Happy Birthday to Me!

Card from Hubby

Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 59 years old! YIKES that sounds old but I will admit that I don't feel old (most of the time). I don't mind telling my age anymore and that is because I have learned that everyday is a gift from God and why should I not celebrate every gift!  Plus it's not like I'm 60, like some people I know.  I am enjoying my life and so I proudly tell eveyone my age. I hope you are at an age where you can be proud of your age as well.

Hubby gave me some great and wanted gifts. He knows that I love gadgets and got me just that. More gadgets for this gadget girl.  I did tell you he was smart, right?  I got garden supplies from my west coast family for whenever the snow melts up here and I can get out there. I got serenaded not once but twice over the phone. First by a good friend (and then of course we talked for over an hour) and then by granddaughters!  Oh how I love to hear them sing.

Then there was an explosion on facebook of good wishes and love.  I even got serenaded at work!  What fun. All in all it was a great day and I do feel special and loved.

Since my birthday fell in the middle of the week we will go out to eat this weekend. In the meantime, we are celebrating life and relaxing.

I hope you have a great Easter and find a church where you worship the reason for Easter.  I hope you stop for a bit sometime during the egg hunt, or passing the ham, or taking pictures and remember we are truly blessed because a man did not just die for us, but he also rose from the dead for us. His death was not unusual, his resurrection was!!

Happy Easter All.  

Easter Bunny Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Joyce came up with a great set of questions for this week. Thanks Joyce.

1. What are your plans for Easter? Are you cooking a big lunch or dinner? Dyeing eggs? Attending a sun rise service? Eating too much chocolate?
Our daughter and grand girls are coming over for a bit. We will have Easter baskets for them of course and some light snack for everyone. Hubby and I will exchange a card but no chocolate this year, as neither of us can really have it and we have lots in the freezer if we become weak and "need" some. Of course there will be church and I may even wear a dress (depends on the weather).

2. What is something you feel too young to do?
Die! I plan on living a very long time.....I hope you all live a long time as well.

3. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud...it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs..."
Of the characteristics mentioned in the biblical definition of love which do you find most difficult to live out and why?
Patient!! I want what I want, when I want it!  I have a hard time waiting for anything. I find lines annoying as well as waiting to open presents at Christmas or Birthdays.

4. What's a springtime flower you associate with your childhood?

I know that these are not "flowers" but the question is about my childhood and these two flowers screamed Springtime when I was a kid!! I loved picking them and bringing them home as a huge bouquet. I love blowing the flowers and making wishes knowing for sure that my wishes would come true.

5. Ever sung karaoke? If so, what's your go-to song? If not and you're given the opportunity, would you?
Never have but might if someone sung along with me.

6. What is something you keep in a basket?
Cards that I make and plan to send out to others. I keep them in a basket in my office and they are organized by holiday.

7. When was the last time you felt foolish?
Boy I can't think of a time but there clearly must have been times.  I bet I'll think of it later this week.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
We've had some melting and the other day, I saw this, next to the garage door! Most of the front yard is still under snow so seeing this was JOY.  I do believe it's time to find the rake and get going.... Well maybe after a bit more melting.

So now it's your turn, how would you answer the question? 

Nope, still don't like surprises

The year was 1976, I was very pregnant with our second child and living on the U.S. Air Force Base in England. It was great day.

Taking care of a 4 year old, and being VERY PREGNANT- I always had the deer-in-the-headlight look on my face. Don't judge me...I was very tired.

Our American furniture was finally here! We could get the base furniture that had been loaned to us back to the base. Our fridge was coming as well and we could give back the English fridge which was about the size of a cooler for a dorm room and the washer was coming as well. We had the transformers ready to plug in our American appliances. (American appliances are designed for 110 volts, whereas electricity in England is 220 volts, hence the need for transformers) All the English base furniture that was loaned to us was stacked up to a wall.  It was leaving first thing in the morning. I was so happy!

Hubby was in Spain at a shooting tournament for the Air Force and was not due home for another week! What a surprise for him to come home and see all the American furniture in our home!

Our son, now 4 years old was getting a set of bunk beds and he was so excited! So after tucking him in bed and satisfied that I was completely ready for the big day I went off to bed.

After a few hours of sleep I was awakened when the front door began to rattle.

Everything was packed. He had the guns with him! Someone was clearly breaking in and this time hubby is not even in the same country! I'm not anyplace near a phone! Cell phones didn't exist yet!

The door was now open. I could hear someone walking down the hall. I did what I know to do, protect my baby!

I grabbed hubby's night stick and as the person came around the corner I yelled and swung the night stick hitting the intruder in the gut, doubling him over and trying to breath. One hand went up and in a very rasspy voice I heard my hubby say " surprise, I'm home early"

Apparently, everyone knew I was pregnant and with all the problems we had with our son, they let him get his shooting out of the way and sent him home early to be with me.

He came in and saw all the base loaner furniture packed to one side and was worried about me so he was coming right down the hall to check on us when I surprised him first. 

I was so mad! He surely knows not to surprise me right? Didn't we have something like 4 years ago, did he forget?

Apparently not. Since he had the guns with him because of the competition he figured he was safe!  Right!?

Once again he had to learn that no matter what I will stand between whatever/ whoever and protect my child. Any danger would have to go THROUGH me first.

Lesson learned.

He started calling me when he left work to let me know he was on his way home. For a while, he yelled from outside the house that he was entering the home now!

Good boy!

They can be taught.

The photo yellowed with age, this is long before ditigal camera and keeping photos safe.  Still, I'm huge with child, don't surprise me.

With cellphones, he stills let's me know when he on his way home but no longer feels the need to announce that he is outside the home waiting to come it.

He also doesn't surprise me.

Weekend Review & Pinned it Made it Monday

We had a wonderful weekend of melting snow!! It's not all gone by any means, in fact, I still can't find the septic tank.  The snow melts there first since there is so much percolating going on in there and it creates heat, of sorts.  It's still under snow, a lot of snow.  Still, there's a lot of wonderful melting going on all weekend. A wonderful weekend in Spring!

Our oldest granddaughter turned 4 years old and this was truly the first year that she was "Into" the whole birthday party thing.  Before this party she would get over stimulated and leave the room, even if there were gifts left to open, or cake to eat or whatever.  This year, she was able to enjoy it all, the meal, the cake, the  gifts and the play time with her cousins.  It was so nice to visit with the other set of grandparents and I had my first vegan meatball.  That is a oxymoron but I don't know what else to call them.  Our daughter is vegan and so she made vegan meatballs.  I had never had them before so I tried one and was pleasantly surprised that they were pretty good.  Not bland at all which is what I thought it would be.  I would eat those again. Really I would. 

I'm also joing the Pinned it - Made it Monday for the very first time over at Country Girl At Home.

Here is what I pinned

And here is what I made.

I make cards for people and needed a way to organize them. I saw this on Pinterest and had to try it.  I thought that it was a nice way to put my cards in order.  My basket is larger and  my labels are smaller but still,  I didn't have to buy anything because I had everything on hand. The photo is not as good as I would like, but it was taken with my cell phone and so it's not the best, and I'm not the best with my cell phone calendar. 

So that is my weekend and my Pinned it - Made it Monday.  How was your Spring weekend?

I don't like surprises!

When hubby and I got married, I knew he was going to be cop so guns were going to be part of our life. We didn't have guns growing up and no member or our family were hunters so when hubby brought guns into the house it was time to get use to them

At first it was just his guns, I would watch him clean them and see how many parts they come apart into, that was a surprise to me.

Then we would go to the firing range and he would load it and I would shoot it. He then would pick me off the ground laughing because it had quite a kick back.

Laugh away big guy-laugh away!

We started to get more guns, and a rifle, and a shotgun.

We had a safety plan to make sure any future children of ours would not have access to any guns in our home and so as the kids came, they knew we had guns but only ever saw them on daddies work belt. They knew they were in the house but had no access to them

Over time, I had learned to take apart, clean and put together and load a gun. I also became a pretty good paper target shot.

One night after hubby went to work, I was watching our baby son breath. Oh come on, we all sit near the crib and watch our little miracle breath right? For me it was a blessing beyond belief because he was HOME.

If you've read this blog for any length of time, our son was a sickly child and spend 6 weeks longer in the hospital than home the first year of his life, so having him home was a big deal.

Anyway, I was watching him breath late at night with only the light from the nightlight plugged in near his crib, when I heard something at the back door. I got up to go look what was making that noise and saw a shadow through the back window. A BIG shadow. It was jiggling the back door!

Without even thinking, I got the gun, loaded it in the dark  and walked back into the kitchen. I didn't want to wake the baby with a loud "bang" so instead I yelled "I have a gun and I WILL shoot". I will admit that the yelling could have woken him as well, but it didn't. The shadow dropped to the ground and I heard hubby's voice say " Yes you can shoot, I taught you".

 Hubby had forgotten something at home so came back to get it. He figured I would be sound asleep and he would simply quietly come in, get it and leave. Huh! Simple! Really!

Lessons he learned that night

Moms watch baby's sleep

Moms hear all kinds of noises in the night when home alone

Moms will defend their children ALWAYS

I proved to myself that This girl will shoot a person and will "warn" them first.
I don't like surprises.

I still don't like surprises but hubby would have to learn that lesson again, at least one more time.

Men learn slowly don't they!

I'm still a good shot, 40+ years later.

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Spring has Sprung

Thank you once again Joyce for a great set of questions.  Now for the answers....

1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world? 
LION all the way - we ended up with 11 inches of white snow that no one, except a few of my wacky friends, and the people driving the snow snow plow wants this stuff. We are still digging out. 

2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list?  Do you have a 'plan of attack'?
Since I love spring, spring anything is not a chore.  I tackle one room at a time and start at the ceiling and clean my way down to the floor. If only I could get rid of the rugs and get hard wood floor. That would be a dream. I hope to get a garden going this summer, we didn't have one last year and I miss it.

3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em?  What's a favorite dish you make using peas?
Like peas a lot, steamed with butter of course thank you.

4.  Do you feel under appreciated?
No, Hubby tells me all the time how happy he is to have me around and I have friends that do the same thing.  I feel very much loved by family and friends.

5. Have you been using Google Reader?  If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement?  If not, how do you read your favorite blogs? 
Yes I've been using Google Reader and I don't have any clue what I'm switching to. I sure hope there are lots of answers on this one so I can make some plans.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;  if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." 
Agree or Disagree?  Why?
ABSOLUTELY!  How would we ever appreciate spring and summer if we never had to shovel through 17 inches of snow - again. Or how would we appreciate running water if we never lost power and had to go without. How can we appreciate Heaven unless we truely understand just how badly we don't deserve it. It's only through missing something that we know just how lucky we truly are. 

7.  When did you last 'spring for something'?  What was it?
I will spring for coffee on the way home from church and after work as well at other times.  I like coffee.

8.  Insert your own random thought here?
Some where out there is our steptic tank and it's the first place where snow melts.  I hope to find it soon.  Happy Spring everyone!

For the Last Day of Winter!!

SNOW!  Yup, today is the last full day of winter and we woke up to 4 inches of it at 5 am.  Old man winter is hanging on in these parts! What made it worst is that the weather man was showing video from last year on the same day.  We had temps in the 80's and the video was of people on the beech!

This is what is coming! We are in the 8-14 inches purple section!  By the looks of it coming down, we will get that easily.  So I'm working from home today and we are all set in case we loose power.   Becke has gone out twice so far, not happy with the idea at all BTW. August went out once so far and now just walks to the door grumbles through the slider and walks back to us.  I think even the little one is DONE.

I do believe that  "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary" really got it very wrong this year.  Very, Very wrong.

Why elope? And Parents Reaction!

I mentioned last week that hubby and I eloped. We didn't start out planning that step but it's one that I have yet to regret.

When hubby and I were planing our wedding it was in the 70's, a time when many marriages were held on the beach, barefoot...

Or under an arbor in someone's back yard,

With folding chairs...

Or in an open field under the stars,

Wearing wide brim hats

Or a ring of flowers!

We wanted something simple in the back yard with the priest there and a few friends and family.We wanted one person to stand with us and finger snacks afterwards.

We wanted to have music playing from a the record player playing songs that were meaningful to us.

My mother was not going to have any of that! We were willing to pay for it. Again, NO

She had to invite hundreds of people we didn't know so the gifts would be good. She had to have a church full after all!  She had to rent a hall, cater 3 different food choices for them to pick from. She had to have a live band and She had to have certain songs to dance to.

I had to wear my sister's dress!

I had to wear my sister's shoes!

I had to wear my sister's veil!

Now my sister had a beautiful wedding dress but she is 6 1/2 inches shorter than me!

She also has tiny feet!

I don't know about the size of her head.

I had to have my sister's wedding.

It was big and showy.

It lasted all day long.

She was sick by time it was over.

I know because I held her dress while she threw up so nothing would land on it.

I had vowed to myself that I was not doing that for anything.

I didn't want my sister's wedding.

Why you ask? Why must I have a copy of her wedding?

Well the dress and shoes and veil were costly and my mom wanted her money's worth and no one would know it was her dress anyway. Plus she still had all the receipts so she knew who to call and wouldn't have to relearn how to plan a wedding.

Again, we told her we did not want a big wedding and urged her to just let us have what we want.

She told us that what we wanted was not nice enough and looked "poor".

However every day I heard about the cost, the time involved, the list of people coming, the cost had gone up a lot in 4 years since my sister's wedding, the time and over and over agin how I was not worthy of such a great wedding.

My future farther-in-law tried to talk to her. My sister tried to talk to her. 

She didn't care, she was going to recycle my sisters wedding for me and complain the entire time.

Finally, we decided that if we were going to break fee from her grip, we better do it right off the bat.

So under the guise of babysitting for my sister, I left the house and went to my sister's house but it was not to babysit!

We gathered my sister, her husband, their child, my future-in-laws, and Hubby's favorite uncle and aunt. They all were told it was going to happen, they were all glad for us.

We gathered at the office of the Justice of the Peace, exchanged vows, and became man and wife.

My future father in law made last minute arrangements at our favorite restaurant for a nice meal. When they heard of the reservation, they made us a wedding cake.

My sister did my hair.

In a total act of rebellion I wore pink! I have told you I'm Scottish right? I thank my dad for that.

From the Left, my neice being held by her mom (my sister) with her husband behind.
Me and Hubby
Uncle Al and his wife Terri
My new In-laws on the far right.

So I had the small wedding I wanted. We had the ones that were most important to us there. We had a nice meal and a surprise wedding cake.

My parents were married in a big church wedding-they had a terrible marriage.

My sister had a big church wedding- it dissolved a long time ago, they were miserable.

I kept the promise to myself and didn't have that.

I am glad I stuck to my guns.

After the wedding and before the meal, we stopped by the house to tell my parents.

 My mothers first words to us, and I kid you not,

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted something small and easy?"

Cross my heart - true!
And that's one of many reasons why my mother really disliked Hubby and tried to poison him a few years later....but that is yet another story another time!

My One Word for 2013- JOY

Joy is my word for the year. It’s about feeling joy within and without. The outer joy is pretty easy, what makes me smile, what makes me laugh, what makes me feel safe and loved. Those things are easy to see.

I married my Joy!

 We were high school friends before we became man and wife. Did I ever tell you that he proposed three times before I said Yes? He really did!

The first time he asked, I figured no one in their right mind would want to be married to me and the family that would come with that choice. So I said no.

The second time he asked, I figured that we were too young and stupid to ever make it work, after all who was I??? (I had low self-esteem issues back then). We were not even 18 years old yet after all!

I had a list of reasons why it would never work. I’m right handed, he’s left handed. I’m ALWAYS cold; he’s hot most of the time. I love the summer, he loves fall. I’m the crazy morning person who wakes up at 4:30 most mornings WITHOUT AN ALARM CLOCK. He’s still sleeping at 10 am if he could. I would be asleep in the chair by 10pm (that is MUCH earlier now) and he could be up until 2 AM.. He is wonderful at saying clichés and I have never been able to say them right – a condition known as malapropism (who knew there was a word for it). How could 2 such different people make it work??

But by the time he asked the 3rd time, I decided that I always liked nuts, and he always treated me so nicely and treated his family nicely as well. More importantly, I knew that I loved him with all my heart, so I said YES.

Our Senior prom photo, I got my ring that night

We chose to elope because my parents were not going to make any wedding easy to have and I was stressed over it all. I decided a long marriage was far better than a big expensive showy wedding. So we blew off the plans and gathered only a few people and went off to a Justice of the Peace and got married, then told my parents…. Their reaction?????Oh that is such another story…

Our Wedding Photo

He is all the things I told you about, left handed, late sleeper, a hot blooded person and more. He is the extra 4 inches I always wanted to have to be able to reach the top of cabinets. He is the spell checker who never judges me, he is the cliché king that I can’t ever be.

At his retirement party

He makes me feel safe! He taught me how to shoot a gun and I will tell you proudly, I’m darn good at it too!!!  SO DON'T MESS WITH THIS LADY... Oh, and yet another story……

He also let me know, he would put up with my family because he loves me but he didn’t marry them and they were no longer allowed to hurt me. He kept his promise on that one too.....

Holding the granddaughters stroller and blanket for her.

YUP JOY in a large left handed, late riser, hot blooded, type B personality, with a knack to make me laugh every day and feel JOY always that I  made the right choice and said Yes finally. He is my rock, my friend, my lover, my husband, my partner in life. God sure knew what He was doing when He put us two together! 

Next month Joy without!!!

Marching on with Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino? Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?
I have bought a lottery ticket in the past, when the jackpot is very high but other than that - no.

2. Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage meal this St. Patrick's Day? Mashed-baked-hash browned-french fried...your favorite way to have potatoes?
I don't like Corned beef  so----- no. I do like Cabbage and sweet potatoes cooked anyway at all but that is not much of a meal so not sure yet what I'll add to it....maybe chicken, I like chicken.

3. What's the last thing you felt 'green with envy' over?
I'm not the envous type very often. I am very happy when good things happen to others but if I had to pick something then it would be "craft room envy" have you seen some of those craft rooms on Pinterest? Oh my, that would be loverly

4. What's at the end of your rainbow?
HEAVEN

5. March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank (June 12, 1929-March, 1945). Anne's diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazi's during the war ranks as one of the best selling books of all time. Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal? Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?
I have a spot in my iPad where I write (maybe jot down is a better word) things that have happened to me.  I do believe that everyone has a story in them.  It's just getting the story out that seems to be the problem with me.

6. What's an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?
Oh My, I really don't think I have any one item in my home or closet that has every color of the rainbow but I do have this hanging in my craft room/home office that I love.

7. Write a limerick with you as the subject. You can do it!! Just remember this is a family friendly blog...don't make me get out my wooden spoon.

OK here goes:
There once was a girl named Lynn
Who wanted an identical twin
Oh the schemes they would pull
And be a hand full
We would get under our mother's skin

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I finally dowloaded the novel Polar Night by Julie Flanders.  Oh My! this novel his her debut novel and it grabed me in the first few lines.  This novel has just about everything, a greving cop, a cold case, a missing girl, a mystery that goes back 100 years, and...well I would hate to give it away for anyone still reading it.  Julie has a blog and she is very talented.  If you are looking for a great mystery with lots of subplots - consider getting this one and then staying up late reading it because you will not be able to put it down.  Oh, Julie - this would make a great movie!!!!!!! Not that I'm hinting at anything mind you but the visuals of the Northern Lights!!!

Weekend Bullet Review

I was sick all weekend with a cold so there wasn't much going on except a lot of sleeping, a lot of taking cold meds and a lot of laying on the couch watching TV or sleeping.
So here is what happened around me while I worked on getting better.

*Friday it  snow. 

*It started as rain, and slowly turned to snow.  

*It moved so slowly that we all though at first that it would die out over us as the center of the storm was so far out to sea.  

*Weatherman started saying only a few inches at first.

*They changed their mind and every weather report added a few more inches.  

*Friday morning we had only about 3 inches so we headed out to the eye doctor's appointment.  

*I was there for a bit as he put all sorts of drops in my eyes and flash all different lights in my head.  

*By time he was done with me, I was blind!! 

*Good thing I didn't drive in.  

*My voice was gone and I was feeling poorly so we took August into day care and dropped him off. *We came home with Becke and I went to sleep on the couch.  

*Hubby took care of us both.

*After I was able to see, I worked from home.  That was a blessing for sure.  

*We ended up with about 7 inches. It took all day to get here and caused a lot of cars off the road, accidents and missed appointments, but we were safe.  

*Hubby went to pick up August at the end of the day. 

*He (August, not Hubby) had received his weekly groom as well so he looked and smelled great!  

*The groomer keeps trying new products on him to not only have him look good but also to make combing him out everyday easier. 

*He mats easily.  

*This weeks trial was the hair product Wen. Have you heard of it? 

*I see it on those infomercials all the time but it's advertised for people. 

*So far he is very easy to comb out and smells great!

*Saturday, I left the house for 1 hour - just 1 hour and I was exhausted and came home, put on clean pj's and collapsed on the couch.

*The weather outside was beautiful! It got up to 52 degrees and everything we got on Friday, melted!!

*Sunday, I didn't even try to get dressed. I stayed home, took my cough medicine, went from the couch to the bed and back and typed in a quick blog for Monday. 

*Again the weather was wonderful and made it up to 58 degrees! 

*Joggers were running everywhere and more melting took place at our home. I love to see it melting.  I hope that continues for the rest of the week.  

*Hubby went around and turned all the clocks forward an hour (did you remember?)

*See, life went on around me. 

*Sunday worship took place, a wedding shower was enjoyed, college kids came home from school for a bit enjoyed each other and a break from studies and meals were cooked and enjoyed - all without me. 

* I will be trying to go to work tomorrow if only for a few hours.  I hope your weekend was warm, happy, filled with love ones and that you saw the sun.

* It's the last full week of winter, Spring starts next week!!! 

Marching into the Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. My real life friends came through with another question this week so thank you real life friends. When you've eaten in a restaurant do you complete their comment card? Do you take online surveys highlighted at the bottom of store receipts?

If the service is either really good or really bad I will complete the comment card and take the survey on line. But if it is average, then no I don't.

2. The (US) ban on women in combat was lifted at the end of January. It will probably be next year before specifics are worked out, but its been reported over 200,000 front line positions will eventually open up to women. Your thoughts?

Personally I am against this but since so many woman wanted it and now have it they better shut up if the draft ever comes back and they are drafted. And they better shut up about signing up for selective service when they turn 18. You can't have the privileges without taking the responsibility

3. In looking back at all the blog posts you've written, what's your favorite post title?
One is the Loneliness Number, it was about summer-I love summer!

4. What's worse-overly permissive parents or overly protective parents? Did your own parents lean more to the permissive or the protective category? If you're a parent where do you fall?

Well they are both pretty terrible aren't they?  I mean I've sat in restaurants with those overly permissive parents and wanted to slap them for allowing such terrible behavior from a 3 year old.  No the kid should never throw food on the floor just because it's fun to play with food.  I've also see those "Helicopter" parents come with the college kid to a job interview and not just sit outside, but come INTO the interview with the kid and answer the questions!  Oh my, they are both terrible!
My parents were neither. I grew up at a time when we played outside all day and any adult would yell at you if you were doing something wrong so you everyone raised every kid in the area. I fall a bit over the middle towards over protective as our kids were not healthy kids so I did hover a bit if they were sick.

5. Candlelight-moonlight-firelight-bright lights in the big city...which one's your favorite?
Candlelight for me. Or firelight (fireplace or pellet stove light)

6. Dr. Seuss's birthday was celebrated on Saturday. What's a favorite book you remember (Seuss or otherwise) from your own childhood? Did books play an important role in your growing up years? Explain.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know.”

― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

We didn't have a lot of books at home. My parents didn't read much at all. If we wanted a book to read we went to the library or the bookmobile that came around to the schools. If my parents saw us reading, it was a sign that some house chore was not getting done so we got yelled at for not doing something other than sitting around. They grew up in the depression so "work" was more valued than "reading".
7. To quote Dr. Seuss...
"From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere."
from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Share something funny you've recently read, seen or heard.

Have you seen my Hubby? He is a source of laughter all the time! He gets me laughing or smiling or rolling my eyes every day!  OK what I find really funny to see is him walking August.  See Hubby is 6"3" tall and August is 11"tall and yet Hubby walks August.  It just looks so funny to see a tall big guy walking the smallest skinniest dog we have ever owned.  It makes me laugh all the time.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
While looking back at our older post for question #3 I noticed  I talk about our winter weather A LOT!  Well this is NH and so weather is what we have a lot about in the winter.  We have another storm coming Thursday morning....Really?  Again? I'm hoping the weather man is wrong and it all blows out to sea.  I'll let you know.

Weekend Review:Spring Cleaning

Saturday morning it was 37 degrees. That was a whole lot warmer than we have had in a long time. So I bundled up, opened the windows and the slider door and turned off the heat for an hour. August loved sitting in the window still watching the cars go by, and squirrels running.  I pulled all the remaining winter decorations and piled them on the table. Then took out the spring/summer ones and began placing them where I thought they looked good.  It was a joyous morning. Hubby was out of the house so I cranked up music and went to town.  It felt good to say goodbye to all the dark winter items and sick germs that have been in this house for months Instead I now see bright colors and the air is fresh.

Gone are snowmen and winter candle bird stand - Now we have

Summer bird houses and a spring tree.

Outside our front door where this snowman once stood to welcome in friends

We now have this bright an and sunny sign with butterflies on it.  Did you know that Butterflies are the new decoration for this year? I love butterflies, don't you?

After an hour, the slider was closed and the windows were shut and we bundled up under a blanket and took a nap.

Sunday I was up for a few hours before I looked outside and saw this:

Really? It's don't look like much but it's on top of this:

YUP, we still have a whole lot of the white stuff and we had a few days of drizzily freezing rain so there is a crust on top of the snow.  Frozen snow is hard to move through and with a soft layer of fresh powder, it's becomes slippery.  So Winter is still with us but I don't care----- I'm inside looking at this.

We had a great worship service on Sunday morning and another great time at small group Sunday evening. In between I worked on some more cards, took a nap and got ready for the work week.

How about you? What did you do?