Waiting for the sun to peek through

…and here it comes, little by little. This a.m. I woke up early and immediately turned on the local news, the station where Suzanne works, to watch for my friend, Helen, to be on as a guest. Sadly, it seems I tuned in too late, and missed seeing the segment. Another artist, Donna, and Helen were expected to be featured in regard to the ArtWalk in downtown Jacksonville plus their involvement in other art endeavors in the area. Helen has a gallery at The Landing where she creates her art, fused glass and other similar pieces as well as having consignment space for artists to display. Like an art co-op. In checking the station’s website, I cannot find information about this segment at all but maybe someone recorded (Dee or Julia) so I can see it another time. So much for waking up early!!

Already I am showered and dressed for the day. Also have cleaned my old polish from the fingernails and trimmed them a bit. Needed more garbage inside my keyboard I guess—ha ha! My nails and their beds look awful and I had tried calling Lisa W. Monday for an appointment to have my feet and hands done. She called me back later to report that she’d been asked to vacate the space where she rented and was in the process of setting up elsewhere. In a week she should be ready for her first appointment, which will hopefully be me! She will stay in the same area of Middleburg, just a hair down the street from where she used to be. Normally my policy is to have Lisa (or someone else) do the areas I cannot reach, such as my feet, and I take care of the hands. But right now the nails are in need of some serious attention, having several hang nails and ridges in some of the nails. She has a tool to sand them smooth again, and have them looking nicer for the holidays.

Today is the day that the plumber is coming back to see why in the world there is not water coming from the faucet in the back bathroom. This was discovered by Mike when he was here Wednesday last week to grout the tile in that bathroom, and tried to rinse his sponge. No water? Only the day before Sherri had been here cleaning and she did not mention there being no water coming from the faucets. Since she was using a foaming cleanser she perhaps did not turn on the water??? The shower and toilet in that room operate, as does the water in every other room, except that particular sink. It might be simply a plugged aerator…oh, I hope I hope I hope!

My little breakfast today is a dinner roll with summer sausage on it. Not typical breakfast food but I am not typically a breakfast eater. Since Judy J. and I went to dinner sort of early last night, I am more hungry now. Plus, getting up earlier than I usually do allows for more time to consider eating. It is better to be sleeping it seems! We two ladies very much enjoyed our meal at Sonny’s BBQ, both in the mood for comfort foods. Instead of my standard beans ‘n franks there, beef brisket was my choice. We shared an order of corn nuggets, Judy’s first time having them. My meat came with beans and mac ‘n cheese. There was enough left over for me to bring home to have another meal from it. Whenever I eat at Sonny's, I think of Tarren and Pete, because Tarren just loves Sonny's food!

Monday at Longhorn I had a cheeseburger, well, half of it, with some fries, of which I ate none. The little box she brought me did not accommodate the half burger and the fries so I left many of them behind but Terri T. gave me some of her onion strings which I dearly love. Her as well as the onion strings!

Just a few moments ago I went outside to take Jessica’s robe back to her and Gus’s back to him, plus a bag of trash for the bin. Wow, it is cold out there! Jessica said she loved it and little Beckham was all snug in his fleece bibbed sleeping sack. Brrr….in my opinion. At midnight the temperature was 70 degrees, and today is dropping to 60 for the high, with freeze warnings for overnight. Yikes! Yesterday folks were at the beach, as shown on TV but not so much today, unless they are tourists! After all, 60 degrees is tank top weather to some folks!

Photos from Sunday

Following are some of the photos taken at the Ladies' Advent Service on Sunday, late afternoon. While we had 22 ladies signed up to come, we were a few short. Just in case, though, I had set a 'spare table' for overflow but did not need to use it. All my stress and concern regarding this event was wasted because it came off nicely, with many folks offering their compliments. One lady asked me if I could share the program for her to take to her 'next church'. Man, I really hate to see them go but they are Navy folks and move regularly. Of course, I will be happy to share what I have and will be honored if she remembers me after they are gone.

Judy is mixing up her delicious fruit punch, taste-testing to make sure it is just exactly right. She also decorated a table and did much of the leg-work involved in making this event work out properly.

Here is the dessert table, wearing my tablecloth plus the top from my CHRISTmas tree! The happy dish of candy corn is also mine while other ladies donated the sweet treats for all to enjoy. In the background is Suzanne, prepping for accompanying our singing on her viola. Janet had brought her keyboard but just did not feel comfortable enough to play the hymns so took the keyboard back to her car. Thank you, Suzanne, for carrying the load!

Some of the ladies floated after dressing their tables, helping others get things in order. Bonnie and Donna finished theirs and then stepped up to help Janet. Sandy was going to do a table as well, but had a fall at home, requiring her to be off her feet. Glad someone stepped up to take her place.

This table bears the 'presents' used in "Anticipating His Presence", our program for the day. The gifts are object lessons of the things in our lives---some which enhance, some which distract. To name a few items: the white luxurious robe (of righteousness); a knight in shining armor (put on God's armor); "call upon me in the day of trouble", a cell phone; also a Barbie doll which demonstrates unrealistic proportions, showing the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves. Jackie opened the cell phone box and held it up, thinking it was a clock. She had no idea it was a cell phone!

Suzanne gave Hanna her first Advent gift at the Ladies' Advent Service. She was given a children's adventure Bible, which has actual chapter and verse while also being a 'study Bible'. I think Hanna liked it!

The ladies are gathered, waiting the event to get underway. You can see from the windows that it was not yet dark out, but eventually I had a dilly of a time reading my text as the sun began to set. Thankfully I had a battery-operated candle to use to light my way!

Suzanne accompanied all our singing, playing beautifully, of course. I could listen to her play all day! And in fact, I nearly did hear her play all day!!!

Watching the news from my bed

Or, what I thought was the news. Besides the hostage situation resolved in Marinette, WI, sadly with the student trying to kill himself, there really is not much real news being discussed today. So far I have seen supermodels on two separate segments, some 'stars' of reality TV (I had heard of them but never saw them before---what makes them so famous???), plus multiple replays of a sassy losing quarterback walking out of a press conference. Yesterday there were dancers outside dressed as elves with the hosts trying to decide who would get to go outside to dance with them. Come on, guys, just report the news, okay, and leave the entertainment to the other networks. Man! We will all be fiddling while Rome burns here...

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One little byte of information that was shared today was that a report has come out saying that the medical information encouraging folks to take extra calcium and Vitamin D has been refuted. What? It seems now that taking these supplements can actually cause more problems than are helped. More information regarding this will have to be looked at because strangely enough, I take the supplements mentioned. Last night I was chatting on-line with a friend who reported that she has bone problems in her later life due to her calcium being depleted when she was bearing children. She said that she had to eat lots of red meat in those days to improve her iron but at the same time, the meat helped to deplete the calcium. Who knew? I had to follow high-iron diets when expecting, too, but fortunately I thus far do not have a calcium deficiency. My friend also had/has a dairy food problem which certainly does not help with bone building at all. Yikes!

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Okay, so now I am not as upset since the program is featuring a book with 50 years' worth of presidential photography. Now, that is a book I would read! Pictures! Linda called last night with an update for me regarding a book search she was doing on my behalf. She took her grands to The Read Apple in Two Rivers the other day and scoped out some books for my great nephews. Linda also told me about a book store she gets activity books from in Sheboygan which are nice for in church or in restaurants, and do not require batteries. The store is called Sonshine, in case anyone is familiar with it.

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When I woke up this a.m. I switched the channel to a local news station to see if my friends, Helen and Donna, would be looking back at me. I thought I missed their segment by not waking up soon enough, but then looked back at Helen's FB page to see that it is actually Wednesday they will be on First Coast News. Must set the alarm and remember to change the channel as soon as I awaken. Helen, who is Dee's daughter, and Donna, an artist, I am sure will be talking about the upcoming ArtWalk on Wednesday night, just my guess.

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This week, now that the church newsletter has gone out, I will focus on the report from the SoWE, if the other ladies are available to do so. Pastor has asked me again to set a date so we had better get our ducks in a row and be prepared before this coming month gets too busy or crazy schedule-wise. In peeking ahead at the weather page on-line, it shows up in red that a cold snap is coming, warning us all to take cover, with an expected 25 degree drop in temperatures overnight. Yikes again! At 9:00 am here is 69 degrees, with the high expected to be 83. By dinner time, strong storms may roll in and the lows in the 30's. With nowhere I need to be, besides under these covers, I am good!

“Frequent conversations will fill your heart with joy”

Gotta love those fortune cookies from Ming Moon! I was so busted because when talking on the phone with Justin, the delivery man arrived with my dinner. The guy stood at my door and I said, into the phone, “Just a minute, Sweetie…” and the delivery man, “Okay, okay”, thinking I was calling him 'sweetie'! Justin could hear him speaking to me and knew immediately it was Ming Moon. AND he knew exactly what was in the bag, that rascal! Seems I am quite predictable, too. Not long after I ate some of the dinner, Linda called me for the second time in a few days. While we were talking, I opened my fortune cookie and the above listed ‘fortune’ was tucked inside. Wow, even the Chinese know about Linda and me!

As long as I am sitting at the big desk, facing away from my room and into the river room, I do not have to look at the mess on my bed or the laundry basket filled to overflowing with stuff to be folded and/or put away. On the bed are some clothes for me to try on, bought ages ago on a shopping venture and it is now getting cool enough for me to wear them. IF they fit. But I am not sure how long I can look away so might have to address the mess, as it were.

Today before Bible study, Gretchen had me in stitches. It has been a while since I had a good belly laugh, not really been ‘feeling it’ much lately, but today, she got me going. After I had gotten settled into my seat next to her, Gretchen leaned over and asked me, serious as could be, “Have you started your baking yet?” I just lost it! She seemed surprised at how funny it struck me, and she added, “I haven’t started either…” which just made me laugh more. Once I had calmed back down again, she asked me if I had ever been a CHRISTmas baker. Hmmmm…..anyone? Can you answer that? Really, what is the matter with me? I simply cannot remember being much of a baker except for making the cookies with the Hershey kisses pressed into the middle. My favorite memory of that was when Lisa was a little girl, perched on a stool at my counter, unwrapping the foil from the chocolate. She heaved a great sigh and announced, “Whew, this is almost like working…” I can still hear her saying this and remember losing it that day too!

My mother-in-law was an incredible baker, her method of choice was baking as compared to meal prep. She would make pan upon pan of bars, treats, sweets, and cakes to serve over the holidays, plus making the caramel corn I loved so much, and Chex party mix. At my house, cut-out cookies, my all-time favorite, were made and frosted and decorated. Certainly cookies were made in my household, but I am guessing (remember, the memory of doing it myself has faded) my former spouse did it, with me as the helper. Yes,that I remember. And we would gather at the home of the Petskas, my in-law’s in-laws, to ‘color’ cut-out cookies with an egg white mixture. Those are fond memories but still, I laughed so darn hard today, and I thank Gretchen for that. Love it and love her!

Let me recap my day yesterday---after church, I came immediately home as Justin was coming from his service to help me haul my stuff to the car for delivery to church. It surprised me that he beat me home, having to drive about a half hour to get here. He said that Pastor Hoyer has to keep the two services pretty much the same, since the 9:00 a.m. one has to wrap up without going too long after 10:00 a.m. The next service begins at 10:30 with folks arriving early and socializing in their kitchen. Therefore, Justin got out promptly at 11:30 or earlier to make it to my house by noon. My neighbors were using a dolly to unload 1000 bins from Pat’s car, decorations galore. Her friend, Nathan, was taking a load upstairs so I had to wait for the elevator and as I talked to Pat, we heard a horrendous crash from above. Oops! The shattering glass we just heard was the top bin toppling from the dolly as Nathan tried to move from the elevator. Eventually the elevator came back for me with Nathan in it, and a sick look on his face. When I got up to the 3^rd floor, I looked down to the 2^nd and saw red and black ceramic-looking pieces lying around the landing. I felt badly for them both.

Jessica came out on the 4^th floor to ask me what happened, whispering, and I announced in my regular voice that Nathan had a spill with Pat’s CHRISTmas decorations. Evidently her baby was sleeping with the sound of shattered glass coming over his nursery monitor. Oops! Once in my house, I told Justin that we should wait just a couple minutes to allow them to finish getting this batch of bins from the lobby up to Pat’s unit. Good, we can sit for a minute. He was torn as to where to go to watch football and since I was going to be home until at least half time, it worked for him to stay here with me. We switched forth and back between the Packer game and the Jaguar game (both teams ended up losing!) until it was time for me to head back to church, and he headed to his father’s house.

Once at church, the great unloading began. And I worked up a powerful sweat carrying all my bins and boxes into the fellowship hall, hauling in the lectern from church, marking the presents with the corresponding numbers, and setting the spare table. I wanted to have an extra table in case more ladies came than signed up, because as it was, we might have only two seats to spare. Whew! The ladies were good about getting their tables ready, and the 'floating ladies', my favorite kind!, were able to step and fetch for things, including trying to get the battery candles to operate. I gave up with about a half dozen and suggested putting the rest away, not worth the frustration. I could have used a couple more on the lectern, however, as night fell and light faded. The booklets the ladies were using were printed in dark print to make it easier to read, but mine I did in blue, not very dark at all. Oops! Suzanne scooted over to me with an additional battery candle to cast some light on my page. It went well, and I am thankful for all the help and contributors to the event. And was thankful for my bed and nightgown when I got home!

My heart hurts this a.m.

Not actually like chest pains but the other kind. There is sorrow that Kerry, my sister, is again suffering with her excruciating back/leg pain. She was waiting for her spouse to get up and ready himself, wanting to wait until it was light out. I asked Kerry to make sure the doctor's knew how the cortisone injection helped her so greatly last time, so that she can get to work tomorrow. If she does not, Kerry would lose her holiday pay. This is policy, and I lived under those guidelines when I was working in the telephone company business.

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Today instead of Bible study we are again rehashing the experimental services we had at GS. Last week's session was difficult, to say the least, and was hoping this week we would move on to our study of Luther and the Confessions. Most of me wants to skip the 'class' but the other part thinks I should be there to witness, in more ways than one.

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Judy C. had told me that she was going to stay after church to set up for Ladies' Advent Service since she also has Fellowship Sunday today. I called her yesterday to let her know that I would be going home in between church letting out and come back about 2:30 or so because I would need to rest a bit. That would be too long a stay for me, starting at 9:00 a.m. and going home after 5:00....nah! Especially because the Packers are shown on local TV today as well as the Jaguars, and I will at least be able to see parts of the games before going back to church. Justin is coming here after his church service gets out to carry some of the items to the car for me, since he was not coming last night. The young lady with whom we ate lunch a couple weeks ago after Bible study, Sarah, had to suddenly move, so the guys were helping her last night instead. Makes no difference to me when my car gets loaded but I sure would like to have help carrying things into the Fellowship Hall later on! Either way, he would not have been available to do that for me. So, I need to store my strength for lifting and toting and standing later this afternoon. Does that actually work, though?

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The good news is that by mid-week we will see temperatures in the 80's again, but right now, there is frost on the pumpkin. Well, perhaps not THAT bad, but showing presently at 37 above zero. My understanding is that this cold front has affected 3/4 of the nation and I will appreciate it when it is over. Last night was pretty cold for those watching the boat parade downtown, the TV news showing folks wrapped in comforters, enjoying the boats and the fireworks. Two nights in a row with fireworks, first for the tree lighting on Friday night and then last night again. The Lawcock's stay downtown the night of the parade so will not be at church today. They are teaching Sunday school this year and I wonder who is taking their class. It is hard to plan for SS since sometimes a class will have three or four kids, and then the next week, none show up. Soon their class time will be taken up with preparations for the CHRISTmas Eve service, with CHRISTmas4Kids happening next Saturday. Where did the time go?

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After today, rather, late afternoon, the time will be more free for me. The church newsletter is nearly ready to go, so I might e-mail it tomorrow morning, or perhaps even tonight, depending upon how I feel. Pastor called me with the missing information regarding worship times and Bible studies. Next, the condo newsletter must be put together and sent out, requiring less from me than does the church letter. Monday will be Bible study and lunch, Wednesday evening is choir rehearsal. Justin and I will spend Thursday at Bible study, followed by lunch at Maggiano's being provided by one the investment folks, Diane; and seeing "Broke: The Movie" at the Orange Park AMC 24, also with Justin. Thursday is "Justin Day"!!!!! I am so darn funny! Saturday night is the "Messiah" downtown which I will attend with Suzanne plus the choir from Victory. Very nice!

"Write what you know"

In watching a movie tonight on TV, one I have seen multiple times in the past and actually have in my collection, it occurred to me that the playwright, or screen writer, as the case might be, may have done that with this movie. In "Something's Gotta Give", a playwright, Erica, has an unexpected love affair with her daughter's gentleman friend, twice the daughter's age. 'Marin' has moved on, leaving Harry at her mom's beach home to recuperate from a heart attack. The two older folks hit it off but then Erica has her heart broken by the playboy, Harry, when he recovers. Erica, in mourning, proceeds to write the whole story into her play, which then becomes a smashing success on Broadway. So, here's my question: Did this happen to the person who wrote the screenplay for this movie in order for it to translate so perfectly to the big screen? Wow!!, if it did! When talking with young Timothy at Victory the other night, I tried explaining how I can write about something every day as I do, writing what I know. But, it seems I do not know the origin of the screenplay for the movie about a playwriter! Huh....go figure!

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In a totally unrelated event, my upstairs neighbor, Rosemary, with whom Justin and I shared ThanksLiving dinner, called to ask if I had any rosemary she could borrow. What? As it turned out, I did, indeed, have a jar of rosemary in the cupboard, and have absolutely no idea how old it would be. I expect it would predate 2003 since I was separated that year and would not have had any need at all to buy rosemary thereafter. She invited me to her place for dinner, steaks on the barbie, but I graciously declined her invitation, having made a box of mac 'n cheese for my dinner. My tastes are rather simple and do not require seasonings! Rosemary can keep the rosemary....

Not a slow news today!

Just cracked open an ice cold Diet Coke for breakfast, having finished the can begun last night, and it tastes so good! Only a year ago I was determined to wean myself off of Diet Coke, and up until the Great Flood, I had done quite well with the water drinking being added to my consumption of beverages. Somehow I do not drink fewer sodas during the day and do fully intend to add the water back in, one of these days. Perhaps I should begin with bottles of water and see if that helps. Judy J. has encouraged me to taste Propel but it is not that much less money than soda, and given the choice of funky flavored water or soda, I take soda! There is also the Mr. Tea maker on my kitchen counter which could make me flavored water as well. Jessica asked me one day which I prefer to drink: tea or water? Oh, water, hands down. She said, "Well, then, drink the water instead!"

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More than once I have 'complained' about the non-news items on the weekends on "Fox and Friends", but today is jam-packed with news. War games in Korea, a terrorist bombing attack foiled in OR, and PresBO getting an elbow to the face requiring stitches. The last item is right up there with choking on a pretzel when watching football like happened with W.

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Another interesting subject was a study showing folks entering midlife crisis mode much earlier in their lives than in previous studies, and the 'doctor' being interviewed attributed this to stressers. It would seem that folks find themselves under a financial burden from the sad state of the economy, are depressed, and what not. So, between the ages of 35-40, which is younger supposedly than typically recognized as being 'mid-life', men and women are experiencing their crisis. I wonder, then, what differentiates a financial crisis from a mid-life one? The interviewer made the quip about going out to buy a Porsche, which would not be possible in a financial crisis. Calling depression something a bit more socially acceptable is not the wisest way to handle it, if you ask me. People just sort of dismiss mid-life crisis when it is often an offshoot of some thing deep-seated and troubling to the sufferer, causing them to make foolish decisions. Usually not funny decisions.

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Justin found an interesting product on-line the other day. Leave it to American ingenuity to come up with special undergarments to wear when going through the new scanners at the airports. When viewed by the screeners, the text of the 4th Amendment is able to be read due to the type of ink used when printing it on the fabric. This was available on T-shirts and men's undies, which would cover your private parts, so to speak. In case you did not remember, the 4th Amendment deals with 'probable cause' and unlawful search/seizure. It was touted wildly when AZ supplemented the federal illegal alien laws with one of their own, but now, that amendment is being sort of forgotten, all in the name of security.

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In other news----not too much is being made of the brewing problems in Korea, nor with the devaluing of our currency in Russia and China, but yes, please, let us see the Victoria's Secret Holiday underwear. This stuff is making me grumpy, perhaps I need to go back to sleep for a few more hours. But, I am done, waking on my own around 6:30 this a.m. which is much later than the last two previous mornings.

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On the bright side, I had the most marvelous conversation with Linda J. on the phone last night, as I had soooooooooo much to talk to her about! Much of the day yesterday, for me, was spent catching up on missed programs and such while working on the Ladies' Advent Service, hearing interviews with two authors on two separate programs, plus one I heard a second time on a radio show when I was heading to lunch at La Nop (no tow-away this visit!). While I stink at reading, I am determined to get and read these books, one written by a West Point graduate who lost his eyes due to a bomb blast and how the Lord has gotten him through and to his present role as instructor at WP. The other book is by the governor of LA, talking about leadership and such. My kind of reading! Linda is a book collector AND reader, having about six different books going at one time.

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Linda told me about the great fun she had with her three granddaughters during ThanksLiving, keeping the older two through the weekend. She might be taking them to The Read Apple, owned by a former teacher at FG, a shop which sells learning tools and books. Linda is going to look for a certain type of Bible story books and if she finds them there, will pick up a couple for me to give Gabe and Manny. Her little grands, 7 year old twins, were very much enjoying some books they found at "Nina's" so Linda is going to check with Pam to see if they came from The Read Apple.

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Part of the day, besides my lovely lunch with Tracy, Cassidy, and MamMa, was spent getting the last things ready for the Ladies' Advent Service. Today I will put the items into gift bags, even getting a nice bag from Jessica when I picked up her lovely white robe last evening. I feel badly saying this but I sort of cannot wait until this event is behind me. It has been quite stressful and I came very near to cancelling when only 4-5 names were on the list to attend. Miss Carol persuaded me to continue with the plans, that even a couple ladies gathered together would be a lovely event. We now have enough names on the list for three tables so I am going to do an extra table just in case folks come who have not signed up. I am also hoping Justin will come by today to help me carry some of the items to the car.....and then come back on Monday to help me put them away again!

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When I notified folks of my flight itinerary, including Justin, he called me to ask if he should take me to the airport. Sure!!!! And then he said that he would come to church with me, and we would leave from there (thinking the Advent Song Service that Sunday was at GS). I was incorrect about it being at GS, the service will actually be at Victory that day so he can take me from there. I wonder if he knows he will miss the football game that day....or perhaps it's an away game. One second, I will check----yes, it is an away game. No worries then, he can listen on the radio until he gets home again after 'dropping me down' at the airport. Timmy used to say 'drop me down', so it stuck.

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Besides wrapping up my 'presents' for tomorrow's event, gathering table decorations, and such, I plan to go out to Great Hang Ups in support of Small Business Day. Likely I will not stay for an hour as I usually do, but at least lend them some support in a small way, or a large way, in my case!