A Busy Time

Another Saturday! Seems the only day I have time to post!

This week was busy...but I managed to get to the gym 4 days: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday(today).

So, the days I didn't work out...let's see....Monday was a holiday. Could have gotten there early in the day, but was just plain lazy, then in the afternoon, I met a friend for an early dinner. Wednesday was the day our Sprout chose to enter this world. That's right! A beautiful baby girl entered our family that day. 7 lb 7 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Takes my breath away just thinking about her! Friday I had tickets to the Improv Comedy Club in Cleveland. Matt got them for me for Christmas. Since I am unattached, I asked Matt to go with me. It's not unusual for he and I to hangout, but apparently it's an oddity to society. On our way to Cleveland I commented that people will think I'm a cougar - out on a date with a younger man. Welllllllll, we had VERY good seats....right at the edge of the stage where we were an easy target for the entertainers!!! There were 2 "warm up" guys and the headliner was a female. #2 warm-up guy asked our status...married, dating, other activity. Matt declared "this is my mom" and the guy remarked he thought maybe it was a cougar situation! The headliner made a bigger deal about it. Got alot of sweet awwwwwwws from the audience after making a comment about the cougar bit. It didn't bother Matt nor I. I have a son that is secure enough to let the world know it's ok to hang out with your mom (besides, she's picking up the tab)

Today it was 49 degrees. The snow has melted enough for me to find the outside Christmas lights on the shrubs and remove them. The snow is no longer knee deep so I could take down the wreaths from the front of the house and find the outdoor outlet in the flower bed to unplug the aforementioned lights and retrieve my extension cord. I arranged to cook & deliver dinner to Pam & John today so they had 1 less thing to attend to today. I made chicken n dumplins in my crockpot and whipped up a batch of Jiffy cornbread. If I say so myself it was delicious.

Tomorrow my CMA chapter will try to sell the rest of the soup we made and froze. I have 98 pints of various kinds of soup in my freezer. The Jefferson United Methodist Church is letting us set up our soup sale in their fellowship hall. I'm going to try to slip out to attend services at the bar around the corner. Maybe I'll attend the service at the church for a change to see how the people there are since I'm thinking about making the committment to join the church and become a full member of their faith community.

It's about time to think about winding this day down.

Ciao

It's been a busy Saturday!!

I'm not sure why, but I was hesitant to De-Christmas the house this year. I began taking the tree down last Tuesday an finally got it completely undecorated and out to the street last night - Friday. Well, not out to the street exactly . . . that will entail plodding through knee deep snow . . but it is off the porch!!! I put away all the other stuff - stockings, santa collection, nativity, etc - this morning. Maybe it has something to do with going down to the basement to bring up empty boxes, filling the boxes, then taking the boxes back down to the basement. And they never fit back on the shelves the way they did before Christmas . . . haven't been able to figure that out yet. Then I have to remember where I put all the stuff I moved to make room for the Christmas stuff. Once I find these items, I have to remember what goes where . . . But it's done!!!

After that, I loaded up all my recycle stuff and hauled it off to the city's recycle center . . . someday this community will go to curbside recycling, but until that happens, I will make periodic trips to the city dump to ensure my garbage isn't hanging around taking up valuable land space.

Then I went to the gym. I know . . . on a Saturday!!!! All I can say is New Year . . . New priorities. After a shower and cleaning up, I went to the grocery store. There were lots of BOGO specials . . . porkchops and roasts. Now I have to divide the "family pack" of pork chops into single servings and freeze them. I got 17 thick cut pork chops for $15 ! That's at least 8 meals for me!!! Coffee was on sale and everyone must be out of coffee cuz the shelf was empty . . . frozen chicken breasts too!!! I'll run by tomorrow morning on my way to church at the biker bar and see if they have restocked the shelves/freezers.

I had 2 coupons for 2 free movies each from Drug Mart, so on the way home I stopped and picked up a bunch of comedies. They are 7 day rentals so I have until next Saturday to get them watched. I think I'll pop some popcorn and get cozy under a blanket (it's 7 degrees outside) and watch one of them tonight.

GREAT NEWS::::: Something on thing on the horizon . . . . I've got plans to travel to Texas next month. I haven't been there in 2 1/2 years!!! My sister Deena is going too! That means us 3 girls will be together with MOM . . . I'm sure the visit will be bittersweet as I know mom has deteriorated immensely since I saw her last. But she's been on my heart since the beginning of December so I stepped up my prayers. That helped but I knew I needed to get out there. I did some checking and I had enough flyer miles on my credit card to get 2 airline tickets (mine & Deena's) for $10!

Popcorn and movie time!!!!

Ciao

Wintery Sunday

I braved the chilly temperatures and made it to church this a.m. - I'm glad I did . . . the music and the message were VERY good. The message was about darkness. How that by our nature, we fear the dark and that Jesus pierced that darkness . . . and comparing how a single match can create light in an absolute dark room the same as each of us, no matter how insignificant we feel, can make a difference by letting our light shine - the light (love) of Christ - reflect off of us. I took notice that the door to the "other side" of the bar remained wide open. There was 1 patron and 1 bar maid there. Yessiree. Seeds are being planted.

There is so much to do around here . . . a lot of organizing and cleaning out . . . however, I chose to spend the day watching the snow fall and the wind blow . . . and knitting a scarf to go with the new winter coat I bought yesterday. I bought 2 skeins of yarn yesterday and am on the second skein already! (Hoping for a snow day tomorrow - can clean and organize then)

I am awaiting the arrival of Grandchild #2. Since daughter and son-in-law chose not to learn the gender of said grandchild, it has come to be known as our Beansprout.

Our due date is Jan 16, but I would be very surprised if Beansprout waits that long. What do you think?

Well, I'd better get back to knitting.

Ciao

New Year . . . Similar Goals

I decided to re-visit last year's goals to see how I did:

1. Committment to pray everyday for cure/treatment for cancer and alzheimer's - I would have to say that I was relatively successful at this, however, it will stay on the list of goals for 2010, cuz I believe I can do better.

2. Get back to healthy food choices and regular excercise - meaning finding a balance between bicycling and motorcycling - This one definitely stays on the list of goals for 2010 - I wasn't on my bicycle once last summer . . . food choices were decent and if 4-5 times a week is regular excercise, then I did ok there.

3. Plan and execute an overnight motorcycling camping trip. YESSSSSSS. Better than overnight! I managed to load my bike with 8 days of clothing/toiletries, sleeping bag,

rain gear, and tent and rode to West Virginia for a week's campout at CMA's national East rally!!!! WooHoo!

4. Find a church that feeds my spirit and just "feels right". It may stay on the 2010 goals list, but I'm getting closer . . . A Methodist church holds a Sunday a.m. service in a local biker bar, complete with B.A.R. band (born again rockers) that lead the praising! It's a service that is bare bones worship - singing/prasing, prayer, proclaiming the Word of God, breaking open the Word, more prayer, more praising/worship. Communion is celebrated twice a month. A bucket sits on the bar as you enter for the offering. This feels right. What is cool is that in the other room are bar patrons and it is my hope and prayer that seeds are being planted in their hearts as we raise our voices in song and prayer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Now, for 2010's goals in no particular order

1. Visit my mom in Texas


2. Improve on my prayers for cure/treatment for cancer and alzheimers


3. Continue the search and join a faith community


4. Another motorcycle road trip - something relaxing and scenic


5. Continue making heatlhy food choices and get on that bicycle!!!


6. Spend less time on the computer . . . FB is a time thief.