My shoes of choice versus...

....the shoes I would love to wear. I love shoes. Plain and simple. Can you be an Apostolic female and not love shoes? I think not. I'll buy shoes before I buy clothes. For instance, one Easter, many moons ago, I just couldn't find a dress or suit that I liked, but I found the sweetest pair of heels. *sighhhh* They were patent leather and the strap went around the back of my heel then swirled down over the top of my foot at an angle where it attached to the sole of the shoe. The sole had a very narrow gold trim all the way around it. So, I may not have had a new outfit for Easter but I had NEW SHOES! They probably had about a 2 1/2 inch heel, if I remember correctly. I do remember they were very comfortable to walk in. I bought them at Sharff's of Logan and even way back then I paid $42 for them! Not to worry, though, because I got my money's worth of wear out of those shoes!
Now, many years, albeit decades, later, I am wearing flats. Because of back and leg problems I am not able to wear heels at all. *sigh* My feet have been relegated to wearing comfortable shoes.
I have to admit that my toes are alot more comfortable in these shoes, because my toes go straight across. There is no way I could wear the pointed-toe shoes that are so popular at present. It pains me just to see them on women's feet. Still, dresses just look so much nicer with a small heel, right? Maybe someday...again, but not at the present.
Oh, and did I mention that I am horizontally-challenged?? ANDDDD....that I am getting shorter as I get older?? I used to be 5'3". Now I am barely 5'.

"Everyone, please stand. Jewel, would you please stand up with everyone else? Ohh....you ARE standing."

So goes a day in the life of a short person.......

I have a question for you!

Just what is wrong with working at a fast-food restaurant? A job is a job is a job, right? Yes, that is what I thought, too. I've worked at McDonald's myself. It was about 12 years ago during the summer of that particular year. Our son, Daniel, was 7 or 8 years old. I had just always thought it would be "fun" to work at McDonald's. I didn't "have" to work. I just wanted to give it a try. So I did. I have never worked so hard for so little and like it so much. This particular McDonald's was the 3rd busiest in Ohio and busy we were, which I loved because the time just flew by! I worked the drive-thru most often and there was a steady, non-stop stream of cars my entire shift. I made new friends and met some great people. I also discovered how many people live in their cars! Not literally, but it sure looked like it! Sheesh! I eventually quit because I wanted to be more involved with Daniel's school, the PTA and so on. Still, I have fond memories of that job and let me tell you, I worked circles around most of the "kids" there, but we had a great time working together. It was a good experience and if the need presented itself, I would work at fast-food again, though at the present time, I don't believe I could do it physically. Anywayyyyyy......as I said before, a job is a job is a job. At our local McDonald's, the manager there has only ever worked at McDonald's. He started out as a crewperson and is now the manager and has been for several years.

Our son and another young man I know, need jobs. This other young man, who is in his 30's, has said he won't work for less than $15-16 dollars an hour! Helllooooooo!!! Good Luck!!! Daniel needs a part-time job where they will be willing to work around his school schedule. He has applied everywhere, but fast-food. He previously worked at Wendy's in Logan for two years. They loved him and he liked his job there, but he has kind of stayed away of from applying at these kinds of establishments. Why??? It's a job!

My DH and I were talking about this earlier today. Good-paying in jobs in America are getting more scarce by the day. Americans may find their paychecks are not going as far as they used to, but, regardless of that, what do they always find money for? You guessed it! Fast Food!! Seems to me, it might not be a bad line of work to get into. I read somewhere that since Katrina hit down south, there are fastfood places offering big sign-on bonuses if you agree to work for at least a year. Folks, we may have to end up doing alot of things that we said we would never do, so don't ever say never!

Welllllll......I believe he is going to two different places to day. Both fast food. As a mother, I am proud of him. He will certainly add to the attractivenss of the place. (I'm his mother, remember....I can say that...*smile*) They will probably hire him on the spot. That's what happened when he applied at Wendy's in Logan the first time. The manager said he was her favorite. And he was a good, hard worker. He even did some managerial duties. I don't want to sound rude here, but have you seen some of the people that work at these places? I've worked with them, folks. And the turnover at these places is unbelievable! Sooo, if you are desperate for a job or even if you aren't desperate, don't write off fast-food. It's a job and that's enough to make it respectable in my humble opinion.

Gosh, that was a bit of a rant, wasn't it? *pant...pant* Thanks for listening!! I feel better....lol

I'll let you know what happens!! Stay tuned!! We might know today!!

On the other side of fifty

A wonderful young man who I call my "adopted son" has a blog on typepad. You might want to hop on over there and have a read. Just click on blog up there! He is a husband, father, R.N. and evangelist and a very good blogwriter, I might add! Bro. Ryan talks about his travels and many young ministers that I am familiar with from having been a dorm supervisor at camp. I said all of that to say this and now I am not sure of exactly how to word what I want to say. You know you are getting somewhat older when the evangelists, pastors, youthleaders/pastors are all like 20-25 years younger than yourself, not to mention doctors and other professionals. My pastor is about 5 years older than me but I have come to the realization that before the Lord comes I may have a pastor that is considerably younger than me. That will be different,hm? But, even now, most of the services I attend whether it be Youth Congress, Mid-Winter, youth rallies, even family camp, I find that I am on the other end of the age spectrum a good amount of the time. Wow........
I don't mind. I really don't. I like being my age actually. 54. One nice thing about being this age, is that I am treated with respect and I do so appreciate it. These young men and their wives are so kind to me and my husband as we travel around taking our youth group to different activites and events. It is such a blessing indeed to see these young men and their wives in the ministry now, after having been a dorm supervisor at their junior and senior high camps. When you are a dorm supervisor at camp, you see these young men and women and you have such hope for them and you have an idea of what the Lord can do through them if they will just surrender their lives to Him, but then when you see it come to fruition......well, there are just no words to describe it! Just this past Friday evening, Bro. Mike Wilson preached a wonderful message at our Section 3.2 rally in New Lexington, Ohio. He pastors a growing church in Delaware and that is what I am talking about! From camp to calling to commission to fulfillment! To God be the Glory for what He has done!

Catching up here

We took a van-load of youth to the Section 3.2 rally in New Lexington last night! What a trip! Where DO they get all of that energy? Especially after a week of school and all? Oh, to be young again! Anywayyyy.....we had a great time! From the first note played and sung, the presence of the Lord was so rich and sweet in our midst. There was such a beautiful spirit of worship there! Bro. Mike Wilson, who pastors in Delaware, Ohio, was the speaker and delivered a powerful message. I don't remember the exact title or if he even titled it, but the premise of the message is that the Lord will meet you right where you are. All He asks is that you be willing. A young lady from Nelsonville's youth group, Lorissa, received the Holy Ghost. She is such a sweet young girl. She has went with our youth group on different occasions and she is a pleasure to be around. Afterward, we went McDonald's and Wendy's and had a great time eating and having fun. The ride home was an event, too! Trust me!!! *smile* As a bit of a side note, Bro. Wilson, was a camper when I was a dorm supervisor at the Ohio Apostolic Campgrounds! And now he is a pastor! And I am old.....*feeble grin* My how time does fly by! And how great is our God!

Last but not least!!!

My TWIN brother......Johnny!!

Johnny and I are the babies of the family, at 54. Actually, I am about five minutes older than him, so that makes him the baby technically. Cheryl., his wife, is the best sister-in-law anyone could be blessed with! He runs his own plumbing business and employs two of my nephews. Dad would have been proud, Johnny! (Dad was the founder of Peters Plumbing and Heating mucho years ago) Do you know what is really amazing about Johnny? He was the first one in our family to give his heart to the Lord, be baptized in Jesus' name and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, as did his precious wife Cheryl. That was in 1975. Over the next five years, he won me, our brother Bill and his wife, Sandy, our sister Debbie, and our sister Bev and her husband, Bud to the Lord. All of his siblings! Isn't that just beyond words. Every year, on our birthday, I thank Johnny for leading me to the Lord. What greater gift could a person give to you?

Some of my relatives

This is my nephew Troy
with me at Daniel's 18th
birthday party! Isn't he a cutie? Troy works for Discover Card and has really worked his way up at his job. I am so proud of him!
This is my sister Bev with me at the same party! Bev is a wonderful sister and steadfast christian. She is such a strength to me. I enjoy our Wednesday visits! She is a medical transcriptionist in her spare time! Ha! Ha!

This is my brother, Bill! He is such a kind, compassionate man. I am blessed to have him for a brother. He is so good to call just to see how I am doing. Bill also has his own plumbing business and is doing a bang-up job at it! He is husband to my other favorite sister-in-law in the world, Sandy!! She and Bill are like grandparents to Daniel. Thank you, Bill and Sandy.
And here is Debbie! *smile* We've swapped and moved more furniture through the years than I care to remember! We have had a time together! She is a homemaker and is in the running for "The World's Best Grandmother" and "Sister of the Year" and "Mom of the Year"! She is so wise and she makes great coffee!

Friday ramblings

Hello from my little valley in Ohio! We live right down in the middle of two hills here, which means we don't get a cellphone signal here. But that isn't a big deal. It is so pretty here, especially in the summer and fall. I can hardly wait for warm weather, but I will be waiting for awhile longer for sure because it is supposed to be ccooooollllldd again this weekend! Are we in a weather pattern here or what? This is the same thing that happened last week! Seventy on Thursday. One degree on Sunday morning! It was 55 here yesterday (Thursday) and we are going down from here!

I received an email this weekend which is leading me to believe that there just might be a little competition to be seen with me in my profile pic. (you know who you are! *grin*) Who would have thunk it? *grin* That is my sweet niece, Bethany, in my current profile pic. I chose that pic because it is a good picture of me and of Bethany, too. And as I've said before, the good pictures of me taken over the years are few and far between. Ya hafta do what ya hafta do!

My DH and I are taking the youth to the Section 3.2 rally in New Lexington tonight. Bro. Mike Wilson will be preaching and I am so looking forward to the service. Bro. Young, the host pastor, asked if I would do the music for service and of course, I said yes. We have such awesome rallies in our circle! The Lord always ministers to me in such a special way. At Bro. Young's last year, at the youth rally, we had a young couple from our church attend with us. He received the Holy Ghost and she was renewed beautifully. I'll never forget it. All of the young people were gathered around them praying so fervently. I'll take my digital camera so I can post some pictures of the youth and the rally here tomorrow!

I washed my hair and am in the process of doing it. I have it partially up and I am letting the hotsticks do their curling as I sit here and type this. Later, I plan to go into town (kinda sounds like I'm gonna saddle up muh horse and ride on into Dodge,hm? lol) and run some errands. One of which is to get my glasses fixed. You see, I was on the living room floor doing my exercises last night while I watched the Olympics.....(the ladies ice skating!! Yes!!)......I laid my glasses ALMOST under the sofa, but not far enough, it seems, because my DH managed to step on them...*sigh*. Thankfully, just a lense popped out. I am guilty of just kind of laying my glasses around anywhere, BUT not anymore. I need them too much! I am now wearing a dorky pair I keep on hand for emergencies, just like now. Then it is off to the library and then to the grocery store and on the list goes! (you know the drill, ladies *grin*)

I'll post some more later this afternoon, but for now.......I'm headin' into town, pardner! Giddy up, Lightning!

Hey....where did Tuesday go???

I just couldn't seem to get myself going yesterday. (Tuesday) Do you ever have one of those days? I believe it started very early on Sunday morning. You know, that getting up at 6am, jam-packing the day with every activity you could possibly imagine and then falling into bed in a comatose state at 11pm. And it is supposed to be "a day of rest"? mmhmm.....right. LOL In all honesty, Sunday usually is a wonderful day of rest for me, with this past Sunday being the exception. Most generally, after church on Sunday morning, we either go out for dinner or get take-out, then I come home and take a lengthy nap. There is nothing like a Sunday afternoon nap! We
most generally are back at church for choir by 4:45pm and then service at 6:00. Most often, church is over by 8pm or sometimes a little later. We then usually go out with people from church and get home about 9:30-10:00ish. So it does make for a full day, but I wouldn't have it any other way! The Lord is good!

Then comes Monday. Oh yes, that was our day off. It didn't seem like a day off. Funny how that happens,huh? *grin*

I went for my 3-month check-up and the blood pressure was 130-80 and the heart rate was 74! Booooyahhh!!!! On the flipside of that good news??? I gained 8 pounds.....*sighh* I think the weight gain is attributable to the fact that I haven't been able to be very active with my back problems. BUT! I am getting better. I have been having physical therapy and I have been doing exercises here at home that they have given me to do. So I have set a bit of a goal for myself. I go back to see the doctor in 4 months. I have calculated that if I start March 1st, I should be able to lose at least 32 pounds by my next doctor's visit. Encourage me, people, encourage me! This may be my last best chance to lose weight and get healthy before the Lord comes! *smile* I'm serious!

Dr. Keller has been my and Daniel's family doctor since before I was married, which would calculate out to be about 23 years. He has seen us through so much. I was sitting in the examining room waiting and I glanced over at the baby scales, remembering when we used to place Daniel on those to be weighed. How the years have flown by. Now Daniel stands head and shoulders above Dr. Keller. Some of the things I like about Dr. Keller: You never feel rushed. He is so patient and thorough. He listens and really considers what you tell him. And he doesn't send you off for a bunch of unnecessary tests and to one specialist after another, though he would and has if and when needed. He was so kind to me Monday, as always. I asked him if I could just give him a hug and he said sure. He has been there for us so many times through the years. I told him, "Dr. Keller, you know you can't ever retire or die, don't you?" To which he replied that he didn't have any plans to do either. *smile* It is just that I know people who have had to change doctors so many times or go to a zillion different doctors it seems. I feel blessed to have had Dr. Keller helping us for all of these years and hope to for many more.

After my doctor's appointment, I met Ed at Walmart and we shopped around a little, left without buying anything....yes!!....., then went to China Buffet, one of our favorite places to eat. We were driving separate cars, so he headed home and I went to Fashion Bug because they were having a big sale. Like that means anything! Grr! They had absolutely nothing I was interested in. Well, I did buy a really cute spring nightgown that was 40% off, but I can't wear that to church! It is so frustrating sometimes, trying to find clothes that I like whether it is at Fashion Bug, Macy's, Catherine's, CJ Banks (I loooove their clothes but they are so expensive!), or wherever! It doesn't help that I don't like to shop in the first place,hm? The only reason I shop anyway is because I am not a nudist. (that reminds me of another story I would love to tell you!) I'm serious. Not that I want to be a nudist. Perish the thought! LOL In a nutshell.....I shop because I HAVE TO! I headed on over to Shoe Show because they were having a clearance sale and I have been looking for a pair of flats shoes that look dressy ( I can't wear even the smallest of heals with my back) and I found them! They are so cute! By this time, my back was realllllly hurting and as I was walking to my car I ran into a girlfriend I hadn't talk to for soooo long. (This reminds me of another story I would just love to tell!) I just couldn't cut her short, so we talked and laughed and talked some more. When we finally said our goodbyes, I could barely shuffle to the car, but I made it. You see, if I stand very long in one place, especially on a hard surface, my hips and back stiffen and hurt so badly that I can hardly get moving again. I looked like the little man dressed in the black trench coat walking in the park shuffling along from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in. (I am really dating myself here) Does anyone remember that TV show?

When I arrived home, I had to lay down for awhile and just relax and rest. Then it was off to church for prayer! We had a wonderful time in prayer! I wouldn't miss it for anything! When we arrived back home, I just had to watch the Olympics Ice-dancing, but I could only stay awake for part of it, so I taped the rest and I went to bed at about 11.

Sooooo....yesterday morning, it was up at 6am to do hair for a friend of mine from church and I just kind of fogged my way through the day, I was so tired. I think Sunday and Monday finally caught up with me. I did get some things accomplished around here (home), but I finally went to bed at 7pm last night. I just couldn't stay up any longer. I actually went to bed but I did read my Bible for quite awhile (catching up on my Bread program) but at 9pm, it was lights out. I feel so rested and better this morning!! So I am off to seize the day!! Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration.....but I am feeling much better!! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Me.....

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" and I am no exception!! *feeble grin*

I had my day all planned, today, Monday, February 20, Presidents' Day. Ed and I were going to get up early and hit the road and just go where the day would take us. I love to be up early when the day is still fresh and be out driving. I don't know why, so if you are waiting for an explanation, there won't be one. *feeble grin*

BUT......yesterday kind of changed today for me. My OLDER sister, Debbie...that was kind of mean-spirited of me, wasn't it? Pointing out that she is older than me, I mean. *lol* She has been in the hospital since last Thursday evening. Her health has really deteriorated over the past few years. She has had mental health issues for years, but with the help of some powerful drugs, has reached a stability that has been a long time coming. She has also been a heavy smoker for years which has really done the damage to her lungs and heart. At this point in her life, it is just a matter of trying to keep everything working together and smoothly with the help of numerous medications which is getting more difficult by the day. And as if all of that wasn't enough to contend with, her potassium level plummeted, which has not happened before. That is what necessitated her hospital stay this time.

I went to visit with her after church yesterday morning and ended up spending the afternoon because they decided to discharge her and it was more convenient for me to take her home than anyone else and I didn't mind. So I stayed and would you believe that the man who was visiting with the patient in the other bed thought my sister was my mom? Oh, we about died laughing!! And honestly, she doesn't look that much older than me. Still, it was a hoot!

I must digress a bit here, so bear with me,k? On a typical Sunday morning, I get up early. We're talking 6ish here, as I did yesterday morning. I spent time in prayer, went over my lesson and put some finishing touches on it, ran through music for service at church, made the bed, fed the kitties, got myself ready for church, put a roast, potatoes and carrots in the oven for dinner, and we headed out the door at 8:50am! In our senior staff meeting, pastor said that he would like to have a singspiration that evening instead of the "normal" service. Welllllll......that meant getting SEVERAL specials together and this was before I knew that I would be spending the afternoon with my sister Debbie. Soooooo......Daniel brought his dad home after church and I went straight to the hospital, which is about a twenty-five minute drive. While there I phoned several people about singing that night. Thank you, Lord, for cell phones! I got Debbie home and settled in at about 4 o'clock, raced (drove the exact speed limit....really!!) home, changed clothes, freshened up, grabbed some music and we headed back out the door for choir at 4:45pm. My oldest brother and his wife came as did one of my best friends and her husband. Now, the wives don't sing but the husbands do and we just love to sing together!

Anyway, to make a short story looooong, the evening was wonderful and the service was just awesome! Then we all went to Wendy's afterward for food, fellowship and refreshment.

When we finally got home, I was soooo tired, but it was a good, satisfied kind of tired, you know?

So now here I sit, typing away for my little blogdom, for those of you who care and for those of you who don't....*smile*.....and I am still in my nightgown and it is 12:06pm. So much for getting up early and hitting the road, hm? The only thing I hit this morning was my pillow as I fluffed it up, rolled over and went back to sleep. Ahhhhhhhh......it just doesn't get any better than sleeping in on a Monday morning. "Thank you, Mr. Presidents!"

I have managed to make my bed, feed the kitties and get things in order around the house here, but that didn't necessitate me getting fully dressed.

Sooooo.....we will see where the day takes us and sometimes it is good to have these kinds of days,hm?

I hope your Monday is a good one!! TTFN! Talk to you lata!! Peace out, my peeps!! Stay cool, my homeys!! (are you groaning yet, Mr. Ryan?) LOL

The Newlyweds!

Good Monday Morning to everyone! And Happy Presidents' Day!

I have posted a few times and talked about our son and his new wife. I thought some of you might like to SEE them! *smile* Here is my favorite wedding picture of them.

I tell you, they have just taken to marriage like ducks to water! They are both attending Hocking College full-time, working part-time, and staying involved in church and the work of the Lord. They also do Ebay, meaning they sell things on Ebay. For instance, on their way home from Mid-Winter Youth Retreat they stopped by River Valley Mall and, lo and behold, the Gap was having a going-out-of-business sale. So, they bought like (did I just say "like"?) $150.00 worth of clothing, listed it on Ebay and have tripled their money. That is pretty cool,hm?

They also have "children". Well, not the human kind.......yet..... but a boxer named Heidi.....she is Daniel's. *grin* They also have Jasmine. She is a boxer/lab mix, who is Erin's. And lastly, but not leastly, they have Roxie the cat, who adds her own flair to the mix.

They had their 2-month anniversary February 17th and those two months have flown by, at least to me!

And, no, we still haven't done anything to Daniel's old room, but I'm planning, okay? I'm thinking......Hmmmm.

At the close of a very good day.....

Hello friends and readers......*smile*

A cold yet warmly good day is coming to a close. We had an awesome choir practice tonight. Wow......the sweet presence of the Lord came into our midst as we sang, "Say the Name". It just doesn't get any better than singing about the name of Jesus, worshipping Him in spirit and truth, and having Him come in to minister and meet with us as we lift our voices and hearts up to Him. He is so worthy.....


Earlier this afternoon, we went to Rocky Boot Outlet in Nelsonville, ate at the Boot Grill, and bought a few things to add to the decor of our bedroom. We then had the wonderful privilege of stopping in at Nelsonville UPC where an 80th birthday potluck was being held in honor of former pastor Bro. Ivan Pullin. Bro. Pullin is such an inspiration to me. He is such a good, godly man. His two older sisters were there, too. One is 82 and the other 84 and they are all in good health! Isn't that just wonderful?? They get together at least once a month for dinner. I pray that my siblings and I will be blessed with good long lives like that.

Our son, Daniel and his wife, Erin, are so dedicated to the church and the Lord. Bro. Pullin, who I mentioned above, is Erin's grandfather, so of course they were at the birthday gathering all afternooon. The guys played football in the frigid weather, if you can believe that, so, of course Daniel was worn out and Erin was dragging, too, when they came into choir practice, but she also has to go to work tonight. She works 10pm-7am Sat., Sun.,Mon., and Thurs. nights at Walmart. I felt so sorry for her tonight. She was really dragging and she doesn't have any personal days or vacation days left and she really doesn't like her job. (Been there/done that more times than I care to remember.) She and Daniel both have put applications in at soooo many places in an effort to find better jobs with better hours. We are praying fervently and believing that the Lord will provide. It's really difficult to see your kids struggle with life sometimes. It comforts me so to know that He is with them, He knows what they have need of and that I can trust Him to give Erinmaree the strength she needs to get through the night. In Jesus' Precious Name......

Well, folks, it is COLD here in Ohio!! A toasty 12 degrees F, though it feels like 2 degrees with the wind. It is a clear, starlit night and we know what that means: it is only going to get colder as the night progresses. I'm ready! Bring it on! I've got my flannel sheets on the bed, the wood burner stoked, and my sweet husband to snuggle in with. What more do I need?

Thanks to all of you who stop by. May the Lord grant you a good night's sleep and may you have a blessed Sunday.

Only in Ohio!

Here we go again. It was 70 degrees here on Thursday. That was a mere day and a half ago. Today it is 23 degrees. The windchill is even lower. Is this normal??? I think not! Tonight the projected low is 15 degrees! I can't adjust this quickly. Brrr!

My dear husband was whining a little bit earlier about not being able to get outside and really do anything. He's chopped a mountain of wood. I told him that he needs to learn to enjoy the purpose of winter. It is a time of rest and respose. A time to reflect. He said if he reflected, rested or reposed anymore, he'd be found dead on the floor. ha..ha....very funny....*grin*

He does come up with some real funnies though. Last night we took the youth group to Bro. Monk's and joined his youth group for a fun evening of games, food and fellowship. We did have a good time! On the way home, as my husband was driving the van, he noticed a hookup taking place amongst two of the young people. (Aren't you thankful for rearview mirrors? *smile*) Now, it wasn't anything out of order. You know, just the slipping of the arm around the young girl's shoulders on the back of the seat. Well, after we got back to the church and we were on our way home, Ed asked me if I knew that these two particular young people were interested in eachother? To which I replied that I wasn't. He said, "Well, he was holding onto her like a preacher to a drumstrick!" LOL! How funny is that??? We have laughed about this all morning! He just comes up with some of the funniest stuff off the top of his head. It's kinda scary sometimes, ya know??? He keeps me laughing!! Thank you, Jesus!

We are off to Rocky Boots in Nelsonville to shop a little and get something to eat at the Rocky Grill inside of the store. We've heard it is really a neat place! I'll let you know.

This evening we have a special choir practice from 6:30-8:30. Our pastor's daughter is coming from Tennessee for her daughter's birthday and asked if we would like to learn some new songs, to which I replied...Yes!! So she is going to teach us some new songs and so on. I am looking forward to this greatly!!

Stay warm and hopefully I'll post again soon!

This is going to hurt!!!

Two brooms were hanging in the closet and after a while they
got to know each other so well, they decided to get married.

One broom was, of course, the bride broom, the other the
groom broom.

The bride broom looked very beautiful in her white dress. The
groom broom was handsome and suave in his tuxedo. The
wedding was lovely.

After the wedding, at the wedding dinner, the bride-broom
leaned over and said to the groom-broom, "I think I am going
to have a little whisk broom!!!"

"IMPOSSIBLE !!" said the groom broom.

Are you ready for this?

Brace yourself.

This is really going to hurt!

"WE HAVEN'T EVEN SWEPT TOGETHER!"

TGIF

Friday is my favorite day of the week! You see, when I was still working, I worked Monday-Thursday and had Friday off. But even before I was working that particular job, I always loved Fridays. Probably because it was payday. I'm sure that had alot to do with it. Still, even now that it is no longer a payday for me, I still love Friday! Maybe it is because I know I have the week in and I can just kind of relax and enjoy the next two days? Hmmm.... I am not sure. So I'll just not worry about explaining it! I'll just enjoy today, Friday! I have a friend coming at 1:00pm to have her hair done and I am going to see my sister Debbie, who is Lancaster-Fairfield Medical Center. Then it is back home to get ready to take the youth north to Bro. Monk's! My DH wants a cup of hot tea, so I am off to fix it for him! Have a wonderful Friday, everyone!!

On the road again!

This evening we are taking the youth to Bro. Monk's church in Millersport. They all just love Bro. Monk.....go figure.....*grin*...just kidding. We are joining with some other youth groups for an evening of fellowship, games, fun and food!

Last Friday evening, we went to the Section 3.1 youth rally at Bro. Monk's, too. We are in Section 3.2, but occasionally we "crash" their rallies. Am I ever glad that we did! First of all, we weren't the only ones who crashed the rally! The place was packed! I think there were over 200 people there! There wasn't any preaching. There was singing: groups and solos and there were several signing groups. Also, a young lady got up to leave her testimony and let me tell you, the girl practically preached! It was awesome! So awesome that I have to tell you something that happened here at home Monday morning.

As many of you know, I have been having difficulties with my back and legs over the past few months, to the point that I have had to resign my job and cut back on alot of my activities. Well.....Monday morning, I was doing dishes and thinking back over the activities of the weekend. You see, I almost didn't go to the rally because I was in so much pain. BUT, the day after the rally, Saturday, I started feeling so much better. And now it was Monday morning. Okay, so here I am at my kitchen sink and I remembered something this young lady said in her testimony: "Hold on, your third day's a 'comin'!" "Hold on, just a little longer, your third days' a'comin'!" I just started crying and worshipping the Lord! This was the third day that I was feeling so much better! About this time, Ed came in the door, took a look at me and I knew he was thinking that I must be feeling really badly again. But I told him not to worry it was a GOOD cry! I told him what I just told you here and he went to get this book that he has been reading and studying along with his bible. It is called "Biblibal Mathematics: Keys to Scripture Numerics" by Ed Vallowe. We just looked at each other and I asked him what the number 3 is representative of. We both got tears in our eyes. He looked it up. Then turned to me. I could tell just by looking at him. We both started crying as he read it to me: Three, in the bible, represents resurrection, divine completeness and perfection! I'm telling you......I am in the midst of my answer. He is healing me but more importantly, teaching me so many profound lessons along the way. I may be down right now for a season, but I am not without hope!

"I'll be up again,
Just you wait and see,
Tough times won't keep me down,
They'll just send me to my knees,
And there while I'm in prayer,
God will give the victory song,
I'll be up again where I belong!"

My third day is coming! I am so hopeful because I have put my trust in the one who cannot fail! I could sing a zillion songs here! Okay maybe not a zillion but a bunch! "I'm Living by Faith" "Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus" "He's Been Faithful"

Oh and I have something else to tell you: I am still feeling good! I have been able to do things and walk this week like I haven't been able to for months! *tears.....happy, thankful tears* "God is soo good to me, He is soo good to me....." I can't help but sing!

Would you like some breakfast?

One time when Ed and I went to Bob Evans for breakfast, we had what they call "the Sunshine Bowl" or something like that. Anyway, I now make this at home for us on occasion and we just love it! It takes a bit of effort but is it worth it! And I will tell you right up front, folks, it ain't diet food! *grin* Sooooo....for those of you who might want to give it a try, here is the recipe and it serves two generously!

4 eggs
2 baked potatoes/cooled
2 envelopes of country gravy mix
6 slices of bacon/ 1/2 lb. of sausage browned
1 tomato/ diced
1 16oz. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese

Beat 2 eggs thoroughly. Fry these in a small/medium skillet. If you have trouble flipping them in one piece, place a lid over the skillet. This will cook the egg on top. Slide the egg round into a shallow bowl. Do this with the next two eggs, too.

Dice the potatoes and brown them in the skillet, adding some oil if needed. I don't peel the potatoes because we like the skins, but you might like to.

Microwave the bacon until crisp. Crumble.

Prepare the gravy according to directions on the package.

Divide the potatoes and put on top of the egg in each bowl. Divide the bacon and sprinkle over the potatoes. Do the same with the diced tomato. You can also cook some other vegetables with potatoes if you like, i.e. onions, green pepper, mushrooms. Top all of this with an ample amount of gravy. Top the gravy with a generous amount of cheese. I sometimes microwave the whole thing to melt the cheese a little more, but most often the hot gravy melts it adequately. Serve with toast and a beverage!! This will stick to your ribs!!

Change doesn't come easy......

....especially in this empty nest. Daniel's room, or should I say, Daniel's old room is done completely in Ohio State decor. I mean....folks.....we are talking down to the scarlet and gray plaid carpet on the floor here? I made Ohio State logo curtains for the windows even, back when you could still buy it. The walls are gray, trim white and the Ohio State Logo (upper right hand corner here) border around the middle of the room. There are various pennants on the walls. OSU clock. Newspaper clippings laminated and on the walls. All kinds of OSU memorabilia and whatnots. You get the idea....

So how do I begin to redecorate this empty nest? Just jump in with both feet and do it? That would probably be best. I haven't touched the room since he left on December 16 except to put some stuff in there for lack of space any where else.

I was able to put this off for awhile because of my back problems, but now that I am getting better, I realize that I am going to have to start somewhere. I mean, we have a perfectly good room here going to waste. We have thought of making it into a den. The walls would be a dark country green and we thought of installing one of the new inlaid wood floors. And we thought of putting a small fireplace in there, too.

Perhaps the sooner we get started, the better? Yep, that is what I was thinking, too. Can you tell I am trying to talk myself into this? It just seems so, so....I don't know.....strange, I guess, that he won't ever, ever be sleeping in his bed in his room here again.

Alright, alright already........I'm getting the scissors........the new ones I just bought.......I have to be sure and cut these apron strings cleanly.

(I wonder if anyone has paint on sale? And I'm not sure about the wood floor. I think carpet would be much cozier. I'm starting to get excited here just thinking about the possibilites.....and then there are the window coverings to think about.....)

I Can't Resist!

I love a joke that makes you groan and laugh at the same time, don't you?
Okay, so maybe you don't, but I'm tellin' it anyway!!!

Quasimodo goes to a doctor for his annual checkup. "I think something is wrong with your back, " the doctor says.

"What makes you say that?" Quasimodo asks.

"I don't know," the doctor replies, "It's just a hunch."

This is the week that is!!!

And what a week it has been! Monday is of our day of rest, because Sunday is such a busy day for us here in the Cavinee household. So it was "Monday morning comin' down" (The title to an ooollllldddd country song) I didn't go anywhere Monday, which is my kind of day! I savored being home and doing little things around here. I cleaned out the closet that is right here by the computer desk. This particular closet houses crates of homeschool material (which needs to be sorted and recycled because we haven't homeschooled here since 2003!) and our.....*gasp*.....dare I say it......MOVIE COLLECTION! This is a bit of a touchy subject with me for a couple or fourteen reasons. Firstly, I can't relate to people who go out and buy every movie that comes out on home DVD/Video. Secondly, I am a very finnicky movie person. I have to reaaallllllly like a movie before I will buy it. Not so my hubby. Bless his heart (OMGosh....I'm beginning to sound like my si......oh, never mind.....I won't go there) As I was saying, Ed buys these $ .99 specials that are in the big bins at Wally World saraned-wrapped in a little slipcover thing with the defense that if they aren't any good at least he didn't spend much on them! I don't need to tell you how many haven't been good, do I? Thirdly, there are just other things that I would rather do with available time than watch a movie. But, on a cold, rainy, gloomy day, what IS better than snuggling in and watching a really good movie?

"Movie-ing" right along...*tee-hee*... Tuesday was Valentine's Day and you've already read my take on that! Although I will tell you that my DH bought me the most beautiful card he has ever gotten me in our entire married life! His intentions always being deeply sincere, his card-buying skills have left somewhat to be desired through the years. I think the worst was the year he bought me a birthday card that began...."To Someone Nice to Know"! I'm not kidding! LOL And we do still laugh about it! But this time, he outdid himself! He made up for all of the other cards! I am so tempted to put the verses from his valentine to me, here for you to read, but I won't. I did tell him that I wanted this card put in my coffin with me should I die before the Lord comes. It is that special to me! Anddddd.....I have another confession to make: I bought him a box of Whitman's chocolates. They are his favorites and in my defense, I buy them for him even when it isn't Valentine's Day and he was running low on candy and .....Well, there you have it......

20 years!! TWENTY YEARS!! XX years!! Today is our wedding anniversary! And who would have thunk it???

This dear husband of mine is still with me after all of these years. He loves me. He really loves me...*grin*...what a miracle. I truly believe that married love is a miracle of sorts. I mean, he sees me at my very worst, physically and emotionally, just as I have seen him at his very worst. Yet we still love one another. That is the beauty of monogamy and marriage. My dad said something years ago that has stayed with me and it is so true, but I didn't realize HOW true way back then. "You don't really love someone when you first get married. You learn to REALLY love someone through the years as you experience life together." Isn't that so wise and true? Oh, I thought I REALLY loved Ed when we first got married or I wouldn't have married him. duh. But the love we have now is so completely different than the love we experienced on our wedding day. We two have truly become one and I can't even begin to imagine my life without him. I tell you of a truth, we both could have thrown in the towel many times, but I truly believe that it was our committment to God and to eachother that saw us through. Not that we are super-christians or super-human, but we made the decision to tough it out and work through the difficult times. We had our son to consider, too. I know, I know....many people say that you shouldn't stay together for the sake of the kids. I say, what better reason is there?? And now...."Here we are, after all these years....." (Shania Twain) Yeahhhhhhh!!!!

So to celebrate, we went out for lunch today. We went to Jack's Steak House. Now, if you go there during the evening hours, it has a bar kind of atmosphere, but during the day, it is completely different. I say this because we kind of went back and forth about going there. You see, we both wanted steaks and this is the only place locally where you can get a REALLY good steak. So we weighed our options and went for it. Are we ever glad that we did! The service was excellent and that does matter! Our meal was delish! I had a 16oz. sirloin and Ed has a 12oz. porterhouse and I even brought enough home of mine to have this evening! In my humble opinion, there is nothing, where food is concerned, that can come close to being as good as a good steak cooked to perfection. "Make my medium well, please"

So there you have it! The week that is.....down here in our little valley......

Hello from down in the empty nest

Our son, Daniel married Erin Maree on December 17, 2005. We now have a wonderful daughter and they make a beautiful couple. Everyone kept saying it was really going to be lonely around here without him and they would be praying for us and if we needed to talk just give them a call or drop them an email. I wondered what all the fuss was about. I just winked and told everyone not to worry about me and Ed. WE HAVE PLANS!! *smile* I'll leave the rest to your imagination!

I always tend to go into denial at first when faced with a life change, whether it was the death of my dad or my mom or our family dog or.....well, you get the idea. But it all usually comes crashing in on me at the most inopportune moment. When my dad passed away I was so busy helping my mom adjust, that I ignored my own grief and ended up breaking down one day while I was in line at the BMV getting my license stickers. A close friend offered their condolences and that was all it took for the dam to break. With my mom, I did a little better. I allowed myself to grieve after awhile. And when our family pet died, we all cried and cried and cried. I have learned that grieving is a natural part of life.

Or at least I thought I had learned that valuable lesson, until the boy got married. I was doing fine. Things were going great. Then, it happened. Overnight. One day he was here. The next he was gone. No more singing in the shower. No more coming in the door like a whirlwind, singing, happy, asking how my day was. "Hey Mom!" "Hey Pops!" Heading straight for the refrigerator, grabbing something to drink, a snack, heading off to his room to play PS2 football-Madden or NCAA-does that sound right? (I don't know much about that stuff)

No more singing us to sleep at night, many times hymns, or telling us silly stories or making stupid noises or saying lines from movies to keep us laughing. Sometimes Ed and I had to bury our faces in our pillows so he wouldn't hear us laughing anymore because as long as he could hear us laughing he would keep it up!


Yes, those days are gone......what's the big deal? We'll still see him. We still see eachother at church. He'll call. We'll call him.
What a change has taken place here in the Cavinee household. We've shed more than a few tears since December 17. I've seen my dear husband cry more since the wedding than I have in 20 years of marriage, but you know, for lack of a better word, a preciousness has come into our marriage since Daniel is gone. We are closer than I ever thought possible. There have been times when we have just looked at eachother and the tears have welled up. We just miss him. We miss the life of him in our home. But he is happy. He is forging a new life for himself and his new wife. They are making their home and life together, with the help of the Lord. We have done our job well and now he has gone.... flying...... a little eratically at times, but he is determined. He has direction. And he has a helpmeet by his side and the Lord with them both.

As for me and Ed...*wink*....we 're having fun discovering new ways to use the newly available space in this empty nest, but that's another topic for another post! *smile*

Climbing back up.......

....onto my Valentine Day soapbox!

And what about all of the single people who are not dating or anything resembling dating??? There are more depressed single people on Valentine's Day than any other day of the year. (I read that statistic some where....trust me) Don't buy into it, single people of the world!! Sheesh, go out and buy you your own box of candy or flowers or ballons. I've bought myself flowers before, because I felt like having fresh flowers!!! Before I was married, I used to go to very nice restaurants by myself. Hey, I deserved more than fast food! Yes, I got some strange looks and it wasn't because I was strange. It was because people can be rude and less than considerate and understanding.

Okay, okay......I think I really am finished.......I need a nap......ranting can be exhausting.....but cleansing. LOL

Valentine's Day!

Isn't it unbelievable the lengths that some people go to for Valentine's Day? I'll admit that I love the colors. Red is my favorite color and I really like pink and white, too. And I love hearts! But the candy, flowers, ballons......*sigh* Only in America.....

Call me jaded but I sometimes think that people's over-the-top expressions of "love" are just a show or perhaps they are trying to impress someone other than their significant other, i.e. a young lady in our youth group received not one, but FIVE dozen roses today at school. Now me, I would prefer one beautiful long stem red rose. There is just something classy about that. I just don't go for overkill.

It's great if you and your significant other shared gifts, candy, flowers or whatever today, but if you, your spouse or significant other didn't do anything, that does not mean that there is not love there.

My DH has never been big on these holidays that make him feel pressured to buy me something or do something for me when he would not ordinarily have done so. So today he has not given me anything, BUT he has run the sweeper for us for months and months! Do you have any idea how much that means to me, especially since I have been having back problems. He shampooed the carpet in my car where I have slopped coffee all over it, even after he asked me to be careful, cause he knows how clumsy I can be.

I'll try not to make you gag, but it is all of the little day-to-day things that he does for me that makes me know that he loves me. He is definitely a keeper! :-)

Okay, I'm done with my Valentine's Day rant! ( I was going to abbreviate Valentine's Day (VD), but thought better of it!!! *smile*

"Monday, Monday......la, la, la, la"

I am so excited!! Again!! I finally was able to post my picture to my blog!! I love it when I learn new things!! I am the older woman on the right.....my niece Bethany is beside me!!

You know, I just don't have very many pictures of me because I am the resident picture-taker! Therefore we have alot of Ed and Daniel or Ed or Daniel or pets, or other people, but not many of me!

It has been a very good Monday here in my little valley! This is my third day of feeling ALOT better physically!! I am so thankful! I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get better, but the Lord is so faithful!

I cleaned out a closet today! Yeehaa! Do you know how long it has been since I cleaned out a closet??? It looks so nice now that it is organized and neatened (is that a word ? *grin*) up! I did all of the laundry to completion. You know, sorted, washed, dried, folded and put away. And now that evening is here and everything is done, it is so good to sit here and enjoy it all.

The days are getting longer and I am thankful. The sun shone so beautifully through the kitchen window this afternoon. I just sat there in its warm rays for awhile and sorted through some things on my desk.

I am going to log off here for awhile just in case someone might be trying to phone us!!!

I hope your Monday has been a good one!!

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4

This Calls For A Celebration!!!

I have just learned how to add blogs and links to my blog!!! Yeehaa!!! I have never done HTML before but I found this really neat website that has been a great help. It explains HTML in such simple terms. Believe me, I need "simple". I am just soooo excited!!!! But.....it has taken me about 2 hours!!!! So I hope no one has been trying to call me! Nooooo, I don't have DSL......*sob* And I haven't been able to post today and I do have some things to tell about!! So I will have to catch up over the next few days! You have been warned!!

The Lord's best to those of you who stop by and I pray that you are having a wonderful weekend and have a blessed Sunday!!

"You are getting sleepy....."

Hello, everyone! LOL Isn't this just about the cutest kitty picture ever? In my endeavor to relax and de-stress/destress (is that a hyphenated word or one word? I can't decide..) I have been trying to laugh more! And this picture did the trick! *grin* My heart rate is still down at about 84bpm and the blood pressure is 135/85, so I am doing pretty good, wouldn't you say? I have been trying to exercise more and get more fresh air, but that is a little tricky because of my back, BUT......I forge ahead! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday!

Whilst waiting for my ship to come in......

You are not going to believe this! I recently resigned my position at the local library because of some health problems I am having. (I worked part-time;did not have health insurance) I knew that I had been paying into the PERS retirement. BUT.....little did I know that I had also been paying into a deferred compensation account.(That's a fancy name for a savings account *grin*) Now, I had to sign up for DFC when I started working at the library, but I just can't remember doing so, though I am not complainin', believe me! Well....I have worked at the library for 7, yes, count them, folks,.......7 years, so, needless to say, I have accumulated a nice chunk of change over those seven years! YEEHAA! I have decided to withdraw it because I do have medical bills that need to be paid. BUT.....I am planning to enjoy some of it, too. Sooooo......after I left the doctor's office yesterday, I went window shopping at Value City. We have such a nice Value City. I have been in others and they are junky and in disarray, but ours is exceptional. Mostly, I looked at the housewares. I found so many little things that I want to get to dress up my house here and there.

Okay, have you ever been tempted to hide something in a department store? You know what I mean...*grin* There is only one of something and you don't have the money on you, no credit card, no checks. So you take the said item and hide it in a place where you just know that no one will find it! Gosh, but I was so tempted to do so yesterday! But I didn't....

I did do this one time when Daniel, my DS, was younger. We went to Ames and he found a pair of glow-in-the-dark baseball sleep pants that he wanted but I didn't have enough money to get them. Sooooo.....we stashed them behind a stack of jeans until we could go home and get more money. And, yes, they were still there when we returned! Yessss!

And another thing.......Value City's layaway department is now DEFUNCT! What's up with that? I love layaway! I have been known to put a thing or thirty in layaway. That way, if you don't have enough money at the time you see something that you REALLY want, you can put it in layaway and know that you are going to get the item/s eventually. Then the day comes when you go in and pickup your layaway. *sigh* That's a nice feeling......

I think I see my little ship out there on the horizon.......

Can you tell??

......that I am a visual learner? It has always been easier for me to learn to do something by being shown rather than learning from a book, i.e. crocheting, playing piano. And I love finding pictures that illustrate what I am trying to say and I get so excited when I find one!

Me? Stressed? Part 2

In my effort to destress , I have been taking inventory of the things that I think I might be worrying about even though I think I am not worrying about them. I've lost count...*sigh*
No, seriously, I have started to keep a journal. I have never been a fan of journaling because I didn't want someone reading my deepest thoughts after I pass away. you know? But I have come to the realization that I don't have to put down my deepest thoughts. I am discovering that it is very therapeutic to write down those things that are bothering you. They are then tangible, I can actually see them and I can better deal with them it seems. So, having written some of these "worries" down, I take them to the Lord and I am trying my best to leave them there, because I am coming to a gradual realization: "I CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD!" What a great relief........thank you, precious Lord.

1Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

My most recent heart rate: 84bpm
My most recent blood pressure: 140/85
Yayyyyyyyy!!!!

I love a good joke!!!

Morris and his wife Esther went to the state fair every year. Every year, Morris would say, "Esther, I'd like to ride in that helicopter." Esther always replied, " I know, Morris, but that helicopter ride is 50 dollars and 50 dollars is 50 dollars."
A few years later, Esther and Morris went to the fair. Morris said, "Esther, I am 85 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter now, I might never get another chance." Esther replied, "Morris, that helicopter ride is 50 dollars and 50 dollars is 50 dollars.
The pilot overheard the couple's conversation. "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take you both for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say a word, I won't charge you! But if you say one word, it's 50 dollars."
Morris and Esther agreed. --And up they went!
The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers. But not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word. When they landed, the pilot turned to Morris. He said, "By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed!
Morris replied, "Well, I was going to say something when Esther fell out, but 50 dollars is 50 dollars!!"

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.." Proverbs 17:22

Me? Stressed?

I don't consider myself to be stressed. How about you? Do you think you are fairly composed and calm and all? Wellllll.....my heart rate has been high for about the past week hovering between 92 and 120 bpm. I have not been sleeping very well at nigh. Then yesterday morning it went to 132bpm. I was also feeling some tingling in my hands and arms. Soooo......I checked my blood pressure and it was 185/120. Trying to remain calm, I called Ed, my DH, and told him the news. I then called my DF, Tina. She came over and once Ed came home, we decided that I should go to the ER and get checked out. To make a long story short, all of the tests came back normal. (It isn't often the word "normal" is associated with me in any way, shape, or form. *feeble smile*) This was a big relief as I had been concerned about my sugar and cholestrol and such. Anywayyyy.....the doctor said that my blood gases were a little off and he diagnosed me with stress and hyper-ventilation. I told them that I had not been gasping for air, breathing into a paper bag, or anything even resembling that, but the doctor said that respirations over 20 per minute could cause this. He went on to say that hyperventilating can cause rapid heart rate, high blood pressure and so on. He prescribed a tranquilizer and sent me on my way, making me promise to call my family physician and see him in 2 or 3 days, which I have already done. (patting myself on the back) Sooooooo.......since leaving the ER, I have been doing some serious self-examination about what I might be stressing out about. *HUGE SIGHHHHHH* To be continued........

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. " John 14:27

And for dessert!

This is one of the best cakes I have ever made!! And it is so easy!! It is especially delicious on a cold Ohio evening with a hot cup of coffeee! Yum! It is one of Paula Deen's recipes and I just love her!

Grand Girl's Fresh Apple Cake

Cake: Butter, for greasing pan 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1/4 cup orange juice 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped pecans
Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.
Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Proverbs 31: 15 "She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."

A quick Monday evening dinner idea!

I have two dishes that I make if I am in a hurry or just need something easy to fix but is still delish! So here goes:

Stovetop Tuna Noodle:

1 Tbsp. Margarine
1/2 C. of chopped onion
1 7oz. can of tuna in oil
1 small can of mushroom stems and pieces
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of milk or water ( I prefer milk)
1 16 oz. package of noodles
In a large skillet sautee the onion;add the tuna, undrained; drain the mushrooms and add, stirring as you go; add the soup and water/milk and stir with a whisk or spoon until smooth and the lumps are gone. You may have to add more water or milk to accomodate the noodles. Add the uncooked noodles and stir thoroughly. Turn down the heat and let simmer until the noodles are done. Add water/milk and stir as needed. You will need to keep a close eye on this as noodles will cook quickly. I add parsley flakes and to add some color, I sometimes add frozen broccoli broken into small pieces. My husband loves this dish!!

Creole Vegetables:

6 slices of bacon
1/2 of a large onion
1 can of green beans/undrained
1 can of whole potatoes/drained and sliced
1 can of sliced stewed tomatoes/undrained
1 16oz. package of smoked sausage

Cut each slice of bacon into 4 pieces and sautee in a large skillet or kettle. Sometimes I add a little cooking oil if the bacon is lean. Slice the onion and separate into rings and add to the bacon and sautee until tender. Add the green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. Stir thoroughly;salt and pepper thoroughly. (My husband loooooves salt and pepper!) Slice the smoke sausage in circle slices and add or cut it into chunks and add to the vegetables. Mix well and let simmer so all of the flavors blend.
I sometimes add more bacon and more of the other vegetables depending on how many I am feeding. This dish is delish with corn bread!! Yummy!

Hocking Hills Snowfall

I get so excited when snow is in the forecast! I just love snow! It makes everything look so clean and new and fresh! But when up to three inches of snow is forecasted and then we get just a dusting, I am so disappointed and that is what happened this past weekend. *sigh* Oh, I know my sweet husband would have had to shovel the driveway and that driving for many would have been made more difficult, but I just love the snow! Sooooo....maybe next time! This is a picture taken at Old Man's Cave which is just about twenty minutes from where I live. (You know you are from Ohio if you measure distances in minutes *grin*)
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet , they shall be white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

The Kitster!

This is our outside kitty, Kitster, drinking milk out of my glass! You see, I had made myself a PB&J, a glass of milk and gone out to the back deck to read one afternoon. Well, I had to go inside for something and when I came back out, he had jumped up on the table and helped himself to my milk, which I didnt' mind at all! He is a beautiful cat, though it doesn't really show here. I'll try to find a better picture to post later! Oh, in case you are wondering, the book is "Back When We Were Grown-ups" by Anne Tyler! A wonderful book!

The Kitty!

This is THE KITTY of the house! *smile* We love her to pieces, even though she can be a little snooty sometimes! Andddd, she is a mouser!! She has awakened us two different nights tearing through the house with her catch of the evening! Okay, I'll admit it.....I do feel a little sorry for the poor little mice, but it is so much fun to watch her play with it!! Oh, and one morning she cornered a mouse right here in the living room while I was on the floor doing my exercises! (It wasn't a pretty sight!....me doing the exercises, that is! LOL) I had no choice but to stay there because at the present time my movements are anything comparable to fast or even kinda, sorta fast, buttttt...I did survive not being attacked by a kitty and her captive mouse! Thank you, Lord!

"Down in the Valley....la, la, la, la"

It is a chilly, gray Saturday morning here in the valley, but it is so cozy and warm here in our little home. The picture you see here was taken this past summer. Ellie, our kitty, is asleep in my chair and Ed and I are watching "A Walk To Remember", one of my favorite movies, though it is sad. I have done one of my friend's hair this morning, fed the kitties and Ed, gotten all of my household usuals done and gotten myself tidied up for the day, so we will see what the rest of the day holds!