A Very Pleasant Saturday

Today I finally felt like I am on the mend.  Thank you so much for you good wishes and kind words.  I appreciate it more than I can tell you.  I have been going to bed between 8pm and 9pm all week.  I even went to sleep at nine last night.  I woke up feeling nicely rested at about 8:30.  As I made my morning tea, Liesl went to nap on the sofa and I set about disinfecting my kitchen counter tops.  My kitchen looks very pretty and hopefully is all germ free now. 

Other than Liesl's rally class, I stayed home today and enjoyed it.   It felt good to putter around the house and not be really sick.  I even got to stitch during the NASCAR race.  I am happy to say that it is now two thirds completed.  I am really glad that I decided to do this project.  

The other project that I had this weekend was grooming Liesl for my first time.   I love my dog groomer, however, she is getting close to retiring as she is almost 80.  Liesl loves her too, but the process of dropping her off was so stressful on both of us.  Liesl gets frantic and starts panting really hard.  I think a lot of it is that she has to be placed in a kennel.  Liesl was crated most of her time before she was dropped by angels into my life, and is terrified of them. I always figured that when my groomer does retire, it will be way too stressful for Liesl to have to meet a new groomer.  I have been talking with another mini schnauzer momma who has always groomed hers and said that it was so easy that I would be surprised.  

There are quite a number of tutorials on Youtube.  I started watching them to see how hard it would be. Most of the work is shaving them down with the electric clippers.  The videos showed direction to go in on the fur.  The ears take forever because they are so delicate.  What impressed me is that Liesl is a pro at getting groomed even when her momma is terrified.  Liesl was very patient and was not afraid of the clippers at all.  I did not do everything all at once.  I worked until Liesl started getting wiggly and then put everything away.  I do not need to have everything done at once.  She looks so beautiful.  I still have to trim up her feathers and the pads of her feet, but I can do a little at a time. I look forward to getting more confidence.  Best of all, the weather has warmed up so she will be a lot more comfortable.  During the hot months I can clip her a lot more often to keep her cool.  I am really grateful to people who take the time to do instructional videos on Youtube.  It was so helpful to see step by step instructions that were not overly technical.  Liesl looks so pretty and she seems to know that she looks good.  :)

Sprintime

Well, you can tell that another milestone has been passed this week.  It was the week that I took the flannel sheets off of the bed.  This marks the transition from the warm and cozy to the crisp and cool.  I have really soft cotton sheets.  They make me happy.  Every day I spray chamomile linen spray on them so that they smell fresh when I get into bed.  Sadly I am still way sick, so I am having to spend too much time on these sheets...

I haven't called any of my friends in over a week.  I was not feeling well enough to chat.  My best friend is a nurse practitioner and when she called me tonight, she could immediately hear my wheezing and was really concerned.  She told me that I should have called her so that she could bring me chicken soup.  I thought this was such a kind thing to offer and I know she would have done it, too.  I did not want to whine.  She has advised me to stay in bed this weekend again and that she is coming over to tea and to check on me.  She is such a gentle, kind and giving person.  

I may not stay in bed per se, but I do think I will stay home and take care of myself this weekend.  I will just go to Liesl's rally class but stay home and stitch otherwise.  My Better Homes and Gardens magazine just arrived so I can play magazine.  Napping is also good and something that Liesl and I both enjoy.  Yes, I think it will be good to stay in.  I have big plans for next weekend, so I should probably rest up.  It is funny how I can be just as excited about staying in as I can going out.  I think there is a fine art to staying home.  Firstly, I think your home has to filled up with only things that you absolutely love.  Then it is having all of your playthings there, too.  Cross stitch, sewing machine, kitchenwares, gardening stuff, books, magazines, etc.  I love playing at home.  

Well, I think I will go to sleep early yet again and try to beat this bronchitis.  It sounds so awful.  I feel badly for anyone who has to hear me cough.  

A Day Gone To The Dogs

Well, today was back to work for me.  I am still sounding like a seal barking but I was upright and it was a good thing!  Today was a special day for the dogs at work.  Today is the five year anniversary of the search warrant being served at Michael Vick's kennels and approximately 60 dogs were rescued.  Many of these dogs now live in very special loving homes with families that adore them.  One of those loving, special people works with me in my office has a beautiful pitbull named Ginger that was rescued that day.  We all love her so much. Ginger is so well mannered and behaved and she knows that I am usually a soft touch for a cookie.  She can be a little shy, but is just a doll and has a momma that truly dotes on her.  

Today, to celebrate the five year anniversary of her dog being rescued from a truly horrible situation, her momma had a special dog cake made for a dog party with all the dogs at work.  It was chicken meatloaf with veggies with mashed potatoes as icing.  It was beautifully decorated.  The dogs all sat down on a big plastic tablecloth and were given their own pretty paper plate.  Everyone laughed that they could tell who the only child was there because their dogs all live with other dogs, which makes meal time a little speedy.  Liesl, not being used to having to compete her food was slowly eating hers, savoring every bite and smacking her puppy lips long after the others were done.  All of the dogs were so polite and no one tried to snatch anyone else's plate.  Afterwards, there was people cake for the dog moms and daddies, which was delicious.  Each dog was given a party favor of a pretty wrapped bag of treats.  Liesl napped the rest of the day.  I was thinking that I may do something similar for her birthday since she will be five this year.  This is crazy to me because I still think of her as the little 4 month old, eight pound puppy.  

After work, I went over to my friend's ranch to go catch up since I had not seen him for a while.  Liesl slept on the sofa beside me while we talked about all kinds of stuff.  She looked so sweet and so comfy all sunken in to the over stuffed couch. Most of my friends are people of faith and inevitably our conversations turn to faith.  As we were chatting he said, "You know, God has not always given me what I want, but He has always, always, always given me what I needed."  I have been thinking about that this evening.  Whenever I have ever truly needed something-- a job, a friend, or a miracle, He has always provided me with whatever I needed when I asked Him.  When it was something that I wanted, He usually had a better idea for me as my thoughts are a little more limiting than His are.  I have been thinking about this a lot.

As I was getting ready to head for home it was still light out and rainy.  That was when Liesl heard the sound of Public Enemy Numero Uno---SQUIRRELS!  She and her ranch dog friend took off running.  Now if you have never seen a schnauzer run, let me tell you it is a thing of beauty.  They run low to the ground and they are FAST!  She ran up the dirt road past the horse corral and to this huge tree.  I almost felt a little scared that she was just outside the comfort distance for me.  I could barely see her.  She and the squirrels smack talked each other for a while then she figured out her momma wasn't standing there with her and came running back--with mud up to her knee and arm joints.  sigh.  But she was happy and that makes me happy.  She is now chewing her bone next to her bed.  She will want her blankie soon.  

You know, I also, thought several years ago that I wanted a chihuahua when I got a dog.  One who would be obedient, lay on my lap, and just behave.  God had a better idea.  He did not give me the dog I thought I wanted.  He gave me the one that I need.  One that is loving, sassy, stubborn, energetic and funny.  He really knows what is best for me and I am so grateful.

Back To The Land Of The Living

Well, I am finally back.  This cold has been awful.  On Sunday I woke up and realized that I was not getting better after five days and my breathing had a certain whistling sound.  I called my doctor's office and the doctor on call told me I needed to get down to the Urgent Care Center.  Turned out I had bronchitis.  The doctor told me I had to stay in bed for the next three days.  Today was day three.  I was too sick to stitch, read or do anything remotely interesting.  My highlight was watching Real Housewives of New Jersey re-runs while I dozed on the sofa.  I have to say that my sweet little angel nurse, Liesl, has been amazing.  She has just laid down quietly near me everyday.  

While I did not get to stitch the past few days, I do have an updated photo to share from the last time I was able to stitch.  Here is my WIP.  I am now on the top row of the top section.

I think it is rather dramatic.

Tonight I decided to make myself a simple yet healthy dinner after the past several days of canned soup.  I made Martha Stewart's Soba Noodle Salad.  It is so good and the buckwheat soba noodles are really good for you.  Here is the recipe:  http://www.marthastewart.com/318861/soba-noodle-salad

I am hoping that I am going to be feeling better by the weekend so that I can get some yard work done.  I feel like I need to take a machete back there when I look out of the window.  The guilt is getting to me for it getting a little bit out of hand.  But Liesl loves it back there, so I guess I should not worry.

Well, I guess I am headed off to dreamland.  I get to return to work tomorrow and I am sure that it is going to be an overwhelming day and I am still not feeling great.  If you could spare a prayer for me I would be so grateful.

Pardon My Whining

Oh my gosh!  This cold is pure evil.  I swear this is the worst cold that I have had in about 20 years since my kids were small.  I was so sick at work yesterday, counting the hours until I could go home and go to bed.  I stopped at the grocery store on my way home, knowing that I would be hunkering down all weekend with the crud.  I also called friends on my way home to cancel any and all weekend plans.  My dear friend did not even recognize my voice.  I was so bummed because I was supposed to go to a very fancy schmancy gala event at the Monterey Bay Aquarium tonight.

I ended up going to sleep at 8 last night.  Not because I was tired, but because I felt so miserable there was nothing I could do to feel better.  My eyes were all bloodshot, my nose was all red and scaley, I was mouth breathin' and I was slathered with Vick's Vapo Rub.  I was a sexy beast.  LOL.

Today was a tiny bit better.  I had cancelled all of my plans for the day except for Liesl's one hour class.  I was not sure what she had been promoted into and I did not want her to fall behind.  I figured I could get through one hour.  It turns out that she is in the Rally Class, which is kind of like agility, without the equipment.  The dog and the person really need to be paying attention and there are a lot of voice commands and hand signals.  There are only two dogs in the class which is awesome.  I think Liesl will really enjoy it.  It was really rocking her world that everything is done on the trainer's left side of the body and she is used to walking on my right.  She is adapting but it was blowing her mind for a while.  Schnauzers do not like change.  I like it because it is fast paced and she really has to focus.  The teacher of the class told us of upcoming rally events and told us to consider competitive events.  I just think of this as another way to play with my dog.  I prefer it as a fun thing we can do together.

I am so grateful because as I had to cancel plans with friends in the past couple of days, the first thing they ask is if I need anything and do I have groceries in the house.  It gives me a great sense of peace to know that if I am ever truly seriously ill that I have a really great support network.  Even my friend who has the flu offered to swing by my house with groceries as she was headed out.  My friend who recently moved to Texas even called to check on me today after he saw on Facebook that my coworkers were talking about me being the latest with the crud.  I am very humbled by the caring that others extend to me.  Life can be really hard, but it can also be really beautiful when you have so much love in your life.  

One last thing.  Earlier this week I had placed that order with Petco for their 20% of sitewide on their website.  I came home to a large box yesterday filled with the next few months in supplies.  I was able to buy a more expensive spa type shampoo for Liesl than I usually get.  It smells so pretty.  I also got a nice flea shampoo.  We do not need a flea shampoo right now.  However, earlier this week, I was talking with a fellow dog parent.  After several complaints about Frontline not being effective last year, my vet switched to Advantix.  I never give Liesl a full dose of Advantix because she seems to be uncomfortable when she gets it.  I also do not do it every month.  My friend was saying that she has given it up altogether and she has three very active dogs.  She said that she makes sure they get bathed once a week like Liesl does and she vacuums her rugs.  She said that when she really thought about it, the topical flea and tick medications were really a slow poisoning and she did not want to do that to her dogs.  I realized the logic in this and I am only keeping the doses I have on hand for if we have a really bad outbreak.  I keep Liesl bathed, I have hardwood floors, leather furniture and vacuum several times a week, so I think we will stay with this plan.  Thought I would pass the suggestion along...

A Dog Day

Today was a pretty nice day.  The sun was shining and the day was gorgeous.  We got to work and Liesl's very best friend, a Queensland Healer, was there.  She thinks that she is as big as him.  They have been BFF's since they were both about a year old and both are now about five.  (Liesl will be five on August 4th.)  They really wrestle.  She boxes him in the nose and then he puts her whole head in his mouth in a gentle way.  Today for the first time ever they got all cuddled up and were nuzzling each other with their heads and noses.  It was pretty cute.  She loves her best dog friend.  His momma and I got to walk our pups at break and talk gardening.  It made me happy.

I really love what I do for a living.  I love that Liesl gets to come to work with me, too.  Today we had to run errands at Costco at lunchtime.  I found Liesl's treats at about 40% off.  I bought a couple of them and finished up my grocery shopping.  I even got to have a nice Costco hot dog.  It has been a couple of years since I have had one.  It was delicious.  Of course, I had to share with the bearded one.  She only gets little bitty bites though.  She was pretty happy because she thinks that hot dogs are the very best food in the whole world.

I got an email today that Liesl is being promoted into another class.  The class we were in was a little more basic and was packed.  The teacher asked if it would be okay if we moved into a class that is really fun and has a lot of mental stimulation for dogs and people.  They said that it would reinforce the commands that I am interested in at a really fast level.  I am pretty excited.  Liesl will be super excited, too.  She loves it when we are working on her homework.  She is really responding well to her hand signals.

Okay, passing along info.  Petco is having a 20% off sale sitewide on their website and free shipping on orders over $49.  I figure I can order her shampoo, training treats and food for the next several months.  It is a really good deal.  If you are looking for a great toy for your dog, try the Everlasting Fun Ball by Starmark. You fill it with treats and your dog has to work to get them out.  This toy came highly recommended by a behaviorist and Liesl loves it.  She is so impatient when I am filling up the ball. If you are looking for treats, Charlee Bear now makes Chicken Soup flavored.  Liesl goes nuts for these.  I put them in her fun ball and she is pretty happy getting them out.  

I realize that most people love their pets as much as I love my little furgirl. Life would be a little less fun if she was not around.  Dogs rock!

Such A Nice Day

Here is my work in progress.  That top section took way longer than I had planned.  It was not as much fun as other sections so I was not working really fast on it.  I was really happy to put the last stitch in that section.  It is beautiful.  Aww, crud.  Just now as I was looking at the photo I see that I missed a spot.  sigh...

Today was a lovely day.  The winds had totally died down. This afternoon I started to work on the backyard but ended up in the front yard.  I still had bedding plants in their containers so I wanted to get them in the ground before it was too late.  I also got my jasmine planted along with my red calla lily.  I had California poppies growing wildly that I transplanted to nicer places in the yard.  I love poppies and the orange pops in my color scheme of my garden.  I also moved some really pretty alyssum around.  My neighbor and I love to talk gardening, so I got to chat with him for a while.  His daughter came along and told me that my front yard looks so beautiful.  That made me feel really good.  It makes me feel like I am contributing to the neighborhood by making sure my front yard looks nice.  Pretty much everyone on my block works to keep their houses and yards looking nice.

Liesl and I worked it bit on our homework for her training class.  I am so surprised by how quickly she learned the hand signals.  She is so smart.  She gets so excited when she shes that we are going to work on her commands.  I love the fact the she enjoys it so much.  She is a pretty smart little dog.

I got to play a little on the internet this afternoon, too.  I found that Safeway has a pretty good web page with lots of stuff on it.  Sales, coupons, healthy living recipes, grocery lists that you can print out.  I was pretty impressed and vowed to use it more often.  I also found that they have home delivery in my area.  I don't like going to the grocery store, but even less so when I am super duper busy.  I am thinking that in really busy times of the year, like the holidays, this might be well worth it instead of fighting the crowds.  

The other thing that I did research on is worm bins for recycling kitchen scraps.  I found that they are actually pretty easy to make.  My coworker has a worm bin and offered to give me starter worms.  I am thinking that this is a project I will have to tackle soon.  Worm casings are really good for soil, too.  I learned alot and I am excited about getting started on it.  

Well, it has been a wonderful day.  I am off to say my prayers of thanks for it. 

A Peaceful Happy Saturday

Today was a wonderful day.  We are still experiencing high winds from the storms this week, so it was a good day to be inside.  We started the day at a training class for Liesl.  She has taken classes in the past all the way up to the Intermediate level.  I wanted her to learn a couple of new things, plus get a refresher in a couple of areas.  (Schnauzers are notorious for not coming when called right away.  They are really stubborn and if they are doing something interesting they will "ignore" you.)  With a smart, stubborn dog you have to be really firm and stay one step ahead of them.  Liesl in general is a really good, well behaved dog and pretty mellow for her breed.  She loves to learn and gets really excited when she gets something so this was a good opportunity.  We learned a couple of new things, including some hand signals, which is really helpful.  The trainer was excellent and packed the class full of information.  I was glad that there was not a lot of repetition.  Liesl had a lot of fun and totally crashed when we got home.  She was so good in the class and was excited about her new tricks.  

One of the interesting things that the behaviorist talked about is that at "settle down time" in the evening, we should take the time to massage our dogs.  She said that just as humans carry stress in our necks and backs, dogs carry stress in their lower back and back legs, so it is important to rub down these areas for them.  She also said to give their little feet and ears a little rub down, too.  The behaviorist was right and Liesl seemed to really appreciate her little mini massage.  

Several weeks ago, I picked up bedding and edging flowers at Home Depot but the weather has been so lousy that I could not get them planted.  Today I made a gorgeous color bowl for my front steps.  It is so colorful and happy looking.  So professional looking for less than $10.  Yay!  I still have more plants to get in the ground and hope to get it done this week.  

Best of all today, I got to stitch.  It was so cold and blustery so it was nice to be inside with my sleepy dog.  I got to catch up on all of my favorite TV shows and work on my sampler.  I also got to putter around my house.  It was perfect.  It has been a really hectic month at work and so I was happy to get rest and have some quiet.  It was perfect.  

Snug As A Bug

It was rainy all afternoon today.  Liesl and I came home and felt like being lazy.  I had a list of things I wanted to do but decided the best thing to do was to honor the fact that I was a bit tired.  I just decided to be cozy in my warmest and softest jammies.  Liesl napped after her dinner in various spots before putting herself to bed early.  I just tucked her in a few minutes ago.  She loves to be tucked in and given her kisses.  She is making soft puppy snores.

I love being home when it is raining.  I love that pattering sound on the roof and the splashing sound of cars driving by.  I love being in the warmth and coziness of the cottage knowing that outside it is rainy and blustery.  I love the quiet of it all.  I am quite happy and content when it rains, knowing that my flowers are being fed with minerals and nutrients from the rain, and that everything will smell really fresh in the morning.

It is really quiet right now on my street and in my home.  It feels so peaceful.  I think I will say my prayers of gratitude for another good day, for rain, and for a peaceful evening at home with one that I love so much.

Best Easter Ever!

Today was fantastic.  It was a day filled with love.  I was the assistant minister and cantor at church.  I so love Easter and love working on this particular service.  It is so joyful.  We bury the Alleluia during Lent so it is really wonderful when we get to say and sing it again.  I love being with the people of my church.  I treasure my friendships there.

After church I ran home to bake a cake, make my chicken dish and get ready for company.  Liesl knows peoples' names and gets really excited when I tell her who is coming.  She gets really excited when the family is coming and runs to window to wait for them with her little stubby tail wagging.  We both love when the family is here!  All of the food turned out perfectly and we had enough left over for lunch this week and sending home with everyone.  It was a perfect day and we got to play a game, laugh and just be together.  It was perfect.  

My family is a true blessing to me and I truly feel like I am at my happiest when we are all together.  I am lucky enough to have my adult children living locally and I am so grateful for it.  It was the best day and a truly happy Easter.  I feel really blessed.  

A Day Of Surprises

This morning I heard a knock on my door.  Okay, I heard Liesl barking because there was a knock on my door.  Since Saturdays tend to be filled with those knocking on doors for religious reasons or trying to sell me something, I did not answer the door.  (Every time it happens I think to myself that I really need a No Soliciting sign.)  Anyway, the person knocking was delivering these:  

I was stunned!  They were from my sweet elderly neighbor.  He told me that he and his wife who passed last month had a tradition of sending flowers to new neighbors over the last forty years to welcome them to the neighborhood.  He said that when I moved in, his lovely wife had taken a turn for the worse and they felt badly that they did not get around to keeping up with their tradition.  He wanted to keep the tradition going on her behalf so he felt that Easter was the best time to send flowers to me and to the nice man across the street who bought his house a couple of months before me.  I thought it was a very nice thing to do and it made my day.  I really adore all of my neighbors.  I am so blessed with the people who live in the houses around me.  I have had bad neighbors a couple of times in my life, so I really, really treasure good neighbors.  

After, chatting with my neighbor over the hedge for about half an hour and discussing our respective gardens, I figured I had better go buy some food since I have peeps coming over for Easter.  When I got home, my BFF called and told me she wanted to see my decorating progress so she came over for coffee.  When she got here she gave me these:

How sweet is that!  She is a pretty cool best friend.  We got to sit and talk while drinking from my stash of pumpkin spice coffee that I hoard during the holidays.  We both love the stuff which is yet just another reason why we are best friends.  

This evening, I prepared the foods for our Easter feast tomorrow that I could prep ahead.  I made marinade for chicken for a wonderful chicken and peppers main dish. I made potato salad, baby beets and citrus salad, and rosemary - parmigiana polenta.  Tomorrow I will put my cake in the oven while I get ready for church so that it is ready to be frosted when I get home.  I will put my chicken dish together, roast carrots,  make lemonade and get everything set up.  My daughter is the queen of appetizers so she is bringing something yummy to feast on before hand.  My stomach is making grumbly noises just thinking about all of the yummy food.  I really love to cook so this was a lot of fun.  Liesl does not like to be too far from any action so she keeps me company while I cook.  She also knows that there is a good chance that when momma is cooking that it is pretty likely yummy morsels will get put in her bowl.  Tonight it was half of a potato and then two pinches of shredded parmegian cheese.  She was pretty happy.

So know I am getting ready to go to sleep for the night.  When I wake up it will be the Holiest Day of the church calendar.  I have great peace on this day and it is because of this weekend that I remember that He is always with us, He will never forsake us.  Most of all, we are loved.  

Wishing you a joyous Easter!

Made It To The Weekend

Whoa, Nelly!  Was I ever glad it was Friday today. It has been a very busy couple of weeks and I am feeling a bit rough around the edges.   It was really good to have church tonight as a way to cleanse all of the work stress away.  I have to confess that Holy Week is my favorite holiday week.  I feel very reflective during this this particular week. I feel so full of hope during Easter and it really comes home to me how much we are truly loved.  This is such a comfort to me.

It is still really cold here although the winds have died down.  After church I came home to have a quiet evening with my furgirl.  It was so oddly cold last night that she actually wanted up on the bed last night.  I woke up to her tapping on the mattress and a silhouette of little pointy ears in the dark.  She immediately got under the blankets and cuddled up to my side.  Then she would get too hot and get down on the hardwood floor, then it would be, "Momma, I'm cold..."  She was up and down several times during the night last night.  This is not normal for her.  Hopefully tonight she will be nice and comfy.

I am so glad that I got all of that housework done last night.  The house is pretty sparkly clean and I am looking forward to sleeping in and a leisurely cup of coffee.  I plan on cooking and baking most of the day to get ready for the masses coming over on Easter Sunday.  Hopefully, I will get some gardening and stitching in, too.  My BFF is going to try to come over tomorrow and I am hoping I can get some ideas for my yard.  She has taken landscape design classes and has a gorgeous yard.  I was thinking about taking a class myself.  

I am so grateful that I live in a really quiet neighborhood.  Very rarely does anyone on the street make much noise.  It makes it much easier to hear the birds singing in the trees on the street.  There are a couple of different bird calls around here that are so beautiful and musical.  I love to listen to them when I am walking Liesl in the early morning.  The bird calls make me happy.  

Off to cuddle my warm little furry girl...

Everyone Knows It Windy...

Oh my goodness, we have had two days of wind storms in the evening.   The car was buffering against the wind and I could see others fighting the wind, too.  As I was driving home in the evening the sand is blowing off the dunes across the highway.  It was strangely beautiful as the sun is behind it.  It was also beautiful to see the dunes resculpting themselves.  Then I remembered, "Oh, yeah, my paint job on my car is getting naturally sand blasted right now."  No bueno.  I have come home the past two nights to find my cute plants from my little porch blown all over my front yard.  Grrrr.

Maybe it was the wind or the fact I have not been able to stay awake past 9:15 the past two nights, but I came home and was highly productive.  I braved the wind, put my hair up in a ponytail and went out and planted my tomato plants.  I decided to spring for Miracle Grow this time.  Everyone that I know swears by it.  I would love to have lots of tomatoes.  After that I transplanted some bedding plants and started putting together a large color bowl.  I was having a good time.  

Liesl decided that she had not been the center of attention for a while (it is a schnauzer thing,)  She brought me a toy and shoved it into the back of my knee so I would not miss the fact that she was there and ready to play. We usually go through several toys when we play.  I am trying to teach her to drop them so I can throw them again.  I got some really good advice on it from people at work.  So we will have to work on it.  She is such an amazingly smart little dog and is a pretty quick learner so it should not take too long,

After all of the activity I decided to get started on my weekend chores.  I got my kitchen all scrubbed and shiny.  It looks and smells purty.  I am having company for Easter so I am glad to have a head start on getting stuff done.  I also got my living room all clean.  Now I just have to work on my shopping list for Easter dinner.  It should be a lot of fun.  Of course, I have church tomorrow night and Sunday.  Since I was able to get my living room and kitchen all clean, I may even have time to stitch.  Whoohoo.  

Well, it has been a really good day.  It is a bit cold so I have to go tuck in the furry one.  She makes these cute little noises that are almost like purring when I tuck her in.  Outside the wind is still shaking the house.  It is nice to be inside and under my blankets, too.  It looks like I have made it all the way to 9:30 tonight.  I am livin' large!

A Peaceful Evening

I had big plans today of coming home and doing a little gardening.  I have to plant my tomatoes, put together some color bowls and plant some shrubs.  I also have my never ending job of weeding.  I was thinking about it all day.  However, I finally figured out a solution to a mathematical problem I have been working on and off for a couple of months.  My brain was mushy and as a result, I had only enough energy to make myself a Fluffernutter for dinner.  I still love them as an adult.  Peanut butter and marshmallow cream.  So yummy.  

My gardening shall have to wait.  Instead tonight I played with Liesl, as I do every night.  It is really important to her and she knows to go get a toy as soon as she is done eating her dinner.  She is such a good girl at work all day so I want to make sure that she gets my undivided attention for a while.  I also just laid quietly on the sofa, watched a little TV and thought about my good fortune.  

I believe very strongly that God always answers our prayers.  Many times it is in His time, not our own.  He also knows what is best for us.  I was thinking much of tonight that he has been answering prayers that I have lifted up this week.  For this I am truly grateful.  

Well, my brain is tired from all of that math.  I am off to dream dreams in the right side of my brain.  LOL

A Really Good Sunday

Here is the progress on my black work sampler in red.  The designs are basic yet so intricate that sometimes it looks like they are pulsating.  It makes me a little dizzy.  LOL  It is a lot of fun.  It has also been a lot of work.  I am coming to the end of the second panel (a lot is obscured by that bottom q-snap rail.)  I have one more panel to go.  I have the perfect place picked out for it.  

I have a prayer request: We have had a 15 year old girl named Sierra Lamar from Morgan Hill just up the highway missing for two weeks.  Please keep her family in your prayers.  It is such a tragic horrible thing and my heart just breaks for her parents.  Hundreds of volunteers are looking for her.  With every news update I am glued to the TV hoping for a positive outcome, like I am sure many are.  We pray that she will be returned safely to her family.

I did not sleep well last night due to nightmares and ended up missing church.  When this happens I try to have church somewhere else.  I took Liesl to the beach and walked and thanked and praised Him for His glorious creation.  When I am at the beach it is one of the few times that I feel like I am totally in the moment and all of my senses are alive.  I feel the mist and sun on my face, taste the salt on my lips, hear the waves breaking and the birds calling, see the gorgeous colors and creatures, and smell the clean salt air.  It is amazing. Today the seas were a bit angry and there was a high surf advisory.  The waves were scary and there were  a few rogue waves that hit the beach hard and came in a little too far.  I kept Liesl close to me (she had not interest in playing in the surf today) until we could get to a staircase and walked the rest of the walk at street level.  It was beautiful but I felt it was a little too risky and did not want one of us being swept out.  The waves can be treacherous here but we have a pretty vicious undertow that can pull people out pretty quickly.  

Tonight I got to meet two very old friends of 20 years for dinner.   One I see semi regularly and then a mutual friend that I have not seen or spoken to in about 10 years.  We had a lovely time catching up over a really wonderful dinner.  I realized tonight how much we all have grown. We have all endured the best and worst of times in each of our lives.  Yet I realized how each of those experiences have shaped me into where I am now.  Twenty years ago I was 29 years old.  I like being 49 better.  I feel like I have a lot more wisdom, compassion for others and have grown in my faith.  I also am led more by my own inner compass and do not base my decisions now on what other people will think.  Life really is an incredible journey.  I think the next 20 years are gonna ROCK!