The Aughts in Review

No one really seems to know what to call this decade that began with the year 2000 (remember Y2K?) and ends today. The first decade of the 1900’s was known to many as “The Aughts,” a term that has mostly fallen out of use now, but some use it to refer to this decade, for lack of a better term. I happen to like it, so, “The Aughts” it is.

I’ve been thinking back through the decade over the last few days, and I believe I can say it was my best one yet. Of course there have been a few bad times, but far more good ones.

Beginning on January 2, 2001, my nieces and nephew came into my life one by one. God hasn’t given me any children of my own so far, but I am so thankful for these children whose lives I can be a part of, watching them grow and learn and building relationships with each one of them.

Also in 2001, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 90 pounds, mostly during that year. I had come to the conclusion that I was destined to be a “fat” person, that nothing could change that, but thankfully, I was wrong. I do still struggle with my weight and have gained some of it back, though I have kept a substantial portion of it off and now know I am capable of losing the rest if I choose to.

I had been in Bible Study Fellowship since the late 90’s, and during the ‘00-’01 and ‘01-’02 years, I was asked to be treasurer, which required me to stand up in front of as many as 300 people every few weeks and give a brief report. At first I was terrified, but as time went on, I became more comfortable. During the ‘02-’03 and ‘03-’04 years I was a discussion group leader, a time of huge spiritual and personal growth. This experience was also where I met Ramelle, the friend who would ultimately introduce me to . . .

Don. We began dating in March of ’04, and in August of ’05, we were married. At nearly 39, I had pretty much given up on the idea of ever getting married, but God is faithful. His choice for a mate for me was far better than any I could have ever made, and though we may not fully understand His timing in this life, it is perfect. I am so thankful that I am going into this next decade with Don by my side.

Shortly after we were married, Don gave me a birthday gift that I had wanted for a long time: a flute. I took lessons, and while it has been a challenge for me (and I am not as dedicated as I should be), it has been a great experience to be able to play along with Don on our church’s worship team and also be a part of a community band.

I have had my dog Dasha since 1998, but in early 2007, Nash arrived and turned our world upside down. The first year with him was a huge challenge, but he has since turned out to be a really good dog who brings a lot of joy and laughter into our home.

In mid-2008 I started to blog. Though I only have a handful of faithful readers (and I appreciate every one of you!), it has been a great outlet for me to express myself in ways that I can’t always do verbally. Those who do read say they feel they know me much better now, and I have also enjoyed reading the blogs of others and getting to know them better.

This decade has also brought some sadness. I have lost several loved ones, including my grandmother, my friend Pam and her daughter Ashley. Even in my grief though, this makes me all the more thankful for my salvation, as I look forward to seeing each of them, as well as other loved ones, again in heaven.

So many other things have happened during this decade -- too many to mention, of course, but the changes have helped me grow in my faith, as well as bringing me joy, peace and confidence, not in them, but through them. God is good. He has brought me a long way, and I look forward to seeing what He will do in my life in The Teens!

Family Christmas

We went to my brother's house on Christmas day. It was a great time of exchanging gifts, eating, playing games and just generally being together. We even saw a few snow flurries! (A white Christmas is almost unheard of in Nashville.) I am thankful for my family and for this day we got to spend together celebrating Jesus' birth. Here are a few pictures I took (you may need to click the "Play" button at the bottom after it opens):

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Great Piñata Bash

We made one in my class when I was in kindergarten. Perhaps that's where my love for them began. When I was in high school I had to make one for my Spanish class and figured out then exactly how it was done. I have since made several of them through the years. For whatever reason, I love piñatas.

We broke one once before as a family Christmas activity, and I wanted to do it again this year, so I made this one:

I had planned to let my nieces and nephew help me make it, but I just ran out of time, so I did it myself. It takes a week or more to do the layers of paper mache, letting them dry in between, and making sure it is completely dry before popping the balloons inside and then filling it and decorating it.

I filled it with all kinds of goodies for adults and children, ranging from traditional (candy and toys) to strange (gloves, bars of soap, toothpaste, lint rollers, first aid kits). But it didn't matter. It was breaking it that was fun.

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We had the "bash" on Christmas Eve after church. Everybody got blindfolded and spun around and got to take a swing or two at it. I made sure my brother went last, because he is always bound and determined that he is the one who is going to break it. Don almost did -- he was next-to-last -- but Andy gave it the crushing blow.

It made a mess, paper mache and broken candy canes all over the floor, but it was still fun. I hope to do another one next year, hopefully with the kids' help. Maybe we'll make a star . . .

Merry Christmas

In these uncertain times, let us remember the good news that Christmas brings:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

From our home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!

Buffalo Wild Wings

They recently opened one of these just down the street from our home. For the first several weeks it was always packed, so Don and I waited until this past Sunday to check it out.

The first thing we both noticed when we walked in was that it was NOISY! But then, it was Sunday afternoon, and there were a lot of football games on, including the Tennessee Titans. We weren't really there to watch football, but that wasn't their fault.

Neither of us opted for their specialty (wings). Don ordered the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, which he said was good, and I got the Chili Queso Burger, which was huge and kind of a mess to eat, but very tasty. Don, who got to eat part of it, thought so too. All the sandwiches came with fries and were in the $8-$9 range.

It is a grill and bar, so they serve a variety of drinks, as well as salads, ribs, wraps and a number of other things. Both of us agreed that we would probably go back, but it won't be when we're looking for some peace and quiet. This is probably not somewhere you should go with someone when you want to do any serious talking, but if you want to take in a game, eat some good greasy food and just have fun, it might be a good choice.

A Night at the Schermerhorn

On Saturday night Don and I went to hear the Messiah performed by the Nashville Symphony and the Symphony Chorus. It was amazing! This was the first time I had really sat down and listened attentively to the whole oratorio.

Written by George Frideric Handel in 1741, Messiah beautifully covers Christ's life, beginning with Old Testament prophecy, His birth, His life, death, resurrection, and even His second coming. Handel expertly incorporates scripture from all parts of the Bible.

The symphony used mostly strings for this occasion, adding a harpsichord, organ, oboes and a bassoon, with small trumpet and timpani parts. The approximately 130-member chorus, which I later found out are mostly volunteers, was incredible. Of course, the highlight of the evening was the well-known "Hallelujah Chorus," during which everyone stood, a tradition which was begun by King George II of Great Britain.

The Schermerhorn Center itself is a beautiful concert hall, which we have been to several times. Our seats were near the back of the balcony, but I suspect our view may have been at least as good as the main level seats. Built specifically to house the Nashville Symphony, the sound quality is excellent in every part of the building.

It was a fun outing, a good cultural experience, and we were blessed not only by the talented musicians and by Handel's impressive composition, but also by this Christmastime reminder of the sacrifice that Christ made for our salvation.

It's a CHRISTMAS Tree!

A Jewish friend of mine wished me a "Merry Christmas" yesterday. She didn't get offended. I have had a number of Jewish friends through the years, and none of them would have hesitated to wish me a Merry Christmas. If any of them came into my home, they would have commented on my Christmas tree. They may have even sent me a Christmas card or given me a Christmas gift. And I am happy to wish them a Happy Hanukkah as well.

So why is it taboo to use the word "Christmas"? Who, exactly, is offended by it? My latest pet peeve is going in Wal-Mart and seeing "holiday" trees, candy, cards, gifts, etc. I think Wal-Mart has actually made a point not to sell anything with the word "Christmas" on it, though they certainly don't mind profiting from the season's sales. The weatherman tells you what the weather will be for your "holiday travels." There is even "holiday music" playing on the radio.

If you are going to put up a tree, aren't you celebrating Christmas? And if you are going to celebrate Christmas, how can you not call it that? If you don't want to acknowledge Christmas, then don't celebrate it! Don't buy a tree or gifts, sing carols or send cards. Because it's Christmas, and it's our holiday, and I refuse to call it anything else just because there are a few people in the world who are offended by a word that contains the name of Christ, even though they are celebrating His birth.

So, I may be the only one to do it this year, but I would just like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Parade

I haven't done one of these in YEARS! But last Saturday I took part in the Mt. Juliet (a Nashville suburb) Christmas parade with my community band. We played "We Need a Little Christmas" over and Over and OVER.

Honestly, I was dreading it. The forecast originally predicted a high of 40, and since this parade was in the morning, I figured it would be 30-35. Not exactly weather that makes you want to spend a couple of hours outside riding on the back of a truck.

In the end they changed the high to 48. I bundled up, and we were pretty cozy on the back of the truck, and all in all, it was fun! We all wore Santa hats and acted silly. We waved at people when we weren't playing. Many of them waved back and smiled.

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I'm in the front row, right in the middle, with the red socks and white shoes.

Several people I know said they saw me riding by, and our band got a lot of good comments about how we sounded. Now I'm hoping we'll do it again next year. Really, I am!

Pancake Pantry

My dad, Don and I had breakfast this morning at Pancake Pantry. This is a Nashville landmark, of sorts. It has been here longer than I have (since 1961), but oddly, this was the first time I had ever eaten there.

Located on 21st Avenue in Hillsboro Village, near the Vanderbilt Campus, finding a place to park is no small task. (We actually walked from the retirement home where my dad is now living.) Unless you're lucky, you will probably get to stand in line outside for some length of time (there is no indoor waiting except for a small lobby area), so dress for the weather. It is open from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekends.

The food is good, typical pancake house fare. I had the "Pigs in a Blanket" (pancake-wrapped link sausage). Don had the Wild Blueberry Pancakes, and my dad had Potato Pancakes. They are served with warm maple syrup. We all had our fill, and then some, in my case. The usual sides of bacon, sausage, eggs and other breakfast foods are offered, as well as coffee, juice, milk, soft drinks, etc. They also have a selection of soups, salads and sandwiches. The prices are moderate. Most of the pancake plates are $7.50.

This restaurant has been owned by the same family since its inception. Many of the staff have also worked there since the earliest days. The restaurant is small, but has a cozy atmosphere. I would recommend it if you have some time on your hands and plenty of room in your stomach.

The Ornament Party

Our pastor's wife holds an annual "ornament exchange" for the ladies of all ages from our church. We each bring an ornament and exchange them white-elephant style, except that, unlike the usual white elephant party, everybody gets to go home with something nice!

I got this pretty little ball. It has a Christmas tree inside and lights up with changing colors. It got stolen from me once, but I was able to reclaim it later when another ornament got stolen from me too.

My sister-in-law Melissa wasn't able to come, so I brought my three nieces (it's a milestone that they're old enough that I'm not afraid to try to bring all three of them!). My niece Grace won the second place prize for "most stolen from." She was a pretty good sport while 5 or 6 ornaments got taken away from her throughout the evening, and she played right along, stealing from others, including me!

Here's Hannah. She seemed pretty happy with the snowman ornament she ended up with.My niece Abbie shed a few silent tears at the end because hers didn't get stolen. I consoled her, reminding her that her mom and dad would love her ornament, and she got over it quickly.
Afterward, all 3 girls sang "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" in the back seat of the car all the way home! It wouldn't have been so bad, except they only knew one verse, so they sang it over and over. I'm pretty sure I'd be fine if I never heard that song again.

All in all, it was a fun evening -- fun to spend time with the ladies of my church and with my nieces, to laugh and eat and see all the pretty ornaments people had brought. It has become an event I look forward to every year.

. . . and at Christmas, too!

This is something that I sort of get a chuckle out of every year, but not really. It's certainly not the misfortune of others that I think is funny, but the phrase itself.

Here's what I'm talking about: whenever anyone relays a story of something bad that has happened to them or to someone else during this season, someone inevitably adds, "and at Christmas, too!" This automatically doubles the "badness" factor.

Christmastime is supposed to be perfect in every way. Nothing bad is supposed to happen.

How in the world can we ever live up to that standard? It adds to our stress!

Jesus didn't come to add to our stress. He came to bring "peace on earth, good will to men." So if something unpleasant happens to you or someone you love during this season, as it almost inevitably will, rather than letting Christmas multiply its "badness," try instead to remember what Christmas reminds us of: that Jesus came into the world to die for us, to bring eternal life to those of us who would receive it. We will spend eternity in heaven, which WILL be perfect. No more bad things will happen, even at Christmas.

The Christmas Program

I went to a Christmas program tonight that two of my nieces were in. They did a great job! My niece Abbie (age 5) did a duet with another child (she is on the far right). The song she sang was called "Perfect for the Part," which was fiting because Abbie is one of those kids who loves to be on stage. Grace (almost 9) (middle of photo, wearing green) was in the choir. She has been blessed with a wonderful singing voice.This was through the homeschool co-op that they are a part of. I am so proud of both of these girls!

To Tree

We couldn't decide whether to put a tree up this year or not, for a couple of reasons. So I put as my status on Facebook: "To tree or not to tree, that is the question. . ." and explained my dilemma. The response was overwhelming: "Tree!" A few people suggested we get an artificial tree instead of a real one because they are less trouble.

Now, that is something I thought I would never do. They're just not the same. But this year we broke down and did it. Mind you, we still don't plan to put it up every year, but for this year, it will have to do. And it's not bad. With lights and ornaments, and a pine-scented candle burning, it's still Christmasy. It's a little smaller than what we usually get, so we had to pick and choose our favorite ornaments, but it's okay. I'm glad we decided to tree. Even in an artificial sense.

Catch-Up Day Update

My dad's Internet is working! Apparently there was some software on there that was causing the problem, and once we removed it, everything is working fine. ( :

Catch-Up Day

Well, I guess the Christmas season is officially here, and as usual, I'm so busy, I hardly know which way is up. I have decided not to post my "Grinch Countdown" this year. I thought it was kind of funny last year, but I don't think everyone agreed with me. Oh well.

My dad moved to a retirement home this week. It's not a nursing home, just an apartment for older people, though he does have a chain he can pull if he needs help. He wasn't aware of this feature until he apparently leaned against it and a short time later had people beating on his door wanting to know if he was okay.

He has switched Internet companies, and I spent 4 1/2 hours over there yesterday trying to help him get his new one set up (2 solid hours on the phone with AT&T). We never did get his problem resolved, which is frustrating for him and for me. He can receive e-mail but not send any, and apparently he has an Internet connection, but he can't get on it. Any suggestions?

So between my 3 part-time jobs, helping my dad move, getting ready for a band concert. Christmas preparations, plus my usual activities, I haven't blogged in a week. I'm behind on my blog reading too. Today is a catch-up day, so I'm hoping to do some of that, between laundry, grocery shopping, running errands, practicing my flute, preparing my Sunday School lesson, doing my Bible study, and a few other things. Better get busy!

A Joyful Day

My family got together yesterday and had a great time!

Don cooked his first turkey. It was delicious! Everyone helped with the food, including my brother (pictured here, with Dasha, who hopes for a sampling of his wares).

Everyone got plenty to eat.

After dinner we all played Apples to Apples (Junior Edition), a really fun game!I am thankful to have a family to celebrate with, a home to gather in, food to eat and good health. I am very blessed, and I am glad for the opportunity to be reminded of it.

Harvest Blessings

It's a beautiful Thanksgiving morning, a bit chilly, but the sun is shining brightly. Don and I took a walk with the dogs, and then I went out to my garden to see what was happening. Obviously, it is winding down for the year, but we haven't had a hard frost yet, so there's still a little bit going on.

Sugar snap peas are a cooler weather plant, so I planted those in late summer, and we're starting to get a few. As you can see, there are a lot of blooms, so I guess it's a race against the clock to see just how many we'll get before it gets too cold.

Apparently when I pulled up the potatoes, I left a couple, which grew into new plants. If all goes well, we'll have a few more pretty soon.The celery didn't do too well (I don't think our climate is quite right for it), but I got a few skinny little pieces for our Thanksgiving veggie tray. Our bunny Heidi has been feasting on the leaves. I found these green beans this morning, obviously not enough for a meal, and they probably wouldn't be too tender anyway, but they will make good seeds for next year's garden.I figured out why sage is a popular herb at Thanksgiving: it's one of the few that's still alive and kickin' (as we say in the south). Of course, there's parsley too, another hardy herb.I am thankful today, for the goods our garden has brought us for many months, for my home, for my family that will come to feast with us on this beautiful day, and for all the many ways God has blessed me this year.

The Perfect Holiday

What is a perfect holiday?

When I was a child, it seemed there were certain standards that needed to be followed: We must get together with other family members. We must eat certain foods that were associated with that particular holiday. At Christmas, there had to be gifts. Everyone was to be festive and joyful and follow the traditions that had been set.

As I grew older, many of those traditions got blown out of the water. During college and the years following, I spent some holidays away from home but always managed to find someone to spend them with, some way to celebrate them, whether traditional or non-traditional. Later my parents divorced, which changed a lot of things. Some years money has been tight, and a feast or expensive gifts weren't an option. Sometimes family members have to work all or part of the day, and we have to plan our celebrations accordingly.

We still have family celebrations; they're just not exactly the same as they used to be. Many of the people I spent holidays with as a child have died, and others have joined our family, whether through marriage or birth. Sometimes we invite people we know who have no family to spend the holidays with, as others have done for me in the past. Sometimes we do non-traditional things or eat different foods than we ate when I was a child. Sometimes now I spend holidays with my in-laws rather than the family I grew up with.

And I have learned this: holidays are what you make them. Joy comes from within, not from a certain food or a certain tradition, or even a certain group of people. There may be sadness in missing someone or over some other circumstance, but there can still be joy (it may help to do something completely non-traditional in this case to take your focus off of "traditions").

As you gather together with your family, or however you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I encourage you to take the time to thank God for the circumstances you are in, whatever they may be. I believe that there you will find joy, not in a "perfect" holiday, but in your gratitude for what you do have.

Standing for What We Believe

Recently a group of prominent Christian leaders got together and wrote what has come to be called "The Manhattan Declaration." It is summarized as follows:

Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family.

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1.the sanctity of human life
2.the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3.the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

They are calling on Christians and those who hold to Christian values across the country to sign this declaration. You can read it in its entirety and sign it here: http://manhattandeclaration.org/.

It has been signed by many prominent Christian leaders such as James Dobson, Tim Keller, Kay Arthur and Chuck Colson. At the time I signed it, nearly 70,000 had already done so, and it is growing by the minute. Hopefully if enough people sign it, it will get the attention of our leaders and of those who would try to convince us that these values are outdated. Hopefully we will make a statement that there are still a lot of us out here that hold to these truths that have stood the test of time throughout history.

Band Concert Videos

These are some videos from Cedar Creek Band's most recent concert. The first is the Star Spangled Banner, with the Mt. Juliet High School band joining us. I am playing piccolo. The second one is four pieces we did without the high school band. I am playing flute in that one. The quality isn't great, but you can hear what we sound like.

Craziness

Life has just been crazy lately. I'm thankful to have more work, so I'm trying not to complain, but it is hard having less free time. In some ways even that has been good, though, because it has forced me to prioritize the things in my life, i.e. what can go and what can't, and to make the most of the free time I have.

Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and the month following it is always a blur. Since I have a little extra money now, I am trying to get some shopping done ahead of time and have started making some of my gifts. It would be so nice to not have that added stress in December, since my calendar is already almost full with Christmas events. I always wish we could spread all those out over the year rather than try to cram them all into one month.

I'm rambling, but I did want to let everyone know that I am still alive and kicking, and if you don't hear from me too often in the next few weeks, it's because computer time has to be pushed lower down on the priority list than some other activities. But like I said, that could be a good thing . . .

Thankfulness

There is a challenge going around Facebook to write as your status something you are thankful for, a different one each day until Thanksgiving. I haven't actually participated in this challenge on Facebook, but I have been doing this off and on for years.

I challenge you to do the same: each day think of something you are thankful for. It could be an everyday thing: your family, your home, your health, or a special blessing God has given you that day: a beautiful sunset, a great chat with a friend, or a perfect fall day. Try not to repeat the same things over and over. Ideally write it down in a journal so you can go back and read it when you get discouraged. You'll be surprised at how your attitude changes as you start to look at all the ways God blesses you each day.

My Acting Debut

As I've mentioned before, my brother Andy manages a Cici's restaurant in Smyrna, TN, and today they were going to do a commercial featuring the up-and-coming band Kingbilly. My brother asked me to come, and I, along with my dad and my nieces and nephew, were "extras." Andy and Melissa had slightly more substantial roles. We all had a good time and got all the free pizza we could eat!

Vitamin D3

I learned an interesting thing recently: if you take Vitamin D3, it is (arguably) at least as good a protection from getting the flu as the vaccine is. It is the vitamin that we get from the sunshine, and it strengthens our immune system, which is why people rarely get sick in the summer. It's not found in many foods, though milk is often fortified with it, and it is in some kinds of fish.

It is available in capsule form. I haven't started taking it yet but have tried to make sure I get outside for at least for a little while every day when the sun is shining. There's nothing quite like the real thing, so, as the old song goes: "Step into the sunshine. Get out of the shade . . . " and forget the vaccine. Maybe I'll get on that soapbox another day.

God Provides . . . Again

Have you ever prayed for something and then started to think of ways that God might answer your prayer? And then get discouraged because you can't think of any possible way He could do it?

I'm guilty of this from time to time. But let me reassure you, God is creative! I was reminded of that this week.

On Friday morning I called to check my bank account balance to see if my paycheck had been direct deposited. It told me my balance was $99,000+. I figured I must have the wrong account, so I called again. Same thing. I went through my transactions, and they included a wired deposit on October 21 (8 days earlier) of $98,000+. Needless to say, I didn't remember making that deposit.

I pressed "0" to talk to an operator. They checked with the wiring company and called me back and told me it was my money. They told me where it had originated from. I would love to have just taken their word for it and enjoyed my $98,000, but I was pretty sure it was all a mistake.

I looked up the company who had sent it on the Internet, found a phone number for them and called them later that day. The man I talked to was quite surprised. After I gave him more details, he said it was indeed a mistake. He knew the exact amount of the deposit. He asked me to overnight him a check, minus $1,000, which I could keep for my trouble.

I called the bank back late that afternoon, and they told me definitely not to send him a check, but that it was probably a scam, and I needed to transfer the money to another account and close my account. I went to the bank the next day and talked to someone else. We did some investigating and found out that the account the man had tried to transfer the money to had a very similar account number to mine. After getting more advice, we decided to leave the account open, but she would call the man on Monday and see about getting the wire reversed or forwarding it to the intended recipient. She would also ask him if I could still have the $1,000 he had told me I could keep.

On Monday she did talk to him. The wire was reversed, and he agreed I could still have the $1,000, which he wired to me today.

So no, I didn't get to keep the $98,000, but I did get $1,000 out of it that I definitely hadn't planned on getting. God is providing for our needs, sometimes in very interesting ways. If I had thought about it for hours, I doubt I would have ever come up with this one!

God Answers Prayer

It's funny, when we pray, sometimes we wonder if God is hearing our prayers at all, but other times we just get direct answers that leave us no doubt they came from Him. I had one of those experiences last week.

We have been struggling financially for a while, but with my extra job at CBS, we've been making it okay. Still, with Christmas coming up, I was needing a little extra money to buy presents, so I prayed last Monday night and again on Tuesday morning that God would provide me with a job for 6-8 hours on Tuesdays or Fridays (my 2 free days).

On Tuesday afternoon I got a call from a temporary service I had signed up with, which had previously not been able to find me any work because of my weird schedule. They had a company who was looking for someone who could do administrative work one day a week for 6 1/2 - 7 hours. She wanted to check my availability. She called him back to see if Tuesday or Friday would work. He said Friday would, but he needed someone who knew how to use both Microsoft Word and Word Perfect.

The lady from the temporary service called me back to see if it was remotely possibly that I knew Word Perfect in addition to Word (a rare skill these days since Microsoft has taken over the world). Well, the truth is I love Word Perfect and much prefer it but never get to use it anymore. In addition, the information she had given me all came together for me, and I realized this was a man I had done some work for before through a completely different work situation.

She called him back, and he remembered me and was excited about it all, since he had an appraisal he had to get out on Friday, and he knew I could handle it.

So I went to work on Friday and will likely continue to work for him one day a week on a flexible schedule at least through November and December, and maybe my friends and family will get Christmas presents from me this year after all.

God is good.

Focaccia Bread

This is a simple recipe that Don and I love. I got it from allrecipes.com but have added a few touches of my own. It is delicious with spaghetti, soup and lots of other things. We like to tear off pieces and dip them in olive oil sprinkled with a little freshly-cracked black pepper.

1 tsp. white sugar
1 (.25 oz) pkg. active dry yeast (or 2-1/4 tsp.)
1/3 c. warm water (110° F)
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt

In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with flour; stir well to combine. Stir in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the flour is absorbed. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead briefly for about 1 minute.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475°.

Deflate the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly. Pat or roll the dough into a sheet and place it on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the dough oil and sprinkle with salt. (I press indentations in it with the end of a wooden spoon. I sprinkle it with kosher salt and rosemary.)

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes (longer if you like it crispier).

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Yum!

Things I Love About Fall

While I always dread winter, I do enjoy fall. Here are some of my favorite things about it:

1) The view from my kitchen window: 2) It brings back memories of my high school band days, spending chilly Friday evenings at football games and sunny, crisp Saturdays at marching competitions.

3) Pumpkins.

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4) Hayrides and bonfires, together or separately. I don't get to do either of these things too often, but it's always a treat when I do, and fall is the perfect time to do them.

5) Apples. This includes caramel apples, hot spiced cider, Southern Fried Apples, apple crisp, apple pie, and just plain ol' apples, maybe dipped in peanut butter.

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6) Taking walks, especially with the whole family, especially in the woods or a park.

7) Watching Don wrap the dogs up in their "blankies" every night. He does this when the weather gets cooler, and they generally stay that way all night, sleeping between the two of us. They don't look rotten, do they?

Our Monster Family

A little "monster" fun, from our family to yours.

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Band Concert

My community band is having our fall concert this coming Monday night, the 26th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Mt. Juliet High School auditorium. Admission is $5 for adults and free for kids 12 and under. Hope to see you there!

Snake!

I just looked out my front window and saw this:Now, as women go, I am not too squeamish about this sort of thing, but this was right next to my front porch, which is right over a closet in our (finished) basement. It seemed to be crawling out of a crack in the porch as I watched. Where would this crack go but into our basement?

Just so you'll know, if I find this thing in my basement, I'm moving to Hawaii, where there are supposedly no snakes. Nice knowing ya.

Red Robin

After the movie, we went to Red Robin for dinner. They had sent me a coupon for a free dinner for my birthday.

Though they have other things too, this restaurant is best known for their burgers, which are far from ordinary. I had an A-1 Peppercorn burger, which had pepper jack cheese, bacon, onion straws, an A-1 based sauce, and tomatoes (none for me, thanks), on an onion bun. It was delicious! All of their sandwiches come with "bottomless" fries, though the burgers are so big I have never needed a second helping. They have a seasoning salt on the tables that is very good on the fries.

Don had a Bruschetta Chicken Burger, which had grilled chicken, pesto sauce, balsamic cream, provolone cheese, salsa, parsley and lettuce. His fries were embellished with garlic, parmesan cheese and parsley. He let me try one or two, and they were very tasty!

If you've never tried this restaurant, I encourage you to check it out if there's one in your area. The prices are reasonable (around $10 for a burger and fries), the atmosphere is fun, and the food is delicious!

Where the Wild Things Are

Don and I celebrated my birthday today. We were hoping to go to the firing range or maybe to play putt-putt, but alas, the day was cold and dreary, so we decided to go to a movie. There were none we particularly wanted to see, so we chose “Where the Wild Things Are,” just because we thought it would be clean and wholesome.

Well, it was pretty clean, but that was about all either of us could say about it. It was loosely based on the children’s book by Maurice Sendak, but I realize now that it isn’t really a book that was ever meant to be a movie. The movie had a cast of depressed characters, who never really resolved their issues. Don used the words “existential” and “godless” to describe it. I wouldn’t consider it very suitable for children, but not exactly exciting for adults either.

Oh well. We had a fun date anyway, but if you’re thinking of going to see that movie, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

Keep Singing

One of my favorite worship songs is "How Can I Keep from Singing," by Chris Tomlin. I've been trying to get our worship team at church, which I am a part of, to try it one Sunday. So far, they haven't gotten around to it, so this week I decided that maybe if I did an arrangement of it for flute, piano and vocals, that would prompt them.

I am by no means a professional arranger, but I came up with something that I thought was pretty good, 8 pages long on my Finale software. It took me about 15 hours to do, over the course of several days. I listened to it over and over, trying to get it just perfect. About the time I did (at least by my standards), something happened. I still don't know exactly what, but my music was gone, all but the first page. I couldn't see it on the screen, and I couldn't pull up the file. I found a backup on my hard drive, but I couldn't pull that up either.

Needless to say, I was not happy about this. Devastated would be a better word. But then God reminded me of the lyrics to the song: "I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing," and "I can sing in the troubled times . . ." It is about praising God in everything, good and bad, because He loves us. He has saved me, and I will live eternally with Him, and that is far more important than any earthly thing. Even 15 hours of work being lost.

So I kept singing.

A couple of hours later, I decided to go ahead and try to recreate it as well as I could while it was still fresh on my mind. I pulled up what was left of it, and behold, it was all there! All 8 pages!

I can't explain what happened, but I know God was teaching me to praise Him even in hard times. They don't always turn out the way this did, but He always uses them to work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)!

A Funny Video

I don't post things like this too often, and it's only 42 seconds, but this is FUNNY. It made me laugh out loud at 6:30 in the morning, and that was before I'd even had my coffee!

Goodwill

What do you do when you need some new fall clothes but have a very limited budget? Go to Goodwill! I've discovered that they have 99-cent sales on Wednesdays and Sundays, so in the past week I have gotten 1 dress, 1 blouse, 3 sweaters, 2 pairs of pants and 4 T-shirts for $10.89 (there is no tax on used clothing).

Can you tell I like red and black?

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Of course, I will wash everything before I wear it, but it's all clean (no spots) and in good condition. They have dressing rooms there to try things on, so I knew it fit before I bought it.

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I hesitated to post pictures because now when you see me wearing these things you'll know where they came from, but oh well! I'm a bargain shopper and I'm not ashamed!

Skipping Sunday School

They should have been in Sunday School. But selfishly, I wanted their company, so I didn’t bother to mention it. One was home on leave from military school. The other we had had some conflict with in the past, and I occasionally need reassurance that it has been completely mended.

Don and I were assigned to nursery duty yesterday at church. We had two baby girls to care for, easy enough, but for some reason, two high school boys, both seniors, decided to come join us there. The hour flew by as we all just hung out and chatted. Don and I worked with the youth a few years ago, so I still have an attachment to the kids.

They told us about their girlfriends, their future plans and their experiences at school and work. They played with the babies and helped us keep them entertained. I saw that they were growing into men, men who are responsible and who have a heart for God. And it brought me joy.

If anyone gets after us for not sending them to Sunday School, I’ll take the blame. Some things can be more important than Sunday School.