A Little Blog Break

I’ll be back before you have time to miss me, Lord willing.

In the meantime my Sunday Hymn and a few other posts will pop up but I will be away from my regular postings and I won’t be visiting blogs.

I’m just about done with the huge project of cleaning up my blog from 2007-2013. Here are some images from posts that disappeared from 2007.

Katie was in her friend Heidi’s wedding in May of 2007. This is Katie and me at that wedding. This wedding was in Washington State. Greg was working in California during this time and he and I were living in Camarillo.

Community volunteering project with our church in Thousand Oaks in May of 2007

Josh and Laura at Laura’s brother’s wedding in September of 2007 in Washington State.

Me with my kids at the same wedding. Greg was in California. Ha! I’m wearing the same dress as I wore for Heidi’s wedding earlier in the year, oops. 🙂 Come to find out that dress showed up in one more wedding in 2007 in California. Photos don’t lie or that was the case before AI.

This wedding was in October of 2007. That dress really made the rounds. Makes me chuckle.

Happy last day of September!

On Our Own in Cambridge

After 8 days and nights of being waited on hand and foot we are on our own in the college town of Cambridge. We are staying at The Wilde Aparthotel which is positioned well in the central part of the city. We have a one bedroom small apartment in a very large building with over 400 rooms/apartments.

The lobby is a gathering space with lots of comfy furniture and spaces for people to gather. It was quite lively when we checked in.

Our apartment has a Nespresso machine but we wanted a fresh brew so on Monday morning we went on a quest to get a good cup of coffee. The earliest time that a shop opened was at 6:30 a.m. so we set out before then and enjoyed the quiet of the city without students racing about on bicycles.

We walked along Bridge Street and spotted the Round Church.

Once we go inside, I’ll share more about this ancient church.

We found the coffee shop and enjoyed a strong cup of coffee and shared a delicious almond croissant. Appropriately fueled we journeyed on to see what we could see.

We found our way to King’s Parade.

Part of our Tuesday Tour will cover King’s College and I’ll have lots to share about it. I’m anticipating the chapel at King’s College the most.

We also plan to do our own Reformation Walking Tour from a book I purchased showing some key areas and things to look for.

The window designs at the Copper Kettle were so charming. We might need to eat a meal here.

We came across the Corpus Clock and enjoyed watching the big grasshopper biting away at time! This clock is fascinating and it draws a lot of attention. I took a video to share it with our Grands.

Here’s a You-Tube video about the clock.

The Latin inscription translates, “The World and it’s desires pass away”

Walking down from the Clock we saw The Eagle.

We made a plan to return here for our midday meal.

What a joy to see this beautiful blossoming tree! Spring is coming…thank you, LORD!

Before our lunch at The Eagle we did some shopping acquiring a small French Press and ground coffee so we can make our own coffee in the morning. TK Maxx to the rescue to find a very affordable coffee press and we bought coffee at Sainsbury.

I’ll keep our time at The Eagle for a separate post along with our visit to the Wren Library.

The weather was a bit brighter than Sunday and made walking about pleasant. Cheers!

Challenging

My latest puzzle endeavor has been quite the challenge. The shapes of the pieces are a challenge and the coloring is a challenge.

Parts of the frame of this puzzle just slide together and don’t interlock.

I will have a great sense of accomplishment if I persevere to the end.

The positive thing about this puzzle is that it was brand new and sealed at Goodwill for $4.99.

The other positive thing is that I do enjoy owls. Only 5 owls to go and I’ll be finished.

I can listen to good podcasts as I find the next connecting piece.

Today we are going to the annual Awana Grand Prix. It’s always fun to see all the creative entries and then to see how our Grands’ cars do in the race.

Hope you have a great Saturday.

Truth for Today #169

Friday November 14th

On Fridays my posts will include verses that stood out in my readings from the Bible during week. One, two, three or maybe more. If you have a verse/verses that you read during the week and would like to share, leave it/them in the comments and I will add it/them to the post. Let’s dig deep in God’s Truth again this year!

The verses that you share are appreciated and so encouraging, I’m thankful for them and for each of you!

I’m adding a little note here for the verses I’m sharing today from John 17.

My First Anchor:

On November 24, 1572, John Knox, as he lay dying, said to his wife, Margaret, “Go, read to me where I cast my first anchor.” Margaret knew immediately what to do. She reached for a Bible, opened to John 17, and read to her husband the first three verses. Margaret knew this text was where Knox first met Christ as his Savior. The passage served as both the first and the last anchor for Knox.

John 17:1-3

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

From Vera:

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

From Dianna:

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.

1 Peter 3:18 NASB

Wednesday the 18th in Scotland

On Wednesday the 18th of September we left Pitlochry and drove the ‘Snow Road’ A93 through the Cairngorms with stops at The Lair, Braemar, and on to Dunnottar Castle on the North Sea. We stayed near to the castle at a B&B that was wonderful. I’m posting this after we moved on south. More postcards to come.

Summer Blooms

On July 5th our front acre was transformed into a RV park for a night. One of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook, Bev and her husband Harv, stopped by for a short visit during their summer travels. We enjoyed dinner, conversation, and then breakfast together before they headed out for more adventures.

Thanks for stopping by Bev and Harv!

Monday in Walla Walla

Our last full day together in Walla Walla started off with cuddles on the couch with the Grands before breakfast. Our breakfast was served up by Josh and Laura, Joshua’s now famous Huevos Rancheros. Morning swim time before we all headed downtown for our meal out at the Indian restaurant. After our lunch we all bought treats at Bright’s, fudge, caramel apples, ice cream cones, lollipops and other delights. Back to our airbnb for a nap before we had more swim time and a delicious burger meal created and served up by Katie and Andrew. Some Frisbee time was thrown in there somewhere, too, and jigsaw puzzle time here and there. There was one more surprise before bedtime.

This photo was of our movie night on Sunday evening, not Monday but this is where all the morning cuddling happened, too.

Earlier in the weekend Katie and I got the frame of the puzzle done and others contributed here and there to completing it.

Walking to Main Street for our Indian Restaurant meal.

Someone almost fell asleep waiting for his lunch. Swimming really takes it out of you. After lunch we shopped for some souvenirs from Walla Walla before having our treats at Bright’s.

Time to leave Main street behind and head back to the house.

There was another kind of ‘pool time’, too.

Finishing the jigsaw puzzle.

The ‘littles’ weren’t the only ones who had a nap.

Before it was time for bed we had another surprise. Many months before our gathering we gave Josh and Laura an old movie reel of our church wedding shower from November of 1974. They were able to send it out to digitize it and we all watched it together by casting it on the TV. My brother-in-law recorded the movie. It was silent and poor in quality but rich in memories. Both my maternal and paternal grandmother were in it, my parents and Greg’s parents and many other friends and family who have since gone to heaven. Such a sweet finale to our family gathering to celebrate our 50th year.

One more post to come on our travels home on Tuesday and any bits and bobs I might have forgotten.

Happy Tuesday to you. Our temperatures are still soaring close to and above 100. Our hot water tank got replaced on Saturday with the help of our son. We are keeping things low key and doing inside or early morning projects around the house. Hope all is well in your corner.

Early Summer Delights!

A day at the lake. (Thank you, Jamie, for this great photo!)

Look carefully to spot the young quail.

Shade cloth up and doing it’s magic making it pleasant to sit out on the deck.

I love the cool of the mornings and listening to all the birds singing.

We rested from our labors on Sunday but the days prior we did a lot of work outside tackling some weeds, weed cloth and mowing the lawn. We are back to a watering regiment since we haven’t had rain the last few days. Do you have to water?

Have a good week!

California Girl Hodgepodge

The summery edition of questions are ready for Hodgepodge Wednesday. Thank you, Joyce.

1. It’s National Splurge Day…what’s something you might splurge on today? What have you splurged on recently?

I’ll splurge on anything related to our grandchildren or children. I’ll splurge on fruit out of season. We splurge on buying good ice cream.

2. Do you have a beach bag? What’s in it? Is a trip to the beach on your summer bucket list? Do you have a summer bucket list?

I have a bag that could work at the beach but the answer to all these questions is no.

Even though I was born and raised in Southern California spending many hours at the beach with family and friends, the beach is not on my bucket list for Summer. I now prefer the beach in winter. I love early morning walks along the shore. I do not foresee spending time at any beaches this summer. I do look forward to being on a beach or two in Scotland in September, Lord willing.

I have moved on from being a California girl to being a Country girl.

3. What’s a song that makes you think of a summer past? What comes to mind when you hear it? What memories does it stir up for you?

California Girls by the Beach Boys and other songs that were popular from the 60’s. It brings back memories of the sand and sea and cocoa butter or baby oil, and playing ‘Hearts’ on the beach. If we knew then what we know now would we have slathered that stuff on our bodies to get a tan??

Here’s our California Girl…she was born in Ventura, California.

4. Sushi-yay or nay? Have you actually tried it? If you love it what’s your go-to order?

Nay. A California roll might be something I’d eat.

5. I own a ridiculous amount of ________.

Tablecloths, napkins, napkin rings, plates, candle holders.

I have downsized some of these items lately!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of the beach…

Thankful for Fathers Hodgepodge!

Greg with our three in Ventura, California, 1987.

It is time for another Wednesday Hodgepodge and Jo From This Side of the Pond has the questions ready.

1. June 12 is National Simplicity Day. In what way is your life simple? What’s one way that it’s not?

Since moving to the country our life has become more simple in a few ways. We entertain less. We don’t leave the house as often. When we drive anywhere in town we only encounter 2 traffic signals. There are many places we travel to without even going through one traffic light. The one way it’s not as simple is that we have more property to care for. We need a riding lawnmower and we have more weeds to pull!

2. Something you remember from a ‘simpler time’?

One of the things we enjoyed doing way back before 9-11 was to drop travelers off at their airport gate and greet them when they returned at their gate. Nowadays you can barely get a hug in when you drop them off at the curb.

3. Do you like squash? If so what’s your favorite variety? What’s a favorite way to prepare squash?

I don’t mind squash but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat it or prepare it except for maybe Butternut Squash Soup.

4. Do you shop the warehouse stores (such as Costco, Sam’s B.J’s, etc)? If so how often do you go, and what’s something you always buy in this type of store?

We do shop at Costco regularly and when we have a project we might shop at Home Depot. Monthly trips to Costco are normal. We always fill the gas tank when we first arrive at Costco. They have the cheapest gas prices around these parts. We regularly buy coffee beans, lemons, toilet paper, water, tissue, toothpaste, shaving cream, bar soap, liquor, rotisserie chicken, pure maple syrup, agave sweetener, ranch dressing, and nuts. We were there on Monday to pick up Dear’s hearing aides. He has never had them before so he is now getting used to them. I also check out their clothing piles to see any deals on items that will work for us. I regularly make purchases for the church kitchen at Costco, too. The items in italic come in multi-packs so we purchase them less frequently.

5. Father’s Day is this coming Sunday. Any plans to make the day special? Tell us something about your own father, or something about your hubs as a father, or about someone who stepped into your life and acted as a father if yours was not a part of your life.

My older sister Kathy, Pop (working on a jigsaw puzzle) and me camping in Big Bear California in the 50’s.

My pop was a carpenter and he worked hard to earn enough money to feed and clothe us. When he immigrated to the U.S. just after World War II he had to get creative to find work, later he was able to get carpentry work regularly and he was part of the Carpenters Union. Although he was religious there was something missing until He heard the Gospel clearly at a Billy Graham Crusade at the Los Angeles Coliseum. He knew God was calling him to repentance and a new life following Jesus Christ as his Savior. When he asked God to forgive him, and he put his faith in Jesus Christ for his salvation, he knew immediately that something changed in him. He now had the help of the Holy Spirit to live this new life following Jesus. He desired this new life for all of us and for his parents and siblings, too. Sharing Christ with others was a priority in his life. When his papers were filled out for his legal immigration his name was translated to Moisi in English but it would have been more accurate to be spelled Moses. Our parents sacrificed for their children. They very rarely spent money on themselves. Pop lived to be 95 and outlived our mom by 5 years.

This photo is from a celebration we had for our parents in April of 2013 for their 90th birthdays and for their 70th wedding anniversary. Our brother Fred was missing from this celebration. Our mom died in September of 2013 and our Pop lived for 5 more years.

Our kids will be giving their tributes to their ‘Pops’ on Sunday. He’s a good man and I’m thankful for him and our life together. While I’m sitting at my computer answering these questions, Greg is vacuuming our entire home! What a guy!

We will celebrate with our local kids on Sunday evening here in Colville.