January?

 

Do you see what's blooming here?  

This is not supposed to happen in January.  And tonight, the forecast is for below freezing so the flowers may be deceased tomorrow.

However, our winter rye should be fine.  Remember it was sown about three weeks ago?  It started growing this week!  I was quite excited to see the results.  The straw looks the size of branches but that gives you an idea of how tiny the grass is.

The above picture was taken with my 'macro' turned on.  I know many of you probably use it a lot.  However, I am camera/computer shy unless someone tells me what to do.  I don't experiment cuz I don't want to break anything.

Well, this week, I started a community digital photography class at Cleveland State Community College.    We will have six 90 minute classes once a week.  This week's class was entitled "How do I Work this Thing?"  Our instructors are fun, very knowledgeable, and talk quickly - - - so we learn a lot in our little time.  This week we were told to keep our camera on program, highest resolution, and practice.

As you can see, I was fascinated with the macro setting.  That's my water bottle and below is a small hand-painted vase.

Before class I had a quick supper with our older daughter at Chick-Fil-A.  On Friday, my husband and I ate lunch with friends at our favorite Mexican Restaurant.  Today - - some of our favorite men visited us again!

 Remember last week my husband was scraping the "texture" off the ceiling?  We knew we couldn't paint over it because some had already started to fall.  Plus we like the look of a flat ceiling.

  

Our kitchen had an old fluorescent light fixture recessed into the middle of the ceiling which of course did not illuminate the counter tops adequately.  We decided to replace it with the canned lights.

 And here is the finished product  - - thanks to our contractor, Mark Beaty, his assistant, Tyler, and Ownby Eelctric!

 (hmmmmmm - - something didn't come out right with that pic - - - - see the "texture in it?)  The patch in the ceiling still needs another application of drywall mud and then it will be ready to paint next week.  My poor husband - - - it's a never-ending story with those paint cans!  Just think what a trim waist he will develop with all that reaching with the brush and roller!  He's precious.

. . . construction has continued from then until the present, but it is still not finished.  Ezra 5:16b GNT

 

Seven Scrumptious Suppers!

I am blessed, blessed, blessed!  These roses were the centerpiece of yet another birthday dinner held for me!  My friend Judy prepared a meal in her home for a total of nine of us.  In addition to the real roses, she made some paper flowers, too.  They hung over the table and added to the festive party aesthetics.

 

Each guest had their own place-card in the form of a check-out card for a library book!  Can you tell she spent quite a bit of time preparing for this?!!  The food was DELICIOUS!  Judy can do anything and whatever she does, she does extremely well.

 

The library card theme circulated to the wall to show the reason for the occasion.

  Judy even had a game for us to play entitled, "How well do you know Lynda?"  She had asked me questions a few days before the party.  She divided the guests into two teams and they had to guess the right multiple choice answer on subjects ranging from favorite color to years married to number of siblings and types of jobs I had held.  It was fun. We laughed and I came close to crying at the outpouring of love from those fabulous females.  Not only did they travel on a very blustery, rainy, dark night but they showered me with gift cards as well.  Because of that, I did not eat at home all week in the evening!!!

On Wednesday, we went to see the first ultrasound of our grandchild!  Amanda has those pictures on her blog.  It seemed easier to see them on the monitor though since it magnified them.  The baby is right on target in growth.  Praise God!

Friday morning saw the installation of a new basement door.  It still needs some trim and painting but that's called job security in chasing away boredom!  Ha.

On Friday night, my 104 years old friend and I shared frozen chocolate yogurt from Perkits.  It's one of her favorite treats.

 This morning I made pancakes and ham for breakfast.  My hubby needed a full stomach since scraping some of the texture off the kitchen ceiling was in his plans.  Less than a quarter of this ceiling is left to do.  In addition to some future painting (there's that word again), you will see another difference in this area - - maybe within two weeks?

We put a drop cloth over the cabinets and sink to keep the mess minimal.  Even though there is a tool that holds a bag to catch scrapings, we have found a plain scraper works best.  Spray the ceiling with water and gently scrape.  Repeat one or two times.

 

Talk to you next weekend . . .

Long life is the reward of the righteous; gray hair is a glorious crown.  Proverbs 16:31

 

 

Sweet 16

Transpose that number and you might have my age today.  

 It's still freaky to have arrived at any number over fifty-nine.  It really, really did happen fast - - - especially the last fifteen years.  However saying that, I have had fun celebrating - - with lots of food!
1.  Steak dinner at Mamaw's house a week ago Sunday.  She is the sweet grandmother of our son-in-law and a wonderful cook.
2.  Lunch at Olive Garden yesterday paid for by our precious first-born.
3.  Supper tonight at Outback.  It was a gift from a library co-worker.

My new name may be Petunia.

 But the best gift this week was a miracle from God.  We heard the heartbeat of our grandchild - - - our two inch long grandchild!  Isn't technology wonderful?!!  This week will be the first ultrasound.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.  Psalm 139:13-14

This Week

 

A new ministry began a few months ago at First Baptist.  The "ministers" meet the first Thursday of the month.

 

A trio of women felt God telling them that perhaps not everyone will go on an overseas mission trip - - - but they could contribute to the trip in a unique way.

 

During the year, at least three mission trips from our church are to orphanages.  The goal of the FBC Women using needles and thread is to make a quilt for each child and staff member at the orphanage.  These quilts will be delivered by the mission team visiting that area.

 

Other than the original trio, many other women arrive at the church around 9 am and stay until 2 or 3.  In addition to the massive amount of work they accomplish, individual dishes are brought for a potluck luncheon.

 

God is strengthening these women spiritually during these times, too.  One way is their box of fabric has never gotten empty.  Contributions continue to come in. 

Also, the ladies are making fleece quilts for the homeless shelter here in our city. 

In other news, my husband had "minor" surgery to remove a cyst on his lower back.  It was one of those that looked small on the surface but was like an iceberg - - - got bigger the deeper they cut - - with local anesthetic.  He has fourteen external stitches - - - but is healing extremely fast with less pain than anticipated.  However, he is not allowed any strenuous activity - - for weeks.  We'll find out what that involves in two more weeks when the stitches come out.

 Our contractor, Mark Beaty, returned this week with the backhoe operator.  More grading was done on our yard - - - AND today, I reseeded half of this with Winter Rye.  (We are trying to prevent any rain from washing the dirt down the hill.) The other half of seed sowing happens tomorrow.  We underestimated the amount we would need - - - and the straw to cover the seed did not get delivered due to delivery truck problems.  We are hoping no birds discover it and have a feast!

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Matthew 6:26

 

 

Last Day!

It's the last day - - not just of 2011 but also of my vacation.  It has flown by so quickly but it has been wonderful to have little or no schedule and get eight hours sleep every night.  Bill and I know we are definitely looking forward to retirement within the next few years.

But until then, 'regular' life goes on.  Here was the activity at our house the beginning of Christmas week.  We woke up to the backhoe in the yard about three days in a row.  Praise God!  They came to put these blocks in front of our two basement walls that get the most stress from the ground.

Each block weighs 4,000 pounds.

 

It was fascinating to watch them but it made me nervous for them, too.  Even though the backhoe lowered them, the guys had to guide them in place while making sure none hit the house or injured a worker.

Nothing can get to that wall now!  I don't have all the pictures of the process since I was at work.  However, I was told that stone was put in the area to the right and left of these blocks.  Long drains are between the house and blocks.  Heavy stucco/masonry metal is attached to the blocks and the basement wall.  It is covered with heavy, heavy black liner.  Then dirt is added to all of it.

These are the backhoe operators who worked some very long days.

 

However they have taken us from this yard . . . . 

 

to this!

This year is about to be finished and so is our outside construction.  They have done a fantastic job.  We made new friends in this old year but they will rejoin us once again in the new year to smooth us out just a bit more.

 

Even though you see LOTS of rain outside - - - - our basement is DRY, DRY, DRY!!!!!  Praise God!!!

 See ya next year when we will all share new adventures together.

 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it . . . Psalm 127:1a

Merry Christmas!

Our "kids" came over yesterday for lunch and a time of gift exchange.  We had a wonderful time!  A couple of new recipes were eaten.  These culinary delights were discovered online.  Perhaps I can get them posted soon.

With all that has been going on in our lives, I did not go crazy decorating but focused on one room.  It was still simple - - but more than I have done in some other years.  Having time and energy to enjoy being together seemed more important than wearing myself out so we had the aesthetics.

 

The book in the owl's hand has some of the words of "The Night Before Christmas".     It says, "And I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight - - - Merry Christmas to Owl and to Owl a good night!" 

We have had the cat in the balloon basket a LONG time - - since the girls were little - - reminds us of the story, Hot Air Henry, a Reading Rainbow Book - - - - - Meow - - Meow!

 

The football player is fairly recent - - - orange & white jingle bell - - - Tennessee's UTK VOLS.

 My sister gave me the Nativity Set.  It's like stained glass and looks really pretty in a window with the sun shining through it.

 Baby's first Christmas gift (even though Baby isn't due till July 28).  It's from sister to sister.

 I "made" my husband stop by the House of Lights the other night.  Their decorations are computer coordinated to flash with the beat of Christmas songs on a certain radio station.

My husband showed our son-in-law how to play our new favorite game.  Match six of the same shape (different colors) or six of the same color but different shapes.  It either frustrates you to no end or keeps your mind sharp!

Today we went to worship at church . . . also had the library open for those who wanted an item.  Then we went to Joshua's Mamaw's house for an excellent feast.  We are still full over five hours later!

I pray you all have had a wonderful time with family and friends this weekend, too as we celebrate the only ONE in life who matters most, our precious, precious Jesus!

  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  Luke 2:7

Christmas at FBC

The Nativity Set is on the left as you enter the front doors.

 The Welcome Center Desk - - what you see when you enter the doors above.  (I was on the staircase to take this one.)

 Here is the back of that desk - - looking toward the front.  I love our ceiling.

The PowerPoint announcements also include our new library books.

And here are the stairs.

How about a few Christmas trees?

 

There have been year-end celebrations almost every day this month.  The diverse gatherings have included groups from our church and also outside organizations who utilize our facilities.  Some events are catered by our wonderful food ministry staff.  Others are pot-luck.  The tables below were the beginning decorations for a women's Sunday School Class.  (I think they had a total of eight tables but I left before all had finished.)  They had volunteers decorate each table with their china from home.  All coordinated beautifully but were each unique.

 

She will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21       (Thank you, Friend, Cindy, for letting me use one of your favorite verses!)