to get that job started yet. We're planning to have the dinner any way and use other means of heat, like space heaters. It should still be cool.
Hospice Memorial Service
Tomorrow evening will be the Hospice Memorial Service where we light a candle for loved ones whose deaths we mourn. I like this service because it's something I do that keeps on giving meaning to the lives of my loved ones. I sort of don't like this service because it focuses my attention on my loss in a more poignant way.
I've been dreaming about my dad lately. In my dreams I haven't been remembering that he died. While I'm awake, I think about him with great longing.
The service will be meaninfgul to me. I've had a number of deaths in the last few years which have affected me deeply. Some days I can remember these dear ones with joy in the remembering and other days the remembering cuts close to my emotions and brings tears.
Some deaths we learn to live with but never do get over completely. Remembering and honoring the person makes it a little easier to go on.
Our Snow
We have had snowflakes today, but it really doesn't count as the first snowfall, according to Ed King, who was a radio announcer for KDKA Pittsburgh for many years. He hosted a late evening show called Party Line in which he took phone calls from listeners and conducted his conversations with them by repeating what they said so others would understand the gist of the conversation. He did this snowfall game in which he would predict the number of snows there would be in the winter. He used the date of the first snowfall that was enough snow to track a cat. If there wasn't enough snow to see an animal's footprints in it, the snow didn't count. I don't remember the rest of his criteria, --it used information about the date and the phase of the moon and I'm not sure what else. I just remember that he never counted the first snowfall unless there was enough snow to, as he always put it, "track a cat." Our snow today didn't lay, except for a little while on the car. But, maybe in the morning, the ground will be covered!
Vacation Over
The granddaughter vacation is over and they are on their way home again, with their puppy. I think we did some interesting things this week but the biggest fun raiser was the puppy.
I was reading them the story, The Snowstorm, by Beryl Netherclift but we didn't quite finish it. We were nearly finished though. The children had found the long lost treasure but Aunt Amythyst hadn't gotten back home yet, so she didn't know that the treasure had been found.
I'll finish reading the story alone today. It was fun reading to the girls. Both dogs are resting up after having company. They always do that when we've had company. They just zone out for the rest of the day. They will soon be back to normal. The girls were eager to head home. They missed their other dog, their dad, and their own bedroom. They missed their mom and their brothers, too, but they came to get them, so it was the others they wanted to get home to see. Their house will be humming with activity this evening!
A Chaplain's Report
In our evening service at church, we had some video clips from the Alliance Video Magazine. One was an Alliance Chaplain in Baghdad telling of his experience there and God's protection.
He said that once when the troops were relaxing, gathered together in the rec area watching a video, they were under mortar attack. Two mortars were fired and missed them entirely. A third one made a direct hit on the canopy that was over their area. It hit the camouflage canvas which set it off and it exploded over their heads, scattering shrapnel harmlessly above them. If it had burned through the canvas and hit the ground, it would have shattered among them, most assuredly killing all of them.
The men captured the people who had made the mortar attack and the men were being interrogated. After a while, one of their men said he'd like to ask a question. They permitted this. He said, "Do you have a secret weapon that we don't know about? A shield of some kind that we can't see? Time after time we have fired at you and it keeps going astray, off to the side or something. We should have had more hits than we do. What is your secret weapon?"
Chaplain Kevin Pies said he was thrilled to hear the report of this question. He knows the secret weapon is the prayer of the Christians. Yes, there have been many tragedies but many more have been thwarted and he's sure it because of the prayer that is being made for their safety. "Keep sending up prayers," he said in this video. "We are using every one of them!"
Sometimes when we hear the death reports we wonder if our prayers are useless, but then we hear a report like this and know that even though there are some awful tragedies, there are many reports of protection and victory that we aren't hearing. I feel a renewed purpose in praying for our military and the situation over there. I'm thankful to hear this report.
Cocoa, Bread, and Butter
One of my favorite memories of Sunday night bedtime snacks is when we had homemade bread, butter, and hot cocoa. It sounds like such a simple repast but, trust me, it was wonderful. I'm reminded of this because the girls are fixing cocoa right now. They like cocoa a lot. It's too bad that I don't have the homemade bread to go with it. That's a taste sensation fit for a queen.
Sunday School Treats
Last night I made the Cream Scones again for the Sunday school class treat this morning. However, I couldn't find whipping cream at Walmart and I wasn't in the mood to ask. Nor was I in the mood to go to another store to find it. So I substituted evaporated milk. The scones were good but the dough was not has thick, and I wonder if the consistency of the whipping cream would have made the difference. I did everything else the same. Well, pretty much so. The first time I forgot to put salt in and this time I remembered the salt, but I don't think that would make the difference. They were still very good, but I could taste the difference between the ones made with cream and these.
Now I wonder, where would Walmart keep the whipping cream? It wasn't with milk, (that I could see), nor with butter, nor with the ready made whipped cream. I didn't know any more refrigerated places to look for it.
Hot Dogs!
We've had quite a lot of wind in our area lately and it brought down a lot of dead branches from the maple in our yard. Mostly it is twigs and branches which are a little larger that came down. The wind died down a great deal today. The girls helped to collect the wood from the yard and my husband burned them in our fire ring. We got out the roasting sticks and roasted some hot dogs over the coals. We ate our food indoors, though. It's our last hot dog roast for this year. I don't think I've ever had a hot dog roast this late in the year before. It was nice.
Pretty Puppy
All is peace and quiet. Puppy Tyme has accepted the fact that even though the girls aren't here, we (Rusty, Desy and I) are here. She's resting peacefully on the puppy blanket in the kitchen. The other two are sleeping closer to me in the dining room. If Tyme wasn't in the dog house, she could be sleeping by me, too. But she might wake up and take off to explore the house on her own and I don't think she should be allowed to do that just now. She's so cute when she's resting quietly!
One Spoiled Puppy
This evening my husband decided to take the girls for a DQ treat. I elected to stay home. (But bring me something!) I'm tired.
Puppy Tyme is still in the dog house and is on her leash in the kitchen. Even when I was right with her, when the girls left, Tyme started to cry for them. She kept looking in the direction which they'd gone, out the kitchen door.
The girls really dote on her, carrying her with them, fussing over her most of the time. She's one spoiled puppy now and thinks they should take her everywhere with them.
Rusty looked very worried about her as she cried. But I knew she'd get over it soon. The girls will be back and they will make it up to her with cuddles and crooning and puppy treats. And I'm hovering near her, but not holding her on my lap.
Puppy in the Dog House
After showing us that she knows what the dog pen is for, Tyne has now disgraced herself by inventing her own puppy bathroom places! I am not amused. While the girls were busy with this and that, she slipped off by herself into our bedroom and left puppy surprises and then also went into the farthest back room and made a puddle. How long should it take a puppy to cooperate after she learns what a puppy pen is for? I will get over it, but right now, I have to say that the puppy is definitely in the dog house.
For the Birds
I've had this book about making papier mache objects for the garden and I've been wanting to do one of the projects. But I keep putting it off. This week I've been thinking that this might be a project which would interest the girls. I got out the book and the wire that I have and planned to make a papier mache bird.
As it turns out, this project is just a little beyond the girls right now. Making the wire armatures is not easy. Maybe, if I keep making progress, they will be interested in applying the paper strips. We'll see.
But for now, I have a wire bird fashioned. I've started tearing paper strips. Maybe tomorrow we'll make the paste and start applying the strips. Perhaps this is a project that I'll complete after the girls go home on Monday.
To the Store
We have a Dollar Store two block east and one block north of us. This morning we bundled up and walked to the store. The wind is blowing very briskly and now it's blowing from the west, which is good. So we had an easy walk to the store but the wind was in our faces on the way back.
At the store I bought some instant cocoa and we looked around for a little while. Then we got in line, --behind Kay.
Kay doesn't know that I know her but we met in the hospital a number of years ago when her mom was a patient there. I remember her but she doesn't remember me. Kay is a good bit older than I and she's eccentric. Or maybe it's just that she's a little old lady.
Once when I saw her walking home from the grocery store lugging her heavy groceries, I stopped and offered her a ride. She wouldn't accept the ride. She didn't remember me and she was afraid of me. I had to let her walk home alone with her heavy load. I was sorry that she didn't remember me and know that I would help her.
Today she had a very hard time getting her purchases checked out. She was buying an umbrella, a rather large one. She moved it this way and that and I had to keep ducking so I didn't get poked. When it was her turn to be waited on, she wanted the girl to take the outer covering off the umbrella for her. She dropped her mitten and it was hard for her to pick it up. When I saw that it was hard for her to bend over and pick up things, I moved in front of her and unloaded her other purchases from her little cart. (She's bought a little cart to haul her things around now.) I basically helped her as I would help my mom if I'd been shopping with her. I helped her get her things back into her cart again, and picked up her mitten again, and kept track of them till she was ready to leave the store.
She bought several packages of paper plates. I conversationally asked her if she was going to have a party. She told me that they were just for her. She doesn't like to wash dishes.
Meanwhile, the line behind us grew longer and longer, but everyone was being patient, and I think, amused. I handed over my purchases to be tallied while Kay was getting herself ready to leave the line. I was ready before she was and we held the door for her and tried to help her position her umbrella in her cart before we started walking home.
She thanked me for helping her as we parted. Today she wasn't afraid of me, so I could help her. I know it was the car she was afraid of that other time. She wouldn't get in a car with me since she didn't know me, but she could let me help her today when we were both on foot. I didn't want to startle her by calling her by name. I'm sure she still doesn't remember me.
The Puppy
The puppy has been getting along fine with the big dogs. She is no longer so afraid of Rusty. She stepped on his tail this morning, and he jumped and that startled her momentarily but there was no problem because of it. They walk through the house together and take naps in the same room and seem to be really comfortable with each other.
This morning the puppy followed the big dogs out into the pen and she did what they did. So she's learning to do as the older dogs do. The older dogs can help train a puppy.
Victor Borge
Tonight some of us watched a Victor Borge video. What fun! He really enjoyed playing the piano and no doubt about it, he had mastery of it. I loved seeing and hearing him play duets with his friend Leonid. They were completely in tune with each other's thoughts as they played.
My favorite joke that he told on this video: I heard a man at the airport say to his wife, "I wish I'd brought our piano along." I thought he recognized me and was saying that because of me, but no, that wasn't it. His wife asked, "Why do you wish you'd brought our piano?" He answered, "Because I left our tickets on it."
That made me think of my dad. He'd have loved that joke. It was definitely Dad's kind of joke. He'd have loved the music, too.
Microwave Potato Chips
About two years ago I watched a TV cooking program where they showed how to make micro wave potato chips, just as a novelty. I wrote down the directions, and I made it for myself that day. You don't do this for a crowd. It's a very worky project and you'd never have time or energy to make that many of them. I liked it but I never made it again.
Now I have the three girls here and they are just about always hungry and always like interesting things to do, so I thought I'd do a plate of microwave potato chips. But I had to do it from my memory because I don't, at the moment, recall where I wrote it.
I chose the biggest potato in the bag, scrubbed it up thoroughly and sliced it as thin as possible. I put the slices on paper towel to micro wave. It took longer than I remembered and I never did get them really crisp. However, they were very edible and we all liked them. But no one got too many! (or even enough).
November Weather and Leaves
We've just started November and the weather is so "November" that it's almost discouraging. I guess it was to be expected, since the last couple of weeks of October were very like November. It's so good that we got the insulation board on the exposed wall of the house yesterday. Today it is very cold and rainy again.
The girls and I raked leaves yesterday afternoon. Our leaf pick up should be sometime this week. We rake the leaves to the curb and they bring around a truck with a vacuum and pick up the leaves, grind them up and take them to the city work yard and compost them. People can get loads of composted leaves from them when they have a need for it. It's a good system for us, but what a lot of work it is to collect all the leaves from all over town.