When I was a youngster, every now and then a humorous story would be told about someone my parents knew, and invariably the tale ended with 'what a character!' This morning's offering will be about a 'character' who lives nearby to us now.
When we first moved here, we met Bob before we met his wife, who he called "Edith." It turns out that her real name is something else, but he called her 'Edith' because her voice and New York accent sounds exactly like Edith Bunker. She's a fun lady who likes to laugh and talented a painter/craftsperson. I liked her on the spot.
One year we were invited to a casual supper at their house during the Christmas season. During the evening, we heard a number of stories that had us laughing, but I'll share only this one for today. It must be read, thinking of the way Edith Bunker spoke, with her heavy accent and her high pitched voice.
Marilyn said, "When Bawb and oy lived in Floorida, Kath-a-leen, we built our own home, royte from the ground up. We built the wawls, we did it awl, but when we gowt to the roof, I said, "Bawb, don't ya think we awt t' hoyah somebuddy to do the roof?" Bawb said, 'no honey...we can do it. So, we cloymed up to the roof. " Her eyes got big and her brows raised up. "Oy thowt oy had awn good sneakahs, but oy didn't! I stahted t'slip! When I gowt to the cawnah, my jeans cawt awn a nail, and thayah oy was, Kath-a-leen! Hangin' thayah on the cawnah of the roof, with moy feet danglin'...yellin' "Bawb! Bawb!" She moved in closer to finish her story....'But Bawd didn't come! He fell awff the othah soide!"
I laugh every time I think of Marilyn and that story! 'What a character!'
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Busy Days...
We have a very active church group, and at this time of year, it seems even moreso. Although many others do, we don't always attend all of the events. We also have other social events to be a part of, family things going on, and sometimes we just need to 'be still'.
The calendar since Nov 14 looked like this:
14th....Church Senior group monthly supper, soup and sandwiches. Bring beverages, sandwiches,
or desserts.
18th....Fellowship supper at Sue's home. Turkey will be provided...bring sides or dessert.
20th....Dessert and coffee after evening service, Preacher appreciation night
22....All church Thanksgiving gathering....soup and sandwiches....bring your favorite soup,sandwiches,or dessert.
27.... Youth benefit spaghetti luncheon. Please bring desserts. Donations will be accepted and used for the youth group's 'adoption' of families for Christmas.
28....Dinner out for my birthday with family.
December hasn't even begun yet, and the calendar is full! There will be a Christmas play, three home parties, carolling, a weekend visit to Georgia, 4 NYers coming for a week, hubby's birthday, some riding around to look at lights (slip in one week of 'feet up', hahaha!!!) Then it's Christmas week and two Georgia families coming, some for a week,some for a day or two! Please take note that these events are all in addition to the normal church activities, and I've not mentioned the decorating of the house, the shopping that needs be finished with Mom, the wrapping, the baking and whatever else comes up!
I'm no Scrooge...not by any means...and I love everything about Christmas, but I'm losing my energy just writing this blog! I have no idea what I can cut out, and I don't want to miss a thing. Well, I guess there's January when I can actually put up my feet and breathe easily!)
The calendar since Nov 14 looked like this:
14th....Church Senior group monthly supper, soup and sandwiches. Bring beverages, sandwiches,
or desserts.
18th....Fellowship supper at Sue's home. Turkey will be provided...bring sides or dessert.
20th....Dessert and coffee after evening service, Preacher appreciation night
22....All church Thanksgiving gathering....soup and sandwiches....bring your favorite soup,sandwiches,or dessert.
27.... Youth benefit spaghetti luncheon. Please bring desserts. Donations will be accepted and used for the youth group's 'adoption' of families for Christmas.
28....Dinner out for my birthday with family.
December hasn't even begun yet, and the calendar is full! There will be a Christmas play, three home parties, carolling, a weekend visit to Georgia, 4 NYers coming for a week, hubby's birthday, some riding around to look at lights (slip in one week of 'feet up', hahaha!!!) Then it's Christmas week and two Georgia families coming, some for a week,some for a day or two! Please take note that these events are all in addition to the normal church activities, and I've not mentioned the decorating of the house, the shopping that needs be finished with Mom, the wrapping, the baking and whatever else comes up!
I'm no Scrooge...not by any means...and I love everything about Christmas, but I'm losing my energy just writing this blog! I have no idea what I can cut out, and I don't want to miss a thing. Well, I guess there's January when I can actually put up my feet and breathe easily!)
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Black Friday
Personally, I think the whole idea of getting up from a warm bed to fight gargantuan crowds for 'limited supply' of items on sale is NUTS!
That's my opinion, of course, and each of you are respected as people, despite whether or not you agree with me. So....did you run out to the sales....or did you avoid at all costs, like I did?
THAT is my complete blog entry for today! See ya soon!
That's my opinion, of course, and each of you are respected as people, despite whether or not you agree with me. So....did you run out to the sales....or did you avoid at all costs, like I did?
THAT is my complete blog entry for today! See ya soon!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thankful...
Sometimes things happen in life that are confusing, unpleasant, and upsetting. I have a one on one relationship with God, and I'm so glad I do. I speak with Him all the time, not necessarily on my knees, but He's always close and I beleive He reads my mind and thoughts.
Recently a sweet family friend disappeared. It was hard to function during the four days that he was 'lost', with no word to anyone from him. We didn't know his whereabouts or his condition. Tough days, full of prayers and caring thoughts from others, as well as encouraging words to each other. We all felt a little 'stunned' and as if a gray cloud hung over us. Some of us found it difficult to think about a holiday of Thanksgiving when someone we loved was who-knows-where, and there was little motivation to cook and clean in preparation of a gathering.
Prayers kept flying heavenward. Though we did not know where our friend was, God always did. I am happy to say that our friend was found alive.... and our gratitude and relief is overwhelming. Today we make our preparations for our dinners and we raise our prayers in thanks to our God who heard our concerns, keeping our friend within His view, took compassion on us, and answered those prayers. A day of Thanksgiving for sure!
Recently a sweet family friend disappeared. It was hard to function during the four days that he was 'lost', with no word to anyone from him. We didn't know his whereabouts or his condition. Tough days, full of prayers and caring thoughts from others, as well as encouraging words to each other. We all felt a little 'stunned' and as if a gray cloud hung over us. Some of us found it difficult to think about a holiday of Thanksgiving when someone we loved was who-knows-where, and there was little motivation to cook and clean in preparation of a gathering.
Prayers kept flying heavenward. Though we did not know where our friend was, God always did. I am happy to say that our friend was found alive.... and our gratitude and relief is overwhelming. Today we make our preparations for our dinners and we raise our prayers in thanks to our God who heard our concerns, keeping our friend within His view, took compassion on us, and answered those prayers. A day of Thanksgiving for sure!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Caring For One Another...
Recently I read an article about a family in the local paper from my hometown. The mother of the young husband had just lost his mother. While the family and out of town family were away from thir rental home, attending the funeral in a nearby town, the house was destroyed by fire. The next day, rain poured into the building, further damaging items that might have been retrieved. Soon after, the wife was cleaning her father in law's house, and she fell on the stairs, badly bruising her body.
Sometimes when it rains, it pours", as the old saying goes. My heart went out to those kids and their youngsters. When I can find an address, I will send a donation to be used for replacement of their possessions. While I was reading facebook one day, I discovered that the young mother is the daughter of one of my friends. Further reading made me aware that many are stepping up to help this family, as it should be in any community.
In our own area, one of the first things we took note of was the wonderful spirit of giving when there are those. The TV station we most watch does 25 days of wishes, choosing one story per day and then provides that wish for a needy family. Churches join together each Christmas to collect and hand out warm clothing for those who may be homeless, or can't provide them for themselves. Our own church congregation is always collecting something for families in trouble. There have been collections of clothing and toys for grandparents who suddenly found themselves with custody of their four little grandchildren. One of our members is ill and cannot work, and his wife, too, is out of work...we've helped by providing non-perishable foods. We've taken 'love offerings' for two couples who have had fires in their homes. No one complains about being asked. We truly are taking care of one another, because we care!
In recent weeks, our neighborhood has had some vandalism, to the point where we've met together to discuss what we can do to keep our subdivision safe. Currently we are in the process of forming a real neighborhood watch. We've determined that it's up to us to stay aware and make others aware of any suspicious activity. We've made inquiries with the Sheriff's Dept. to inform ourselves of the best way to handle any crime, should we discover it, while we wait for the law enforcemnt to arrive. We expect a Deputy from the Dept. to speak at our next meeting. First and foremost, we are watching each other's homes, elderly residents and children in our subdivision. We are showing that we care, not only about our own property, but about other people and their safety.
That's what we're all here on earth for....to show others that we love them. Caring for people and their situations proves that love. Remember folks...the Golden Rule says, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You never know when you might be on the receiving end, so you might want to give your caring today!
Sometimes when it rains, it pours", as the old saying goes. My heart went out to those kids and their youngsters. When I can find an address, I will send a donation to be used for replacement of their possessions. While I was reading facebook one day, I discovered that the young mother is the daughter of one of my friends. Further reading made me aware that many are stepping up to help this family, as it should be in any community.
In our own area, one of the first things we took note of was the wonderful spirit of giving when there are those. The TV station we most watch does 25 days of wishes, choosing one story per day and then provides that wish for a needy family. Churches join together each Christmas to collect and hand out warm clothing for those who may be homeless, or can't provide them for themselves. Our own church congregation is always collecting something for families in trouble. There have been collections of clothing and toys for grandparents who suddenly found themselves with custody of their four little grandchildren. One of our members is ill and cannot work, and his wife, too, is out of work...we've helped by providing non-perishable foods. We've taken 'love offerings' for two couples who have had fires in their homes. No one complains about being asked. We truly are taking care of one another, because we care!
In recent weeks, our neighborhood has had some vandalism, to the point where we've met together to discuss what we can do to keep our subdivision safe. Currently we are in the process of forming a real neighborhood watch. We've determined that it's up to us to stay aware and make others aware of any suspicious activity. We've made inquiries with the Sheriff's Dept. to inform ourselves of the best way to handle any crime, should we discover it, while we wait for the law enforcemnt to arrive. We expect a Deputy from the Dept. to speak at our next meeting. First and foremost, we are watching each other's homes, elderly residents and children in our subdivision. We are showing that we care, not only about our own property, but about other people and their safety.
That's what we're all here on earth for....to show others that we love them. Caring for people and their situations proves that love. Remember folks...the Golden Rule says, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You never know when you might be on the receiving end, so you might want to give your caring today!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Waiting...
My Mom has two sayings referring to 'waiting'. One is 'All good things come to those who wait.'
and the other is 'Anything worth having is worth waiting for.' It may be true, and last evening, I was reminded again of that.
On Nov 5, I wrote about missing the Canadian geese that we used to see all the time when we lived on Long Island, and how we rarely see them here in SC. I was wishing that I'd see a gaggle of them once again and longing to hear their tell-tale honking as they cross the sky on their familiar and invisible tracks.
Last night, while I was waiting for my husband to return to the car with our take-out Greek salad and Greek Pizza...I was people watching. All of a sudden, through the open window, I heard it. Loud honking! The sound of Canadian geese coming from somewhere behind the van! I opened the car door and looked into the dusky sky. I could hear them, but they were nowhere in sight.....for a minute. Then, there they were....all helter skelter, trying to gather themselves into some sort of formation. While I watched with complete pleasure, they failed at their attempt to figure out where there place was, and maybe even which was the 'head' goose. They flew in a ragged line across the path toward the East. I continued to watch and to listen, until they were a dim squiggle in the darkening sky.
As I sat, I remembered Mom's adages, and I also realized that God had heard my thoughts of missing the geese. I thought of the scripture verse in Psalms that says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I believe that God cares, even about the little things, and though we may have to wait to see them, sometimes He blesses us with something that makes you realize that He hears even the silent desires of the heart. This blessing of the geese was definitely was worth waiting for!
and the other is 'Anything worth having is worth waiting for.' It may be true, and last evening, I was reminded again of that.
On Nov 5, I wrote about missing the Canadian geese that we used to see all the time when we lived on Long Island, and how we rarely see them here in SC. I was wishing that I'd see a gaggle of them once again and longing to hear their tell-tale honking as they cross the sky on their familiar and invisible tracks.
Last night, while I was waiting for my husband to return to the car with our take-out Greek salad and Greek Pizza...I was people watching. All of a sudden, through the open window, I heard it. Loud honking! The sound of Canadian geese coming from somewhere behind the van! I opened the car door and looked into the dusky sky. I could hear them, but they were nowhere in sight.....for a minute. Then, there they were....all helter skelter, trying to gather themselves into some sort of formation. While I watched with complete pleasure, they failed at their attempt to figure out where there place was, and maybe even which was the 'head' goose. They flew in a ragged line across the path toward the East. I continued to watch and to listen, until they were a dim squiggle in the darkening sky.
As I sat, I remembered Mom's adages, and I also realized that God had heard my thoughts of missing the geese. I thought of the scripture verse in Psalms that says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I believe that God cares, even about the little things, and though we may have to wait to see them, sometimes He blesses us with something that makes you realize that He hears even the silent desires of the heart. This blessing of the geese was definitely was worth waiting for!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
More about Sewing...
Well, I got those valances done...two of them....but I'm not happy with them, so I'll begin again. I've got lots of the fabric, as I bought enough to do full length curtains for three windows, plus, and since I've decided to do valances for two windows in another room, there's extra to use for other things (or error!)
I remember learning to sew when I still lived at home. Actually, I think Mom started to teach me when I was about twelve years old. It was four years later, I believe, that I discovered had half an interest in it, and asked for help in creating something that I could wear. Of course, I had to be instructed all over again, as I hadn't touched a needle and thread since Mom's first attempt to show me how to use it. Well, no, that's not true. I had a wee bit of sewing in Home Ec. class in school, but as with most of my classes, I barely scraped through, without learning much of anything.
So...from that springboard, I dove head long into sewing things. I used Mom's machine until my 3rd year of marriage, when we bought that Montgomery Ward model. I was given a treadle machine when some friends moved away, but for the life of me, I couldn't make it work, and not too long afterward, I decided that it didn't need to take up space, and we took it to the dump. (Oh, foolish child bride that I was! It had no value to me then....therefore, it had no value!)
I sewed grannie dresses and tops for myself in the 1960's, and then maternity things, tiny clothing and blankets for my babies, and made stuffed animals and dolls for them as they grew old enough to play. I made school clothes, then graduated to patchwork quilts and sewn items to sell. I stopped sewing clothing after awhile, as the kids wanted to wear things like other kids in their classes wore...and I was never good at making clothing fit me correctly. After awhile, I just put that machine away....and didn't drag it out any more. My girls didn't want to learn to sew then, however two of them learned on their own when they got older, and are quite good at it. The other two still can't sew a button on!
Today, I will once again cut and pin and stitch, and hopefully I'll have better luck than I did yesterday!
I remember learning to sew when I still lived at home. Actually, I think Mom started to teach me when I was about twelve years old. It was four years later, I believe, that I discovered had half an interest in it, and asked for help in creating something that I could wear. Of course, I had to be instructed all over again, as I hadn't touched a needle and thread since Mom's first attempt to show me how to use it. Well, no, that's not true. I had a wee bit of sewing in Home Ec. class in school, but as with most of my classes, I barely scraped through, without learning much of anything.
So...from that springboard, I dove head long into sewing things. I used Mom's machine until my 3rd year of marriage, when we bought that Montgomery Ward model. I was given a treadle machine when some friends moved away, but for the life of me, I couldn't make it work, and not too long afterward, I decided that it didn't need to take up space, and we took it to the dump. (Oh, foolish child bride that I was! It had no value to me then....therefore, it had no value!)
I sewed grannie dresses and tops for myself in the 1960's, and then maternity things, tiny clothing and blankets for my babies, and made stuffed animals and dolls for them as they grew old enough to play. I made school clothes, then graduated to patchwork quilts and sewn items to sell. I stopped sewing clothing after awhile, as the kids wanted to wear things like other kids in their classes wore...and I was never good at making clothing fit me correctly. After awhile, I just put that machine away....and didn't drag it out any more. My girls didn't want to learn to sew then, however two of them learned on their own when they got older, and are quite good at it. The other two still can't sew a button on!
Today, I will once again cut and pin and stitch, and hopefully I'll have better luck than I did yesterday!
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