A Nice Little PDR

 Yesterday Hilary posted on FB that she, Blaine, and the kids had taken a nice drive and had seen a beautiful sunset.   That made me think of the Sunday drives that we used to do when I was younger and Dad would drive us all over southwestern Indiana, sometimes into southeastern Illinois, sometimes into northern Kentucky.  

I told Gary that was what I wanted to do today...take a drive...just around.  When I told Hilary the plans (when they stopped by after church to do the chores), I asked if she ever remembered our doing that when she was younger.  She didn't.  I said "That's because your dad doesn't like to do that."  

When I told him about our conversation, he disagreed.  He said we took plenty of drives around the countryside---to check out the crops.  So I stand corrected.  We did.  It just seemed like it was always the same route...checking out the fields of our neighbors and then the fields that he had planted, or sprayed, or were close to harvest.  And we would end up stopping at his folks to visit for a while.  Then we would drive back to our house by a different route and check out the other neighboring fields.

Today we went to Monticello, on the premise of checking out the lowered level of Lake Freeman.  I had seen posts on FB that the water level had dropped considerably, and that boats were having trouble navigating, if they could reach the water at all.  Blaine told us yesterday that his dad couldn't take his boat out, and Clay's plans to be on the lake yesterday were changed because they couldn't access the water from where the boat was docked.  I sweetened the plan a little with a suggestion that we stop at the B&K for chili dogs too.  That was one of his favorite things about the last excursion we took to Monticello the day of his surprise birthday party.

As we were driving north on 39, Gary asked me where I wanted to go, which was the question I dreaded.  Ok...here we were...going on a 'drive around and see the sights with no particular plan' adventure and I was expected to tell him each and every turn to make.  This was not going to work very well. I could also hear in his voice that this was a 'well, YOU wanted to do this so tell me what to do and where to go' tone.  And it wasn't a happy tone, either.

We turned just north of the neat red barn that we can see to the west of the 39, on the road that leads to the Oakdale Dam restaurant.  I am not familiar with that area, so I didn't know for sure where to turn so we could see the river/lake and before we knew it, we had passe the dam and the restaurant and were driving n the county.  One of the roads we turned on was the north/south road between Monticello and Camp Tecumseh.  As we drove north, we passed several signs which would have taken us to the lake for our original purpose, to see the lake level, but we drove on into town.  

It's a good thing, too, that we arrived at the B&K when we did because their new Fall Hours were posted which showed a closing time of 4 p.m. on Sundays and it was nearly 3.  If we had been looking around the lake first, we would have missed the coney dog (and that would NOT have been a good thing!). We ordered a chili cheese dog, fried mushrooms with ranch dressing, and a large diet root beer in a to-go cup for me and THREE chili dogs, fries, and a large diet root beer in a to-go cup for Gary.  The mushrooms were excellent, the dog ok (I am not a big fan but if I have to eat one, that is the one I like best).  Gary was happy, though.  The dogs were great!

As we finished eating, he said "How about driving past our old house?"  which really surprised me because every time I mention something about the house west of Pulaski, he says, "We don't live there anymore.  We don't own it anymore.  I don't care."  We drove through some country around Lake Shafer, then to Buffalo, and because there was something going on in front of the Fire Station, we took a different route on 119 to Pulaski then west to our old house.

 To say that it looked horrible is being nice.  The barn looked awful, there were probably 5-6 cars sitting around, and I didn't notice, but Gary said there was a big tree down and waiting to be cut up.  There were people outside so I didn't get to see much.  I am SO glad we don't live there anymore, but I am sad that the place that we worked so hard to be nice, with the yard always mowed, nice flower beds, and things trimmed up looked so horrible.  But as Gary said, it isn't our place anymore.  And we are very happy where we are now.

Next we drove west to 700 to 200S and drove toward the school.  We turned off and went "around the block- country style" to stop at the cemetery.  We drove past Sandy's and checked out the fields there, then drove past Gary's folks house and checked out the fields there.  It was the first time we saw any signs of life around Leo and Agnes' house.  Two kids were dragging some branches to a burn pile and there was a bright red truck sitting in the drive.  

We checked out the field uptown, drove through Medaryville, then turned south on 421.  When we approached West Central and the four-way stop in front of it, I asked if we could drive around the school again.  Lots of memories came rushing back.  Many walks across the parking lot to the football field, judging homecoming floats on the south end, standing at the fence watching the games, announcing from the press box.  As we drove around the elementary, the picnic table area at the outdoor lab was marked off with yellow tape. I wanted so much to hop out and check out the amphitheatre in the outdoor lab where I took my English classes to write essays about nature.  Those were some of the best writing workshop classes I had!  As we drove along the front drive of the high school, a few tears came to my eyes.  For 33 years that was where I spent most of my time.  Now if I walked in the school, very few people would even know who I was.  I have been retired from WC for 14 years.  Hard to believe.   So many memories.  As a new teacher.  A newlywed.  A new mother.  A mother of elementary students.  A mother of high school students.  Student Council advisor.  Committee Chair for NCA evaluations.  Department head.   Teacher of junior English for 25 years.  Wife of the varsity assistant girls basketball coach.  Scorekeeper for the West Central Lady Trojans JV and Varsity Basketball teams.  Voice of Senior Nights and Homecoming.  So many memories.

Back to Francesville.  East out of town, just like we used to drive home from church, from school sometimes.  Then south on 39 to Buffalo again, then through Monticello, and time jumped back to the present.  It wasn't that different of a drive that we made frequently after Megan and Matt were married and Hilary and Blaine moved to Pyrmont.  And then even moreso now it is our route whenever we need to make a trip back to Pulaski County for a hair appointment or to go to the bank.  

It was a good day.  It turned into a drive that wasn't so much my telling Gary where to go or which turn to make, except when we turned just past The Sportsman so we could check out just how low Lake Freeman had become. 

Final stop---the Delphi Dairy Queen for chocolate cones.

A nice PDR.  

And we did check out the crops!

Note:  PDR?  The story goes like this:  Aunt Joretta and Uncle Dean liked to take evening rides when Sherry was little.  She would get so excited if one said "Do you want to go for a ride?" and if the answer was "No" then she would cry and cry.  So they started spelling the question as in "Do you want to go for a R I D E ?"   She finally caught on and would say she wanted to go for a P D R which was what she remembered (incorrectly) that they were spelling.  So in our family that kinda stuck.  A ride was a P D R and it is still a P D R to this day.  At least for Gary, the girls, and me.

Geez Louise! I Must Have Been Tired!

 Yes, I know.  I have been trying to either set my alarm or wake up on my own around 6:30-7:00 a,m. so that I can start the day with devotions from Jesus Calling, writing in my journal and reading scriptures, posting in the page that Rhonda and I share devotions in, and then praying.

That has been working well for the last two weeks, and I know that it takes around that many days (10-14) to make something become a habit.  So far, so good.  

The effects have been good too.  Not as nervous.  Not feeling as scared.  Trusting God to take control and be in charge.  Not worrying as much.  Hoping that the country survives the election because God is in control and there is nothing I can do except to vote for the candidate I think is the best. He will watch over Megan, Matt, and the kids and Hilary, Blaine, and the kids while everyone is at school and work.  

Last night was a little different than my usual routine.  Instead of going upstairs around 10 and reading for a while, then falling asleep to either Family Feud or Everyone Loves Raymond, I didn't go to bed until midnight.  Why?  Not sure.  We went to Cooper's ball game at the Rossville Park, then stopped at Treece's in Rossville for a late dinner.  We didn't come home that late.  It wasn't a long drive to Rossville and back.  Actually it was nearly the closest that we could go to a ball game, other than one at Hershey Elementary or in Delphi.  

After we came home, we watered the plants, then we sat on the deck for a while.  Nothing really unusual about any of that.  

So yes, I was awake at 5:45 and finally was out of bed around 6-6:15.  Why?  Because the sheets were tangled up in my legs.  I couldn't get the quilt situated like it should be.  The fluffy blanket that I usually like on top for some extra weight and to cuddle under was too hot and I had thrown it on the floor.  I felt like I was tossing around and not sleeping, therefore bothering Gary, so I grabbed my iPad and left for the living room.

Into the normal routine.   Jesus Calling.  Journal.  Prayer.   365 Devotions to Love God and Love Others Well (the book Rhonda and I use).  Posting in the forum for the two of us.  Posting in the forum for DWLZ.  Then I was tired.

What to do?  It was 8:00.  I really didn't want to go back to bed.  I didn't want to hop in the shower yet.  I wasn't really ready for breakfast.  So I grabbed my penguin blanket and went upstairs to the spare bedroom, pulled the shade, shut the door, and lay on the bed.  Within minutes I was asleep.  I think.

I awoke a few times during the time I was in the bedroom, but it seemed like I had been just cat-napping.  Finally I woke up and went into the bathroom.  After I flushed, I looked at the clock.  What????

It was 11:00.  An hour before noon!  What?  I had slept for THREE HOURS????

I can't even remember the last time I slept until 11:00.  Maybe when I was sick?  Maybe after everyone left after a holiday?  Maybe when we returned home from Las Vegas and my internal clock was messed up?

But oh...it felt good.  It was a really good three hour nap.  And I felt refreshed.

And it also threw off the day because breakfast was at lunch time and lunch time occurred around 3 and there never was dinner.

I did work in the sewing room today and clean out a bunch of things, re-organize, and sew a tag onto a finished quilt.  The ironing board has a new cover too!

Tonight Owen is staying with us overnight, so who knows what kind of sleeping there will be.  He thinks he will be sleeping in the futon room with Papaw. They may end up in the queen size bed if that doesn't work.  Or he may want to sleep with me (because that has been the norm for us on nights they were at open shows).  I might just take another long nap in the spare bedroom.

Wherever I end up, I hope I am not still sleeping at 11:00.  I have things to do tomorrow!

Owen

 Owen is going to pre-school at Rossville Elementary.  This is his third year, actually the second at Rossville with the first being at Clinton Prairie.

He started with attending classes two mornings a week, then increased to three mornings.   Last year he attended five mornings a week and was transported home by a bus which backed into the drive at his house.  

Last year after we returned home from our trip to Disney World to celebrate his adoption his mommy was hired as an instructional assistant so arrangements were needed for his care in the afternoons.  Sometimes he went to a day care in Rossville. Two days each week we picked him up at the school so we could take him later in the afternoon to therapy at WeeCare in Lafayette.

This year things were a little different. He is still attending classes five mornings each week, but there is no day care in Rossville and no therapy appointments in Lafayette.

Instead there is time with Daddy.  However, on the days when Daddy is working, a different plan occurs!

When the bus backs into the drive, either Papaw or Mamaw is there to pick up Owen and take him to The Farm.  He is always excited to see Papaw, not as much with Mamaw, but he knows Papaw will be at the house eventually so it's ok.  

Over the last few weeks of school we have developed a routine of sorts.

First thing - remove the shoes and braces, then strip down.  Bubble bath and shampoo for the first 15-20 minutes.  Fresh clothes (often the clothes Owen wore the previous day when he was here), fresh underwear, and clothes worn to school that day plus the towel and washcloth tossed in the washer.

Next thing - lunch  Blueberries.  Today it was red raspberries that were the favorite. Chicken nuggets.  French fries.  Mini-muffins.  Sweet gherkins. Chocolate milk or OJ in the cup.  Whatever he wants, he can have!

Afternoon fun?  It varies.

Sometimes he and Papaw watch The Croods or something on Netflix with dinosaurs.

Sometimes, especially if Lynnlee is here too, they watch Mickey Mouse or something on the Disney channel.

Sometimes we play downstairs and pull things out of the toy closet.

Sometimes we go outside and he jumps on the trampoline. And convinces Papaw to get him a Popsicle from the fridge in the Party Barn.

Yesterday he helped me unpack the box from Bath and Body Works, sort through the contents, then carry items to the Futon Room for safekeeping until Christmas.  He was enchanted with the Futon Room.  It was fun to play with my exercise ball.  To roll under the futon.  To be shocked because he discovered that the futon could be flattened to be a bed! And he wants to sleep in there the next time he spends the night.

Today he was pummeling me with a toy microphone, head-butting me in the family room, then nearly toppled the iron and ironing board while I was working on a quilt and he head-butted me again.  

But you know...we are SO lucky. 

Lucky to have a grandson so sweet and lovable.  One whose smile just melts your heart.  One who likes to cuddle with you.  One who gets excited each day because he gets to take a nice warm bubble bath.

Lucky to have a grandson who is best buddies with his Papaw.  The bus driver asked me the other day when I picked him up by myself if we were just to have him move in with us since he loved us so much.  He is always SO excited when Papaw is going to pick him up and he can spend the afternoon with us.

Lucky to have so many opportunities to see the wonder in his eyes.  Today when I washed off the red raspberries and showed him the colander and asked him if he wanted any...his eyes lit up and he literally gasped and he nodded his head.  It was so cute!  And he ate nearly an entire container of those red berries.

Lucky that Hilary and Blaine asked us if we would be willing to do this ---pick him up on the days that Blaine was working so he could spend the afternoon with us. 

Today when Blaine picked him up after work he said we wouldn't be seeing him for a while.  Well, on Saturday he is staying here while everyone else goes to Landon's cross country meet at Northfield.  Then the next Saturday is his birthday party here in the Party Barn.  And probably on the day after Labor Day because Daddy will be working days and Mommy will be back at school.    And you know what....I was ready to cry.

Next year he will be in kindergarten. We all know what happens when the kids start going to school each and every day, all day long.  There is homework, and dinner, and after school activities of siblings,  and early bedtimes, and soon there is no time to see Mamaw and Papaw anymore.  

I was ready to cry.  And I still am close to tears.  I love that little boy so much.  His smile.  His hugs.  His chuckles.  His antics.  When he looks at me and says, "I love you, Mamaw" and smiles. The way he knows he isn't supposed to go upstairs by himself, but he does, and when we go to get him, he runs in circles through the bedroom and bathroom.  The way he is so protective of Lynnlee when she is here.  The way he snuggles into the recliner with Papaw.  The way he runs into the bathroom, shuts the door, and flushes, then washes his hands and turns out the light, then shuts the door again. And if the main floor bathroom is occupied, he will run upstairs to use that bathroom, closing BOTH doors. 

He is special.  He is sweet. And he is our grandson...forever and ever.

A Lazy (?) Sunday Afternoon

 After I typed in that title, I thought we did a bunch of work that probably wouldn't be labeled as lazy!

But the day was slow and easy.  We stayed home all day.  We saw both Megan  and Hilary.  Cooper jumped on the trampoline and watched some of the Cubs game with Papaw.  Landon fed the goats for the first time in a week.

The work came earlier in the afternoon.  We worked outside (yes, it was hot!) for a couple of hours.  I pulled weeds and trimmed the geranium baskets, trimmed the hanging baskets on the deck and patio and the pot of flowers by the garage doors.  I snipped off the dead blooms that looked like they had been burned from the coriopsis plants by the gazebo.  I watered everything well.  

Gary wanted to put the rest of the pea gravel in the bed by the deck so I sprinkled from the new container of Preen in that area.  Unfortunately when I pulled off the foil cap and returned the screw on top, it was not on completely so it fell off.  I defy any weeds to pop up around the iron kettle containing the marigolds!    I tried to scoop up as much as I could and replace it in the container, then I tried to spread out the rest of it to other areas, not too successfully.

The pea gravel filled in some of the areas where weeds had been pulled previously and made an improvement in the appearance of the flower bed.  We saved two bags for weight in the back of the pick up for winter and will probably use it next spring.

While I was working around the gazebo, Gary emptied the planter in the old seeder and replanted it with a pack of begonias that had been kept alive all summer.  I dumped the white planter in the gazebo since all of the marigolds in it had died, and he planted the lonely geranium that had been sitting by the hose and water faucet in it.  

I had mentioned the other day that we needed to clean out the area around the door and screen into the garage.  It would be nice to be able to walk in and out without using the huge garage door.  There is also an outside light with the switch inside of that door.  It could be lit when we have evening guests or events in the Party Barn to shed more light for those needing to go to the house for the bathroom.  Gary worked on that area and now we can use the door!  Of course there is not much room to navigate around the cars, but at least we have a way to get in and out without raising and lowering the garage door!

Megan and Cooper came mid-afternoon so he could try out the trampoline.  Sitting in the shade and watching him jump was relaxing.  He must have worked up a great thirst while jumping because he consumed three pouches of Hi-C fruit punch from the Party Barn fridge!

Dinner tonight consisted of hamburgers from the grill, cole slaw made by Gary, tomatoes, ears of sweet corn, and chips.  Good Sunday evening dinner.

To cap off the day we sat on the deck for a while until it was dark.  Another I really like about this house....we have more room to sit outside.  I know---we had a huge yard and a patio at the other house.  But we just didn't sit outside there. There had been a few times around the fire ring and I sat on the Adirondack chairs on the patio a couple of times.  But we didn't sit outside in the evenings at all.   We did with Leo and Agnes on their porch and sometimes in their yard, but not at our house.

Just a lazy Sunday.  We watched the online service from the Christian Church in Francesville, then the rest of the day had plans to it.  Kinda refreshing! 

So Much to Ponder

 This is Day #5 of my new routine.  So far, so good!

I was awake early, mainly because my head hurt and I couldn't breathe.  I think it was sinus issues.  I got up and took some Tylenol and it helped.

Downstairs I went to work on my Jesus Calling devotion.  Once again...very pertinent.

And you know what....so many things are speaking to me today.

The fruit of the Spirit.  

Look at the heavy atmosphere---and pray.

Tasha's post about the early morning hour and offering grace and peace and friendship to your kids (and for me that means our big kids and our littles)

Liz Curtis Higgs on Friday - what a message today about the steadfastness of God.

Many things to ponder...and a great way to start my Friday

Trying to Start a New Routine...Again

 I  have always been a morning person. I like the early mornings.  I don't like the alarm going off at 5:30 (which it did for the entire last year I was at Ivy Tech). But I do like to be awake and up and moving and accomplishing things before 9:00.

Why is it that 9:00 seems like a transition hour to me?  I feel like if I can accomplish things before 9, then I am off to a good start.  If I get started after 9, then I feel like the morning is over and it will soon be lunchtime, and the day is shot.

And it isn't shot at 9:00!  Why would it be?  But that is a feeling I have.

After I read Lysa Terkeurst's post on FB the other day, I decided I needed to make some changes.  One of those is getting up earlier.

Monday I was out early to weed the flower beds and it felt so good to be outside.  Fresh air.  It was so still. I could hear the traffic on the Hoosier Heartland and the whistles of the trains that seemed to pass by, one after the other (and sometimes in different directions on that one track!).  

Tuesday was a haircut appointment and that led to a busy day, one that was reflective, and as I told Gary, made me realize one more time how glad I was that we had moved. As I drove around Pulaski County, I just wanted to go home.

Wednesday was a trip into Kohls to pick up a sleeping bag set for Owen's birthday gift.  I know I didn't HAVE to go in that morning, that I had time to get it, but I wanted to be sure that I had it or had time to find another one.  I learned two things - one is that even though an app will tell you that an item is in stock at a store, it probably isn't (oh wait!  I have learned that many times during the summer, haven't I? - swings, trampolines) and two is that if one is IN the Kohls store, an item can be ordered and delivered to one's home without a shipping fee.  But this only works if the item is ordered IN the store.  So I guess it was worth the trip in to order it from my phone while I was standing next to the kiosk which didn't work.    Then we drove to Noblesville and I shared all of those events in my post yesterday.

This morning I was awake a little before 6 and opted to just turn off the alarm for 6:45 and start the day on my own.  It was still dark, but the house was quiet (as it always is unless the kiddos are here) and conducive to the early morning Bible study.

This time I gathered my Jesus Calling book, my journal, my Bible, and I sat on the blue couch in the family room instead of the recliner.  Today's devotions was about healing (which I still need emotionally) and intimacy with Jesus.  Rhonda and I have talked about that before ---intimacy with Jesus---and how we struggle with that term in relationship to God.  I am trying to grasp that concept.  But I do understand the healing and I think I noticed something.  When I wrote in my journal this morning, I said I still had the emotional scars from Mom.  Notice the word.  Scars.  Not wounds.  Scars.  There is a difference. I think that is significant.  

Now it is nearly 7:30.  I have completed the devotions from Jesus Calling, the journal for today, reading the Bible verses, the devotions I post with Rhonda, and posted in the daily thread for DWLZ.  The washer is in the spin cycle for the first load of the day.  I am sitting here looking at the sewing room and knowing I need to go in there and finish sewing on the binding on another quilt.    Checking behind me I notice daylight. 

Time to move to the next step.  I think the new day has started---and it isn't 9:00 yet!

Trip to Noblesville

 A few weeks ago Michelle, my friend Susan's daughter, asked on FB if there were anyone who would be able to finish a quilt her mother had started for Katie, Michelle's daughter.  I commented that if she couldn't find someone closer to Evansville to do it, I would but I lived in the northern part of the state.  Well, that did it.  She asked me if I would finish it, that it would mean so much to her, to Katie, and to her dad if I would do it.  Today I met her in Noblesville, at the exit off of I-69 where Duluth Trading and Cabela's is located.  It was move-in day for Katie at Ball State, and since they traveled on I-69 to go to Muncie, it was a perfect spot to meet.

Gary and I left home after 11 because today Blaine had an appointment in Winamac in the morning and we wanted to be sure he would be home in time for Owen's pre-school bus.  I drove into town this morning to buy a sleeping bag/tent combo for Owen's birthday gift at Kohls. It turned out that they didn't carry that item, but I learned that if I ordered it while IN the store, there would be no delivery charge to have it sent directly to our house.  So that is what I did.

The drive to Noblesville was a different one than we usually take.  Plus there was an unexpected detour at a round-about within 2 miles of our destination.  But we finally made it.  I was hungry, so looking for a place for lunch was our first concern.  Gary spotted a Red Robin and that was all he needed to pull in the parking lot!  He doesn't like Chuy's AT ALL and that was going to be my choice.  I think he knew if he found a decent alternative, I would be happy with NOT going to Chuy's for their famous chips and creamy jalapeno dip.    

Red Robin was nearly deserted.  I think there might have been 5 other tables in use.  The hostess cleaned off a table with disinfectant before she seated us.  Silverware and napkins were in sleeves, and we were given paper menus.  Our server was attentive, and our food was quickly delivered and HOT.  The restrooms were very clean too.  I was pleased with the experience.

Next stop was Duluth Trading Co.  I was looking for sale items, specifically underwear.  I do like the two pairs of hi-cuts that I have.  I did find one pair, on clearance, plus another 40% off.  My main mission though was underwear for the boys for their Christmas tubs.  No such luck with the boxer briefs.  All of them were at regular price, and I really don't feel comfortable spending nearly $30 on ONE pair of boxer briefs, no matter how comfortable they are.  I am sure there will be more sales before Christmas.

I usually enjoy shopping at Cabela's.  The last time was after the girls' basketball state finals in early March, just before the quarantine started.  I bought a pair of denim leggings that I really like (in fact, I wore them today).  I also bought two tops that were on a sale table, but when we returned home and I checked the sales slip I discovered that I had been charged a different price than the one on the signage.  I called the store and was told that those two particular shirts were NOT included in the sale pricing even though they were on the same table.  I questioned that practice, was told that the sign said only the striped shirts, which I hadn't noticed and I know I didn't see that because another shopper and I stood there and looked at the sign and picked up those shirt because it didn't say anything specific like 'striped shirts only.'  The gal I talked to on the phone said I could return them ONLY if I had the sales slip (and I had told her I was reading the stock numbers off the sales slip--stupid woman) and within four weeks.  I planned to stop there after we dropped off Karen and Clay at the airport in two weekends, but that didn't happen because of the pandemic. So I was stuck with the two over-priced shirts.

This time we found a few items, some on sale, a few at regular prices.  I discovered a rack of cards and picked out one for Mike and Angie's anniversary.  I always check the prices and this one was $3.59.  As we were checking out, I was glancing at the scanned prices, but I wasn't paying close attention.  I thought the card might have been scanned at a different price, but I wasn't sure and didn't check it before we left the store or even the parking lot.  I should have.  When we arrived home, I pulled out the receipt from the bag---and I was charged $4.99 for the card, which was the price in Canada.  Are you kidding me?  

Now I know that I should have checked everything immediately, from past experience, but I was thinking about meeting Michellle and checking my phone for messages from her, and I did receive one in that time period, so I didn't check until we were home.  And it is too far to return a card and demand an adjustment in the price.  I would spend more in gas than the difference in the prices.  

But what I can do is not buy anything else at Cabela's.  Gary and I talked about that, and while Cabela's was bought out by Bass Pro Shop and we do like shopping there, the quality of merchandise and the availability of items I like is much better at Bass Pro.  

Meeting Michelle was a good thing.  In all the years that we have heard about each other, we had never met face to face.  It was good to chat with her, to share stories about her mom, and to go through the boxes that contained the quilt blocks that Susan had finished and try to imagine what she had planned for the final quilt.  It will be fun to work with the blocks and try to create something that will be memorable for Katie.

On the way home we took another route. Who knew that there were so many options when traveling between Noblesville and Colburn?  Our original plan to stop at the Cracker Barrel outside of Zionsville were squashed when we turned onto 31 and headed north toward Kokomo.  Light bulb moment---there is a Cracker Barrel on the south side of town where Becky Groff and I ate during a snowstorm after adjunct orientation one January.  But it was full---people standing outside, waiting for a table.  Across the street was an IHOP and that is where we ended up.  Only three other tables total from the time we entered until the time we left.  Gary had a breakfast platter and I enjoyed a stack of hot blueberry pancakes.  One thing about the smaller number of customers at a restaurant --service is usually quick and the food is always HOT!  Most of the time (not at the Clifty Inn for sure).

All in all----a fairly good day.  Great cheeseburger and sweet potato fries at Red Robin.  A new pair of underwear from Duluth.  A pair of leggings from Cabela's (that were not overpriced).  A nice visit with Michelle and plans for another quilt (that will be sewn with love and tears).  

Plus it was good to get out of the house and do something different. 

We needed that!

This Spoke to Me....

Lysa TerKeurst

1d ·

I know how tempting it can be to grab our phones to check social media and the news first thing in the morning. Especially right now when there's so much going on in our world.

But there's something vital I've learned over the years when it comes to how I start my day. When I wake up, my mind is like a dry sponge. What I soak up first will saturate me most deeply. If I don’t want to be consumed with the stresses of my day, I must soak up what will renew my mind instead: God’s Word. Even if it’s only for 5 minutes, I’ve got to put the world on hold until I’ve checked in with God!

Before we go to bed tonight, let’s ask God to wake us up every morning in this coming week to read the Bible first thing. Let’s decide right now that before checking in on the world… we'll check in with God’s life-giving truths.

 

 This spoke to me when I read it on FB the other day.  I do grab my phone first thing when I wake up.  I check the messages, then I check FB.  I always tell myself that doing this is like my grandparents and my folks used to do with reading the newspaper.  We don't receive the newspaper anymore, not that there is much TO receive, and I don't turn on the news (mainly because I don't want to listen to the gloom and doom that they spread).  Checking FB gives me an idea of what 'my people' are up to.

But it IS a bad habit.  I don't like it, but I can't seem to pull myself away from it.  I do know that I am stressed out when I wake up, scared, checking my forehead to be sure I have no temperature. I re-trace what we have done recently and places we have been and whether we used our hand sanitizer or not (and I know that we did because I have been through the same scenarios so many times).  Then I am tense and dread the day and what MIGHT happen.  At night it is ever worse.  

So I was glad to read Lysa's post and decided that I was going to try this.

Day 1

So far, so good.

I was awake and dressed in my leggings and t-shirt at 6:30.  When I sat in the recliner, I grabbed the Jesus Calling book that Nancy Smith had given me several years ago as a Christmas gift.  I turned to August 18 (didn't realize until later that I had read tomorrow's devotion this morning), read it, and was amazed at how pertinent the words were for what was happening today.  I found a blank page in one of the journals that I brought home from Mom's house (and Tessa had already colored or written on some of the pages) and wrote a little bit about what I had read and the scriptures.  

 

 

Next I wrote a note in the card for Darlene Mellon.  She is facing a serious health issue and I am trying to send her at least one card each week. 

Finally---prayer.  

And you know.... when I went outside to weed the flower bed by the deck, I felt SO much better.  I felt energized.  I knew that God had this whole thing---the pandemic, the election, the division of our country.  He knows what He is doing, and I don't need to worty about it.

It was good for me to do this today.

I need for it to become a habit.

It spoke to me.

I just need to check the date more closely!

 

A Just-What-I-Needed Type of Day

 Yes, it was.

I was up early and came downstairs to post in the devotional page I share with Rhonda, then post in the DWLZ daily forum.  By the time I did that it was time for the YouTube presentation of the church service from FCC.  

I could hear Gary making noises upstairs, and sure enough, when he came downstairs, he was in the beginning stages of getting ready to go to church with Hilary and Blaine.  I had decided, but hadn't told him yet, that I really didn't want to go to Delphi UMC this morning. Not because I didn't want to go to church, but because I was still uneasy about attending a church service IN a building with other people I didn't really know, wearing a mask for over an hour.  He agreed, and soon I found that Hilary and Blaine were not going either.

We continued to watch the FCC service until William Butler was speaking.  Sorry...but I don't really enjoy his messages and today's was no exception to that.  It was easy to switch over to listening to the Ball Brothers songs.

After breakfast I put together the crockpot for our planned evening meal.  A beef roast with chopped onions and celery, seasoned with salt and pepper, and beef broth poured over, then cooked on low for 7-8 hours.

After my shower I sat in the dining room with the laptop and sent an email to Karen and Paul in Whidby Island, WA.  She has been gone from WC for nearly 20 years now (WOW!) and we still email each other frequently, catching up on daily lives and what is happening with family.  I try to fill her in on people she knows from WC also.

It was time to do something that I really enjoy.  I grabbed my book, my iPad, and a drink (iced tea in a WDW cup) and walked out to the gazebo. It was good to just sit there, enjoy the breeze, and listen to the sounds of the goats and the trains.  I read several chapters in the book Megan had loaned to me several months ago, then checked my iPad for messages because I was hearing several dings.

When I returned to the house, I returned to the hand-stitching on the first Packers quilt.  Then we heard cars and saw that Hilary and Blaine and the kids, plus Jan and Don were here.  Hilary brought one of their boots for Gary to wear around the house so he can wear his other one outside and when we go shopping or to a restaurant.  Then we decided to go out and visit. 

While the kids were jumping on the trampoline, we chatted, then moved into the gazebo.  Now this is what I really liked.  Don and Jan, Gary and I , plus Blaine and Hilary all sat in the gazebo and chatted about various things.  I loved it---it is why the gazebo was put together as it was, with the chairs and benches, comfort, able to see the kids in the trampoline, and just comfortable.

Later when everyone left, I spent more time on the deck, just basking in the good feelings of the day. 

Dinner was great - shredded beef, noodles, and mashed potatoes.

More time spent looking for my The Message Bible so I can start a new plan tomorrow morning.   I never did find it, but I know it is somewhere in this house.

And the first Packers quilt is finished!  Hand-stitching is done!  Now I need to decide if I want to add a label to the back bottom corner.  I do, but after I attach it with the Heat N Bond, I always zigzag around the edges.  That shouldn't be a problem usually, but the print for the quilting is football helmets, footballs, and stars, and I am afraid the extra stitching will detract from that.  I will have to think about this for a while.

So it was a good day. 

Church service.  Ball Brothers music.  Good food from the crockpot.  Reading in the gazebo.  Finished  a quilt.  Gary has a new boot.  Sitting in the gazebo and chatting with family.  

It was a good day.  Just what I needed.

One-on-One Time

 Yesterday was a good day.  ALL of our kids were here at some point, but as I sat in the gazebo last evening, I was thinking of one thing.  I enjoyed some one-on-one time with each of the kiddos.....except Cooper.

Lynnlee has been here each day this week since their new babysitter was sick, then had to test for COVID and was waiting for the results.  She arrived at 7 each morning, spent some time with Papaw, then when I was awake, spent most of the rest of the day with me.

Lynnlee is finally the only grandkiddo that seems to love me the most.  I am her favorite.  The rest of the kids love Papaw best.  But Lynnlee?  She clings to me. I know it is hard for Megan and Matt when they leave here and she is sobbing "I WANT MY MAMAW!" all the way to Mulberry, but inside, I am smiling because she missed me.  It's not often that I am a favorite of anybody's, so this makes me feel really good inside.  From bubble baths, to picking her hair with not the blue pick but only the black one, to pushing on the tube of cream so it can spurt out a little bullet of Sweet Pea fragrance on her little pointer finger to rub on her arm...she is right by my side.  She is sensitive.  She makes me smile.  She tries to sway me to play her "Baby Shark on You Tube, please, Mamaw?" and I love to hear her say "Mamaw and Papaw Siemens" really fast.  I love that little redheaded girl.

Owen was here Thursday and Friday afternoons, and usually he is Papaw's best buddy.  But our time together during open shows made our relationship a little bit stronger.  On Friday Papaw took Lynnlee upstairs to take a nap, so Owen was with me.  He was watching some episodes of a Dragon show on Netflix while I was hand-stitching binding to Lindsey's quilt, but he would ask for muffins---and gummies--and juice and come over and give me kisses on my cheek.  He is such a cutie and I love him so much.

When Landon came in after he finished his chores, we hopped in the car and went to Lafayette to pick up dinner.  We stopped at Fazoli's for the take out order for Papaw, Tessa, Owen, and the two of us.  He carried it out and held it on his lap for the drive home.  We also went through the carwash with our unlimited pass, stopped for cones at the DQ, and picked up medicine at Meijer drive up window.  Through it all we talked---about school.  About cross country and how much he loved it even though he didn't think he was going to.  About his teacher and how much he liked her.  About being in the kindergarten room but needing to be good role models for the younger kids as they walked to the other fifth grade rooms.  About his friends.  About making good decisions.  About his new glasses and how much better he could see.  He is such a neat kid and I am so blessed to be his Mamaw.  God definitely knew what he was doing when he chose Hilary and Blaine to be his parents.

Then Tessa.  The key to Tessa is keeping her busy on YOUR terms.  After she demolished her portion of spaghetti, she was batting Gary's 70th birthday balloons around the dining room. I decided to put her to work and make it seem fun. We unloaded the dishwasher and she was in charge of putting the clean silverware into the basket and sorting out what Papaw needed to put away with the other things.  Then we loaded the dishwasher with all of the dirty dishes in the sink.  Next we sneaked out of the house (so the boys wouldn't hear us) and checked the raspberry bushes, which led to her finding Finn crawling in the window of the barn so she hauled him around while we checked out the grape arbor then sat in the gazebo.  When Finn tired of her, he ran back to the barn and she explored.  Hopping from one thing to another - checking on the goats, swinging on the swing, chasing Shadow.  But while she was sitting in the gazebo with me she chatted about school and how much she liked her teacher and who her best friend was now.  Her favorite subject is math. Tessa is a sweetie, and being with her one-on-one is the best for her.

I felt bad about not having the same quality time with Cooper, but I was reminded on the drive into Lafayette this morning that we did have some time together on Monday.  We went into town and I was pointing out the webworms that were appearing on some of the trees and telling him how Grandpa Norm always hated those and tried to get rid of them before they appeared.  Cooper always chats about his favorite thing - anything sports related.  On Monday it was baseball and his team and practices and games. In this respect he really takes after his dad since his mom is not so athletically inclined. He also likes to create things, and I love his enthusiasm when he builds something on his own from his Lego blocks.

I always treasured time with Grandma Greta, and I have so many good memories of days spent at The Farm with her.  I told Landon that I had spent several summers with her and Grandpa, but he was usually on the road in the semi.  I am not sure how many summers I was there with her, but I know the summers after 6th, 7th, and 8th grades I was and maybe even after my freshman year too.  I know I wasn't old enough for a license yet, but she let me drive the big boat of a car that they had to Alliance and back, to Beloit for ice cream, and around the lakes at Westville.  I often wondered why Mom would let me stay with her ALL summer, leaving me after the Memorial Day weekend and picking me up again at the end of July when they returned for a week or so of Dad's vacation.  It occurred to me a couple of years ago that having me stay in Ohio was a good way for her not to have me around day in and day out during the summer time.  All she had to worry about then was Greta.  And I was such a troublesome child.  I do remember being upset when it was time to return to Mt. Vernon and Mom always said it was because I got my own way all the time.  I think it was because Grandma always treated me like she loved me.  

I also know that Megan and Hilary loved spending time with Grammy and Grampy.  They have such wonderful memories of times with them--and they were at their house or the insurance office much more often than I ever was at Grandma Greta's.  

I hope that these days or hours of spending time with the kiddos create great memories for them.  I am not sure that Lynnlee will remember much of clinging to me when she had to leave since she is not quite 3 now.  But I love the moments we have together, and I especially like the one-on-one time with the kids.  Building memories is what it's all about.  And cherishing time with each other is even more special!

And as Gary said...this is why we moved.

Fear? Anxiety?

 School is in session again.  The Rossville crew has been attending school for a week now.  The CP group is in their second day of the new year.  Everyone is super cautious, wearing masks, wiping down everything with antiseptic cloths, and practicing social distancing as much as one can in a school.  There seems to be a feeling of waiting for 'the next shoe to drop' or in this situation 'the first case to be reported.'

I just don't know what to think.  I really don't.

I am nervous about someone in our family being sick with this virus.  While I know that many of those infected have mild cases or just need to self-quarantine for two weeks, then they are fine, I am still leery because of the reports I hear frequently about deaths.  For example, one of my DWLZ friends has been reporting on a friend of hers and his journey with COVID-19 from his diagnosis a few weeks ago, through his hospitalization and use of a respirator and the need for dialysis because of kidney failure, to his eventual death this week.  It scares me that something like that could happen to one of us.

Then I read something like this:

I didn’t write this but yes....a friend and I were just speaking these exact words!

Is there someone out there who can tell me what our end game is with the Rona? 🦠

What is the magic formula that is going to allow us to sound the all clear? Is it zero cases? The only way that will happen is if we just stop testing and stop reporting.

Is it a vaccine💉? It took 25 years for a chicken pox vaccine to be developed. The smallpox inoculation was discovered in 1776 the last known natural case was in 1977. We have a flu vaccine that is only 40 to 60% effective and less than half of the US population chooses to get one, and roughly 20,000 Americans still die of the flu or flu complications. Oh, you'll mandate it, like other vaccines are mandated in order to attend school, travel to some foreign countries, etc. We already have a growing number of anti vaxxers refusing proven, tested, well known vaccines that have been administered for decades but aren’t necessarily safe! Do you really think people will flock to get a fast tracked, quickly tested vaccine, whose long term side effects and overall efficiency are anyone's best guess? How long are we going to cancel and postpone and reconsider?

You aren't doing in person school until second quarter? What if October's numbers are the same as August's?

You moved football to spring? What if next March is worse than this one was?

When do we decide quality of life outweighs the risks?

I understand Covid can be deadly or very dangerous for SOME people, so is shellfish, peanut butter and bee stings. We take risks multiple times a day without a second thought.

We know driving a car can be dangerous, we don't leave it in the garage. We know the dangers of smoking, drinking and eating fried foods, we do it anyway. We speed, we don't buckle our seatbelts, we take more than directed and quite a few of us don't think twice about unprotected whoopie, we just hop right in (or on.)

Is hugging Grandma really more dangerous than rush hour on the freeway? Is going to the bar with friends after work more risky than 4 day old gas station sushi? Or operating a chainsaw? When and how did we so quickly lose our free will?

Is there a waiver somewhere I can sign that says, "I understand the risks, but I choose a life with Hugs and Smiles, and the State Fair and Concerts and Homecoming."

✅ I understand that there is a minuscule possibility I could die, but I will most likely end up feeling like crap for a few days.

✅ I understand I could possibly pass it to someone else, if I'm not careful, but I can pass any virus onto someone else.

I'm starting to ramble and I apologize, but I'm struggling to see where or how this ends. We get busy living or we get busy dying.

When God decides it's your time, you don't get any mulligans, so I guess I would rather spend my time enjoying it and living in the moment and not worrying about what ifs and maybes, and I bet I'm not the only one.

(I didn’t write this above text and the original author is unknown but it’s as if all my thoughts were extracted and written by someone else! This is so spot on!)

And I am not sure what to think or believe.  While I agree with many of the points made in that post, I still don't want to think "Well, if we hadn't gone to that restaurant that evening or if we had just stayed home instead of making that trip to Ohio, this might not have happened.  We didn't make very good choices, did we?" and then it will be too late.

So what do we do?

I guess we continue to do what we have been doing.

We wear our masks. 

We practice social distancing.

We use hand sanitizer when we go places and return to the car.

We went to southern Indiana for our anniversary last weekend, ate in four restaurants away from other customers, wore our masks when we needed to do that, spent time with no one other than ourselves, and enjoyed a good time away from home for a couple of days.

But I don't want to do that all the time.

I am happy at home. I like being here.  We are fine in our new house and we have plenty of room outside to wander, sit, and enjoy fresh air.

The people who are most important to us we do see often.  Family.  

But I do miss friends.  I miss impromptu gatherings.  I miss inviting people to come here for brunch or dessert and catching up. I would love to invite Barb and Gretchen for an afternoon of chatting and food, but I am leery of doing that.

Sometimes I think life is just going along as normal, as it should be.  Then I remember that maybe we should just stay home.  Maybe we should re-think something before we do it.  Maybe we really don't need to go there after all, do we?

Just be safe.  Wear masks.  Keep our distance.  Sanitize. 

And try NOT to be anxious and NOT to be scared.

I am trying.  I really am.  It's just hard sometimes.

Catching the Sunrise

Yep, it happened!

Once I stopped going to Miracles Fitness three times a week for my group training at 8:30 (pandemic induced), I also stopped setting the alarm for 6 and starting my day.

It sounded good to set the alarm for 7 after that and join Megan the Trainer for a Zoom workout at 8, but soon that wasn't working for me as well.

I just couldn't make myself get up and workout in the living room.  It just didn't seem right.

So I became a slug.  I slept to whenever I wanted to wake up.

Unless one of us had an appointment.

Or I wanted to be awake for the church service on YouTube (and drat...that time changed too once the church re-opened and broadcast during the first service at 8:30 instead of just one service at 10).

Or one of the kid groups would be here.

This morning we were awake at 5:30. I jumped in the shower, dried my hair, dressed, and we were out of here before 6:30.  Actually the clock on the car said 6:22 as we were driving down 1000E.  Why?  Because it was Cooper's first day of school for the 2020-2021 school year!

The first thing I noticed, even before I walked out of the house, was the brilliant sunrise.

I have always been a sunrise/sunset type of gal.  We would see both from our windows at the other house, although sometimes the sunsets were a little blocked by the trees in the pasture.  But usually I could see the brilliance.  It was always a reminder that God was in control, that in the midst of whatever else was going on, He took the time to create a vision of beauty in the skies for whoever wanted to see it.

The sunrise this morning was blocked by the Party Barn, the barn, the cherry trees, and pear trees.  I couldn't see much of it from the dining room windows. But as we drove along 1000E, the expanse of the red sky was more noticeable.  

Finally at the end of Buck Creek Road (500N) the cornfields gave way to the brilliance of the red morning sky and I was able to snap a couple of pictures with my phone.

 

Of course I posted one of them on FB because that is what I do, but also because I wanted to share the beauty with those who appreciate sunrises as much as I do and with those who might be sleeping later, like I usually do.

How beautiful were the colors!  How quickly they changed too!  I have noticed that before.  When I was going to MF in the early mornings, I would notice the beauty of a sunrise from the windows, then by the time I tracked down  my phone and was able to snap a picture, the colors had changed.

As I look out the windows onto the yard now, I am amazed that the sunrise actually happened---and that I was able to witness it.  Because now the day seems really gray.  It is cloudy and overcast.  Everything looks damp.  The air seems heavy and I wouldn't be surprised if there were rain eventually.

So I am glad I was awake early.  I caught the sunrise.  I was reminded again of the beauty of God's creation.  That in this time of pandemic, where there is so much negativity, with rioting and looting in the big cities, that I can awaken on a Tuesday morning and be greeted with a beautiful sunrise.

God is good.

All the time.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

 I was thinking about our anniversaries since we had moved.  

Anniversary #42 we went to Mountain Jack's.  We hadn't dined there for many years.  One time we were with Eric and Deb so I know that was a LONG time ago.  I think we were there once with Mike as well.  We went early on our anniversary, were seated in a dimly lit room, and it went downhill after that.  The food wasn't that bad, but our server wasn't very friendly, and overall the entire experience was disappointing.

We decided that we could wait another 42 years before returning.

Last year Gary was under "house arrest" still when Anniversary #43 rolled around.  I couldn't remember what we did to celebrate; then I found a picture on FB of our dinner from Arni's and remembered.  I ordered salads and pizza for pick up and that was our 'special dinner' for the day.  It worked.  And Rossville is close so it was a quick trip into town for food.

Gary is always easy---he doesn't care what we do.  I suggested going some place different to celebrate this year.  Not just a different restaurant but just doing something different too.  I said, "Let's just pack a bag and go somewhere!"  He agreed.

His suggestion to drive to Nashville, IN resulted in finding no rooms available at the Abe Martin Lodge, only cabins (and we were NOT going that route again), so we explored more and found a room at Clifty Inn at Clifty Falls State Park.

We had been to Madison a few times since both Alice and Dale are from there and we had been to her parents' home a few times. But we hadn't visited Madison really nor had we been to the park.

Friday morning we packed a bag for the weekend, just in case we decided not to return home on Saturday. We also didn't tell anyone else we were going.

The drive to Madison was a good one.  We were on the interstate until Columbus, then cut across the country going through several towns, including North Vernon.  The drive home was similar since we cut over to the interstate west of Madison, going through Hanover and past the college campus, then after we left Edinburgh we drove past Trafalgar and Bargarsville.  I told Gary it was like we were driving somewhere with Clay and taking different roads.  He replied that usually Clay knew where he was going (I don't agree with that) and he didn't!  It was scenic --- and different than our usual 'stay on the interstate' route.

Clifty Inn was nice, but I would have really enjoyed a room with a view of the Ohio River.  Other inns we have stayed in seemed more rustic than the Clifty Inn which seemed more like a hotel room.   The only downfall we had was eating in the inn dining room.  The breakfast crowd was small, but it still took nearly 40 minutes for our food to arrive, and to top it off, Gary's eggs were cold!  

 Friday night we dined at Key West Shrimp House on the recommendation from Karen from Decatur.  She and J had eaten there on a trip south in June.  We stood in line to enter the restaurant since the doors hadn't opened yet, but we were also lucky to be able to select our table, and I headed straight toward one in the dining room with a view of the Ohio River.  Our dinners were excellent and we were very happy with our choice. Side note - we checked with Alice about the restaurant and she had worked there when she was in high school!

After dinner we drove along the riverfront which was really nice.  Many people were sitting on benches, walking, or exercising their dogs on leashes.  The downtown streets were busy with people walking and traffic on the streets.  We eventually found a Dairy Queen and ordered our usual:  medium chocolate cones.  If we hadn't been sure of not leaving the car with DQ and being able to do the same at another spot, we might have stopped at a more local ice cream stand which we discovered later offered the best butter pecan ice cream ever!

Saturday morning we drove around the park.  Our plans to hike a bit were dashed when we discovered that most of the trails were rugged or moderately rugged or extremely rugged, which I guess was to be expected in a park with waterfalls and cliffs.  So we looked for observation points and enjoyed the views from those.  Many people were taking advantage of the perfect weather and hiking trails or checking out the falls.

 

After we left the park we drove to Edinburgh for a quick stop which turned into a long endeavor.  The crowds!!!  So many people!  We walked to  the Vanity Fair store and separated.  I found a pair of denim capris and a pair of shorts in the size I was looking for, picked them up and moved to the lingerie section.  I found two pairs of pajama pants, one in black print and one in a gray print, that would go with t-shirts or tops to wear around the house.  Gary found a couple of shirts and a pair of shorts also.  I was impressed with the precautions in the store.  A gal met us at the door with hand sanitizer.  People kept their distances from others.  There seemed to be more signage and visible tags on the clothes so that it wasn't necessary to sort through everything. Plus the cashier cleaned off the counter after each transaction and before the next customer approached.

The atmosphere at the Vera Bradley store was similar.  We walked in, found the laptop cases immediately, selected one for Megan (they were all black so that was easy), and walked to the counter.  I asked for two masks also, then we paid and left.

Leaving the outlets was a task though!  All of the exiting traffic was directed to the same route and it moved slowly.  After an hour we were finally out on the road and on the way north to home!

A final stop at Cracker Barrel at the Zionsville exit.  Once again--we felt totally safe there.  Tables were spaced.  Nothing ON the tables  Fast service.  Good food.

It was a fun anniversary.   A getaway was just what we needed.  Some different scenery refreshed the soul.  If I could do anything differently, it would be some time to just sit and relax at the park.  

Next time we will take our chairs!

On to year #45!

Twins!

In the middle of making dressing for cole slaw, I heard my phone and then my iPad ding.  I had been chatting with my former neighbor, Jane, on text messaging, but the sounds from that were different than what I was hearing.

After the dressing came to a boil and I turned off the stove, I checked my phone.

There was a FB message from Lindsey, my hairstylist.

Lindsey had told me two hair appointments ago that she and her husband Shawn were expecting a baby.  I was one of the first people outside of their immediate families and close friends that she had told, and I was very excited for them.  in the course of our conversation the subject of baby quilts surfaced.  She knows that I make quilts, but only for special people.  She knows my tale of the baby quilt for a former colleague that never made it to her and was instead finished this past Christmas for my first great-nephew.  She knows that I make quilts for family and that our daughters and grandchildren are my favorite people to receive quilts.  She knows that I have been super busy sewing since the pandemic happened and she had commented on the pictures I had posted on FB of the quilts for Tessa and Lynnlee, the rag quilt for Nick, and the table runners I had made.

When I asked her if she would like a quilt for the baby, she agreed that it would be very special to her if I did make one.  By the time I left the shop that day I had a mission --- finding special fabric, green and yellow and Green Bay Packers print.

Do you realize how hard that was?  There was nothing at Betty's shop.  There was nothing at JoAnn's.  There was nothing online  So in desperation I asked one of my DWLZ friends who lived in Wisconsin if she could check her local JoAnn Fabrics.  She did and after several phone calls and several pictures sent, Bonnie purchased two yards of Packers print, a yard total of green, and a yard of wide yellow solid. 

I used one of the patterns in the Three Yard Quilts book to make this quilt.  There were some issues with the green since what Bonnie had found was just quarter packs.  They  weren't quite perfect in their measurements so creativity and some extra fabric were needed to complete the top. 

The end result was quite the cute quilt.  Betty quilted it in a football helmet, star, and football pattern which was perfect.  The pattern is really obvious on the green backing fabric.

I picked up the finished quilt last week and was ready to add the binding. In fact Gary had helped me hold the quilt on the table so I could trim accurately without snipping any excess fabric that could be used for binding.

Then the FB message today.

What Lindsey said really threw me, and I am sure I was not the only one shocked with the news.

At her ultrasound appointment yesterday it was discovered that there was not just one baby--but two.  A boy and a girl! 

Wow!

She asked me if I had enough fabric AND enough time to make another quilt for a second baby.

Well, you know the answer to that one.

Fortunately when Bonnie grabbed the bolt of Packers print from the cutting table that Saturday, she told the clerk she would take ALL of the remaining fabric, which turned out to be just about two yards.  Since I didn't use quite a yard for the first quilt, I had plenty left for another quilt.

After checking out my new Three Yard Quilts book, I determined which pattern to use, checked the amount of fabric I would need to buy, and off to JoAnn's I went.

I found a cute green that matches the patterned fabric well along with a yellow that will coordinate well with the other two.  Then I found a different gold/yellow fabric that would be perfect, I think, for the backing.  Hilary and I agreed that the two quilts should have some distinctive features so that each baby has his/her own special one. I did buy enough of the green print to use as a backing, just in case I liked it better, but I am hoping the yellow/gold piece will work.  It will be fun to see how it all comes together.

So yes.  Twins.  Two Green Bay Packers quilts for two special babies.

Lindsey knows that I don't sew quilts for just anyone.

She is special too. 

I'll post pictures as the sewing progresses.  What fun! 

And I am not even a Packers fan!

I Don't Get It

When I was teaching, I did so many things that I wasn't expected to do.  Things that other teachers didn't.

On the first day of school (both at West Central and at Ivy Tech) I met the students at the door and introduced myself to them, which prompted them to introduce themselves to me.  This tended to confuse a few students who were a little 'slow on the uptake' because I would receive puzzled looks and a few "But Mrs. Siemens----I live down the road from you" from students I already knew well.  But this gave me a chance to make that first contact, lead them to their assigned seats in my high school classroom, and welcome them to my class at Ivy Tech.

After that I most likely could be found standing in my doorway, or to the side of the door, between classes.  I did this outside of my classroom at WC and I did it often at Ivy Tech, depending on if students needed to ask questions before class.

Two weeks ago I drove to Rensselaer for my dentist appointment.  When I walked in, wearing my mask, the receptionist checked me in, verified my address and insurance, then stood, leaned over the counter toward me, and held a thermometer in front of my forehead to check my temperature, which was normal.  She did the same with two other patients, one of whom was with his mother, as they entered.    The entire process of temperature taking was quick, maybe 5 seconds. 

This brings me to a new request of teachers in some schools for the fall.  Since temp is one clue to being infected with the COVID 19 virus, teachers in some corporations are being asked to check the temps of their students.  Some students will be checked as they enter the building, others as they exit the buses, many as they enter classrooms.

Some teachers are rebelling against being involved in this process in their classrooms.  One reason - not in their job description to check student temperatures.  Another - this will take away precious time for instruction during the class period.

While I agree that both of those could be valid arguments, I know I wouldn't attach myself to either of them.

As I said, I spent much of passing period in the hallways.  In fact my principal required us to monitor the halls during passing periods unless we were answering student questions before or after class.  Since I experienced the process at Hillcrest Dental, I know that it can be quick.  Standing at the door, asking the student to stop and placing the thermometer in front of the student's forehead, checking the temp, then telling him/her to enter or go to the nurse's office---shouldn't be a problem.  I could do it.  I stood in my doorway before most of my classes anyway.  I chatted with students in the first few minuts of class time too.  All time that wasn't really taking away from my instructional time.

I remember when we had to log student attendance online instead of putting out attendance slips for an office runner to collect.  Teachers fussed about that, saying that it would take too much time away from teaching.  The same thing happened at Ivy Tech when we were asked to click on class attendance on Blackboard and check off those students who were absent or late.  I would most often have an assignment on the screen, or be ready for the newspaper scavenger hunt, or have a note on the board about what was happening (such as "Be sure to submit your final draft through Blackboard by 9:05) so that some of those small time-consuming activities could be taken care of before I began the new instruction.  How is taking temperatures of students different than those beginning activities, which could still be going on concurrently??

Not in my job description?  My workday was from 8 until 3:30 when I was teaching high school.  How much time did I spend after school hours completing lesson plans, grading papers, or being sure everything was ready for the next day?  How many times did I stay over my office hours at Ivy Tech to pack the bag for Rochester and be sure everything was stacked on the table in my office to just pick up and go to the classroom when I returned from teaching dual credit?

This time of year would find me buying extra pencils, pens, and folders during Back to School sales so that I would have them on hand for students who were not fortunate enough to have parents or funds to purchase their own.  Not in my job description, but I did it.  Ditto for the stacks of construction paper, markers, crayons, and other items for projects I assigned to my students as part of the follow-up activities for a lesson.

How many times did I fill in for a teacher who needed to run to the next building to watch her son or daughter perform during an elementary project or program?  Why would Chuck appear at my door and ask me to take a new teacher under my wing and be sure he/she felt comfortable and welcomed? Those monthly Student Council Breakfasts with the Principal?  Not in my job description, but I arranged for them and attended them so that the students could have a better communication for their administrator and he would know what the students were planning.  Weekend camping trip with Explore 5 times?  I was told so many times that I was crazy to do that, that there was no  way he/she would do the same thing, and why would I want my weekend to be ruined by being with students.  Definitely NOT part of my job description.  But all of those things made me a better teacher and created more learning opportunities for my students.  And I wasn't alone.  Many of my colleagues either did the same and never complained.

My point?  If taking the students' temperatures before my class will create a healthier environment  for them AND for me, then I will do it.  I will make it work.  I will plan to take temps at the door, chat with them while I do it, and put a smile on my face.

I don't care if it is in my job description or not.  I don't care if it takes a few extra minutes to complete the screenings. What I DO care about is not being exposed to a student who has a fever, keeping my students AND myself healthy, and being able to stay in school that much longer.

Isn't it worth it?

I think so.

Happy Birthday to Gary!

Wednesday we celebrated Gary's birthday with a trip to Lake Freeman and a day of boating, dinner at The Scoreboard, and an early evening cruise on Clay's boat.

Gary said it was a perfect day, one of the best birthdays ever.  He enjoyed a beautiful day, seeing the lake from a different perspective, being with family, and having everyone together.

Yesterday the girls surprised him with another birthday celebration ---in the Party Barn!

Extended family brought dishes to share, the tables and walls were decorated, and even though it was raining, the spirits were high.  The food was SO good.  I don't know whether I was just hungry or whether it was because I had nothing to do with the planning or preparation of any of it.  That does make a difference, you know!

The girls also arranged a card shower for him.  He began opening cards on Wednesday and finished yesterday evening.  It was fun to see the different cards, read the handwritten notes inside many of them and to know that for a few minutes, those people were thinking of him and wanting to wish him a Happy Birthday.

Hitting a milestone birthday is always hard.  This one is especially hard for me.  I always considered 70 to be old, ancient.  But I don't see Gary as being that.  Older, yes.  Ancient, no.  I do know that we need to take advantage of our fitness center membership because the more we don't move around, the less agile we become.  I have too many things to do to NOT be able to move!

Happy Birthday to the Love of My Life!  I am looking forward to spending many more birthdays with you.

Shopping

The last couple of days have been weird for me.  Uneasiness.  Sadness.  Fear.  More uneasiness.  Prone to tears (Yes.  I know.  I cry ALL the time.)

Why is this?

Just stuff.

I am tired of the virus.

I am tired of debates about masks, hand sanitizing, social distancing, no travel.

I have to think now about 'Did I use hand sanitizer after I came out of Payless?  Did I use it again after we left Texas Roadhouse?  Did I need to use it when I came home---oh wait!  I went to the bathroom and washed my hands after so I am good.'  Is using hand sanitizer becoming a way of life so I use it and don't even think about it?

And masks.  I am not making eye contact with anyone in stores now.  I don't want to look at anyone's eyes that look haunted above their masks.  I look at the floor or at the shelves or straight ahead.   I realize I used to smile at everyone I saw, but now it doesn't matter because no one can see me.

There isn't any chit chat anymore with the gal who checks me out or anyone in the aisles.  Why say "Why is there no tapioca now?  Is everyone baking pies or making tapioca pudding?"  and laugh.  It's too hard to say it  to be heard from behind the mask and the other person's response, if they even make one, is garbled.  Going through the checkout line is quick and easy and non-conversational. 

But yesterday was the most frustrating grocery stop yet.  The mask was hot.  Everyone seemed to be trying to stay out of others' ways.  It was hard to tell who was shopping and who was stocking shelves and who was shopping for other people.  There was a lot of dodging of carts, trying to reach but not be in someone's path,  keeping distances and trying to be as quick as possible.

Shopping with Gary was frustrating too.  He was manipulating the cart, trying to stay out of other's ways.  He couldn't hear me talking, then I had to raise my voice from behind the mask and I felt like I was yelling at him.  I couldn't understand him either.  I felt like a couple of old people who were tottering up and down the aisles and couldn't communicate.

My list for shopping yesterday had 8 items on it.  I wanted to go to Target, but we went to Payless first since pop was on sale and Gary drinks a lot of it.  We walked out with over $200 worth of groceries and other items.

Why?  Because it was easier to buy a new spin toothbrush, shampoo, fish oil tablets, and toilet paper at Payless than make another stop at Target.

Because it seemed wise to stock up on some things now rather than make another trip later in the week for items we might need.

Because we hadn't been grocery shopping for a few weeks and were out of a few things that hadn't made it on the list.

So we are set for a while.  Except for milk, eggs, bread, fresh produce.  Those types of things.

I am tired of the virus.

I am tired of being overly cautious.

I am tired of listening to reports of lower number of cases, followed by more government mandated shutdowns.

I am tired of not having the freedom to go places we might want to go and see people we might want to see and being scared of what might happen if we do.

So the shopping trip was an adventure.  It was stressful.  It affected my mood the entire day.  

I just want things to return to the way they were.