DEAR DADDY

A favorite picture of me and my Daddy.

It was a rare occasion for me to sit on my Daddy's lap especially with curlers in my blonde hair.  We were at my Grandma Helmer's HOME when this photo was taken for a Family picture.  

I was blessed to be held on Dad's lap for this one when we were having a Family picture taken in Grandma's Living room that was decorated with grey wall paper in this small room.  Dad was a good man, but seldom did he hold me and he didn't tell me he loved me until I was 34 years old of age on the telephone after I was going through a rough spot in my marriage.

As I was growing up, I didn't hear compliments like, "You look so pretty today in your Easter dress."  "You did so well in the school play!"  "I'm so very proud of you for getting an A on your spelling test."  "You did well cleaning your room."  "Good job!"  "You have great value and worth."  "You're a good girl."  "You're a child of God."  "You are my lovely daughter that has talent and is full of grace."  "I'll provide for you.  I'm your Daddy and I'll take care of you and protect you."  "I love you, little one."  "You're so special to me."    

The guiding words about the rights and wrongs in life weren't common discussion.  This is what you need to look for in a future Husband...I just was suppose to know.  Being prepared, how to make a living, walking in God's counsel were not discussed.  I was just suppose to know.  

I guess Dad didn't know that young children need words of encouragement.  I guess he didn't know that young children need to be told, "I love you."

His LOVE LANGUAGE was being a good Husband to my Mom and being a hard worker.  His LOVE LANGUAGE was to come HOME every evening and be cheerful, honest, exhibiting godly character to others, sharing a sense of humor always repeating the punch line of a joke twice.  He played the harmonica, sang some, popped a lot of popcorn.  He was most of the time mild mannered.  He was clean in appearance always having his hair combed into place.  He loved cars, eating white bread with every meal and looking for treasures on the side of the road.  He loved to fish, take naps, sit in his recliner and be attentive to my Mom.    

The guiding words for a godly life weren't spoken directly at me very often.  He never spanked me.  Ever.  He did have a temper that came out once in a while and I knew I didn't want to see it. He was present, but not very vocal about LIFE.  I've deliberately looked for good qualities in him through the years.  He didn't stay out late at night gambling, nor use foul language, no drinking, or carousing.  He worked hard to put food on the table, a roof over our heads, have good transportation.  He worked hard and I would have to say I loved this about him.

Today is Father's Day and I think about him as he was my earthly Father that is now in heaven. There are all kinds of Fathers.  Mine was special to me, still I have to think about what good qualities he had and know that he was a good man even if he didn't hold me on his lap except for a few Family photos.  

He turned out to be a decent guy.  His upbringing was so different than mine.  His Father was a raging alcoholic and Dad would get to see his own Father beat up his Mother.  Dad would get to see his older brothers protect their Mother from a man that was mean.  

I remember taking my Dad out to eat to celebrate one of his birthdays when we lived in the same town as he did.  It would be extra special to take Dad to a little Amish Restaurant not far from his Home Town to eat a hearty meal served up by the local women there.  He didn't say two words to me the entire meal and he never did thank me for treating him to a birthday meal.  This hurt a little.  I was strapped for money and taking him out was a strain.  Couldn't he have at least said thank you?

What I found out later was that when he was little boy, he went to this small town with his Dad and his Dad made him sit on the curb outside a bar to wait for him while his Dad was inside getting drunk while spending the little money they had on alcohol.  Hours sitting on the curb alone.  Sad and it shouldn't have happened.  

Dad did the best he could I suppose.  Still I was wounded.  I would be in my mid thirties when I finally realized that I was wounded and went to the Lord in prayer about these hurts.  God showed me a different way to live that is healthier than being hurt.  I can see better these days that we need help from a healthy GOD that loves us as a FATHER should.

Our example can be found in Almighty God that is LOVE, sovereign, trust worthy and truthful. FAITHFUL.  He is faithful.  He can show you great and mighty things.  My God is an awesome GOD.

Dad, I am thankful I had you as my Father as I have learned that LIFE could have been so much worse than what it was.  I am thankful to call you DADDY.  I am your daughter and that's that. 

Even with you not having shown me how to ride a bike or drive a car, no long walks together, no praying over me, no telling me I was a somebody or pretty today, no giving gentle hugs or a kiss on my cheek to comfort me in times of trouble or tell me it's going to be alright...you tried to show me how to fish, fly a kite, polish rocks, provided a used car to drive, sometimes took me to Church.  

The importance of how you provided much for your wife and children should carry a great deal of weight.  I never went hungry nor was I dirty.  I had a clean bed to sleep in, clean clothes to wear and a clean home to live in.  A fenced back yard to play in, toys to call my own.  You never beat me or cuss me out.  You didn't abuse me or leave me sitting on a curb waiting outside while you were occupied getting drunk.  You said that soap and water don't cost much.  No need to be dirty.  

I sometimes think I must have been an embarrassment to you for being so tall.  I would find my worth and comfort from my Heavenly Father.  I did learn a lot from you, Dad and there is peace in this.  More peace than pain.    

When raising my children, I deliberately told them certain things because I wanted them to know that I had told them and I wanted to know that I had told them.  I am far from perfect and still need to tell them things that I want them to know.  I have some regrets.  

I wish I had sat on the edge of their beds at night and listened to all their concerns more.  I wish I had said more prayers with them, hugged them and told them I was so proud of them.  These are your talents now use them well.  There are consequences to your actions.  Bible stories were not told during Family devotions because we didn't have Family devotions.  Sigh.  

I wish they had heard me praise their own Father more than what I did and explain more to them why we are doing certain things like moving again because their hard working Daddy needed to move with the company to pay our bills.  We're a FAMILY and we care for one another.  He is the provider and we are grateful and thankful he did well working hard.  I do wish sometimes I had added more to our Family times.  I tried.  Still.  

Sometimes time moves too quickly and I wish I had just sat in their presence as their Mom soaking in their childhoods pouring more affirmations into their souls as well as their Father's. 

Today is Father's Day.  A time to bless Fathers and recall the ones that have passed away.  A time to let the living ones know that this is a special day for a special man and for a special thing called Fatherhood. That they are loved and very much appreciated.

I wish I had done more to celebrate you while you were alive.  I wish I had kissed you on your cheek, hugged you and told you I was proud of you and proud to be your daughter.  I wish I had. I have to hang onto the good memories and think deep thoughts of how you were a good guy that did well even when you were not told how wonderful you were.  How to love yourself in a healthy and godly way because God loves us.  He really does. 

Dear Daddy, Did you know that I loved you? 

That close relationship with our Heavenly Father is possible and needed.  Being spiritually intimate with HIM is the healing touch for a hurting person that was left outside sitting on a curb waiting. 

  

Father, Dad, Daddy, Pops.

HAPPY Father's Day,

~d

AROUND THE HOUSE

HERE I SIT going through a huge basket of papers that need thinned out, shredded, pitched or filed.  AFTER several hours, I got cranky.  Placed all the papers that were on my lap and on the arms of the recliner back into the basket.  Not working.  Gotta take a break. 60% cocoa chips and peanuts in a bowl to munch on.  My chocolate fix.

I think I have been at it for too long.  Will switch gears and return to paperwork later.  There are piles about my work station that keep growing.  Where did these papers all come from?  

Heavens. 

I have truly been printing away articles that I come across pertaining to health issues, politics, recipes, etc. since getting a computer printer.  This has ate up lots a paper.  I haven't filed my print outs and so they pile up waiting for me to do something with them.  You know how that goes...get side tracked and will do later.  Gosh...keeping the articles is very helpful as I figure out how to live in the 2022 world. 

LATER arrived and I am a bit overwhelmed with what needs to be filed.  Whistle while you work hasn't helped make this any easier.  Think listening to some pleasant music might help ease the tension of going through all these papers.  Now that I know magazines are not sacred....grins,  I can pitch them after I tear out the articles I want to keep.  

Tidied some around my work station and the area looks so much better.  Back to it in a few.  Will switch gears and go upstairs to get a few more storage boxes to bring downstairs to load in the car to transfer over to the COTTAGE.  Say all of that three times really fast and get tongue tied.

It's like a three ring circus around here.  Praying it comes together soon.  I am on overload with what needs done.  Will stay with it at a slower pace though.  I think it best to sort through the pile of paper sorting them into individual piles according to subject matter.  All medical papers in a pile.  All diet, food related articles and recipes in a pile.  Health articles in a pile, etc.  Put papers in some kind of order and file.  FILE.  The papers have taken over. 

Yes, Virginia...there is a Santa Claus and I have an article right here to prove it.  Are there little green men on Mars?  Surely I can locate a read on that one.  Faith Healers take a leap of FAITH by using Infrasonic sound.  Sound you cannot hear can put you in a good mood, a giving mood so you are more likely to be more generous to give a huge contribution called a tithe/offering because you want to please God or sober you up into a sad, somber mood if need be.  You can be manipulated and not even know it.  Yes, there's that article.  Music that penetrates your body making you smile and jerk at the same time...is that the Holy Spirit?  Didn't hear that one coming, did you?  Justin Bieber and wife Hailey both get tattoos.  President Biden has bicycle accident, but he was wearing a crash helmet. Israel is under attack.  The ten healthiest foods in the world.  Russia President has Parkinson's disease.  President Trump will never be convicted of treason as he is above that.  You can feed a family of ten on $2 a day.  Article after article are here in a pile on my floor needing attention. 

You can be and do just about anything you want if you believe everything you read.  

I went through the pile of magazines and thinned them out.  Stacked a few of the books that I want to keep nearby.  Mission accomplished.   

I'll have to narrow down the subject matters so I don't become a Library.  A little ole lady with cats I will not become.  Thinning out is work especially when I want to hold onto to so many papers.  I took large yellow envelopes and wrote my Grandchildren's names on the envelopes. Each child has a envelope.  They are standing up in a plastic tub.  That's some order.  Filling them with birth announcements, birthday party invites, printed programs, pictures, newspaper clipping, etc.    

I am looking crossed eyed at what needs done.  This season I'm in isn't comfortable.  Think I need a break.  

I came across a note I wrote that was smoke stained.  Will type this up and pitch the original paper.  Have mercy.  Since I am not a typist that's another big project to do later.  LATER.

Today I stayed HOME and didn't make it to the COTTAGE to work.  Phoned my Mom and chatted with her.  Phoned my Sister and chatted with her.  Three hours taken out of the day for chatting.  3.  I don't do this very often.  Back to working on the COTTAGE tomorrow.  Hope I start painting the pantry the first coat of fresh paint.  Hope Hope.  

The upstairs hall linen closet is partially cleared out.  I'll be returning it to being a linen closet once again.  What I had done I forget how long ago just hasn't worked out well.  I had the entire closet full of grooming supplies and health items.  I took the afghan throws that were in the top cabinet and placed extra pillows up there.  Rolled the afghans that were in there and placed them in a plastic bag to store in the trunk of the car for emergency covers in bad weather.  Also can be used for chilly days when at a track or cross country meet.  The trunk of the car is a safe place to store these items.

For the time being I am clearing out the linen closet to return the bedding and blankets that need this closet space once again before we move again.  I don't like having them under the beds in boxes.  Back they go and I can take inventory so I know exactly what I have or don't have.  I am a lousy Martha Stewart wannabe. 

The bathroom towels will stay right where they are in the narrow linen closet in bathroom.  It is nice to have this space, but it really is too narrow for large hands like I have.  If I try rolling the towels and stacking them I might like it better.  Okay, will try this in a few days.  

On the internet

Patting myself on the back that I got the large Mason jars placed in the fridge.  I did it.  7 jars of various nuts, strawberries, blueberries, asparagus and avocados.  I will place one with celery and carrots this coming week.  The jars fit on the bottom fridge shelves.  I had to shuffle everything to make this happen.  Everything.  I would like my fridge to be state of the art 1940s perfect?  A place for everything and everything in it's place.  Can I do this?  

If there is such a thing as a modern day Betty Crocker blended with a HOMESTEADER where is she?  Who is she?  Does she live in a FARMHOUSE interior wearing holy jeans with a messy bun on her head?  Eyelashes and eyebrows out to there?  Eyeliner winging it out to the outer edge of her face?  Fake fingernails and push up bra?  Earbuds?  Can you hear me now?  

It seems like the curly haired HOMEMAKERS that wears a dress an apron with pearls smelling like roses are hard to find these days.  The red lipstick is gone.  House slippers are vanishing. Gosh, I think I'm gonna cry.  I come nowhere close to having my act together. 

As I continue putzing about the house, I need to reinvent myself.  Morphing into a more streamed lined housekeeper and keeper of the HOME.  Room for improvement since I am aiming for the virtuous woman.

Can she be 66 and walking with a limp?
I sure hope so,
~d   

  

~PLEASANT DAY~

I FELL ASLEEP AROUND 9 and woke up around 11 last night.  It's a mistake to do this as I could not fall back to sleep.  Getting up, I decided to wash a couple of large mason jars to store asparagus and strawberries in.  The fridge will have to have some more stuff shuffled so these jars fit.  I had placed 6 jars of various nuts in and they do take up more room. Perhaps I'll get this figured out as I day dream about the COTTAGE FRIDGE over at small town America when the time comes.  

I was cleaning out the fridge bins at 1 in the morning.  Something was stinking and I had to get to the bottom of it.  Disinfected the drawers and all is better.  

When I was over at the COTTAGE today, I gathered a few more large mason jars to bring back to this main house to store celery and carrot sticks in.  That's 6 jars of nuts, a jar for asparagus to stand in, strawberries, celery and carrot carrots.  Maybe I need one for blueberries mixed with raspberries and blackberries.  Shall see if I can make this work.  I may go so far as to get smaller jars and store ketch-up, pickles and mustard in.  That's scary for sure.    

l definitely need to shuffle to make room for the larger jars.  With working at having healthier eating habits, the mason jars will help with storing food as well as making the inside of the fridge more organized with eye appeal and healthier snacks.  This all made me think of a few years ago when I was laboring at making my fridge more HOUSE BEAUTIFUL like Pinterest showing the inside of gorgeous fridges that are out of this world stunning.  Is it possible for me to have such a fridge???  Dunno.

SO ORGANIZED

Hubby and I got up early to go work at the COTTAGE this morning.  Our Granddaughter had agreed to pull weeds out of the two front flowerbeds that were greatly grown over with small trees and weeds.  She did a super job that made me smile.  It looks so much better like someone cares about their flowerbeds.

Hubby mowed the lawn and I stayed inside shredding old papers and checks.  23 years back isn't needed these days.  I went down memory lane again as I read old checks and statements when the kids were still living at HOME.  All are grown now with children of their own.  Today is my oldest brother's 71st Birthday.  Several of the statements had checks to him for his yearly birthdays.  Kind of ironic seeing these.  I wondered what he is doing in heaven today on his birthday?

SO many medical checks were written over the years.  Pause.  So many.  My paper shredder was busy as it chewed up hundreds of pieces of paper.  Hundreds.  More to go.  Having a hay day at this task.     

Tidied on the Tv room and made progress on the COTTAGE.  After Grand went HOME, Hubby and I continued working inside.  Hubs worked at tearing out the old floor in the Bathroom.  The temp outside raised to 97 degrees.  Inside the COTTAGE, it was very comfortable.  Being there allowed me to know first hand what cooling the place would be like on a super hot day.  Nice.

By 4 we were tired and ready to go HOME.  Not sure about supper tonight.  Veggies are needed. Noticed as we drove HOME, the Northern skies looked hazy like a late night thunderstorm will blow in to add some excitement to the night after being so active and worn out already.

After I rest up a bit, I will return to the upstairs Bedroom and gather more storage boxes to carry down to the main floor to load into the car for another round of taking storage boxes to the COTTAGE.  I have to make the Bedroom comfortable for guest coming the 4th of July.  

I pray I can get this done.  Stay steady moving things out of the room and out of this house. Much to do...so do it.  

I hope and pray that we make great headway on the COTTAGE.  The Bathroom is getting gutted and the ideas are swirling in my head.  Hopefully by the end of July the Bathroom will be up and going and  the Pantry completely painted and loaded with Pantry items.  What a nice thought that is.

Found this on the internet and paint colors come to mind.  Whaalaah.  So pretty and peaceful.

When I sit in the COTTAGE TV room, I look around the room and think what we will be doing to it in the near future.  Think the Living room and TV room will be painted CALM by Benjamin Moore.  Lovely, quiet, soothing color.  I need soothing when the world I live in is chaotic.  Peace be still comes to mind.  The TV room will be a quiet room to read and write in.  Think and pray. Sit and relax.  Write out bills, listen to music, surf the internet, write letters and look at magazines.  Maybe watch television in the TV room.  Grins and a movie or two.  Popcorn!

This is a time to DOWNSIZE and forge ahead in LIFE as a 66 year old.  Wife, mother, grandma, mother-in-law, daughter, sister, cousin, friend and neighbor.  Hello world.  

Add some pearls and away you go.  Classic.

Today as I was daydreaming, I was thinking about doing some sewing.  It's been years.  Years and years.  New dresses come to mind like a classic sheath dress.

Welcome week-end.  Pray it is a blessed one.  Amen.

~d

     

    

    

TODAY IS THE DAY

LAST NIGHT, I MOVED QUITE A FEW STORAGE BOXES and stacked them in the upstairs hallway.  Woke with sore fingers this morning and arthritic hands.  Keep moving.  Keep in motion.

As today passes by, I will carefully carry them down the stairs to the Kitchen and stack them, take a breather then carry them to the cars to transport them over to the COTTAGE this evening to unload and repack in the Living room.  I'll need hubby's muscles to help me get this done.  

There they will stay until the storage side of the garage is cleared out.  Muscle racks will go in there and then the Christmas decor will have a place to call HOME again.  Seems like I have moved decorations so many times that I am plum tired of it.  Spank my attitude and get this done without thinking so much about it.  Just do it.

Today is my oldest son's 47th Birthday.  Pause.  Happy Birthday tall guy.  I love you and know that you are a blessing.  

Have a good one.

I have plans of cutting out newspaper articles today and getting them in the mail tomorrow.  I need to get the Father's Day greeting cards in the mail.  I should have done that yesterday, but I was too busy.  It seems that I need to do things far in advance to get everything done these days.  Time passes by so much quicker and I move so much slower.  The two don't seem to be friends.

I found another large box of papers to go through and shred tomorrow.  I'll work on it tomorrow.  

My studies this morning led me to look at Victorian interiors of small houses.  Gathering ideas for the COTTAGE. I simply have too much to have it all in the COTTAGE.  I have to continue to downsize.  Shaking my head and sighing.  This puzzle will come together.  

Company is coming for the Fourth of July so I must get the boxes out of the Victorian room and transfer it all to the COTTAGE so we can accommodate.  This is a great time to get this done.  Praise the Lord, I have a heads up and two weeks to get 'er done.

Will need to have a menu worked up so I can supply our food needs.  Ice-cream, brownies, chips, baked beans, hot dogs, hamburgers, the fixings, water, cereal, eggs, toast, butter, jelly, salads, relish tray, lemonade, cherry lime-aid, iced tea, coffee, creamer, sugar, sweeteners, pie, roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans, fried chicken, beets, deviled eggs, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, keep thinking about it.  

I have a new recipe for Cherry Limeade that I want to try out.  My HOMEMADE LEMONADE is perfect.  These might be nice to have on hand when we have company.  I have the canisters for these beverages.  Okay that's settled.  

CHERRY LIMEADE

Combine 2-liter bottle of lemon-lime soda,

1 cup fresh lime juice,

1 cup sugar,

a 10-ounce jar of maraschino cherries and their juice plus a couple of thin lime slices in a large pitcher stirring well to dissolve the sugar.

Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Serve in a pitcher or pour into a canister.  

 

Blessings to you and God bless,

~d

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE ENDS MEET

UP EARLY and off to TOPEKA on Tuesday.  Stopped off at MJs for a almond milk steamer to sip on as I drove to TOPEKA.  Certainly was good.  Headed to GOD's STOREHOUSE to make a donation.  Donated a car load of goodies then walked about in the store.  Oh my goodness...did we ever have a load to get rid of.

I should feel so much better, but then in the back of my mind I know I am not anywhere close to being finished with all the decluttering and downsizing that needs done.  At my age, I need this slow paced thinning out.  I cannot work very fast at this and there is much to do. Still have to have fun with life and not work all the time on the downsizing projects. 

Making a small dent in the downsizing.  Very small.  If I can change my attitude then perhaps it won't wear me down so.  Keeping it all straight is taking an effort for me to think it through. Figuring what will fit in the COTTAGE and what won't.  What to keep for sentimental purposes and function collide inside my mind.  Believe too many BRAIN cells are being used to think about this task.

Another class mate passed away at 66.  I remember her well.  She had the prettiest eyes. Unfortunately she got into using drugs and it affected her health, her well being.  I know that I am older.  66 isn't exactly young.  Last summer after my favorite cousin was killed in an auto accident, I found out that I am what is called elderly.  65 is what is considered elderly.  I was taken aback some as I thought 80 and up was elderly, but not according to technicality.  65 is elderly.

So much of what I have in my HOME, Carriage House, Garage, Basement is not sacred.  It's just stuff.  I believe I have had an epiphany about STUFF.  I thought I needed to hang onto so much in case I needed to sell it later to help with finances.  I was busy building up an ESTATE.  And I did.  I built it up and up and up.  

When it comes to selling things to liquidate for cash, you have to have a buyer, don't you?  If you have no buyer then the things hung onto are just taking up residence in your personal space. The inventory gets in the way.  You may or may not get the price you're asking for.  If you're not famous or you don't have what others are looking for then what you have to sell may not sell at all.  

Donate and be done with it.  Donating sometimes is better use of one's time.  BUT selling things that bring in a larger amount of money is time better spent.  Nickel and dime-ing this stuff requires so much time and effort, I don't believe it's cost effective.  

True, every little bit helps, but if you are spending most of your time dealing with nickel and dime items, it's not good use of time.

Life is too short to be nickel and dime-ing it all the time.  I call it Hare Krishna-ing at the airport. The Hare Krishna volunteers get nothing.  They put in the labor and get nothing out of the hours they stand around collecting donations to feed back to their mother organization.  The volunteers are slaves to a religious organization that could care less if their minions are well or not.  As long as they bring in cash to feed the mother organization then the Hare Krishna minions are useful to their god. 

My time and energy must be better used.  When you sell things at a garage sale for nickels and dimes, it doesn't add up very fast.  Too much time and energy is used when dealing when Hare Krishna-ing stuff. 

Free at last, free at last.  Thank God almighty, I am free at last.  I am turning loose of stuff.  Seeing the error in many of my ways is liberating, healthier, better use of TIME.  SO back to gathering up things that need to go away and set myself free of being a slave to things that take up too much living space.  No need to hang onto.  Even if I sold all the small stuff it wouldn't make much money.  I will turn loose of it and cut my loses, go on and be free.  

The drive over from our house to TOPEKA was really a nice one.  Temps were rising and I expected it to hit 95.  

THRIFT SHOPPING...A dollar bracelet, some pool sticks, a Daniel Plan Book with manual.  I turned a Cracker Barrel doll down.  No glassware or clothing.  Low spending today for us. Impressive.  

Loaded up and drove to LONG JOHN SILVER's for Lunch.  
2 pieces of fish: 200 calories, 
0 for the malt vinegar, 
cole slaw 170,
2 hush puppies 150, 
green beans 25, 
crumblies 170,
iced tea 0 to drink.  

A whopping 715 calories altogether.  

Critical analysis over meal...
instead of 2 pieces of fish, eat only 1 (100).  
Eat two sides of green beans (50) avoiding the Cole slaw.  
1 Tbsp of crumblies instead of 1 oz. (?)
1 hush puppy (75).  

Closer to 250 calories instead of 715.
Perhaps  I should have thought this one over and not eat so much.
Pat myself on the back for drinking 0 calories and no dessert.

SUPPER would be a meatless meal full of flavor and nutrition that would be satisfying. Only 340 calories!    
1 baked potato with real butter (197).
3 large carrots (75).
2 cups of steamed broccoli (68).

After thrifting we went shopped SAMs.  This one hit us in the pocket book.  Didn't go to Natural Grocers as we pretty much got all we needed at SAMs.  Fueled the little car and that one hurt.  $63 for our lil cruiser.  

We talked about how we will manage paying more at the pump.  I'm guessing that gas will hit $7 a gallon by the end of summer and then come back down in the Fall to about $4 a gallon.  We'll think that the $4 a gallon is wonderful instead of $7. This is an old trick to ease the masses into thinking the higher prices aren't so high after all.  

Everything will raise in price...groceries, medicines, fuel, etc.  So just how will we make it? Adjust the pocketbook spending. 

Not using our imaginations can cost us more in the long run.  I've learned the hard way.  Use our imaginations and don't be scared to try or lazy looking for an easy way out.  Roll up your sleeves and get our hands dirty.   

Look for bargains and only spend the money if the item is truly needed.  Wants and Needs definitely are two different things.

Stay HOME and drink homemade tea.  Grow a garden.  Wear second and third hand clothing. Check movies and books out from the Library.  Go to free events good for family fun even if you don't have young children to entertain.  Do without.  Thrift shop.  Barter.  Have more Church and family/friends meals together where everyone does pot-luck.  Lend, share...borrow. Make more things from scratch.  Live off the grid.  L I V E.  Swap recipes.  Do clothing swap parties. Garage/yard/estate Sales.  Read more.  Draw.  Don't eat out unless it's for a birthday or anniversary.  Cook/bake.  Walk more.  Sit more.  Ride a bike.  Write more. Think more.  Leave the lights off.  Burn kerosene lamps.  Catch rain water.  Wear a sweater when it's cold.  Build up your immune system by taking vitamins, minerals, enzymes. Eat more vegetables...eat less meat. Stretch the meat.  Eat slower.  Eat less.  Pray more.  Study up on how others get by.  Fix more things yourself.  Embrace the change and don't freak out. Don't panic. Use real plates and wash after using.  Use real diapers and not throw aways.  Repair all that you can.  Live a clean LIFE. Don't smoke or buy cigarettes and cigars.  Don't drink or buy alcohol.  Don't buy sugary drinks like soda.  Don't gamble.  Don't use or buy illegal drugs or narcotics.  Don't spend money needlessly.  Don't overspend.  Rethink before spending money.  Save more money by actually saving money.  Put your change into a jar.  Have board game nights.  Laugh more.  Clean out and organize every nook and cranny.  Write long letters and snail mail them.  Visit more with your spouse and children, neighbors, friends and family.  Ask questions,  share information about how to do things yourself.  Sew. Take up a cheap hobby.  Finish a project that was put away years ago.  Eat less process foods, eat more home cook meals and baking.  Teach yourself a foreign language. Learn to play an instrument. Sing.  Dance and walk in place.  Count your blessings. Downsize. Stay HOME.  Live on less. Save more money because you need to.  Let your imagination be creative.  Create.  Stay calm and be not afraid.  Stay out of debt as best you can. Honor your debts and be honest.  Don't lie, cheat or steal.  Be of good cheer for Christ has overcome the world.  Pray for wisdom.  Pray.  Amen.  Be creative and create.  Don't emotional BUY.  Never go shopping for groceries when hungry.  Know what you own and use it.  

When times are tough, we have to be tougher than the circumstances and remember that we are not animals, but have been created in the image of God, a eternal being.  We're eternal beings.  Touch the hem of HIS garment in faith and don't faint.

How are we going to make ends meet?  

Remember that you are the head and not the tail,

~d

      

MY GREEN MILE

AS I GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN OUR MAIN HOUSE and the COTTAGE across the river, I have time to think about what to do to the COTTAGE to get it ready for habitation, where pieces of furniture will go, where to store things and will we fit.  I continue to thin out our belongings.

My slow, but steady decluttering and downsizing continues.  I will begin carrying from one of the bedrooms to the Kitchen for staging, storage boxes full of Christmas decorations thinning out as I go.  With much thought, I have an idea what to keep and what to get rid of.  The COTTAGE has a garage with a side room that will get cleared out and Christmas decor will go in there. Tadaah...it'll work.  Garland in storage boxes, ornaments, wreaths, Nativity Scenes, Santas will go on muscle racks.  This storage area will come in very handy for Holiday decor.    

Yesterday, we went to Manhattan's Home Depot AND Menards.  While in Home Depot, I looked at carpeting, tile, flooring, etc.  This was fun.  Getting more ideas for decorating a small COTTAGE.  There's a small area in the COTTAGE's Kitchen that needs tile behind the stove and cabinets.  Debating between what color to go with for the cabinets, countertops and backsplash. It's ridiculous how I cannot make up my mind.  Wish it were already done, but not.  

The Kitchen is small so a lighter color will visually help with making the room seem slightly larger.  A small white Kitchen will be just fine and more importantly FUNCTIONAL.  

A small paint roller was bought to use for painting the inside of the pantry.  The can of paint awaits me as I speak.  It took months to paint the main house's Dining room.  This small pantry will get dealt with in a few days.  Not so much talk.  More action.  The shelves have been scrubbed made ready for a fresh coat of paint. 

Hubby said after he fixes the water sprinklers at the main house, he will return to the COTTAGE to continue gutting the Bathroom.  We have done a great deal of remodeling through the years...this small COTTAGE should be a piece of cake.  Still we are older with challenges and this task isn't happening fast at all.  What an adventure.  Talk to me somebody.    

Today I will make a trip to Topeka to donate a car load of goodies.  Everything from chandeliers to glassware and of course more clothing.  It'll be a hot day with temps in the 90s.  Yesterday, it hit 102 in Manhattan.  Like a furnace.  Hottest 2022 day so far and it's not even July.  While in Topeka, hearing aid batteries, coffee pods and coffee cup lids need to be picked up from Sams.  Possibly go to Natural Grocers for organic fruit and veggies, over to the COTTAGE to work a bit then HOME.  I need to run the vacuum in the COTTAGE and day dream as I walk about.  

I have spent years building up our Estate and now it is taking years to thin it out.  This is a privilege to have this challenge.  A privilege.  Sometimes people have nothing or what they do have is destroyed or stollen.  After our 2016 house fire, much was lost or damaged.  Restoring and replacing it took place plus adding more things over the last 5 and a half years.  NOW I must thin out.  

Tis doable as I take a carload to donate.  Not bragging, but there is far more to thin out.  Dear Lord, I ask that you help me be realistic about these material things and let me know what to do with them.  Going through everything and saying good-bye to each article that needs to go so I am not a hoarder is needed.  Having a healthy attitude is needed.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.  

Watched a late night 1999 Fantasy/Drama movie, THE GREEN MILE with Tom Hanks, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clark Duncan amongst other fine actors.  Three times I've seen it and I still like this one.  Some rough language, but it is like this in the real world.  Rated R and rightfully so. 

Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) walked the mile with a variety of cons. He had never encountered someone like John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a massive black man convicted of brutally killing a pair of young sisters. Coffey had the size and strength to kill anyone, but not the demeanor. Beyond his simple, naive nature and a deathly fear of the dark, Coffey seemed to possess a prodigious, supernatural gift. Paul began to question whether Coffey was truly guilty of murdering the two girls. 

This week is my Son's 47th birthday.  Nearing 50.  Mustn't get too far ahead of myself as I need to embrace today.  Mailed his card yesterday.  Father's Day is coming.  Better get the cards in the mail tomorrow.  I still like mailing cards and receiving them.  I will need to type my Mom a letter and mail her some newspaper clippings.  Such a simple thing, but I can't seem to get this done.

Blessings,

~d

      

BEGINNING OF THE WEEK

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT STORM.  I feel pretty good this morning with having had interrupted sleep from a storm.  I stayed up for 2 hours after I was woke and read up about thyroid health and high cholesterol then fell back to sleep.  I'm going to have to research more about the connection.  Not excited about that, but know I will do it along the way because I have hopes of lowering the bad cholesterol without medication.  More to follow.

The year is half over.  Not sure what to think about this as it has flown.  

Busy day for an old lady.  Just finished our Breakfast which we are calling "THE JACK" with Killer Dave's multi-grain bread that had been toasted topped with organic butter from Ireland and raw honey.  So good.  3 fried soy-free eggs and a half a cup of fresh organic fruit like berries.  

Blueberries and strawberries.  Sipping spring water and sometimes hot green tea.  We seem to be eating closer to lunch, so this is a brunch meal.  This allows intermittent fasting of 12 hours or so. All the rage these days.

An afternoon snack of nuts should take place and then a nice super heavy on the veggies.

Today will be a busy one anyways.  HOT outside.  I need to journey to the local launder mat to wash a couple of stained smoked accent pillows I discovered hiding in the shed.  Grandma Helmer made these for me and I hate to pitch them.  If the stink doesn't come out, I guess I will have to, but first I'll take some pics.  Take some pics and trash.  

One red velvet pillow is from when I was 5 years old.  I have had this pillow close to 62 years.  62 years.  Let that soak in.  If I cannot save the pillow, I will cut a patch out of it from this childhood gift that Grandma made especially for me.  Granted it means nothing to anyone else on the planet.  To me, it's extra special.  

I forget how many grandchildren Grandma had...maybe 30?  There were very few gifts to her grands, so to have been given this pillow she made is special to me even at 66 years of age.  

Off to the Bank to make a deposit to cover the expense of a stainless steel BERKEY water filter we ordered over the week-end.  We have waited for years to make a purchase.  Looking forward to having one asap.  I think we will have to order a stainless steel stand as well.  

 

Errands to run and chores to do...Post Office, Launder mat, Home Depot, SOME ICED GREEN TEA FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES, Bank deposit also travel to the Cottage to pick hubby's hearing aids up as he forgot them over the week-end.  I'll look around at the Cottage to see if I can pick up some more stuff to donate.  Gotta keep moving on this to make progress on this transitioning to live in the COTTAGE.  Run the vacuum in TV room and return HOME with the vacuum.  Look out in the garage shed.  Travel HOME and rest before supper.  Run a load of laundry.  Cut out newspaper articles.  Paperwork.  Movie?

BUSY BUT FUN JUST THE SAME. 

https://cinephiliabeyond.org/alfred-hitchcocks-to-catch-a-thief/

A good one we watched the other night was the 1955 Hitchcock movie TO CATCH A THIEF with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.  I liked it.  I've seen it before, but remembered very little.  Grace was about 25 at the time of filming and Cary 50...huge age difference, but it seems like Hollywood encouraged young women and older men. At any rate, it was a decent movie with no vulgar language, no graphic sex, mild violence, decent story line and good acting.   

Disappointed.

ORDERED JR WATKINS Naturals HOME CARE ALL PURPOSE CLEANER ONLINE this week-end.  After an unsuccessful hunt to find this awesome product at grocery stores, Ace Hardware, Target, Menards, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. I came up empty handed.  Boggles my mind why Watkins has stopped producing this awesome product that WORKS!

I suppose I will write them and inquire.

Found some online and ordered.  I will store the cleaner in a glass mason jar keeping one spray bottle full with product.  Since the product comes in a plastic spray bottle it will breakdown not lasting, I will store the product in glass.  

Not sure how long I will have a stash.  Until then, I guess I will enjoy what I have and carry on. THANKFUL  that some was found online.  The day will come when I will not be able to purchase my favorite Watkins product.  Sigh.  I will probably have to make my own with natural ingredients like lemon, vinegar, baking soda, water.  I'll be alright.  

Planning on getting on with the day,
~d

AHH NUTS!

DECIDING TO PLACE THE LARGE MASON JARS FULL OF NUTS IN THE FRIDGE was the early morning chore I accomplished.  I wanted to do this half a year ago, but talked myself out of it thinking the jars would take up too much space in our small fridge.  NUTS stay fresher when refrigerated and I wish I had done it then, but hey.  I bit the bullet and went ahead making room for the six large mason jars.  Now I can place more canned goods, etc. on the pantry shelves I have in the basement stairwell.  

One thing leads to another as I tidied the rest of the fridge.  Pitching the penicillin fruit and moldy salsa.  Yummers.  Other bottles of this 'n that have to be located elsewhere, but where in the fridge...dunno.  Rearranging seems to make me happy for so many odd reasons.  I have a thing about neat fridge space.  Not sure where that came from, but when my fridge is tidy, I feel better.  

NUTS are so good for peeps.  Full of nutrition and nourishment.  

I think I may be heading toward being a minimalist fridge content peep.  grins.  Neat and orderly behind closed doors.

Aiming at eating nuts as a snack in the middle of the afternoon for energy and keeping the blood sugar levels more stable so there is less glucose spiking.  Since nuts are high in calories, I need to practice mindful eating and only have a handful at a time with knit picking the amount I pop into my mouth.  

ONE NUT AT A TIME THEN CHEW, CHEW, CHEW as with all foods.  Mindful eating also has to do with how slow one eats with more chewing and focusing on the flavor of what is in the mouth.  Making an effort to deliberately know what I have inside my mouth I consciously think of using all the teeth and not just the molars.

I am eating.  Reminds me of Dr. Kellogg.

https://www.history.com/news/dr-john-kellogg-cereal-wellness-wacky-sanitarium-treatments

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg encouraged chewing 40 times before swallowing the mouthful of food as he was a fan of Horace Fletcher.  Easier on the digestive track.  

Chew chew chew then swallow.  Kellogg made up a chewing song to go along with the chewing.

Horace Fletcher was a key figure of the American
"Golden Age of Food Faddism"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Fletcher

Having stayed at my present weight for nearly half a year, I am ready for the scale to move downward.  Stuck at this number isn't my goal weight.  Back to balancing out my meal with more veggies.  MORE VEGGIES this week.  Walking comes to mind.  Jack LaLanne comes to mind.  

MY PLANS this week are to PAINT the COTTAGE PANTRY.  I will be pleased when this is done.  My past week was occupied with medical appointments, traveling, helping Mom and gathering things to turn loose of.  Can only do so much and I'm doing it.  

BYE BYE SOFA

We were able to get rid of the sectional leather sofa that was in the COTTAGE.  Bye bye.  Went to a good HOME.  This clears out the COTTAGE Living room to where we can work on the inside of the COTTAGE.  

A toilet, sink, a couple of medicine cabinets, and 2 carpet bed rollers were placed by the curb.  They disappeared today.  Some more clothing, dishes, old cameras, things from the garage, knick knacks, this 'n that, vintage hats went away over the week-end.  Bye bye.  

I don't want to get rid of all of my old hats as I would like to do some children's Teas where the girls can actually wear hats, but first comes downsizing, remodeling the COTTAGE, fixing up the main house to sell.  Plate is full.  

Getting this adventure going so we can move into our COTTAGE takes baby steps so we can get to where we are going.  Having thought and prayed about how to make it all come together has required time and patience.  At our age with health issues, our strength, endurance and energy levels has to be put to use in tiny increments where we can get things done.  

This requires time and effort.  So going slow with spurts of energy is the way we get things done these days.  We are like the tortoise...slow but steady.  Time seems to be the speedy hare.

1) Round one...KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE.  Get rid of things not needed.  Give away, donate, trash, sell.  THIN OUT.  Lighten the load of what needs to be moved to new location.  The turning loose of so much is a huge work-out for me.  I have had to come to terms with why I have hung onto so much.  I felt better when I realized that my archive stash of Martha Stewart LIVING magazines were not sacred... helped me turn loose of years of her mags.  Perhaps I could have made some money if I had got the mags into the right hands.  Glad they are long gone.  No need to dwell on this.   

2) Remodel the COTTAGE.  Fix up the COTTAGE so it can be moved into including major clean up of what is in the garage and cellar.

3) Bathroom and pantry worked on at the same time.  Bathroom gutted and pantry painted.  Get the Bathroom up and going.   

4) Put muscle racks in the cellar and garage for storing Christmas/Holiday decor, overflow on dishes, supplies.  Going to have to clear out the garage to make way for these racks.  This will take some time, muscle and effort as the Summer weather is hitting with too high of temps to work comfortably in the garage.  
  

5) Closet redone after Bathroom is finished as the closet is in the bathroom.

6) Kitchen reworked and Utility room rearranged.  Some professional wiring will be done in Utility room.  New ceilings, new cabinets in, painted, tile floors laid.

7) Front of house needs leveled.  New porch will be built after we move in along with patio in back yard.  House painted later.

8) Front Bedroom worked over.  Two small closets tore out, ceiling redone, door closed off between the two bedrooms, floor to ceiling bookshelf built, walls painted, carpet ripped up, hardwood floor laid.

9) Living room and Dining room painted.  Maybe put wainscoting in the dining room.  Carpet ripped up and hardwood floor laid.  

10) Small Bedroom painted.  Carpet ripped up and hardwood floors laid.

11) Eventually will get two antique doors that I like hung on front of COTTAGE.      

12) Move.  One room at a time if needed.

13) What is left at present location.....sell, donate, trash, put into storage.

14) Get the clean-up, touch ups, finish projects done that are at main house. 

15) Place house on the market and sell.  

LORD have mercy and help us to get this completed and provide a qualified buyer.

  

I remember well that my Grandparents were in their 60s when they took on the undertaking of turning an old log house into a more modern stucco house.  Grandpa and a brother-in-law worked well together as they remodeled the interior with modern linoleum floors in the kitchen and dining room.  I often thought that they were ancient being in their 60s and doing this BIG project. Now I see that my HUSBAND and myself are the ancient ones reworking over a COTTAGE.  We continue to do projects.   I have no way of knowing what challenges they had as they forged ahead making a HOME for themselves in Ft. Morgan, Colorado.  

To look at them, you'd never know that Grandpa was rejected by his future Father-in-Law.  You'd never know that Grandma's own father disowned her for marrying her sweetheart.  You'd never know that while she was on her honeymoon her dad would drown in a flash flood, but first he told her, "I hope I never see you again."  

You'd never know. 

Just looking at someone, you may not know all that they have been through, would you?  Each one of us has a history and a story to tell.  Some seem better than others.  Are you washed in the blood?  Is your name written in the Lamb's book of LIFE?  You don't always know what someone has been through or what they are going through right now.  To look at my Husband, you cannot tell he has Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or that we both have had thyroid cancer leaving us with low energy and other challenging issues.  You'd never know the financial challenges we have had or marital woes we have suffered through.  We still have hopes and dreams.  We are so human...amen.

  

STORMY WEATHER YESTERDAY had us in our daughter's basement.  On our way back to our main house across the river after a day of GARAGE selling, the radio station I was listening to began broadcasting a awful sound for tornadic activity alerts.  Storms were north of us indicating that we'd be driving right into the path of dangerous weather. 

I was driving one car and my husband another.  I pulled over telling him about the news.  Overhead were dangerous clouds telling us that activity is present.  We'd be driving right into hail and forceful winds so we turned around and headed towards small town america where our daughter lives.  She phoned Hubby asking where we were.  We headed toward her HOME.  

We had time to chat about the weather and headed to the basement as the Tornado Siren sounded.  Into a basement closet we went.  Daughter read scripture out loud as we waited the storm out.  This was comforting.  

The weather calmed down and we headed HOME.  I was ready to fall asleep after a long day with only two hours of sleep the night before.  Overall we had a decent day and I am thankful our property wasn't damaged nor were we hurt.   

We can make plans, yet they all can change in a twinkling of an eye.
This week I do hope I can paint the pantry.

Clear out some more objects from the house.

DOnate things to God's Storehouse.

Repot some plants.

Stay on top of the laundry.

Write out bills.

FUTURE THOUGHTS.   Keep in mind of doing soon.  Probably not this week.  Move some boxed Christmas decorations from a upstair Bedroom to the Kitchen to stack.  Start thinning out the decorations.  Bring Christmas decor that's still in the basement, upstairs as well.  Stack.  Thin out.  Clean the COTTAGE cellar and put a muscle rack in it to store decorations.  Start transferring Christmas decor to the COTTAGE.  Take inventory as I go.  Hallelujah when it is done.  Praise the LORD and thank you, Jesus.

Thankful that I had a very productive week.  May you have a BLESSED life as a child of God 
and comfortable HOME, 

~d

Romans Chapter 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.