Weekly Chat - October 28, 2024

 

DATE:  October 28, 2024

WEATHER: 57 degrees and clear skies. The colors are getting at their peak now and I wish I could take drive up into the mountains.

READING: Knowing the Spirit by Costi Hinn, Village School by Miss Read (Dora Saint)., the Book of Revelation with commentary by David Guzik.

LISTENING TO: A New Song by Jan Karon and narrated by John McDonough

THANKFUL FOR: Adapting well to the new med and even the antibiotic which usually gives me lots of GI symptoms. The trick is the good probiotic I'm taking beforehand. Thankful for no heart arrythmias and feeling well.

PONDERING/PRAYING: My Florida friend who I was to spend the day with tomorrow is on her way home. One of the family here in Tennessee came down with Covid and since all were exposed, it's not going to happen. Praying for her and her husband's safe travels back to Florida and for all to be well.

Praying for Israel, for family, for one of the little kittens that might have a neurological problem. Our country and upcoming elections. 

FUNNY OF THE WEEK:

A PEEK INTO MY LIFE:

The towel arrangement waiting for me in my hospital room last week.

QUOTE:

SCRIPTURE:

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."

Proverbs 4:23

Wishing everyone a great week! Enjoy our fall temps and the beautiful colors!

Friday Fave Five

 

It's been a quiet week here. I've not gone anywhere, and I have no fantastic things to report. But, still, in the quiet times, there are always those things we easily recognize as blessings. Thank you, Susanne, at Living to Tell the Story for giving us this spot each week. Come join us!

1.  Air conditioning: I know this was listed last week but it sure does bear repeating. With our temps in the 90s this week, I am so very thankful for air conditioning. I would be a puddle on the floor without it.

2.  Weekly phone visits with my daughter. They make the miles between Tennessee and Florida that much shorter. Sometimes we just chat. Other times she listens while I vent and often it's the other way around. She has been my blessing for a very long time.

3.  Emails from friends:  Many of my friends live far from me. I'm so thankful for emails where we can chat about this and that. I treasure these friends who have a willing heart and 'listening ear.' 

4.  Retirement:  It's been 12 years since I worked full time. As a nurse, it wasn't a 9-5 / Monday through Friday job. I worked weekends, holidays and often during the night. Being retired has been such a blessing. My time is my own and I can get up and go to bed when I want. That doesn't mean I'm not busy, but I am free to do those things I really love to do.

5.  Payday soon: As a retiree, my payday happens once a month. Yesterday, my years-old toaster gave up the ghost. And now my coffee maker is making a thumping sound. It's good to know that I can replace them in a couple days. And my grocery list is miles long!

For those of you in the summer heat, I understand your pain. Stay cool and hydrated, my friends! I'll see you back here next week.

Weekly Chat

 

Today's date:  June 17, 2024

Weather:  Another hot day today - low 90s. No rain expected. I'd love to see some!

Reading:: "More Than a Healer - Not the Jesus You Want but the Jesus You Need" by Costi Hinn

                  "Seabreeze Inn" (Summer Beach Book 1) - by Jan Moran

Listening to:  "Light From Heaven" by Jan Karon

Thankful for:  Friends who have been wonderful listeners and prayed for me as well as given me sage advise.

Funny of the Week: 

Pondering/Praying:  Praying for Israel and for our country. Only God can fix the mess this world is in. 

A Peek into my Life:  

 

My granddaughter and my grandson - in -law are expecting their

second baby. They did a gender reveal last weekend.

It's a girl!!

Qoote:  

Scripture:  

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on

your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge

Him and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

As they say in the South - "Ya'll gave a great week!"

Friday Fave Five

 

It's Friday, the end of what has been an emotional week and I'm so glad to come here and list the blessings that I've been given. There are times of joy but also of sadness and it can be a challenge to look through the sadness to see the blessings that come peeking through. Thanks to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for giving us this opportunity. Come join us!

1. Thursday, I watched the live stream funeral for Deputy Greg McGowan, who was shot last Thursday during a traffic stop. It was sad but uplifting at the same time - listening to friends and fellow officers tell of his courage, his faith in Jesus Christ, and what a wonderful friend, father and son. His fiancé, his two children and his mother were there, each accepting a flag that accompanied him through the various transfers from hospital to funeral home to church. The governor and Lt Governor were there and the surrounding areas paid respect to this fallen officer with flags draped along the route from the church to the grave side. In this world where we see so much lack of caring, it was very inspiring to see that, at least in this part of east Tennessee, care for our fellow man is still strong. Neyland Stadium in Knoxville was lit up in blue during the night in honor of Deputy McGowan.

Photo courtesy of WBIR news - Face Book

Another blessing related to this: the shooter was captured Wednesday afternoon without any further violence to others. It's interesting to note that when they cuffed the shooter, it was Deputy McGowan's cuffs that they used. 

2. Valentine's Day: I received a sweet, made with love card from a friend which was just what I needed then.

Thank you, Barbara!

Valentine's Day is a tough day emotionally for me as that was the day that my husband received his cancer diagnosis and then passed away 2 weeks later. Even after so many years, the memory returns fresh. 

"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth."  Isaiah 54:5

3. A new candle: A gift from about a year ago which I forgot about and decided to use. Its scent is sandalwood and cassis, two scents in which I was unfamiliar with. It has a very pleasant fragrance, and a lit candle always cheers me. Very cute too. It looks like a milk bottle.

4. Lunch with a friend: That will happen later on today. It's been since before Christmas that Barbara and I got together for our "monthly lunch". What with snow and ice and health issues on both sides, we've had to wait. We're meeting at our favorite Cracker Barrel for some fellowship and catch-up time. I'm really looking forward to that!

5. A haircut: I don't usually post photos of myself but here I am. I finally found a hairdresser who "gets me." I have a love / hate relationship with my hair, but she really listened to me and came through. It's pretty short and will grow out to just the way I want in a couple weeks.

Oh dear, I should have least put on some lipstick before I took this!

Despite beginning this post with sad thoughts, I'm thankful that God has shown me the blessings that come even amongst sadness. It's those times when I feel God's promises and His closeness the most. 

Have a blessed weekend. 

What's going on around here. . .

It's been a few days since I got on here so I thought I'd jot a note or two here to sort of recap what's going on. 

1.    Yesterday was my great granddaughter Arabella's birthday. She turned one! Her sister Ava turned three last week. Such cuties and I'd say that even if I wasn't their Great Grandmother.

Last weekend, their parent's had one big birthday party for both of them. I sure wish I could have been there.

2.    Wildfires! Here in east Tennessee, we are in a severe drought. Low humidity coupled with high winds are causing outbreaks every day. Thankfully, they've been able to be contained. The TN Division of Forestry even has a map you can visit to see where the fires are in your area and at what percentage they are contained. Right now, there are two going - one in my county but not near me and the other farther east. Today, it's raining lightly and predicted to continue for most of the day. I'm very thankful. We also have high winds as well with predicted gusts up to 37 mph in the higher elevations, so tensions are high. My sincere admiration for the forestry crews and other fire fighters who have been so busy keeping us safe. And as I understand it - our area is not unique. North Carolina, West Virgina among other places are also facing the same problems. 

3.     I've not done this before, but I decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I usually do this the weekend after Thanksgiving, but his has been a challenging year and I just decided I needed a pick me up. I'll probably do a blog post later in the week - and show off the results but for now. . .

My Mitford Village (the winter pieces) complete with the Mitford snowmen.

I have the entire Mitford village collection, but some are from the spring collection, so I alternate between the two for seasonal displays. 

4.    My social calendar is getting full for this week and next. This week is Thanksgiving. Next week, I'm having lunch with my friend, Barbara. We get together usually every month but we're about 2 weeks overdue. My small group at church is having their Christmas luncheon next Wednesday which is also my birthday. Then the next day, my daughter in law Stephanie and I are celebrating our birthdays together with lunch.

5.     I just read the best book! It's called Adventures in Yarn Farming - Four Seasons on a New England Fiber Farm. My daughter gave it to me because it has knitting patterns in it. The best bit for me though is reading what all is entailed to get from sheep to a skein of yarn. Everything from lambing, shearing, choosing the strain of sheep that produce certain kinds of wool, feeding them, protecting them, and then how their wool is prepared to be spun and eventually dyed. I recently told a friend that one of my favorite things to watch on Face Book are the sheep shearing videos. I've always been curious as to how my yarn came to be. I'm very grateful for those like Barbara Parry who wrote the book. Such a lot more work than I ever realized.

I'm looking forward to spending Thanksgiving Day with my son and daughter in law. I've so much to be Thankful for this year and God's faithfulness in all of it. 

I wish you all a very special, wonderful Thanksgiving!

Friday's Fave Five - May 5

 

Well, here I am! Finally! Did you miss me? I've been missing the last couple of weeks due to computer issues. Now, I'm typing on my new laptop and I'm very, very happy. It's such a pleasure to join you all as we list those things that have been a  blessing. I've missed it! Thank you to Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for hosting this opportunity each week. So, without further ado:

1. A new computer: I finally bit the bullet, after trying to use two older computers - neither one which worked very well - It's an HP with more RAM and boy, is it ever fast! Love it! I opted to move up to Windows 11 which I wasn't sure about. It didn't take very long to get used to it. It really isn't much different from Windows 10 (my kids reassured me). It was a smooth transition.

2. My daughter - the test knitter: I often brag about my daughter who too to knitting like it was her life's work. She has done a few test knits - using patterns of designers that have not as yet been offered to the general public. This sweater is from a designer in Europe and I just love it. She had my son in law take photos at the beach to show the completed project. I joked with her that it looked like one of those promo pics from yarn companies. 

3. Month lunch with a friend: My friend Barbara and I manage to get together once a month for lunch and a catch-up. This time, we tried a tea room - the Apple Cake Tea Room. It's located about 25 minutes away from me and about the same for Barbara and it is very charming. They serve lunch and have a varied menu. I tried their bacon quiche which I have mixed thoughts on. Their apple cake was wonderful. Barbara and I split a piece. We both left lunch pretty full. 

4. Friendship: I count friends as one of greatest blessings of my life. It is truly a blessing to have someone to talk you, who accepts you for who you are - warts and all. I count Barbara as another friend as well as Dianna in West Virginia. My BFF, my "sister from another mother" is in Florida, the area I moved from. Marsha and I go back many years and I'm really looking forward to visiting her in September. We talk on the phone every week but sometimes that's just not enough. 

5. An unshakeable faith: This is a crazy world we live in! People are confused about issues that just boggle my mind. Without my faith in an Almighty God who isn't surprised at anything that is happening, I don't know how I'd cope. Values and ideologies that I've always taken for granted are now being questioned and sometimes when reading news headlines, I wonder if I've entered the Twilight Zone! 

I hope you all are doing well. Spring is finally here for good in east Tennessee but I am still hearing of snow in other places. Crazy weather! Take care, my friends.

Friday's Fave Five (on Saturday March 25)

 

Yesterday was a bit complicated and busy so I'm here a day late. Two of my blessings happened yesterday morning, which also explains things. It's a blessing in itself to be able to sit down and share things that have blessed me. Thanks, Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for this opportunity. Come join us!

1. Lunch with a friend. Barbara had lunch yesterday - always a treat. Cracker Barrel is one of our favorite places and we had lots to talk about. Looking forward to our next one.

2. Debit card complications: Yesterday morning, bright and early, I received an email from my bank that someone had attempted to use my debit card number. I have only one card so it was obviously a hack job. It necessitated me going into the bank and being issued a new card. It was a bit of a nuisance but I'm so thankful that my bank is vigilant in this. Of course, this necessitated changing things on various places I shop online but it's all done now.

3. Warm weather: The last couple of days have been so very pleasant! Windows are open, the heater is off and I'm loving it! We did have some high wind warnings last night along with a severe thunderstorm warming which my phone woke me up with alerts but today looks to be very nice. 

4. One of my great grand babies turned 4 months: Arabella turned 4 months this week. She is such a cutie. 

5. Relaxing mornings: It's been a bit over ten years since I retired from nursing, and I still love mornings when I can take life slowly. I no longer have to go out in all weathers, feeling well or not. Instead I sit with my Bible and a cup of coffee or tea and then check emails, Face Book and ease into my day. Of course, there are those mornings when I do have to get going early but those are few and far between. 

I hope you all are having a good weekend. I still see some areas being inundated with snow and I heard this morning of devastating tornadoes in Mississippi. Prayers to all affected and thankfulness for all the blessings that have come my way.

Friday's Fave Five - March 3

 

Here we are at another end of the week - another Friday with an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings throughout the week. Today is a day I need this. It was 22 years ago today that my husband, Alan graduated to heaven. Some years I feel more keenly than others. This year is feels almost fresh. You never quite get over losing a loved one. You just learn to cope. 

There have been good things this past week. Right now, we're under a high wind alert until 3 am. The birds on the wire above may not stay too long! Come join us at Living to Tell the Story and share what's been going on in your life.

1. My new knitting supplies: My order from Knit Picks came in this week - a set of needle tips and several sizes in cables for knitting in the round. The needle tips are the size I need for the cowl which I'm going to to knit. The yarn I will use can be found here. My daughter is ready to help me begin. Updates to follow.

2. Spring is in bloom! My apartment complex is surrounded by Bradford Pear trees, and they are blooming in all their splendor! So beautiful! I'm seeing daffodils now along the interstate. It makes me smile.

3. A new way to learn dulcimer: I've struggled to learn to play my mountain dulcimer, using You Tube videos and whatever I could find online for free. I finally bit the bullet and decided to invest a monthly fee for a subscription to a learning platform called Dulcimer Crossing. I've started "string side up" - absolute beginner just to refresh and I enjoy the site very much. Nothing like investing money in something to suddenly spur you on!

4. Lunch with a friend: Yesterday my dear friend Barbara and I met at Red Lobster for lunch. We do this every month and I always look forward to these times. The seafood was great, but the conversation and friendship is even better!

5. My newest grand cat: I told you about him a few weeks back but at that time, he had no name. Now he does - Ziggy! How he came by that name is a story in itself. My daughter in law said she and my son were discussing a name for him, calling out different prospective ones. The cat basically just lay there. He could have cared less! When the name Ziggy came up, he popped his head up and looked at them. So, Ziggy it is! He is pretty frisky and playful and his older brother, Gus is learning to adapt.

I hope you all are having a lovely weekend and looking forward to some fun. My prayers and thoughts to you all who are still under lots of snow. Weather people in the know say we have entered "meteorological spring" so I supposed that gives hope!

Friday Fave Five - January 27

 

We are already only 5 days until the end of the first month of 2023! Sometimes I shake my head at the passage of time. When you're young, time takes forever to move, especially if you're waiting for a special day such as Christmas. But as an adult, it races along. I'm glad for these Fridays when. I join along with others at Living to Tell the Story to share the blessings of my week. Thank you, Susanne for hosting this!

1. Blessings in small packages: This past week, my granddaughter Molly and hubby Harrison have been visiting my daughter and son in law in Florida. This was the first time that "Paw-Paw" saw his newest grandchild, Dezzy. My other two great grands from Caleb and Dawn live nearby so all three cousins were able to get together. 

Dez (Molly and Harrison), Bella and Ava (Caleb and Dawn)

My daughter and son in law have truly been enjoying their week!

2. Out of my comfort zone: Knitting runs in my family. My grandmother knitted, my mother knitted, and my daughter is a terrific knitter. I, however, am all thumbs when it comes to that. I crochet. I've decided to get out of my comfort zone and this week brought out a set of circular needles and some remnants of yarn and have been experimenting. I've mastered, cast-ons, knit, purl, some ribbing and binding off. Wish me luck.

3. Morning tea: I've always been a coffee drinker first thing in the morning but last month, I switched to tea. There is nothing like a fragrant cup of Twinings Oolong with just a dash of Stevia to make me smile. 

4, Lunch with a friend: I was able to get together with my friend Barbara for lunch Tuesday. We try to get together at least once a month. I always love these times of chatting and catching up.

5. New books: At least new to me. I love to buy books! Sometimes, it's Amazon where I fulfill my need but lately, it's been Thrift Books. I have a package of two books coming to day - 

They are to be delivered today. 

We're dealing with "up and down" temps here in Tennessee with rain occasionally. In the higher elevations in the Smokies, they have snow. Typical winter weather which is keeping the sinus congestion and cough as a constant companion. At least this year, it's not escalated to needing a doctor visit and antibiotics.

I hope you all are having a great day and looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

 

Friday Fave Fives - January 20

 

Another week has gone by and time to think of the many blessings and things that have happened to me since last week. It's been a challenging week and I had to dig deep but no matter what's going on, God still encourages me and holds me in the palm of His hand. Thank you, Susanne from Living to Tell the Story prompting me to do this.

1. Reminiscing: I found in the bottom of one of my desk drawers a bunch of CDs, full of photos from long ago. I spent most of the afternoon watching grandchildren as they frolicked and played. I saw photos of a granddaughter after she was born. This wee one is now a mother of 3! What wonderful memories! It was a wonderful trip down memory lane. 

2. A good doctor visit: On Monday, I had my 3 months follow-up for my blood sugars. My doctor had been adamant that I needed to begin a third diabetic med and I was just as adamant that I not. My blood work showed that my Hgb A1C which measures 3 months of control was still much too high but had lowered since previous. Because recent morning blood sugars this month have been much lower than before, she agreed to let me continue doing what I'm doing. No sugar for 20 days has certainly paid off!

3. New coffee maker: My old coffee maker finally bit the dust, so I now have a new Mr. Coffee maker. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles but that's fine. I still makes good coffee! 

4. My church family: I've been feeling a bit low this week, still struggling with a cough that seems to go on and on and generally feeling sorry for myself. I've not gone anywhere except for necessities, and I've not been to church for 2 weeks. And I feel it. This morning, a friend who is my small group leader called me and prayed for me and we talked for almost an hour. Her prayer and encouragement were just what I needed.

5. Sunshine: We've had lots of overcast days that makes me have to keep lights turned on. Today, we have sun and temps in the 50s but with the sunshine, it almost feels warmer than that. I sat outside this afternoon for a bit until a wind kicked up to make it feel colder. Living in Florida for so many years, I still haven't totally acclimat4ed to Tennessee winter weather and I usually more than happy for spring. 

I hope you all were doing well and enjoying your day. 

Friday Fave Five - December 16

 

So close to Christmas! I can count the days on both hands now! As I go through this season of great Joy, I find myself tearing up at the sound of Christmas carols. Amongst the busyness of the season, I've tried to keep the Nativity that happened over 2000 years ago, at the forefront. Who would have realized that a baby born in such primitive circumstances would change the world. God told us this would happen beforehand, and it did! And now we are blessed because of Him. Here are my blessings for the week. Come join us at Living to Tell the Story - Susanne to share your blessings!

1.  Scripture writing plan: I discovered Scripture writing plans from Love Worth Finding a couple months ago and they have become an integral part of my mornings. There are several topics to choose from - relating to giving, gratitude and peace, just to name a few. Each topic has 30 scriptures, just perfect for one month. There is just something about writing out the Word of God that settles it in my heart better. This month, I'm doing one specifically for Christmas called The Light of the World. Truly a blessing. In January, I'll pick a topic from LWF.

2. An online dulcimer concert:  One of my dulcimer idols is Jean Ritchie who left us in 2015. She was a pioneer in bringing the mountain dulcimer to the attention of the music world. 

Another very gifted dulcimer musician is Aubrey Atwater. Aubrey, who was a friend of Jean, gave a free, 1-hour online concert this past week. Full of Jean's music, videos and personal recollections, it was delightful. A chance to get to know Jean even more.

3. Servant's Hope: Servant's Hope is a ministry through my church now reaching its 25-year mark. This ministry provides visits to shut-ins both in nursing homes and other facilities as well as in homes. It was at a standstill in 2020 because of the pandemic and was slow to restart depending on each facilities policy but now we're back and busy. I'm new to this ministry and I'm looking forward to being a part with visitations, beginning in January.

4. Lunch out: After our Servant's Hope meeting this past Tuesday, we all went out for lunch at the Olive Garden. We're a small bunch of 7 ladies and we sat comfortably at a round table as we feasted and laughed. Very special ladies!

5. A short tour of my Christmas decorations: I don't have a lot of space in my apartment, so things are on a small scale. I thought I'd show you a few of the things that make my home feel festive.

I have a 4 1/2-foot tree, scaled down from a 6 1/2 foot and I've wonder if some of my tree ornaments are bit big but that's okay. My "TV" fireplace crackles and the lights of the tree and of my snowman next to it, make things feel very cozy. 

My nativity. I painted it back in 1984 and it's still intact with the exception of the angel who fell and broke her wing. Each year, I keep thinking I'll replace it, but I continue to use this. 

This tabletop tree has been with me for too many years to count. It was an inexpensive thing bought at I think, Walmart and even after that many years it still has such a pretty shape. I put crystal and gold ornaments on it. I just realized as I looked at this photo, that I forgot to buy a tree skirt for it. I'll make do with something.

Some of my snowmen collection. The middle one holds votive candle.

And finally - 

My Hallmark Mitford Village collection and the Mitford snowmen.

Left to right: The Main Street Grill, The Local, Lord's Chapel, and Fernbank

I have the whole collection but had to buy them as I found them on E Bay. They're not easy to find! Some pieces were from the winter collection like these. The others are from the Springtime collection. I change them out according to the season.

I wish all my friends a very blessed and Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. This will be my last FFF until the new year. I'm taking a couple weeks off, but I'll be visiting you all.

So as Tiny Tim says . . .

God bless us everyone!

Friday's Fave Five - November 4

 

Well, here we are - the first Friday of November! Where on earth has this year gone? Today is the day to share all the fun and blessings of this past week. Thank you, Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for giving us this opportunity. Come join us!

1. A visit with my BFF from Florida: Marsha and I haven't visited face to face in three years! I didn't realize it had been that long! We talk every week on the phone which is a blessing. We do Bible studies together on the phone. Six hundred miles hasn't separated these friends in our hearts or our spirits. It was awesome to give her a hug (or two or three!). She, her husband Tom and daughter Krista were up visiting a son just 30 minutes from me. We all had lots to catch up on and not near enough time. Next time I'm going down there!

2. Our trip back through time:  We visited the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center for the day. They have a very interesting and informative museum with artifacts dating back to ancient Indian tribes who lived in the Great Smoky Mountains and on to settlers who toughed out life in Cades Cove and the surrounding area. To see how they lived and read everything they had to do just to survive, it makes me very appreciative of what I have. The average wife and mother of the household had to stoke the fire - or more correctly restart the fire from embers saved from the night before before she could even think about cooking breakfast. It makes my electric stove and microwave even more special! 

3. Wandering an 1800 village: Outside the museum building you were suddenly in another time. A village of old buildings, either preserved and moved to this spot or recreated take you back to a couple centuries. Most buildings were furnished as they might have been, and again when I looked at the lumpy beds they slept in, I was grateful for my mattress. There was even a boarding house for travelers and locals.

 Let's hope the other guest was a nice person! We visited a church, a blacksmith shop, a newspaper office, and a tiny home that had been lived in by a family what lived right next to the railroad tracks. It is said that their home was so near the railroad tracks that when they heard the train whistle, they all left the house and stood a good bit away in case any of the logs being transported fell off the train. My favorite was another home, fully furnished. 

Part of their kitchen.

Another part of the home. In pride of place is a treadle Singer sewing machine. I have to smile. My Aunt Laura was my 4-H leader and she taught me how to sew. She gave me her Singer treadle and it was my first sewing machine. It was in a beautiful cabinet like this. I still wish I had it!

Their bed. A lumpy mattress filled with goose down. It didn't look at all comfortable but for them, after a long, hard day, it was probably heaven!

A baby cradle at the foot of the bed.

On part of the walls, you could see old newspaper clippings here and there. Icheck out the photo with the Singer treadle). If my memory serves me correctly, I think that Dolly Parton's homeplace that has been recreated in Dollywood, has the same thing. I used to think it was for decoration but in reality, the newspaper helped insulate the home in the cold winters. 

The wall in Dolly's home. 

Mama's night gown and sleep cap

4. Great grand babies blankets finished and mailed: I sent off the two blankets I had been working on. Even though the yarn was a bear to work with, I'm happy the way they turned out. One is smaller than the other - the smaller one going to the little one in Florida and the bigger one for the one in Connecticut.

The Florida one

The Connecticut one.

Both of these little ones are due this month. The Florida baby is a girl - already named Arabella (Bella for short). The Connecticut baby is a boy - not yet named or if he has been named, the parents aren't telling. Both blankets have been received and appreciated.

5. I'm just thankful: During this month leading up to a special day of Thanksgiving, I'm trying to bring to mind all that I am thankful for. It's been a rough two or three years with pandemics, the rising cost of everything and turmoil all around. But I and my family are all safe and well. I have enough food to eat, a pleasant roof over my head and blessings that people in other parts of the world only dream about. I abide in the shelter of the Almighty (Psalm 91) and I am blessed.

Have a lovely day and weekend!

Friday's Fave Five - October 28

 

It's the end of another week and time to count our blessings and the things that God has blessed us with. Thank you, Susanne from Living to Tell the Story for giving us a space to do this!

1. Yarn on sale: There was a certain yarn that I wanted to finish a crochet project. I found it and it was at a price that I thought was more than it should have been. I decided to check Michael's Craft Store, which is maybe 5 miles from me. They had my yarn cheaper and even with a coupon so I was able to get 2 skeins there for the price of one at other places I ordered online for store pick up and 2 hours later, there was the email that my order was ready! Easy peasy!

2. Computer issues: I've suspected for a while that I was going to have to invest in another computer. I have a spare laptop which has issues and my primary one that has also developed problems. My primary one is suddenly giving me problems with typing "t" and "y". Do you know how many times you use the letter "t" when you're writing something? I was able to access my Word program on the spare computer (which incidentally is faster). Its issues are minor and so between my two laptops, I have one complete working computer! That's a blessing until I can spare the expense to get a new one.

3. A visit: This is a coming blessing. My BFF and her husband in Florida are coming up for a visit this weekend. Their son lives half an hour from me and that's where they're staying. We get to spend a whole day together next week and I can't wait. This treasured friend and I have been through so much. When I lived in Florida, she and I spent every Saturday afternoon watching PBS programs like Father Brown and when the newest Downton Abbey season came out, she bought the DVD and we were watching it before PBS subscribers could. Now, 600 miles away, we still talk on the phone every week and even do Bible studies together.

4. A full cupboard: When my retirement comes in each month, I do some serious shopping. I'm close to being out of many things by then and Mother Hubbard's cupboard is getting bare. After my shopping and putting away, I also feel so blessed to see a full cupboard and fridge. I have the convenience of going to a store with everything I need and bringing it home. To some, this may seem trivial but there are some who don't have that blessing.

5. Beautiful weather: Our colors are still lovely, although you can see it changing. Our nights are in the 40s and our days high 60's and into the 70s. I wish it was like this all year 'round, but I'll take it when we get it. 

I hope one and all are having a lovely day and looking forward to a great weekend.