Snow being hauled away from the streets of my hometown
...the sun is shining on my back and shoulders, making me squint my eyes. If there was snow on the ground, it would be blinding to look out at it. So very thankful for the return of the sunshine!
I have been watching the news all morning, seeing the snow plows attempting to clear the roads in the North East. Some of the radio hosts were making light of the situation, as if it were the worst storm ever and like they couldn't handle it up there. Some of those in NYC were figuratively shrugging their shoulders as to what the excitement was all about. It is winter, after all.
My hometown seems to roll with the storms---picks itself up and dusts itself off. What IS tragic is that many folks in the NE are still not recovered from the super storm, Sandy, last fall, which is a crying shame. Good thing there were promises that no red tape would hold things up!
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My friend, Linda J., had to drive to Chicago this a.m. She sent me a text message letting me know she arrived safely and is snuggling with her little granddaughter. Someone in her son's extended family is being kept alive via artificial means, and her loved ones are gathering to say their farewells before the machines are discontinued.
A tragic situation to say the least, and what makes it moreso is that she is only a bit older than me. We just never know when our time will come, or what it will be that takes our life. As Linda said the other day, we must always have oil in our lamps for when the Lord calls us home. A couple of strokes, one relatively minor, and the other causing traumatic injury to her brain. Linda's role in all this is one of support on the home front, and to say the right things to the family when the time comes. Prayers for all involved would be appreciated.
I was chatting with my sister about this and she said her living will states to not keep her alive artificially. I was glad she told me this because if something happened, like a traffic accident or such, folks would not necessarily know her wishes. Now, we do! Justin know my wishes as well, to let me go home to the Lord. No tough decision there, just let me go.
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This morning I got a phone call from a number I did not recognize. Thankfully, I took the call, as it was friend, Fran, from The Club. We made an appointment to meet for lunch on Tuesday, as she needs to have a chat. Love it! Very much looking forward to our time together. Haven't seen her since the pool season ended, and I hate that!!! Glad she misses me as much as I miss her...
Guess which one is Fran
It's really too bad that some people are only seen by me in the summer, and once Labor Day comes, no more. Rats! I am not good with that. There are Club members who never set foot at the pool but I see them indoors. For some, never the two shall meet. Their loss, and sometimes mine, too.
Plans are being made to have a dinner here during Linda's pending visit. On Saturday noon of her visit a group of us are going to the Alhambra Dinner Theater to see a play, "Driving Miss Daisy", starring Michael Learned as Daisy. Judy and I are treating Gretchen, as she is Miss Daisy! Should be a blast! The dinner then would be on Friday, with the theme yet to be determined. Justin suggested it be all new recipes, no ones' standard contributions, or I thought about making ThanksLiving dinner for the ladies. We shall see!
Lonnie made this lovely picture board
Monday, Jackie V. helped me to put the photographs, remounted, into the picture board at church. I did the shaving of the edges of each one as they were fit into the slots. So very glad I didn't do them all at once because it seems each one fits differently. We are so appreciative of this lovely display board and realize its being hand-made makes it all the more special. I can shave as needed to get the photos into the slides.
I wasn't really watching her put the photos in place and didn't realize until it was sort of late that all the photos were put into the first four rows. We have PLENTY of room to spread them out, so none crowd the others. I can move them around another time, as it felt good to have them at last in the display.
In a couple weeks our former pastor comes back to speak to us about our mentoring program, to see what the interviews and such brought to light. We will have a Saturday meeting complete with a pot luck luncheon, for which I am really looking forward. We haven't really had one in a while, since we have our chefs Mike 'n Mike often cooking for us these days. This time we folks get to do the cooking, or shopping, as the case might be.
