Well, this has been quite a week.
Last weekend, a very good friend of mine, Jennifer, and her older son, Cam, came up Saturday evening. We did pizza, visited 'til all hours, and then had to get up just before dawn cracked for church the next morning. After church a group of us went to breakfast and when we got home she and I visited for another hour or so while Cameron took care of some chores for me (my Christmas decoration tubs were still waiting to be taken down to the shed and he's young and strong). We had a great, if short, visit. I love when she, and they, come up, especially when we do sleepovers.
The weather was wonderful all week. While Fresno was buried in the fog for their second week, we were in the 60's and even hit 70 and enjoyed beautiful sunshine all week. Okay, our nights are still cold (30's) but I'm under a down-filled comforter at night so that's okay.
This weekend members from my former church were up here for a Retreat. A small handful in the group were friends from when I attended there so I called a couple of the gals and invited them to stop off on their way up. Cyndy and Betty were here Friday afternoon, bringing a pastor friend with them. When they got here (up above the fog) I had the house wide open (showing off just a little?) and, while playing catch up, we walked around and took in the warmth and beauty of my little piece of Heaven. It was another really fun visit.
Yesterday afternoon the sun went into hiding preparing for rain. This morning the weather had done a complete 180 degrees. It was raining when I left for church and we had a couple of dustings of snow while I was there. You suppose those people from down below brought this turn in the weather? The first day or two of changes in barometric pressure tends to trigger or tweak my anxiety disorder and leaves me feeling uncomfortable at best, so I left early and came home. Midday, another friend who was at the Retreat stopped by on his way home. It's always good to see him and his wife. They were good friends when we lived in the valley and he and my husband had become close. He still honors that friendship by staying in touch and offering me help when I need. Unfortunately, his wife didn't make it up this trip so the two of us sat and talked about old times and new. I look forward to seeing them both back up here soon.
Those who read "Beauty and Bread" know that my friend Judi has made an offer on a house just up the road, she's now in escrow. Inspection is next week and we're both very excited at the prospect of becoming neighbors. My sister and I had a nice "chat" visit a couple of nights ago, Katie and I did her therapy dog visiting Tuesday and stopped and saw friends on our way home, and an old friend who now lives back east called this evening. Hopefully, the sun'll come out again tomorrow (shades of 'Annie') and I can chase Igor, the anxiety troll, back under his bridge. All in all, it's been a very good week!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
My Week
Well, this has been quite a week.
Last weekend, a very good friend of mine, Jennifer, and her older son, Cam, came up Saturday evening. We did pizza, visited 'til all hours, and then had to get up just before dawn cracked for church the next morning. After church a group of us went to breakfast and when we got home she and I visited for another hour or so while Cameron took care of some chores for me (my Christmas decoration tubs were still waiting to be taken down to the shed and he's young and strong). We had a great, if short, visit. I love when she, and they, come up to visit.
The weather was wonderful all week. While Fresno was buried in the fog for their second week, we were in the 60's and even hit 70 and enjoyed beautiful sunshine all week. Okay, our nights are still cold (30's) but I'm under a down-filled comforter at night so that's okay.
This weekend members from my former church were up here for a Retreat. A small handful in the group were friends from when I attended there so I called a couple of the gals and invited them to stop off on their way up. Cyndy and Betty were here Friday afternoon, bringing a pastor friend with them. When they got here (up above the fog) I had the house wide open (showing off just a little?) and, while playing catch up, we walked around and took in the warmth and beauty of my little piece of Heaven. It was another really fun visit.
Yesterday afternoon the sun went into hiding preparing for rain. This morning the weather had done a complete 180 degrees. It was raining when I left for church and we had a couple of dustings of snow while I was there. You suppose those people from down below brought this turn in the weather? The first day or two of changes in barometric pressure tends to trigger or tweak my anxiety disorder and leaves me feeling uncomfortable at best, so I left early and came home. Midday, another friend who was at the Retreat stopped by on his way home. It's always good to see him and his wife. They were good friends when we lived in the valley and he and my husband had become close. He still honors that friendship by staying in touch and offering me help when I need. Unfortunately, his wife didn't make it up this trip so the two of us sat and talked about old times and new. I look forward to seeing them both back up here soon.
Those who read "Beauty and Bread" know that my friend Judi has made an offer on a house just up the road, she's now in escrow. Inspection is next week and we're both very excited at the prospect of becoming neighbors. My sister and I had a nice "chat" visit a couple of nights ago and an old friend who now lives back east called this evening. All in all, it's been a very good week!
Last weekend, a very good friend of mine, Jennifer, and her older son, Cam, came up Saturday evening. We did pizza, visited 'til all hours, and then had to get up just before dawn cracked for church the next morning. After church a group of us went to breakfast and when we got home she and I visited for another hour or so while Cameron took care of some chores for me (my Christmas decoration tubs were still waiting to be taken down to the shed and he's young and strong). We had a great, if short, visit. I love when she, and they, come up to visit.
The weather was wonderful all week. While Fresno was buried in the fog for their second week, we were in the 60's and even hit 70 and enjoyed beautiful sunshine all week. Okay, our nights are still cold (30's) but I'm under a down-filled comforter at night so that's okay.
This weekend members from my former church were up here for a Retreat. A small handful in the group were friends from when I attended there so I called a couple of the gals and invited them to stop off on their way up. Cyndy and Betty were here Friday afternoon, bringing a pastor friend with them. When they got here (up above the fog) I had the house wide open (showing off just a little?) and, while playing catch up, we walked around and took in the warmth and beauty of my little piece of Heaven. It was another really fun visit.
Yesterday afternoon the sun went into hiding preparing for rain. This morning the weather had done a complete 180 degrees. It was raining when I left for church and we had a couple of dustings of snow while I was there. You suppose those people from down below brought this turn in the weather? The first day or two of changes in barometric pressure tends to trigger or tweak my anxiety disorder and leaves me feeling uncomfortable at best, so I left early and came home. Midday, another friend who was at the Retreat stopped by on his way home. It's always good to see him and his wife. They were good friends when we lived in the valley and he and my husband had become close. He still honors that friendship by staying in touch and offering me help when I need. Unfortunately, his wife didn't make it up this trip so the two of us sat and talked about old times and new. I look forward to seeing them both back up here soon.
Those who read "Beauty and Bread" know that my friend Judi has made an offer on a house just up the road, she's now in escrow. Inspection is next week and we're both very excited at the prospect of becoming neighbors. My sister and I had a nice "chat" visit a couple of nights ago and an old friend who now lives back east called this evening. All in all, it's been a very good week!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
My Little Corner of Heaven
I've probably remarked on this before,but I going to do it again anyway. I'm sitting in my living room and through every window, living room and kitchen, I see trees, sky, the sun is breaking through. At one window are bird feeders and though they're empty now, in a little while they'll be filled with birds of various sizes all snacking and fueling up for their next flight or nap.
I'm filled with awe every morning as I drink my coffee, do my morning prayer, and gaze out the windows at the wonder that surrounds me but yesterday a couple of friends from the valley came up out of the fog for a church retreat and stopped here to visit. They brought another friend with them and he was really taken with my little piece of God's creation and, through his eyes, I saw it again like I did the first time I came here. I fell in love with my home and its surroundings all over again. Thank you Pastor Dao.
I've said before, living here is like camping year round except I have a warm house instead of a tent, with a comfy bed, a hot shower, and my tv. I don't miss the city. I certainly don't miss the fog that never lifts in winter or the heat in summer. I don't miss the traffic and everybody hurrying to get somewhere. I don't miss being in the middle of a crowd and no one knowing you're there. I don't miss the noise or not being able to see stars because of the brightly lit nights. I don't miss what others refer to as "civilization". Most of my family thinks I lost what remaining screws I had left when I relocated up here. This laid back style of living and small town attitude would drive them nuts. It wouldn't even be a drive, it'd be a short walk. I thank God every day for allowing me to be here in this small piece of Heaven.
I'm filled with awe every morning as I drink my coffee, do my morning prayer, and gaze out the windows at the wonder that surrounds me but yesterday a couple of friends from the valley came up out of the fog for a church retreat and stopped here to visit. They brought another friend with them and he was really taken with my little piece of God's creation and, through his eyes, I saw it again like I did the first time I came here. I fell in love with my home and its surroundings all over again. Thank you Pastor Dao.
I've said before, living here is like camping year round except I have a warm house instead of a tent, with a comfy bed, a hot shower, and my tv. I don't miss the city. I certainly don't miss the fog that never lifts in winter or the heat in summer. I don't miss the traffic and everybody hurrying to get somewhere. I don't miss being in the middle of a crowd and no one knowing you're there. I don't miss the noise or not being able to see stars because of the brightly lit nights. I don't miss what others refer to as "civilization". Most of my family thinks I lost what remaining screws I had left when I relocated up here. This laid back style of living and small town attitude would drive them nuts. It wouldn't even be a drive, it'd be a short walk. I thank God every day for allowing me to be here in this small piece of Heaven.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Back Scratcher
I found it! For the past few years I've told anyone who asked that all I wanted for Christmas was a simple back scratcher. With arthritic shoulders, I find it difficult to reach that itch and the itch knows exactly where I can't reach.
I went to CVS and, like I always do, I scanned my 'loyalty card' before I did my shopping. The read out gave me a great big $1.50 discount on my total purchases. Whoo boy, "don't spend it all in one place". I bought a pair of clip-on sunglasses for my new prescription eyeglasses and a couple of other small items for Katie and then ... there they were, hanging from one of those impulse racks - bamboo back scratchers. The price? $1.49.
I LOVE my new back scratcher. And I love that it was free. Merry January Christmas CVS and a belated Merry Christmas to me. Gotta go, that itch is in trouble now!
I went to CVS and, like I always do, I scanned my 'loyalty card' before I did my shopping. The read out gave me a great big $1.50 discount on my total purchases. Whoo boy, "don't spend it all in one place". I bought a pair of clip-on sunglasses for my new prescription eyeglasses and a couple of other small items for Katie and then ... there they were, hanging from one of those impulse racks - bamboo back scratchers. The price? $1.49.
I LOVE my new back scratcher. And I love that it was free. Merry January Christmas CVS and a belated Merry Christmas to me. Gotta go, that itch is in trouble now!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
"SQUIRREL!"
There's still life in the old girl yet,the four-legged one that is . Last week, while working at the church, I took Katie out for a breath of fresh air, if you will. We walked the patio and yard, she 'watered the grass' and then she spotted a ground squirrel. Now she has absolutely no interest at all in the tree squirrels around our house, apparently she thinks because they live almost in our yard, they're family like the cats. This was a different scenario, however, and she took one look at that squirrel and the squirrel took off. "Flight elicits chase" my husband used to say, and my couch potato slug of a dog took off like Secretariat. The squirrel flew down a hole next to the building with Katie literally on her tail. I rather expect there's a squirrel in the churchyard that is now sporting a hairless tail; she was that close. Yesterday I took her out again and she went right to the hole but, alas, no one was home.
Yesterday we went to the Feed Store. I had ordered some glucosamine treats for her and they had come in so we were there to pick them up. The young man working in the store was setting up a large gerbil habitat/enclosure on the floor when we got there. Katie, feeling very much at home there, wandered the store, found and visited with a rabbit almost as big as she is and with the resident cat who quickly leaped up on the counter to do her visiting. She then detected movement in the new enclosure. She walked up to the cage and this fairly large gerbil did the same from the inside and they touched noses. Then it hit her ... remember the movie "UP"? We watched her stop, freeze, turn her head, and, I swear, we heard her yell, "SQUIRREL!" She became that great animated hunter of all things rodent again and she tried every move she could think of to get inside that enclosure. That put an end to our visit at the Feed Store. We made our purchase and I talked her out the door.
In case you're wondering; she came home worn out and spent the evening sound asleep in front of the pellet stove, I rather imagine she was chasing, and maybe even catching, fast moving, sneaky little grey critters.
Yesterday we went to the Feed Store. I had ordered some glucosamine treats for her and they had come in so we were there to pick them up. The young man working in the store was setting up a large gerbil habitat/enclosure on the floor when we got there. Katie, feeling very much at home there, wandered the store, found and visited with a rabbit almost as big as she is and with the resident cat who quickly leaped up on the counter to do her visiting. She then detected movement in the new enclosure. She walked up to the cage and this fairly large gerbil did the same from the inside and they touched noses. Then it hit her ... remember the movie "UP"? We watched her stop, freeze, turn her head, and, I swear, we heard her yell, "SQUIRREL!" She became that great animated hunter of all things rodent again and she tried every move she could think of to get inside that enclosure. That put an end to our visit at the Feed Store. We made our purchase and I talked her out the door.
In case you're wondering; she came home worn out and spent the evening sound asleep in front of the pellet stove, I rather imagine she was chasing, and maybe even catching, fast moving, sneaky little grey critters.
Friday, January 21, 2011
She-e-e-'s Back!
Don't pay the ransom, I escaped! It's going on a month since my last post. I don't know why. Maybe the well went dry or I had so much other stuff going on ... and the well was dry. I find I really miss it, I enjoy this, so I'm going to do what I enjoy and I guess I have to get out there and prime the pump and fill the well at least enough so I can draw from it again.
I was also really busy the end of the year. There were publications that needed to be done for the church and events for the SPCA; not to mention Christmas events, a wonderful visit from my baby sister, cataract surgery, a cat that died and a dog with bronchitis and reverse sneezing (and who, as near as I can tell, is all better now). Oh yeah, and I turned a year older. And ... after 68 years as a Sagittarius, I'm told I'm some new sign that I can't even pronounce and no one has said whether I still have the persona of the Sagittarius or what the new persona is. You know what? After this many years (I can't make myself write that number twice), I'm just simply me.
This new year seems to be off to a much better start than last year. I certainly hope that's a positive sign. And the weather ... up here, above the clouds and fog, we're still waiting for "the weather". It's been sunny and we're in the fifties. I drove down to the city earlier this week and they're living in the fog. I didn't see sun until I was more than 3/4 of the way home. We've had our share of rain - ours and somebody else's. But, we've had little snow at this elevation. I'll refer back to this post next month or in March when we can't get out of our driveways due to snow.
The 'busy, busy' seems to be on hiatus for now and I'm looking around the house to see what needs doing or changing. I've been moving furniture from one place to another, but can't decide how I like it. I found one configuration that I thought might work but the dog & cat weren't happy with it and since this is their abode and they only allow me to share it with them (so long as I keep the mortgage paid, food in their cupboard, and "the box" cleaned), I've returned most of the furniture to their proper & approved places ... for now.
May the year of the Rabbit hold good things for you in all aspects. Sending you all happy thoughts and best wishes from the porch rocker.
I was also really busy the end of the year. There were publications that needed to be done for the church and events for the SPCA; not to mention Christmas events, a wonderful visit from my baby sister, cataract surgery, a cat that died and a dog with bronchitis and reverse sneezing (and who, as near as I can tell, is all better now). Oh yeah, and I turned a year older. And ... after 68 years as a Sagittarius, I'm told I'm some new sign that I can't even pronounce and no one has said whether I still have the persona of the Sagittarius or what the new persona is. You know what? After this many years (I can't make myself write that number twice), I'm just simply me.
This new year seems to be off to a much better start than last year. I certainly hope that's a positive sign. And the weather ... up here, above the clouds and fog, we're still waiting for "the weather". It's been sunny and we're in the fifties. I drove down to the city earlier this week and they're living in the fog. I didn't see sun until I was more than 3/4 of the way home. We've had our share of rain - ours and somebody else's. But, we've had little snow at this elevation. I'll refer back to this post next month or in March when we can't get out of our driveways due to snow.
The 'busy, busy' seems to be on hiatus for now and I'm looking around the house to see what needs doing or changing. I've been moving furniture from one place to another, but can't decide how I like it. I found one configuration that I thought might work but the dog & cat weren't happy with it and since this is their abode and they only allow me to share it with them (so long as I keep the mortgage paid, food in their cupboard, and "the box" cleaned), I've returned most of the furniture to their proper & approved places ... for now.
May the year of the Rabbit hold good things for you in all aspects. Sending you all happy thoughts and best wishes from the porch rocker.
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