Reprint from March 24, 2008

This morning at Bible study we were talking about how we should be teaching our children important Bible stories and singing songs to them, and with them, to help them remember Bible truths. I found this 'old' posting and decided to use it once more....

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The day started early, reading e-mails before Dee arrived to repair some glass for me. Several people sent "Comments" to my post from yesterday, sharing their experience with "...Redeemer Lives" and I was moved to tears by them. If you don't usually read the Comments, please do so in order to find out what I am referencing. When I spoke to Martie earlier and she asked how I was, my answer was, "I am in a high emotional state." Oh yeah.........

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Linda shared her story of how she was managing to get through "Redeemer" until she spotted Pastor Hahm wiping away a tear...he said he was fine until he saw Mom and Kevin, the principal, wiping away their tears....."He lives to silence all my fears, He lives to wipe away my tears, He lives my mansion to prepare, He lives to take me safely there..." I hope that's right, I did it by memory. Oh, here is Timmy's service folder, I can check it out--oops, I got it wrong, borrowed from several different verses: "He lives to calm my troubled heart, He lives all blessings to impart". There's not one single "insignificant" verse in that hymn, which made it tough for Mom to pick the ones to use for the funeral. Good job, Mom! As Timmy would say, "You done it!" Kevin also has a little one in heaven so we share special hugs when we meet each other. I look forward to seeing him this Sunday at First German!! And Linda, too!!! And my peoples!!!
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Saturday morning as I was leaving to go to church for communion preparation, I saw a box sitting outside my door. A baby??? Nope, better than that---a lovely circular glass art piece made by the same guy that made my other "manipulated" glass pieces. Dee had dropped it off in the dark of night (or morning) as a surprise for me. She told me last week she had a gift for me that I wouldn't want to accept but she'd make me take it, and that's how she did it! Leave it on the doorstep and run away. The bad news was it had a crack in it, sort of swiveled like a hinge about half way down.
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I called to thank her for the present and then asked if she knew it was cracked. She was sad it was broken and said it had been mended once before, must have re-cracked on the climb up the steps! So, she came this a.m. with her glass glue in hand and we performed surgery on the piece. We glued some glass marbles I had on hand, flat on one side, which we used as "band-aids"on the back side, in the same colors as in the piece. I'll take a photo of it when it's done so you all can see what I'm talking about. "Dr. Roberts" makes house calls, twice climbing my stairs because of beautiful glass!
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After she left I did, too, heading for Bible study, my last one with this group for a month! Judy C. joined us today, as she quit her job last Friday, just up and quit! It was nice to have a new face for the study and for lunch. Our time together at Longhorn was lovely and the farewells tearful. Pastor had suggested putting a picture of me on the table where I usually sit to make it seem like I'm there, but, it would be quiet then!!! I said the quiet part, not him. Tonight are Visitation calls and then that's it for church activity. I will have to drop off some shingle, exterior, and soffit color selections for Cliff, but that gives me a chance to say good-bye to Carol, "auf wiedersehen ", until we meet again!
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Lisa called last night to share some Easter stories with me, putting tears in my ears--again! She told about Lori, Lynn, Alayna, and her singing with the choir, nothing less than the "Hallelujah Chorus" , accompanied by the pipe organ and orchestra. Lisa said she was trembling with excitement about singing it, and was holding Manny in her arms as she sang. He was clinging to her for dear life, probably expecting her to shake him right over the railing! She said he sang, too, throwing out a single "hallelujah" with the choir. Just prior to time for the song, Gabe leaned over and asked Lisa, "Is it time to sing "Jesus" now?" That's what he calls the Chorus. I love it that her little boys know and love that song! They sing that one in heaven, I just know it!!

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She also told about how they pick a song to sing before bed and Manny picks the one he calls "So". She had me guess what song it was and it took a second to come up with "...the Bible tells me so". Oh, my heart! She knew that would get me because my boys sang that also, with Timmy's being sung in bass! Gabe likes the song "Zaccheus", about the wee little man up in the tree. "Zaccheus, you come down! I'm going to your house today!" At church Easter morning, Paul was telling me how my goddaughter, Sarah, walks around singing "Oh, Christ, Lamb of God" continually. The preschool and young Sunday schoolers sang it in the service a couple weeks ago, and she'd sing it every week if they let her. I told him that was evidence of what wonderful parents she has, if that's what their daughter is singing. Gabe, Manny, and Sarah---our little missionaries!

Lucas and Sarah watching "Jeopardy" while standing in the toy box!

Time to get ready to go to the beauty shop again, this time to get my silver removed and a trim, and then over to church for Visitor calls. Time is getting closer and closer for my trip to WI and I'm getting so 'cited!!!

The bug plague

Click on photo to enlarge

If you look closely, you can see the dead bodies lying on the floor in the corner of my room. It seems the blind mosquitoes are attracted to the light, as there are few to none in the unused rooms in my home. Mainly in my room and the bathroom. They are called 'no see 'em' because they are so minute they can fit through screening and teeny tiny. But oh my, what a nuisance! I can get a pile like this almost every day, and this is before sweeping them up!

Going to sleep by moon light

The giant moon reflecting on the river is just too gorgeous to explain, it must be seen to be appreciated, I believe. There are shadows across the floor in the river room and my room, but I made them disappear by turning the lamp on in order to see. On TV tonight I watched a new episode of "House", something I normally do not do. It sort of freaked me out, as House attempted to perform surgery on himself in his bathtub! I tuned in a bit late and missed the reason why he was doing it himself, removing some blood clots or something. Apparently he had taken an experimental drug, tried only on rats before, which caused the clots, 'stealing' it from the lab in the hospital. "Idiot", as House would say. Cuddy to the rescue...I shouldn't give it away in case you have not seen it yet.

Tonight at church was the last of the two planned special meetings of the Council and Elders who are discussing the "Listening Sunday" surveys. Oh, to be sitting in on that meeting. Or, probably better yet, not! Hopefully Paul was able to attend, but I am not sure he is up to it yet since his surgery last week Monday. He had some work done on his cervical bones and as far as I know is wearing a collar or even a halo apparatus to keep his neck still. His input would be valuable at these meetings as Paul is well-read and a student of doctrine, etc.

Bible study this morning was interesting as we continue our study of the chapters in Matthew, dealing with Christ's passion and crucifixion. We have a video to watch that is word for word what the Bible says, but it sure adds drama to see the actors make it seem live. There was one part where Jesus is telling about the division of the sheep and the goats, and in the video, Jesus' character gets rather choked up when relating the end coming to those who have rejected Him. The one man, besides Pastor, in the class remarked that that portion of the video really hit him. The "Hollywood" version of the dinner where Jesus' hair was anointed with the costly oil showed a quite opulent setting which I think was a bit over the top, but I have nothing upon which to base my assumption. It sure looked like an elegant setting and the food even looked good! Pot roast, from what I could tell...

Only four of us went to lunch today as Judy C. was not yet back from her trip. Twila had a birthday last week so I treated her to lunch, as she and I shared the prime rib sandwich. That worked out perfectly for us. She said since her surgery, she cannot eat as much at one time as she used to do. Jackie told how John and she eat less and less meat these days due to the fact that they are tired of cooking! At least they are modern enough to have a microwave oven in order to heat things up. It is so funny how the man in the family can retire and sit all day watching the news or sports but the female in the family has to keep on working. Nothing changes for her except for having to clean around a body in the family room now! She is so funny sometimes!

My friend, Judy R., had a birthday recently and I had sent her a greeting via Facebook but had not written to her in a month or so on e-mail. The full moon brings that out in me so I wrote her a note, catching her up on what's going on around here and such. So far we are on track to see each other at the Worship Conference closing service and hopefully she can give me a ride as far as Winona afterward. Somehow I need to get the rest of the way to Manitowoc as Lori's party is not until the next weekend. Judy C. and I are curious as to our dorm situation since one of the questions on the form we filled out asked if we can sleep in a top bunk. We both answered 'no', but Judy claims if push comes to shove, she will do it. She is going to be 70 years old and climbing into a top bunk? Yikes! I'd probably pull the darn thing over trying to get up there...such giggles we have in our lives!

A long, lost family friend who lives in MN has contacted me via Facebook, a mutual friend of Linda J.'s, named Joanie. She was a classmate of my sister, Lori, and Joanie used to sell a product line like Amway or similar when she was younger. She is a humorous lady and Linda J. always has such a good time when they are together. A few years ago Tommy and Linda joined Joanie's family here in FL where they had rented a house for a week. It was this trip that Tommy and Linda visited "The Holy Land Experience" and Tommy came back to our house wearing a little cap like Muslims wear, claiming he converted. You have to know Tommy to appreciate this. The cap was actually part of a sunhat Linda had that came apart and Tommy "converted" for his purposes. Justin will refer to this as 'the time Tommy converted to Muslim'.....So, anyway, back to Joanie---she offered me her home to stay in while attending the Conference but it turns out they will be at Linda's that weekend, going to Door County for cherry picking season. Rats!

In the back of my car was a cardboard box put there by Justin some time ago. It worked dandy for me to keep my church papers and Bible, but other stuff got placed in there as well. I decided to carry it up with me after Bible study and lunch. At the bottom of the box was my choir music folder, of all things, complete with Advent music which belongs to Victory's choir! Thursday I will take it back to Rachel and leave it on the organ bench. One of the members told me that choir was done rehearsing after Easter at Victory, which is too bad. Our little choir is practicing some songs for Ascension and Pentecost, but sadly, I will be away for both of those events. We need a soprano to take my place as Kristi is singing alto to help Debbie S. who cannot pick it out herself. I hope someone steps up after Robbie's impassioned plea on Sunday. I think I might call Emily to see if she could make a couple rehearsals, that's all she would be needed....Yes, I will do that!

An at-home Sunday

Judy C. and her son, Mike, are gone to Nashville and beyond to see Judy's grandson graduate from Vanderbilt University. I cannot remember if they are coming back today or not, I lost track of the days. This resulted in my coming home from church instead of going to eat. Twila had only the day before gotten home from her week stay at Sanibel and needed to regroup in the afternoon, and Judy J. was counting the offering. Others stayed for a luncheon put on by Thrivent but I was not interested in that, so, I came home. And had a lovely quiet day in so doing!

My first stop after church was the cemetery as Gretchen had donated the flowers from the altar, given in memory of her loved ones, to my loved one. Yes, I was teared up right after Bible study when she told me that I should take them for Timmy's site. When I got there, the bouquet from Easter was gone already, the guys must have thought it looked tough and took it away. We have had some wild weather, either the heat or the wind must have wreaked havoc on the bouquet. When it gets hot, the bouquets just do not last very long.

For my lunch I had the last of my roast beef, which makes a lovely sandwich with the seeded rye from Winn Dixie. Oh, first I had stopped at WD on the way home to pick up another container of raspberry sherbet, some of which I had for dessert. Later, I went to the fridge to get a square of chocolate from the bag Justin gave me for Mother's Day, which is also raspberry. I am definitely on a kick here!

Most of my day was spent on the computer, looking up things or reading, until my eyes bled! After a certain point I took a little rest, probably less than a half hour, but enough to rejuvenate myself. The sun was out most of the day and since the trees were pruned, it seems that my view is even more vast. Bugs have again gathered in the corners of my windows but I guess they will have to stay there as I am not about to wrench those windows out of their frames to sweep them down. The professional guys that came to wash the windows had a hard enough time with them, big strong guys, so the bugs win until I have the windows done again! So there!

At some point this week I am getting together with Carol before I take off for WI at the end of the month. She wants to come here because she gets stir crazy being at home and would feel like she should be exercising her knee if she is at home. She even goes along with Cliff to check the jobsite just so she can get out. They will be heading to Highlands in a few weeks themselves and our paths might not cross much. I am working ahead some on the newsletter for church as I will be away and it just won't work for me do it from Manty. Mom being on dial-up just will not allow for downloading and editing and so on. Jill has high-speed access but I hate to tie up her machine and such, so will get it out the door, so to speak, before I leave town.

My can of compressed air worked just amazingly for cleaning the dust from my bedside lamp. It has nooks and crannies where the dust gathers and the air simply blew the dust away. Somehow that did not work on my remote controls, those must actually be touched with the baby wipes I normally use for wiping them clean. The wipes don't get into the small spaces on the lamp, though, so it delights me!

Monday is the final flight of Shuttle Endeavor which goes up just before 9:00 a.m. I hope it launches and I hope I can see it from my porch. Must remember to send out a reminder on Facebook for my Florida friends to watch for it. Today's worship was very nice, Good Shepherd Sunday, and we used Divine Service I, with nearly all the hymns chosen from the Supplement. Our closing hymn was printed in the service folder, from the CW, so we did not have to play quick draw with the hymnals during the service. Robbie, The Maestro, sang the psalm as cantor, while the congregation joined in the refrain. Jean N. asked me if his voice was improving or was she only just noticing. I said, "Both"! He also had recorded the accompaniment on the keyboard and then stepped near center aisle to sing, which likely came into play for her noticing. His young lady friend came to church and sat with the family in the pew. Brad and the boys sat with Great Grandpa in the row behind the rest of the family.

During the Bible study, one of the members came in about 3/4 of the way through to whisper to Pastor about a visitor being outside, hesitating to come in. She thought church began at 9:00 or something that mixed her up. Jackie went outside with Rick to meet the young lady and escorted her into the class. Later I was introduced to Stephania, whom Jackie excitedly reported was from Italy. The name rather gave her away. To make it better yet, it turned out Stephania lived near Naples and would go on picnics along the Amalfi Coastline, eating on the beach. Her story is a bit tragic, though, as it seems she followed a Navy man here and that did not work out. She spoke enough English to say it was very bad and that going back would be very hard. Yikes! Stephania said she was looking for a church with people she could trust. I hope that is us, but I am not sure she knows what she is in store for at a Lutheran church. My guess is she is not a Lutheran, not from Naples, anyway. She needs to come up here to my house and we can have a picnic, she might feel a bit 'at home' in my environment!

I smell funny!

After all that time in the pool and out of it, I still smell like sun screen. Sure did not need it as the sun barely made itself known today, and in fact, we were nearly rained out of our picnic at Rita's subdivision's community center. Very nice gathering, great folks and an excellent array of foods. I took my MI hot dogs, Koegel's, 'with a snap!', and even had a couple come home with me for another time. It was just a nice, nice time, even with the rain. Funny, but the ladies and children mainly ended up sitting in the room where the food was set up (the kitchen) while the men gathered across the patio in a fireplace room. It just got too cold for any of us to sit outside any longer and there was not enough seating in the meal room for all of us. At least the men folk were not sitting around, smoking cigars!

I was the only adult who had actually gotten into the pool, although it violated all my rules (water too cold and the sun not fully out) so I was extra chilly in my wet suit and now wet beach cover-up. It was thundering and lightning with brisk wind and the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. And then Rita came around with a box of ice cream sandwiches for us all! Sure, why not?

After a certain point, the rain let up but did not stop so I decided to pack up my stuff to go home. Rita's son went to bring my car up closer to the clubhouse for me, and they helped me carry my items to the car. My antique slow cooker for the hot dogs, the leftover buns, the hot dogs in Tupperware, my beach bag, and me! I had forgotten that my CD player was cranked and when Sumner got out, I apologized to him for the booming music. He said it did surprise him when he started the car, as I imagine "The Phantom of the Opera" might! While I waited for my car, I spoke to the security guard on the porch. I teased him about having to police this rowdy church picnic and he said this was nothing compared to parties at his other neighborhood---Chimney Lakes! Guess those Westsiders know how to party! And likely not a church picnic either...

On my ride home, I gave Mom a call to see what was happening in Manty. They were freezing, too, but were actually closer to that on their thermometers than ours were. The heater was on in my car and likely in Mom's home as well. I did not use my seat warmer for fear of electrocuting myself in my damp suit and cover-up. As I got on the ramp to exit from the freeway to Hwy. 17, I saw that the traffic signals were out. GREAT! Now what? Probably the lightning affected the lights but there were no police there to direct traffic so we had to gamble moving from the ramp into the lanes. Folks were nice enough to let some of us go across, but then when we got to the next signal, it was out too. We yielded to cars trying to get on from the ramp. The next signal was also out, three total, but Wells Road was working. Only one of the intersections had a traffic cop directing traffic, in the pouring rain. A brave soul, he was!

Once home, I was relieved to find the elevator in working condition. I had stopped at the mail box as instructed by my mom, and found another of my new books, the last one I was waiting to arrive. Also got two invitations to graduations and parties, both of which I had already RSVP'd my attendance on Facebook. After I got my stuff all put away, I put my nightie on, hung my suit in the shower, grabbed the Snuggie Lisa gave me for Christmas and tried to get warm. About three hours I later, I stopped shivering! If I had taken a hot shower right away, that would have helped, I am sure. At one point I took a little snooze and that renewed me nicely.

The rains ended for good about 5:00 pm or so and the sun came back out. It is breezy now and likely overcast but it's too dark to tell. One unfortunate thing about this much needed rain is that it is also time for TPC at Sawgrass, which got rained out for those hours. In checking the local station, it seems they resumed play when it was still light outside. Hard to imagine the ground being dry enough to play on but it must be. Time is money!

Summer has arrived

We had high temperatures here today soaring upwards toward 100 in some areas, with my friend, Carol, sending a photo of her car's thermometer showing 108! It probably was not really that hot but even I had to mop my brow after shopping at Wal*Mart. My arms ached, believe it if you will, from pushing my cart through the store, as it resisted me at every turn. It is a blessed day when a person gets the cart that actually doesn't mind moving through the store! I remember the first time I used a self-propelled lawn mower and was amazed at the difference....what a good idea for shopping carts! It was not that I had my cart laden with purchases, either, it was just one that had seen better days---I could not have steered with my elbows if I wanted to!!

Justin was in need of work shoes, canvas ones, so I picked some up for him as well as a package of socks to wear inside the shoes, the type we ladies used to call 'footies'. These shoes, inexpensive ones, work better for him doing the type of tasks he is doing right now than either flip flops or work boots. They are a compromise, I guess.

About 11:00 a.m. he called me from work and asked if I was coming to Fleming Island for lunch. He needed something for pain and a cold drink. I was going to lunch with my downstairs neighbors but I grabbed some cans of Arnold Palmer from the fridge and the ibuprofen to take him. Justin had loaded his father's car with 50 archive boxes full of papers and such from one office and got to the new 'old' office to unload them, only to find that the doors were locked! He was so frustrated, and the keys were with his father who was checking the jobsite at the beach. Justin had the wisdom to unload the boxes into the storage building on the property, but I asked him, "Aren't you going to have to move them again then?" He thought it would be a long while before that would happen since they really were archives and not immediately needed.

I had let my neighbors know I may be late and told Cassidy they should go ahead without me but it turned out we arrived at the same time. The strawberry margarita was just delicious but we all thought the chips were somehow different. We asked the young man waiting on us if the chips were different and he said they were exactly the same. Maybe it was just us....Tracy told funny stories about attending a book club for the first time with her friend, who is a lady with whom I used to crop at Cindy R.'s house. She was also my spouse's attorney! As they say in "The Godfather"--"It's business, it's not personal...." Sometimes it's both!!! Not sure if Tracy will be too excited about going back again, but she might surprise herself and get into it. She teases herself, saying she has the book and movie tastes of a 13 year old, loves the animated movies. A real Pixar fan, she is!

So, when done with lunch, I had to go back to Fleming Island to get my scrip from Wal*Mart plus a few other things which I had forgotten to get at Winn Dixie the other day. My friend, Julia, needed to borrow my swimsuit and a cover-up for a trip to Las Vegas with her hubby. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary while Mike is there on business which works out dandy all the way around. While we were chatting at Hang Ups, a very nice man came in with a piece of art which needed a repair. He told us his whole life's story in a short period of time, how he lost his wife two years ago, now moving to an apartment, what he does for his living (in retirement is still a church organist and choir director), where he used to work, how many cats he has......Whew! He's going to be okay, I have no doubt about this!

I had run some other errands as well before heading home. When I pulled onto the property, I was met by giant trucks and machinery, the place crawling with men. It's tree trimming time, as always, just prior to hurricane season starting. All the dead branches and such are removed so as not to become projectiles during a wind storm. Ellen stopped her car behind mine and pulled a branch out from under my car, which had gotten trapped on my way down the path. She excitedly told me about a huge sale at Beall's, having been once and was now going back for more! She was sporting a pair of khaki shorts she had gotten there and she rarely wears shorts! I am in the market for some denim capris so maybe I should check out the sale. My friend, Carol, from Mandarin, also sent me a note on e-mail reporting this same big sale at Beall's so I had better see what it's all about!

Earlier in the day I had turned on the A/C while I was yet home because my kitchen door is so swollen that it takes every once of my strength to pull it open. On Thursday, I had to leave via my front doors as I could not get the kitchen one to open. When I came home, I threw my hip against it to pop it open, hence, the A/C had to be turned on for a while. Even my laundry room door was swollen, as is my left ankle! I think all the water I am drinking these days is being stored in my ankle. Now that I have my prescription refilled, it should be fine. This getting old is not for sissies!

Justin stopped by on his way home from work to pick up his shoes and he carried up the purchases I had left in the car as he got his shoes and socks transferred to his car. He had to put some of the stuff back when he left because I meant to keep it down there for the picnic with Victory on Saturday but I sure appreciate his doing it. At least the soda got carried up and into the fridge. My other neighbor, Rose, helped me carry some of my store purchases as far as the 3rd floor when I had gotten home.

Have I mentioned lately how nice my neighbors are? They are! Hugh asked me to send out a notice to everyone about donating money to the Town of OP for the fireworks display this Independence Day. Last year we did not have one because of the terrible cost but this year businesses and groups are raising the funds, coming up a bit short. So, a fund raising effort is being made and Hugh asked me to let everyone know. I did it! I let everyone know about the need and reference the newspaper article so they can read it for themselves on-line. Travis, upstairs, gave Hugh the correct address for mailing the donations and we are good to go!

At WD the other day, I picked up a half-loaf of seeded rye bread, and for my dinner, I enjoyed a wonderful roast beef sandwich on rye. My dessert was a bowl of raspberry sherbet which I told Linda I am absolutely MAD about. I go after it like a wild woman and I rarely ever do that. Maybe because of the heat or the barometric pressure or something like this....At least it's relatively inexpensive and low-fat, besides being refreshingly delicious!

The end of an era…

…and there is much in the air! At one point today, I stood in the kitchen and wiped ashes from the top of the stove. Hmmmm…..okay, now, I had already cleaed up the ashes from the oven cleaning fiasco Saturday. Actually, the ashes were coming through the screening on my kitchen door as a result of the fires at work in the Okefenokee Swamp. Some report the fire size is the same as the city of Atlanta or Seattle in acres. Wow! It was started by a lightning strike, a naturally-caused disaster, bringing ashes and stench to the area. My car was full of ashes as well when I left for choir. We had a great total of 3 of us tonight, but the majority of the time it was Kristi and me only. Sort of hard to rehearse under those conditions…

But the thing that truly marks the end of an era was what I saw going on at the corner of Wells Road and Blanding Blvd.----bulldozers have torn down the majority of Johnny Carino’s Country Italian Restaurant!!!!! I could not believe my eyes! The Italian margaritas there were the absolute best, the best! and the Italian nachos yummy, too. Oh, my heart! Such fond fond memories were made there, Martie and I and Jennifer, and of course, my Justin. We had our own favorite waitress, Janet, who now works at O’Charley’s on Fleming Island. One time when my family came for a visit, maybe for Justin’s graduation, I took the entire group there to eat on the veranda. When I was at the stop light this evening, I sent Martie a text message reporting that Johnny’s was torn down. I told Robbie about it when I got to church, telling him it was the end of an era. As I was speaking, Martie sent me a text message that said, “The end of an era…” Our great minds think alike! And our hearts break alike as well.

Earlier today Connie came to the door, asking me about my surplus planters in the courtyard, displaced now that I have been gifted with a pair of topiaries from my neighbor, Michelle. I told Connie I no longer want them but am waiting until Justin is done with his father’s work to take care of them. He has lots of pressure on him right now so my goofy planters can certainly wait. Connie offered to take them away but the larger one in the corner is too large for just her to move. She is so good to me, she offered to reinstall my ceramic house numbers which were removed when the building was sealed and painted. Yay for me!

This morning, before my shower, I got busy with my new silver removing product from Nice ‘n Easy which comes in foam form. Foam form, that’s fun to say! It made almost no mess at all in application and the color came out quite nice, too. This will likely be the last time for the summer since it is nearly pool season and the sun tends to bleach out my hair, especially in the ‘lighter’ areas. So, I go on record, the Nice ‘n Easy Foam is the way to go! No drips, no mess, hardly any clean up required, and I rinsed it out in the shower. Nice! (‘n easy!)