Posts Categorized: Love

Being at Target–More Than Just Shopping

July 15th, 2022 | Joy, Love

I was shopping at Target. (Truth is, I’m often shopping at Target. It’s close to where I live, I like shopping there, and they have spacious self-checkout areas, so I can scan and bag my own items, in my own bags, which makes me feel like I’m doing a favor to the world by not using plastic bags that will end up in the landfill.)

While I was shopping, I was also talking with JoAnne, my sister, because she and my niece are coming to visit us. I was asking what they might like to eat and snack on while they’re at my house. Meanwhile, she was visiting five of her grandchildren, so there was a lot going on. I’d been by the pharmacy and learned that they would fulfill my prescription, but they were about to go on their lunch break (and they just close down the pharmacy during their lunch hour), so it would be an hour before I could get my prescription. I relayed that situation to my sister, and she was sorry that I’d be walking around Target for an hour. But, her grandchildren had an idea. I should take a scavenger hunt around Target while I was waiting.

They made a list:

Target Scavenger Hunt (I found this hard to read, so I thought maybe I should type up the list):

Something red

Pencil box

Clearance item

Hearth & Home item (from the Magnolia collection)

Bubble Blower

Pair of Men’s Socks (the weirder the better)

Nerf gun (Paxton’s suggedstion)

New shoes (Bellamie’s suggestion)

Saw (Reuben’s suggestion)

Police car (Sylas’ suggestion)

Knife (I could choose)

Lawn mower

Frosted sugar cookies (Suggestion from Natalie, JoAnne’s adult daughter)

and nothing from Ozero, who had to leave because he was throwing up from the July 4th fun at his other grandmother’s house.

So off I went, glad to have something interesting to do.

: Pimentos are important, because JoAnne likes pimento cheese.

: Bellamies choice of pencil boxes was easy, as back-to-school items are everywhere.

: Clearance item-25 per cent off!

: Chip and Jo have an entire area in Target where their own items are for sale.

: Bubble blowers were also easy to find.

: weird men’s socks (they seem weird to me!)

: I could NOT find a Nerf gun anywhere at Target. All I could find were Nerf balls and rackets.

: I didn’t know if they wanted a picture of a police car outside, but I couldn’t see one out there. So I chose this one.

: I didn’t know what KIND of knife, so here are some kitchen knives and some silverware knives.

: Here’s some dinnerware cutlery. Also pretty shy of the knife request.

: No saw. Anywhere in Target. But I found these kitchen implements that I thought might slice through things.

No lawn mower, neither real nor toy. And, by the time I’d found everything that I could find, the pharmacy folks had finished their lunch and were back in business, and I was able to go to get my prescription. I showed all my successes (with photos) to JoAnne and the grandchildren, and sadly relayed the fact that my Target does not carry lawn mowers, for kids or adults.

Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head. Under his control all the different parts of the body fit together, and the whole body is held together by every joint with which it is provided. So when each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love.

Ephesians 4:15, 16 (Good News Translation)

I’m charmed by this plan where all the kids participated, working together, and giving me something very interesting to do while waiting for the pharmacy to reopen.

Out with the Old, Even Though It Doesn’t Seem All THAT Old

July 4th, 2022 | Faithfulness, Love, Peace

I guess “old” is relative. We live in the house that my family moved into in 1959. When my parents passed away, David and I moved into the house. We have neighbors to the left of us, who have been in that house for a couple of years, so not a new home for them. A couple of houses down from us, on the other side, people moved in a week or so ago; so, a new home for that family. So, “new” is rather relative.

Most of the appliances in our house are running along pretty smoothly. And, I’ve not looked into what the longevity is for our various appliances. And, of course, most appliances don’t give much of a warning that they’re on their last leg. Maybe the washer starts leaking. Possibly the air conditioner starts rattling. Loudly. Often times, our appliances give us a little warning. Or, they quietly breathe their last. And all the frozen food thaws out, and we just canNOT eat it all up fast enough.

When Kevin and Peter were here last, several weeks ago, David and Peter went to buy some Blue Bell ice cream. They put it into the freezer section of the refrigerator. The next day, the yummy green ice cream was more like a yummy green milk shake. Most things in the freezer were still pretty solid, but that was just a harbinger of disaster, as in “how fast can you eat up the rest of the food in the freezer?” Things softened and hardened, and, really, let’s don’t actually take a chance on a trip to the emergency to get our stomachs pumped. So you see where this is going.

We went to Lowe’s and Home Depot and then chose a new refrigerator/freezer.

We tried for a couple of days to keep the fridge door closed as much as possible and tried to cook things from the freezer that seemed like they might be thawing. I got a couple of ice chests to protect the cold/frozen food while we waited for the new fridge to arrive. Then, the new refrigerator got delivered and they pulled the old fridge out and looked at the water hook-up and said, “That’s not acceptable.You’re going to have to get a plumber to come and attach the water.” So, they didn’t install it, and I called a plumber that I’d used before, and he came and looked at the water hook-ups and said, “This is exactly what it’s supposed to look like. It’s fine.” And by then, it was too late in the day for the new fridge to get installed, so we pushed the old fridge back into place and plugged it in, and then, when it chilled down again, we put the food that had been stowed in the ice chests, with lots of ice, back into the refrigerator.

: Coolers for the cold, hopefully, food

: the filters, etc. for the old fridge, which will not be compatible with the new one

: The old, dear fridge

And then (of course), they had to re-schedule bringing the new refrigerator, so that didn’t happen until the end of the week. That meant, on Friday morning, I had to put the food from the fridge back into the coolers, so they could stay chilled until the new fridge could get unloaded, brought into the garage, put together, partly, and then brought into the house, where it could get completely put together, get hooked up to the water line and the electrical outlet. And then they put the doors on and they brought the drawers and door compartments in, so I could put it all together on the inside and then, at last, I could put the food back into the brand-new refrigerator.

: I had to empty out this area below the sink,so that they could reach the area under the sink. They never touched the area beneath the sink.

: At last, they’re going to take the new fridge out and bring it into the house.

: The parts of the new fridge.

But first, of course, there’s always a “but first,” I said to the guys who’d brought the fridge and put it together, “you’ll take away the old fridge.” And they said, no, they didn’t do that. So I called David, who said, “Let me talk to them,” because when we bought the fridge, we’d also added that the fridge would be put together, installed properly, and the old fridge would be carted away, and we had paid to have that done. The paperwork for that was in David’s car (of course), but he talked to the guys and explained that we’d paid extra to have that old fridge taken away, and the young men, whether they believed him or not, took the old fridge. And, I suppose, they checked on it when they got back to the store.

: David measured the space in the kitchen. The left side of the fridge–a tight fit

: The lovely new fridge.

: And here’s the space at the right-hand side of the fridge. Again, a very snug fit.

The young men who brought in (and hooked up) the new fridge, also brought in several bins that are meant to go into spaces in the fridge doors. I got to decide where they should belong, and I guess we’ll decide over time, which ones would work best where. There are some pull-out drawers, also. And, the pull-out drawers in the previous fridge pulled out from the tops of the drawer handles. The new drawers pull out from the bottoms of the drawer handles. I’ve yet to remember that difference, and am still clonking my fingers on the tops of the drawers. It’s just been a week (REALLY!?!? just a week?) Still Clonking.

All adorned with the hallmarks of many parents/grandparents.

You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys, so that the donkeys and other wild animals can satisfy their thirst.
Birds build their nests nearby and sing in the trees.
From your home above you send rain on the hills and water the earth.
You let the earth produce grass for cattle, plants for our food, wine to cheer us up, olive oil for our skin, and grain for our health.

Psalm 104:10-15

I Just Don’t Know What to Say

May 26th, 2022 | Love, Peace

I don’t even know when it started. I was working on the computer, as though it was a normal sort of day. I don’t remember when I saw the information; when I saw the photos; when I read the words.

And I started getting information about our church’s children’s minister. I’ve known her for years. The couple were members at our church many years ago, and then they joined a different church. But, they would come back to us, often on Wednesday evenings, when we had classes for young school-agers.

She is a strong and determined woman; she birthed her children at home with a midwife. I’m quite impressed. One of her sons came to Fun with Friends, on Science Week, I think. A while back, I ran into her and her daughter, and we talked about her coming to the next Fun with Friends. But, Covid spoiled that idea. Then, when our new pastor came on board and began to look for staff folks, this girl showed up, accepted the offer, and is now our Children’s Minister.

This woman’s parents were born in Uvalde. This woman has relatives whose children attend the middle school there. They are physically safe, but how do they get over, and beyond, this loss.

I don’t even know how to talk about this. Or write about this.

I’ve looked at the children’s photos. I’ve seen the photos of the families, the police officers, the teachers in that classroom.

School is out, now. Everyone will have the summer to work hard to pull themselves together, again. They will make a space for all the children, all the teachers, all the parents, all the grandparents, all the aunts and uncles. all the siblings, all the next door neighbors, all the shop people in the town, all the police officers.

It’s hard work. But they can do it.

The first day of school might be the most difficult. For everyone. For every teacher. For every child. For every parent. How can a child feel safe in a place where danger struck so hard? How can anyone?

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

—St. Francis of Assisi

I Wonder How Many Books the Library Will Let Me Check Out

February 18th, 2022 | Joy, Love, Patience

I’ve never asked one of our librarians just how many books any one person is allowed to check out.

I do have a good record with the library. I almost always turn in my books on time, or renew them, and then turn them in on time. And, when I am tardy with returning a book, I always pay my fines.

At present, I have seventeen books checked out. Yep. Seventeen.

It’s those girls that I read with at the elementary school where members from my church volunteer. The Fifth Grader is almost finished with a book about Venus and Serena Williams. We should finish it next week.

The Fourth Grader really wants to read books like the one the Fifth Grader is reading. But that Fourth Grader is a very poor reader. She’s very interested in the harder books, but, even with easier books, she usually needs help with many of the words. Actually, it’s most of the words.

: This is the book that the Fifth grader is reading. We should finish it next week.

: Here are some of the books that she can choose from for her next read..

: This is a book that the Fourth Grader wants to read. Basically, I’m reading the book to her. She recognizes a few of the words, but not many. But, she’s very interested in the story. So we’re reading it.

I’ve looked at the library’s holdings, and I’ve found several books about Rosa Parks that seem to be very easy reads. I wonder how many more books I can check out.

: Also popular with the Fourth Grader: Pete the Cat. I found SEVERAL books. And, this pile that I found is only a fraction of the Pete books that are on the shelves.

: Pete is pretty easy to read. I think that she will be able to manage most of the words.

So we can read a few pages of Pete, and some, or all the pages in the easier Rosa Parks books I’ve seen on the library’s list. She really does want to read. And I really want her to read, too.

Recently, I was talking with another church member who has a group of three Fifth Grade boys that he reads with. He said that he’d been reading with them since they were First Graders. And I said that I’d been reading with my Fifth Grader since she was a First Grader, too. Of course, we’d missed their Fourth Grade year with the pandemic-related issues. But we’ve been part of their lives all these years.

We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up.

2 Corinthians 4:8 (Contemporary English Version)

O may all who come behind us find us faithful, May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe, And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
O may all who come behind us find us faithful.

Steve Green

I’ve Put Christmas Back in the Boxes, But My Mind Is Still Remembering

January 6th, 2022 | Joy, Love

It is January, which hasn’t yet seemed like winter. It’s been chilly today, and the temperatures have been in the 40’s and 50’s. There’s supposed to be a freeze tonight, and tomorrow night the temperature might be as low as 25.° Then, it’s highs in the 60’s again. There might be some winter in, maybe, February. For now, I’m still remembering Christmas.

Peter came for a few days, during the first days of his Christmas break.

I had very carefully asked everyone what would be the food they would need to be prepared for the best holiday experience while they visited. And these were the notes I made:

Jeremy-pimento cheese, Fritos, and White Chocolate covered Oreos. And, they’d had some great hot chocolate Bombs when he and Sarah celebrated Christmas, back in Brooklyn, and he thought that would be nice, too.

April’s choice for what she’d most like was chocolate cookies with cherries in them.

Kevin wanted the frozen cranberry salad that my mother used to make.

I was a little challenged by the cookies, but when I looked in the notebook where I keep all the recipes of things I’ve cooked/baked/prepared over the years, I easily found those cookies. And, I was pretty sure (and I was right) that Mother’s cranberry salad would also be there, also under the tab “Holidays.” The more challenging item was the White Chocolate covered Oreos. If there were any of those anywhere in Waco, they’d been sold out. And I searched at Target, Wal-Mart, H.E.B., Drug Emporium, and any other store that I thought might have them. No luck.So . . . when Peter came to visit, we baked those cookies that April wanted, and we made that frozen salad that Kevin wanted, and Peter and I opened up a package of mini Oreos, melted down a couple of packages of white chocolate discs, and we dunked those little Oreos in the melted white chocolate and made the cookies that Jeremy wanted.

We put all our holiday treats in the freezer to keep safe until the relatives came.

Peter also created a snack mix that he thought we (me) should make. I didn’t have the ingredients (except for the French’s onions), so I was going to have to shop later for the rest of the ingredients.

Feel free to make this delicious mix yourself. Or make your own yummy snack mix. The ingredients are easy to find. And, I made twice the amount and still have more cashews and golden raisins.

At Thanksgiving, we had crackers that had the regular snap when pulled open and they included the usual tissue paper hat and fortune and toy.

I’d gotten some Christmas crackers, too, which we really enjoyed. When you pulled them open, they had kazoos. And, there was a long list, in each cracker, of suggested songs. So, someone would “play” a song on the kazoo, and the rest of us had to determine what, exactly, that song was. It’s harder (and much more amusing) than you might imagine.

I bought, on Amazon, I think, a package of, basically, chunks of chocolate on sticks: two chocolate, two white chocolate, and two dark chocolate. The instructions said to heat up milk in a mug and then dip and stir the chocolate until it was completely melted. It was delicious. We drank the hot, chocolatey milk while we watched Claymation Christmas which we watch every year. We love traditions.

: Kevin got some snack mix with his name actually on it. I guess I should start searching now for gifts for other family members whose names are on them.

: We went to Homestead Heritage for lunch one day, and then Kevin and Jeremy played some checkers at their General Store.

: Jeremy was concerned about a piece of furniture in the room where he was staying at our house. He did a little shoring up.

: I got some Mr. Rogers mints and this Rogers mug.

: His sweater actually DOES change color when the mug gets heated!

: I also got this egg cooker, which works very well. In twelve minutes, the little cooker made three perfect hard-cooked eggs. (It can cook six at a time, but that may be more than I can eat in a few days.)

When I was doing some of the cleanup after Peter and I had cooked, Peter was working on this math problem. I didn’t know what he was working on so hard, but, suddenly, out of the blue, he said, “Mimi, do you know what 24 minus 16 is?”

I thought a couple of seconds, and said,” Eight.”

And he was quite taken aback.

“That’s right,” he said.

I guess he’s working on “borrowing” in math class at school. And, I can see his careful work. He had to take a “ten” from the twenty to make the “fourteen” that he’d use to subtract the six, giving him the eight. And then, in the ten’s column, the remaining “ten” would give him a zero in that column.

So now he knows that, not only can I cook, I can also subtract.

In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. And with this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone. The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out.

John 1:1-5 (Contemporary English Version)

After all the baking, after all the traveling, after all the fun and joy and love, we stop to remember that this is all we need to know.

Don’t Let the Turkey’s Get You Down*

December 2nd, 2021 | Joy, Love

Those brightly-colored turkeys on our Thanksgiving table were, of course, chocolate filled. Usually, this sort of foil-covered treats are, while chocolatey, usually hollow. I purchased these at the World Market store. I knew when I picked them up that they were not at all hollow, but instead, completely full of chocolate.

Before Kevin, April, and Peter left to go back to Fort Worth, after our Thanksgiving days, Peter had peeled away the foil and begun to gnaw away at a yummy turkey. Who knew how long it it would take for him to completely eat it all up.

I did rescue the other two turkeys. I had a plan.

I was going to peel away the foil and grind up the turkeys and make my own chocolate chips.

I have a small food processor. I learned, quickly, that I couldn’t load up the bowl with too much of the hard chocolate. The chopper blades got stuck under the hard chocolate and made the blade part pop up. I had to chop the chocolate pieces into smaller pieces. And, too much chopping created very small pieces, smaller than mini-chocolate chips.

I got some chocolate-chip-ish sized pieces. And then I used this colander to try to shake out the much smaller pieces. I shook the smaller pieces down into that green bowl, and then used the long skewer to push some of the remaining small pieces through the colander holes. Now I had some chips, some very small pieces, and some chocolate dust particles.

Everything’s all cleaned up and there are a couple of bags of chocolate chip-ish things and much smaller chocolate pieces, just waiting to be part of some delicious dessert. Thanks to a couple of chocolate turkeys.

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 (New International Version)

*According to “Answer” on my computer, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down,” means “Don’t let jerks get to you, maintain your good mood.” And, also from “Answer,” Chocolate can add some nutrients. And dark chocolate contains heart-healthy antioxidants. Good to know!

plants

October 21st, 2021 | Joy, Love, Patience

I’m trying to be a better plant caregiver. Soooo many plants have met their doom at my hands. I might give them too much water, but, really, I’m much more irresponsible about watering, and I forget about a plant (or, more than one plant). I sort of like the plants that wilt when they need water, so I know when I need to rescue them. But some plants are just stoic and try to put on a brave face when I walk by them, and I’m startled when they suddenly just give up and drop all their leaves at once.

The fine folks at the Wal-Mart gardening area have helped me solve one problem, at least a little.

In the houseplant area, there is a great variety of kinds of plants and sizes of plants. For many of the available plants, there are helpful labels that tell the less-than-knowledgeable plant purchasers how to make a reasonable purchase.

They stick little informational cards into the plant’s container that tells what kind of light the plant needs.

: This plant should be right next to a window, so it can get all the bright light that it needs to grow well.

: This plant, with the intriguing name, can stay, maybe, in the center of a room, if the windows aren’t covered with curtains all the time.

: This one has a nice name, too, and, most helpful, also can live in the less-than-really bright space.

: While this one shouldn’t be kept in a closet, its light needs are, well, rather dim, I guess.

: Another plant that needs medium light.

: And, this poor guy. It needs some brighter light, but, sadly, it doesn’t even have a real name. “My full name is HOUSE PLANT!!” Pretty distressing.

: I didn’t buy the other “beautiful home decor” plant, but I found another variety of “beautiful home decor” that I liked better, and it wasn’t at death’s door, like the other one. It’s much healthier.

: But what I DO have is a plant identifier app on my phone. I can hover my phone over a plant to get an identity. You can see that my plant actually DOES have a real name (instead of simply “houseplant”).

(Solomon) could talk about all kinds of plants, from large trees to small bushes, and he taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish.

1 Kings 4:33 (Contemporary English Version)

I know most of the names of the plants that are growing in our yard. And, through trial and error, I’ve figured out what kinds of plants that I can grow with a degree of competence. And which ones I simply can’t.

Is it Rustic? Or Is It Just Old?

September 17th, 2021 | Faithfulness, Joy, Love

This business is across the street from the Main Branch of the Waco Public Library, so I notice it pretty often. I’m intrigued, but not enough to go in to shop. The last thing I need is more furniture in the house.

And while not exactly “rustic” (of, relating to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities; rural), a lot of our furniture is, well, “old.” I know, “antique” is a nicer way of saying “old.” But, really, the only thing in the house that could be thought of as “new,” or “modern,” is the treadmill. And that’s not exactly a piece of furniture, even though a cousin once said that, when they got a treadmill, a friend said that, all too soon, they’d be hanging their clean clothes on the their treadmill’s arms. And she said that that is what happened. While I don’t hang my clothes on the arms of my treadmill, if I did, I’m quite sure that there’d be plenty of room for my hands to grasp a space to hold on to, while I walked.

But, back to our actual furniture. The newest pieces of furniture we have are the stools that surround a cabinet extension. They date back to our previous home, which had an island in the center of the kitchen, where we often ate our meals.

Almost everything we now have is, well, old.

: This is a cedar chest that my parents got when they were first married. It had a very dark finish (chic for the day). Mother painted it avocado green and stained it, per the style of the time. I stripped it and discovered that it is beautiful.

: This very charming table was, in its beginnings, a child’s library table. It came from the Methodist church where we attended when I was growing up. At one point, there was a garage sale, and it was set out to be purchased. My mother bought it. It was Jeremy’s table when he was a little kid. Later, I stripped it and discovered how lovely it was.

: This chest has been in our bedroom in several of our homes. The story is that it belonged to someone in the family, and various family members who came and went, used one or more of the drawers at a time.

: This little rocking chair belonged to my great grandfather, Ozero Dodd Goodwin. It got handed down to his son, C.L. Goodwin, and then it went to my Dad, Ozero David Goodwin. Then it came to me, and then on to Jeremy, who is Jeremy Dodd Lintz. And, it’s still at my house. At some point we’ll send it along to JoAnne’s grandson, also named Ozero.

: This chair came from my Ohio grandmother’s house. Mother brought it home from Ohio one year. She had the seat remade, but, as you can see, the weaving didn’t last. I put a plant on a large saucer on it.

: I love the story of this chair. It also came from my paternal grandmother. David and I went up to visit her, in Wauseon, Ohio, one year, and I noticed the chair in her kitchen. (It does look pretty worn, doesn’t it.) When I sat down in it, I was startled, because it’s short. My grandmother explained that her mother was small, and she had trouble, when she was snapping beans, because the big bowl of beans would slip from her grasp if she wasn’t careful. So, my grandfather sawed off a couple of inches from each leg, so that her knees were elevated just enough for her to keep that big bowl of beans on her lap. Despite how dilapidated the chair looks, it’s quite sturdy. Come over sometime, and I’ll let you sit in it.

: This beautiful chair was a gift to my maternal grandfather from his siblings. And Mother ended up with it. Once, many years ago, she asked me and JoAnne what things did we want from the house. And, we both answered, “The Red Chair.” It is a lovely thing. JoAnne did have it, for several years. (I took the armoire.) Then, after several moves, JoAnne was going to get rid of it, and did I want it, which was a ridiculous question. Of couse. So, it’s now part of my chair collection.

: When we moved into the first house we bought, a friend of Mother’s offered this table for us. It had been used in a bunk house for some cowboys. We were glad to have it, and, eventually, I refinished the top. The chairs around this table, in the house where we live now, are chairs from my Ohio grandmother’s house. Every time we went to visit her, up there in Wauseon, Ohio, she would give Mother a chair, which she would put in the car’s trunk and we would arrange our luggage around it (and, of course, my Dad’s golf clubs).

: Mother called these sheves “whatnot” shelves, and they came from her parents’ home. I looked up Whatnot: a light open set of shelves for bric-a-brac. You’re just going to have to look up “bric-a-brac” youself. Mother kept pretty things like vases and china pieces and picture frames on it. We put books on it. And, before Peter was even born, we screwed it onto the wall.

: This armoire is the only piece of furniture that I recall from my maternal grandparents’ home. After several years of its being moved from one family’s home to another, it ended up at Mother’s. And, now, I am using it.

: This washstand was also from my Mother’s family. I keep gift wrap and tissue paper and ribbons and bows in it.

We have a cousin who did some Interior Decorating work. At one visit with her, we saw that she’d used an old sewing machine drawer to hold notes and pens. What a clever idea! A few weeks later, Mother dropped into a, well, sort of junk shop. She saw an old treadle sewing machine and asked if she could purchase one of the drawers. “Of course,” said the owner. Then, a couple of days later, she went back and bought the other three drawers. Then, a day or so later, she decided to buy the rest of the old machine’s cabinet. Then, she refinished it all and gave it to me. The cover worked for a machine. Then, another machine was taller. Now, my current sewing machine is a little taller still, which is why I’ve attached those small wooden spools to the corners, so it will rest a little more evenly on the machine’s surface. Of course, it’s run by an electric foot pedal, and not the treadle, but I very much still love my old/new sewing machine.

: This is the desk that my dad used when he was growing up. He was a great student in high school and then went on to Ohio State, where he expected to graduate. However, WWII happened, and he got drafted into the Army. He spent much of that time in Texas, where he met my mother. He ended up staying in Texas and graduating from Baylor instead of Ohio State. Kevin has the desk, now.

: This is the desk my parents purchased with wedding gift money, and the one that Daddy used for the rest of his life. Now, it is my desk, and that is my paper shredder under the desk.

God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.

1 Peter 4:10 (The Living Bible)

I think maybe the only piece of furniture we’ve purchased might be a bed. Really. Our decorating scheme can only be described as eclectic. (deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources [other people’s castoffs]

Is It Really July Now?

July 1st, 2021 | Faithfulness, Joy, Love, Patience

Wasn’t it just March a couple of weeks ago? I suppose, because most days seem quite a bit the same just now, even though things are “opening up” and slowly getting to a more normal routine, it’s still not quite normal. Not just yet.

But, it is July. We’re still getting more rain than is normal, but some plants I bought back in the balmy days of March are showing their discontent with the summer heat. After all these years, I still make mistakes about what to buy, where to plant it, and how long will it really last.

I went to get Peter last Friday, and quickly did a little shopping before time to pick him up. I ate lunch with Kevin and April and Peter, and then Peter and I visited a nursery I like. He helped me make some botanical decisions, and then we headed back down to Waco. We had a few busy few days.

: Chilling out on the playground at a rest stop on our way to Waco.

: Getting ready for some sort of armed combat. With whom, or what, I am not sure.

: Completing a puzzle of a vicious raptor. I did the tongue and part of the feet.

: Making chocolate chip cookies.

We went to the local library. Peter and I both got books, and, in the kids’ section, Peter saw a boy playing a video game. It was like a kid magnet. Peter went over and watched. He asked some questions, gave some advice. We’d chosen some books, and checked them out to take home. The next day, I wanted a book I’d forgotten about. We arrived right at opening time, and the computers in the kids’ section were all available. Whew! He played quite a while. The next day, I needed to return some books, so we went back. And he could play again. Then, later in the day, I saw that a book I’d put on hold was now available, so we went back to the library a second time, where Peter was able to play again. What a great day!

Then, that evening, we all had to go to bed early. When we’d first made this plan, Kevin had forgotten about a dentist’s appointment for Peter. It was at 9:00 a.m. which meant Peter needed to be back at home by 8:30 a.m. which meant a very early morning for us. It’s an hour-and-a-half trip. And, I recalled a trip I’d made when Peter was a very young baby, because April had an early medical appointment, and I was going to stay with Baby Peter. We’d meant for me to be there at 8:00 a.m., but the incoming morning traffic jam caused me to be late. So, I asked Kevin if, this time, we needed to leave earlier. And he thought yes, which meant our leaving at 6:30 a.m. which meant getting up at about 5:30 a.m., at least for me. Clothes had been washed, the suitcase had been packed, the book bag had been packed. I made Peter a scrambled egg and we took a couple of pieces of cinnamon toast along, too. Everything worked well and we were on the road just when we needed to be.

As we approached Fort Worth, the traffic got a little more crowded. But, it was nothing as congested as as the last time I’d made this early morning trip, and we sailed into town easily and arrived at their house at 8:00 a.m. Plenty of time for visiting and recapping all the Waco adventures. They left for the dentist, and then I went for adventures of my own.

Last week, I’d not had time to visit another nursery that I like. So, that was my first stop before setting out for Waco.

: I found some lovely red salvia.

: I bought this hosta at that nursery last year, when it was at death’s door. It responded really well, and is having a great summer!

: So when I found this one, I thought that it probably would snap back, too. I am expecting great things.

Then, I went back to the nursery I’d visited last week, because I was in sort of a hurry then, and wanted to go back and take more time.

: I did not even have sunflowers in mind, but these looked so bright. Their compact size is perfect for the front flower bed.

: I had that left-hand zinnia, which I guess is left over from last year. I bought some more at a nursery here, because they were on sale for a dollar each. They looked a little raggedy, but they have snapped back!

: This is the front bed. See how nice the new sunflowers look. Those things in the center are yellow shrimp plants, which, for the past two years, have been on the far right-hand side. I do not understand why they are now in the middle. I am blaming the February ice/snow disaster.

Here’s why I like to go to nurseries, even if I’m not planning on purchasing anything. I enjoy seeing the plants. I like thinking about what sorts of plants might look good (and live) in the yard, for next time, or next year. And, I like to watch the bees. See him, on the left-hand side of that orange flower. And, sometimes, there are butterflies, too.

But from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s mercy is on those who fear him. His righteousness belongs to their children and grandchildren,

Psalm 103:17 (God’s Word Translation)

This is a noisy, squawky mockingbird that spends a lot of time, way up in our pecan tree every evening. And, I think he riles up the other birds. At least, it seems like they’re squawking back at him. Earlier, I had taken a video of his noisyness and sent it to Peter. When he was here, I was able to show him the squawky bird for himself.

Hey! I Could Do That. Of Course, I Could. And I SHOULD!

April 22nd, 2021 | Joy, Love

The glimmer of an idea always seems so possible. So doable. Soooo easy. But, it rarely is. Not that the idea wasn’t a good one. It probably was. However, most good ideas don’t often end up being easy to bring to fruition. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t worthwhile; it probably was. And, when it’s all completed, we’re thrilled it’s done.

And that’s how I feel.

The first good idea-Ten years ago, I had this notion. We’d been married for 40 years. Kevin and April had been married for 10 years. And Jeremy and Sarah had been married for 5 years. I thought we should document these milestones.

One afternoon, when both sons and both daughters-in-law were with us at our house, I said: “We should all put on our wedding duds and have photos made. Don’t you think?” Both girls, as well as I, still had our wedding dresses.

“And,” I said, “we can probably find the same kind of tuxes that you guys wore. And,” I went on, “I’ll pay for the tuxes and I’ll pay to have the wedding dresses cleaned when we’re done.”

The Before Photos:

: David and I-March 13, 1971

: Kevin and April-June 23, 2001

: Jeremy and Sarah-December 3, 2005

It took a little bit of explaining, and encouragement, but, at last, everyone agreed. The guys’ measurements were taken, and I took them, as well as several photos of each of them, in their wedding garb, to the tuxedo rental place. A couple of adjustments needed to happen, but, for the most part, the tuxedo people made everything work. We went to our church on a Saturday morning, where, dressed in our wedding best, we posed. The Welcome Center is a lovely space, and I had asked a church friend, who was a photographer, to please come to take the pictures. We posed, in pairs, in a big group, just girls, just guys, girls with guys.

One of the After Photos

I used some of the photos for our Christmas card the next year. And that’s how the next part happened.

A friend of mine, who had gotten our card that Christmas, thought it was a nice idea, and she put it aside, thinking that she might make a similar plan in a few years.

When she and her husband were celebrating their 50th anniversary, she made cards that had a photo from their own wedding day and a present-day picture of them. She sent them to the people who were in their wedding party, and some additional friends. I got one.

And I had another idea.

I am my mother’s daughter. I, like her, don’t really like a big fuss or a big to-do. When my parents’ 50th anniversary approached, she very specifically said, “No big party.” So, we all (our family, my sister’s family, and a couple of Mother’s sisters and a brother-in-law) went to Salado, Texas, for a nice lunch. Very low key. Very much what my mother felt comfortable with.

This was my 50th wedding anniversary idea: I would find photos from our wedding that included a variety of people. And, I would send the people who were part of the planning, the showers, the luncheon, and the reception, and just being there that day, a photo that included them, along with a note that said, “Thanks for being part of our special day!” I made sure to include our names and the date, in case our friends and family members had lost track of what had happened, and, for some, maybe who we were.

You can send 4×6 inch photos in the mail, like a post card. Write a message on the left side of the photo’s back, write the address on the right side, put a postcard stamp on it, and off it goes. I was able to put the photos on the Walgreen’s site, where I could crop the photos and adapt the older 3×3 inch photos into 4×6 ones.

Amazingly, I was able to locate the man who was the officiant at the wedding. He lives in a nearby town, and is a retired pastor. We’re Facebook friends now.

If I couldn’t find a photo of someone who was present, I’d send this photo to them.I was careful to put my return address on each card, and sure enough, one photo postcard got returned. I’d had the wrong address. So, I’m guessing all the rest of the cards got sent to the proper people.

One of my favorite photos was the one of my dad walking me down the aisle. (That photo is in the group of photos above.) As I was looking through all the photos, I realized that the woman who is to the right of my dad is a neighbor. When I was about eleven, she and her husband and toddler daughter moved in two houses down from our house. The house where David and I now live. They had three more kids. She’s a widow now, but family lives close enough that she sees them often. I walked a copy of that photo down to her a couple of weeks ago. She’s still quite spry, and we had a great visit.

I’ve enjoyed all the parts of all the plans. I loved the anniversary dress-up photo shoot. I liked going through my wedding book and finding the photos of people who were involved in the wedding plans and preparations, and the people who came to one, or more, of the weddings. I read through all the names of folks who signed the guest book, so very many who are gone now. I got a few responses from people, which was nice. And, re-remembering.

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

John 2:1-11 (New International Version)

Now, there’s a wedding.

This was our first apartment. We lived here for the first two years we were married, while David was in the Air Force. I’ve Googled this place recently; it’s not pink any more. And there’s an air conditioner in one of the windows! What luxury!

We found this postcard at a drug store, I think, and we purchased all the copies. It was meant to showcase the new, fabulous, indoor mall, which had scores of stores. Our interest was in the small residential area off to the left. This was an older card, as, since it’s printing, a very large hotel had been built, which would have blocked the sightline of that residential area. But, it didn’t, at the time the photo was shot, so, if you looked hard, you could see our pink apartment.