"My New Year's resolution is to not start any bad habits." ~ Lew
The above is a direct quote. Ha ha.
I am having trouble coming up with a resolution. Lew asked me if I really need one. I already journey through life making adjustments and changes as needed.
So maybe a goal for 2014 instead. Here it is: Get a job! :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(Several days ago I wrote the post, Things I Would Like to Blog About. With today's post, I finally complete the list.)
I first heard of the island of knights and knaves when I read Raymond Smullyan's book, "What Is the Name of This Book?"
On this fictional island, knights always tell the truth and knaves always lie. So once you distinguish knights from knaves, you will always know the truthfulness of any statement.
Lew and I got into a discussion one night about how the consistency of a knave actually makes him/her somewhat "trustworthy." We can trust that a knave always lies.
Consider regular human beings, who are neither knights nor knaves. Things get a lot more complicated! Of course, some people are mostly truthful and some are habitual liars. Still, we don't have the same confidence that we would have on the island of knights and knaves.
I could go on with more thoughts about this. But I will spare you. :)
The recent Phil Robertson hoopla all started with the GQ article, "What the Duck?", by Drew Magary. (Click HERE to read it.)
I also read this article which shares Phil's response: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2528043/Duck-Dynasty-family-seen-today.html
Lew and I have watched all past episodes of "Duck Dynasty" and I just finished reading Phil's book, "Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy as the Duck Commander."
From all of the above -- which I will call my "research" -- I can say with confidence that A&E's initial suspension of Phil Robertson was misguided. They really blew it. They should have carefully analyzed all the available data in order to understand Phil's heart and his comments.
As we all now know, A&E has reinstated Phil Robertson, so filming of "Duck Dynasty" can now continue with all of the Robertsons onscreen.
I am looking forward to the new season... even though it will air on A&E.
The church fantasy football league came to an end last Monday night. (The end of this season, anyway.)
Lew came in last in the league, but he almost won the consolation bracket.
The players that made it to the championship game were Matt and Glen. A true family affair!
Matt had two losses during the regular season -- both to Glen. Would the third time be a charm?
No, it would not.
Congratulations to Glen on his victory.
Glen was presented with the "Coastal Fantasy Football Champ" trophy, which I made before I knew my brother-in-law would eventually take it home. If I had known, I would have made it look even tackier than it already does....
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| An empty kitty treats container (weighed down by some rocks from under our porch) provides the perfect foundation for the trophy. |
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| The vase brings it to a whole new level, don't you think? |
Eli got a table for his train set! He and Daddy had a great time playing with it.
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| Grampa & Adam "smile" for the camera. |
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| Tia loving on Adam. |
(I helped finish off the chocolate cake. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! From the great Northeast on the day after Christmas while I watch the snow falling. Will it be enough to plow? Only time will tell. Well, actually, the experts say up to 3 inches. Plowable? Maybe or not.
Well, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Spouse and I spent some time with Glen and Deb at their place. We were joined by Lew and Tracy, Glen's sister, and Glen's parents. Last, but not least, Josh and Zack were there. This makes sense because they live there. A great day was enjoyed by all.
Today, Josh is supposed to drive for an hour with his mother in the backseat. This is a necessary event for his driver education class. Hope they don't slide too much in the snow. Josh may have his permit next week.
I had a busy morning. Why I scheduled my eye appointment the day after Christmas didn't seem to make sense this morning. I showed up on time and did my field test. Seems to be staying the same and not deteriorating. A good sign indeed. Then up the stairs for a vision test and eye pressure test. All went well. One last trip to another level for an eye scan. I'm not sure what the scan does. I was told it was needed as I had not had one in a while. After about two hours, I found out my glaucoma seems to stay about the same. Not bad after 20 some years.
Then to a couple other errands. Arrived home with lunch from KFC in hand. A very productive morning came to an end. The chicken pot pie was good as was the dark grilled chicken. The chocolate cake wasn't bad either. Must get back to exercising next week. Honest!!! Sure!!
Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can't believe I lasted another year blogging weekly. But I have, so....
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
(Note: There will be no blog post tomorrow as we celebrate Christmas, but check back on Thursday for Derf's weekly post -- a day late and a dollar short!)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Luke 2:8-14 (KJV):
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." ~ Linus
A few posts ago, in Things I Would Like to Blog About, I mentioned a gift I received from my friend Anne-Marie.
At first glance, the box it came in made no sense to me:
Look at what was inside the box!
I asked Anne-Marie if we could communicate with each other through these watches... you know, for when we have secret missions. She said that particular feature didn't come with this model. ;)
A pretty cool watch, just the same!
We went to church. Christmas Sunday! :)
We ate Chinese food for lunch at the nursing home with Verlie. Wayne, Matt & Emily & the boys were there, too. We gave Verlie some Christmas "remembrances." (She told us not to get her any "gifts," so we didn't... wink, wink!)
We have been home for awhile. To say we are "winding down" would be an understatement. Lew has been asleep on the couch, and I have been reading (sort of).
I was going to share my thoughts on the meaning of life, but then I realized I had not yet posted a photo of our Christmas tree. A tree picture... much, much easier!
About 24 years ago I received a Rudolph made of wood, finely crafted by my grandfather (my dad's dad).
Rudolph's left antler was accidentally broken (the same 24 years ago... sigh), but a friend helped me repair him with some glue.
His antler had held up great over the years until last Friday night. That happened to be the night Eli and Adam were here. Eli's presence and Rudolph's antler breaking off again... well, these two events are entirely related to one another.
Lew and I just tried to repair the antler once again, but it was beyond hope. So I got out some masking tape and a bandage.
I kind of like Rudolph's new look!
But for Santa's sake, I hope we don't have a foggy Christmas Eve.
My friend Laura recently became an Origami Owl "designer", so I had to buy a necklace of course!
The charms represent that I am blessed with my family, my friends, the joy of music, the country I live in, my kitty-cats, my husband, and Jesus!
(In case you can't figure it out, the charms match the blessings like this: house, teacup, musical note, flag, paw, red heart, and Cross, respectively.)
When showing my necklace to Laura's 7-year-old daughter, I asked her to explain why I had certain charms. My favorite was her answer for the Cross: "Because you love Jesus." (I cherish this!)
I purchased three more charms that would not fit, so I guess I will have to get another locket at some point. :)
By the way, here is what the "back" of the above necklace looks like:
(I could have the "blessed" plate facing toward the front, but the charms would cover it up. I like being able to see the word.)
Life is a gift!
I got together with two out of my three fellow Batgirls tonight, so I'm posting later than usual. If I were more awake and energetic, I would attempt to write about one of the following:
Batgirl gift from Anne-Marie. I can't say what it is yet because Krista couldn't make it tonight.
Phil Robertson. The only thing I will say about this for the moment is that I support Phil.
My Origami Owl necklace. I will write about this later. Need to include a picture!
Thoughts on Knights and Knaves. This refers to an interesting discussion Lew and I had recently. I need to be very alert to give this justice, as it's kind of "deep."
So there you have it. Four "teasers" about some upcoming posts on my blog. I do hope that you'll come back to read them!
(I could get used to these short Derf posts. Enjoy! ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! From the snowbound Northeast. Just finished plowing the second major snowstorm (about 2 feet total) in the last three days. I'm sick of winter and it hasn't even officially started yet. I believe we are going to break the freezing barrier in the next couple days. The break will get our temperatures above freezing for the first time in about 10 days. PLEASE SPRING, COME SOON!
Forgot to mention in last week's post the gas prices I encountered on my Illinois trip. I saw one price for $2.98 per gallon. I paid as high as $3.69 on the New York thruway. In Indiana I filled my tank for $3.09. In Eureka I paid $3.15. My advice to you: Don't buy fuel in New York!
Must mention that grandson Josh is now enrolled in a driver education course. He is now on the road for several days a week. I'm sure he will follow in the family tradition of becoming a superior driver. It seems to filter down throughout the family.... I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back.
As a result of my arm injury, I will be forced to cut this post short. Sooo....
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
I did some paperwork at the church building today. The area where I was working was around 55 degrees. I tried to turn the heat up, but I wasn't there long enough to notice any effect. However, I was there long enough to turn into a popsicle.
Then I had to go outside and get into my cold car.
I knew that I would have to turn the heat up a bit upon arriving home, but I was looking forward to the warmth I already knew was present.
Except it wasn't....
It was 58 degrees in my house!
It seems that the thermostat control got turned way down. And I will tell you this: A human being did not do it.
If this happens again, we will have to do something to keep the cats away from the thermostat.
In the meantime, they are both looking pretty innocent about the whole thing.
Today is a good experiment in hermitation. The timing of our snowstorm disrupted area church gatherings today. The snow is still coming down, although very lightly.
Lew is now installing the new faucet on my side of the vanity. Some photographic evidence follows.
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| Our new master plumber is on the case! |
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| Jerry and Lew: Consulting. |
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| Kurt: Couldn't care less. |
Roses are red. Violets are blue. Whenever it rains, I think of you.... Drip, drip, drip....
I can't recall where I first heard the above variation of the poem, but it came to mind today while Lew worked on a household project.
The project was to replace a faucet in the bathroom sink.
Success! No more leaky faucet.
But unfortunately for Lew, he is not done yet. We have a double vanity in our bathroom, and the faucets need to match, right?! Smile!
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| BEFORE |
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| AFTER |
Lew and I got to babysit Eli and Adam tonight unsupervised! Matt and Emily dropped them off at our house with specific care instructions, all of which we carried out perfectly.... Well, almost! :)
Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.
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| How Adam started the evening. |
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| Grampa and Eli contemplate the benefits of ravioli. |
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| Adam eventually woke up. |
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| Eli brought Jerry his cat toys, one by one. |
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| Busy Eli has an audience. |
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| Eli and Tia take a selfie. |
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| Tia singing to Adam. |
Every winter I consider hibernation. (Wouldn't that be great?) But the closest I can come is the hermit's life.
I call it "hermitation."
I really think I could pull hermitation off. I could order anything I need online (or at least send Lew out for it). I could skip getting my haircut until the weather gets warmer.
I would have to leave the house at least once a week for church, but that's manageable.
Who's in?
I am!
;-)
(Postscript: Auto-correct tried to change "hermitation" to "hermit action" when I first typed it in. "Hermit" and "action" don't really belong together, do they? Not in my hermitation ideas, they don't!)
(I wish I had been awake to see Dad's ascent to the house, but it was way too early in the morning. Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! Back in the Northeast from my brief Midwest trip. It is very cold here but the day has been sunny. Will not reach the freezing point for the next few days. It's okay! I have heat!
Last week's post had some information about Kim's and my trip through the tornado-torn town of Washington, Illinois. I must mention two sites we saw. All homes on the street were just leveled. There was one exception.One structure was left with its front door and casing still standing. It was a strange sight. Another street had one structure with a staircase still standing. Next to the stairs were some upper kitchen cabinets still together. How these survived the storm is beyond my comprehension. A sight to see! It will be years before the town is back to normal. If ever.
As promised last week I will now critique the Renaissance Christmas Dinner by the Eureka College Chamber Singers. I was fortunate to attend all three performances. It was an excellent dinner theater production by some talented college students. It certainly impressed me. I'm sure the show put all who were in attendance in the Christmas spirit. Joseph Henry should be happy and proud of his production. Granddaughter Kelsey performed at a professional level -- proud Papa.
I kept my eye on the weather over the weekend as I was planning on returning home Monday. From my observation I thought I could make it to the Buffalo area even if I hit some snow. Well, I left at 8:00 AM EST and made it to Buffalo with no lake-effect snow. The roads were fine and I continued on.
I was listening to the radio and heard weather reports putting snow in the Massachusetts area early the next morning. This prompted me to make it home prior to the storm. I continued to drive. And about 18 1/2 hours after I left Illinois, I was home (1200 miles).
I encountered no snow but did see some signs to be careful due to black ice. No problem for me until I reached my own driveway! I turned around in my driveway and was unable to get up to the house. I was on ice. Walking on the driveway was treacherous, so I shuffled over to the lawn and walked up the lawn to level ground. I carefully crossed the icy driveway and walked the lawn to the icy steps. I MADE IT!!
I apologize to my proofreader and editor for this lengthy post. Sometimes it is just necessary to stretch it out.
I had a brief, enjoyable trip to Illinois. It was well worth the effort. I thank my Illinois family for putting up with me!
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
Another cold day here. It snowed for much of the afternoon.
Our driveway and porch steps were s~l~i~p~p~e~r~y. You had to pick your route carefully and walk very slowly, otherwise you would end up on your fanny!
I went to see Verlie at the nursing home right after lunch. The resident cat had the right idea on this cold wintery day. Meow!
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| Sassy, the nursing home's cat. |
A week ago I wrote about Lew's perfect season in his fantasy football league. (His record was 0-13.)
He got to play a consolation game this week.
The result?
He...
wait for it...
WON!
When he told me, I almost passed out. (Not really.) But I did say,
"Congratulations, Sweetie!"
(Postscript: Actually I believe I said, "You did?" But that translates to the above.... Really, it does. Smile!)
Lew decided to put the outdoor Christmas lights on our porch yesterday.
The lights ended up in the trash. (Apparently there is no reason to keep lights that no longer work.)
I was so proud of Lew. He found some lights that were on sale (50% off) at the hardware store, plus he had a $10 coupon!
The old lights were white icicles; the new lights are colored LEDs.
I took some pictures tonight. It was not easy to get photos because I kept setting off the regular porch light's motion sensor! But I finally got a couple to share with you.
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| Hard to see the colors distinctly, but notice the symmetry! |
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| The view standing on the porch. Note the colors. |
Baby, it's cold outside....
I have cold feet, and I mean that literally.
Sometimes I wear socks to bed, but I usually end up kicking them off during the night. (I don't know why this is so; it's not because my feet get too warm, that's for sure!)
During the day, I like to wear socks with my slippers. But at some point I end up yanking the socks off because my feet need some freedom. (Maybe that's what happens subconsciously during the night, too.)
So my feet are cold, but they have an aversion to socks.
This is a dilemma.
My father is in Illinois visiting my sister Kim and her family. He usually writes his weekly Derf post on Wednesday, but he called to tell me he is postponing until tomorrow.
I was not expecting to have to pen my own post today. (And, alas, the ideas haven't been flowing freely lately.)
While on the phone with Dad, I mentioned I would try to come up with something. He suggested I inform our readers that he will be writing tomorrow and leave it at that.
Works for me!
I know that a lot of people have been watching Duck Dynasty. Lew and I held out for a long time, not wanting to add another TV show to the short list that we already watch.
A few days ago, Lew watched this half-hour video online:
When the video ended, Lew instructed me to set the DVR to record Duck Dynasty whenever it is on. (There are a lot of reruns airing right now, so we already have quite a few episodes recorded.)
I watched the above "I Am Second" video today....
And another new Duck Dynasty fan is born!
When considering healthy eating habits, this long weekend can't end soon enough.
Pie, cupcakes, cake, pumpkin bread, cheese & crackers, soda, chocolate, pizza, mac & cheese....
It's been great! :)
Yesterday Lew and I watched one of the best-known episodes of I Love Lucy... Vitameatavegamin! So funny!
After it was over, Lew and I talked about how timeless some of these older shows are. Although there are some technological differences, the storylines still resonate. Human nature doesn't really change.
Most of the modern-day sitcoms are -- how should I say it -- crass. We have a couple that we watch, The Middle and Last Man Standing, but that's it.
Thank goodness for TV Land!
(Postscript: By the way, the real title of the Vitameatavegamin episode is "Lucy Does a TV Commercial".)
(Post-postscript: Google!)
Lew put up our Christmas tree today. Jerry and Kurt helped!
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| Jerry: "I'll get this box emptied out!" |
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| Kurt: "Looking good so far!" |
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| Kurt: "Ahhhh, I'm ready for my nap...." |
The lights are on the tree but we still have to get out the ornaments. I wonder if we'll get some "help" then, too! :)
Lew and I went to Matt, Emily, Eli, and Adam's house for our Thanksgiving dinner. Below are some photos for your viewing enjoyment.
Happy Thanksgiving
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| Emily, our beautiful hostess! |
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| About our turkey. |
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| Yum.....! |
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| Matt photo bombs his dad and Uncle Wayne. |
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| Eli wore his Gronkowski shirt. |
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| Eli hiding from Tia! |
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| Tia and Eli take a selfie. |
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| Grampa and Adam. |
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| Adam eventually wore his Brady shirt. |
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| Brothers :) |
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| Karma, because I had to include a photo of a cat. |
(I entered several phone contacts into the TracFone yesterday, so that part of Dad's prep is done. Enjoy his post! ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! From the warm Northeast. It is, however, raining and is supposed to continue storming for the rest of the day. Lucky it's not snow. The wind doth blow also! Tomorrow should be a storm-free day. Just in time for Thanksgiving.
We're looking forward to tomorrow when we spend some time at daughter Deb's for another fine Thanksgiving day meal and visit. Hope all out there enjoy their day. It is that time of the year that should bring out the best in all of us.
I'm spending the rest of the week in preparation for my trip to Illinois with TracFone in hand. I'm planning to post next week from the Midwest. I don't have a lot to say today, so I'll close this short effort by saying:
Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
It was snowing when I woke up this morning.
Ack!
It wasn't a heavy snowfall... just annoying enough to mess up the morning commute. But still....
Ack!
(Postscript: "Ack!" is what Cathy says when frustrated, annoyed, etcetera. "Cathy" as in the comic strip.)
Grampa Lew took a picture of Adam yesterday. So sweet!
And because I like to torture my readers with pictures of my cats:
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| Kurt is asleep. Jerry is looking around! |
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| I guess I took too long to empty the dryer! |
I don't have a photo of her, but "Happy Birthday" to my baby sister Debbie!
Our church had its annual craft fair today. We had a nice variety of crafters and vendors. There were also some games and activities for kids. It was a good time!
On days like today, I am reminded of how talented people can be. Quilting, jewelry-making, gourmet cupcakes....
I am so impressed by these folks....
Especially since I can't do any of this stuff!
Jerry and Kurt both enjoy the red laser dot. Sometimes they just swipe at it, but other times they want to chase it.
For chasing, I usually just wave the dot back and forth in the living room. (I am seated while I do this.) Kurt will do more 180-degree turns than Jerry, but Jerry is the one that really needs the exercise! So in order to get Jerry to chase a little longer, I have started to run through a larger portion of the house with him. The turns aren't as sharp, and he seems to like that better.
As I run along with Jerry, I am usually saying, "Let's chase it! Let's chase it!" in my talking-to-the-cats voice.
We just had a red laser dot session. I think I chased the red dot (for more than a few seconds) before I realized that Jerry had stopped. Yes, I was chasing the dot all by myself! What have I become???
We love our kitties!
Regular readers of this blog must be on the edge of their seats wondering about two things. I will reveal all now:
My colonoscopy. I survived my colonoscopy prep and arrived on time for my test yesterday morning. Lew accompanied me. The test itself was actually a wonderful experience. The "sleepy drug" lady helped me get comfortable before the test started. The next thing I knew someone was saying my name and telling me my test was over! Test results: All is well. (Note to self for next colonoscopy: Attempting to eat a normal meal right after the test is a terrible idea.)
Dad's TracFone. We returned to the place of purchase and explained that the serial number on the packaging does not match the phone itself. The store preferred to just do a return of the phone and issue a new one. The best part was that one of their workers took care of the activation process for us! Customer service at its best.
After our TracFone adventure, Dad treated me to lunch at Friendly's. Unlike that of yesterday, this dining decision was a wonderful idea! :)
(36 minutes, 41 seconds. Significance? Revealed below. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! Another cold, sunny day in the Northeast. It makes me think of what is coming weatherwise. I can say I am not a great fan of winter weather. But bring it on!!
I am planning a trip to Eureka, Illinois in a couple weeks to visit family and be in attendance at performances at Eureka College. Looking forward to it. I hope to get a firsthand look at the town neighboring Eureka. The town: Washington, Illinois.
In preparation for my trip I purchased a TracFone. (Spouse will not be on the trip. I do not wish to use our cell phone as she uses it for texting. I know nothing about texting.) After purchasing the phone the next step was to activate the device.
I first looked at activation by computer. With my technology skills this seemed hopeless. So I attempted to activate TracFone by using our landline. This also ended in failure. So I called a real "human being." Suffice it to say after nearly an hour, I still had not activated my phone.
The last thing I was told follows: All necessary information would be sent directly to my new Fone from his computer. Our conversation ended and my phone still has not been activated.
It is now in Lew and Tracy's possession. Hope they get it working.
I did manage to call 911 on my new TracFone prior to activation. I was embarrassed as I told the person it was a mistake. He was very understanding. Stay tuned to see if the TracFone ever becomes activated.
One quick note about last Saturday. We said our final goodbyes to sister Jean. Jean's granddaughter Rev. Heather Henson did a superb job at the service. I sang a song with sister Deborah. I embarrassed myself as I sang 'through my tears.' We celebrated Zack's 13th birthday in the evening. A day with varying emotions.
Enough bloviating for now. I hope to improve my blog next week. Stay tuned.
Sooo.... Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
(Postscript: Tracy here. The time in my above introduction represents how long I spent on the phone myself with the TracFone people! I discovered that the serial number on the phone itself doesn't match the serial number on the packaging. Of course, the package is what gets scanned into the system at the store. The next step is for Dad and I to return to the store tomorrow to get it all straightened out. I am hopeful!)
Sending huge "Happy Birthday" wishes to my beautiful niece Kelsey in Illinois today. She is spending her birthday week showing her generosity and good heart by helping the families in her neighboring town of Washington who lost everything in the devastating tornado that went through there on Sunday. God Bless you Kelsey and the other EC students who are giving to others this week.Happy Birthday, Kelsey!
With so many devastating things happening in our country (tornadoes) and the world (typhoons), I am somewhat hesitant to mention what has been on my mind today:
Tomorrow.
I'm not really worried about tomorrow; I'm just not looking forward to it. The reason: my first colonoscopy is Wednesday.
My "colonically-knowledgeable" readers will be able to deduce what I will spend tomorrow doing: The "clean out" drugs are on the kitchen counter. The clear liquids are in the refrigerator. I am ready.
Bring. It. On.
(Postscript: I made up the term "colonically-knowledgeable" all by myself.)
(Post-postscript: Colonoscopy... one of the joys of turning 50.)
I took two photos at Zack's birthday party last night. Both were to document a gift that Lew and I gave him....
This past summer, Zack raved about a certain item he used at our home. He even gave a thorough review of all its great qualities. So it was only fitting to present him with his own supply.
And, yes, he was excited!
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| Zack and I designed this sign together. |
My grandmother (as in Derf's mother) would have been 100 years old today.
My nephew Zack was born 13 years ago today. (He weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces at that time!)
I learned that Heidi's husband's birthday is also today. Heidi is the daughter of my cousin Kathy.
And today we said our final goodbyes to Aunt Jean. Her granddaughter Heather (also Kathy's daughter) officiated at the memorial service and at the graveside. It was a beautiful celebration of my aunt's life!
Cake and ice cream for Zack will cap off our evening.
A wide range of emotions today. Precious family time. God is good!
I have written a few thousand words of my novel, but there is no way I will get to 50,000 by the end of November.
I thought that I could just set aside a few days for writing only. For various reasons, none of those days have worked out so far. There are just too many things going on.
Therefore, I have abandoned my NaNoWriMo quest for this year. But that doesn't mean I'm abandoning my novel. I'm just taking the pressure off regarding the 50,000 words by November 30th.
Perhaps the creative juices will flow more freely now that I'm acknowledging my own reality!
When trying to straighten out an issue today over the phone, I got put on hold.
For over 30 minutes.
I checked my e-mail while I waited.
My patience finally ran out, so I hung up and called again.
This second call was much more satisfying.
I think it helped to tell them that they had kept me on hold for so long before, because they put me through to the correct person right away!
(Postscript: My all-time favorite canned message regarding being put on hold was, "While you are on hold, you will experience silence." This was by a department of the federal government, of course! I wonder if they still say this.)
(We miss you, Aunt Jean! Enjoy Dad's post. ~ Tracy)
Derf Here! Coming to you today from the great Northeast. The sun is bright and the thermometer is low. It is a cold day. Probably in the 30s all day. May warm up to close to 50 in a couple days. Here's hoping!
Well, our local football season is over as Josh's team lost in the semi-finals of the state playoffs. I figured out that the season was over when I looked at the clock and we were behind 7-0 after only 17 seconds had been played. A real bad omen. A great season came to a quick end. Now waiting for baseball season.
Probably most of you know that sister Jean's earthly struggles are now over. Complications, as a result of colon cancer, finally took their toll. She transitioned to her new home last Saturday.
Thanks go to her caregivers allowing her to rest comfortably and without pain during her final days. Also a great thank you to my niece Kathy and her husband Gordon for their care throughout the ordeal.
This Saturday, November 16, will be a full day of activity for our family. This will be the day that we say our final goodbyes to sister Jean. It is very fitting that her granddaughter, Rev. Heather Henson, will lead us in this transition.
This same day (the 16th) marks the 100th birthday of our mother. After all the ceremonies are over we will celebrate grandson Zack's 13th birthday. He was born on his great-grandmother's birthdate! Josh was also born on his great-grandmother's birthday -- but on his father's side. Kind of easy to remember their birthdates. Quite unique!
Saturday is sure to have its range of emotions. Just writing this causes me to have several different emotions. I've written enough.
Soo....
Until next time!
Toodle Pip!
Derf!
Busy day today, so I will acknowledge only one thing:
Today is 11/12/13.
We will have 12/13/14 next year. And after that? Well, it's going to be a long wait until 01/02/03... as in 2103!
Lew had the day off due to the Veterans Day holiday. Seeing that he is a veteran himself, Lew's day off was appropriate. (Thank you for your service, Sweetie!)
We had breakfast out with some friends, did our grocery shopping, and went to see the movie Ender's Game. We both read the book Ender's Game a couple years ago, so we were excited when we heard they were making a movie based on it. In our opinion, the movie stuck to the major story of the book pretty well. We enjoyed it.
Words I wrote of my novel during this three-day weekend: Zero. Lew has a way of distracting me, so yeah, I'll blame my non-productivity on him!
We use a program called Godly Play for our children's church. We have several volunteers involved, so I am scheduled to lead it only once every six or seven weeks.
Today was my Sunday. Lew is technically my assistant, but I have granted him special "one of us should listen to the sermon" status. That means he stays in church with the big people!
Debbie and Zack helped me out today. They are both more adept at working with the children than I am! I taught the lesson, and Zack and Debbie... well, they did everything else (games, coloring, keeping track of the kids, etc.)
The lesson was about the Israelites' exile to Babylon. And it was also about their return back to Jerusalem. That covers a lot of years! Fortunately, the main point for the children was simple: God is with us everywhere.
Thank you, God, for being with me EVERYWHERE!
Yesterday I wrote about my "life verse." My aunt definitely had a life verse (verses actually), and if you knew her, then you already know the verses. She wrote the reference at the bottom of every card, every letter, every e-mail... every piece of correspondence that she ever sent. Even her e-mail address contained the reference. (And I wouldn't be surprised if she put it below her signature on her tax return.)
Of course, I am talking about Proverbs 3:5,6. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (NKJV)
Thank you, Aunt Jean, for your love and testimony. Peace, joy, and love to you forever!
The other pottery piece that I painted was a trivet.
I recently chose the first part of Isaiah 30:15 to be my "life verse." (Yes, it only took me 50 years to decide!)
My new trivet will remind me of my verse. I did a (kind of) mathematical representation of it.
I love my verse and my trivet!
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| My trivet (bordered by my kitchen countertop) |
Krista and I went back to Glazey Days a couple Saturdays ago and painted more pottery. I made two things, which I will spread out over two separate blog posts. (I believe the term is "milking it." I'm always desperate for post ideas.)
The first piece I did was a small platter. The lady at the shop taught me a technique using lace: First paint the base coat. Then lay the lace on the piece and paint over it with the same base color so that it's covered really, really well, with the lace securely "attached" to the piece. Let it dry. (We helped it along with a blow dryer!) Then paint over it again with a second color (which was of the green persuasion, in my case). While it's still wet, carefully peel off the lace.
Below is a photo of my piece after the glazing and firing processes. (Sorry, the light glared in a couple spots in the picture.)
I think my platter turned out great!
