Monday's...er...Tuesday's Daybook

For today...

Outside my Window... After an overcast morning, the skies just opened up and the rain is pouring.

I am thinking... I need to work on ways of becoming more organized. It's a weak area for me, and it even invades my knitting. I had all my yarns and books/patterns neatly organized at one point, but my stash grew, and now things are out of hand. It's frustrating to have to go on a wild goose chase everytime I decide to knit something new. I need to keep better notes on what I want to knit next, too. I find that the older I get, the more notes help me!

I am thankful for.... the rain, I'm sure we need it. I am also thankful for the relationship I have with God. It is so comforting when I'm needing direction to know that I can present my need to Him, in faith, and expect an answer. Mr. Studley and I have some difficult decisions facing us, a couple of areas where we really need God to direct our path. Sometimes it takes longer than I wish to get answers, but oddly enough (or not), I seem to learn much (grow) in the wait.

From the kitchen... I just took a cast iron skillet of cornbread out of the oven. It smells nice. I'll probably have a piece of it crumbled in a glass of buttermilk later.

I am wearing... capris, a short-sleeved tee, my Obakashi sandles, and socks. Don't look for me on the cover of a fashion mag anytime soon.

I am creating... I'm halfway through a pair of Toasts for my daughter, Nikki. I do realize winter's practically over, but I got an itch to knit them. I think her winter lasts longer than ours, anyway. It's an easy, mindless pattern, and I needed something mindless. I'm knitting them in Classic Silk, from Classic Elite. It's a DK weight, so I'm using a smaller needle size and different cast on than called for in the pattern.

I am going... Mr. Studley and I are going for a visit to my mom's for my birthday later this week. My birthday is the day after Valentine's, but the timing for us all is better that we go this week. I plan to stop in at JoAnn's Fabrics while there, as there is a fairly new one near my mom. Yea! Plus, we are stopping at the Woolie Ewe in Plano on our way back home. A bigger YEA!!! I rarely get to go to a real live yarn shop, so this is a big deal for me.

I am reading... Eh...I started reading the Shack the other day. I forced myself through the first three chapters. When the book first came out, I was very intrigued and wanted to read it. Someone gave us a copy the other day, and strangely enough, I no longer had that desire. I realize now the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me to leave it alone. NOT that it's a bad book, but rather that it's not for me. I simply don't handle reading about tragedies well, even if they are fiction. It's too horrific for my mind to bear, the thought of a child suffering and it's parents not being able to protect it.

After reading those chapters the other day, I found myself lying in bed that night, unable to fall asleep due to the disturbing images the story created in my mind. I realized it had robbed my peace, and so for me, the book is not a good read. I would like to stress that I'm not criticizing the book, and I'm certainly not criticizing anyone for reading it. It's just not the kind of story I can handle, no matter how redeeming it may prove to be in the end.

I am hoping... for some nice weather next week to work in the soil. I need to move the soil from my compost bin that's been sitting all winter into my herb garden area. I'm then going to start a new compost pile. Lately, I've been saving my produce scraps in plastic bags in the freezer so I'll have a good base when I get started, but I'm running out of freezer space.

I am hearing... the hum of the fridge in the next room, and the occasional bark of a dog across the alley. Other than that, blissful quiet.

Around the house... I'm slowly but surely conquering some of the clutter. It's an ongoing battle for me.

One of my favorite things... is when my daughter calls me from England. Her schedule with work and college classes at night has been so hectic that her calls have been less frequent lately. When we last spoke, she had strep throat, and was feeling pretty miserable. This is about the 4th time she's had to be on antibiotics since moving to England last fall. I don't think the damp climate is setting well with her.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... I pretty much covered that in my "where I'm going" post.

A quote I am sharing with you...I added this in the sidebar of my blog after hearing it on tv yesterday. It really spoke to me.



Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Please feel free to join in on this meme through the Simple Woman's Daybook each Monday (I know, I'm a day late, and a dollar short). If you do, don't forget to go to Peggy's Simple Woman blog and sign the Mr.Linky, so other participants can visit you and read your Daybook entry.





Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 8:39 Amplified Bible

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...

Outside my Window... are piles and piles of leaves, despite the fact that Mr. Studley mowed with the mulcher mower this week, as well as raked bags and bags of them. It will be an ongoing job until all the large trees around our house have finished shedding for the season. I do love the feeling of stomping into a big pile of leaves. It brings out the kid in me.

I am thinking... about how we'll handle the holidays this year. I hate that this is so, but the holidays always prove stressful for me. With blended families, sooo many people, and a house not big enough to house them all, it can be a bit tough to decide how best to handle it.

I am thankful for.... the fact that my mom had the first pain-free day yesterday that she's had in a long time. She was taking pain pills, but they seemed to actually work yesterday. I pray this continues.

From the kitchen... I read the various Simple Woman daybooks, and most have delicious sounding dishes mentioned as coming from their kitchens. I'm always a little envious, and a little ashamed. I guess I'm not that simple. It's a good thing Peggy doesn't require some sort of test to prove one's simpleness (simplicity?) before letting one participate in the weekly Daybook, 'cause trust me, I am very simple. I don't have any scrumptious dishes baking in the oven, filling my house with mouthwatering aromas. Some days I do, but it seems I never do on Mondays when I write my Daybook. Don't you worry, though, the fam will get fed!

I am wearing... my favorite, most comfy, winter knock-around-the-house pants. They're made of sweatshirt fabric, but don't have elastic around the ankles (which I hate) like most sweatpants do. Best of all, I found them one year on a clearance rack in Big Lots for $1.98. I'd say that certainly qualifies me as simple! My lovely (not) teal sweatpants are accompanied by a short-sleeved tee, and my slip on Obakashis.

I am creating...for charity, a Special Olympic scarf.

I am going...to my weekly ladies group night at church tonight. They're going to start having a weekly men's group at the same time. Pastor announced yesterday that the men will share the meal with the ladies, then go to a separate room for their meeting. That means, of course, that the ladies will need to bring a lot more food!

I am reading... a Chronological Study Bible I'm reviewing for Thomas Nelson Publishers.

I am hoping... some doors will open for increased income soon. I realize Christmas isn't about gift-giving, but I do enjoy giving gifts (nothing extravagant) to our children and grandchildren this time of year. Unless something changes soon, I don't see it happening. I am not sitting around stressing and worrying, though.

I am hearing...nothing but the jingle of the tags on Leyna's collar. No air-conditioner humming, no heater humming, no fan humming. I love this time of year when the temperature is perfect, which translates to a lower electric bill, and that makes me happy.

Around the house... Ish. You don't want to know. It's messy. I seriously need to do some housework. Everytime the front door opens, new leaves blow in, then get scattered and crushed underfoot. It doesn't help to sweep off the porch, as the wind scoots them right back up the walkway just as soon as I turn my back!

One of my favorite things... is gazing up at the inky sky each night as I'm out dogwalking. I am a stargazer. A star lover. I seriously love looking up at stars. I don't know anyone (personally, I mean) who delights in it to the degree I do. We don't get the best view of them here in town due to street lights, but lately, they seem to be showing up better. One fall, a few years ago, I got Mr.Studley to drive me out to a nearby lake to view a predicted meteor shower in the wee hours of the morning. We took blankets and lay on the hood of the car and watched the stars shooting across the sky. It was almost romantic, except that we had also taken along a neighbor friend who'd very recently lost her lovely husband to cancer. She professed to loving star gazing, too. I'm not sure if it was the star gazing she craved so much as merely human companionship, escaping a house that had suddenly become far too quiet and too lonely to bear. The three of us and our coffee-filled thermos did have a good time that night.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... is to get serious about my knitting gifts. I have too many UFO's (unfinished obects, for my non-knitterly friends), and not enough FO's (finished objects).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... This picture I took on a hike in Arkansas last week isn't a particularly pretty picture, but I was struck by the seeming tenacity of this little plant growing right out of a wall of rock. Sure, I imagine there was some hidden dirt beneath the rock's surface, but it wasn't at all visible. I believe it's a Beauty Berry (isn't it, Tracy?). It's as if the plant grit it's teeth, pushed it's way through the wall of rock, and announced to the world "I am here, I am a survivor, and I will let my light shine! ". Okay, that may be a bit much of a declaration for a plant, but it's what went through my head at the time. We could all learn from the little Beauty Berry.

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. ~Matthew 5:16 NKJV

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...

Outside my Window...someone needs to do some raking. Miiiiisssttteerr Stuuuddllleeyyy!

I am thinking...about the election, about our camping trip this week, about my mom, who was in horrible pain when we saw her on Sunday, and has been ever since her shoulder surgery weeks ago.

From the learning rooms...I am learning how easy it is to slip into a habit of fault-finding and complaining. Not such a good thing to learn, I know.

I am thankful for....my son, who has been cooking us Sunday evening dinner for the past several weeks. Last night was fajitas (beef & chicken!), and they were superb!

From the kitchen...well, I keep waiting for the maid to announce that Cook has a meal ready to eat, but silence...nothing but silence. You just can't get good help these days.

I am wearing...my uniform, tee and capris. Maybe someday I'll put on an evening gown, just so this line can be something different for a change. Of course, in order to do that, I'd have to own an evening gown.

I am reading...my favorite blogs. I don't seem to have time for anything else, so you guys better write some intelligent stuff if you want me to advance my mind!

I am hoping...I can keep on track in my head and get everything done for our trip (sounds like a broken record from last week's Monday post!).

I am creating... a Special Olympics Scarf for charity with my knitting needles.

I am hearing...the jingle of Leyna's tags as she runs through the house. We take her collar off to bathe her, and we've learned it's best to get it back on quickly. Without the jingle of her tags, it's a little too easy for her to get into undetected mischief.

Around the house...are piles of things which need to go to the travel trailer.

One of my favorite things...is walking the dogs in the evening with Mr. Studley. I have an invalid neighbor who can no longer walk her dog, Pepper, so I walk Pepper, and Mr.S walks Leyna. We generally go about ten at night. Lately the sky has been inky black, lit up with stars that look like tiny fairy lights strung across the sky. We talk about what's going on in our lives, our kid's lives, our church, and our country. There is no tv, computer, or telephone to distract us from sharing with each other what's on our minds.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... is to finish packing the kitchen stuff in the trailer, pay a few bills, finish the laundry, and clean out the fridge before we leave town. With Nikki grown and moved away, and our homeschooling days being through, I can no longer claim the dishes of geen hairy looking foods are science projects.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...that Nikki's (dd) boyfriend sent me. He snapped this while they were on a walk about Harrogate (England) where they are now living. I found it funny for some reason, and I don't mean that in any sort of disrespectful way toward the elderly, as I am not that far off from being one. I guess it's just because I've never seen a sign like this in the states. Maybe the US isn't as concerned about their elderly having safe crossing as England is? I dunno. It just made me chuckle. I guess J found it funny, too, since he took the time to take a picture of it and send it to me.

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

~Romans 8:27 NKJV

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Outside my Window... I'm still seeing a lot of green, though there are some leaves collecting on the ground beneath the huge oak tree. A squirrel is racing across the top of our wooden privacy fence. Leyna is watching from the futon in the sunroom, irked and perplexed as to why I won't let her out there.


I am thinking... we leave for our camping trip in one week, and I have much to get done. Lists, shopping, more lists, packing, and more lists to be made. As many times as we've done this, camping in our 5th wheel, we still inevitably forget something.


From the learning rooms... let's just say, someone somewhere is learning something...it's just not here!


I am thankful for.... the beautiful weather we've been having. It's such a pleasure to be outdoors. We spent all of Saturday outdoors at our town's annual Pumpkin Festival, and the weather could not have been more perfect than it was.


From the kitchen... leftovers from a delicious cranberried pork roast I cooked in the crockpot on Saturday. I'm shredding the remains for sandwhiches. I got the recipe from Karen, at Over the Back Yard Fence. She mentioned it in a previous Simple Woman's Daybook post, and shared the recipe with me in an e-mail when I expressed an interest. Thanks, Karen! :-)


I am wearing... a t-shirt and capris, my 'uniform' until the weather turns cold.


I am reading... I'm in a slump. I need new books. I hate borrowing from the library. I'm such a procrastinator, and the library is on the opposite side of town from me. I always end up taking books back late. I am not allowing myself to check out anything else until I can improve this area of my character.


I am hoping... I hesitate to say, as it may sound selfish. I'm hoping our ladies group meeting at church tonight goes the way I want it to. Hmm...seeing that in print, it does sound selfish.

We each bring food to share, from a fast food joint, or from our kitchens. The plan is to then eat and fellowship for a half hour before getting to our meeting which ends with prayer....but it seems our food and fellowship time inevitably drags out until some have to leave before we get to a meeting or prayer. I want us to have the fellowship time, I do know it's important, but yet I would like a balance of fellowship, meeting, and prayer. I need to spend time in prayer about this. both that the Holy Spirit will lead our meeting, and that I will be submissive in my heart to His leading.


I am creating... I haven't picked up my needles in a week. I need to get back to my Christmas knitting!


I am hearing... a call to prayer and intercession.


Around the house... are too many dustbunnies, which breed faster than real bunnies!


One of my favorite things...is the phone calls from my daughter. At twenty-four, she's finally going to college, yea! Her first class begins in a couple of weeks. She'll be going all day Saturday and Sunday for about a month. That's after working all day Monday through Friday. I hope pray she is able to stay healthy and strong, as she tends to get sick when she burns the candle at both ends. She's really excited about the course. She's also scouring the internet to determine a plan of action for online courses toward a child development degree. She found she cannot get the necessary classes for it through the campus on base. The classes she'll be taking there will be toward a business and management degree. She already has a bad cold, something the other daycare workers informed her comes standard with the job. I'm praying over her!


A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... After I finish making my shopping lists, I need to go to Big Lots this week. We get a lot of our non-perishable foods there much cheaper than at the grocery store. I also need to pick up supplies at the Dollar General, as well as at the grocery store. I need to check the weather forecast for the area of Arkansas where we'll be camping to determine the type clothing to pack in the trailer. Mr.Studley does all his own packing.

I've not yet made it to the vet with Leyna to get her nails trimmed, so that's on the agenda. We'd do it ourselves, but she turns into a little piranha whenever we try. It is not a pleasant experience! I've been wondering if that Peticure product advertised on tv is any good. It works like a Dremmel tool to file down the pet's nails. Mabye a Dremmel tool is what I should consider?


Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... This cute little tyke was turned and watching Leyna, our Min Pin who we took to the Pumpkin Festival with us. I thought the child looked so cute that I grabbed my camera. When his mom saw me focusing for a picture, she had him (her?) turn toward me. When he saw me, or more specifically my camera, he broke into that huge smile and waved. He's obviously not at all camera shy! Isn't he a cutie?

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

~Hebrews 4:12 Amplified Bible

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Outside my Window... the view hasn't changed much since last week. I'm still seeing Morning Glories, though the blooms are looking a little smaller. The vines are still quite green. I'm enjoying the color while it lasts.
I am thinking... about what I'd like to share at our ladies group at church tonight. We're going to discuss the movie we saw, and talk about ways we can implement what we learned from it in our own marriages.
From the learning rooms... I was tempted to simple delete this line of my Daybook, as I don't seem to be learning much these days. I'm doing good to keep doing the things I already know these days. I should be challenging myself more.
I am thankful for.... my husband. I'm sure I've said it before, and will likely say it again, but I'm saying it today. I saw the movie Fireproof this afternoon. I went with the ladies group from our church. I don't believe there was a dry eye in the theater. It was such a good movie, such a good story. It had gripping drama, burst-out-laughing humor, heart break, and victory. It was an awesome story of love, both the love shared between a man and a woman and the love of God for all men and women. It's the kind of movie that you take something with you when you leave the theater. It made me want to be a better wife to my husband, to make more of an effort to show him how much I appreciate him. I can't say that about too many movies I've seen.
From the kitchen... is the aroma of freshly brewed, freshly ground coffee. Ahhh. Did you know a recent study found evidence to believe the mere aroma of coffee helps wake you up? It seems they found found that the aroma of coffee helped restore brain activity in sleep-deprived rats to normal or near-normal levels. That's all nice and dandy, and no one loves whiffing the coffee beans in the grinder more than me, but it's that first actual sip of a brewed cup of joe which gets my motor running in the mornings.

I am wearing... capris, a t-shirt, and my Obakashi's. Our highs this week will be in the upper 70's, so it's not time to pack away my capris yet!

I am reading... only blogs these days, I fear. I am subscribed to too many blogs! Who do I let go, though, not you, for sure! ;-)\

I am hoping... Mr.Studley's bloodwork comes back good today. He's at the VA getting labwork done. Due to a condition he recently developed called Polymyalgia Rheumatica, he's being treated with prednisone. For those unfamiliar with prednisone, it's a steroid, which preferrably is not taken long term, though with some people that's unavoidable. It causes an increase in appetite, and can lead to diabetes. My sweet hubby, who's never had a weight problem in his life, and never had a sweet tooth, has now gained five pounds, and can't stay away from the sweets. Welcome to my world, honey.

I am creating... a list of camping supplies. Mr.Studley and I will be pulling our 5th wheel travel trailer up to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We're hoping to time it with the peak fall foliage there. I need to decide what all to take from the pantry, as well as what pots and pans I'll need. We keep dishes and various sundries stocked out there, but some things from the kitchen will need to be packed.

I know I'll love it once we get there, but I always get overly anxious before we take out-of-town trips. I mean, I really dread them. I always end up having a good time once we get there, but it's the leaving part that bothers me. Plus, I know we're going to be pulling the trailer up (and back down again) some very steep grades. I am the world's worst chicken when it comes to traveling on mountain roads. I've cried all over Colorado. I try and pray, but I suffer the worst anxiety attacks when we're traveling. I know I'm a nuisance to those traveling with me (which in this case will just be Mr.Studley) , but I simply can't help myself.

I am hearing...birds, delightful singing birds.

Around the house... is scattered evidence of Leyna. Chew toys, half-chewed rawhides, stuffed animals, and pull toys are lying about in every direction. The other day while she was napping, I walked around picking up all her toys and placed them in a basket in the living room. She woke up and spotted me doing it. Immediately she ran over and started pulling each one out again. She's a mess, I tell you, a MESS! And I love every minute of it. ;-)

One of my favorite things... is sitting at my computer each morning and reading my e-mails and comments left on my blog. Seriously, it's one of the highlights of my day.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... is to start packing the travel trailer, take Leyna to the vet and get her toenails trimmed, hunt for the plastic tote bucket which has our sweaters and jackets stored in it (am hoping it's not in the attic-such a pain), gather up more things to take to the thrift store donation box. There's more to be done, but truthfully, I haven't planned too much out yet.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Pagosa Springs, Colorado, as we watched the geese flying over the river at our campsite

Hearing and seeing a flock of geese flying overhead always thrills me. I usually hear them before I see them. The faraway sound of their honking, which I sometimes mistake for dogs yapping in the distance until they get closer, alerts me to look toward the heavens. I frantically bob my head around, so fearful I'll miss my opportunity to see them before they've flown out of eyesight. Their appearance in the spring marks the arrival of our coming summer, and this time of year, in the fall, it lets us know winter will be here soon. I've seen two flocks in the past couple of weeks, both flying south, of course.

I'm thankful that Mr.Studley gets as excited about seeing the geese as me. He'll come running in the house, shouting "get outside quick or you'll miss the geese!", and we'll race each other out to the street where the trees in our yard don't impede our vision. I imagine some would find us 'simple' getting so excited over a flock of geese, but there's something so majestic about them soaring across the sky in formation, wings flapping untiringly, driven by instinct to push onward to their destination. As I'm forced to look upward to see them in all their glory, I am always reminded of God's glory, and I never fail to thank Him for letting me witness it.

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.


And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.
~Genesis 1:20

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...Outside my Window... I am seeing the dwindling down of the Morning Glories. Before long, the view there will be drab. I'm thinking of planting Pansies this year. They bloom through the winter. I love their smiling faces, which always make me smile back.

I am thinking... about our ladies meeting at church tonight. Last week was enjoyable, though I do hope we can spend less time eating and more time meeting. I love the fellowship and sharing of our meal beforehand, but last week, we barely had time for a quick prayer at the end of our meeting, as some needed to go to pick up kids. I feel that prayer is such an important part of our time together.

From the learning rooms... eh...not so much going on there.

I am thankful for.... the two new (to me) burgundy leather recliners in my living room. My next door neighbors ordered new ones and asked if we knew anyone interested in buying their old ones. They aren't old, they just aren't new. They look great, and I know she paid mucho money for them new. She said she'd sell one for $75, and let the other one go for free. You just can't beat a deal like that! ;-)

From the kitchen... there is a queso dip with taco meat in it, ready to take to my ladies group tonight. I just need to stop and pick up a bag of dipping tortilla chips. I need to figure out what to leave here for dinner, though. I'm thinkin' somethin' simple.

I am wearing... my nightshirt and flipflops. I haven't even had my first cup of coffee or put in my contacts yet. My day is definitely out of order.

I am reading... eh...not so much. Does bathroom reading count?

I am hoping... I can sell the two small wingback chairs I had in my living room.

I am creating... dishcloths and hats with my knitting needles.

Around the house... I've been decluttering. It's an ongoing chore around here. I've always been such a packrat. I've either bought (mostly at thrift stores) or been given way too many things over the years that I've kept for "some day". I don't do that anymore. I have a hard and fast rule with myself now. If I can't use it now, or at least within the next season, or if I don't know someone else who needs it, it doesn't come home with me. The problem is, I have years and years accumulation of "stuff" that I got before I instituted that rule! Which reminds me of one of my favorite movie lines, from the Jerk.

"I don't care about losing all the money. It's losing all the stuff"

One of my favorite things... is apple crisp. Maybe I'll bake some today!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... to go through the antique buffet in my dining room, which is used for anything but a buffet table. It's a huge piece of furniture with three drawers across the top, and a cabinet on each side below. There are things stuffed back in those cabinets that have probably not seen the light of day in fifteen years. Disgraceful, I know. It's definitely time.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...of my little dog, Leyna. Bear with me, I don't show a fraction of the pictures of her that I'd like. I do realize not all people melt into puddles over cute pup pics the way I do. When my son and daughter were packing their overnight bags to go to 6-Flags last August, Leyna crawled into one of their bags. My son zipped it nearly closed and snapped this picture of her. I think she wanted to go to 6-Flags, too.

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

~Jeremiah 29:11

The above scripture was spoken to me by a friend the day after I learned my late husband had drowned while scuba diving. I felt like I was drowning in despair, and truthfully, the scripture did not bring me great comfort at the time. However, she told me God gave her that Word for me. In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I did cling to that Word from God. I stood on it as His promise to me, and He kept good on His promise!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...
Outside my Window... I see drooping tree branches, their still green leaves weighted down with the morning's rain.


I am thinking... about how very much I love this time of year. Even when raining, it's so nice to sit outside on my porch and enjoy the cool air .


From the learning rooms... I am hoping to learn to use the embroider/sewing machine my mom left here for me to try. It would be nice to be able to make personalized gifts for family for Christmas.


I am thankful for.... so very much. My mind, as most people's these days, has been on the upcoming election. Though I have strong opinions of who I hope gets elected to the job of presidency, I know that whatever the outcome, God is still on the throne. He will never leave His righteous forsaken, and we are made rightous by the precious blood of His Son, Jesus.


From the kitchen... await the makings for tortilla roll-ups for taking to my ladies meeting at church tonight. We bring our own dinner or snacks, whether picked up on the way by those ladies working all day, or prepared in our kitchens by those of us fortunate enough to spend our days at home. We then pool our goodies and have a meal and fellowship for a half hour or so before beginning our meeting. I'll probably prepare spaghetti with meat sauce (ground beef/italian sausage) for Mr.Studley and my son John to eat for dinner.


I am wearing... a cotton t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. I'm barefoot with my Obikashi slip-ons nearby for when I take Leyna outside to do her 'bidness'. I pretty much wear my shorts around the house right through winter, especially now that I'm in the throes of the pleasures of menopause.....rooooiiiiiggghht.


I am reading... I'm still making my way through Spirit, Soul & Body by Andrew Wommack. It's not difficult to read, but I'm not finding much reading time lately. That, and again, that whole pleasures of menopause thing seems to be affecting my ability to concentrate.


I am hoping... that we have a good turnout for our ladies group meeting tonight. Our meetings have pretty much been on haitus since earlier this year. I'm happy we're starting up again, as I feel it's a good means of the women at church getting to know each other and being connected. Plus, my pastor's wife is leading it, and she always has good indepth things to share with us.


I am creating... scarves and hats with my knitting needles. My daughter, Nikki, informed me it's already cold in northern England where she's now living. "Make me scarves", she pleaded!


I am hearing... the whir of the Stanley fan sitting at my feet. They market it as being powerfully built for use in workshops. If they were smart, they'd add to that "powerful enough to cool a woman having hotflashes". That might be false advertisement, though, 'cause there are days when even my little Stanley doesn't do the trick. Seriously, my body feels like a racecar engine. I can go from a comfortable 98.6 body temperature to a raging 500 degree internal inferno in 0-60 seconds!


Around the house... I see signs of a very playful little dog. It looks like there's a toddler in residence. A toddler who likes to chew on rawhides. There are stuffed toys, balls, and half-chewed rawhides strewn about the living room and our bedroom. I wonder if I can train Leyna to put her toys away?


One of my favorite things... these days is when Jim (Nikki's boyfriend) sends me pictures of Nikki walking about their new hometown. He sent me some of her standing in a gorgous flower garden park near their hotel this weekend. I keep imagining myself, along with Mr. Studley, seeing all those sights, and walking in all those same places, next spring. Tentatively, we're thinking a possible March visit is in order. Nikki turns 25 in March, and she's really wanting us to come and be there for her birthday. We're praying about it, as it will be a big expense for us. Granted, we won't have to worry about lodging or transportation once there. Airfare, meals, sightseeing and souveniers will be our expense, the bulk of it being airfare, naturally. We never made it to Germany while she lived there those nearly three years. We don't want to let another opportunity pass us by.


A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... are to do more knitting, never ending housework and laundry, meal planning and stocking the RV for our upcoming camping trip to Arkansas. Oh, and getting a box of Nikki's stuff packed up and sent to her, that she keeps calling me every day asking if I've sent yet. She left her thick robe, houseshoes, and her ukelele here so they wouldn't take so much baggage space on her flight to Dublin. She knew I was a procrastinator when she left them here, so she may as well quit her nagging/begging/nagging. I will try and get it done this week, though. I need to find some bubble wrap for the ukelele, as she hasn't yet bought a case for it.


Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Fall 2005 Beaver's Bend Park outside Broken Bow, OK. View from our campsite on the river.


Happy Monday, y'all! I pray your week is productive, pleasant, and blessed! ~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions. ********************************Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?~Hebrews 13:5-6 Amplified Bible

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my Window...the birdbath, which just a few short weeks ago was the most popular bird hangout on the block, sits empty and lonely looking.

I am thinking...I would rather be outside where the air is crisp and the sky is blue, now that Tropical Storm Ike has passed through (it was a Tropical Storm when it reached us).

From the learning rooms...I'm trying to wrap my 50+ brain around a simple computer online job I'm doing for a company, and wishing I still "thought" like I did even five years ago!

I am thankful for....cooler temperatures. I do love fall!

From the kitchen...Chocolate cupcakes, though no dinner plans yet. I guess I can always be like Marie Antoinette, and declare "let them eat cake!".

I am wearing...Khaki capris, a short-sleeved linen shirt, and am barefoot. I'm in the menopause stage of life. All my clothing is geared toward keeping me cool, at least in the physical sense of the word, though not necessarily in the fashion sense. ;-)

I am reading...Spirit, Soul & Body, by Andrew Wommack.

I am hoping...to hear from my daughter soon. I can't remember if she flies out to Dublin tomorrow, or the next day.

I am creating...Christmas gifts with my knitting needles and yarn.

I am hearing...soft music playing from Cora's blog, which I didn't exit out of after reading her Daybook entry.

Around the house...I am getting overwhelmed at the things I need to get done, though I did make a good dent in the laundry this weekend. I'm loving my new homemade liquid laundry soap, especially because I know it's saving me money!

One of my favorite things...is my little dog, Leyna. She follows me around the house, though she doesn't get underfoot. She always has such a sweet and quizzical look on her face, as if to ask "where are we going now, Mamma?".

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...is to mainly concentrate on the small computer job I'm currently doing; and working with my good friend, Marilyn, who is revamping my blog for me. I'm so excited about that! After eight months, I am ready to rearrange the furniture a little. I have zero aptitude for doing such things, but for Marilyn, it's a fun challenge, and she graciously offered to do it for me, even blessing me with the purchase of the graphics she'll use. Trust me, it's not because she's sitting around bored, either. She always has a full plate! I am so blessed by her friendship, and not just because she does stuff for me.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Taken at Beaver's Bend Park in Oklahoma, when we camped there three years ago. It was a beautiful and serene place to be. ~If you'd like to particpate in The Simple Woman's Daybook (each Monday), you can visit The Simple Woman's blog here. To get instructions for particpating, click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar.
"When you have read the Bible,you will know it is the Word of God,because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness, and your own duty."~Woodrow Wilson