Monday Monday

So where were we? In the garage I think. I have been in the garage almost daily for about a week. If the weather holds, I'll keep going. If not, I am at a good place to quit until spring.

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Let me show you. This is the garage that John built so it is near and dear to my heart. 

~west wall~ 
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Photos are so helpful to me because I can see that, while some progress has been made, I can circle round again and organize better. Prior to this, I didn't notice all the gardening products here and there. They can definitely be gathered to the same place.

↑There's been a whole lot of tucking going on around here. 

↑These boxes and old laundry baskets and plastic bags are full of personal papers. I have gone through so many of them, but have many more to plow through. I dare not just chuck them into the fire, though tempted, because there are treasures. Dear treasures. I found a little love note written to me on the back of a grocery list. Precious.

 Some have asked if I have found any money. Yes, I have — an unused gift card to Amazon. ☺ But the best thing that I have found is this engagement photo of John's parents. 

  Aren't they adorable? I love his mama's sweet smile and his father's steady gaze. His mom looks right at us and his dad looks at the photographer as if to say, "Let's get this show on the road."

Back to reality. Not. I have already cleared or tidied everything to the window. Yay! (Just forgot to take a photo before it was too dark.)
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Progress is a wonderful feeling... Please share with me some household project that you are feeling positive about. Perhaps you even want to show me! I need all the inspiration I can get.

What a Week!

Yes, and a great one! ☺ If you want to read more about why I think so, you can check the "Let's Get Political" button at the bottom of the page. For all of those saying Let's Not, it probably wouldn't be a great idea. Yes, definitely good for you folks to have a warning to stay away.

Political junkie that I am, and always have been, I have been trying to get caught up on my rest. There have been many late nights over the past weeks and months watching rallies and then being up until the wee hours Wednesday morning meant that I was sleep deprived. Last night was my first "normal" night in a long, long time.

Then, too, there was that garage. Oh that garage. Maybe, I will tuck a photo in later when the light is better because some minor progress has been accomplished and I would like to document it. (ETA: Come back Monday, too many photos to just pop one in. Besides, I found a photo of John's parents and it is darling.) Basically, I decided what I wanted to tackle each day. It was done in small bites. I might say, "I want to clear the west wall."  I'd quit when that bit was done. The job would overwhelm me otherwise. Things can still get done with baby steps. Today I tidied the stairs and vacuumed them. Gone are the days when I can go through everything that needs doing and get it all done in one fell swoop. 

Found a box of Christmas lights carefully packed (not by me) and put away in a corner of the garage. Had to test them, of course, and they are all still working. I knew that I had more lights somewhere.

These have been tucked away because I really am early. When I was a kid, I always wanted a Santa mug. Last year, I looked high and low for some and could not find any so when I saw these, I grabbed them. They have become the first gifts for Christmas this year. I don't think those grands read here. ☺

Veterans Day 2016

A re-post with a brief postscript... Did you wonder this morning as I did how Veterans Day should be spelled? Was it Veteran's Day, Veterans' Day or Veterans Day? I wonder about it every year. This year I settled it once and for all: Veterans Day!
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Some towns honor the day with parades, flowers, and flags placed on graves, patriotic songs, and memories. Any way that it is honored is good as long as it is honored. This is my town's way — the sand pile, which looks impressive, has been "engraved" with God Bless Our Troops, a flag, and a yellow ribbon.
My father served in the Korean War. Some years ago, we learned that a three times great-grandfather of mine on the distaff side had served in the Civil War; just last week, we've learned that the Civil War soldier's grandfather had served in the Revolutionary War and had probably fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill with General Putnam. Fascinating information. 
I have to smile that these men are on the "Canadian" side. My mother and grandmother were Canadians and these were their ancestors, but what I've not mentioned is that my grandmother's mother was an American, born in Gloucester, Massachusetts. (Her paternal grandfather is the Civil War soldier and her paternal great-grandfather the Revolutionary War soldier.) She became a Canadian when she married my Canadian great-grandfather (whose ancestors also hail from the U.S., but were Royalists during the Revolutionary War). 
I am proud of their service and, most of all, grateful for their service. Soldiers hold the country together through the most difficult of times with the help of Almighty God. God bless them all.

P.S. As I have continued to work with my family's genealogy, I have found more soldiers. There are more Revolutionary War soldiers and Civil War soldiers. There are two sets of fathers and sons who served together. This flabbergasts me. I am so grateful for all they did way back in the beginning. Those who stood up and fought against tyranny are the ones I most admire.

Bittersweet 2016

Anyone here to see before and afters of garage cleaning? Golly, I hope not, but just in case, I'll toss in a little, itty-bitty photo at the end. 

It was a quiet weekend. The only thing that caused me distress was news surrounding the corruption that prevails in my country these days and has, apparently, for a long time. It's enough to make a person physically ill. Some politicians (of all varieties) obviously think The United States is some banana republic. Unbelievable.  Do they not know that they work for us and not the other way around?

On to brighter things...

 ↓Yesterday was my mother's birthday so I took one of the mum plants for her grave. While there I found plenty of bittersweet.↑

It is odd to think of my mother as an 82-year-old. Of course, in Glory, she is younger than I am. Wonder if birthdays are celebrated in Heaven. Probably, they have better things to do. It is comforting to know that she is safely home with The Lord.  

The rest of the mums and a dahlia plant, too, are huddling together for warmth. I would like to tell the clerk that they have outlasted his prediction by four days at least.

 

Okay, that before picture, which I assure you is not the real before picture because I didn't take one. This shows that I got troubles ohoooh. Maybe by week's end...or not.

Can't see much? Oh good! ☺

Take it easy now and keep praying, keep believing, and keep looking up! 

Cozy Day Cooking

It was a perfectly cozy, rainy day. I had planned to go out;  I felt that I should. (It was Day 3 of being alone without going anywhere or talking with anyone.) Sometimes I must force myself to get in the car and go somewhere anywhere because, quite frankly, I am such a homebody that I could stay here until I run out of coffee.
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Anyway, since I was staying home, in the morning I began making some apple butter. Talk about instant home aroma that lasts and lasts...heavenly!


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↑See how dark the apple butter is (in the jar)? That's just what you need. Oh yum!

I needed the apple butter to create *this delicious sandwich* Thanks to Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen.

Wait, something's missing...

 That's better!
Yes, it was a lovely, cozy day.

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(No, I am not early. This Christmas bubble light stays out all year long.)

Perhaps Monday, I'll share the progress I have made on organizing and cleaning the garage. Or not. ☺

Have a fabulous weekend...

My Treasure Box

Do you have as many "treasure boxes" in your home as I have in mine? There's this one holding the dominos inside and the dust topside.↓

↓And this one holding those things John wanted to save, mostly church bulletins and old copies of daily devotionals, but also things that surprised me like photos he took when I was not aware and cards and notes I wrote him. I didn't know that men did that, but this one did. He pretty much saved everything.☺ 

This is the box that holds the set of plated silverware.↓

↓Here's a music box where I can switch out graphics or photos. Guess I am either very late or very early. 

These boxes are filled with mementos for John's girls: photos, letters, and even little drawings and old cards. ↓

↓Here's a ceramic box that my mother used for peppermint candies. I can still smell them a little, though faintly, faintly, faintly.

This may look like a jewelry box, though it is for stationery.↓

I have a favorite. Since you are visiting me today, you are sitting in it. What?! Yes, I consider this little blog my treasure box filled with all the people and things I love best. Many of my favorite scriptures and quotes are contained here. It also holds many of the lessons I have learned and thinks I have thinked. ☺ It might even contain a rant or two. Most of all, it contains the precious memories that I might forget without it. 

Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.

~ Kevin Arnold

Now tell me, do you journal, keep a diary or a blog? If you don't, please consider it. If you have gotten away from recording your doings, your feelings, your failures, your joys, sorrows, too, because life is crazy, busy or complicated, plan a time for returning. You will be glad that you did.

See you soon! 

Dull November Blows In

Dull November brings the blast Then the leaves are whirling fast...

October 31st was a very Novembery Day. It looked like November and it felt like November. Brrrrr...

It was my day to visit my dad except that my sister had an unexpected low census day so she didn't need me after all. Well, she couldn't get rid of me that easily. I had told my father that I would dress up for the day; I had forgotten my iPad adapter there last week; and I wanted a free lunch, not to mention that I had another bag of personal papers requiring burning.  
So I arrived dressed as a Trump supporter to find Sis and her husband on the roof. 

My dad grinned to see me so that was fun. After a delicious lunch of  BLTs, my sister suggested one of our favorite things...

Yes, this family enjoys a good cemetery. We were looking for some of our Pilgrim descendant relatives. No luck today. Perhaps we found yours.

There's Mr. J. Crumett whose epitaph reads:  

Behold the place where I now lie           As you are now so once was I
As I am now so you must be

Very cheery, Mr. Crumett.  Doesn't he sound like a Dicken's character?

A sad stone with a sad story. I hope that they get around to repairing this one soon before any more damage happens or any information is lost: Sylva Bishop daughter of Abial and Dorcas Bishop. Sylva has been gone for 182 years.  
After a little while, I took my leave as I had errands to run and a big job to work on. I stopped at Lowe's on my way home and found a leaf blower I thought I could handle. That means electric and lightweight. I couldn't wait to get home to rev it up. I also bought ear protection because the drone of those blowers in the fall has always been intense. 

A couple of hours later, I had the driveway cleared of leaves, the deck swept  blown off, and the path between the garage and deck clean as a whistle. It was all pretty painless so I was pleased. 

And just in time for my early evening guests... someone named Harry and an Old Man who looks a little like Charlie Chaplin.

The old man there says that he is not going to wear a mustache when he grows up. I suggested that his father seems to enjoy one. Old man said that it is way too itchy. His mother said that most men don't grow their mustaches into their noses. Apparently this one was going in the wrong direction. Ha! 

Thus we head into November already and so soon... Hope that yours is a blessed one.