Tisie, I thank you for remembering Dan's photoraphy. He seems to have lost interest with the camera, and is now into his Banjo building.

We are supposed to have a low of 43 degrees tonight, and sitting by my East windows, I can feel the cold coming through. Good sleeping weather, for sure.

Good night again dear ones.

Oh, what a wonderful day.  Full of family, good food and lots of Grandkids.  How can one person be more blessed. I am so proud of all of them.

My old pup kinda got stressed out this afternoon and wanted some serious loving, she draped herself across my lap and just wanted some attention.  When she wasn't with me she went over to my SIL and Steve would give her some loving.

Good Night my friends, God Bless and Sweetdreams,  And Janie, I will take one of those hugs.

I am too pooped to pop - but what a wonderful weekend with family.   I am so blessed to have family who all enjoy being together and having plain old fun!!!
When I'm rested,  I'll tell you about the hilarious game the eight of use played after dinner/gift opening today.  it involved trinkets, a ball of saran wrap, oven mitts and dice.

Now I'm ready for what I hope will be a low-key week....or longer.

Sleep well, Everyfriend and have Pleasant Dreams.

My Christmas also went well....well no arguments took place but.....the home felt very empty without Benji, and I thought of our - my, other two, Petra and Megan of the fun mornings we once had when I opened their presents and we all had some playtime.....
....it is now Boxing Day, almost 7.am....time to play catch up on the tv....

Good Monday morning, Everyfriend.  There's oatmeal with blueberries to accompany your coffee or tea . I wish everyone a nice day!!





Parachute Jump

I volunteered recently to perform a parachute jump for charity. On our first day of training, the instructor made an important point about preparing for landing at 300 feet.

"How do you know when you're at 300 feet?" asked one woman.

"A good question," replied the instructor. "At 300 feet you can recognize the faces of people on the ground."

The woman thought about this for awhile before saying, "What happens if there's no one there I know?"



The Yard Light
(By Peder Eide) 

I love light!

I mean, if we had no light, we couldn't see things.

We couldn't see each other. We couldn't see where we are going and would step on really sharp toys that weren't put away! We would not know how to stay on the highway at night. We would struggle to get a tan. We would be colder. We wouldn't wear matching clothes.

To walk around in the dark all the time? Awful.

We would miss so much beauty. There is actually a form of depression some people suffer from when they are living long periods of life without sunlight. The list is infinite about how hard life would be without light.

You get the picture. Light is pretty important.

As we enter into this [Christmas season], I want to spend time looking at the message, power of, need, and reason for light. Specifically the Light of World that comes to us in Jesus Christ.

I remember on the farm we had a single yard light that was right in the center of our homestead. It was probably a 75 watt light bulb at the top of a telephone pole that was turned on and off in the house. It was there for the purpose of helping you see where you were going from building to building at night.

Walking from the steel shed or the barn or chicken coop on a dark Minnesota night back to the house could be nerve-racking for a seven-year-old who thought Scooby Doo haunted mysteries could be real.

The yard light, though, was a lifesaver. If I needed to flee from any monsters lurking in the nearby woods, I could run freely without worrying about tripping over a bike, running into a clothes line, or falling in a trap set by an enemy trying to take over the world (starting at my farm! - Yes, I had an imagination...).

As long as that yard light was on, no worries.

But I'd lose confidence when I was closing up the barn door for the night, and my older brother - let's call him Tom - was watching out the window to turn off the yard light. He'd force me to walk in the night without a light.

It changed how I walked, hoping I wouldn't bang my shin on something. The wind, the creaking of branches, gates swinging, and squirrels running were all way more evil than ever before.

My breathing would speed up, my senses on alert, and I'd move towards the house in total fear but with one single goal: don't die before giving paybacks to the brother we're calling Tom.

We need light. Not just physically, but spiritually. God the Father knew it. It was why He sent His Son to a darkening world. We are meant to live this life in the light not in the dark.

Do you feel any of those emotions in your day-to-day life that I was feeling when my brother turned off the yard light? ...

Wouldn't it be great if this Christmas you discovered the light of Jesus in a new way so you don't ever have to fear the dark?

The best part about the light of Jesus? There is no one who can ever turn it off with a switch. It is always on.

Let's get ready to run in the light this Christmas, my friends, because darkness cannot overcome the Light!


"God doesn't make a habit of hiding Himself from us. He is active in our world and available to meet with anyone who is seeking Him. But often we get so blinded by our successes and disappointments, the things we think we know about Him, and the regular chaos of everyday life that it's possible to walk right past the invitation He extends to us."

- Christine Trevino

Good Morning everyone.
Must have been a polock in the jump course.

Lloyd

Good morning, Lloyd.

Good morning everyone...
No sun bathing today temp is 14 ° F but no new snow

Need to tidy up here and put things in order,maybe corral some dust bunnies too. Looking after the neighbours dog and cat today while they so see family, I saw Rex out playing with his gift we gave him for Christmas yesterday...he loves balls!
Ours made short work of a huge chew bone we gave them.

Joan ,thank you for breakfast.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning, Amy.  No snow removal is a GOOD thing.  It's nice that your willing to animal sit for friends.

Good Morning Everyfriend!  After an almost 2 hour nap on the sofa last night while the Christmas carols played and then a night in bed, I feel pretty rested today.  I ended up with one of Kiran's gifts left over but she knows it's coming and I'll take it over there today.  I always seem to end up with one unmarked leftover and sometimes I have to open it to see who got missed.  Kiran said "Don't worry about it Grammy.  Now I have something to wait for."  She's growing up so fast!

I made a dish to take to Cathy and Craig's that Craig's mother usually takes and that his family always loved.  I got the recipe from his mother and whenever I make it for whatever occasion, I always take some over for him.  I don't even know if it has a name.  I have dubbed it "Helen's green stuff" and they love that name.  It's written on the back of a church bulletin when I wrote it on the way home from one of Kyle's basketball games.  I used to always pick her up and we went together.  So it's a memory all by itself. 

Mickie is here to tell me it's time for breakfast and she's being very patient but she pats my arm every so often.  I guess I better go feed them.  I hope everyone is rested and ready to meet the day. 

Good morning, Janie.  Kiran sure is becoming mature.  She has things figured out.  "Helen's green stuff" honestly sounds icky, but I am sure it's yummy. It's about time for me to feed myself, so off I go.

Getting freezing rain here now, good day to stay in off the roads!!

Hi everyone on this first day after Christmas.  Yesterday we enjoyed a 73 degree day with sun for most of the day.  Today is to be cloudy but still warm. 

We had a very enjoyable Christmas afternoon and evening with Scott. We had a nice dinner around 3 pm,  rested until around 8 pm and then had a piece of pie and opened our presents.  Santa was very good to me this year with some shirts, a nice gift card at Amazon and my SIL sent me two interesting gifts.  The first was four little boxes that contained "Inkers" that you use to line out personal information on documents.  The second was a device to clean your cell phone surface by putting it in the case and a UV  light kills germs. It is called Phonesoap.

We got to say Merry Christmas to our Granddaughter as she was speaking with her Dad.  She will be coming to live with him this week as on Wednesday evening he flies to upstate New York and they will fly back on Thursday.  We will be happy to see her again as had thought that probably wasn't going to happen again in our lifetime.

Joan, we did enjoy the riddles yesterday.  We laughed and had a good time.  Nice of your neighbors to remember you with meals yesterday and now you don't need to cook for a few days--a nice gift.

JaneS, thanks for the hug.  It is hard to get too many of those.  It sounds like you had a wonderful time. 

Hal, your old pup must have felt left out with all the people around and the activity. 

It looks like everyone had a nice Christmas, even those who spent it alone.  Now we can all relax a bit for a few days. 

Amy I am sorry you are getting the frizzing rain. the sun is blinking in and out here. supposed to make it full. Hope it dose. up dated at 9:01 A M , 45º and mostly cloudiness. we had a great holiday weekend. hope all of you did also.

Lloyd

 Here is the link to a video showing what the Phonesoap I mentioned above does:  https://www.phonesoap.com/phonesoap-videos/

Amy--I am glad you don't have to go out in the freezing rain.

Good morning, Larry.  Very interesting about the Phone Soap.  I guess I should get some.  How nice you will get to see your granddaughter.  Glad you enjoyed the riddles.

Lloyd--The sun is brightly shining here, and there's a brisk breeze.

I'm so glad some of you are enjoying the hugs!  I seem to have plenty to share! 

I haven't done a blessed thing all morning!  I've been sitting here doing crossword puzzles and drinking coffee.  About the only time I got up was to let the doggies out but I'm starting to think about lunch and I may have to move.  I did spend about an hour on the phone with my sister.  I think we might have covered everything from remembering when to what going to happen next. 

I'm not even dressed yet and that's next on my immediate agenda.  Then I'm going to get something ready to put in the oven for supper.  I don't know what yet but I'll think of something.  This is my kind of day!

Good morning everyone, did you think I got lost?  I knew I would not have time to get here yesterday morning but thought I would be last night.  I was one tired old woman when I got home after an enjoyable day. I got home in time to get on Skype with my daughter and her family.  Then I laid on the couch to watch the news and fell asleep. Woke near midnight and went to bed. Woke at after 9 this morning. I knew I would be tired but that was beyond tired I think. Now to catch up in here while I enjoy my coffee. It was pretty warm for this time of year and bright sunshine all day. At 5pm all my son's in laws meet at my son's home and were going to have a Yankee
Swap. Told my son to take me home because I would not be able to take all that crowd even thought I like and enjoy my DIL's family. I know I missed a lot of fun but while they were having fun I was sleeping. My grandson and his wife had a delicious ham dinner, ate more than I had in a long time.  My great grandson is a lively little one. He runs-not walks -all over the house. He wanted to open everyone's gifts and did not understand why he couldn't since he opened so many of his own.

JEANNE LEE  Beautiful graphic and hymn. Wish I had heard it yesterday.

LARRY  if I had a bigger monitor I would like more pieces in my puzzles but if I do they are too many and small that I cannot see them all. I do not like having to  turn the pieces. I usually do 100 or 125 pieces.

CALLIE  belated birthday wishes. Since I stopped doing the birthday greetings I never check the calendar anymore.

MARY ANN  never heard of All Star puzzles, will have to check it out. I have a few other puzzle sites but do not check all of them often. Of all the gifts I received was one of my great grandson. One taken by my grson on his iPhone picking out their Christmas tree. For a change this is one not on the computer, I can frame it so I can see it more often.

AMY  that is quite a menu for your Christmas dinner. I love scalloped potatoes with ham. That is part of what my daughter cooked for her family dinner. Got a family picture from my daughter already this morning her and both her sons with their dogs, first time the dogs were included.

HAL a little I saw on TV last night was of the San Antonio parade at the water walkway or what ever it is called.

PHYLLIS  not the kind of news anyone wants to hear at Christmas. I am the last one of my family left. No one left to talk to about family times or members.

JUNE  I try to take only 2 pain pills a day but some days that third one is called for. I still do not like taking them and at times I don't think they help much.

PHYLLIS  your graphic is so appropriate. Thanks.

JOAN  good chuckles yesterday. Love Perfect Timing. Thank you for all the goodies you post every day. I have enjoyed them for many years now.

AMY  my grandson was handing me a bag of ham when we left his home yesterday. I told him that was way too much so he took half of it out. Still a lot but I will enjoy every bite of it.

LLOYD  I have a lot of food, but lack the energy to cook much anymore.

JANE  nothing I enjoy more than one on one with my children. Last time my oldest was here he stayed longer than usual and was talking about what he remembered from when he was a youngster. Amazing. He never talked about that before. There was a lot of ice where my son parked at grson's home and he was right there to help me get my footing on it to get out of the car. Sure did not want to fall. My daughter's birthday is tomorrow and my SIL's in on January 1st. She is 5 days older than him. They will be heading home to Arizona tomorrow.

GLORIA de  so nice of your neighbor to give you that sea food dinner. Waving back at you.  Glad Jess is getting around better with his walker. Waving back to you

JANE  thanks for the hugs, they always feel wonderful. My family were huggers too but not my in laws. My children and grands are huggers, too, and they always make me feel great.

JACKIE   I think we all think of past years at Christmas.

JOAN  your breakfast is perfect this morning, just what I will have if /when I get hungry enough. Still full from all I ate yesterday. Parachute Jump, wonder if that woman was blonde. Love the Yard Light. So true about how some feel about the dark. Good quote. Thank you for all today's goodies.

JANE  I do feel rested now after all the sleep I got last night.

LLOYD  hope you are rested from your family gathering.

AMY  freezing rain is no time to go out of the house. Glad I no longer have to.

LARRY  interesting about the phonesoap. Would be great to have something to clean everything we touch, not just the phones.

Good Afternoon Everyone, from the cold, partly sunny,  rocky coast of Maine.   

I have oatmeal with blueberries, flax seed,
stevia,  and almond milk for my first "meal" every day around 2PM.   
(Sometimes I have it twice a day)
Plus a cuppa yogurt 3 or 4 times a day.
Along with that  lots of Earl Grey Tea
(with almond milk and stevia) ... 
Most people couldn't eat like I do,  but
alas this is the way I must eat in order to
get back to my girlish figure... (Some day!)
Sure takes a long, long time.

Wishing everyone a very good day.
Sandy 

Larry,  is this the daughter of the son who
lives near you??    It should be nice to see her again!

Janie--I love hugs--and send some to you, too.  You deserve a day of doing nothing excerpt what you want to do.

Gloria--You came home tired yesterday, but IMO that's always a good kind of tired when you've been with family and eaten a good meal.  Nice of your grandson to give you ham to take home.

Sandy--You stick to a pretty regimented diet.  Like other things--"whatever floats your boat".

Janie,   love your hugs!  Thank you. 

I've also had a "leisurely" morning but heard on the noon news that a cold(er) front is making its way toward OKC.

I hear my next-door neighbor out taking down their Christmas lights. Probably be a good idea for me to bring in mine before the wind changes to the north.

Hope Everyfriend Everywhere is having an Enjoyable Day.

Callie--I hope you don't have to climb to get those lights down.

We were talking  a while back about poached eggs so I bought me  a set of Silicone Egg Poacher Cups:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GNUJVOQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am very pleased with the way that they cook poached eggs..   easy to use and makes perfect poached eggs!

I believe someone in here recommended these,  if not then I recommend them.... 

Sandy

Joan,  absolutely NO climbing!  I don't even ask my family to do that!
I had greenery and red bows along the fence between my unit and the one next door  with a string of solar lights twined in the greenery, Poinsettias in a black kettle, a Christmas welcome mat and a wreath in the outdoor entry and some holly and three sparkly signs reading Joy Peace and Hope in the front flower pots with a "blanket" of solar lights on the shrubs behind them.  All now taken in and put away in garage cupboards for the year.

I don't do much that I can't handle by myself!!

It's really nice out this afternoon and I enjoyed the fresh air.

Gloria â€" if you happen to look at AllStar Puzzles today, don’t be discouraged because they’re not all like that.  I prefer buildings or scenic puzzles, but I can’t have everything my way.

We had our family Christmas this morning, a brunch, at Terry and Jan’s.  There were 14 of us.  Our family is branching out â€" California, Eaton Rapids MI, Indianapolis IN, Holland MI, St Clair Shores MI besides the Grand Rapids area.

I like the kind of day JaneS started out with â€" doing nothing special and relaxing.

Callie, I like to do what I think I can do - if someone will let me.  Otherwise, I'd be a vegetable.  As it is, I'm close to being a couch potato (that's a vegetable).  I don't take any chances with getting up on things, especially ladders. 

Mary Ann

MaryAnn, my day continued with more of the same way it started.  I've really been a "do-nothing" all day.  I did manage to make up my favorite breakfast casserole and that's what I'm having for supper.  And I'll probably have it for breakfast and lunch tomorrow.  It's very filling since it has shredded potatoes, sausage, peppers, onions, eggs and cheese in it.  It also freezes well so I'll freeze some for days when I don't have time to think about breakfast.

I'm glad you all enjoyed the hugs.  I still have a lot left so help yourselves to more if you've a mind to do so.

Sandy--I have those cups.

Callie--Glad you don't climb.  I'm sure those decorations made your place look very festive.

Mary Ann--You had a goodly number at your family Christmas brunch.

Janie--That breakfast casserole sounds really yummy.

Oh my gosh, it is glare ice out there!! I fed and let the dog out..glad to be home.
Janie , thank you for the hug...

Finely it stopped storming here so that I could make a quick run to Walmart to pick up a few things. Milk , Yogurt. All the usual. Thought would be in and out but it was packed. Busier than any day prior to Christmas week.  Lots bringing things back. At least they put a few more checkers on.  Notice not garbage pickup and Mail today.

I'm going to bid you all...

Good Night Everyfriend and may God bless us, every one!

:hugs:Good night hugs!