IN Carmel

 It's the mid-week day again. That's it.  Nothing more except New Years Eve.  There are no special plans.  No sauerkraut and pork, no black-eyed peas.  But there is a new year coming real soon.  I'll take it.  Goodness me...living till 2026. Who would have thought this years ago.   Yesterday's scarf is off the needle, and a new one is on.  They just keep coming as long as the carpal tunnel behaves.  Reparative wrist motion is a killer. I should be sewing some burps in-between scarves. I heard from the Michigan kids.  The car is in the fixit shop and glazing pottery is on today's menu.  Kimmy reported that there are 99 pieces to glaze and then fire in two kiln loads.   Jared is mixing new glaze for a trial run.   Some chefs have recipes for food, some chemists for pottery glaze.  Pre-mixed glazes can be bought but they also can be refined if one mixes their own.  A few years ago, our minister o...

  First...there is no photo shop.  I'm not saying the angle was not part of the picture.  But the under the arm thing was real. I think that picture is a hoot. So now for today.  The first part of the morning was the same.  Quiet breakfast, a little snow going on, paper retrieved and a little knitting happening.   Then it was off to church for a work morning with some Rita food in the car to be delivered on the way home.  Sometimes it takes a little doing to make a work-day work. Heidi helped get me going with all the Christmas/New Years and then Baptism of our Lord thinking. We made some changes to the altar celebrating the coming of the kings.  The donkey found the 11-month stable again.  Tables were set up in the sanctuary for wrapping the nativities Sunday.  I will be pleasantly surprised if all 220 sets are wrapped in one session after church. If it isn't completed, we'll just use another Sunday. Poinsettia were moved to the we...

 The Michigan kids are back home after an almost 11 hour slow ride.  Jared did add that there was about a 1/4 tank of gas left in the tank.  Great gas milage I would say.  at 45 mph. The car went for an evaluation this morning and Wed. the transformation back to normal begins.                  Christmas came big with a new mug and a Stanley to hold my coffee hot until I want it.                                                 No cold coffee in my new mug. This girl needs nothing more. The house continues to be quiet.  No bringing out food, no loud card games so it seems things are back to where they were last week.             More card games.  I think a 2 yr. old might be able to count the games Jared and pardoner won....

 There was way to0 much fun to remember the blog yesterday.  But today...the Michigan van pulled out at 9. My head is full of memories once again.  I'll take it.   Now for a little bit of the weekend drama.  The kids arrived Friday night..  Let's say a little after 12 with not such good news.  The van was developing unaware trouble for a while.  Almost like a major overhaul that allowed for driving less that 50 m p allowing the van not to shake, rattle and almost roll. Jared took the van to several places Saturday morning all saying a lot of major parts needed to be ordered and were not available till Tues.  So.  What to do.  The decision was made to leave Sunday morning with a less than 50 mph ride the hole way back home.  I would say the short stay was much better than none.  So, a sick car is going home with the addition of one sick boy, Eli. I guess it could be worse, but this wasn't the best for sure. Crazy two d...

 It's been a very quiet day.  It's been a gift I needed although there are things that needed to happen and did.  For instance.  I work at Soup Kitchen at church on the second and fourth Saturday of the month.  We have just enough workers to get all the jobs completed when everyone comes.  But when holidays come along and workers travel, completing everything on time can be a real problem.  And subs for the regulars are few and far between.  This Saturday we will have two workers less.  And no one can do two or three jobs. So, the phone was busy today with no's and finally yes answers received to fill the two spots vacant. My mind has told me more than once that perhaps it's time to vacate my job with occasional low energy points.  I'm thinking. I need to find a new worker soon.  But concerning tomorrow's issues, I'm starting to relax.  So, after sharing my grumbling but true reality as I see it paragraph...what else happened....

 Some would say this was a strange Christmas Day.  It was quiet unlike many when the kids were small.  The theme of part of the day was to get ready for family company tomorrow.  So, after a morning of knitting it was time to prepare.   A ham bone was cooking in juice with the hope of adding potatoes and green beans at some point this weekend.  Scrubbing happened at various places not because of visitors but because it just needed to happen.  The sweeper did some work, and the floors were washed where needed.  The bird feeders were topped off, and bathrooms got a super good tweak.   All of the unwrapped gifts were wrapped and tucked away ready for the reveal coming on Saturday afternoon.   We moved on to the Eric home for our traditional Christmas evening meal.  There was a lot of conversation, mostly in the form of grandma questions thrown at Andrew.  So many questions about what is happening at Goshen College n...

Today was sort of a catch-up day.  It was the calm before the storm sort of feeling. I'm not sure why with no storm on the way.  I'm remembering those crazy days of school employment with a classroom full of crazy first or second grader with toys for some and trips for others on their minds.  It was really hard to have enough energy left over to spend on the family.  That's over and done.  Sometimes I miss that but not for long. Those years are filled with great thankful memories.   I also miss crazy family kids all excited waking us up before the crack of dawn at our house. Doug and I getting to bed at three after midnight service and wrapping gifts. Kids were always up before six. Christmas day has changed a whole lot.  But what has stayed pretty much the same is the church midnight service Christmas Eve.  I say pretty much the same. But there have been changes.  No choir singing three services, then two and finally one. Now it's just ...

  Another great start to the day.  The first trip out was south to church to pick up a check covering Christmas Visual Arts expenses.  We stayed near 250.00 this year for poinsettias and Meridian Street Door roping.  What roping we had after many years of door hanging needed to be renewed.  The check was written covering the amount spent on my card.   I went on to the bank for a deposit and cash for Christmas giving.  Woo.  All of our gift giving is now ready for the family celebration.   I moved on farther north to H. L. and Michals for yarn.  There were yarn sales at each store and that helped a bunch.  More scarf yarn is ready to be knitted for mothers of Goodwill babies in the new year.  Then it was back home for lunch.  I finished a scarf that I had started but had run out of yarn a few weeks ago. It was finished with one of today's purchases.   I spent some time in the kitchen with the mixer, choc...

 Another week to fill with good things. It's Christmas week.  Another week of family memories on the way.   The day started a bit early, and I managed to get all the morning things done pretty early.  The latest health goal is to spend some time each day at the Y.  It's just 2 miles south. That happened with another quick mile hiking through Bryce Canyon on the treadmill, listening to some wonderful Chopin.  It was delightful and I finished the mile in 24 minutes.  That's really hoofing it.  Then it was off to the Living Strong class, the last of this series.  The next group of classes will start sometime in January.  There was time to spend talking with one another, asking questions and getting answers.  And then I made the choice to go back to the "machine" room and work on taxing muscles on the bicycles.  But they have a different name.  I just can't remember their official name.  It works both arms and legs....

The day started at a snail's pace.  That was just fine because I knew that the pace would be changing dramatically later in the day.  That brought on a few text messages to folks saying I could use a little help at church later in the morning. So, there was breakfast, knitting of course and just a gentle waking up to start the day.  Doug appeared and around 9. There was paper time for him and then by 10 we were on our way south to church.  There was visiting time before we found our pew surrounded by weekly worshiping friends.   Jill preached another wonderful Mary sermon.  The bells played and the sanctuary windowsills reminded us once again of the season.   Church services were over for the fourth Sunday of Advent BUT then it was time to prepare for the week.  It was rehearsal time for the first Christmas Eve service planned and executed by the youth of the church. Before that happened, it was time for the visual change from Advent to ...

 I would say today was another pretty tame day.  I can't say I don't like them.  Tame is just fine.   I did a lot of knitting again which has its good points but also its bad points.  I end up with a warm neck scarf BUT, that comes with sitting.  And lack of doing much but sitting isn't so good for diabetic numbers.  Knitting and balance and the treadmill just don't go together.     I did a good bit of knitting but then was off to the Y for a treadmill treatment. I thought it would be packed as it usually is on Saturday, but the men were perhaps out shopping.  I did a mile in less than 30 minutes at 2.5-mile per.  Listening to Bach and lots of fast notes sure did help.  I made a quick stop at Aldie's on the way home.  Pop tarts got skipped yesterday and that wasn't such a good thing to happen when all the boxes were empty.  Toast filled the need this morning for the Mr.  There was a quick trip to Wild B...

 Closing out another week.  There have been a few.  Enough said.  The body is recuperating as I thought it would although not as fast as 50 years ago.  There are times when it aches and Dr. Schneider thinks it's the medication.  It never last long but it's a reminder that aches are a part of my life.  I'm tough! So, a review of today.  It will be short because not much happened.  The knitting supplies are becoming less and less with more and more scarves to show for the effort.  So, there was some knitting but I would say odds and ends were available.   Patty stopped over with the wide ribbon I wrote about yesterday.  It didn't take me long to make the decision about stole decorating.  And I call the results awesome.  I could have done more and I might add but I want to run the stole by P. H. in its present condition. The ribbon is BEAUTIFUL.        In the real world without a camera, the...

  For this Thursday I would say it was a very, very long day. At least 30 hrs. or more long. I told Doug while eating supper that I have written on past blogs that the energy bucket had a hole.  Well, while eating I said the energy bucket had lost it's bottom. But I can add it was a very good day even with a bottomless bucket.  So, what are the details.  Here they come! The morning dawned as usual.  Breakfast happened and I knitted for about 10 minutes.  Then it was off to Lowes to purchase 4 beautiful white poinsettia plants for Christmas Eve and the two Sundays of Christmas Tide.  I really thought they might be all gone but NO!  Right where I thought they would be.  They were loaded into the car.  It was back home adding the completed PURPLE preacher robes and the cookies to the transport, meaning car for those coming to see the nativities.   So, with a little break time, the car headed south to church again. All was unloaded...

                                                            Days gone by.  A cup plant flower.   The morning started with a bit of knitting but ended shortly there after knowing that I wanted to finish the purple liturgical paraments.  So off to the sewing room.  And with a little bit of effort the Marcia cross was attached.  Done.  Finished. Completed and that project was over after a bit of touch up that I thought it deserved.  Later in the day I visited with cross stitch Marcia showing her the completed project.  I was happy with the outcome, she was happy with the outcome, and all was right with the world.  The goal is to have it hanging in the sacristy at church tomorrow ready for the Lent communion the first Sunday in March. I hope to pick up supplie...

          Once more to confuse some...This was a Monday night picture.  What a wonderful memory. Good grief. After reading Dee's response, I was the confused one.  I posted that choir picture Monday because I didn't have my phone SUNDAY! So, Sunday happened Monday just after Tuesday. Did I get that right? I just checked the calendar, and it's been Tuesday all day.  How surprising.  Could it be that it is easier and easier to move into confusion.  I think so. One needs to keep amusing oneself.  Well, today was a day in the chair.  Not because I'm sick but because it was liturgical needle day.  I have a very sore finger that needed more thimble time than I gave it.  But sewing is moving along with parts coming together.  I HATE to have something hanging over my head so to speak.  The solution is get 'er done.  That hasn't happened yet but I'm getting closer. I'm working on purple for Lent.  It's...

 Awake early and trying to decide what day it was.  Tuesday came to mind first.  Seems I was confused and then remembered I had another doctor's appointment to attend to, so it was Monday.  It was up and ready for the day.  I wondered what the temperature was and then remembered... iPhone .  Seems I needed to find it.  I did some looking around, calling it and that told me it wasn't in the house or car.  Oh, yes.  Church.  After all the first of the morning stuff was completed, I was on my way to church after calling the secretary who reported no phone had been turned in.  I was going to LOOK!  So, after a bit of pew checking, it was discovered that there had been a phone turned in and for sure it was mine!  Mission accomplished.  A rehearsal before the second service.  Dads with their children and grandchildren.  One of the dads was one of my Sunday School kids years ago now singing with his own son. The ne...

 Well, how did the day go?  I would say mid-afternoon so far, it's good. I expect that to continue.  That is if the Colts win their 4 o'clock game.  And if they don't, I don't think that could spoil the day.   Central Indiana woke up to a very cold morning.  The bird feeders got a much-needed tweak after seeing the crowd around what could be called snow-covered feeders. I think they appreciated someone making breakfast just a bit easier to find. Doug said it was too cold to leave the house.  We decided to have different opinions. That is never a problem. After coffee and breakfast and a little TV with knitting of course I bundled up even more than the first attempt at keeping warm and I was off to church.  The snow seemed to be about 5 inches deep in the driveway, but the car acted like a champion and just made it to the street in fine order. Roads were cleared all the way to church. I will admit it was cold enough to have a quick and su...

                                                                   You get one guess.  What am I missing. Two posting on the same day.  Be aware of the two postings that have the same date...Dee.  I bet you didn't miss that at all knowing your attention to details. I cannot control the date, just naming the day. What happened today.  There was the beginning with knitting...then a trip south to church and a morning of work that created an eat in meal and a lot of carry out food.  We have a group of folks that go out to schools and rescues packaged food the children choose not to eat.  The food collected is distributed to other soup kitchen as well as ours.  This collection creates a lot of extra goodies. Prepackaged vegetables(tomatoes), fresh fruit (grapes...

                                                                             A memory of warmer times.   First thing...!!! I can never figure out all the crazy things this blog can bring to me.  Last night it had disappeared.  This morning it was back.  I hope the party it was attending was a good one.  And I welcome back with open arms my dear blog.   So, what happened yesterday.  I was going to report last night that not much happened.  I was home all day.  That was a good comfy thing.  And my fingers were busy with the needle finishing one stole cross and the second one is 90% finished. I made another small pot of coffee and watched for birds. I hope they were visiting their grandparents.  Litt...

 Not too many things happened today but my body is telling me what happened was enough.    I worked on the needle work this morning finishing one small cross.  But I really want to say it's not finished until it is on one side of the stole.  There is a whole lot more to do and since Lent is the deadline, there is a lot of time.   Then it was off to church for the second of four nativity open house events.  The predicted winter weather was a factor for a not so complete 100% attendance record. We had a few cancellations, but we carried on with about 10 folks coming to enjoy the nativities.  The cancellations assured us they would be back at the next open house. We would say another success for today's event. The threat of more snow caused us to cancel the evening visit time.  There was only one person coming and with a phone call that person came during our day event.  We're down to one more Thursday nativity visit.    ...

 It's been a busy day but now my job is to remember what happened. I stopped at Patty's yesterday and relieved her of a project she was stuck on.  Stuck meant out of ideas about how to finish a project.  She was stuck.  So, the project came to this house and this morning I pulled out threads and ribbon and more and came up with a plan.  That's as far as it went this morning.  BU T...I had a plan.  That's all I wanted at that moment.   I decided to do some Christmas shopping.  I was all set to go to Kohls.  I looked for my Kohl's card, and I could not find it.  What a bummer.  It was new...I have not used this one and what happened to it is beyond me.  I thought I had put it with my other card.  Not there.  So instead of Kohls...I went to Target.   And I found what I wanted there. Goodwill was close to Target so there was another look for flannel sheets.  There was not a one.  Woo.  M...

 Another Tuesday on the calendar.  It would seem this is doctor month.  At least I'm seeing a few for another visit. Today was one of those days.   So, it was breakfast, a smidgen of knitting and then on the road for various reasons.  I stopped at R and B's with some soup.  Visited a little bit and had a good laugh when I tried to leave the house through the closet door.  Dah!  What was I thinking.  As Mi. Marcia might say.  Then I was on my way to Methodist to visit the seizure doctor.  She is a gem.  Since Methodist is a teaching hospital, I first had a visit with another Nuro doctor in "training".  She asked a whole lot of questions, and the exam was a great one for sure.  Some blood work was ordered and a script for physical therapy was also written.  I hate those scripts which create a lot of work on my part but since there were some recent falls, I will admit balance is a bit screwed up.  Uck!...

 The morning started off with breakfast and then a trip with Eric to Nora where he catches the bus to Indy.  I always love these trips in the winter often accompanied with a beautiful winter sun rise.  The morning light was coming through but it will be even better in another month.  I have taken some beautiful pictures in the early morning.   Home again and I did some sewing and some knitting.  The usual stuff that seems to be the winter work.  Ten more burps and I finished another scarf, one that could have been finished yesterday.  I was thinking no rush which is really true.  There is no rush. All the ripped fabric has been sewn so it would seem new ripping will happen soon. This noon was our first North Side North Church noon lunch instead of supper.  No driving in the dark for three months.  There were eleven of us, a smaller group but we all sat around one long table which was really nice.  And there was so much tal...