Christian Photographers Community

I have arrived to check the mail and do my daily reading.   And now it is time to gather up the garbage as tomorrow is the weekly pickup.

Much earlier in the day I went out to do some shopping and although I was tired it was a good day. Sears got some of my dollars, if you know what I mean,  then on my way home I stopped at McDonald's for a snack.

Is Marilyn still not able to get post here?
Janet:  Sorry to hear about your mom, it must be so trying and Beth not being well must just add to your sadness.

Larry:  It is always good to know you are around each and every day.

Carol:  Even though I dress warm I still feel the cold.

Hi everyone.  The big news today, besides another beautiful day, was that our Friday men's group had to meet at McDonald's instead of our regular meeting place of the local senior center.  They are using that building for a Festival of Trees this week and next.  We had a very nice turnout of men this morning.  We had to get on the telephone to let them know of the change since the city didn't let us know until mid-morning yesterday.  My schedule is clear for the rest of the day and so far have felt fine, but we didn't walk this morning.

Carol, I found a new app for my iPod Touch this morning where you enter birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, events or tasks and it will present them in chronological order.  On birthdays, if you have the birth year it calculates the age at the next birthday and tells you have many days until that birthday. I spent an hour or more entering data this morning. I hadn't even thought about an app like this until my friend showed it to me this morning.  Sometimes our children feel the next to create their own traditions and perhaps this is what your son wants to do by attending another church.  I would just be happy if my son elected to attend a church. 

Ruth, it isn't hard to spend dollars when you shop at some of the big stores, especially at this time of the year. 

It appears that Marilyn is still unable to get on here.  I have written to her with all the suggestions I can think of.  I did see her posting over in Senior & Friends in the Soda Shoppe so she isn't completely cut off from her friends.  I hope she will be able to get back here soon.  I hope her ISP hasn't blocked her from reaching sites with Christian in the title.

Okay, Larry!  What is the name of the app that you can put in birthdays, anniversary and such?  Also what is the radio station you were talking about?  I have a Droid and I can search but I don't have a clue what to search for for either of these.  And most of my Christmas cards aren't mailed.  I take them to Christmas dinners for the family and to church.

I ran out of envelopes yesterday so I got up this morning.  I went to Woody's in Lapel for breakfast.  Then I filled the car up with gas.  Then to Noblesville to Office Depot for envelopes and ink for both printers...$$$$.  I was thirsty for a Pumpkin Spice cappuccino and went to a gas/convenient store for that and then home. 

It was bright and sunny but now the clouds are out and up to 34 degrees!  Predictions are for 2-4 inches of snow tomorrow.  That means 0-10 inches!!  And I have two things to do tomorrow.  First, to pick up 20 lbs of oranges I ordered from the local Lions Club.  Second, the Stevenson Christmas at 4pm.  As long as it isn't blizzard conditions, Ivalou and I will make it!

Etta Sue, you said "I ran out of envelopes yesterday so I got up this morning. "   I had a picture of a pile of envelopes and you snug in bed, refusing to get up.   

It is time to sing.  Christmas is nearly here so lets sing the carols!

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Judy that's one I've never heard before.  I really like it.  Thanks 

I am a tad concerned about my granddaughter who is homeless "somewhere" in the Chicago area where there is a winter storm. She has been homeless and alone since her father died, in April, and his wife (who hates Becky, and visa versa) took off with a boyfriend and returned to Washington State.  Becky will be 20 in another month, and I can only pray that God keeps His hand on her and protects her while she is finding her way out of the mess into which she has fallen.  Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.

Oh, Jane!  What a worry that is for you.  I pray our Father holds both you and Becky in His loving arms.

It is so sad to have so many problems during the Christmas season.  We had two more deaths here in our small town today.

I chuckled at Etta Sue's getting up statement, too, Jeanne!    It's good we love each other and can do a bit of gentle teasing here.

I spent the whole morning at the care home.  Beth had gotten a huge box of gifts from John, including several bags of Lindor Truffles, her favorite chocolates.  She isn't opening the gifts he wrapped yet, said she has to be on the phone with him when she opens those.     Bless that man's heart, he is so good to my girl!  Gotta love him.

I visited with Mom about her wishes for her memorial service, she seemed relieved to be able to talk about her home-going.  And it will be a relief to my siblings, I believe, for her wishes to have been written down.  There is still plenty of room/time for their input as well.  Mom looks worse each time I see her.  Sigh...........

I think I will go to my studio and lose myself in painting for a while.  I'm feeling a little down, and that will help me.

Jane:  That is a concern for your granddaughter to be away.  Let us pray that she has found a place to stay and work.  If she looks for help, there are places for her where good people are willing to share and help.  I hope she contacts soon. 

Larry:  Is the app free?  What is the name?  Thank you.  It sounds nice.  We do have something good on ours now that reminds us of what is on for Today and Tomorrow when we boot up but nothing about birth age.  I still have my gospel songs on Pandora & listened today.  However, no music yet on the other radio station you mentioned - a sermon was well along when I found it so I will check again too. 

Janet:  Sounds so sweet about Beth and John.  Truffles - they melt so nicely.  Yum.  You are fortunate that your mom will talk about her service - my dad just got so angry & would not touch the subject.  So, I just had to choose what I knew he would like - my brothers were no help but that is another story.  Yes, go and paint as that is a good thing to do - take deep breathes too. 

It has been a lovely day cool but not cold.   I did a little of this and that but still do not have my cards ready for mailing.

Mel & I went out for dinner we will not be going there for some time as they are doing renovations.
Mel purchased my Christmas gift today and then he wanted that I go away for a couple of hours so that he could try it out to be sure that he had made the correct choice.  I have his gift but I do not know the first thing about trying it out it will be up to him on Christmas morning.

It is late and time to shut down.     

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We have snow again.  Seems to always start just before the weekend.  John needs to get the snowblower up and running.  Ruth V looks like we are shoveling again!

I hope you enjoy the carols, I am posting some relatively unknown ones, for a change of pace.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Hi everyone.  It is a cloudy morning but otherwise not bad as there is no wind.  I took a book back to the library as I went to pick up the man who rides to coffee with me each morning (he lives in a small subdivision right across the road from the library.  Then we stopped at the gas station to fill the car (the price went up fifteen cents just yesterday) and then to coffee at McDonald's.  On the way home I made a quick trip through the bank drive-in window to pay the annual safe-deposit rental. 

Etta Sue and Carol, the birthday application I got was free and it is called "Heads Up - Birthday".  There were another number of apps and the one my friend had downloaded free a day or so before was now $1.99.  I prefer free where possible.  The Christian Radio Station I mentioned that Paul told me about is BBN (Bible Broadcasting Network).  If you would prefer just music you could use the Moody Bible Institute app and then you can listen to several different types of programming including one called Majestic Radio.  You get to it by clicking on the "Stations" button at the top of the application once you load it.  Etta Sue, I imagine if you just do a search with your Android using "birthdays" you will find one or more applications that work similarly. 

Judy, sure don't like to hear about snow blowers and shovels.  Fortunately those aren't needed down here.  I appreciate you posting the music to share.

Ruth, I also have something for my wife that I should setup before I give it to her but will probably wait until after she opens the package. 

Janet, how thoughtful of John to send the package to Beth a little early so she can enjoy some of it and anticipate Christmas coming with the wrapped packages.  It is sweet that she wants to share the opening of the gifts with John on the phone.

Jane, I know your granddaughter's situation is very worrisome to you and your family.  Hope you will get word from her soon.

Last evening we had a pleasant chat using Google Video calling with my cousin and his wife who moved to Montana in September after selling their home in Michigan.  I had a box popup on the computer screen inviting me to install the video chat on Google.  I did so and tried to call him with a video call but he wasn't at his desk so I sent a note to him in the same application and shortly his picture popped up on my screen and he could see me as well and we had a nice long chat.  Our wives got involved also.  I hadn't talked with him for a couple of years when we had visited them in Michigan.  I am sure we will be doing it again.

There is a lot of football to watch this afternoon and evening. 

Hope everyone has a nice day.

Right now the sun is shining but it's cold and there's a 50% chance of show showers today and every day through Thursday.  Ah well, it is December!   

Ha!  When I type and re-read, my posts make perfect sense.  Then when it is pointed out that something is weird, I laugh because now when I read it, it sure doesn't make a bit of sense!  Hoosier accent in type!!  And Ivalou even talks different...even before the stroke! 

Well, today I got up and got some oranges!  And no, the oranges weren't in bed with me.  I had to get dressed, put on coat and gloves and tramp through the snow to the garage and then to Lapel to the Lion's Club to get the oranges.  They sure made the car smell soooo good!  Then I went to the local convenient store for two cappucinos ...one for Ivalou and one for me. 

The snow plows hadn't been out yet so it was a little slick out.  It is still snowing and it is one of the Christmas Card snows.  Everything is coated!  And the snow plow just went through.  Not above freezing yet but it is suppose to stop snowing by mid-afternoon.  Tonight is the Stevenson Christmas so I am praying that everyone stays safe!

Thanks Larry for the information.  I checked on Droid and nothing seems to calculate age if given the birth year....at least, what I searched so far.  I did find a 'Talking Santa' yesterday that does a lot more than the 'Talking Cat'!  Those are fun apps.  And I love the Live Wallpaper.  I have a Christmas Tree that you can change the color of the bulbs and how much snow and the size of the snow, etc.  Since I don't have grandkids for wallpaper, I like the Live Wallpapers...they move...the reason they are 'live'. 

And I listened to the BBN station yesterday here on the laptop.  But I couldn't get it to play on Droid.  I am listening to local radio today...to get the latest updates on snow!

My house smells chocolaty!  My recipe said to bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  After 1 hour and 5 minutes, the two loaves of Chocolate Bread were still soupy!  So I raised the temp 25 degrees and baked for another 15 minutes.  Still not a clean toothpick.  So another 10 minutes, the toothpick came out clean.  Just hope they are as good as they smells!  But bet the chocolate chips are melted!

It is pretty out!!

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Lets Sing again. 

Larry you have gone to a lot of work compiling these carls and the hymns that we love. 

Thank you for that.

JudyB:  Your last song did work - I remember the tune.  Thank you.  Hope John isn't too busy out there with the snowblower.  We have a snowblower at the higher altitude place but Don won't let me use it as we are over 8,500 ft. altitude there and he thinks we are much too old to work on the driveway.  Not to mention, there isn't a hospital for 1 1/2 hours drive or the helicopter ride over the pass if weather is clear - nope, not a thing to think about at our age. 

Larry:  we watched a podcast of grandson playing hockey in Minnesota this morning - his team won 7 to 2 over a South Dakota team.  The picture was small but it was clearer than last year.  How fun! 

I am feeling not too well - last night felt the same & then I ate fudge chocolate cake for lunch dessert at the luncheon.  Two new neighbors were there & they go to the same church & have belonged much longer than us. 

Carol with the problems with my shoulders I cannot operate the snowblower either, and with John gone all the time it won't get much use.  I think I will just call in the local farmer and have him plow the driveway if the snow load is heavy.  I am sorry you are not feeling well.  I am anticipating being able to knit that sweater, but it will have to wait till I am over my shoulder surgery.  I am about knitted out with one sweater to go.  I never would have believed that I would get all these done in this short a time.

Good Night everyone.

Hi everyone.  Carol, that chocolate will get you everytime!    Sorry to read you are not feeling well.  I would be very concerned to be 90 minutes away from a hospital or being snowed in.  Hope you two never have to see what would be involved with that situation.  Great you were able to watch your grandson play in Minnesota.  Technology is pretty amazing.

Judy, you must be knitting up a storm.  Does that aggravate your shoulder?  Do you have livestock that must be attended to everyday?

Etta Sue, I bet your chocolate dessert will be very delicious even if the chips melted.  It sounds like you had a busy day.  I saw the football game from Cincinnati yesterday and it was snowing pretty hard.  Hope your roads stay passable, but probably will this time of the year.  It is 37 degrees here this morning.

We will be going to church today and probably getting something to eat out although we ate out yesterday.  There were sure a lot of good football games on yesterday, although most were not very close.  Now we go into the bowl season.

Larry as long as I can keep my shoulders relaxed and my elbows in I am fine.  The only animals we have are our dogs.  We are looking at and pricing goats, but I need to be strongr in the upper body first before we go that route.  At this point the dogs are enough.  Our little guy is high energy and I am just glad her has lots of room to run.

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Another one I don't remember.....I Love the words.

Just checking in.  No internet so I am using the Droid.  Uppose to have internet by 11pm.

Judy, hard to believe that out of the Christmas songs you have posted, I do NOT recognize a one!  I asked our worship leader today if we can start singing Christmas songs at church, and he said we don't have anyone who can play them.    I do miss hearing/singing the old familiar Christmas carols.

We are attending a Shiloh concert tonight at Country View Baptist Church.  These guys are from Texas, and very good.

Carol, sorry to hear you aren't feeling well.  Please take care of yourself and get well soon!  And try not to work so hard until your body recouperates!   (((hugs)))

I said I wasn't going to the care home today, but I did.  I took Beth a small Christmas tree and a stand for it, and made her Christmas card list.  I will address all her cards for her.  Too bad our lists don't overlap much at all, if so, I could just sign our names along with hers.

Nice here today, a little cold, but not bad.  I just wore a fleece jacket.

Janet how bout this one?

Janet how bout this one?

Yes we now have snow although the area about 5 miles to the west did not get any, there turn is coming.

I spent a good part of the afternoon doing cross stitch, what I am doing is a tea cup and most folk would have it done in no time but not me I guess I am slow. I made a phone call and then it became to dull to continue. There is always tomorrow.

Since I have lost some of the hearing in my right ear I find that singing is out of the question.   
Judy: I can play the music and read the words.
Janet:  It is nice that Beth does little things in order to enjoy Christmas.   Mel's grandmother had a birthday a few days after Christmas and no way would she open her Birthday gifts sooner than the day and yes we got reminded to remember her Birthday it was such a special affair.