cooking

Had an absolutely amazing day!
The Edwards family had a new baby boy.....
so I did what I do...made lots of food!
Chicken Divan, zucchini casserole,
taco soup (thanks mom), corn casserole.
One CARE member is having surgery next week,
so she brought her hash brown casserole with sausage,
and fluffy orange pie to me so I could deliver.
Another meal is going Monday and one Thursday.
In between I'll take them a Papa Murphy Pizza.

The family was also "blessed" with some desserts I was experimenting on.
I am making whoopie pies, mini cheesecake bars and tres leche cake for a
wedding of a friend on July 4.
The Edwards got to taste the trials!

Think I'll reduce the milk in the three milk cake tho...
otherwise, I don't know how I will serve it!

God truly does bless me with this ministry.
I love the little babies, I have a great team,
and it really is the only time I cook such good meals.
I save a serving out for me.
I'll be eating well for the next few nights too!

Ripping out the rest of the carpet in the family room.

Baptisms at the YMCA tomorrow!
I'm greeting.
Then off to Allegan county for antiques with V!
Fun fun!
Loving life!

all at once!

The big storm of 2010 hit us and this is day four with no power.
My refrigerator is clean and cleaned out.
The shower is nearly cured and waiting from me to christen it on Wednesday.
It make be a shower by candle light!
The weeds are taking over because the mosquitoes are back.

And I think Charlie gave me poison ivy.
All over my neck and face and hands.

However, with no power for tv, computer, radio, or dog clippers,
I have been reading and spinning and studying.
Going to bed REALLY early and waking before 7am.
I actually thought this morning that when the power comes back,
I may just keep things quiet.
I like my own thoughts and the silence.
The oriole family has been busy feeding on grape jelly and meal worms,
chasing off blue jays and crows, and singing joyfully all day.
I have been enjoying early morning hours on the deck with my bible study.
One morning I was in my nightgown until 11:30am relishing in the garden.
The colors are ever changing and I am finding so much joy in the garden this year.
I am blessed beyond what I deserve!
God is good to me.

Just why all the crappy stuff at once...no shower, no power and itching....
Making me relish the great times more, I suppose!
I am His bondservant today....use me Lord!

change in direction

I am feeling the need to spin today.
I have way too much going on to take the time for such a luxury
but I suppose that is one blessing of an empty nest artist.

For the past 4 days I have been dealing with the bathroom.
One tile from the shower fell out while I was travelling with Terry.
It didn't get replaced until I got home.
I was worried about mold.
I took one tile out, which turned into four which turned into the WHOLE shower.

Good thing I did this because the roof at some point had leaked
and I did find mold starting to grow at the ceiling.

I also discovered that when the folks built on my family room,
there was a window in the bathroom.
No mold/water proof wall board was used at this time.

So I am remodeling my shower.
23 years ago Terry and I remodeled a beach house in Crystal Beach TX.
A shack really.
Very close to the Gulf a ferry trip away from Galveston.
We took one room and made it into two bedrooms and a bath and kitchen/dining/livingroom.
I LOVED that place.
High up on stilts. Listening to the waves constantly.
Veronica was born there.
I digress.
That is where I learned to tile.
I really enjoy tiling.
It has been very peaceful sitting in the bathtub with my tools
and tile, and adhesive, listening to my music.

All the tiling is done that I can do.
Daddy is cutting the funny cut pieces.
This leaves me with a day before I can grout and finish the shower.
I think I already have a new shower curtain.

I will go into the craft "area" and pick and choose bits.
Card together and see what happens.
I am looking forward to the energy of it.
The mystery.

Tomorrow I will finish the shower
and after the rain I will work in the garden.
All this rain has revitalized the weeds.

Thank you Terry.
For everything.

sunburst

I walked the 5K race today in South Bend.
This was the first time I have been involved with this activity...but for reading all the names and their placement in the Sunday paper...looking for names I know.

Veronica, Karen, Kimberly and I walked.
Cute Tshirts.

There seemed to be hundreds of walkers.
Old folks, young folks, folks on crutches, and others with canes.
Big bottoms and anorexic souls.

We all stayed pretty much together until the third block.
Karen and Veronica picked up the pace
not wanting to be behind the out of shape folks.
Karen was the alpha dog the whole walk....pushing us to go faster!

We stopped once when Kim needed to use the bathroom.
Fell to almost the last people.
Karen and Veronica started sprinting ahead.
Cut corners, passed on the outside,
I wouldn't be surprised if they kicked the
crutches out from under that poor man.

Yes, they finished 20 minutes before Kimberly and I did.

I had a very nice walk.
I am not competitive.
I was very happy with 3 mph.
I wasn't out of breath, didn't need an inhaler once,
enjoyed the scenery and neighborhoods,
and the conversation with my friend.
We both have feet problems.
Kind of a pain,
I know Kimberly would have liked to walk faster.
Such is life and we make the best of what we are given.

It was a bit muggy and threats of rain the whole time.
The folks cheering for the marathon runners were so cute and inspiring.
Almost made me want to run!
Almost!

I forgot to bring a towel, so I was stuck using the kleenex
I stashed in my pocket to mop away the sweat pouring down my face.
Kimberly let me know at the end of the race,
before we saw the other girls,
that the Kleenex had disintegrated into tiny pieces all over my face.
I looked like I had been stuck in the dryer
after a cycle with a box of tissues.
In fact, before my shower,
I was still blowing and shaking off bits of tissue from my hair and face.
Thanks Kimberly!
So glad you kept this info to yourself for so long!

We were going to walk back, but rain was predicted.
We took the shuttle back to our cars.
Not before the rain began though.
Bless Kimberly's heart....she packed ponchos for us...
in her dufflebag full of goodies to eat, drink and chew!

We had a wonderful lunch at Lepeeps and
skuttled in our ponchos in the pouring rain, back to the cars.
The goodbyes were ones like I have never experienced with these girls...
a flap of the plastic, and a see ya later...into the cars we went.

Very nice morning.

After my shower, I washed wool and taught Chuck a few tricks,
washed the couch cushions and vegged out in front of the tv.
I wathched Revolutionary Road (kind of depressing)
then saw Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
I'm such a dumb movie junkie!

Pizza is on the way.

Very nice afternoon.

I am blessed.