Category Archives: personal

Still Plugging Away…

…and the end is in sight!

Some of you have wondered “Where does she put all that stuff?” I wanted to show you my nifty little pull down ladder that is hidden most days neatly tucked away in the ceiling. Last year we totally emptied that attic and put everything in the basement for sorting through. Since I’ve been back in Washington I’ve been sorting through and everything has one of three destinations now…in the trash, in the garage sale pile, or repacked nicely and back in the attic. Going up and down those stairs heaving boxes up there has been a good workout!

Christmas is up there. Easter is up there. Thanksgiving is up there. Katie’s keepsakes are up there. Suitcases are up there. Rex and Verna’s stuff that we won’t get rid of is up there. Papers we need to keep for a couple more years are up there. You get the drift. See those 3 blue boxes at the top of the stairs…if you ever need wine goblets for a big party or reception call me.

Just a very few more boxes and I’ll be done with this project whoohoo!!  And in other news…

Some big equipment and workers are arriving today to work on this part of our property. The utilities have been marked so we don’t have any unfortunate accidents. Puncturing a gas line wouldn’t be good. We are going to be doing some grading and a trench will be dug along the property line on the right to put in a retaining wall. Eventually this will be a driveway and the area at the top of the photo will be built up and leveled out…

Fun times around the homestead. So today I hope to finish those remaining boxes and then put on my rain coat and mud boots so I can watch some heavy equipment make noise moving dirt. What are you doing?

Goldilocks and Church Hunting…

At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry.  She tasted the porridge from the first bowl.

“This porridge is too hot!” she exclaimed.

So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl.

“This porridge is too cold,” she said

So, she tasted the last bowl of porridge.

“Ahhh, this porridge is just right,” she said happily and she ate it all up.

I realize this is a leap but I thought of Goldilocks since we’ve been church shopping for the last few Sundays. When we moved back to Washington we knew we’d have to find a new church home to settle into. The church we’d attend when we flew back and forth was a little too hot for us. A great church with a fabulous ministry but just too hot for our comfort. (And you know it’s all about us…)

The second church we visited 3 Sundays to see if it was the right fit but the chair was too big and too old. The next church we tried today was very close to home and  the chairs and the worship music were just right but we weren’t comfortable with some theology…

Soon we’ll find the place that’s just right and we’ll be able to start to use our gifts again to serve the Body of Christ. Until then just call me Goldilocks…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

I’ve Been Plugging Away…

…at all the boxes of stuff we had in the attic!

One night during my “I’m awake at 3 A.M. moments” I got this genius idea to take all those old photos out of their frames that were stored in two different tubs. Later that week I bought a package of 5 x7 and 8 x 10 archival quality sleeves. On Tuesday I slipped each photo I de-framed into them. They will all fit in two small binders instead of two big plastic tubs! The old frames will be sold at a garage sale.

While I was completing this task I came across this old photo of Dear and I. I think this was taken at our engagement party way back in 1974.

And in other news…

My dad went home from the hospital last evening. Yesterday while my mom was saying goodbye to some friends from church who came to visit she stumbled and hit her head. She’s ok but she caused quite a stir. I’ll be calling them later to see how their night at home went.

Tonight is the first MLS season game for the Seattle Sounders. I’ll be meeting up with my son and DIL to head downtown for the March to the Match and dinner at the Taco Stand and then the game! Fun times are afoot!!

And yes it is finally raining again the the Northwest.

Hope you all have a good productive Thursday! Blessings…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Who Knows…

…what a day may bring?

 

Unlike the apple tree my pear tree has pushed out a few of it’s buds to full blossoms. So delicate and pretty.

We had one of those dreaded phone calls last night. Lana…”Pop is on his way to the hospital”. Then I ask , “He’s not driving himself, is he? She says, “No, Aunt Anna is driving him. We’re headed out the door to the hospital now and will call you later.” So then I call back and ask, “What are the symptoms?” He had chest pain during the day and used 2 of the nitroglycerin pills the doctor gave him and the pain didn’t go away so they decided to go to emergency. Then I’m thinking why didn’t they call 911. Three people in their 80’s driving to the hospital which is about 7 miles away. Oye!

Then the waiting from 1200 miles away. Talking to God while I’m waiting. Realizing my parents are at that stage in life when you don’t know how much longer they’ll bless this earth with their physical presence.

The doctor finally comes out and lets my sisters know that Pop has Angina (duh…that’s why he came to the ER) and that they think he might have blockage somewhere and they’ll be keeping him overnight for further tests on Tuesday. I wonder if my mom was able to sleep at all last night.

So today I’m tired and dull in the head and still waiting, knowing my Pop’s life is in the hands of our God. Also knowing my life is in God’s hands and I can trust Him.

Isaiah 33:2 (English Standard Version)

O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you.
Be our arm every morning,
our salvation in the time of trouble.

Psalm 5:3 (New International Version)

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

Psalm 88:13 (English Standard Version)

But I, O LORD, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Psalm 143:8 (English Standard Version)

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Busy Around The Homestead…

 

We’ve been working hard around our place here in Washington getting things ready for Spring. Last week we tackled the yard. We have two major projects that we are going to hire out and then in a year tackle some more. The center photo is the “after” with the side yard cleared and all the branches are finally clipped and taken away.

We are anticipating the future arrival of most of our stuff from the Condo. We wonder where are we going to put the stuff? The piles of throw away and save for Garage Sale are getting huge. We still are in a debate about the benefits of an all consuming all day garage sale versus taking all the stuff to Goodwill. My daughter seems to be more in favor of the Garage Sale.

Dear and I walk around each room thinking “will that fit here? or should we get rid of that?”

I went through my closet today and emptied all the items I haven’t worn in years. Next stop my dresser drawers. I’m also slowly going through my really old posts on my blog. You might be seeing some re-posts soon…

In the meantime things are not neat and tidy and organized around here…I think I need some blinders!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Our Welcome Home!

 

We arrived home to find our Kitchen/Dining Room all decorated with balloons,  streamers and flowers. Josh, Laura, and Katie collaborated in the choosing and decorating. We walked in and were pleasantly surprised and then I cried!

They even included some “Retirement” balloons!

 

This helium balloon says Chateau Celebration ~ For Vintage Good Times! Love it…

We’re so happy to be home safe and sound. After we rest up tonight we’ll have to unpack and clean up!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Another Day of Adventure Complete!

I’m looking forward to being home tomorrow and getting around to uploading and editing my photos to share later this week.  Dear and I had a wonderful meal tonight in Ashland with Sandy, The Reluctant Entertainer and her husband. I knew I’d love her before we met and it was great to see her face to face. For now I’m crawling into this comfortable bed and resting my traveling body…

 

Happy March to all of you!!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Safe at The Rose in Pleasanton…

…more to follow next week.

 

We saw huge beaking waves all along the coast of California today, stopped in the Garlic Capitol of the World and arrived safe and sound at our amazing hotel in Pleasanton, California. We walked the charming Main St. and now I’m running hot water for a jacuzzi bath…Calgon take me away!! More photos to come next week!

Blessings on your Sunday!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Have A Little Sunshine…

 

I hope you find some sunshine today!

“…He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous…”

I’m tying up all the loose ends and packing my car for an early morning take-off on Saturday. We’re taking a few days to get home with some fun destinations and meetings along the way. I’ll share later next week when we get settled at home.

Congratulations to my Canadian friends and the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team for their win last night! That goalie deserved a shut-out!  I wanted our U.S. team to fair better but by the end of the game I told Dear that the Canadian Goalie earned the shut-out!

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

Oops!

So I called to schedule our triple phone/T.V./Internet service to be disconnected on March 1st. Wouldn’t you know while I was on the phone with the first technician, she inadvertently cancelled my service immediately which also cut my phone call off to her. She never called back to explain or apologize or anything. When I called back the 2nd technician I got was really efficient and worked through all the red tape to get my service reconnected until March 1st. All that to say I was without internet service most of the day and I haven’t been able to get around to your blogs… Sheesh! But here’s something to make me smile…

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.