Christian Photographers Community

Pat...on your special day....

Happy Birthday Pat!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR PAT!!! And I so hope today found you feeling better!

I had a wonderful 5 days painting with friends.  It was bitterswseet, though, because Glenn (our instructor( told us this was his last class.  He is full-time caregiver to his 95-year-old mother, and he just cannot be gone often.  He told us the first morning, and he cried---and we cried---then we dried our eyes and determined to get the very most out of this final opportunity of painting with him.  I finished two paintings, and am pretty happy with how they turned out.

When I visited Beth today, I could tell she had gone downhill, just in the short time I was away.      John wasn't there, she was in the dining room, so I fed her.  She didn't eat very much, and is so weak and tired.  Hard to watch. 

I have read all of your posts now, so am caught up again.  I must start unsubscribing to emails in wholesale lots.  Well over 1,000 came in the few days I was away.  I get so tired of wading through them!

We had beautiful weather while I was in Fowler, including a very nice rain, but nothing violent, so that was good.

I'm exhausted, heading to bed now.  Have to wash my hair in the morning, as I missed my appointment this week and am looking pretty ratty.

Love you folks!

Janet...
...my heart goes out to you and Beth...I would be one of the first to say it...MS is a b*** of an illness...I know, I am living it...

Hi everyone.  The morning is starting out overcast and it is suppose to be partly cloudy all day long.  However, it really won't keep us much cooler as we will reach 90 degrees again this afternoon.  We expect this to be our usual Sunday with Sunday School and Church and then going somewhere for lunch or picking up something to bring home to eat.  I plan on having a Facetime conversation with my best friend later this afternoon and then watching the conclusion of the golf match. 

Carol, I read that about the Senator saying because the man believed in Christ he wasn't qualified for the position in Government.  Can you imagine what would have happened in this country if this Senator had been elected President.  Isn't it nice that there are still Chapels in hospitals with our "political correctness".  Is there still a cross in that VA chapel?    I really enjoy watching the golf matches and like that there isn't usually a lot of sustained noise. 

Pat, Happy Birthdday.

Janet, glad to see you safely home.  I saw the posting you made in Facebook of you with your friend and your paintings.  Can you or another member of your class step up and become the instructor since Glen cannot continue so your group doesn't cease to exist?  You paint so well that you have to have a lot to offer others. Janet, my heart goes out to you as you see Beth's health again decline.  Beth has endured so much in her life and yet more hurdles to go until she can be completely healed in the presence of our Lord and loving God.

Jackie, glad to see your posting today as don't remember seeing one yesterday.  Hope you are having a good day.   

Larry, the future of the class depends mainly on the lady who has been running the Art Center now for many years.  She said, "It just depends on what happens.  I could drop dead tomorrow."  My answer was that could happen to any of us!
I could teach, I taught for many years, but everyone in that class is as good a painter as I am.  We discussed just having the class and helping each other, critiquing each other's work, as that would be great fun, but it depends on Martha.  So I guess we wait to see what she wants to do.

Church was fun this morning.  They had VBS last week, and our church partners with two other churches, to share expenses as well as help for that.  They had well over 200 kids each day, and 73 volunteers.  Anyway, this morning, the kids led the singing, told what their lessons were for each night, and the pertinent Bible verse.  Then, instead of a sermon, they played a video of our Pastor reading the Bible story to the kids the first night.  (He was there this morning.)  I felt a little bad I couldn't help, but then I would have missed my painting class!  This way, I got the feeling of being in Bible School again!

Okay!  Time to start unsubscribing to a bunch of those pesky emails!

And now the French Open tennis tournament is over.  I'm very limited for the channels available for watching live, but did get to see the ladies final yesterday and the men today.  the ladies were dull...  no aggression at all, it was like watching a couple of friends playing a couple of friendly sets at the municipal courts.  They never even seemed to perspire!  But the men really fought it out, even though Nadal took Warwaski in straight sets it was exciting.  Now for the next grand slam - Wimbledon in July.

Well, y'all may not remember me, but I decided to drop by and say  Hello.
Last weekend Ron, the man who takes care of my yard, managed to cut my phone line with the weedeater so I had to spend the entire week unable to access the internet.  How many games of Solitaire or Mahjong can a person play in a day anyway?  Multiply that by 6 days and you will get an idea of how bored I have been!  The phone techs were here Friday evening and spliced the wire and wrapped it, heavily with black tape.  Of course it has been raining all week, off and on, so Ron couldn't come back to finish the yard.  I also have ordered a new weedeater and will be able to pick it up at the store by Thursday. 

I am looking forward to my two sisters and my daughter, Dottie, visit the last week of this month.  We haven't all been together in a long time.  My sisters were in California for a reunion a few years ago, but Dottie wasn't there at the time.  Joy was always the event planner for such occasions and, now that she's gone, it looks like we're on our own.  I told Dottie that I just don't feel like making the drive down there, especially in the heat of the summer.  She planned her vacation days for the last of June and wanted to come here, so I notified my sisters and they both wanted to come at that time as well.  One sister lives in Missouri and the other is in Tennessee so they will have some traveling to do.  They'll fly into Eugene and rent a car to drive while we're all together.  Kathi says that way neither Dottie nor I will have to put miles on our cars.    

I still enjoy coming by and visiting with y'all via your posts ... I just feel so "out of it" when it comes to posting.  I do "see" some of y'all on Facebook as well so I keep up on stuff -- mostly my family's doings.   

I've had a number of calls (which I don't answer) and mailings telling me that I qualify for Medical Alert and I need to take advantage of these offers before June 30.  I don't feel I need that just now, but I have asked a couple others if they thought it was a good idea.  Today I was watching TV and there was the advertisement for Life Alert.  I thought I'd check how that differs from the Medical alert so went online to find out.  I'm glad I did it before calling the 800 number for Medical Alert .... they have a Fraud Alert right on their home page!
http://www.lifealert.com/index.aspx  and http://www.lifealert.com/fraudalert.aspx  Why do people do that?  One really has to be doubly cautious when we're in the "elderly" category

Hi Jane good to see your posting.

Not much new here today we had a luncheon after church today that was supposed to be a picnic at the beach but yesterday it was decided to have it at the church instead. Music practice went well Friday night. I will be singing again on July 2nd for the 4th of July celebration. I am singing This Land is Your Land. Pastor will be on the Banjo, Debbie  on her 12 string guitar and vocals. We are trying to get her husband to sing with me and share my mic. We will see. My practice of It is well with my soul is going well. Pastor decided it would be better for my to sing to him playing the piano instead of me trying to hit those too high notes that David Phelps does on the Gaither video.

I think I am just about packed up for our trip. Oh my getting Freckles stuff ready is like packing my own bag. Her food,  brushes, dry shampoo, medications, leashes and harnesses. She has a traveling harness that hooks up to the seat belt in the car, Oh and two beds for her, one for nighttime in the bedroom and one for day time in the living room.  Can you tell she is one spoiled dog?

Our weather today is dry, warm, sunny and quite pleasant...Just taken a short drive out with Richard to one of two local garden centres, I as usual have to cling onto the top of his arm-sleeve whilst the nerves are doing what my nerves usually do at the inside thigh of my right leg...I picked up a small size duo of gardeners hand-creams ready to take to my MS social evening tomorrow evening for their raffle table...
Yesterday I ordered online a small white metal side table for the garden, so whilst Richard is still in bed in the mornings I can sit outside on our cushion padded but rusty bench, ( bench that previous owners left behind, it has, and still does come in useful, ) especially 5-6.am when I have made my first cup of tea of the morning and I let our Toby out to do his toilet or whatever, he often just sniffs around once I coax him out with a treat...the table should be here in around 8 days...
This morning I took in parcel of two summer coloured patterned jersey skirts, one coral one a pale blue, ( no ironing needed, ) just wash and dry..
Other than that, nothing else on my today agenda...

Hi everyone.  It is an overcast morning and will be cloudy all afternoon with only a 20% chance of rain.  Yesterday at Church we had a commissioning service for the eleven members of our Church that will go to Boliva on a mission trip.  This is the 32nd year for them to go and this year is a building year and they plan on putting in a wooden floor for the church that has been built by missionaries in the past.  They also hold a Bible School for the children.  Where they are going is over eleven thousand feet above sea level.  I would have great difficult breathing at that height.

This should be one of the lighter weeks on my calendar in sometime.  No appointments and only a plan to go to coffee on Thursday and a meeting on Saturday.  I just got in from hooking up one of the hoses for the summer and washing off our front porch under the birds nest.  Those little birdies have been very busy the last couple of days doing what birds do and left a lot of little deposits.  While outside I grabbed my hedge shears and trimmed off the tops of the three little bushes on either side of the walkway and driveway.  Last year these little jobs would not have tired me but it sure did this morning.  I do plan on a quick trip to Aldi's later this morning as we need several items.  However, that may have to wait until after I rest this afternoon.  I also need to fix some sausage muffins later today.

Janet, it sounds like your painting class has considered all of the possibilities and will make appropriate decisions at the time they need to be made.  Your suggestion to help and critique each others work sounds like a good idea.  Our Bible School starts next week and they are expecting over 300 children to attend based on past experience.  It sounds like a good idea to combine several churches to have the Bible School. 

Jeanne, I saw that Nadal won that tournament for the 10th time.  Wimbledon is always a big tournament.  The golf match was good yesterday as several in contention until almost the end and the winner is a young man who won there last year and think it was only his second win on tour.

Jane, of course we remember you and delight in seeing your postings pop up whenever you feel like posting.  Glad you got your phone line fixed.  I hope you have an emergency cell phone or alert in situations like what you experienced. Your reunion with your sisters and Dottie sound like it should be most enjoyable.  I got Stacey a 5 Star emergency alert by Great Call and it worked beautifully and was available for her use whereever she went not just in her apartment as some of the units are.  They can be purchased at Walmart and there is no contracts but just a monthly monitoring fee which is reasonable.  When Stacey died we passed it on to our DIL who used it several times when she fell and needed help.  It sure gave us and our son a good feeling knowing that help was at a push of a button to notify someone or call 911.  Here is a link to what we used if you care to check it out:  http://medicalalertsguide.com/5star-urgent-response-by-great-call/ .  If Pat or I are ever left alone that is one of the first things that will be done to get a new resubscribe to the new service.  I am a big believer in being prepared as it only take an instant for a fall.  It uses a GPS tracking system so you can be located where ever you may be.

Marilyn, a piano accompaniment is always good.  Perhaps you can sing those higher notes an octave lower.  The message will be the same.  Wow, Freckles is a bit spoiled.  Will you have to have an attached trailer for all of that gear. 

Jackie, your garden bench sounds perfect for an early morning cup of tea and the little table should come in handy.  We talked about getting a porch swing for our back patio but think we probably will not as the season where we could use it is rather short and our comfortable chairs are too inviting.  We do have patio furniture with chairs and table out there. 

Larry it is a good thing I have a small SUV to put all of her belonging in with bours and the groceries too.    Yes she is a bit spoiled.

I do sing those higher notes an octave lower at times. But the Gaither video has too many peoiple singing  that they almost drown me out. That's why the Pastor decided tom play the accompaniment for me. Which I really appreciate instead of competing with the Gather choir.

Jackie I  Usually get up while Keith stays in be take Freckles out for her toileting come back in get dressed, feed the animals and sit down with my cup of coffee to enjhoy the quite time alone before getting my day started.

Marilyn...
...I always say the mornings are the best part of my days...the quiet me time...

How nice to find all the chatty messages in here today!

Jane!  Wonderful to have a post from you today!  We miss you when you don't come in,
and it's been a long time!  I hope you enjoy your family get-together.  Nice that you aren't the one having to do the traveling this time.

Jackie, all the worrying you did about the reading in church before the fact, reminded me of a funny story I heard a long time ago.  Seems this lady went to the doctor and she was telling him she was so worried about this, that, and the other, until he finally spoke up and said, "You need to stop worrying!  Why, 90% of the things we worry about never happen!"  To which she retorted, "See there?  Don't tell me it doesn't do any good!"

Your bench and table will make mornings even more enjoyable for you!  I love my early morning times with the Lord.  I get up much earlier than does Darrel, go into my little "prayer room" and open the windows to the lovely cool morning air, get my coffee,
let the cat in so she can snuggle beside me, and spend about two hours reading the Word, praying and journaling.  That's the very best time of my day!

Marilyn, Freckles sounds like packing for a toddler!  Glad you have her to enjoy, and if you want to spoil her rotten, that's okay--she's your dog!

Larry, good to see you have a lighter week this week.  I hope you can just relax and enjoy it.  Yes, birds are messy, even tiny ones eat and leave droppings!  When Beth had Ruffles, her cockatoo, we all enjoyed her because she could talk, and did funny things,
like sneaking up on the cat when we let her outside while Darrel was out there grilling,
and taking a quick nip at her tail!  But, oh, my!  Was she ever messy!  She could sling seeds and feathers several feet around her cage!  That's why I didn't want to have her in my house, when Beth had to move to the care home.  We all miss Ruffles, still.                                                             

It's very hot and dry here again today, on the way to 101 again.  But I am so thankful that most of the time it cools off at night, and the early mornings are delightfully cool.

Darrel just noticed I have an appointment on the calendar to get my eye checked in the morning in Garden City, where the tiny cancer was removed. 

I had a really sweet surprise earlier!!  My phone rang, I didn't recognize the number,
but it was in this area, so I answered, and it was Abby!  She was calling on her work phone.  She asked if I was home, yes, so she asked if I would make her a peanut butter sandwich and bring it out to the highway.  Of course!  But before I could get finished, she was at the door!  She said when she packed her lunch, she forgot to include some carbs.  She looks wonderful, but has lost weight and is thin, so is trying to eat properly.  I sent her off with a sandwich, an apple, two granola bars and a freshly filled water jug.  And a huge hug!  She was on her way to a field up near Garden City to finish her day.  I hadn't seen her much at all since she's been home, so it was a special treat!   

I have the laundry all done and put away, was planning to start another painting tomorrow, but guess I will go to Garden instead. 

I wish you all many blessings for the day!

Janet...
...so she is still worrying about that 10%...? give me that 10% any day...

Oh yes mornings ( still are, just not the same, ) used to be my favourite times of the day, the days when all three of my furbabies were still with me, when I came downstairs to three waggy tails all so happy to see me, the mornings I gave each one kisses and cuddles, I so so miss that life, the morning routine, I dont get any of that from our one remaining, Toby, but hey, " whats to be , will be, " seems to now be my number one saying...

Yes our rusty bench is just to the side of our back kitchen door, by the wall... think most mornings I can just about make that short walk, once I manoeuvre myself over that one step down onto our decking...but if you was to see our surrounding scenery, the greenery and hills, ( I really do feel blessed to be in such a gorgeous and Idyllic place ) so quiet, so peaceful just wish I could attract the birds that I left behind at my old address, then I would certainly be in heaven, I love everything green, the trees and the birds, that is my Ideal....Links...


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As my late father often would say...." God works in mysterious ways..." he sure does....

It was this Monday " metal man " surprised us by coming to do a full measure up of the metal bar rail leading from our car parking bay to our back garden, he just turned up with no warning, ( you can see the positioning, re, my photo links above..) Then an hour ago today we heard drilling and low and behold, there was metal man already putting the handrail in place...this is being all done in 2 & a half weeks since speaking to him, when he said this was a busy period and he was looking at an 8 week job wait...Yay, this should make my life a tad easier, may need to get some non-slip matting, similar as the decking green matting, for the concrete steps for when the freeze comes, or the rain...

Oh dear I stand corrected, the rail apart from the bottom piece ( which he has to cut, then welder, ) was fitted but he has now taken the rail down for " galvanising " and cutting that last piece that twists to the last concrete step, says another 2 - 3 weeks, well its still earlier than the 2 months but, thought it would be completed today, yet I almost remarked that the rail never had that polished shine to it, now I know why......

Hi everyone.  It is to be another hot 91 degree afternoon with little chance of rain.  We plan on staying home and having a quiet day.

Marilyn, I hadn't realized you had planned to sing with a sound track.  The piano will let your voice we heard.  It would be hard to compete with the Gaither Choir.  It is nice to be able to start a day off quietly. 

Janet, that is a cute sorry.  Nice that you have the quiet time.  I guess my quiet time is right after lunch when I go to lay down for a couple of hours.  I have started listening to the Gospels in audio, which are available in the Your Version Bible that I have on my phone.  Eventually I hope to listen to the whole Bible.  Sometimes I read the Scripture as I listen to it. These little birds are bad enough to clean up after but they won't be in the nest too long and I have the garden hose handy.  I sure wouldn't want a big bird.  Hope your trip Garden City and your eye check turn out well.  It is hard to keep up with all the appointments we seem to have as we grow older.  What a nice treat to have Abby drop by for a hug and a sandwich. 

Jackie, there is one thing certain in life and that it that we are going to experience change.  I often think back for a few moments about how joyful it was to have the children small.  Of course, at the time it wasn't always joyful.    Glad you bench is close to your kitchen door and you don't have to go into your garden to sit.  I looked at your pictures and you sure do have a beautiful backyard setting.  I can't recall ever seeing steps from a porch up to a backyard like you have.  How wonderful that you are getting the railing in before you expected although it won't be today.  You know it is going to happen. 

Larry Hanna...
...the concrete steps are the set where you see the white car at the far end, second photo...I can just about manage those concrete steps other side of the blue gate if I grip onto the side where the wooden boulders are to the left....The steps to the car are steeper, and several steps more, I havnt yet had a count of how many, must be a set of at least 8, could be more...

Jeanne Lee...on your special day...

Terrible news footage this morning..a 24 story tower block on fire...dont know how many deaths..stories of people and children throwing themselves out of the window...reminiscences of the twin towers...the fire is out of control...started around 1.am, eye witnesses say...talk of starting on the fourth floor..

Hi everyone. It is another nice morning and we expect it to the partly cloudy all day and get to about 92 degrees.  Yesterday was an interesting day as before noon my neighbor stopped in and we visited for over an hour.  Then in late afternoon a good friend from where I used to live and who I saw often was on his was to North Carolina and called from the South Carolina welcome center on I-20 saying he was near by and could he stop by.  He was here in a few minutes and we spent an enjoyable couple of hours visiting.  Then I got a text saying a couple of shirts I had ordered from Costco had been delivered.  I checked and no shirts so I looked at the order and our old address ended up on the order.  I have no idea how that happened but it did.  So today I am going to contact my former next door neighbor and ask for his help as he knows the young man who bought our house and hopefully can pick up the package and mail it to me.  So it was not a normal day.

Today we are going to celebrate Father's Day early as Scott has to work on Father's Day.  We will meet at a restaurant and then come to the house to later enjoy cake that our granddaughter is making for the occasion.  Pat has a meeting this morning at the Church with your Gifts group that make things for charity and for the bazaar held in the fall.  So it is going to be a full day. 

Jackie, steps can certainly be difficult.  I try to avoid them as much as possible as does Pat.  Anymore I always hold on to a handrail if it is available.  That is terrible news about the tower fire.  Where is it located.  They haven't had anything about it on the news because here all the news relates to shooting of two of our Congressmen and a couple of police officers at a ball field as their was a practice for a baseball game to be held tomorrow night where the two political parties play against each other for charity.  Fortunately they have captured the shooter.

Happy Birthday Jeanne. 

Larry Hanna...
...it has been on non stop on our BBC news channels...I should have made it clear that it is not terrorist related...Yes it has just come on our news about the congress shooting but, it quickly came back to our top story of the fire...they are saying 74 being treated in hospital, 20 critical, 6 deaths but the toll is expected to rise as many are still uncountable...especially as the fire took hold in such a short time...

Very sad news on the shooting in Washington, D.C. - and of the massive fire in London. 

There is always more and more to pray for - the list gets longer.

We just dropped a neighbor friend at a hospital as she cannot drive with damage to her hand - her husband is fighting cancer and had to go in for several days.  Anyway, she has been main caregiver for over six years now and is the most pleasant person you could meet.  They are strong in faith.  Inspirational to both of us!  They go about doing their good deeds with no fanfare - wishing you could all meet them.

Sipping clear liquids for tomorrows scope - so far I don't feel hungry. 

The quilt group met here last night - they are all so talented.  My blueberry loaf tasted fine but the bottom stuck to the pans and it turned out to be more of a crumble than a loaf.  Oh, well - sometimes things just don't work out. 

A cousin from Minnesota just called and they are coming to visit us after the 4th. They will have two grandsons with them (the kids live in Kyrgyzstan & parents are missionaries). 

Happy Birthday Jeanne

Thanks for the birthday wishes - although I was kind of hoping no one would notice.   

Plus, today's tragic events don't make for a happy celebration of the day.

Jeanne Lee...
...I didn't notice, honestly, ( says Pinocchio, ) a little birdie told me so...

Carol...
...you are so right, hardly a week goes by before we turn on our morning tv, to more doom and gloom...
...hope you hear positive news tomorrow, re, your scope...do what I would do, come home and reward yourself with a cream cake...or two...

Jackie   

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR JEANNE!!   If you could have waited until Monday, we could have had a party together! 

Yes, that fire in London is terrible, as is the deliberate attempted murders at the ballpark, and then followed by the killing of 3 or 4 UPS employees by a fellow worker, who then turned the gun on himself.  So much fear, hate and evil in the world today.  Sigh.

Jackie, I don't know what you meant about the 10%.  Sorry.  Glad you're getting your railings up sooner than expected.

Beth's college friend, Mindi came to visit today and asked me to come in, too.  We had a nice visit, and between John, Mindi and I, we were able to understand what Beth was saying, so she felt more a part of the conversation.  Good morning!  Then Curtis (grandson) called and asked me to go to lunch with him, another nice surprise.  I love it when the kids or grands want to spend time with me.

And I had a wonderful two-hour conversation last night with my youngest daughter Kerri.  God is SO good to me! 

I shall talk to you all again tomorrow!

Oh yes!  Let's party together, Janet.  Maybe we can get our third June baby, Pat, to join us.   Anyone else?     

Janet...
...I am assuming she is still worrying about that 10% that does happen...

...I never heard on our news about your UPS  killings...yes a sad society we now live in but for every bad, thankfully there are more good...

Jeanne Lee...
...We are long overdue a party, any excuse for having one...   I notice Oldiesmann's is the 30th June...