A quiet Reformation Day

I have set the two kitchen digital clocks back an hour but have yet to stop my grandfather clock in the dining room. We gain an hour of sleep/rest tonight due to the end of daylight saving time. I sure won't mind the additional hour of sleep but am sure it's going to mess with my head for at least a week. We might have all kinds of people at Bible study tomorrow if our members forget to reset the clocks. Fortunately my electronics do it themselves so I don't have to worry about that. 

Justin has been home with me all day, confessing to me this a.m. that he has a tooth bothering him. It has been acting up every since he took a chip out about two months ago. His reason for not telling me?  He didn't want me to tell him to get it fixed. I know he can't get off work for things like dentist appointments but certainly we could have made some arrangements. Well, now it's keeping him awake, or waking him up. Fortunately for him, his winter schedule begins as of Monday so he can go in and get it repaired. Hopefully a filling will do the trick and he won't lose the tooth. Having your dentist as a friend sure doesn't hurt---I communicated with her this a.m. and we are all set for Monday.

This morning I got the church newsletters printed off for those who get the special color version plus I wrote out the Ladies' Group Minutes. They were e-mailed to Terri and printed for my records.  In between I made my baked beans for tomorrow and had them cooking on the stove for a couple hours. Oh, how good they smelled! My lunch was the last of one of the egg casseroles leftover from yesterday's luncheon, which was delicious. The recipe described it as being 'can't miss' and that it was!

My friend, Kathy H., enjoyed the casseroles so much that she asked for the recipes. Her niece is getting married and Kathy is helping her brother with the wedding stuff. One thing she has to do with Gary is prepare breakfast one of the mornings. I e-mailed her the recipes today so she can make use of them. She was thankful to taste-test them yesterday and knows they are delicious! AND, she is much more comfortable in the kitchen than am I so certainly this will work out nicely for them. 

Justin had a coupon soon to expire from Papa John Pizza so we decided to have that for dinner. He was ordering it online and given a time of delivery of 70 minutes. Normally it's much less than that but with the big college football game going on we figured that extended the delivery time. It should arrive just right for us to eat and then watch Jeopardy!  

I was also expecting my little neighbor girl to come by trick or treating so when the doorbell rang, I went running to see Oakley's costume. Instead it was the pizza lady, with her face painted, bringing our dinner. Only about 30 minutes had passed and we were surprised she was there already. Well, we ate dinner early tonight but still watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeppy. And Oakley was a no show---shoot! I had gotten her some little gifts as usual so perhaps I'll deliver them to her grandma's house tomorrow or the next day. 

This is my kind of Reformation Day----nice and quiet. Tomorrow will be the other kind with the Festival being celebrated at two services. I am so looking forward to tomorrow but boy, will it be a busy one. Two Sundays in a row where I'll be exhausted, but well fed!

Michael sent me this photo while we were eating dinner. Yes, I can just smell them...mmmm! Mike and he are making smoked Boston butts plus the brats as we are hosting the area congregations for the Reformation Festival. It will smell wonderful during Bible study in the morning---bbq!

A blessed event!

Today my neighbor, Kay, and I have had the pleasure of hosting an event to bring attention to the Clay PACE Center for Girls which recently opened for this county's girls 'at risk'. I have written about this on more than one occasion, the first time after I heard Senator Bradley speak at the Republican Women's meeting last June. The State budget had been tweaked and tucked but somehow some funding was found to support this important program. Primarily the PACE program offers girls a chance to get caught up academically in a non-threatening and safe environment, plus provides them with social support and skills so they can be ready when they leave school and move into the workforce, etc. 

Here are some photos from the gathering:

 Apple dumplings which Justin started last night and I finished this a.m.

 Kay bought the fancy cupcakes and the fruit tray. I made breakfast casseroles. This one was the easiest and went the quickest.

This casserole was intended for the slow cooker but I had concerns about it being lost in the bottom of it. Justin researched the conversion for me so I could bake it instead and happily turned out perfectly! Made with cinnamon rolls, heavy cream plus eggs.

This is the table before the ladies started their breakfast

The Executive Director of PACE, Destiny, addressed the ladies. Seated is Kathy M. and standing is Kay, my fellow hostess

 Kay got a turn to speak to the group as a representative of the Board for PACE. Seated from left are Susan, Lynn, Judy C., Debbie, Betty, Jacquie, and Kathy M. 

 This young woman, a student at PACE, was a riveting speaker, sharing her story of how she found the program and how it's benefiting her. More than one person besides myself found themselves counting their blessings after hearing what kind of life she's had. But Tay Tay is full of hope for her future, announcing she wishes to become an entrepreneur and motivational speaker. I think today her career began!

 While Kay addressed the group, Terri, Destiny, and Kimberly, against the wall, the lady who gave Nancy and me the tour in August, listened. In the foyer you can see the piles of items donated by the ladies to make available for the girls at PACE to purchase with points they earn during the week for meeting goals and such. Even people who couldn't be there dropped off items for the girls.  (Click the photo to see the piles better)

It was our privilege to host this event and am blessed to have these generous ladies in my life and today, in my home. I even had people ask to be invited---how about that? I am already thinking about whom to invite for the next one, probably after New Year. 

The ladies were able to fill out cards with their contact info and a place to sign up for tours. I didn't get a look at the cards to see how many did that, but my guess is that a good portion are more than interested. 

Thankfully Terri and Debbie helped get the donations hauled down to the car and then helped me tidy up. Terri even helped Kay carry her stuff home again while I put my stuff away. In no time it was all cleaned up, looking like nothing happened. Terri and I sat for a bit before she had to get back for work. My bones and muscles like it that I am now resting, too. They are exhausted but thrilled right along with the rest of me!

Fall Fest Sunday

Today our church was having more than one event including our monthly Fellowship Sunday plus a Fall Fun Fest for the kids. Before church one of the ladies involved in putting this together expressed her concern that there would be no kids, but we did end up with about 8, four of whom were non-members. I feel badly for the groups who go through so much effort and then we don't have the expected participation. My goddaughter, Sarah, had her two cousins there which helped, the youngest boy being in our preschool. They enjoyed the bounce house, bobbing for apples, having balloon shapes made, pumpkin painting tables and other set ups. My group left when Judy had the Fellowship stuff taken care of, and went to have lunch.

Terri prompted Gretchen and Ethel to pose by the hay bales after church. The ladies didn't want to sit down and get hay in their pants so they stood. So funny!

Judy's granddaughter, a student at UF, doesn't care for Chili's so we went this week to Sam's St. Johns Seafood. I am not ordinarily a fish eater but at this place I do like their fried pollack. Michael was able to take home the cheese grits which automatically come with the meal. He took home three people's portions so will eat for several days! Those of us who were able to track the progress of the Jaguar game which had begun at 9:30 a.m. in London, did so. While we were dining, the Jags won!! Something cool happened as we sat chatting at our table---a lady passed by on her way to the door and softly spoke to me. I didn't really hear all she said but Victoria asked me, "Did you know that lady? She said you look beautiful..." Shoot! I wish I'd understood and said something as nice in return, rather than just smiling at her. 

Justin was at Jesse's to watch the game and enjoy chicken wings. Who eats wings at that hour? But they don't care. He is also making Fruity Pebble waffles. Jesse is superstitious, likes to do the same things done the last time the Jags win, so I guess they will have to stay and play in London!!!  Next week is a BYE so Justin will be in church again. 

November 1st we are hosting a joint Reformation service with three other congregations in our area, one church over an hour away. Supposedly there will be a combined choir but when I talked to Anne from Victory she said they hadn't been rehearsing anything. Oh, oh...our choir was planning on some support from across the river and I hope that changes by next weekend. Today we had two people in our rehearsal besides the director and accompanist. The other folks, three of whom were teens, were involved in the Fall Fest, so an alto and soprano practiced our hymns. We are using one from the Supplement and one from hymnal. Interestingly, we are singing "God's Word is Our Great Heritage" to the tune of Ein Feste Burg which really takes some concentration!! 

At Easter this year, H & B were visiting from WI and attended Good Shepherd with Justin and me. This time they are planning to attend worship at Victory and Harv's brother is going with them. Pastor H. told me he always celebrates Reformation on the last Sunday of October so they are singing "Ein Feste Burg" today. I understand that besides the adult choir, they are having a children's choir singing as well. I am sure it was an awesome service. 

What a good day!

This evening Justin and I entertained my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Harv and Barb, visiting from our home town. Harv,  Justin's godfather, and his wife, are staying with his brother who had other plans for the evening so they were all ours. Justin and I met them at "Koko's" (aka Saigon Tokyo) for an early dinner, as Justin reminded me that they are from WI...Ha ha. Our friends and family from up north eat earlier than we do, usually, and we don't want anyone to pass out. While Justin and I waited for them, Tracy, the owner, came over to sit with us to chat, and offered us a complimentary appetizer to enjoy before dinner. Very nice!

H & B were a bit late as they got involved watching a college football game, the WI Badgers, but time was not an issue for us. We enjoyed our meal and the conversation, plus the little show that Eddie put on for us while cooking our meals. Thanks to the appetizer and the bounteous portions, both Barb and I had leftovers to go with us. Justin had the sushi meal so never has leftovers and Harv ordered scallops which he cleaned right up. 

I rode home with H & B to show them the way, as the last time they were at my home, Easter time, they followed me. Justin went ahead in my car, and when we got here, he had the front door open for us. We spent the rest of the evening in the family room, talking, after checking the final score of the Badger game. Fortunately for us Justin had no other plans for the evening so he could stay to visit with his auntie and uncle. Barb had just lost her mom in the last couple of weeks, a lady dear to Justin and me, so we talked a bit about that. Mainly her concerns were locating the items her mom had wanted for her funeral including items which were placed in her coffin. That touched me. 

My neighbor, Ellen, shared this photo with me, taken tonight

Just before they were leaving tonight, we enjoyed an up close and personal fireworks show. Our building had been notified that there would be such a show, put on by the wedding families at The Club, but I had forgotten, even though I was the one who shared the information!! H & B liked it, too, saying they'd never seen one quite so close. It was just to the north of our building, in full sight of The Club. Wow!  Justin and I pull out all the stops when company comes!!

Earlier in the day I was invited to breakfast with Terri, once again meeting at Grumpy's. The second time in a week! I had misfiled my gift certificate from Grumpy's (have now found it) so had to actually pay for my lunch. I have almost enough left on the certificate for one more meal, courtesy of my CO kids!  The hostess seated us at the 'romantic' table, a two-top situated in the corner. When Terri found me there she said, "No one puts Baby in a corner!", ala "Dirty Dancing", which was humorous. But it was okay to be out of the way of all the traffic this restaurant has.

We had asked Judy to join us since she was over at church but she was going to see her grandson play soccer. She doesn't babysit for him any longer so this is an opportunity for her to see him again. We'll have lunch tomorrow so that's okay if she misses out this one time. When talking on the phone this a.m. Judy told me she had gone over this week and trimmed our friend, Betty's, shrubs which had extended beyond the sidewalk, blocking her path. That Judy is something else!

This afternoon I talked for some time with Linda, this time on the phone instead of the computer. She had an absolutely amazing evening at church last night for a marriage 'retreat' type of event. That will be a whole 'nother posting, I am afraid. I am so glad for her, and for Tommy, and those others who were able to participate. I was cool to be hear her voice again, though there is nothing ever stopping us from calling, we simply choose other methods of communication these days!

All day plans

The morning started with a jaunt over to The Club to meet Nancy for breakfast. She was going to be short on her monthly minimum, thanks to the cabana being closed! I had met mine having dinner with my friends on Casual Grille Night for Pat's birthday a few weeks ago. Thanks to Happy Hour and Trivia she used part of her minimum and our breakfast should probably get her closer, if not there. Sometimes it doesn't seem to take long, as singles has a lower requirement, as expected. Anyway, I was hungry for some of their delicious bacon. Woe is me, there was no hot buffet today!!

As I walked over, this black cat had me in its sights!

There is a major event being held at The Club tonight so the group which usually meets on Friday mornings was not there. Nancy and I ordered from the menu instead and got orders of bacon from the kitchen which was not done the same as on the buffet. It had to do, I guess. Of course, it was just fine and we enjoyed our breakfasts. We talked about the upcoming PACE event I am hosting next week Friday. I am getting so excited about it.

This rose was along the pool fence as I walked back home.

While I would have liked to stay to talk some more, I had stuff to take care of at home before turning around to meet my next appointment, this time at Panera. I was meeting my friend, Carol, there. We don't usually have lunch but today was different. I got my favorite mac 'n cheese with a to-go box for the balance of it. Half is even too much, quite filling, especially since having bacon and toast for breakfast!  She had a turkey sandwich and we shared a cherry Danish. We talked for hours, catching up on missed news. She spends much time in the mountains at their other home so I now cherish the moments!

This later afternoon one of my friends from the pool, Debbie, came by with some donations for the PACE event next week. She was ill, having just come from the doctor but insisted she felt good enough to swing by. It was funny that she met my co-host, Kay, in the elevator and told her she had stuff for the event. Debbie was quite generous in her donations, even purchasing new board games besides her other hygiene and beauty aid items for the girls. Awesome!  Kay and I invited the ladies from our building and those from our water exercise class, plus I was contacted by two people who asked to attend. How about that??

New friends and old ones

Not too long ago I got home from The Club where it was Happy Hour and Trivia night. I walked over there after finishing my chat time with Linda via Facebook while watching The Five. As I approached the building, a group of ladies sitting at the bar in the garden room turned to look at me so I waved. Once inside, I went over to the group where my friend, Kim the Second, was seated with her friend whom I've met before, and two other ladies. Kim introduced me to them, Clare and her friend, Cora. I mentioned them all looking at me and they said that Kim told them how I always match my outfits so that's what they were looking at. My shoes matched my top as did my earrings---I do have a reputation to uphold!

Kim and her friend were going to be playing Trivia but due to Kim's physical maladies so they went back to sit at the bar. Clare and Cora sat at the table and we played as a small team. Clare and her husband just joined The Club and this was her first outing. I hope she enjoyed herself, and that Cora did as well, so they come again. She gave me her contact information in order for us to get together another time. I love it! We lost at Trivia but had a great time doing so!!

I have to do my homework for tomorrow as we are getting ready to finish off Isaiah with chapter 66. What a wonderful trip this has been---looking back, and to the present, and to the future through the words of this prophet and his inspired writings. Next time we are studying the two Timothys and then into Titus. This came about from a suggestion I made after Harold made an errant comment to me about voting. That brought up I Timothy and now, our next course of study. Thanks, Harold, for stepping into it!!

A "Hold Thou Thy Cross" type of day

October is the month where, among other things, miscarriages or stillbirth losses are recognized. I find myself joining them in their losses though I did get to enjoy my child for 5 years. This morning I began my day by reading one of the blogs I follow where the pastor wrote about the roots of hymn "Abide With Me". He relates the history of the author and includes the hymn stanzas in his posting. The closing one I will go out on a limb and say 'always' tears me up: "Hold thou my cross before my closing eyes, shine through the gloom and point me to the skies; heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me." Sigh....

Later at Bible study we were in Colossians, talking about how the people then (and now) were looking to angels and other types of mysticism in a worshipful sense. There was discussion involving certain TV programs showing haunted places in St. Augustine, and how can the 'screams' coming from the buildings be explained. Pastor talked about the ability of the devil to do such things attempting to work against people's faith and what the Bible says. This was an interesting conversation. 

It was additionally brought up about the people who have 'been to heaven and come back', how is that explained. Whether those people actually 'see' heaven or if they experience physiological or drug induced visions...The Bible is the only source we need for describing heaven and how one gets there. I mentioned the great comfort I get from the words Christ spoke from the cross to the criminal next to Him: "Today you shall be with me in paradise". He doesn't tell the guy he has to linger and haunt buildings, nor would the criminal get a peek and then come back to earth. Nope, He said today, and that is quite comforting to me. 

We talked about what we think heaven will be like, our only true reference source again being the Bible. I brought up, through involuntary tears, a portion of a fiction book I read a few years ago called "The Shack". That book was really out there, but I did enjoy the portion when the father whose daughter was murdered was given a glimpse of heaven. There he saw Jesus playing with little children in a meadow, and his daughter stopped playing long enough to acknowledge him and indicate her joy of being in heaven. Of course, that just blew me away, such a beautiful picture. The Bible does not indicate this will occur but tells us about the bliss beyond compare, where angels are surrounding the throne and singing God's praises day and night. Just thinking about that evokes tears. 

At lunch I shared a picture with the ladies which was sent by Angelo's grandma (he is my great nephew) of him showing my mom his new Kindle. This 5 year old got the Kindle on his birthday, imagine that! I told the ladies how happy I was that Angelo was celebrating his 5th birthday, and got teary eyed again. There is just something about little boys and their 5th birthday that gets me. I am thankful to have the friends I do, who don't care if a tear or two slips out. In my car was a bouquet of flowers which had graced our worship yesterday. Betty donated them to me after the service for placing at the cemetery. And she never knew Timmy. I love that, so thoughtful of her. She told me today she is having flowers on ThanksLiving too and said I can have those for Timmy's grave as well. 

Justin and I were planning to have dinner out tonight, his pay day, but he came home with a headache, which he'd had all day. We instead ate leftovers for dinner. I have a headache of my own, I think it's my usual crying headache. At least I hope it is so tomorrow when I wake up, it will gone. And I hope Justin's headache is gone in the morning, too. Poor guy!