Home again, home again....

You know the rest of that jingle, so I will spare you. Ah, feels good to be home again. I love going to visit my family and friends, and home church, but it's also good to be back again. You all have been there, right?

My friend, Judy J., picked me up at the airport. She is such a doll to do this for me, always offering if Justin is not available. I was dripping with perspiration  by the time she got to the baggage claim area. My coat was off already but I still sported my sweater and turtleneck, in 75 degree weather, which is normally not that warm for me. It was quite humid, drizzly and damp, just like me!

On our ride home, we discussed the most recent political happenings, so I knew she was feeling better. Judy had been laid up with a wretched cold since before Christmas, and was only now feeling good enough to be up, dressed, and driving. She had made it to church finally on New Year's Eve, as she and I both love that service. It is also her birthday so she must go!

Justin met us at the elevator and greeted me while Judy wrestled the suitcase from the back of the car. Guess she is feeling better!!!! (It weighed in at exactly 50 pounds, much to my relief!) Justin had much to talk about so Judy and I will make plans for a dinner out later in the week.

Oh, I was so glad to see Justin and hug on him in his grunginess, as he had only just gotten home from work. He calls his feet his "Hobbit" feet because the tops are all black and hairy looking after work. So funny! He carted my suitcase up to our unit, after we got the mail, and put my bag on the bench at the end of my bed. It can stay there for a couple weeks, as I strongly dislike unpacking!

Talk, talk, talk! I love it! Instead of going out to dinner we decided to order in from Ming Moon. Oh, how delicious that was! Starting my New Year off right with crab meat wontons. Justin marveled that I ate every one of them, but I had only eaten a single PopTart all day. I had nothing on the planes, no Biscoff's or even a glass of soda. I was good and hungry, so much so that we ate before 7:00 pm. The habit was established when in WI to eat earlier so I asked Justin to help me adjust gradually back into my usual routine. 

Justin made me laugh with one little story: he said he nearly text messaged me in the late night hours to ask me "What have you done to me????" He had gone to bed, and heard a toilet flush somewhere above his room. And then he heard the sound of water....He was walking around the house and listening for it, just like I do!!! He eventually discovered it was a broken sprinkler head wwaayy on the edge of the property of The Club. He had to laugh at how he was reacting to the sound of the water. Laugh, and cry, at what's happened to us around here!!

*****

Something wildly cool happened for me on the flight from Cincinnati to Jacksonville. Last May when I came back from WI, I had chatted with a woman in the waiting area at the gate. As the zones were called, I started down the aisle and saw I was seated with this same lady. She looked up at me and said, "Oh good!" No one has ever said that about sitting about next to me, or any other fat person on a plane. But Kate did!

She was just returning from a mission trip to Africa, and I was reading handouts received by my friends from an evangelism seminar. How fun is that? I told her that I had wished for a highlighter while reading it but was unprepared. Before she got off the plane, she gave me hers. I still have it next to my desk, ready at hand. We talked the entire flight about matters of religion, she being a theology student and mission worker. We have since become Facebook friends, and she lives not far from me, nearer to the beach region of JAX.

So, anyway, yesterday on the last leg of my trip home, I was seated next to a handsome young man who resembled Judy C.'s grandson, David. I did not get his name or information this time. He is a graduate student attending a small theological school near my home. Wow! 

He comes from Grand Rapids, MI and is a minster of music at a Calvinist church. For his graduate studies, his congregation is paying for his tuition to this theology college, located on the property of Grace Episcopal church and school. I guess, from what he said, it is non-denominational, which I never realized until today.

This young man was telling me about gradually introducing the church year to the congregation in which he serves, having to do so a little at a time. I just marveled at him and his ambition to do so, thinking it was sad that the church was not already following this. He said he had a tough time during Advent, using Advent hymns when some of the members were asking for Christmas hymns. Boy, does that sound familiar! I found it interesting that he was now getting the theology background his job needs, but give him immense credit for doing so. 

I just love it how the powers that be (God!!) arrange the seating on the planes for me so perfectly, making that final leg of the journey such a wonderful one! Wish I had gotten his name, can't believe I let him get away!!

Picture this!

 Here I am, sporting my Fanz Fingerz which go with my helmet

My six nephews: Gabe holding Angelo, Manny, Hunter holding Sawyer, and Bryson. Some of the boys were less enthusiastic about this posing thing....

Here is part of our Christmas feast, featuring my version of the strawberry pretzel torte. Mom said it wasn't as good as Justin's but it was good enough...

Catching Up!

I am sooo glad Justin and I went to get the Internet capabilities installed or instituted on this little laptop but am not so glad about getting the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) every little while. I am sure the laptop isn’t happy about having to restart so often either. In a few days I will be home again and on the main Internet access, and yes, I will contest my bill with Verizon. This was unacceptable! When I was at Linda’s house and piggy-backing on their Internet, there were no interruptions of service or BSOD incidents at all. To write my blog, I use Word and then cut/paste it into the blog site as fast as I can so as not to lose any of my valuable content. I think quite highly of myself!

Saturday I was delighted to meet my newer friend, Karen, and her husband, Jim, at the Charcoal Grille for lunch. Karen is the sister to my friend, Judy H., and we three ladies had dinner together in early November in Jacksonville when they were there for their brother’s wedding. It was great to meet Karen’s spouse and track the family line backward to people I knew and went to school with at FG and MLHS. Love those WELS connections! From there I went to Festival Foods to pick up a few things, including some more puff caramel corn before I leave for home.

My sister’s son and family were visiting from the Janesville area and we crowded, no exaggeration, into her 2^nd floor apartment for her grandson’s birthday party. The community room in Mom and Jill’s building had people using it already so we were confined to quarters, tight quarters, that day. We had about 15 people in there, 6 of whom were little boys! Jill and Lynn each have 3 grandsons---imagine that from a family of girls. Alayna loves to play with the kids and is so good with them. The cake turned our teeth a delightful shade of blue or black, depending upon our piece choice.

For dinner that night I made a hamburger, potato, and beans casserole which Mom was hungry for, since I made it for Stephanie and Jean a few weeks ago. It was not as good this time, without the strips of bacon for added flavor, but yet, was good enough for us. I think we watched NCIS that evening, Mom’s favorite crime show. She refers to the cast as being her family. I see many resemblances to the actual family!

Sunday morning was church, and with no Bible study being held, a group of us went to Perkin’s for breakfast. No waiting at 9:00 a.m.! Tommy and Linda were with us, as planned, plus Alayna and, of course, Lynn. My cousin, Larry, and his family was there for breakfast after church, too. I was so glad to see them! Now I saw his sister and he on the same visit! Cheryl works at ShopKo and we found her there on one shopping outing. Larry was going to see his grandma, Marie, who was in the hospital, after breakfast. 

After breakfast we came back here and then visited my Auntie Marie, battling pneumonia, at the hospital. She was doing pretty good, up in the chair and not in any discomfort, other than mad about being served an ADA menu. She is 92, for goodness sake, let her eat cake! She had Larry set the TV up so she could watch the Packer game. She is such a hoot!

Being my birthday, I fully expected a Packer victory but sadly, it was not to be! These past few weeks of being here I have enjoyed watching the games with my sister, Lynn, plus, one week, Kerry. As I told someone the other day, the game could have gone either way when it was tied up, but it went the other way than I wanted! Next week the Packers will play the Vikings again, this time at Lambeau. I expect better results there, since it will be my sister, Kerry’s, birthday!

Lynn paid for my breakfast at Perkins plus gave me a bottle of shower gel from Bath and Body Works. Oh, it smells divine! Linda treated me to a manicure the other day at Rose Colored Glasses and Dolly bought me lunch at The Green Street Tavern. I am fed, sodaed, and will smell good…I am all set!

Some photos

 Justin sent me this photo tonight taken of the full moon on the river

 My nephew, Sawyer, at his brother's birthday party today

Mom is modeling her new outfit, given to her by Lori and David for Christmas

...and more snow!

Not feet deep but enough to mess up my plans for today! I was originally planning to get the laundry done today and then head to my friend/cousin, Yvonne’s, house by mid-morning. Before I was to leave, though, she sent me a message saying that if I wanted to wait a day, she would understand. The guys on the radio were saying the roads were getting slick and since her home is in the country, well, another day might be better. I only hope there is one!!

My other plans included lunch with Linda and her sister, Georgia, at Time Out Restaurant. We still did that except without GA because she was working. Linda and I nearly had the place to ourselves since it was just noon when we ate. She had gotten out of work early in order to run some errands first, including paying the real estate taxes for the year, along with a lineful of other people with the same plan. I remember doing that when we lived up here yet.

Last May I had eaten at this place and had the best breaded perch. Oh my! The coating was almost like shredded wheat and when I asked for that today, the waitress almost laughed at me. She had never heard that description before and had to ask the kitchen manager if he knew what I was talking about. They offer hand-breaded perch and batter fried, and because they didn’t know which one I preferred, they gave me some of each! Very nice! I did like the batter-fried better, and guess the type I had in May was a fluke or something. I ate every bit of my perch and shared an order of onion strings with Linda. We sat in the window and watched the snow come down, and schnuddered. More customers did come in, but we sat the longest!

While I was there, my sister, Jill, called to warn me that the police scanner reported cars going in the ditches, etc. so instead of going visiting elsewhere, I simply came back to Mom’s. I likely could have made a couple more stops but for safety’s sake and peace of mind all around, I came home. It’s hard to believe that my time here is already coming to an end and some folks have not been visited yet!

 Angelo playing his grandma's computer

I had planned a Dinner and a Movie night at Mom’s this evening but my sister, Lynn, won’t be able to make it. She is watching her grandsons at her home since Thursday afternoon, and because of the weather, has them one more night. She is all set with sufficient diapers for Angelo, and the two older boys are keeping busy with Pokemon cards and watching TV. Angelo will be the guy to keep occupied, and I wish her well. Maybe they went outside to build a snow man in that packy snow! I still made my casserole which Mom and I will enjoy after Jeopardy! is over. (I nearly wrote “Justin and I”---guess I miss my boy!) We won’t watch the movie though without Lynn, as she’s never seen “You’ve Got Mail”. Guess we will find something else to watch tonight instead.

Tomorrow I am meeting my friend, Karen, and her husband, at The Charcoal Grille. They are coming down from Green Bay and I am so excited! Karen is the sister of my friend, Judy Hutchens, and I had met her in person last month when she came to FL for their brother’s wedding. In the afternoon we are having a birthday party for my nephew’s birthday, if Jamie’s family feels healthy enough to make the trip from the Janesville area. They have been plagued with coughs, colds, and strep throat in their household. There is a nephew, Sawyer, whom I have never met, so I do hope they can make it.

I might run out of Saturday to go visit Yvonne….she might have to pencil me in for Sunday or Monday afternoon!

I am so gorgeous!

At least my hands are, anyway.  Linda and I went to Rose Colored Glasses yesterday to have our nails done.  Linda goes every few weeks for a nail touch up or a re-do as she wears acrylic ones. When I am in town, I join her at the salon and sometimes have a pedicure there. This was my first time having a manicure and it took two ladies to make it so!

Let me back up a bit, though. Our day began early with meeting Lori, David, and Dusty for breakfast at Fork and Knife. Mom, Lynn, Jill, Danny and I rounded out the group. Alayna couldn’t make it because she slept too late and didn’t see her text messaged invitation. We had a very nice breakfast together, saying ‘good-byes’ after we finished up. I was going to FG to help Linda with the bulletins and some of the others were going their own way too. Lori and family came to Mom’s and spent several hours here with her.

From church Linda and I met some friends at Harborside. Lynn was coming too, having been told of the time to be there by Linda. I was attempting to call Lynn to tell her what time to meet us but somehow my phone had gone into ‘airplane mode’ and I couldn’t dial out. Weird! When I got to the restaurant, I used their phone to call Lynn so she could come over. By the time I figured out my phone, the battery had died entirely. Ugh, so frustrating!

Linda had some friends she wanted me to meet so I once again dined with Angie, and met another lady friend, Chris. She is from First German and Linda attends the Wellness Center with her as well. Another friend, Debbie, was unable to join us (again!) due to an appointment. Her loss! They all exchanged gifts, having that mostly accomplished before Lynn arrived. I gave Linda her framed photo which Dee had modified for me and Julia framed. She loved it, and will use the little easel for displaying it at her office. Linda has such nice friends, and Lynn sort of knew them from the Center as well.

Linda and I have a joke about using our ‘spa voices’ at Rose Colored Glasses, and had agreed to enter whispering. Linda had to move her car over a few spots because of having the tires marked by the police. Must be a two hour limit or something. I stood on the sidewalk while she attempted to move the car, but she somehow set off the alarm, and didn’t know how to make it stop. So much for whispering at the salon! Finally she got it shut off and moved the car over, with me laughing on the sidewalk.

When we got inside, the owner, John, told us the ‘spa voices’ rule was suspended for us. Whew! Nicole, John’s wife, did tell us that a massage was going on so we were back to spa voices again. All the nail seats were taken but a temporary table was set up off to the side. John maneuvered it around so my back would not be to Linda. Nice!

I chose a color of polish similar to that which I had at Mom’s house in case I chip it. I do work so hard that my nails suffer for it! This salon is such a class-act, a real treasure in a small town. I wish more people knew about it, but it seems to always be busy. It was yesterday! The young lady who started my nails had another client come in, a first-timer, so a different young lady came to finish up. I loved it! They both admired my “Phantom of the Opera” ring and I told them the story of how Justin gave it to me for Mother’s Day about 8 years ago.

                      

When Linda and I left, she took me to church to get my car, and I came back to Mom’s. Lori and family were still here so I got to say ‘good-bye’ to them once more. Dusty was trying to connect with a friend he knew in town but was unable to do so, which was why they stuck around longer. Worked out great for me! They got home to Holmen by 9:30 pm, safe and sound.

Lynn had asked Mom and I to dinner at her house. Jill would have come along but had plans made to go shopping with a work friend in Appleton. Lynn prepared sauerkraut and pork which was quite delicious. First we watched Jeopardy! and then ate dinner. Afterwards we watched a DVD made at Lynn’s retirement party. Oh, was it ever nice!! Lynn had to take in photos from infant to adulthood and a slide show was presented of those who retired. I even showed up in a couple of the slides. It was very nicely done, and Lynn’s speech was brief as she struggled to maintain composure. It was tough for her but she did it! I was so glad to see it, and to hear the nice things folks had to say about her. Previously I had read her cards and seen the gifts that folks had given her, and now saw the DVD. What a treasure it is! As my grandma Sickles used to say, “They must have liked her!” She is right!

Just some photos

This is a view from the back of First German Ev. Lutheran Church

 Angelo is modeling the Woody pajamas Justin and I gave him for Christmas

 I am sporting my fabric Green Bay Packer football helmet which I stole in the white elephant gift exchange!

Manny is wearing his Angry Birds hat I gave him for Christmas