Achievements Celebrated

Continuing on organizing papers from the past.  Made progress and yet I have so much more to do.  Ongoing.  By late afternoon I was falling asleep in my chair snoozin'.   Hubby said he'd make Cajun Chicken for Supper as I napped.  I had to say yes.

Having strep has made me tired especially today...so I napped waking to a delicious supper of Cajun Chicken, Spicy Rice and Green Beans with Bacon.  Iced Tea to drink.  This Cajun Chicken recipe was discovered a few weeks ago on the Military Diet print-out.  We really liked it.  Wanted to add to our favorites.  

After Supper I returned to sorting papers and decided to blog for a break.  Refreshing.  I feel a great deal better than I did Wednesday with the antibiotics working quickly relieving a sore throat and tender neck.  The fatigue took me by surprise.

With illnesses one has to be flexible about the chores.  They are ongoing as well.  I sound like a broken record when it comes to wanting the chores caught up.  I'm not sure this one will be a best seller or on the top ten list.  

Hubby worked today in the carriage house shuffling to make room to park the better car in it.  There is a lovely wooden table out there that I would like to have refinished to use in the Living room.  I have ideas about placing it in the middle of the room with flowers in a crystal vase sitting on it.  If this materializes there will be pics.

Today, I thought about wall colors for the Living room and imagined what style of draperies will be hung.  There seems to always be something to think about.  At least this is a lovely thought.  Lovely.  Making HOME a welcoming and clean place.  

Husband and I went to our favorite Restaurant, HARRY's last Wednesday to celebrate several important things, employment, payment to credit card company and a car.

He has worked at the same place for 19 years.  This is a hallelujah.  19 years of steady employment in a unstable world.  A job well done.  It hasn't been without sacrifice.  He has learned a great deal and gone through much.  He is looking forward to the day when he can paint.  The Art Studio is in the works.      

During this time of his employment we have lived in 5 different houses.  5.  He hopes to retire in a few years as we are taking steps in preparations for retirement.  Only God really knows, but we are striving to be ready when the day comes.  

This year is the year that we continue to thin out clutter, lighten the load.  Papers in order.  Books, movies and music thinned out.  Clothing thinned out.  Dishes down sized.  Christmas decorations thinned out.  Nic-nacs gone through.  Arts and crafts supplies down sized.  Old magazines gone.  Everything like bedding and towels accounted for.  There's more.  Getting a new list and pictures of belongings a must.  A diary.  

ALSO WE CELEBRATED that we sent a check to pay off the majority of a credit card that we have had an account with for many years.  We paid leaving a small balance so that we would receive a statement showing the large payment on the statement.  I have paid off credit cards before leaving a zero balance and the company did not send a final statement with zero balance showing the pay off.  I like having an actual paper copy of the paid off bill for my records.  SO there will be another paper statement come in next month with this good news of this credit card about to be zeroed out.  A weight off our shoulders.  Take a deep breathe and sigh.  It will be best to owe no man anything...but love.  We have a ways to go to be completely out of debt.  Then we will celebrate in a big way.

WE WERE HAPPY TO INHERIT my Husband's Parents car.  Another nice thing to celebrate as our autos are old...this one is a 2006.  Not new but newer than we have.    

OUR DINNER OF CELEBRATION.  First Bread rolls with Butter was served.  I had Tomato Basil Soup.  Hubby had salad.  Wished I had lifted a spoonful of this soup for a picture as it was loaded with thick vegetables.  Tasty and warm going down my sore throat.  It did soothe the discomfort.  Medium Well DONE Filet Mignon on a bed of Smashed Potatoes and Beets.  WE SPLIT A DESSERT as well.  Dessert indeed.  Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.  Water to drink then Coffee with cream.  A quiet evening together to visit and dine in a beautiful, dimly lit Dining room celebrating achievements.

Lovely evening,

d

   

Out Of Africa On A Cold Evening

THE NIGHT crept in as it snowed on this cold April day.  Slowly it became night with our wooden floor cold under our feet.  A large area rug will be placed over the floor soon.  I am on the hunt.    

Yesterday, we celebrated our Daughter's 38th birthday on their backyard deck eating grilled Hamburgers and Keto Brownies.  Sipping Sprite.  The beautiful Spring weather would later disappear on Friday with early morning chilly wind becoming a chilly Friday.  The day she was born was on a Saturday which was the day before Easter at the time with next to perfect weather.  So pleasant with a baby in my arms. 

She blew out candles and retreated indoors as night came.  Singing Happy Birthday out of tune, but that didn't matter.  We were happy to be singing to her.  She opened a few presents with a smile on her pretty face.  To think my baby turned 38 makes time stand still.  I gave her photographs of when she turned one year old.  She wore a frilly sherbet orange dress her Grandmother had sewn her.  Her curly hair was brown and she was a chunky child that took her first steps that day before her two Grandmothers witnessing her first steps.

Her Grandmothers were not present this birthday, but I was and I'm a Grandmother these days.  

Today, I worked at writing out bills and remembered that I needed to go to Town to make a bank stop.  Needing postage stamps, I circled the block driving to the Post Office.  I've been writing Thank-you notes for my Father-In-Laws Memorials, flowers and plants which needed mailed.  The wind was biting and I had thoughts about Spring.

Next stop was the City building to pay this month's utility bill early, then the phone bill.  Onto Manhattan to take care of business.  I met up with my Husband at the Doctor's office where I was yesterday getting my throat swabbed because I thought I had strep throat and indeed I did.  While he was at the Doctor's I went a head and went to TARGET.  I ate absolutely no candy for Easter and craved Cadbury creme eggs.  50% off and a chocolate treat to curb that craving.

A mint green handbag came HOME with me as I justified that I didn't buy an Easter dress this year and the purse was a bargain compared to what I would have spent on a fancy dress.  Hopefully I will come across shoes somewhere that match my new handbag.  Then a dress will make a appearance.  Mint green.  Nice Spring color to wear.  

I went to the Coffee Shop to touch base with my Husband who had a Latte waiting for me.  We chatted and munched on a blueberry muffin.  We split it.  Talked about going to look at computers at the Student Union to replace the ones I lost in the house fire.  After seeing what they had, we went to Best Buy but didn't buy.  Better deal at the Student Union.  Returned.  Bought.  We saw.  We conquered.

Came HOME for left-over spaghetti for a Friday night Supper.  It was tastier today then the first go round.  Watching OUT OF AFRICA.  1985 in Omaha was the first time we watched it on the big screen.  The soundtrack became a favorite.  I'm not sure where the tape is these days.  I suppose we could find a newer version to listen to.  The music was so beautiful.

I'll be watching the movie again and taking snap shots of the clothing that Meryl Streep wore that were designed by Milena Canonero.  

Milena was noted for the rugged but sensual safari styles of ''Out of Africa,''  clothing.  

This has been an active week.  I am looking forward to the week-end.  I shall take time to sort through more papers as I group and gather receipts with past statements of days gone by.

WHEN WILL IT END?  I am thriving to have order once again as the house fire and the move seriously disturbed the order of things I once had.  I admire order.  

This week-end I wish to have a clean Living room.  Shall it be?  Shall see.  

Shall see,
d      

    

President Donald J. Trump Delivers a Message for Passover and Easter

Happer Birtday

Happy Birthday Dear Daughter!

Have a blessed one and many more.

LOVE YOU,

Mom

Grand Time

 With Love,

d

April Fools

Thinking back to this week-end, we had a very nice visit with our Son and Grandson.  Arrived late Friday night, visited, presented our Grandson his birthday gifts and Easter Bucket.  Our Son wasn't expecting the things we brought him that belonged to his Grandpa that passed away in February.    

THINK he liked his new treasures.

A hat, pocket knife and watch.  A packet of childhood pictures that belonged to his Grandparents.

It's been a year since we were in Saint Louis.  Hard to believe.  The year was busy and so much happened during this time.  Good to see our Son and Grand.  Easter in Saint Louis.
  

Grandson stayed up to see us before going to bed.  Hugs.

Then we watched the movie, SULLY.  Liked it.  

Could watch it again and might later on.

Slept so well...it's been a long time since I slept this well.  Our Son wanted us to watch Al Gore's movie,  An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.  Just so happened to be Mr. Gore's 70th birthday that we watched this interesting documentary.  My Son is very concerned about the environment as he thinks we are to be good stewards of what we live on, the earth.  

MADE FOR INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS.

  

RESURRECTION SUNDAY and rainy outside.  I asked my Grandson about this day and he said that Jesus rose from the grave.  I asked him who Jesus was and he told me that he was the Son of God.  Very matter of factly.  I chimed in with 'He was the only BEGOTTEN Son of God.'

  

LORD JESUS, LAMB OF GOD, 

Savior of the world, 

our Hope.

HE is risen.  He is risen INDEED.

Thank you for being LORD.

You did the work on the cross, buried in a borrowed tomb, three days later you rose from the dead.

Because of HIM I can face tomorrow.

**************************************************************

We had a pleasant morning.

Early in the morning, I pulled the Key Lime Pie 

out of the freezer to thaw in the fridge.

Spiral Ham placed into the crock pot, 

glaze made and poured over the Ham.  

Slow cooked for 4 hours.

Set the table with red dishes.

Worked on boiled eggs next.  

A dozen eggs in deep pan and filled with an inch of water over the tops of the eggs.  Brought water to a boil and then took pan off the heat.  

Placed the lid on and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes.

Poured the water off the eggs 

and covered eggs with cold water.

Tried to peel the eggs.  They were a mess to peel.

Whipped the egg filling up.

Fixed the Green bean Casserole, 

Buttery Corn and Yams with Pecans.

Instant Potatoes and Gravy.

Dinner rolls heated.

Brewed Tea.

All came together.

Kept the meal simple.

After the dishes were done, we hid easter eggs.

Packed and left for HOME.

We had a pleasant stay.  Short, but sweet.

I'll rest up a bit this week then return to doing laundry, 

paperwork and such.

Kept the Easter meal simple 

due to being away from HOME.

It was just fine.

~A SIMPLE MEAL~

All store bought.

Semi-Homemade meal.

SIMPLE MEAL made on the spot.

A sugar-free Easter treat for my Hubby.

Easy peasy to put together and I need easy these days.

How was your week-end?

Mine was pretty good.

NATURE SHOWED US A THING OR TWO.  With Easter being on April Fool's Day, I forgot about being fooled.  SPRING disappeared as we drove HOME Sunday afternoon after a nice Easter Dinner.  We cleaned up, said our goodbyes and started HOME.  It started to spit rain and sleet.  Oops.  Took us by surprise.

The rain turned into light snow making the roads slick.  A car here and there in the ditch.  We continued HOME driving very slow bumper to bumper in some places.  More vehicles.  Tense.  By the time we arrived HOME we saw 37 vehicles in the ditches.  This is the most I have ever seen in my life traveling.  

I was so thankful to get close to Topeka as the traffic let up as well as the slick roads.

Today, I took the day easy by sorting through papers.  Made progress.  Hope to continue sorting through the next bag of papers and maybe doing a load or two of laundry.  Middle of the week, already.  

Making HOME a priority,
d