Puppy Love

When you've been married for 37 years, do you still call it puppy love?  Some call puppy love shallow and temporary - - but it also carries the connotation of adoring, worshipful admiration given by a young dog to its owners.  Bill and I still adore each other but also have seen many stages of love and we think where we are at now is wonderful.  We appreciate each other more and recognize that you have to be thankful for each day God gives you together.

 

If you're fortunate, God gives you additional blessings and allows you to live nearby so you can see them often.

These pictures were taken in the fellowship hall of the church where Amanda and Joshua and Benjamin are members.  Josh is the youth pastor there.  That is in addition to his full-time job during the week.  This was a fund-raising luncheon on Valentine's weekend.  It was a lot of fun.  Their church is very welcoming and loving.

 

However there is a new dog in our lives.  Her name is Dolly.  She was a stray who was not claimed or reported.   Dolly is one of the best-behaved and gentle canines we have ever owned or know.  She is great with the grandson, too.  Our vet acts like we won the dog lottery when we got her!

 This critter LOVES to ride in the car and does NOT understand why she can't go every time we go.  The one ride she knows is hers though is in the morning when I go to get Benjamin from Monday - Friday.  Since we are coming right back home, she is able to take the trip downtown, too.  You will probably see more pictures of her in the future!

Spelled WRONG!!

I can't believe I spelled the name of the restaurant wrong!!!   It is Ocoee Dam Deli - - - - like structures that hold back water - - - because it is located by the TVA Dam #1 in Ocoee.

All the sandwiches are named for different dams around the United States.  I am so embarrassed for my mistake - - - because it misrepresented them - - - and because I rarely spell anything wrong.  I have fixed the previous post.

http://www.ocoeedamdeli.com/#&panel1-1 

Old(er) People

You are about to see some "old news"  The first two were taken January 4 at Amanda & Joshua's home.  We were there to celebrate a couple of birthdays.  Mine was one of them.

 

The other one was for Josh's grandmother who turned 79.  The family surprised her by inviting all her siblings to attend.  (When the cake is turned 180 degrees, the ages are correct!)  This is just one of three celebrations.  Some of my friends gave me a yummy nacho party with some really unique gifts.    Our family also had dinner at Ocoee Dam Deli on the actual date.

 

Last September, Bill had a milestone birthday.  He turned sixty!  He keeps trying to catch up to me but hasn't yet.  The Sunday before his date, we were volunteering in the church library.  Friends came in to give him cards and wish him Happy Birthday.  Amanda brought Benjamin to visit us for a surprise.  (Her husband is a youth pastor at another church and had obligations there that morning.)

Bill, too, had mulitple celebrations.  At his work, one of his bosses made him sit in a wheelchair for their weekly staff meeting.  He was rolled around the room and introduced to the others in the "Sixty-Plus Club".  Bill and Joshua shared a birthday luncheon with Joshua's Family.  A couple of days after that, we went to Ocoee Dam Deli.  They are one of the restaurants that still gives a free meal on your birthday.  We like to eat there at other times, too.

As the saying goes, "Better late than never" (for posting).  And now I have it for my Scrapbook!

Spring Break

Don't you love springtime?!! 

The time of year when beautiful colors bloom 

against the brown landscape of the leftover winter.

 

The additional beauty of it is that we did not plant any of these.

They were here before we moved in 18 years ago.

Here's another pretty thing.  When you shop at Bi-Lo, you get fuel perks.  Ours had accumulated to an eighty-seven cent discount per gallon of gas for the car.  Then Publix had another incentive - - - a $50 gas card for $40 (when you spent $50 on groceries).  We saved $26 on our last fill-up!!!

 

 The items below are favorites of ours, too.   At least they were last week - - - when we were VERY SICK with a bad coughing cold virus.  Bill, Benjamin, and I all had it.  PRAY you don't get it.  It makes you super tired while you cough with every few breaths.  Plus it took my sense of smell and taste for four days.  The interesting thing is no fever accompanied it.    We both agreed that it was about the sickest we have been in a long time.  It was a rough week but life is about back to normal.  We occasionally need "not normal" to appreciate routine.

 

Schools are on spring break this week so I may get a chance to do some blogging.  I have about decided that there is not time to post on the weeks I am babysitting our precious grandson.  So I have not made it a priority.   Life is flying by too quickly with him as it is.  We don't want to miss a minute of it.  I have read most of your posts - - even if I haven't had time to comment.  I will not be offended if you don't leave comments on mine.  Summer is right around the corner and there will be time once again to enjoy visiting with each of you!

The first step . . . .

The first step is ridding yourself of a problem is admitting you have one - - right?

Or maybe the first step in organization is using Post-its to mark articles/recipes/websites in magazines that you want to save for future use.

And the first step to decluttering is to either bookmark the websites or scan the information and put it in folders on your computer.

Long story -  - short - - - - About ninety magazines are now ready to be donated to our public library where they can be sold in the Friends of the Library Store.  That money is then used for library improvements or purchase of materials.

 

This was a good activity for me to do when "snowed in".

 

I took the pictures just before sunrise.  Snow was already beginning to fall off the branches and I wanted to remember all we had.  We were blessed in that we never lost power and all our family was safe on the days they had to travel.  Also, no trees or large limbs came down on our property.

My sister, who lives near Augusta, has been without power since Wednesday about 11 am.  They probably won't have it back before Monday because of the horrible ice storm they got.  Fortunately she has a wood fireplace - - - and a daughter 30 minutes away where she can go and enjoy electricity!!!

All in all (taking all things into account), life is sweet and what more could you want on Valentine's Day?!!!

Misc.

Has anyone else tried the Boar's Head Rosemary/Sun-dried Ham?  It is delicious - - - especially if you make it as a slider on the Hawaiian Rolls with a small slice of swiss cheese and thin slivers of pineapple between the ham.  Pop it in the microwave long enough to slightly melt the cheese.  Quite yummy!  That ham would be quite tasty on a pizza, too.

 

Benjamin and I started Kindermusik this semester.  It is quite informative regarding development and entertaining activity, too.

He got his first stomach virus last night.  It is going all around town.  You don't even want me to give you a list of those who have had it.  It's too long and you don't know the people!  We are praying his parents don't get it or Grammy either!

Our older daughter turned THIRTY-FIVE this week.  She requested a sewing party with me and her sister after we had dinner here.  Both girls have been re-fashioning "previously loved" clothing.  They can find almost new items for next to nothing at consignment stores.  I am impressed at the new designs they create.

Bill and I had not watched any Downton Abbey episodes before Christmas.  I received Season One as a requested gift.  We are now two episodes away from finishing Season Two - - recently started watching two a night!  We will be about caught up with everyone else in a couple of weeks.  We are enjoying it.

And my list of projects still is long but I got to work a bit more in the basement today - - - sorting and tossing.  I should take pictures of the bags I take to the trash or give to stores like Goodwill or ReStore!  It would be truly gratifying.  Also, I should begin counting how much I take to the recycling center.  How do two adults use so much "stuff" that can be repurposed?  Do you all have recycling centers or curbside pick-up?  The latter would be a luxury!

And I hope to have more pics next time.

Winter Fun?

It may not look like much but it took Bill three hours to get home from work when it usually only takes twenty minutes.  At most of the major intersections, there seemed to be a problem.  Bill is waiting it out at the Hardee's just past the Denny's.  There were seventeen cars involved in this.  (Pic from local news.) Just up over the hill behind these cars was a similar scene.  Long story short, Bill arrived home safely.  Praise God!  I didn't realize how concerned I was about him until I about burst into tears when he walked in the door.

 All our kids made it home safely, too - - took a little longer than usual but there were no mishaps on the way.  Another Praise God!

 

Our driveway is to the right of these trees.

I cleared it twice this afternoon - - - was able to use the leaf blower!

Our house is on the right of the below picture.  That hill will not be clear or probably even sanded.  We generally have to wait for the sunshine to do its work.  But everyone is warm in their homes tonight so we will rest well and think about the roads . . . . 

 . . . . .tomorrow . . . . .

Hope you all are warm and safe tonight, too.

P.S.  THANK YOU all for the help with my comments question!