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I am praying that all you Mothers have a wonderful, beautiful, happy Mother's Day full of family, friends, food and love!

I am ready for church and then...let the day begin!

Yes - let the day begin!  And let it be a day full of focus on our Lord Jesus Christ.  May He be uppermost in the meetings of His people today.  May He be loved, worshipped, and greatly glorified in our hearts.  May His Word be honored in the assemblies of His people.

Amen, Etta Sue, and amen, Al!  I pray that all mothers realize their value and worth in the eyes of God today, and that their families celebrate them.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!

We will go to Hugoton to worship at My Father's House, then to Pigs R Us for lunch, to celebrate Mother's Day, then to Diane's to celebrate her birthday with cake and probably ice cream.....then home, and I will go to The Legacy to the Mothers' Tea with Beth.  Then my plan is to REST.

Abby did a great job with her dancing last night, and I am always happy to be included in their activities.

Time to shower and dress for church!

Hi everyone on this Sunday morning.  Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers stopping by today.  We have enjoyed a night of rain and it continues today.  It is coming down gently and no thunder or lightning.  We will not be going to church today as Stacey asked us to come down her way so she can be with her mother on the Mother's Day.  A few days ago she indicated she wanted to fix spaghetti for lunch but yesterday told her mother she just wasn't up to doing that.  So we will stop at KFC on the way and pick up some chicken and sides for our lunch.  That will be plenty of activity for today.  I don't look forward to driving in the rain but maybe we will hit a time when it has stopped or is very light.

Al, it sounds like the driving testing is for your benefit as well as those you encounter on the road.  I do hope it goes well for you.

Janet, I spend very little time on Facebook but do like to check on what has been posted from my friends.  I see the things you have been posting and enjoy the little tidbits of wisdom.  I don't completely understand how to use it.  Interesting name of the place you are eating today.  Must be a bar-b-que place.

Jeanne, for the most part I agree with you on Facebook.  I do enjoy seeing the pictures occasionally that are posted like the ones that Papa John posted of his 85th birthday party and the ones that Pat posted of the new great grandchild that had the heart surgery.

Etta Sue, glad you found your sunglasses and that your laptop is running better.  Also your vision improvement is what we all wanted to hear.

Ruth Ann, you are retired and not suppose to have "impossibly" busy days.  Glad you were able to have an easy day.

Carol, unbelievable concerning the judges ruling on the "Day of Prayer".  No wonder our country continues to slide into decline with such rulings.

Etta Sue, thanks for the new devotional for this week. I try to remember everyday that God is in control and that things are working toward the ultimate day of a new Heaven and a new Earth.  Nice Mother's day graphic.

Al, you have a sermon is your short paragraph this morning.

Judy, looks like we are posting at the same time.  Thanks for the hymn this morning.

Good Morning and Happy Mother's day to all the mothers

Thanks for the pretty card, Pat!

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee and it was lightly raining but now the sun has popped out.  We had a lot of rain yesterday but wasn't a down pour.  We had a nice time visiting with Stacey yesterday.  We did pick up some chicken and a couple of salads from the Kroger deli and had a nice lunch.  It would not have been a good day to try to eat out and she just wasn't feeling like doing so.  She did stand up as we left which was good to see.

I see it has been pretty quiet here since I posted yesterday. 

Well, what I thought was going to be a so/so day yesterday turned out to be wonderful!  First of all I didn't have anywhere to go yesterday for lunch so Evelyn and I went to King Chef for lunch...my favorite restaurant.  It wasn't busy at all.  And I even have leftovers for lunch today. 

When I got home, Tony called and said he was on his way here to see me.  They got home from Florida at 11:40pm Saturday night.  He wasn't looking forward to going back to work today but I let him know that that job let's him go to Florida and do other things that they like to do. 

Then Ivalou asked me to go with her to Jeff and Linda's but I declined.  My eyes weren't performing the best and felt I shouldn't drive that far and I didn't want to ride with her. 

So I watched some TV and fell asleep.  Then went to bed at 11. 

Today I am back to putting three different drops in my eyes 4 times a day.  I've have certainly been praying that I don't have to have surgery Wednesday!  It does seem that my left (far distant) eye is doing better now.  I do believe my brain wasn't/isn't trained to use that eye when looking far away!   

Not much going on today.  I have realized that before my laptop being cleaned out, I was wasting so much time waiting on 'not reponding' windows and things to load.  I was almost 'caught up' in what my routine on the laptop is before leaving for church yesterday!!  Time saving as well as $$$ saving since I am not going to look for another laptop just yet!

Hi, friends,

It was a good day yesterday with friends and they surprised me with a sweet card and also a gift. :) Each of the children and grandchildren were in contact. Now, it's back to "loving" this apartment into a happier condition. The busy-ness has helped the apartment to look cluttered, so now is the day, and I'm ready. :)

Love to everyone,
Ruth Ann

What would be  wrong  about going ahead and observing the "day of prayer" in direct and deliberate contradiction to the judge's ruling?

Good idea, Al!!

Larry, Pigs R Us is a family owned place, only open for lunch on Sundays after church.  The couple who owns it are about retirement age, and that's all they want to be open.  She has collected pigs and stuff to do with pigs for years, has the collection there, decorating the walls and every other surface, thus the name.  They prepare a certain menu on Sundays, usually two entrees plus sides and desserts.  Unfortunately for us, the sign on the door yesterday said "SHUT".  So we went to the nearby Chinese place and ate from their buffet.  Not great, but at least we moms didn't have to cook.   :)  Then we went to Diane's for birthday cake and ice cream.

The mothers tea at the legacy was nice, too.

Tomorrow will be a memorial service for the young lady who jumped off the Royal Gorge Bridge.  They are releasing her car today, so the letters she left for three family members will be delivered into their hands.The entire community is in shock over this.  So sad, such a waste of a young life and potential.  :'(  :'(  :'(

Only this week and next to get ready for family reunion here!!  So much work still to do!  But Abby and Toni did a good job of planning yesterday, including making a grocery list, so it will be easier because of that.

I heard from the two youngest of my children Gilbert and Roger. Roger's place is where I am going in July.
Ron left a generic "Happy Mother's Day" to all his friends on Facebook so I assume that included me, I didn't expect to hear from my oldest son or my daughter anyway, so noting is lost there.

Glad everyone had an enjoyable Mother's day. Keith cooked barbequed steaks for supper and I made a salad.

Al and Larry:  Wouldn't it be refreshing to see someone do the right thing and stand up for the "Day of Prayer".  There are no demonstrations here in favor of keeping the tradition. 

I have sourdough bread fresh from the bread machine and am fixing a pasta dish.  It smells divine so Don says.  We just had a SKYPE session with old friends in Minnesota.  He looks better and feels better than last week.   

Carol, did you have a sourdough starter to do the bread?

I heard from all three of my children yesterday.  A newsy email from my daughter and phone calls from both my sons.  The phone calls were disappointing, though.  Both had to be cut short because they were "breaking up" and we were only getting about half of what was said.  I've decided my bargain phone and service is no bargain and I'm going to go back to AT&T.  I'll make a trip to their store one day this week and see what I can do.  I always had the full  number of bars with AT&T and never a problem with reception.  This "free" set up only has a very tiny bit of one bar and the reception, even just in town, leaves much to be desired. 

Hi everyone.  A beautiful morning here in Georgia.  My schedule is very light for today, which is fine by me. 

Etta Sue, it is amazing the way the brain adapts to changes such as the lenses in your eye after a few days.  I think I am going to need to get Pat and new laptop for your birthday as she is using a hand me down and it is slow and doesn't seem to be working well even after restoring it to original condition.  I think part of the problem is that she has more memory in her desktop than the laptop, although still shouldn't have to wait for pages to load on the laptop as she is having to do.

Ruth Ann, hope you got your apartment back to the shape you want it.  It seems it doesn't take long for things to become cluttered.

Alan, I doubt that the judge would try to hold the Governor of a state in contempt of court for going ahead and holding the Day of Prayer but who knows.  Crazy things are going on in our country.

Janet, interesting info on the Pigs R Us eating establishment.  It sounds like good homemade food.  I guess that mother wanted the day off to celebrate.

Marilyn, it is sad your older children don't want to renew a relationship with you but you are wise not to fret about something you cannot control. 

Carol, the idea of sourdough bread sounds wonderful.  With fresh baked bread you don't need a lot of other things to eat. 

Jeanne, sorry you had to cut short your calls with your sons due to poor reception.  Pat has a hard time hearing Stacey and often has to ask for a repeat.  It is a combination of the Skype phone she has and Pat's hearing although she hears fine when Stacey calls on the cell phone. 

Larry, that's what we thought, that Nelda needed to celebrate Mothers Day with her kids and grandkids instead of cooking.  And yes, it is really good, homemade food!  I have much difficulty understanding Beth on the phone, and also quite a lot in person.  We blame it on the muscle relaxers they give her.  At times she can speak clearly, at other times it's really hard to get what she's saying, and she has to repeat and repeat.  Makes me feel bad when she has to do that.  :(

I've been making like a white tornado this morning.  The house cleaner was here, and while she was vacuuming, I was doing windows, cleaning the foyer, and working on the garage.  I also cleaned mirrors.  I must get dressed soon for the memorial service for the girl who jumped off the bridge, as it is at 2, and I need to be ready to pick Pat up after lunch.  I know there will be a huge crowd there for this one, as so many people knew her, and she is from a large family, too.  I barely slept last night, just couldn't stop thinking about Mallory........

May is half gone already!!  How time flies!

Yesterday was a restful day for me.  Did nothing but stay busy.  If anyone came, they wouldn't have a clue what kept me busy all day!

Today I have been to the pool and ate breakfast in Ginger's...a small private owned restaurant that you can get in and out in a hurry.  Then once home, I got my shower.

This afternoon is Euchre...can't miss Euchre! 

I have my home phone forwarded to my cell phone so when the driver calls this evening, I can answer to find out what time he will be in my driveway.  Then I need to get up an hour earlier so I am thinking I will be up at 4:45am!!  I haven't been up that early to stay up since going to Hawaii!!

So I am not sure if I will be posting tomorrow or not.  Depends if all is okay and they send me back home OR if I have to have surgery again.  Still not pleased with my far distance eye.  It was hard driving this morning.  Would have really been difficult if I were on strange roads!

Janet, my suspicious mind is wanting to know if anyone saw Mallory jump off the bridge?  Are they sure she can't be found in the water or did she disappear on purpose to re-invent a new life?  So sad...a permanent solution for a temporary problem.

Etta Sue, I did a Google search when Janet first mentioned this to me and wherever I was reading it said a woman saw her jump.  Horrendous to see something like that.  :(

Yes, at least two or three witnesses saw Mallory jump.  A man and his little girl were walking toward the end of the bridge and met Mallory walking onto the bridge.  He said this beautiful girl came walking up to us, stopped and spoke to my daughter, chatted a bit, told me my daughter was so cute---she didn't seem upset; she wasn't crying; didn't appear to have been crying; just seemed perfectly calm.  We went on walking, so did she.  As we got to the end of the bridge, I heard someone  yell, and turned around just in time to see her jump!  (The person who yelled was an employee of the park where the bridge is located, it seems they saw her climbing up to jump and yelled for her to stop.  Too late.

The memorial service was sad.....so many photos of her from infancy to last week, and she was smiling in EVERY ONE of them!  She hid her awful pain behind a smile, seems she just couldn't let anyone in to help her.  Yes...a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  Folks, please, please pray for our kids and young folks---the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy!  But Jesus came that we can have life and life more abundantly!

Oh--and they had seven boats out searching for her body, but still no sign of it.  They found a point of impact, they said, along with evidence of a body entering the river....... :'(

Etta Sue, you keep saying 'your far distant eye.'  What do you mean?  Did you get one corrected for distance and one for close-up after all?  Best wishes for tomorrow!

Pat, I am waiting for your comments re the book!

News time!

I have had a busy day as well. First I went to the gym, then to a 90 minute yoga class, back home to have lunch with Keith. Then to Walmart to exchange some blush, and Bi-Mart to pick up meds. then I walked the dogs, Int he meantime was playing phone tag and text tag with my nephew trying to reach each other. I guess I should be worn out by now but I'm not.

Pat:  I have made sourdough starters for bread but this is a box mix called Krusteaz found at WalMart.  It is an old Seattle company and my mother used some of their products years ago but the easy bread mix is nice to have on hand.  We used to take the pancake mix on camping trips because they only required water.

Don is learning our new camera and has taken movies in the house.  It has such a long range zoom that it is almost spooky.  I had a long chat with a brother today - he is retired from the family business and rents out the warehouse & has moved out of Seattle.  Now, he is a volunteer fireman which wakes him at odd hours and so forth.  There are still people who smoke cigarettes and throw them out the windows so they have something all the time to respond to he says. 

Hi, friends,

It has been a busy couple of days. And, will continue to be so tomorrow. This morning (unplanned) I ended up on the phone for a total of 3.5 hours. But, needed to speak to/listen to these individuals.

So, I kind of had a "cauliflower ear" after all that.

After the medication changes, I checked the 14 day average blood sugar, and it's within normal range!! Thank You, Lord!

Now, it's time to rest. A muscle in my mid-upper back is giving me a bit of pain, so the bed looks really good tonight. :)

Much love and a request of our Lord to grant you a peaceful rest of the day.

Ruth Ann

I'm glad to be back home again. My presentation at the conference in Mississauga went well, I think. I was able to get back home in time to see our grandchildren last weekend. It was nice to have some of our family home for Mother's Day:)
My Dad appears to be continuing to improve. He will be starting his dialysis near the end of May, and will get three days of training. I hope to get up for some of it.
My brother-in-law's eye does not seem to be improving yet. He sees the specialist on Friday.
We just got word that my husband's brother's wife has an aggressive form of thyroid cancer, and has nodules on her lungs. She has already had 4 other types of cancer, so this has not been good news for her. She went into the hospital on the weekend. She does not have the comfort of knowing the Lord.
Spring has come here for sure. We were able to be outside for a boat ride last night.
I have put in my letter for retirement, and the days before June 30th seem to be speeding up. Lots to get done before then.
Etta Sue - I've been praying for you for your eye surgery.
Thanks for all the encouraging hymns and devotionals - a real boost when I get to read them.

Ohh, nice hymn.  I love that one, Judy!

For any who have been following Paul's daughter, Linda's blog, here is her latest entry:

http://ourpreciouscaylajoy.blogspot.ca/2012/05/hi-i-am-finding-it-hard-to-get-to.html?spref=fb

There are photos at the bottom.  She's certainly a little sweetie pie.

This afternoon I'll be attending the memorial service for my friend Dale. He was the first person to witness to me in a loving, nonjudgmental, gentle way.  He and his wife Joy were instrumental in my joining my first church family as well. 

Though he may be gone, as our friend Judy B pointed out, I am assured that I will see him again.

I am thankful for the friendship, the teaching...as my first Bible study leader, and the loving, caring, strong Christian he was in my life.

( I tried to post Ray Bolz's song, The Anchor Holds, but could not figure out how to do it) That certainly seems to fit as I think about the life Dale lead before he accepted Christ...so many years ago.

I love that song.  What is happening with the  photo challenge? I see that voting was until may 2nd and there has been no follow up.

Yesterday I changed my cell phone from the "freebie" to the AT&T service I had been happy with in the past.  I left to go to the AT&T store just after 2:00, expecting the transaction to take maybe 1/2 hour.  I got home at 6:20!   :yikes:  But now I'm all set.  The longest part was the cancelling of the free service and transferring the number to the new phone.  The free folks sure didn't want to let go of me!  The most annoying thing was realizing that if I hadn't fallen for the "too good to be true" sales pitch I could have saved all that time, to say nothing of the cost of a new phone and the activation fee.  I guess we're never too old to learn.

Marilyn, I've been tied up with "real world" stuff.  The announcement of the winners is just about ready and will be posted in the next day or two.

Hi everyone.  Another beautiful day to be in the low 80's here in Georgia.  Yesterday late afternoon was so nice as the humidity was low.  We went out to eat and then stopped at a new custard shop that we have nearby.  We had not tried it before and it was delicious.  They always have vanilla and Chocolate and a flavor of the day.  Yesterday that was lemon and that is what I had and it was delicious.  Pat had the chocolate and that was very good as well.  We will be going back.  Today was Bible study but our minister is not available so we viewed a video on King Herod.  When I told Pat about this she responded who is "King Harold" and we had a good laugh over her hearing something other than what I had actually said.  After Bible study I met with a member of our ROMEO lunch group to help him with his new IPAD 3 that he bought yesterday.   Pat just left for an appointment with the eye doctor this afternoon.  (I haven't read postings since yesterday but need to rest so will come back later and catch up on things.)

Hi, friends,

It's also a beautiful, warm day here in Nashville. I've rested almost all day, and the back pain is subsiding.

Now, to get to the bank, then to the dentist, then...who knows!  :cool:

Y'all have a wonderful day with our Lord.

Ruth Ann

Came back to read messages and decided I wanted to make another comment or so on what I have read.

Etta Sue, by now your  eye procedure is over and hope you are feeling fine and the procedure was a total success.

Janet, what a sad experience to attend such a funeral.  It is good that there were witnesses so there is no doubt about what happened just no answer as to why.  Will her parents now be raising their grandchild?

Carol, I have seen that bread mix brand.  We have a bread machine but haven't used it in a very long time.    What kind of camera did you get.

Ruth Ann, sounds like you need a blue tooth ear peace to use with your phone if it has that ability.  I think most cell phones now have that as a standard feature, not just he smart phones.

Betty, sounds like you have some good news on the health front and some terrible news.  You can now begin the countdown until you retire--an exciting time.  I bet what you can't get done on your job before you retire will get done by someone else if it is important.  I certainly found that to be true as when I retired the office went on well without me.  Of course, I understand not wanting to leave burdens for your co-workers.

Strollin, unless you use a hyperlink to another website where the hymn is, it must be on the CP server to get it to play.  Those hymns that Judy and others post here with the link and words were prepared especially for this website and reside on the server for this website.  I see Jeanne found in our library of hymns that we have.  Thanks Jeanne for posting it.

Marilyn, you sure had a busy day yesterday.  Did you have a repeat today?

Today.  Driver was here by 5:10am.  He had to pick up a man in Cicero...about 10 miles north and 8 miles west.  Then to the ESI.  Got my eyes checked and the little hitch hiker was still in my right eye.  Asked about the left eye and the doctor said to give it time.  Both eyes check out as 20/20.  So my brain still needs to be trained to use the left eye to see far away and the right eye for close up.  Right eye reading is great! 

So I went upstairs and the surgeon came to talk to me after getting my IV and all prepped for surgery.  He said today was a freebie for me...no charge to my insurance.  But the little booger needed out of there or I would have inflammation in that eye sooner or later!  So off I went to surgery. 

The driver on the way home asked me if today was my second eye surgery.  No my third!  He didn't know what to think.  So I explained why three surgeries.  I was back home before 10am and its a 45 minute drive from the surgery center.

Now I go back tomorrow for the right eye check up.  My drops are different for each eye now.  Left eye is the second week.  Right eye is the first week.  You taper off the drops but won't be completely done until June 20th! 

And yes, I opted for the mono-vision.  Left eye is for far distance and right eye is for nearer distance.  I can read the important things like cell phone, computer monitor, my house plan books and check writing.  Even see my finger prints.  I will need a magnifying glass if I have to read the real small print on medicine bottles and such. 

Not sure when my next appointment will be after tomorrow....one week?  10 days?  two weeks?  Not sure. 

I took a nap and called Ivalou.  She drove us to Applebee's in Fishers.  Today was another fundraiser day for Jacob.  Scary ride!  She drives too fast.  She jack rabbit starts.  She jack rabbit stops.  She ran over the curb with both right tires turning into Applebee's.  And all her bobbles...it was the other guys fault...not hers!  Scary!  Glad I couldn't see real well!  But I made it home!

Euchre was great yesterday.  One lady fixed a Pumpkin Pie Cake.  Similar to mixing the pumpkin for a pumpkin pie but putting it in a loaf cake pan.  Then you put a yellow box cake mix on top of that.  Then melt 2 sticks of butter and pour over that.  Then chopped pecans on top and bake!  We all said we want the recipe.  And yes, Cool Whip is always good on Pumpkin anything! 

Thank you, Jeanne, for posting the words to The Anchor Holds. 

The memorial service for Dale was really special and filled with both tears and laughter. After singing Create in Me a Clean Heart as well as Jesus My Redeemer, we each took a moment to share how we met Dale and a bit about what he meant to us.  That is where the laughter came ...and some of us broke down after sharing. 

One thing that was very clear throughout the sharing time was that Dale was the sort who would take the time to listen, to care, and to hug, anyone who was in need at any given moment, no matter what might be going on in his own life, physical or otherwise.  He was sure of where he was going, and eager to share that confidence with anyone whose faith was being tested.

Someone mentioned mono glasses. My lazy eye makes it nearly impossible for me to focus without the help of bifocals.

The weather here the last few days has been wonderful, the sort of weather I would prefer for the coming summer; warmth without humidity.  Living in an area bounded by three of the Great Lakes means we occasionally have oppressive humidity. 

My graduation is coming up, on the 31st of May.  I am eager to see my classmates again, and it will be nice to have the diploma in hand.

Even if I have not mentioned any names in my post, please know that I am reading all posts and praying for each concern.

Bonnie

Etta Sue I want that recipe too.

  I had a nice post written earlier and lost it to cyber space. I baked a triple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate icing today and a loaf of Dark Rye Bread. Keith is going to barbeque Chicken again tonight. He likes to BBQ and that's fine with me I just do the side dishes, he even dries the dishes for me when I do some by hand. I think he's definitely a keeper. <3

Yes, Marilyn, Keith sure sounds like a keeper.   8)

My strawberry rhubarb crisp is cooling on the counter.  I'm looking forward to having some for dessert tomorrow night. If there is any left I'll send it home with Gary.

Bonnie

I'm already yawning, and it's just now 7:00!  Another busy day around here, but we are making progress.  I wonder how many of the family will show up for reunion?  They aren't doing very well at giving me feedback!  :(

Larry, I assume the grandparents will raise the little girl; however, part of the reason Mallory was so distraught was that the baby's daddy was to get custody of her for the summer.  I don't understand how that could happen when he claimed she wasn't his and never paid one thin dime in child support.  Seems his mother wanted him to get the little one, as she wants her.   >:(  Oh, if only we could get girls to understand the awful consequences of wrong relationships!  And the guy who had recently broken up with her is old enough to be her dad.  Really sad, and she was so beautiful, smart (except in picking men!) and talented--as well as very hard-working.

And tomorrow I need to attend yet another funeral, for a guy who used to paint with me.  He was a welder, and his wife is a friend of mine.

I think I will give up trying to keep my eyes open and go to bed.  Seems like I have my days and nights confused..... :-\

Well, it was nice to drive home today with my Rx sunglasses. Ah, how comfortable they are!

By the way, Etta Sue, please always be careful to wear sunglasses (and, if you can, get the ones that have the wider earpieces to block the rays from creeping into your eyes from the side). That will help keep you from getting macular degeneration. And, I didn't know to wear them, so that's why I have it - and to kind of bear that out, it's the left eye (and I'm always the driver) that has the problem. Of course, the visors helped from the front, but the side window was the problem.

And, of course, that's the arm and hand that have the problems with sun damaged skin cancers, too. So, now, a bit late, I arm myself with sunblock and with good sunglasses.  :-[  Why didn't I know that earlier?

Now, the good news is that we had a great meeting of our seniors group at the church across the street. Such kind, sweet people, many of whom have known my family members for many years, so it's good to feel comfortable with that group.

Y'all have a wonderful rest of this day with our Lord, and rest well, knowing He cares for us day and night, and will walk again with us tomorrow. :)

Ruth Ann

ESI gave me sunglasses that block the sun from the top and the sides and the lenses block the sun rays and reflection.  They are cheap frames but good blockers!

I am ready to go again to ESI.  My 6th trip.  But...the flag across the road is clear!  They dilated my left far vision eye yesterday and today it is clear!!  Maybe the dilation woke it up!

I don't have anything I have to do today other than go to the eye center.  Maybe another day of rest other than my ordinary, regular chores. 

Bright and sunny again today with a tiny bit of wind.  A great day!!

Etta Sue, glad your eyes seem to be doing great!  It's nice to see clearly!

Ruth Ann, glad things are going well for you, too.

Another busy day---is there any other kind?  I really think I am trying to avoid being so busy, but am not succeeding very well, it seems.  I have another funeral to attend this afternoon, then tonight our Bible study group is meeting here with us.  So Darrel has chili simmering on the stove, and I have banana nut bread in the oven.  And the house is clean!  And the garage is half clean!  Just the back half (50 ft) yet to do, but I don't think we will work on it today.

The sun is shining, the wind is blowing.....this must be Kansas!   ;)

The sun is shining and the temperature is perfect and too bad it will be hot this afternoon.  Don made biscuits and gravy and we brought it all over to a neighbor who just has a bone scan looking for cancer.  Our friend won't know for over a week.  They are well able to handle any situation as they are strong in faith. 

Larry:  It is a Kodak Easy Share 30 X zoom.  There is a one year warranty as the company is going out of business as you know and we are not too bothered by that fact.  It is much too hard to learn everything on it. 

Last night, at grandson's band and jazz concert, Don made a short movie.  I haven't looked at it.  Our grandson had a shaved head because of swim team and there were a few other likewise - they kept rubbing their heads.  120 students in the music programs and the entire evening was fantastic.  The auditorium was rocking - a  professional jazz band has been working with the kids and the music was way above par.  Don can't identify the music anymore but he can if it is percussion. 

 

Hi everyone.  Another beautiful day in Georgia but not as hot as yesterday. Pat and I attended an awards ceremony and luncheon put on by the County Council For Seniors, which represents the interests of seniors in our County to the County Commission.  I was fortunate enough to be presented the Volunteer of the Year award for our Senior Golden Games.  I was presented with a certificate, a gift sack and  a $25 American Express gift card.  They served one of the better catered luncheons I have ever attended. Each organization represented on the Senior Council makes an award each year.  The event last 2 1/2 hours and we came home and both took a nice nap.

Etta Sue, glad that third surgery is over for you.  You are not alone needing a magnifying glass for the really small print.  I keep a magnifying glass handy at my desk and use it occassionally.  I am sure your brain will adjust soon to the difference in the lens.  I think I might find some reasons not to be riding with Ivalou.  I wonder if her children are aware of her driving situation.  That sounds like a very rich cake you had yesterday but very good.

Bonnie, a wonderful tribute to your friend Dale.  He sounds like the type of person I would like to be. 

Marilyn, your dinner last night sounds delicious.  I have an agreement with Pat that if she will do the cooking I will do the cleanup and sometimes she presents me with some pretty good challenges.  :)

Janet, you have had to attend too many funerals lately but it seems they have a tendency to come in bunches.  You have to wonder if the grandparents of the little child will now have to have a court battle over custody.  It is so sad.  Janet, that must be some garage you have if you still have 50 feet of it to clean when the job is half done.

Ruth Ann, thanks for the info on the sunglasses.  Fortunately, Pat has used that type for a long time as her eyes have been sensitive for many years.  She wears them even on overcast days. 

Carol, I think Kodak has always made good cameras.  It is sad they have had to go out of the camera business.  Sounds like you all enjoyed a great band concert. 

 :clap:  Larry:  Congratulations on being named Volunteer of the Year for seniors.  How fun!  Were you surprised?  I understand naps after chatting with people as somehow, visiting really tires me out anymore. 

We have not turned on air conditioning but it will be inevitable much earlier this year.  The temp has gone up to 80 F. in the afternoons and we try to pull in the cooler air the minute it is a tad cooler outdoors.  Of course, the basement would be cooler. 

Sleep well everyone.   

Hi, friends,

Larry! Way to go! We knew you were one of the best, and now this affirms our feelings.  :thumbsup:

Wow, a day of handling financial affairs and going back to the dentist.

This evening, though, the blessing came from an in depth study of Matthew 7. We read from several translations and discussed it thoroughly. And, we ended up singing the old chorus, "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock" complete with hand gestures, and then, since we had discussed how the Lords Prayer gives us a model for how to make our requests to God, we ended up saying it.

What a wonderful blessing to be in a group with some of several faiths including Baptist, Messianic Jew, Seventh Day Adventist, Methodist, and Nazarene, amongst others. Imagine - no conflict at all, just sincere reading and discussion of the Bible and then prayer requests.

Much love to all,
Ruth Ann

Hi everyone. It is a truly beautiful morning here with low humidity and the temperature neither too hot or too cold.  I made a quick trip to Kroger before coffee at the senior center.  Today is our ROMEO's men's luncheon and we are going to a Mexican restaurant.  My friend will pick me up as Pat needs the car this morning.  That will pretty much be it for today so don't have to rush to get anything done.

Carol, I wasn't surprised as the President of the Senior Golden Games had contacted me a couple of months ago to see if I would accept the award.  I told him I would be pleased to do so.

Ruth Ann, thanks for the kind words but I just kept working over the years and certainly never expected to be recognized with an award-but didn't turn it down when offered.

Larry, may I add my congratulations on your award, too?  It's good to know that your faithful work over the past few years was recognized, appreciated and valued.  You deserve it!  :cheer:

I have been over to Pat's and she did my hair, so I'm all set for the Mother-Daughter banquet tonight.  This is the annual one given by our Senior Center, and this time we had to move to the civic center because so many have signed up to come!  My guests will be daughters Diane and Beth and granddaughter Abby.  They are also having the monthly barbecue at the care home, but Beth chose the banquet, as they do a barbecue once a month for them.

Yesterday after the funeral, I went by the care home to see how things were going.  They were having a "fondue party" and it was so cute---have you ever seen a roomful of people with chocolate on their faces?  They had a chocolate fountain, with fruits, etc., to dip, and those were one happy looking bunch of folk!  :) :D  And yes, I was invited to partake, as well.  Love those chocolate covered strawberries!!  <3

The following appeared in The Ulysses News yesterday:

The Legacy@ Park View will be hosting a reception and book signing for Beth Brandt and Janet Damon on Thursday, May 24, 2012 from 7-9 PM.  Janet's book Rising Above: Facing the Dragon of Neurofibromatosis, is the true account of Beth's indomitable, uplifting spirit while coping with a disfiguring and disabling disorder of her central nervous system.  Told by her mother, Janet, along with snippets of Beth's story in her own words, Rising Above will encourage those going through a difficult time, inspire those who are facing or have faced trials, and educate those who may not be aware of this tragic condition.  Copies of Janet's book will be available for purchase.

Stop by The Legacy and meet with Beth and Janet.  If this is your first time visiting the new building, tours will be available.

So I would appreciate your prayers of agreement for a good turnout for this, and that a good number of books will be sold.  Thanks!  :)

Yes, it is amazing what a difference a day makes....in the vision of my left eye!  After coming back from my 5th, not my 6th, trip to ESI, I decided I wanted a Wendy's and drove to Noblesville.  I could read all the signs and no halos on anything!!  Great! 

I even went to a clothing shop and purchased a couple of tops to reward myself and to wear to Nashville, IN, to be with my classmates.   ::)

I searched online and I found...Pumpkin Pie Cake (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Pie-Cake-I-2/Detail.aspx?src=rss).  It sounds exactly like what Jan made except she used two 15 oz. cans of pumpkin.

Ivalou called last evening and said she was going with Jane to Shipshewana today...that's close to Michigan.  And that Barb and a niece were going to Michigan.  And Kitty is in St. Louis.  Kaye Don is working at the golf course.  And wouldn't you know, no one to run around with and I want to go somewhere!!  Can't think of anywhere to go alone so I will probably just stay home! 

I haven't mentioned much about Jacob lately.  He had a set back and was in ICU but is out now and continuing on his road to recovery.  At first, Shepherds said if he hasn't come out of his coma by May 23, he would have to leave and come back home.  Since his set back in ICU, they have extended that by a couple of weeks.  He's on Day 72 today since the accident and is in stage 3 of a coma still.  He had made many improvements but has so many to go.  But with the grace of God and many prayers, Jacob will do it!!

It's wonderful to hear from everyone today. I'm looking foward to "loving" my apartment some more, maybe seeing my son and his kitty Sasha, and then resting.

Such good reports from y'all, it gives me a smile to read of how you're handling daily living.

May God be with us all today.

Ruth Ann

Good Morning Etta Sue i hope Jacob makes some improvement real soon. Glad to hear that you eye has improved so much.

Janet  I have  agreed with you in prayer that you will have a good showing at the book signing and sell lots of books.

Larry Congratulations from  me as well.

Ruth Ann that bible study group sound so wonderful.

It is a beautiful day here on the Oregon coast. I have shampooed my hair this morning and am waiting for it to get dry. Keith will be home soon for lunch and we are going out to meet with his high school friends for dinner at the Mexican place in the mall.

Good afternoon all.

Mother's Day was a trying day for me perhaps because of all the other caring things I do. This does sound like a poor me but getting enough sleep to cope is very difficult.  I did call Judy B and that helped a lot.

We have a sunny day and that sure is uplifting as well.

Larry:  Congratulations.
Ruth Ann: The bible study group sounds wonderful
Etta Sue:  Is Jacob in a drug induced coma or the real thing.  Many years ago my brother-in-law had been in a coma for closing in on 30 days when he woke up and we had been told the same about recovering but now after 20 plus years he is well except for a leg brace which he has to wear for the rest of his life.   God is good.
Janet: I sure would love to have  :coffee: with you.

Well, Larry, judging from how often you've mentioned haviing to do things for the Senior Golden Games, you deserved AT LEAST what you got!

Ruth, I would love that, too!  Let's make it happen!  (But how?)  Someday, I believe we will be able to get together, though, and hope it will be this side of heaven.  If not, we will have eternity to get to know one another and enjoy time together.....and even then, eternity will have only just begun.

Hi there, Al!  How goes it?  I hope you're continuing to grow stronger each day.

I had a nice surprise at lunch.  The youngest son of our former neighbors walked into the Sr. Ctr. and smiled at me...I jumped up to give him a big hug, we talked a bit and he said he wanted a book.  I carry some in the car all the time, so went to get him one and autograph it for him.  We had such a nice visit!  He is living about 20 miles from here, in another small town, his wife teaches school there.  They are the family who shared several scuba diving trips with us, and Jeff is a little younger than our grandson Curtis.  It was so good to see him!  He had come to eat with his grandma.  Gotta love those young men who love their grandmas!  :)   ;)

I must choose what I am going to wear tonight for the banquet.  I think maybe I need to go shopping for clothes, but if and when I do, I want Darrel with me, as he buys me nicer clothes and ones that look better on me than I do!  I haven't bought much of anything now for several years, as I dislike shopping.

Anyway......see you later!

Boy, I wish I could sleep the second half of the nights!  Here I am up way too early again.  I made myself a nice cup of hot chocolate and hope I can go back to sleep in a little while, for a little while at least.

Mallory's body was found!  It was about half way between the Royal Gorge bridge and Canon City.  Two of her aunts went to make the identification, and I understand the plans are for cremation.  Such a loss......

The mother daughter banquet was nice, the decorations were borrowed from the Junior class of the high school, what they had for Prom.  Their theme was Arabian Nights, so lots of palm trees, towers, etc. with the little lights, most of the decorations were purple--very pretty!  But the program was MUCH too long...we sat there for over four hours without even a break!  So lots of us had to take a break anyway!  Beth's poor bottom was really hurting, in spite of the fact that I tilted her chair as far as possible to try to relieve the pressure.  We may have to rethink things before taking her to something like that again.    :(

Today, Darrel and I will tackle the rest of the garage.  That work will consist mostly of moving things and sweeping and mopping the floor.  We have several pieces of furniture out there we plan to give away but are waiting until after the reunion, as we can use it then.

Good morning to whoever wakes up and comes in next!  I left some warm banana bread on the counter next to the teapot and coffeepot for you!  :)

Janet:  Thanks for the warm banana bread - cyber style - I just had a piece of toast.  It had to be difficult for the two aunties to identify their niece.  Praying for the family. 

It is raining and in the mid-40's this morning. Nice, and fresh air.  I pray that some of this rain will make it to the fires near Fort Collins, our old home area.  That was a accident by a man who turned himself in to the police.  Apparently, he was camping and knocked over a propane stove & immediately lost control of the fire.  We have fire bans all over so I don't know if that county had it in effect already or not.  Always someone who thinks they know more than the firemen. 

Today is the Colorado Quilt group I  and we are meeting at a large church in Longmont.  Rain, hail or snow doesn't stop this group.  It looks like a mild rain for the day.  Nice for my newly planted mugo pine in front.  It is so cute.  Yes, little evergreens can be cute.   ;) 

Hi everyone.  Just back from coffee with friends at McDonald's.  It is going to be another beautiful day.  Nothing other than the routine things on my schedule for today.  I see in my e-mail that I have more Golden Games results and pictures to work up today.  Thank you all for your kind comments on the award.  I appreciate it and I appreciate your comments.

A 4 hour banquet is really excessive--what could the organizers been thinking to program something like that.  Thanks for the banana bread.

Carol, I would think it was unusual for a citizen to turn themselves in as the cause of a forest fire.  It sounds like an obvious accident with dire consequences.  Hope you have a great time at the quilt show.

Janet, the banquet last evening sounds like a very special occasion.  It seems that your town does a good job of having civic events like the banquet.  I bet they have chocolate everywhere.  One of the Golden Corral dining places we go to has a chocolate fountain so have experienced that and it is enjoyable but can be a bit messy until the chocolate hardens.  Hope you have a wonderful turnout for the book signing on the 24th.  That certainly was a good write-up in the paper.

Etta Sue, glad your eyes are now doing well and your vision is much better.  You deserve to reward yourself. I certainly hope Jacob comes out of the coma so his rehab can continue at Shepard's.  It would be a shame for him to have to leave but can understand why they wouldn't keep him indefinitely.

Ruth Ann, hope you had a restful day yesterday.

Marilyn, does Keith generally come home for lunch everyday?

Ruth, sorry to hear you are not able to get enough rest.  Just keep in mind if you don't take care of yourself you are not going to be able to care for others.  There is nothing selfish about taking care of ourselves. 

Busy day so far.  Up kind of late and ate my breakfast.  I took a cup of coffee and the recipe for Pumpkin Pie Cake to Ivalou to show her a YouTube that her grandson, Parker did.  I cried like a baby when I saw it first but Ivalou shows no emotion.  I would like one time to see her tear up!!  ???  And she didn't tear up watching the video.  If you want to see it, here it is (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-hM5B1Bx9A&feature=share).  Parker is Jacob's first cousin and the same age.  Part way into the video is the tree that Jacob hit and a picture of his blue truck.  Then lots of Parker/Jacob pictures.  Nice video and a great tribute to Jacob.  Jacob is in a natural coma.  There are several stages to a coma and Jacob is in stage 3-4 now with a few stages yet to go!  He is waking up but slowly!

Then I mowed the grass and fixed lunch.  I finally read my devotions and went out for the mail.  No mail for me but Ivalou had some so I took hers to her so going out wasn't a lost cause after all. 

Not much else going on today.  Just happy to be seeing clearly!  There are some wispy clouds, very little wind and suppose to be the hottest day of the year so far!  I think I forgot to lower my deck when I mowed and had a hard time seeing where I just mowed.  It's dry here so far this year!  Bad for farmers.  Good for lawn mowing!  And no, I do not water my grass!

Larry yes Keith comes home every day for lunch, this town is not very big and his office is only about 2.5-3 miles away. On Memorial day there is going to be a Tsunami drill we are not in any  danger from a Tsunami where we live, The church behind us and the one around the corner are both gathering places. I hope everyone in the danger zones will participate and find where they are supposed to go.

Etta Sue, thanks for sharing Parker's video.  He did a great job on it and I don't know how anyone related to Jacob could keep from tearing up watching it.  And I pray Jacob comes out of the coma soon.  God is doing a healing work even while Jacob is in the coma, the results will be seen when he fully wakes.

We worked on the garage until noon, I came in and made us some lunch, Darrel turned on the TV (our biggest enemy at times!) and The Diary of Anne Frank was just coming on......guess who got stalled out on their work.  The wind shifted around to the North, so we couldn't have the overhead door open, thus not enough light, etc.  You don't have to look too hard for excuses, if you want one!  :-[  One less day to get it done!

Marilyn, if there is no danger of a tsunami, then why are they having tsunami drills?  I must have misunderstood something there.  I'm guessing you mean the area where you live is higher or something.  It would have to be the largest one in the history of the world, if a tsunami ever hits here!  But who knows?  There are always tornadoes, earthquakes, flash floods.  When nature goes on a rampage, lots can happen.

Tomorrow is graduation here, and a lovely girl from our church is graduating.  Then they are having a reception for her that evening.  Since we got an invitation, we plan to go.

Janet we are up a steep hill from the bay and down into a dip between that hill and the next, therefore our area is protects by the hills surrounding us. We are even uphill from the Baptist Church behind us. If you look up North Bend Oregon on Google maps you will see that there is plenty of water. in this area.

Yes, Marilyn, just sbout every place in Coos Bay or North Bend is within a mile or less from the ocean, so tsunnammis could certainly happen.  But if you're uphill far enough from the water, it's much safer.  Where we are is probably 3 or 4 miles from the ocean, plus we're on the other side of a hill, so I think it's fairly safe here also.  I'm glad, though, that they're having drills - at least they'll know where to go snd how to get there.

I've got to get busy and send these applications I just got for permanent absentee ballots.

Larry:  Thanks for the encouragement but  most often I am my own worst enemy. 


I have spent a good part of the afternoon a Jean Auld book in fact it is the last one in her series.
A good story but I will be glad when all 822 pages have been read.

Hi, friends,

What a busy, confusing, happy, wonderful!

Free skin cancer screenings were offered by one of our major hospitals. A friend wanted to go, but forgot a mutual friend planned to ride along, too.

Then, she either didn't receive or didn't read the text message last night when I replied to hers that if we had only a few parking places, we needed to leave 45 minutes early...Well, after drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, reading all of the morning paper, and part of a magazine, I finally called her (had been waiting 30 minutes already). Well, it ended up being another 20 minutes before she came out.

So, off we went - she and I had different understandings of where in the hospital complex this screening was to be held. So, finally, I chose to go to the first location, which, ultimately, ended up being the correct one.

Then, she called and said that she had had a call from our mutual friend and she was waiting for her ride. So, I left the parking garage and drove back to the apartment complex, picked her up, and we returned to the hospital. :)

The skin cancer screenings were wonderful, staff was so friendly and helpful, and there was no cost involved.

Then, the lady I took first, pulled out a great certificate for $100 of food she had won at a seminar we attended a few months back. So, she took us to that really nice hotel grill and we enjoyed a leisurely brunch.

On the way back, she mentioned needing to go by the LifeWay store, for they were having a big sale. So, I detoured, and off we went. What a great time we had browsing, and each of us made purchases. :)

On the way home we laughed and quipped back and forth like giddy schoolgirls. ;)

Then, after a brief afternoon's rest period, we met up again at the church across the street for a wonderful lasagna meal followed by such a sweet, moving performance by the children of the church.

So, yes, the day was a mixed-up kind of day, but all's well that ends well, especially with praises for our Lord and Saviour.

Y'all have a wonderful rest of the day with our Lord.

Ruth Ann

It was a quiet day yesterday...unlike Ruth Ann.   ::)  I did get the yard mowed so it was a productive day.

Today however is another day.  Church, SS, eat out.  Then I want to go to the Dollar General and to Ricker's Convenient Store.  When I get home I want to change the bed linens, do some laundry and make some Cinnamon and Sugar Pretzels. 

Then Kitty is to come around 4pm and help me pull weeds out of my rocks!  I told her I would go one way and she could go the other and when we met we would be done!! 

Then for a treat we will have Pretzels and Iced Tea. 

And I have to remember not to eat or drink anything after 9pm...a fasting blood draw in the morning!

Janet, I forgot to mention that I am glad that they found Mallory's body...will give closure for her family members.  Such a sad situation. And thanks for watching Parker's video!  He did do a great job, didn't he?

As one week draws to a close, another opens.  And so it is with our "Thoughts for the Week" also.  It's time to move on over HERE (http://www.christianphotographers.com/community/index.php?topic=12253.msg172911#msg172911)