Hi everyone on this sunny Sunday afternoon.  This has been a good day.  When I called Pat after church to see what she would like for lunch she said she had put the small roast in the oven and would add some canned potatoes and peel some carrots to go with the remaining coleslaw.  So I didn't need to stop and bring something home to eat.  I then had a nice afternoon nap as I was tuned into Don's program and then we had out big meal for the day.  I have been watching football and working (playing) on the computer.

Gloria, it is always a relief to sign those real estate papers and glad that your daughter and husband are now settled in their new home.   I know what you mean about a 5 minute haircut.  While I don't have a lot of hair I want a reasonable amount of time and care on the cut to at least feel I am getting my money's worth.  Our friend that brought us the chicken and vegetable casserole had a delicious piecrust.  I asked if she hadn't made it from scratch and she said it was a Pillsbury piecrust from the dairy counter.  Pat and I both thought it was excellent. 

Callie and Patricia, a family fuss over something so minor certainly isn't worth the cost.  Those are just things.  It is sad to see family splits over small things and often inheritances create real family problems, which is sad but a fact.

June, I agree with you on houses.  To me the home is where my family was  and not a structure where we had lived. 

Joan, I guess I was fortunate in at when my sister and I had to clear out our folk home we had no disagreements over what we each wanted.  She had a daughter who was able to use quite a bit of the furniture and that was good as the auction wouldn't have brought much.  I was probably more sentimental about a few things than she was and I ended up with a few pieces that had belonged to my grandmother and then mother. Glad you got some rain.  We could use some of that up this way.

Jenny, it sounds like you enjoyed some quiet time as your son and wife were away at the game. 

Before I had finished reading and writing my good friend from where we  moved from called me via a video call.  We had a nice visit.  Now back to the football game.

JEANNE LEE - I know that I am always a bit late checking in, but I especially wanted you to know that I've joined other Friends here to keep you in DAILY INTENSE prayers for your health and how you deal with the recent diagnosis.  Yes, I know that there are many health issues which we all have to deal with throughout like, but some are a bit more "focused" and special than others.  Your recent diagnosis is one of those.

Do you recall when Chaps (my son David) was deployed to the Middle East years ago and I asked for special prayers?  The response came right back:  "Will do!"  And when Mohamed's Mother and Father were severely ill and living bedside by bedside years ago before they passed?  Same response.  Although some of us have more time to share with friends in these posts than others, we remain FRIENDS!

So I'm sending my special prayers for you on a daily basis and trust that our Lord will respond.

A big Smile and Hug for you as you move forward.

Molly

Bis, I would happily wake up at 3 a.m. if it were raining outside. I would sneak downstairs in my robe just to stand outside and breathe it in. They are mentioning a rainy Monday, but I will believe it if I see it. I'm happy for you though, Florida needs the water too. I understand Florida has a high water table underground, but I don't don't if that is fresh water or ocean water. I wish the states that need water would do more about desalination. It is costly, but we waste good money on a lot of junk too.

Janie, what a lovely Sunday this turned out to be for you.Nothing I can think of is as dear and good as having family members with us.. i am waiting for some of your soup from that fabulous hidey-hole.

I remember Bis had turned on of her closets in Ark. into a hidie hole when a tornado threatened her area.

Jeanne Lee, dear heart. prayers will definitely contain YOU. I thank God that you have your faith in our God. And your attitude toward death echoes the way I feel. It will be a "trip" that is wonderful, I am sure. I think often of something I read about dying.. a ship left the shore and people said, "there she goes, and on the far shore you could hear..'here she comes' "

Tisie, We have had several black outs here at our buildings, but they still take good care of us. I keep flash lights in various places in the Apt, and they have special generators so the hallways stay lighted…dimly, but well enough to see. We depend too fully on all our electronic equipment. Unfortunately.

Bis, have a good visit with your friend. I don't appreciate overnight visits that are not expected, but you are good at adjusting. 

I'm home and the soup is all refrigerated.  Everything is all set out for an early start on the canning tomorrow.  I think I'll go to bed a bit early tonight and when I wake up I'll get started.

I have to tell you a story.  Courtney got a pumpkin and while she was at my daughter's she carved it for a jack-o-lantern and her plan was to take it home and have it for Halloween.  Her Aunt Cathy liked it so much that she asked her to do one for her.  They bought a pumpkin at the Farmer's Market and when I went back for supper, they were both sitting on Cathy's porch.  Uncle Craig had found candles and put in them.  Since it was dark when Courtney was ready to leave, they lit the candles and took pictures and then Courtney said, "Aunt Cathy, I want you to keep my pumpkin, too."  Aunt Cathy started to protest but Courtney insisted.  She's such a special young lady!  I love her to pieces!

Jeanne Lee - Sending prayers your way. I'm happy to hear you won't be going through any treatments. I guess this was a good new/bad news diagnosis! Hopefully you will also be able to avoid so many trips to the hospital. You have a wonderful attitude about life.

Good Night everyone. sweet dreams

Lloyd

Jeanne Lee, great minds think alike.....lol
Just this past Thursday in my men's bible class that we were expressing the same thing that the dying is not what worrys us, it is the process we want to be painless.

Janie, the corn bread will be in the hidey hole for all that want some.  Hot and crispy muffins and a couple of pounds of fresh (real) butter to slather on.

Our church had a celebration today for it's anniversary but my wife and I passed. it got up to 90 degrees and we didn't want to be out picnicking.  So we went out for some fish at a local fish place and I think we kinda got turned off, they have gone up on their prices and the a/c was turned up so much that our food got cold before we could enjoy it.  And they screwed up my order.  But corrected it promptly.

When my step mother passed away my father had passed a few years before her.  My half brother and sister had no problems what-so-ever.  We knew their wishes and did as they wanted.  Before my step mother died I ask her if I could have my Dad's rod and reel and she gave it to me right then with a big smile.  It sits now on my garage wall.  Wish I could have said they same for my Mothers family, she was in the hospital for some time before she died and someone rummaged through all of her paperwork and her jewelry.  I have no idea what they took  And of course no one owned up to doing it.  What they wanted out of her "lock box" as she called it, I cant figure out.  Mother had very little.

Any old how, I am a tired camper so I am off to bed.  God Bless, Sweet Dreams

JEANNE LEE....
...firstly so sorry to read up on your recent hospital visits and your cancer outcome but...also feel the relief for you that you dont need to go through the nasty effects of radiation and - or chemo, and not putting your body through surgery all have to be a blessing, at least you have been spared all that......As for me and the way I feel about cancer, I have lost two parents, ( one being given less than one week to live, I lost my mother on her third day, ) or maybe three if we include ( my biological mother ) and two dogs, very close indeed to losing our third dog.......This is a word that fills me with dread, anger and hatred....

Along with Everyfriends here, I keep all my cyber buddies in my thoughts and prayer, as they take each and everything that comes their way that they have to deal with that aren't pleasant...

HALKEL....
...I so agree with you and Jeanne Lee....."  the dying is not what worrys us, it is the process we want to be painless...."

JUNEDRABEK....
...yes that is the perfect way of visualising our life versus death, and its changeover period...

" I think often of something I read about dying.. a ship left the shore and people said, "there she goes, and on the far shore you could hear..'here she comes' "  what a delightful way of putting it....

I know my path in getting there re, my Primary Progressive MS is not going to be a quick or painless one...unless something else comes along to beat it......MS itself wont kill me but, other things, and complications, associated with it, can or will....

Good Monday morning, Everyfriend.  There's poached eggs, toast and sausage to accompany your coffee or tea . I wish everyone a nice day!!






Real Faith

A grandfather was going by his little granddaughter's room one night when he saw her kneeling beside her bed, with head bowed and hands folded, repeating the alphabet.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

She explained, "I'm saying my prayers, but I couldn't think of just what I wanted to say. So I'm just saying all the letters of the alphabet, and God can put them together however he thinks best”.


A Glass of Milk
(Author Unknown)

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.

When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her.

He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:

"PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK."

(Signed)

Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love is shed abroad through human hearts and hands."

(Note from Chris: This story has been verified to generally be, at least at core


Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

--Author Unknown

Joan....
...good morning....pouring down with rain here......

Good morning everyone

We had rain overnight but it has stopped for the time being now. We are off to the Dr.s hubby gets his staples out today and I am not sure what else is happening.

Jeanne Lee, good to see you ,take it one day at a time to get your strength back to where it was.You are so right, prayers are always needed and welcomed.

Jackie,good morning.

Joan, thank you for breakfast.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning Vanilla-Jackie.  The rain made the decision for you.

Amy--Good morning.  I hope all goes well with the removal of your husband's staples.  That should make him more comfortable.

Good morning everyone.
Jeanne Lee I went back and read your post . I knew you were Christian . It is a blessing when we can say we are and have good or great ones such as you to call friends. I thank god I have you as a friend,
thank you for being here for me and all the rest of us. Have a great day. I am so far today having a dizzy day the rat poison they have me on,not falling but some fast side steps. God bless everyone.

Lloyd

Good morning, Lloyd.  Please be very careful if you are dizzy.

Jeanne Lee--Wanted to tell you I have added more prayers for you.  I know pretty much what you are dealing with since I am dealing with about the same.

Where's our Janie this morning?

Good Morning Everyfriend!

I'm here Joanie but it's going to be a busy day.  The first cannerful of veggie soup is cooling and as soon as the pressure goes down and I can take these jars out, another cannerful will go in.  The waiting is the hardest part for me.  I'm not very patient.  I'm doing the pints first because they seem to take the longest then I'll do the quarts.  They seem to go faster.  I suppose because it takes more to fill the canner.

JeanneLee, I told you last night that prayers for you have been intensified.  I want to make sure you know.  You are a very special lady and you deserve the best.  I truly admire your attitude and I hope mine will mirror yours.  Love and hugs to you.

Good morning, Janie.  I just know your soup will taste delicious.  Is there going to be some in the "hidey hole"?

Hi everyone on this Monday morning.  Here we have bright skies and mild temperature.  There is all kinds of activity across the street at the new house that is being built.  They brought in carpeting this morning and other workmen are there as well.  I have to wonder if there will be a closing on it at the end of the month.  Today will be fairly busy as this is my Monday noon meeting and then this evening the Men's meeting at church.

Molly, well spoken about our friendships and caring for each other in these discussions.  Hope you are feeling better and Mohamed is doing well.

June, your mention and dying and your reference to the ship going and arriving makes me remember that was used in our daughter's memorial service as she dearly loved ships and light houses.  It is a comforting thought.

JaneS, that was a very nice gesture by Courtney to leave the pumpkins. 

Joan, that is a very touching Food for Thought you have today.  I have read it before but it certainly is worth another read. 

Jackie, I would urge you to just take it one day at a time with Benji and don't waste precious moments of today with worries about tomorrow or the next few days.  (Please read no criticism in my comment but rather a comment from my life experiences where I wasted many days thinking about tomorrow and forgot to live today.)

Amy, sure it will be a relief for your husband to get the staples removed.  Isn't it amazing that doctors can now use staples and glue to close incisions. 

Good Morning Everyone!

Larry, Jackie, very good advice about take care of today and don't worry about tomorrow.  I suppose all of us are guilty of worrying too much about tomorrow and forget to enjoy today. 

Larry, wondering do you have another house to watch be built after this one is completed.  Also, wonder if you will have some new friends in life moving in across the street.  Some of our best friends in life are former neighbors. 

It is a cloudy, kinda humid day.  But plenty warm and will be warmer later.  Weather guessers say 'BIG' cool down coming later part of week, but only slight chance for rain.  I hope this isn't one of those winters where all the fronts come through dry (no rain).

Yard guy is suppose to be here this morning to take care of the shrubs and hedges.  They are looking pretty ragged.

Hmmmmm, Janie, bet your house smells good this morning. 

Joanie, one of my favorite breakfast, sausage and eggs.  Thank you so much.

Good morning, Larry.  You do have a busy day ahead.  Are there still vacant lots on your street?  Glad you enjoyed today's "Food for Thought".

halkel--Good morning.  They are saying the same thing here--cold front coming at the end of the week.  The HOA yard crews are still cleaning up after the hurricane.  They are taking care of the areas with that have trees down first and then will get around to streets like mine that just have small debris to be cleaned up.

Good morning everyone, going to feel like a spring day here.

JOAN  hemlock needles are  smaller and set into even smaller places than the pine needles and there were both  trees where I parked. I did chat with Regina on Skype last night and she looked worn out. Now it is getting the last load they brought unpacked and it  will take time to find a place for everything. My SIL had a life time in that house so he had almost a whole load of tools, his and some that were his father's. He is very handy and can fix almost anything. I know it took me a long time to place every thing when I moved here.

CALLIE  when my MIL died, after the funeral we all went to one of my sis in law's home except for my bil. Next day we found out he went to her house and he took my FIL's coin collection and his stamp collection. So the family went to the house and were like ghouls dancing on her grave. They  started arguing about who would take this or that. I wanted nothing. My ex got her fridge, we did need a new one and her car and that we needed, too. No one else wanted them anyway. It was a horrible day to watch.

JUNE  that was the only house my SIL ever lived in.  My daughter was not sad to leave it and I think he looked forward to being away from all the noise and traffic of San Diego. Her sons had both moved on several years ago. SIL had been going to Arizona since a little boy to a cousin's house and he always liked Arizona.

JANE  looks like yesterday was a good family day.

JEANNE LEE  my prayers are with you. I like your mental outlook, that is so important.

GLORIA de  guess there were no houseplants in your Mother's house either, they are green.

SHIRLEY  not nice when the power goes off. Been through that more than once and loss a lot from the freezer. Just had a blink of something here and TV went black, came back a minute  later and saw my wifi was out so had to unplug and plug it back in. Called Cox the last time that happened and that is what I was told to do.

JOAN  hope you enjoyed your company.

LARRY  I just do not like the taste/texture of those bought piecrusts.

JOAN  a poached egg on toast will be great. Cute Chuckle. I had read A Glass of Milk a long time ago and it brought tears to my eyes again today. Thank you for all today's goodies.

LLOYD  be careful what you do today.

Better get busy, have some calls to make today. I really don't like talking on the phone.

Merry Monday, Everyfriend,

First off - let me reassure everyone that the "incident" with the shelf and cornbread stick pan did not in any way cause a family rift.  In all fairness, neither one of the nieces may have known that I was "supposed" to have had them.
The only thing that irritated me was the way they "sneaked" in to take things without letting anyone know about it.
Water under the bridge......

I haven't given a Miss Ellen report in quite a while and am happy to say she is doing fine in NYC.
No performance jobs yet but she started today as a Sales Associate at Loft, a clothing store for women.  As usual,  I Googled the street view of the store's location and it looks like a very nice area.   Not far from her sub-let "as the crow flies" but may be a time-consuming commute via subway, etc.
She and a friend got in to see the dress rehearsal of "Saturday Night Live".  She said they saw more skits than would be aired.

The complex has had an Armadillo invasion!!!!   Probably means a lot of yards have a grub infestation.  The yard I share with a neighbor has certainly been "aerated:!!!!!   She's in a bit of a snit.  I can see signs of the grass coming back and am willing to wait it out - mainly because I don't think we can keep the critters completely away - and the squirrels are also burying....whatever it is they hide.

We're having August temperatures and March winds.   The cottonwood trees are just barely beginning to show a few yellow leaves.  I suspect we may not have much color; they'll just turn brown and blow off.  Phooey!

Off to find something useful to do....or not.

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere a lovely day.

Good Morning Dear Hearts.

We did not have rain this morning, just what I would consider a gentle mist, but better that than what is to come...low 90 degrees expected toward the middle of the week. Ick !!!

I didn't wake up till 8 o'clock this morning. If I calculate correctly I had 9 hours of solid sleep. Not too much activity today, at least nothing that really interests me, so I will do more walking than usual.

Jackie, don't mourn the coming passing of your beloved doggy while you still have him, time enough when it happens. And you can always have the hope that when your "boat" arrives on the other shore there will be a special dog standing there with his whole body "wagging" in joy to meet you again. We don't KNOW now what will be, but we can hope. Hope makes each day more joyful.

I have had my cereal and enjoyed my morning visit with you beloved friends, now it is time to clean up my kitchen, make the bed, and get out for some walking. Have a great day everyone.

Gloria--I've never had to deal with hemlock needles.  I am sure it will take some time for Regina and her husband to get settled.  Sure hope they have plenty of room for all of their belongings.

Callie--Armadillos can do a lot of damage.  You probably remember me telling about them getting in the crawl space at put house in Arkansas and eating all the insulation around the duct work and even chewing holes in the duct work.  It cost me $8,000 to have all new put in.  I am familiar with "The Loft"--nice store.  Hopefully she will soon get a performance job.

June--I hope we stay in the 80s.  Good for you for getting out and walking.

The third cannerful is cooling, waiting for the pressure to drop.  These are quarts, mostly for the soup sale at church.  I think I might have one more cannerful of quarts and I'll be finished.  I've cleaned up the kitchen and I need to change my shirt and put on shoes before I go pick up TLH after school.

Everything is laid out ready to do the last batch.  I'll either do it tonight after Kiran goes home or tomorrow after work.  Depends on how good my vitamins are and if I took enough of them. 

There's a squirrel that lives in one or both of the trees in my yard and it teases the dogs unmercifully.  Well, he almost got his come-uppance this morning when I let the dogs out.  He was not only IN the yard, he wasn't very close to the fence and Mickie spotted him immediately and both dogs went for him.  He headed for the fence and tried to get out a space that was too small and he only made it out by seconds!  I wonder if he'll come back inside the fence again?

I think I'll rest up until it's time to go for TLH.  Wonder if there are any lost zzzzs on the sofa?

Almost forgot...soup's in the Hidey Hole and Hal's bringing cornbread to go with it.

The squirrel will return, with bells on, and the Cornbread is in there with the soup.

Janie--You sure have spent a long time making that soup with loving care.  Hope you can get some ZZZ's before you have to go pick up Kiran.  I'll check the "hidey hole" for my portion of soup.  Squirrels are BIG pests.

halkel--My experience is that those squirrels always return.

I did what I said I would, and got so fatigued doing it, I came home changed clothes to comfey things and laid down for an hour. Now I thinking about some lunch, even tho I am not hungry, the body must be fed. Then it will be back to bed and book. And so it goes.

June--Good for you doing what you said.  What's for lunch?

Bis, for lunch I had a big slice of turkey breast along with some dressing that I had brought home from Sunday lunch, plus some apple sauce and my Ensure. I really didn't have a very good day, so tired, so I took a long nap, and feel much better now. I will have a light supper, hopefully another walk, even if inside the building.

I hope everyone else had a pleasant day, especially our dear Jeanne Lee. God is watching over her, I know.

I've had a very "productive" day.  I'm done with the soup and I'm all in but my shoe strings.  Oops, forgot!  I'm barefoot....no shoestrings.  I guess I'm just plain "all in".  I'll be going to bed very soon. 

Good night, Everyfriend.  May God bless us, every one!