Wow, a lot has happened in the last four or five days.
Tuesday morning I woke up to a cat and my bed comforter covered in blood. Well, not completely covered, but there was a LOT of blood. At first, I thought it was her paw that was producing so much blood, but I soon ascertained it was actually her mouth. She kept bleeding pretty steadily for two and a half hours; by then I had decided I should bring her in for an emergency visit to the vet. They told me she had a "rodent ulcer'', that she might continue to bleed for two days, gave her a shot and told me I should bring her back in two weeks.
I rushed her back home in time to jump back in the car with my sister, her violin, and my 'cello for our lessons. And I got my 'first' piece of music: Mary had a little lamb. Yep, but hey, it's better than "Twinkle"....or maybe not. :) But it's a piece of music, instead of playing those open strings all the time. I'm grateful for it.
Then Wednesday was partially spent cooking in anticipation for Thanksgiving Day at my Grandparents house. Kathryn, Hope and I all made Apple pies; they made the traditional, and I made an Apple Cider pie....it's a pretty good recipe. Hope also made some Pumpkin Streusel pies, those are different....but they went over well for everyone but those with braces, since the pies contained nuts. :)
Thursday morning I got up early and made, surprise, more pies! The traditional Pumpkin/Maple pie. I also made some pumpkin bread for breakfast while my brothers peeled and cut potatoes for mashing. And let me tell you, they broke the record for fastest potato peelers ever! We also made a green salad with manderin oranges and glazed pears; and got the stuff together for the much-longed-for relish tray, our favorite Thanksgiving dish! We packed everything up and headed out. Everyone else in the family brought their various dishes to my grandparents, and we had a feast. The weather was somewhere between 30-40 degrees, and it was VERY cold. All the young people, which was just my siblings, one cousin, and myself, went outside to work off some of the food we'd eaten to make room for more food. We played frisbee for a while, then my brother's taught Hope and I to play football while Kathryn took pictures. We had a lot of fun, a great time. Then the game come on TV, and I was bored out of my head. Everyone else in my family is crazy about football, and while I will pop in occasionally to see the score, I'm not a great fan. But I endured the next two or more hours in as many different ways as I could think of, and then we all went back out to play it again. :)
We haven't been doing a lot yesterday and today; the guys have gone out hunting both days, and my 'baby' brother, Reed, got a wild hog. It will be nice to have the sausage through the winter. We girls went downtown shopping for a few hours today, in the rain, got pretty cold; my mother and sister Kathryn both bought stuff, but Hope and I escaped with our money still in pocket. :)
Well, I have to get up early tomorrow; it's Sunday, and since I'm a member of our praise team, I'm supposed to leave our house with my father, Hope, and brother Charles by 8:00 am. I'd like to be up by 6, so I have time to spend with the Lord first, and eat breakfast, and not have to rush through my dress. :) So all that means I should go to bed pretty soon; and I'll 'call it a post'.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
November 19, 2007
Here it is, the week of Thanksgiving. The nights are chilly, but the days have been mostly very nice; warm and sunny. Enough to keep my plants alive. But I have to bring them in every night to avoid freezing.
My cats spend the nights inside now; as opposed to the cold outdoors. Of course, they wake me up in the middle of the night occasionally; as they dislike each other immensely, both jealous of the attention I give the other, and sometimes pick two or three in the morning as a prime time for a sibling fight. I get up, break it up, and go promptly back to bed. My black one, Smokey, spends most of her time lying on the rug in front of the french doors, where she can get plenty of sunshine in the day; and tries to smuggle her way into the bathroom closet to sleep on top of the towels during the night. My Duchess, a gorgeous orange and white, almost persian looking cat, spends most of her daylight hours out hunting away from home; but usually she comes back in the evening to spend the night curled up at my feet. Despite their quirks, I love them both dearly. I'm hoping that my dog, Sebastian, a Britney Spaniel, and they will get along well; but as I don't have Sebastian yet, and have no idea when that will happen, I don't worry about it much. :)
My friend and I finished our study of Rebekah today. Her story appears through Genesis 24; 25:19-34; 26:1-17, 34-35; and 27. Interesting to me was the difference there seemed to be in Rebekah from the time she was first approached by Abraham's servant, and the time she encouraged Jacob to deceive his father. One thing I saw was the similarity with Sarah. Like Sarah, God had told Rebekah what would happen in the future; but when it didn't seem that it would happen, or come quickly enough, Rebekah, like Sarah, took matters into her own hands, deciding that God needed a little help from her. It is a sad fact that as women, we all too often grow impatient and decide to take matters into our own all-too-incapable hands. Why can't we just wait on the Lord's timing? Why must we always chomp at the bit; rush headlong into situations we ultimately find we can't handle? David encourages us in Psalms 25 repeatedly, and in 27:14, to wait for the Lord; "Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord." Waiting for the Lord is rarely easy. Waiting requires strength, and courage, and faith. Strength, to hold us back from jumping ahead; courage, for fear comes with the unknown; and faith, that God will indeed bring about what He has spoken. May God grant you and I all three, and may we 'be strong', let our 'heart(s) take courage' and 'wait for the Lord'.
My cats spend the nights inside now; as opposed to the cold outdoors. Of course, they wake me up in the middle of the night occasionally; as they dislike each other immensely, both jealous of the attention I give the other, and sometimes pick two or three in the morning as a prime time for a sibling fight. I get up, break it up, and go promptly back to bed. My black one, Smokey, spends most of her time lying on the rug in front of the french doors, where she can get plenty of sunshine in the day; and tries to smuggle her way into the bathroom closet to sleep on top of the towels during the night. My Duchess, a gorgeous orange and white, almost persian looking cat, spends most of her daylight hours out hunting away from home; but usually she comes back in the evening to spend the night curled up at my feet. Despite their quirks, I love them both dearly. I'm hoping that my dog, Sebastian, a Britney Spaniel, and they will get along well; but as I don't have Sebastian yet, and have no idea when that will happen, I don't worry about it much. :)
My friend and I finished our study of Rebekah today. Her story appears through Genesis 24; 25:19-34; 26:1-17, 34-35; and 27. Interesting to me was the difference there seemed to be in Rebekah from the time she was first approached by Abraham's servant, and the time she encouraged Jacob to deceive his father. One thing I saw was the similarity with Sarah. Like Sarah, God had told Rebekah what would happen in the future; but when it didn't seem that it would happen, or come quickly enough, Rebekah, like Sarah, took matters into her own hands, deciding that God needed a little help from her. It is a sad fact that as women, we all too often grow impatient and decide to take matters into our own all-too-incapable hands. Why can't we just wait on the Lord's timing? Why must we always chomp at the bit; rush headlong into situations we ultimately find we can't handle? David encourages us in Psalms 25 repeatedly, and in 27:14, to wait for the Lord; "Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord." Waiting for the Lord is rarely easy. Waiting requires strength, and courage, and faith. Strength, to hold us back from jumping ahead; courage, for fear comes with the unknown; and faith, that God will indeed bring about what He has spoken. May God grant you and I all three, and may we 'be strong', let our 'heart(s) take courage' and 'wait for the Lord'.
Friday, November 2, 2007
November 2, 2007
Zooks! (to borrow an expression from the Scarlet Pimpernel.) How did I let this happen again?!!!!
Oh, well, it's not the end of the world. I just haven't updated my blog in a while. So what, it's not like I have a bunch of people depending on my writing something profound every day. I guess then I must be OK.
Flag football and volleyball seasons are both over for us, so life will be slowing down. At least, I hope it will. You never know though. :)
Lots of cooking going on at our house; first, we have a reunion tomorrow and supposed to be taking three dishes. Then, we're getting together with friends Sunday afternoon for a day of music, volleyball, elk hunt picture viewing, and the Patriots vs. Colts game. A busy schedule planned out, that. We'll have close to two dozen people, and lunch and supper. Anyway, I cooked away at a prize-winning broccoli salad this evening that has to chill, and tomorrow will come a lasagna and hash brown casserole. As well as chili to put in the crock pot while we're at church Sunday for lunch. Oh yeah, and I have to figure out two desserts...I have no idea what I'll decide on that. :)
Well, it's getting late; I've updated my blog; and bed is calling my name, so I guess I'll answer it; I have to get up early tomorrow. Oh, but first, I have to go pull the elk meat out of the freezer, so that it'll be defrosted for me to use in the morning....better go do that now.
Oh, well, it's not the end of the world. I just haven't updated my blog in a while. So what, it's not like I have a bunch of people depending on my writing something profound every day. I guess then I must be OK.
Flag football and volleyball seasons are both over for us, so life will be slowing down. At least, I hope it will. You never know though. :)
Lots of cooking going on at our house; first, we have a reunion tomorrow and supposed to be taking three dishes. Then, we're getting together with friends Sunday afternoon for a day of music, volleyball, elk hunt picture viewing, and the Patriots vs. Colts game. A busy schedule planned out, that. We'll have close to two dozen people, and lunch and supper. Anyway, I cooked away at a prize-winning broccoli salad this evening that has to chill, and tomorrow will come a lasagna and hash brown casserole. As well as chili to put in the crock pot while we're at church Sunday for lunch. Oh yeah, and I have to figure out two desserts...I have no idea what I'll decide on that. :)
Well, it's getting late; I've updated my blog; and bed is calling my name, so I guess I'll answer it; I have to get up early tomorrow. Oh, but first, I have to go pull the elk meat out of the freezer, so that it'll be defrosted for me to use in the morning....better go do that now.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
October 13, 2007
It's funny; how life goes on. You may feel at some point that you'll never get past the difficulty you're facing, but you do. Life goes on.
I was looking back on the past year or two; and felt overwhelmed with love. My dear friend who passed away this summer, Ms Babs, accompanied me on the piano at my graduation; I found her name next to mine in the program. I found a card my best friend had sent me; reminding me of all that we've shared together, and who we are in Christ. Just little things, but they play such big roles....and after reading, and remembering, I felt, as I said, so overwhelmed with love, for them and from them. And I realize that all this love would not be possible but for Christ-"We love, because He first loved us." More than words, my friends, more than words.
Sometimes I am so driven by 'one of these days', by the thought that 'someday I shall have my own house', and let myself get carried away, stressed out and just plain mean about things going on at home, mostly, that it's just not as clean, not as well furnished, and not as perfect as I'd like. Yes, some people don't clean up their own messes as they should always; and yes the sofa and armchairs are falling apart after nearly twenty years and seven+ kids; and yes, we can't open all the windows in the house on nice days like today because if we did they'd fall apart. But are all these things sufficient excuse for me to be short-tempered with almost every member in my family? I should say not. My parents have been replacing things on this old house for years now, they do what they can when they can. One of the pillars holding up the front porch was rotting away, it needed to be replaced, so we'll have to wait on the windows a bit longer. So what? The windows aren't going to collapse, hurt someone and cause damage to the house. They can wait. And I can be patient. "To every thing there is a season, and a perfect time under the sun."
I was so happy last fall; it wasn't difficult in the least to be loving, patient and interested in the doings of my family members. Love flowed through our house and poured out the cracks in our walls and our bad windows. It seemed the well springs of love dried up over the summer; but no more. I need to start spreading that love back around, making sure I'm getting it from the only True and Pure source; Jesus Christ.
And I've been just short of miserable this summer and fall; is it because I've been trying to haul up water from the dirty, slime-covered pond out back of our house? That water might be alright for the animals, but it's poison for the people I hold dear. It's time I stopped forcing it down their throats, and gave them the pure water of Christ.
It's time I stopped living for myself.
I was looking back on the past year or two; and felt overwhelmed with love. My dear friend who passed away this summer, Ms Babs, accompanied me on the piano at my graduation; I found her name next to mine in the program. I found a card my best friend had sent me; reminding me of all that we've shared together, and who we are in Christ. Just little things, but they play such big roles....and after reading, and remembering, I felt, as I said, so overwhelmed with love, for them and from them. And I realize that all this love would not be possible but for Christ-"We love, because He first loved us." More than words, my friends, more than words.
Sometimes I am so driven by 'one of these days', by the thought that 'someday I shall have my own house', and let myself get carried away, stressed out and just plain mean about things going on at home, mostly, that it's just not as clean, not as well furnished, and not as perfect as I'd like. Yes, some people don't clean up their own messes as they should always; and yes the sofa and armchairs are falling apart after nearly twenty years and seven+ kids; and yes, we can't open all the windows in the house on nice days like today because if we did they'd fall apart. But are all these things sufficient excuse for me to be short-tempered with almost every member in my family? I should say not. My parents have been replacing things on this old house for years now, they do what they can when they can. One of the pillars holding up the front porch was rotting away, it needed to be replaced, so we'll have to wait on the windows a bit longer. So what? The windows aren't going to collapse, hurt someone and cause damage to the house. They can wait. And I can be patient. "To every thing there is a season, and a perfect time under the sun."
I was so happy last fall; it wasn't difficult in the least to be loving, patient and interested in the doings of my family members. Love flowed through our house and poured out the cracks in our walls and our bad windows. It seemed the well springs of love dried up over the summer; but no more. I need to start spreading that love back around, making sure I'm getting it from the only True and Pure source; Jesus Christ.
And I've been just short of miserable this summer and fall; is it because I've been trying to haul up water from the dirty, slime-covered pond out back of our house? That water might be alright for the animals, but it's poison for the people I hold dear. It's time I stopped forcing it down their throats, and gave them the pure water of Christ.
It's time I stopped living for myself.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
October 10, 2007
I finished Crooked House today; that one will leave you tied in knots as to who did it. All the clues were there, if you would only see them, but it left me clueless till the very end.
I am now reading Ordeal By Innocence. These are all short stories, in one volume. So that's why I've been able to finish them quickly. :)
My brothers' last game is tomorrow; it's also an away. So we're packing up the family to watch their final game in another town.....I know, very sad. :) I'm sure it will be great though. Anyway, maybe I'll have something more interesting to post then, 'cause I sure don't now. And rather than bore you with trivial details to practically nothing, I'll "call it a post." :)
I am now reading Ordeal By Innocence. These are all short stories, in one volume. So that's why I've been able to finish them quickly. :)
My brothers' last game is tomorrow; it's also an away. So we're packing up the family to watch their final game in another town.....I know, very sad. :) I'm sure it will be great though. Anyway, maybe I'll have something more interesting to post then, 'cause I sure don't now. And rather than bore you with trivial details to practically nothing, I'll "call it a post." :)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
October 9, 2007
I was sorely disappointed in the Seven Dials Mystery. I didn't have anything figured out; which doesn't bother me much, I like it when I can't figure the whole mystery out before the rest of the characters (I can usually figure out most murders and such long before the middle of the story); but she didn't just not give you necessary information, she gave you false information. Very misleading. And then of course, I'm just not happy with the way it turned out. :)
I'm starting Crooked House now; I certainly hope it's as good as the last-or should I say, better than the last. I did really enjoy Seven Dials right up until the last two chapters.
My lessons for today got moved to Thursday, so I'll have a mostly quiet day at home, for once. That will be so nice. I have some pork loin I'm planning on fixing up for supper; also some sweet potatoes that need to be used. I'll probably do a salad with it, and think up something fast and easy for dessert.
I also need to clean out the refrigerator, microwave and other various small appliances in the kitchen. Sometimes I wish those everyday things didn't have to be done, or would do themselves; but then I remember how it was when I was attending college, and I wished so much for the time to do those things. Ironic, isn't it? :)
Well, after writing the above earlier, my day changed drastically. I had just cut up the pork loin and started it to marinate, when my youngest brother came running up to the house, with the message for me to come help the other guys in the family with the cattle. Haha-dryly. That took out a couple of hours in my ''leisurely'' day. I came back up covered in dirt and manure, took a shower, and tried to continue supper preparations. But wouldn't you know it, my dad wants to go out and do our bible study now rather than around seven or eight this evening. This is certainly giving me a good opportunity to exercise patience and a good attitude. So I'm going to smile now, and do my best not to succumb to a ''desperaging'' attitude. :) On the plus side, the cattle have all been wormed and etc. for the next couple months, which means I won't have to be trying to do that on my own when the guys are gone. That's definitely a plus.
I'm starting Crooked House now; I certainly hope it's as good as the last-or should I say, better than the last. I did really enjoy Seven Dials right up until the last two chapters.
My lessons for today got moved to Thursday, so I'll have a mostly quiet day at home, for once. That will be so nice. I have some pork loin I'm planning on fixing up for supper; also some sweet potatoes that need to be used. I'll probably do a salad with it, and think up something fast and easy for dessert.
I also need to clean out the refrigerator, microwave and other various small appliances in the kitchen. Sometimes I wish those everyday things didn't have to be done, or would do themselves; but then I remember how it was when I was attending college, and I wished so much for the time to do those things. Ironic, isn't it? :)
Well, after writing the above earlier, my day changed drastically. I had just cut up the pork loin and started it to marinate, when my youngest brother came running up to the house, with the message for me to come help the other guys in the family with the cattle. Haha-dryly. That took out a couple of hours in my ''leisurely'' day. I came back up covered in dirt and manure, took a shower, and tried to continue supper preparations. But wouldn't you know it, my dad wants to go out and do our bible study now rather than around seven or eight this evening. This is certainly giving me a good opportunity to exercise patience and a good attitude. So I'm going to smile now, and do my best not to succumb to a ''desperaging'' attitude. :) On the plus side, the cattle have all been wormed and etc. for the next couple months, which means I won't have to be trying to do that on my own when the guys are gone. That's definitely a plus.
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