The weekend is fast coming to a close as well as the year 2012. We settled back into our usual routine on Friday and went to the Rec Center -- the only time last week. With another Holiday this week, we'll have limited time since the Center is closed on Wednesday, but we hope to get there tomorrow and then again on Wednesday through Friday and we'll be off to a great start for the New Year.
While in New Orleans I received an e-mail about the passing of a member of our congregation. The lady had been in hospice care for sometime. The family asked to have a meal after the service on Friday and, since I've had lots of experience doing these meals, I sent an e-mail before leaving New Orleans. The funeral was scheduled for Friday but, after the blizzard that passed through Indianapolis on Wednesday, the service was moved to Saturday morning. We had an extra day to prepare.
During the overnight on Friday we had another couple of inches of snow. The drive to church was beautiful! The trees and bushes were coated with fluffy snow just as if someone had used frosting on the limbs and branches.
A great group of ladies helped in the kitchen and by 1 p.m. when the family returned from the cemetery we were ready to serve. Then followed the cleanup and by 3 o'clock I was on my way home.
Today's early church service (8 a.m.) was sparsely attended probably due, in part, to this morning's cold weather and the fact that some families may still be out of town. Some schools have another week of vacation and classes don't resume until Jan. 7.
It's been a football afternoon at our house today. The Colts were at home to the Texans and Chuck Pagano was on the sidelines for the first time since his diagnosis of leukemia. The Texans weren't up to the standard of their performance of earlier this season and I think the Colts played with emotion and passion. The Texans have never won a game in Indianapolis and couldn't today either.
After the Colts game, Ray turned on the Minnesota-Packers game. It's been interesting watching Adrian Peterson (a former Oklahoma player) rack up the yards in pursuit of the all-time rushing record that is about 27 years old. Just now we heard that he was 9 yards shy of the record. The Vikings won and are in the playoffs for the first time in several years. Let the playoffs begin!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Returning home
We enjoyed two beautiful days in New Orleans but as we prepared to leave the Chinese restaurant on Christmas evening rain was coming down in sheets. Just as we thought we would get drenched running to the car, the rain stopped and all we had to do was avoid puddles. The predicted cold front was coming through. We knew about the prediction of snow in the Midwest and storms elsewhere in the South and Southeast and it appeared the weatherman made the correct call. The temperature began dropping and by 5 am yesterday (Wednesday) morning the temperature was 42.
We began our drive home at 5:41 CST and noticed that the farther north we drove the temperature kept falling and held at 33 most of the day. The entire trip of 820 miles took only about 30 minutes longer than last February and that was due mostly to some snowy patches on I-70 from Terre Haute to home. We didn't encounter any rain or falling snow the entire trip. As we approached Memphis we began to see a very light dusting of snow. Further on I couldn't help but think that the snow on the ground appeared like someone had dusted the countryside with powdered sugar.
As we neared Indiana, I called Nancy and she updated us on the state of the blizzard that Indianapolis had during the day. We were far enough behind the storm that we didn't have a problem, the roads were completely clear except for the patches of snow that we encountered from Terre Haute eastward. After hearing Nancy's report I was concerned about the status of our driveway. I knew that our street would be fine since the Homeowner's Association hires someone to clear the street whenever we have a snowfall.
My expectation of the difficulty getting into our driveway was realized. The snowplow had covered the entrance to the driveway, but even if that had been cleared away, we would not have been able to get to the garage. At places the snow was calf deep. We were stuck and Ray had to shovel to get our car off the street and I helped a little. The last 100 yards of our trip were the most perilous and difficult!
We carried in some of our bags and had a very restful night. After breakfast, the work of clearing the driveway began. For a few minutes even the tractor was stuck in the snow. I cleared the sidewalk and Ray the driveway. A few rays of sunshine finished the job of clearing the driveway. Later we went to the grocery store as the refrigerator was pretty bare.
Here's where our car was parked overnight
A couple of weeks ago Ray put out reflective stakes to mark the driveway.
Anyone for some cross country skiing? I have some skis in the attic that I haven't used in several years, but this may be the year that I get them out again.
We began our drive home at 5:41 CST and noticed that the farther north we drove the temperature kept falling and held at 33 most of the day. The entire trip of 820 miles took only about 30 minutes longer than last February and that was due mostly to some snowy patches on I-70 from Terre Haute to home. We didn't encounter any rain or falling snow the entire trip. As we approached Memphis we began to see a very light dusting of snow. Further on I couldn't help but think that the snow on the ground appeared like someone had dusted the countryside with powdered sugar.
As we neared Indiana, I called Nancy and she updated us on the state of the blizzard that Indianapolis had during the day. We were far enough behind the storm that we didn't have a problem, the roads were completely clear except for the patches of snow that we encountered from Terre Haute eastward. After hearing Nancy's report I was concerned about the status of our driveway. I knew that our street would be fine since the Homeowner's Association hires someone to clear the street whenever we have a snowfall.
My expectation of the difficulty getting into our driveway was realized. The snowplow had covered the entrance to the driveway, but even if that had been cleared away, we would not have been able to get to the garage. At places the snow was calf deep. We were stuck and Ray had to shovel to get our car off the street and I helped a little. The last 100 yards of our trip were the most perilous and difficult!
We carried in some of our bags and had a very restful night. After breakfast, the work of clearing the driveway began. For a few minutes even the tractor was stuck in the snow. I cleared the sidewalk and Ray the driveway. A few rays of sunshine finished the job of clearing the driveway. Later we went to the grocery store as the refrigerator was pretty bare.
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| Cleared by Ruth |
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| Ray is ready to move the car to the garage |
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| Without the stakes we couldn't have found the driveway |
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas Day 2012
Christmas in New Orleans can be a lot different than one in Indiana. For one thing, the weather is more temperate. We enjoyed a short walk after opening all the Christmas gifts under the tree. The temperature was probably in the mid-70s. And then we were under a threat of a tornado -- but at least we are on the fringes of the warning area.
Overnight Santa visited leaving Persephone's stocking filled with assorted candy and other gifts. Then she began unwrapping gifts. We enjoyed a breakfast of sausage and hash browns and later some sweet bread, Bart's homemade Ginger-Apricot Panettone.
In the tradition of A Christmas Story we'll be going out for a Chinese dinner this evening.
Christmas isn't complete without photos to document the day. Click "slideshow" if you wish to see that version or on an individual photos and then click on next.
And if you don't have time to look at all the photos, here's one of my favorites.
Overnight Santa visited leaving Persephone's stocking filled with assorted candy and other gifts. Then she began unwrapping gifts. We enjoyed a breakfast of sausage and hash browns and later some sweet bread, Bart's homemade Ginger-Apricot Panettone.
In the tradition of A Christmas Story we'll be going out for a Chinese dinner this evening.
Christmas isn't complete without photos to document the day. Click "slideshow" if you wish to see that version or on an individual photos and then click on next.
And if you don't have time to look at all the photos, here's one of my favorites.
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| Princess Cinderella |
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Eve
Yesterday during our drive south we listened to a continuous stream of old Bing Crosby radio shows. As you might guess, Bing sang White Christmas in all his programs so we heard it sung at least six or more times. Jingle Bells was another favorite as was Adeste Fideles. We took a break from the Christmas shows to listen to parts of NFL games. Even though we couldn't get the Colts game we heard scores occasionally.
One of the Crosby shows was recorded in 1942. It was mentioned in this show that the young girls were hanging their toys on the fireplace hoping to get stockings from Santa Claus.
We had a leisurely day and in the afternoon went to nearby City Park. It was shirt sleeve weather and very enjoyable to walk around. Persephone spent a few minutes in the playground. Later we wandered to the sculpture garden. Just a very pleasant day all around. The windows are open to enjoy the fresh breeze--probably was about 70 degrees today.
Bart, Susie and Christy are preparing dinner for us this evening. The theme is Caribbean with roast pork, sweet potatoes, beans and rice plus some egg nog. My contribution is the fruit cake that I brought along.
One of the Crosby shows was recorded in 1942. It was mentioned in this show that the young girls were hanging their toys on the fireplace hoping to get stockings from Santa Claus.
We had a leisurely day and in the afternoon went to nearby City Park. It was shirt sleeve weather and very enjoyable to walk around. Persephone spent a few minutes in the playground. Later we wandered to the sculpture garden. Just a very pleasant day all around. The windows are open to enjoy the fresh breeze--probably was about 70 degrees today.
Bart, Susie and Christy are preparing dinner for us this evening. The theme is Caribbean with roast pork, sweet potatoes, beans and rice plus some egg nog. My contribution is the fruit cake that I brought along.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Destination reached!
The alarm was set for 5 am and today we didn't waste any time and quickly finished last minute packing and ate breakfast. By 6:19 we were backing the car out the garage and on our way. We took what we call the "western route" through Illinois, Missouri, and passing through a corner of Arkansas and Tennessee and then through the entire state of Mississippi and then Louisiana. Halfway through the trip we were driving through some off and on light showers. Our cheapest gas was $2.95 for unleaded compared to $3.25 at home.
We arrived at Bart & Christy's home about 7 pm CST -- actual driving time was 12 hours and 30 minutes. Persephone and her other grandmother, Susie Paxson greeted us too. Later we had a glass of Wassail and mince pie that I had brought with us. We played a game of Suspension and soon it was time for bed.
We arrived at Bart & Christy's home about 7 pm CST -- actual driving time was 12 hours and 30 minutes. Persephone and her other grandmother, Susie Paxson greeted us too. Later we had a glass of Wassail and mince pie that I had brought with us. We played a game of Suspension and soon it was time for bed.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Christmas shopping
Two days ago I made real mincemeat for the first time ever. Mincemeat pie was a favorite of mine growing up and I think that my mother made it from scratch. Using a recipe that called for lean hamburger, apples, raisins, brown sugar and a few other condiments, I found myself enjoying the scent of the cooking mincemeat. I didn't have time to make a pie then, but this morning I rolled out some dough and added the mincemeat and baked it. We're planning on taking it with us tomorrow when we leave for New Orleans.
The weather was a little iffy yesterday with strong winds and some snow so I didn't get my last-minute Christmas shopping done. After lunch today we headed out and were fortunate to find a convenient parking spot in the crowded lot. The store was also crowded with a long line for checkout. I think today was called Black Saturday. We wandered around not sure exactly what gifts we would buy but eventually found something for everyone. Even though long, the checkout process moved along fairly fast. The register receipt showed that we had saved more dollars than we spent! How can that be? I think merchandise is deliberately priced high so the customer thinks he is getting a 60% saving when they have a special sale.
Getting out in the crowds just a few days before Christmas helps make the season real. Purchasing online gifts may be convenient but you miss out on the crowds, the hustle and bustle, the decor inside the store and Christmas music played for the shoppers.
The weather was a little iffy yesterday with strong winds and some snow so I didn't get my last-minute Christmas shopping done. After lunch today we headed out and were fortunate to find a convenient parking spot in the crowded lot. The store was also crowded with a long line for checkout. I think today was called Black Saturday. We wandered around not sure exactly what gifts we would buy but eventually found something for everyone. Even though long, the checkout process moved along fairly fast. The register receipt showed that we had saved more dollars than we spent! How can that be? I think merchandise is deliberately priced high so the customer thinks he is getting a 60% saving when they have a special sale.
Getting out in the crowds just a few days before Christmas helps make the season real. Purchasing online gifts may be convenient but you miss out on the crowds, the hustle and bustle, the decor inside the store and Christmas music played for the shoppers.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Rain, Wind & Snow
First, I need to catch up on the last few days. Two days ago I thought it was time to play some of our Christmas CDs -- we have a fairly nice collection and enjoy them a lot. When I began playing them, I could hear something else in the background. After a few moments I realized I could still hear the audio from our TV even though the TV set was turned off. We have a whole-house speaker system and when we push the button on the tuner for CD we are supposed to hear music if we've turned on the CD player at the same time. That's the way it has always worked. Thinking back a few months ago, the system was changed when we had to dispose of our old TV--after 18 years it was dead. I can't recall exactly what wires were changed but, obviously, the wiring is no longer correct and we are unable to listen to our CDs without interference. On another vein we can't open our DVD recorder/player though we can play the DVD that is in it. I think the age of technology has caught up with us and we're going to have to enlist the help of someone who has more knowledge than we do.
That brings me up to yesterday. We attended the free lunch at the Rec Center at 11 a.m. and then headed home for an afternoon of playing bridge with neighbors from down the street. Lots of crazy cards and laughs.
About 30 minutes after the game was over we headed to Indianapolis to the Milano Inn to meet the Walkers. Our eventual destination was the Landmark Center for their 2nd annual The Holly & the Ivy concert. The Landmark Center was a former church built in the 1800s and beautifully restored about two years ago. We sat in the balcony and had a marvelous view of the main stage. The original pipes (more than 1,800) from the church were restored so this was mainly an organ concert. But, first on the program, was the Indianapolis Children's Choir. The choir was founded in 1986 and now has 3,000 children enrolled in numerous choirs! The choir numbers were beautiful.
Then came a series of performances by different organists. I particularly liked the combination of trumpet and organ. Another organist had a violinist accompanying him. The program also included a sing-along. By the way, even though the pipes were restored, we were told that the console was brand new and was build two years ago by an Indianapolis company. There weren't many empty seats in what is now called The Grand Hall, formerly the church sanctuary with original pews also restored.
Today began with a mild start at close to 50 degrees; rain fell off and on during the morning and afternoon with many heavy gusts of wind that we heard were as high as 50 mph. Then, about 7 p.m. the rain turned to snow and we may get up to an inch or so which isn't as bad as the central part of the country that has endured blizzard conditions. The electric company has notified us of a Beat the Peak for tomorrow from 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m.
I spent an hour in the dentist's office today and have a new crown! Just in time for Christmas.
That brings me up to yesterday. We attended the free lunch at the Rec Center at 11 a.m. and then headed home for an afternoon of playing bridge with neighbors from down the street. Lots of crazy cards and laughs.
About 30 minutes after the game was over we headed to Indianapolis to the Milano Inn to meet the Walkers. Our eventual destination was the Landmark Center for their 2nd annual The Holly & the Ivy concert. The Landmark Center was a former church built in the 1800s and beautifully restored about two years ago. We sat in the balcony and had a marvelous view of the main stage. The original pipes (more than 1,800) from the church were restored so this was mainly an organ concert. But, first on the program, was the Indianapolis Children's Choir. The choir was founded in 1986 and now has 3,000 children enrolled in numerous choirs! The choir numbers were beautiful.
Then came a series of performances by different organists. I particularly liked the combination of trumpet and organ. Another organist had a violinist accompanying him. The program also included a sing-along. By the way, even though the pipes were restored, we were told that the console was brand new and was build two years ago by an Indianapolis company. There weren't many empty seats in what is now called The Grand Hall, formerly the church sanctuary with original pews also restored.
Today began with a mild start at close to 50 degrees; rain fell off and on during the morning and afternoon with many heavy gusts of wind that we heard were as high as 50 mph. Then, about 7 p.m. the rain turned to snow and we may get up to an inch or so which isn't as bad as the central part of the country that has endured blizzard conditions. The electric company has notified us of a Beat the Peak for tomorrow from 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m.
I spent an hour in the dentist's office today and have a new crown! Just in time for Christmas.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saving a few dollars
Last Wednesday I wrote about visiting the Nissan dealership after the "Service Engine Soon" light kept appearing. Nissan was too busy to take us that day but we did stop at an auto supply store and purchased a $9.95 gas cap. In the intervening days, the light still displayed every time we drove the car. It seemed that we'd have to make a return trip to have a technician figure out the problem. Before leaving for the Rec Center this morning, Ray called another dealership which wasn't as far away and we had an appointment for 10:30.
We finished our workout and made a quick change and soon were on our way with only a few minutes to spare. Suddenly, Ray shouted "Oh my goodness" and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. In a few seconds I learned that the "Service Engine Soon" light was no longer showing. We turned around and used the phone at the Rec Center to cancel our appointment. Ray was in a hearty mood -- rather than spend $95 to find the problem it was solved by a new gas cap.
I made some date bars this afternoon and they are cooling in the pan. They need dusting with powdered sugar and I'll have to watch carefully or DH (translation: Dear Husband) will be nibbling when I'm not looking.
We finished our workout and made a quick change and soon were on our way with only a few minutes to spare. Suddenly, Ray shouted "Oh my goodness" and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. In a few seconds I learned that the "Service Engine Soon" light was no longer showing. We turned around and used the phone at the Rec Center to cancel our appointment. Ray was in a hearty mood -- rather than spend $95 to find the problem it was solved by a new gas cap.
I made some date bars this afternoon and they are cooling in the pan. They need dusting with powdered sugar and I'll have to watch carefully or DH (translation: Dear Husband) will be nibbling when I'm not looking.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
A warm December morning
When we drove to church this morning, the temperature was in the low 50s. Incredible! Six weeks ago on Nov. 3 when I began the Monumental Half-Marathon, the temperature was in the low 30s. Apparently another Half-Marathon was scheduled for today that I hadn't heard about it, but the promoters were very lucky to have such mild weather.
Today's sermon began with the question "What do you do when you get frustrated with God?" Sometimes when we get frustrated assembling a new household item, for example, we realize that we need to check the instruction manual that came with the item. The same holds true with our relationship with God--we need to check the instruction manual: God's Word. When we have questions what will we do with them? We need to take them to the Lord.
The Colts visited the Texans today but this time they couldn't mount a come from behind victory. Actually, I wasn't that surprised by the outcome as Houston has been dominant all season and has lost one game. In two weeks, the Texans play the Colts again in Lucas Oil Stadium. The outcome might be different the second time the two meet.
Today's football game wasn't very exciting but yesterday's IU vs Butler basketball game was just the opposite. The Bulldogs pulled off an upset win over #1 IU in OT. Since IU probably wouldn't have had a perfect season, I was glad that Butler could pull off the upset. I'll be pulling for IU in just about every other game they'll play this season.
Today's sermon began with the question "What do you do when you get frustrated with God?" Sometimes when we get frustrated assembling a new household item, for example, we realize that we need to check the instruction manual that came with the item. The same holds true with our relationship with God--we need to check the instruction manual: God's Word. When we have questions what will we do with them? We need to take them to the Lord.
The Colts visited the Texans today but this time they couldn't mount a come from behind victory. Actually, I wasn't that surprised by the outcome as Houston has been dominant all season and has lost one game. In two weeks, the Texans play the Colts again in Lucas Oil Stadium. The outcome might be different the second time the two meet.
Today's football game wasn't very exciting but yesterday's IU vs Butler basketball game was just the opposite. The Bulldogs pulled off an upset win over #1 IU in OT. Since IU probably wouldn't have had a perfect season, I was glad that Butler could pull off the upset. I'll be pulling for IU in just about every other game they'll play this season.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Friday night movie
We had very tentative plans to go to the Zoo this afternoon but that didn't happen so we opted to see Lincoln instead. The movie has been nominated for several Golden Globe awards. Even though I didn't live in that era, the drama and action seemed believable, the dress representative of the time and I learned more about the passage of the 13th amendment abolishing slavery. Lincoln needed 20 additional votes to pass the amendment and he and his allies used every means they could think of to convince undecided congressmen to vote for the amendment. Just like today, it isn't easy to get the votes needed for passage of important measures.
On another note, our daughter Nancy has been in my thoughts quite a bit today. Yesterday she learned the results of her surgery and biopsy on Nov. 30. Even though her doctor was happy with the condition of the bladder, they did locate some more tumors and in six weeks Nancy will have another scope after which they will decide which option is next.
On another note, our daughter Nancy has been in my thoughts quite a bit today. Yesterday she learned the results of her surgery and biopsy on Nov. 30. Even though her doctor was happy with the condition of the bladder, they did locate some more tumors and in six weeks Nancy will have another scope after which they will decide which option is next.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
12/12/12
I don't have a lot to write about today, but couldn't resist posting something because of the date -- 12/12/12.
Several days ago the "Service Engine Soon" light came on in our Nissan. After reading the manual, we determined that the light indicates an emission problem. One of the possibilities is not tightening the gas cap when refueling. Since we needed gas, Ray filled the tank and made sure the gas cap was tight. The manual said it might take several drives before the light would go out but after several days it still is on.
We drove to the Nissan dealership this noon but they were very busy and couldn't look at the car today. On the way home we stopped at an auto supply store and picked up a new gas cap hoping that it might be the problem. If the problem isn't solved in a couple of drives, we'll have to make an appointment and return to the dealership where they'll charge $95 to assess the problem.
I made a dental appointment today to get a crown for a molar that was damaged many years ago. It was repaired but the filling has fallen away. I'm not looking forward to spending time in the dental chair but eventually I should have an improved chewing surface and since I still have insurance benefits left this year it seems like the right thing with the year fast coming to an end.
I guess it is kind of appropriate that on 12/12/12 I am publishing post #300. Maybe there's no connection, but I thought I just mention it just the same.
Several days ago the "Service Engine Soon" light came on in our Nissan. After reading the manual, we determined that the light indicates an emission problem. One of the possibilities is not tightening the gas cap when refueling. Since we needed gas, Ray filled the tank and made sure the gas cap was tight. The manual said it might take several drives before the light would go out but after several days it still is on.
We drove to the Nissan dealership this noon but they were very busy and couldn't look at the car today. On the way home we stopped at an auto supply store and picked up a new gas cap hoping that it might be the problem. If the problem isn't solved in a couple of drives, we'll have to make an appointment and return to the dealership where they'll charge $95 to assess the problem.
I made a dental appointment today to get a crown for a molar that was damaged many years ago. It was repaired but the filling has fallen away. I'm not looking forward to spending time in the dental chair but eventually I should have an improved chewing surface and since I still have insurance benefits left this year it seems like the right thing with the year fast coming to an end.
I guess it is kind of appropriate that on 12/12/12 I am publishing post #300. Maybe there's no connection, but I thought I just mention it just the same.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Church, Football, Movie & Football
The weather was as predicted -- rainy! However, the drive to church even though dark at 7:15 did not have any rain. For the second Sunday in Advent the choir sang a beautiful anthem. The pastor began his sermon mentioning that we all put a lot of effort into preparing for Christmas. He then posed the question of what would happen if we made no preparations to meet Jesus. The meaning of Christmas can be lost in the midst of all the celebrations. In our lives we all have rough patches that can take us off the course to be with Jesus. Thankfully, Jesus has prepared the way for us to be with him in his eternal home.
After lunch we began watching the Colts game against Tennessee at Lucas Oil Stadium. Luck wasn't having a great game and before long the Colts were behind. We had talked about going to see "Skyfall" the newest James Bond movie after the game. The Mooresville movie theater recently reopened under new management and were having a grand opening of sorts with matinee tickets this week for $4 each. When it was close to half time in the game, Ray suggested we turn on the DVR and get to the theater for the 3 p.m. showing. We even had a few minutes extra and stopped at Kroger to get two items we needed.
It's been a long time since I've seen a Bond movie. I can't believe the first one was 50 years ago! The special effects, fight scenes, etc. are spectacular. With as many people going down from bullets I wonder about the PG-13 rating. The language is pretty clean and sex scenes are very minimal. I'm used to having closed captioning when watching TV and I missed that during the movie. Some phrases completely escaped me. Age is creeping in on the old auditory nerves.
We drove home in the dark and rain and began fixing supper and playing the second half of the Colts game. I can't recount all the plays that went good and bad but in the end the Colts again came from a double digit deficit to win 27-23 and their record is now 9-4.
After lunch we began watching the Colts game against Tennessee at Lucas Oil Stadium. Luck wasn't having a great game and before long the Colts were behind. We had talked about going to see "Skyfall" the newest James Bond movie after the game. The Mooresville movie theater recently reopened under new management and were having a grand opening of sorts with matinee tickets this week for $4 each. When it was close to half time in the game, Ray suggested we turn on the DVR and get to the theater for the 3 p.m. showing. We even had a few minutes extra and stopped at Kroger to get two items we needed.
It's been a long time since I've seen a Bond movie. I can't believe the first one was 50 years ago! The special effects, fight scenes, etc. are spectacular. With as many people going down from bullets I wonder about the PG-13 rating. The language is pretty clean and sex scenes are very minimal. I'm used to having closed captioning when watching TV and I missed that during the movie. Some phrases completely escaped me. Age is creeping in on the old auditory nerves.
We drove home in the dark and rain and began fixing supper and playing the second half of the Colts game. I can't recount all the plays that went good and bad but in the end the Colts again came from a double digit deficit to win 27-23 and their record is now 9-4.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Our Christmas Tree
We've had the same Christmas tree for many, many years. When we lived in Greenwood we often went to nearby Christmas tree farms and cut a fresh one. Then when we moved to our home in Morgan County we purchased a live Christmas tree the first year and it is now about 20 ft tall on the northeast side of our house. The following year we purchased an artificial tree and have enjoyed it every year since. The last several years we've developed a routine of Ray carrying all the branches up from the basement while I add the lights to each layer. This year I decided to document the process.
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| About 1/4 to 1/3 assembled |
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| About 2/3 to 3/4 assembled |
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| All lights and branches in place |
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| Ornaments and ribbon complete the look |
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Bingo Bonanza
After our workout today, we attended the Senior Luncheon at the Rec Center. No speakers were invited today since bingo was on the agenda after our pizza lunch. We each had two cards and the fun began. We've played bingo several times previously at these luncheons but have never come close to winning anything. Today was different. There were many prizes available all in gift bags -- no one knew in advance what was in each bag. I won one of the early rounds and picked a small bag which had a Rod Stewart Christmas CD. After the next game, the winner took my CD and I picked another bag as a replacement. Eventually I won four games of Bingo!!
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| The booty! |
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| Truffles, Bobble (aka water bottle), Peppermint Bark, Weirdo Glasses, Kitchen Towels, Cute Snow Covered Log House |
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Advent Glow
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| My table |
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| Concordia's Praise Band--A very talented group |
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| Vicky, Sherry, Kylie, Nancy & Lynda |
Advent Glow was the concluding event of my day, but earlier I went to the morning worship service. As Advent is also the beginning of a new church year we heard a sermon telling us that God is not an angry judge but a loving one who offers us forgiveness and eternal life. We were cautioned not to look at the world outside our window but instead at our eternal home--heaven. We need to be ready at a moment's notice as we may see our master today. Jesus has purchased our redemption and set us free.
After church I spent some time preparing my dessert for Advent Glow but listened and watched when I could as the Colts were playing Detroit in the Motor City. I started the drive to Greenwood before the game was over and turned on the radio. What an exciting conclusion. At one point the Colts were down by 12 points but came back to win with a 4th down touchdown and only seconds left in the game. I can't think of a more exciting climax to a game especially for a young team. Andrew Luck set a record for most wins as a rookie quarterback and he still has several games left. The Colts are 8-4 and I doubt that anyone thought they would play this well in their first season.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Murder Mystery Cafe Dinner
Last evening we met the Walkers for dinner at the Indianapolis Murder Mystery Cafe. The action took place in a banquet room of the Milano Inn. I was expecting something similar to the game of "Clue" and was a bit disappointed. The script and performance by the two actors was OK. In fact, the female member of the cast played her part very well. Diners were invited to participate in the performance with a copy of the script and invited to read their part. The dialog was filled with many puns; for example some of the characters in the play were "Okra Winfrey," "George Forkman," and "Rachel Raisin." I think you get the idea that this was a "foodie" play.
We were served minestrone soup after the first act, salad and bread after Act II and the main course at the end of Act III followed by a scoop of ice cream. The food actually was quite good as the Milano Inn has been a premier Italian restaurant for many years. I was pleased that we had a table for four and had plenty of time to visit with Max & Pat. In fact, Max won a pair of handcuffs in a drawing at the conclusion of the performance. I'm not sure what he can do with the handcuffs but it's always fun to win something.
I guess the outside decorations are complete, but there is plenty left to do indoors.
We had a gorgeous day for December 1 and Ray was able to set up our outdoor light display which has been in storage for the last several seasons.
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| Three Wise Men with a Star (not in the picture) Leading the Way |
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Telephone call
Right after lunch I checked my e-mails for the first time today and immediately read a message from cousin Paul. He had learned about the death of "Fritz" Berning and was passing the information on to his siblings.
Not much later, as I was still sitting at the computer, the phone rang and I began a long conversation with Leila (Berning) Judt, the younger sister of Fritz. I believe she said she found my phone number in a copy of the Indiana insert in the LWML Quarterly.
She had visited her brother in the nursing home just a few days previous to his death and I think she was happy that she had since she said it had been a few months since seeing him. Fritz had fallen on black ice and suffered a concussion in 2009 and had been in the nursing home since that incident. Fritz was 90 years old.
I learned from Leila that her husband, Wayne, had passed earlier this year. She told me that she met Wayne when she went to one of the semi-weekly dances at the Hayloft. Fritz would take her to the dance and when she and Wayne began dating, he would take her home. She even remembered that it only cost 50 cents for admission.
I asked her about the time she and her brother went trick or treating as I had reminisced on that event not long ago. She recalled that Fritz talked her into going with him. He wanted to stop at the home of a girl or two he knew and had already decided he would be silent so no one would recognize his voice. Leila was the voice for the two of them. At this time, he had not yet met Florence who eventually would become his wife and survives.
Interestingly, at 80 years of age, Leila thought about taking driving lessons after Wayne passed since she had never learned. But she decided against it and no longer has a car.
In addition to bringing me up to date on many family members, she also mentioned that when searching for photos of Fritz for the funeral home, she found one of me. I expressed curiosity and she said she would mail it to me. Since I don't have many photos from my childhood, I'm looking forward to eventually getting the photo.
Since I was on the phone for a long time, I finally started typing an e-mail to my cousins while talking and sent it to them confirming some of the details on the passing of Fritz Berning.
UPDATE: When we came home at noon today, Thursday, Nov. 29, there was a voice mail message from Leila. She had just seen an old photo album of her deceased sister, Tillie, that was in the hands of her nephew Norman. Apparently there are some photos of my family in the album. She eventually plans to retrieve those photos and send them to me. That should be an interesting day!
Not much later, as I was still sitting at the computer, the phone rang and I began a long conversation with Leila (Berning) Judt, the younger sister of Fritz. I believe she said she found my phone number in a copy of the Indiana insert in the LWML Quarterly.
She had visited her brother in the nursing home just a few days previous to his death and I think she was happy that she had since she said it had been a few months since seeing him. Fritz had fallen on black ice and suffered a concussion in 2009 and had been in the nursing home since that incident. Fritz was 90 years old.
I learned from Leila that her husband, Wayne, had passed earlier this year. She told me that she met Wayne when she went to one of the semi-weekly dances at the Hayloft. Fritz would take her to the dance and when she and Wayne began dating, he would take her home. She even remembered that it only cost 50 cents for admission.
I asked her about the time she and her brother went trick or treating as I had reminisced on that event not long ago. She recalled that Fritz talked her into going with him. He wanted to stop at the home of a girl or two he knew and had already decided he would be silent so no one would recognize his voice. Leila was the voice for the two of them. At this time, he had not yet met Florence who eventually would become his wife and survives.
Interestingly, at 80 years of age, Leila thought about taking driving lessons after Wayne passed since she had never learned. But she decided against it and no longer has a car.
In addition to bringing me up to date on many family members, she also mentioned that when searching for photos of Fritz for the funeral home, she found one of me. I expressed curiosity and she said she would mail it to me. Since I don't have many photos from my childhood, I'm looking forward to eventually getting the photo.
Since I was on the phone for a long time, I finally started typing an e-mail to my cousins while talking and sent it to them confirming some of the details on the passing of Fritz Berning.
UPDATE: When we came home at noon today, Thursday, Nov. 29, there was a voice mail message from Leila. She had just seen an old photo album of her deceased sister, Tillie, that was in the hands of her nephew Norman. Apparently there are some photos of my family in the album. She eventually plans to retrieve those photos and send them to me. That should be an interesting day!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
One month to Christmas
Thanksgiving was early this year and today is November 25, only one month until Christmas. I'm sure it will be a very busy 30 days.
I started off the week by going to the early service today. I was scheduled to be a Scripture reader. The two readings were easy and very short. Today is also known as the Last Sunday of the Church Year. I found it rather odd that the Gospel reading for today was from John 18:28-40, a section of the passion story that we usually hear during the season of Lent.
The sermon highlighted Augustus Ceasar as one of the world's greatest rulers and leaders. The era he ruled was known as the Pax Romana. During his reign, Jesus was born and is even a greater leader. In the Scripture reading He confessed to Pontius Pilate that he was a king. He rules three kingdoms: the kingdoms of power, grace and glory. As our king, we need to ask what kind of a subject are we?
The Colts played at home defeating the Buffalo Bills. It wasn't a high scoring game but TY Hilton returned a punt for a touchdown, the first Colt to do this since 2007. This is one area the Colts have never excelled in.
I started off the week by going to the early service today. I was scheduled to be a Scripture reader. The two readings were easy and very short. Today is also known as the Last Sunday of the Church Year. I found it rather odd that the Gospel reading for today was from John 18:28-40, a section of the passion story that we usually hear during the season of Lent.
The sermon highlighted Augustus Ceasar as one of the world's greatest rulers and leaders. The era he ruled was known as the Pax Romana. During his reign, Jesus was born and is even a greater leader. In the Scripture reading He confessed to Pontius Pilate that he was a king. He rules three kingdoms: the kingdoms of power, grace and glory. As our king, we need to ask what kind of a subject are we?
The Colts played at home defeating the Buffalo Bills. It wasn't a high scoring game but TY Hilton returned a punt for a touchdown, the first Colt to do this since 2007. This is one area the Colts have never excelled in.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012
Thanksgiving morning began with final preparations for dinner. The turkey was ready for roasting by 12:30. Finished setting the table and here's a quick view of the final result.
Our guests rolled in from Illinois about 3:30 and we enjoyed some snacks and relaxing but soon it was time to for our Thanksgiving meal. First, we posed for a group photo.
After dinner, we watched some TV, visited some more and made plans for Friday morning.
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| Back Row: Ray, Veronica & Bob Zielke Front Row: Me, Carl, Laura & Karen Scafidi |
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thanksgiving preparations
Yesterday I finished my shopping list and have the thanksgiving table mostly ready. After supper Ray took some garbage out to the garage and a few minutes later rang the doorbell which was a signal that he wanted me to come and see something.
Turned out he wanted me to open the door since he couldn't get back into the house from the garage. There isn't a lock on the handle for this door. I soon realized that I couldn't open it from my side and he couldn't from his side. When he went into the garage, Ray thought he heard something snap when he closed the door. We could see no way to retract the bolt that usually retracts when holding down or turning the door knob. To make a long story short, we spent about two hours working trying various things and were finally able to open the door. Kind of lost track of the number of times we walked out through the front door around to the garage and back again into the house.
I had a grocery shopping trip planned this morning and Ray came along and went to Lowe's to purchase a new door knob assembly kit. Is that what they are called? While I was putting away the groceries and working in the kitchen on tomorrow's menu, he was able to install the door knob but did have to call technical support and, once again, we have a fully functional door into the garage.
Just a short while ago, I added a brine solution to our turkey. Since Ray's sisters and husbands and Laura won't arrive until late afternoon, I don't plan to begin roasting the bird until about 1 o'clock. I've made a list of what I need to do so when I get up I have a plan. Should be a beautiful and warm day tomorrow. This morning the fog was very heavy. I'm glad we didn't plan to go to the Rec Center. We couldn't even see across the water to the trees on the other side of our small lake.
Turned out he wanted me to open the door since he couldn't get back into the house from the garage. There isn't a lock on the handle for this door. I soon realized that I couldn't open it from my side and he couldn't from his side. When he went into the garage, Ray thought he heard something snap when he closed the door. We could see no way to retract the bolt that usually retracts when holding down or turning the door knob. To make a long story short, we spent about two hours working trying various things and were finally able to open the door. Kind of lost track of the number of times we walked out through the front door around to the garage and back again into the house.
I had a grocery shopping trip planned this morning and Ray came along and went to Lowe's to purchase a new door knob assembly kit. Is that what they are called? While I was putting away the groceries and working in the kitchen on tomorrow's menu, he was able to install the door knob but did have to call technical support and, once again, we have a fully functional door into the garage.
Just a short while ago, I added a brine solution to our turkey. Since Ray's sisters and husbands and Laura won't arrive until late afternoon, I don't plan to begin roasting the bird until about 1 o'clock. I've made a list of what I need to do so when I get up I have a plan. Should be a beautiful and warm day tomorrow. This morning the fog was very heavy. I'm glad we didn't plan to go to the Rec Center. We couldn't even see across the water to the trees on the other side of our small lake.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Visiting Preschool
Kylie's 5-year-old son is in a Pre-K class at Concordia. A couple of days ago she invited Ray and me to the Preschool Thanksgiving Feast. This is a tradition for the Preschool when parents, grandparents and siblings can all come to school.
Actually, the get-together was in the church Fellowship Hall, not in the regular classroom (the church's former parsonage). We went to the Rec Center, did a quick shower and change and headed to Greenwood. When we arrived most everyone was there and it was a beehive of activity. There was a craft table for the children and some other toy areas to keep them occupied. Each child was invited to help for a few minutes in the kitchen. I think most of them helped make crescent rolls.
Before long, the teacher gathered all the students and they "sang" or recited a couple of Thanksgiving verses. She then introduced a Greenwood Public Librarian who read several stories to the children and had them participate in several group activities. It was a very nice program.
By then the food was ready and we had a lovely meal which included some of the leftovers from the Anniversary dinner the day before. We were able to sit with Kylie, Josh and Jayden and had a nice visit with them. The weather was beautiful today and should continue for a few more days until the next cold front comes through.
Actually, the get-together was in the church Fellowship Hall, not in the regular classroom (the church's former parsonage). We went to the Rec Center, did a quick shower and change and headed to Greenwood. When we arrived most everyone was there and it was a beehive of activity. There was a craft table for the children and some other toy areas to keep them occupied. Each child was invited to help for a few minutes in the kitchen. I think most of them helped make crescent rolls.
Before long, the teacher gathered all the students and they "sang" or recited a couple of Thanksgiving verses. She then introduced a Greenwood Public Librarian who read several stories to the children and had them participate in several group activities. It was a very nice program.
By then the food was ready and we had a lovely meal which included some of the leftovers from the Anniversary dinner the day before. We were able to sit with Kylie, Josh and Jayden and had a nice visit with them. The weather was beautiful today and should continue for a few more days until the next cold front comes through.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Church Anniversary
Today we celebrated Concordia's 56th anniversary. It's been a tradition for many years to have a church dinner as part of the annual celebration. This year the women of the congregation were invited to prepare the dinner. I arrived about 30 minutes early and met Sue who was already there and we put the pork loins in roasters and added a marinade and cumin and then went to the early church service.
Our pastor began his sermon mentioning that he had met with a lady earlier in the week who had just returned from a trip to China where she was consulting about something to do with education. While in China she attended a church service and related that the citizens of the small town she was in stood in line around the block in order to get into the church service. Do we see that happening in the U.S.?
The sermon then continued with another story. This was about a little boy who spent months building a model ship. When spring came he took it to a nearby body of water to launch it. Unfortunately, he hadn't thought of one thing. He didn't have a way to retrieve his boat--there was no line attached. Sadly, it soon was out of sight. Sometime later, he saw his model in the window of a shop and learned that it was for sale. He earned the money and purchased it--the second time. We are like that--God has made us and then he bought us with the death of Jesus paying for our many trespasses.
After the service I was back in the kitchen with many helpers to finish preparation for the anniversary meal. Besides the pork loin we had baked hash brown potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, applesauce and a wide assortment of desserts. We served about 108 people and had plenty of food leftover. Several of us delivered a meal to homebound members on our way home. I'm sure it was appreciated.
The Colts were in New England for a game with the Patriots and we were pleased that the game didn't begin until 4:30. We were home in plenty of time to see the beginning. The first half was fairly close and the Colts played well. The second half, not as good. In fact, the Patriots scored two touchdowns in 61 seconds and for a short while the team looked like the rookies they actually are.
I have some photos that I had hoped to include in this post, but I'm getting an unusual message from "Blogger" so I'll have to figure that out later. For now, it's almost time for bed. It's been a long day.
Our pastor began his sermon mentioning that he had met with a lady earlier in the week who had just returned from a trip to China where she was consulting about something to do with education. While in China she attended a church service and related that the citizens of the small town she was in stood in line around the block in order to get into the church service. Do we see that happening in the U.S.?
The sermon then continued with another story. This was about a little boy who spent months building a model ship. When spring came he took it to a nearby body of water to launch it. Unfortunately, he hadn't thought of one thing. He didn't have a way to retrieve his boat--there was no line attached. Sadly, it soon was out of sight. Sometime later, he saw his model in the window of a shop and learned that it was for sale. He earned the money and purchased it--the second time. We are like that--God has made us and then he bought us with the death of Jesus paying for our many trespasses.
After the service I was back in the kitchen with many helpers to finish preparation for the anniversary meal. Besides the pork loin we had baked hash brown potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, applesauce and a wide assortment of desserts. We served about 108 people and had plenty of food leftover. Several of us delivered a meal to homebound members on our way home. I'm sure it was appreciated.
The Colts were in New England for a game with the Patriots and we were pleased that the game didn't begin until 4:30. We were home in plenty of time to see the beginning. The first half was fairly close and the Colts played well. The second half, not as good. In fact, the Patriots scored two touchdowns in 61 seconds and for a short while the team looked like the rookies they actually are.
I have some photos that I had hoped to include in this post, but I'm getting an unusual message from "Blogger" so I'll have to figure that out later. For now, it's almost time for bed. It's been a long day.
Monday, November 12, 2012
First Snow!
I didn't actually see any snowflakes in the air. We were in a cycling class where there are no windows but when we left the building later, we could see some melting snow on our car. When we arrived home we saw evidence in the garden where the rays of the sun had not melted the white stuff. Also, the photo shows most of the piles of grass and leaf clippings that Ray dumped there the last two days. Eventually the piles will be spread and rototilled into the soil.
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| I count more than a half dozen piles of grass/leaf clippings |
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Indian Summer Again
The last several days have been awesome with some beautiful weather. I cleaned the dead foliage from several Hosta plants and Ray spent two days mowing the lawn and vacuuming leaves and unloading huge piles in the garden. (I hope to get a photo of the garden tomorrow since I didn't think of it today.) After he finished mowing, he exchanged the mower deck for the front end loader and we're ready for snow plowing, but we hope that that's not necessary for a long, long time. In fact, I don't think Ray had to plow snow last winter.
I was busy the last two days cleaning windows that weren't finished when I began the job a while back. That being said, I just remembered there are four small windows in the basement that I haven't tended to. Maybe I can get to that tomorrow.
For several years I've been wanting to spiffy the kitchen's back splash. A week ago we stopped at Menard's and found some wallpaper that we liked. Yesterday I finished the project. Here's the result of my efforts but I didn't get a "before" picture.
Today's sermon was about the widow's mite. The pastor began his sermon asking "What is our purpose in life?" For many it is a big house, cars, lifestyle, etc. when it should be to glorify God and serve others.
After the service I stopped at the mall to redeem two coupons I won at my last two races and came home with a new pair of running shoes. Who said running was an inexpensive way to keep fit? Have you priced a pair of Nike shoes lately? The price tag read $110 and I was happy to use my $35 certificates to save a little money.
We didn't have a Colt's game to watch this afternoon but I turned on the Broncos/Panther game because it just seems right to have a football game playing in the background on a Sunday afternoon. The Colts had a great win last Thursday evening against Jacksonville. The Jaguar's only win of the season was against the Colts early in September. Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne are having a great season and some of the other young players are doing very well also. Could the team make the playoffs? Wait and see.
I was busy the last two days cleaning windows that weren't finished when I began the job a while back. That being said, I just remembered there are four small windows in the basement that I haven't tended to. Maybe I can get to that tomorrow.
For several years I've been wanting to spiffy the kitchen's back splash. A week ago we stopped at Menard's and found some wallpaper that we liked. Yesterday I finished the project. Here's the result of my efforts but I didn't get a "before" picture.
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| First, used "falling leaves" wallpaper and then a border of apples |
After the service I stopped at the mall to redeem two coupons I won at my last two races and came home with a new pair of running shoes. Who said running was an inexpensive way to keep fit? Have you priced a pair of Nike shoes lately? The price tag read $110 and I was happy to use my $35 certificates to save a little money.
We didn't have a Colt's game to watch this afternoon but I turned on the Broncos/Panther game because it just seems right to have a football game playing in the background on a Sunday afternoon. The Colts had a great win last Thursday evening against Jacksonville. The Jaguar's only win of the season was against the Colts early in September. Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne are having a great season and some of the other young players are doing very well also. Could the team make the playoffs? Wait and see.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Day 2012
On a happy note, we won't have to hear all the senate campaign commercials anymore. They just about dominated the airwaves the last month or so. Plus the commercials for governor. I think the only ones who enjoyed the commercials were the TV stations. Their bottom line must be looking good at this time of year.
Four years ago we took advantage of early voting because I knew I would be busy on election day. This year we waited until election day. We passed the polling place on our way to the Rec Center but saw a large number of cars in the parking lot and decided we would stop on our way home. At noon, the parking lot was very crowded and the lines inside the building long, so we went home for a couple of hours. We returned at 2:30 and found the lines were still long and, for some reason, not moving. Finally, we registered and got into another line. We have three precincts voting in the same building but nobody had to stand outside. About 70 minutes after arriving we were on our way home. Not too bad a wait.
Now we wait again...for the results.
Four years ago we took advantage of early voting because I knew I would be busy on election day. This year we waited until election day. We passed the polling place on our way to the Rec Center but saw a large number of cars in the parking lot and decided we would stop on our way home. At noon, the parking lot was very crowded and the lines inside the building long, so we went home for a couple of hours. We returned at 2:30 and found the lines were still long and, for some reason, not moving. Finally, we registered and got into another line. We have three precincts voting in the same building but nobody had to stand outside. About 70 minutes after arriving we were on our way home. Not too bad a wait.
Now we wait again...for the results.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Mission Accomplished!
The 5th Indianapolis Monumental Marathon & Half-Marathon was held this morning with the start at 8 a.m. I've run in all five Half-Marathons and it was interesting to observe how the event has grown over the years. There were definitely more by-standers shouting and waving on the street corners than in the first year. I can recall the first year when heading to the finish line with about three miles to go and not many runners nearby. However, today it was much different. I was surrounded by runners all the way.
The weather was supposed to be dry and cool (low 30s) but the weatherman changed the prediction to possible spotty showers. Fortunately, I finished before any rain fell. The full marathoners probably did get wet.
With about two miles to go, traffic control moved all the half-marathoners to one lane. The other lane was cleared for the first marathoner! This dude finished a full marathon in less time than it took me to do the half! My official time was 2 hrs 19 minutes 17 seconds which is about 7 minutes slower than last year. I guess I'm slowing down more than I care to admit.
The clocks have been moved back an hour. We won't have to leave in the dark tomorrow morning, but dusk tomorrow will seem much earlier. I guess winter is approaching.
Ray has had a fun afternoon and evening. He's been switching back and forth between college football games and the Indiana Girl's High School Volleyball Championships. There were four championships in all and he watched two of the matches with both going to 5 games each. Bishop Chatard won in 3A defeating Yorktown and Avon was the 4A champion over Carmel. Notre Dame had an unbelievable finish to remain undefeated in football.
The weather was supposed to be dry and cool (low 30s) but the weatherman changed the prediction to possible spotty showers. Fortunately, I finished before any rain fell. The full marathoners probably did get wet.
With about two miles to go, traffic control moved all the half-marathoners to one lane. The other lane was cleared for the first marathoner! This dude finished a full marathon in less time than it took me to do the half! My official time was 2 hrs 19 minutes 17 seconds which is about 7 minutes slower than last year. I guess I'm slowing down more than I care to admit.
The clocks have been moved back an hour. We won't have to leave in the dark tomorrow morning, but dusk tomorrow will seem much earlier. I guess winter is approaching.
Ray has had a fun afternoon and evening. He's been switching back and forth between college football games and the Indiana Girl's High School Volleyball Championships. There were four championships in all and he watched two of the matches with both going to 5 games each. Bishop Chatard won in 3A defeating Yorktown and Avon was the 4A champion over Carmel. Notre Dame had an unbelievable finish to remain undefeated in football.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween
The number of trick-or-treaters has been dwindling and last year we didn't have any. I'm not sure about two years ago. Rather than have lots of candy in the house, we opted not to have any this year. We weren't caught empty-handed since, again, our doorbell never rang. (Truth be told, we didn't have our porch light on.)
A couple of days ago I was thinking about the tradition and realized that I never went trick-or-treating as a child. For one thing, we lived on a farm and it would have meant that our parents would have had to drive us. Then I remembered the occasion when we had some trick-or-treaters knocking on our door. I can't remember how old I was, but it was a surprise! (I think my parents may have known someone was coming.) The trick-or-treaters were my Dad's cousins, Fritz and Leila Berning. They were in costume and mask and, as I recall, I didn't know who they were.
A couple of days ago my neighbor sent me a photo that she had taken as she walked her dog. I thought it was stunning. Hope you agree.
A couple of days ago I was thinking about the tradition and realized that I never went trick-or-treating as a child. For one thing, we lived on a farm and it would have meant that our parents would have had to drive us. Then I remembered the occasion when we had some trick-or-treaters knocking on our door. I can't remember how old I was, but it was a surprise! (I think my parents may have known someone was coming.) The trick-or-treaters were my Dad's cousins, Fritz and Leila Berning. They were in costume and mask and, as I recall, I didn't know who they were.
A couple of days ago my neighbor sent me a photo that she had taken as she walked her dog. I thought it was stunning. Hope you agree.
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| Sunrise on Oak Creek Drive |
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Cross Country
First things first. Today we celebrated Reformation Sunday at church and sang "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Generally, we sing it once a year. The guest preacher today was our pastor's son, Brian, who is a 4th year seminary student. He did a very commendable job of preaching. The sermon centered on the theme of freedom. We live in a land of freedom. According to the Declaration of Independence we have been given certain rights by our Creator, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, in the spiritual sense, we are not free because we are slaves to sin, meaning we are all sinners. But we are comforted by the fact that Christ's word sets us free from our slavery.
After lunch we headed north to Carmel on the north side of Indianapolis. Several days or weeks ago I had received notice of a cross country race and decided just two or three days ago to sign up. Ray did too. We're used to road or track races but this was a cross country race, always popular in the fall of the year. I think I've only done two CC races previously. Since I'm not planning on running much this week in anticipation of next Saturday's half-marathon, I thought a 4K race would be perfect.
The course was laid out on the property of a huge church and the terrain was rolling and mostly grass covered. The women's race was first at 2 p.m. and consisted of mostly young girls and three women. I ran the course in 26.10 and was dead last! The winner ran the course in 16:02.
Ray's race began shortly after mine finished and he completed it in 26.59. He's really not used to running doing mostly racewalking. The top male finished in 14 minutes and a few seconds. Actually, we were racing against school kids and not anyone in our age divisions. There were a few older men who ran but the woman closest in age to me was in the 45-50 age bracket. We both came home with a medal. One of the attractions of the race was its entry fee: $7 each!
The day was pretty nice except for gusty winds now and then. In addition to the cross country course the property also had a disc golf and I noticed some people playing that.
When we arrived home we turned on our DVR to watch the Colts game against the Tennessee Titans. The Colts haven't won away from home in 10 games (going back to last season). At the end of regulation play the game was tied and the Colts won the toss for overtime and were able to go the length of the field and score a touchdown. Sudden death in overtime and they won a game on the road!
After lunch we headed north to Carmel on the north side of Indianapolis. Several days or weeks ago I had received notice of a cross country race and decided just two or three days ago to sign up. Ray did too. We're used to road or track races but this was a cross country race, always popular in the fall of the year. I think I've only done two CC races previously. Since I'm not planning on running much this week in anticipation of next Saturday's half-marathon, I thought a 4K race would be perfect.
The course was laid out on the property of a huge church and the terrain was rolling and mostly grass covered. The women's race was first at 2 p.m. and consisted of mostly young girls and three women. I ran the course in 26.10 and was dead last! The winner ran the course in 16:02.
Ray's race began shortly after mine finished and he completed it in 26.59. He's really not used to running doing mostly racewalking. The top male finished in 14 minutes and a few seconds. Actually, we were racing against school kids and not anyone in our age divisions. There were a few older men who ran but the woman closest in age to me was in the 45-50 age bracket. We both came home with a medal. One of the attractions of the race was its entry fee: $7 each!
The day was pretty nice except for gusty winds now and then. In addition to the cross country course the property also had a disc golf and I noticed some people playing that.
When we arrived home we turned on our DVR to watch the Colts game against the Tennessee Titans. The Colts haven't won away from home in 10 games (going back to last season). At the end of regulation play the game was tied and the Colts won the toss for overtime and were able to go the length of the field and score a touchdown. Sudden death in overtime and they won a game on the road!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Teenagers!!
Earlier this month, when we were celebrating our grandson's birthday, we made arrangements for a day trip to Vincennes University during his Fall Break from school. But, last night plans changed. A better invitation came his way and he was on his way to northwestern Indiana to visit a friend that used to live near him. I can't say I blame Dustin as we had beautiful weather today and I'm sure it was fun to spend time with friends.
We'll probably re-schedule the trip to Vincennes but there's no guarantee that we'll have such a beautiful day in the coming weeks.
However, it gave me the opportunity to do my final long run this morning since we were not on the road to Vincennes. Tomorrow morning we are expecting much colder weather and possibly rain and I would not like running in those conditions. In the final analysis, everything worked out OK. The temperature was 60 degrees this morning at 8:15 as the sun was peaking over the horizon.
We'll probably re-schedule the trip to Vincennes but there's no guarantee that we'll have such a beautiful day in the coming weeks.
However, it gave me the opportunity to do my final long run this morning since we were not on the road to Vincennes. Tomorrow morning we are expecting much colder weather and possibly rain and I would not like running in those conditions. In the final analysis, everything worked out OK. The temperature was 60 degrees this morning at 8:15 as the sun was peaking over the horizon.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Indian Summer
Last evening as I was driving home from my church meeting, I turned on the WNBA game between the Indianapolis Fever and Minnesota Lynx. At half time, the Indianapolis Fever were leading by a small margin. This was game four of a five game series and the Indianapolis team was leading the series 2-1. At home, Ray and I watched the game on TV -- a truly exciting time for the team as they won and became WNBA champions! This was the first WNBA championship for Indianapolis in 12 years of having a team. Also, this was the first basketball win for the city of Indianapolis since 1973 when a team won an ABA championship.
Today was warm and reminiscent of what we often call "Indian Summer." I was able to get outside and clean most of the windows. It's a task I have put off for a while, but I wonder why. With my trusty squeegee and cleaning fluid, I was able to clean quite a few windows and thought I would finish them all, but a light sprinkle sent me inside. The sprinkle didn't last long so I'm hoping to finish the job tomorrow and then I need to do it all over again to clean the windows inside. Even though warm today, the skies were overcast, a perfect day to do windows. So tomorrow morning if the sun shines through the windows and I don't see any streaks, you may just hear me yelling "Good job."
Today was warm and reminiscent of what we often call "Indian Summer." I was able to get outside and clean most of the windows. It's a task I have put off for a while, but I wonder why. With my trusty squeegee and cleaning fluid, I was able to clean quite a few windows and thought I would finish them all, but a light sprinkle sent me inside. The sprinkle didn't last long so I'm hoping to finish the job tomorrow and then I need to do it all over again to clean the windows inside. Even though warm today, the skies were overcast, a perfect day to do windows. So tomorrow morning if the sun shines through the windows and I don't see any streaks, you may just hear me yelling "Good job."
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Italian night
Yesterday, Saturday, was busy but fun and enjoyable. It started with a trip to church where a small group worked on quilts for Lutheran World Relief. I spent my time knotting and today my thumb is a little sore from pulling the needle through the layers of fabric.
I was home in time for lunch and then started preparing my contribution to our neighborhood quarterly dinner. Mary, the hostess, had decided on an Italian theme and I made some breadsticks. They were more like sticks than what you get at Olive Garden. I also made a Leek, Pasta & Spinach salad. I took my camera to the dinner but really missed out on an opportunity to take a photo of the lovely presentation of appetizers that Mary had prepared: prosciutto wrapped around asparagus stalks; prosciutto wrapped around melon wedges, tomato slices topped with mozarella, bread and dipping sauce, and some type of Italian sausage. Yum!
The main course was meatballs (we all had one really large meatball) over homemade noodles and some marinated veggies (tomatoes, black olives and artichokes). The desserts were equally delicious: cookies, cannoli and gelato.
This morning's church service was based on the story of how can a camel pass through the eye of a needle. It seems that the more people have, the more they want. We can always think of someone who has more wealth than we have. Realizing that the average income of the entire world is $800/year, we are, in comparison, very rich. We are also rich in God's grace and love.
After lunch I covered our little outdoor pond with a tarp in preparation for the coming winter season. Several days ago we emptied the pond and cleaned it. It was very windy that day but today was warm and sunny and much easier to handle the tarp with the calm conditions.
The Colts played at home today and defeated the Cleveland Browns 17-13, a game of two rookie quarterbacks.
I'm headed to church again in a few minutes for a meeting of our LWML society. We haven't met for several months so there should be plenty of items on the agenda.
I was home in time for lunch and then started preparing my contribution to our neighborhood quarterly dinner. Mary, the hostess, had decided on an Italian theme and I made some breadsticks. They were more like sticks than what you get at Olive Garden. I also made a Leek, Pasta & Spinach salad. I took my camera to the dinner but really missed out on an opportunity to take a photo of the lovely presentation of appetizers that Mary had prepared: prosciutto wrapped around asparagus stalks; prosciutto wrapped around melon wedges, tomato slices topped with mozarella, bread and dipping sauce, and some type of Italian sausage. Yum!
The main course was meatballs (we all had one really large meatball) over homemade noodles and some marinated veggies (tomatoes, black olives and artichokes). The desserts were equally delicious: cookies, cannoli and gelato.
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| A Google photo -- but Linda's version of cannoli was very similar |
After lunch I covered our little outdoor pond with a tarp in preparation for the coming winter season. Several days ago we emptied the pond and cleaned it. It was very windy that day but today was warm and sunny and much easier to handle the tarp with the calm conditions.
The Colts played at home today and defeated the Cleveland Browns 17-13, a game of two rookie quarterbacks.
I'm headed to church again in a few minutes for a meeting of our LWML society. We haven't met for several months so there should be plenty of items on the agenda.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Happy Birthday, Ray!
We watched the presidential debate last evening and went to sleep later than usual so it was nice to sleep in a little this morning. Our yoga class was at 9 a.m. and after that Ray went for a walk but I decided to take a day off. Hope to get in a long run tomorrow if the weather cooperates.
After lunch we headed to Mooresville to the theater that was reopened recently. Since the Mooresville schools are off for a week for Fall Break they had scheduled some matinee showings. Also, we thought it would be appropriate to support a local enterprise rather than a large theater chain. I noticed in this morning's newspaper that they were showing Argo, which had a four star rating by one reviewer. I've been holding onto a movie pass waiting for a good show to come along and since it was Ray's birthday today, I treated him! We didn't have to fight lines or crowds. We were the only two people at the 12 noon showing! I doubt that many school-age children would have an interest in this movie and, besides that, it had an R rating.
Argo is a real life story of six Americans who escaped the American Embassy in Teheran when it was stormed by mobs in late 1979. These six people found safety in the Canadian Ambassador's residence. The Iranians weren't aware of their existence in the ambassador's home but were getting close to discovering them. A risky plan was devised to get them out of the country. Lots of scenes from telecasts of that era; e.g. Walter Conkrite and a very young Tom Brokaw. It was interesting to see the style of hair, glasses and clothing from that era. We're giving it a "thumbs up" rating.
Though not part of the movie, at the same time negotiations were ongoing for the release of 52 prisoners held in the American Embassy. They were released in January 1981 after being held 444 days.
A small thunderstorm rolled through shortly before supper this evening and Ray pointed out the trees behind our house. Maybe today they were at their peak. You be the judge.
The area just left of the bench is where Ray trimmed all the holly bushes to the ground.
After lunch we headed to Mooresville to the theater that was reopened recently. Since the Mooresville schools are off for a week for Fall Break they had scheduled some matinee showings. Also, we thought it would be appropriate to support a local enterprise rather than a large theater chain. I noticed in this morning's newspaper that they were showing Argo, which had a four star rating by one reviewer. I've been holding onto a movie pass waiting for a good show to come along and since it was Ray's birthday today, I treated him! We didn't have to fight lines or crowds. We were the only two people at the 12 noon showing! I doubt that many school-age children would have an interest in this movie and, besides that, it had an R rating.
Argo is a real life story of six Americans who escaped the American Embassy in Teheran when it was stormed by mobs in late 1979. These six people found safety in the Canadian Ambassador's residence. The Iranians weren't aware of their existence in the ambassador's home but were getting close to discovering them. A risky plan was devised to get them out of the country. Lots of scenes from telecasts of that era; e.g. Walter Conkrite and a very young Tom Brokaw. It was interesting to see the style of hair, glasses and clothing from that era. We're giving it a "thumbs up" rating.
Though not part of the movie, at the same time negotiations were ongoing for the release of 52 prisoners held in the American Embassy. They were released in January 1981 after being held 444 days.
A small thunderstorm rolled through shortly before supper this evening and Ray pointed out the trees behind our house. Maybe today they were at their peak. You be the judge.
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| No reflection today. The sky had an eerie cast. |
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Fall chores
Thinking about a job doesn't get it done. It felt good to work outside this afternoon. Nice weather -- not too windy and warm enough that I didn't have to wear a jacket. I trimmed several peony plants and other foliage as part of the fall cleanup. Ray had already pulled all the tomato plants and cages from the "tomato jungle" and then had to pick up hundreds of green tomatoes.
The rhubarb plant still had some good looking stalks so I pulled them and sliced them for the freezer. The stalks aren't Grade A but a B or C if one were assigning a grade. I think they'll be good for rhubarb bread this winter.
As I was getting ready for our evening meal, I thought the fall colors outside our kitchen window were at their peak.
We may have some rain tomorrow and Friday so I'm happy to have taken care of these tasks. Still a few more things to do. I'm hoping to get to those projects next week.
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| We have never had this many wasted tomatoes. Some were saved and are on the workbench in the garage. |
As I was getting ready for our evening meal, I thought the fall colors outside our kitchen window were at their peak.
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| When the wind is calm the reflection of the maple trees is beautiful. |
Sunday, October 14, 2012
A little German music
The pastor's sermon theme today was "You Lack One Thing." A young man asked Jesus "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" The answer is there is only one thing needed -- faith or a relationship with the living God.
We've had quite a few dinners this fall -- seems like more than usual. Today the theme was Oktoberfest featuring bratwurst, sauerkraut, green beans, German potato salad and some great desserts. Someone played German music so the atmosphere was quite festive. Having eaten a big dinner, we didn't feel like having a large evening meal. An easy day for the cooks in our house.
When we finally arrived home, the Colt's game was already in the third quarter. (I thought I had set the DVR to record, but it didn't.) We watched hoping the Colts could make a comeback, but the young players weren't up to defending against the Jets' running game and their offense wasn't good enough to score many points. This was only their second away game of the season and they've lost both times. It's much better to play at home.
We've had quite a few dinners this fall -- seems like more than usual. Today the theme was Oktoberfest featuring bratwurst, sauerkraut, green beans, German potato salad and some great desserts. Someone played German music so the atmosphere was quite festive. Having eaten a big dinner, we didn't feel like having a large evening meal. An easy day for the cooks in our house.
When we finally arrived home, the Colt's game was already in the third quarter. (I thought I had set the DVR to record, but it didn't.) We watched hoping the Colts could make a comeback, but the young players weren't up to defending against the Jets' running game and their offense wasn't good enough to score many points. This was only their second away game of the season and they've lost both times. It's much better to play at home.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Proof of the crop
A few days ago I mentioned that our Sweet Potato crop was skimpy compared to the previous year and that I didn't feel like taking a photo. However, I've relented. In a few years we'll forget how poor the crop was unless it is documented. I think everyone would agree that this year's crop has no comparison to last year.
Three weeks from today is the Monumental Half and Full Marathon. I've participated in all previous Monumental Half Marathons and this will be the fifth year of the run. My training plan recommended a 10K race last weekend but I was at the Women's Retreat. So today we headed downtown for the Spotlight on Nursing race that raises funds for nursing scholarships. Ray decided to walk on his own and not participate in the race and afterwards he purchased breakfast in a sit-down restaurant! During this time I was running and when I finished I added on about another three miles to help in my endurance for three weeks from now. There were no other runners in my age division so I could have crawled (not really) and still won the $10 gift certificate at a local running store. My official time for the 10K (6.2 miles) was 64 minutes.
The skies were overcast today and I should have ventured out to work on my outdoor chores. If I don't get myself motivated I may be doing last minute pruning during a snowstorm! Let's hope not.
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| The potatoes are curing in our sun room. In a few more days they'll be ready to eat. |
Three weeks from today is the Monumental Half and Full Marathon. I've participated in all previous Monumental Half Marathons and this will be the fifth year of the run. My training plan recommended a 10K race last weekend but I was at the Women's Retreat. So today we headed downtown for the Spotlight on Nursing race that raises funds for nursing scholarships. Ray decided to walk on his own and not participate in the race and afterwards he purchased breakfast in a sit-down restaurant! During this time I was running and when I finished I added on about another three miles to help in my endurance for three weeks from now. There were no other runners in my age division so I could have crawled (not really) and still won the $10 gift certificate at a local running store. My official time for the 10K (6.2 miles) was 64 minutes.
The skies were overcast today and I should have ventured out to work on my outdoor chores. If I don't get myself motivated I may be doing last minute pruning during a snowstorm! Let's hope not.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Day trip to Fort Wayne
We were on our way to Fort Wayne by 8:00 a.m. knowing that we might have some delays on I-69. True to what we heard on the morning news, there was a slow down as the road narrowed to one way north shortly after passing SR 38. Fortunately we noticed there was no construction on I-69 south so we wouldn't encounter any stoppage on our way home.
According to my recollection this was our first trip north on I-69 this year and I noticed a change in signage. All exits have a new number beginning with "2." For example, one of the more familiar exits to a music venue was always known as Exit 10 but now is marked at Exit 210. I guess the change was mandated because of the extension of I-69 to Evansville.
Even with the slow down we reached the high school just in time for the 11:00 luncheon. The food was delicious and Ray and I ate our fill. The teens not so much. Kaitlin is a very dainty eater and seemed to eat only a few bites. Garrett has been through two surgeries on his esophagus and is facing another one next week so it is difficult for him to eat.
After leaving the luncheon we headed south to Trinity Church Cemetery to check my parent's gravestone. We had heard that it had shifted so we wanted to see it for ourselves. On the way, we passed the building where I went to high school. It's now part of the Indiana Tech campus.
A short while later we were walking in the cemetery and found the gravestone and, sure enough, it was leaning backwards.
I probably haven't visited the cemetery since my aunt's funeral in 2008.
I saw this new gravestone and realized it was another relative.
The fall colors during our annual trip to Fort Wayne were as beautiful as ever. We arrived home on fumes and stopped at the local truck stop to fill the tank and were home before 4:00. Still time to do some laundry and make plans for the weekend.
According to my recollection this was our first trip north on I-69 this year and I noticed a change in signage. All exits have a new number beginning with "2." For example, one of the more familiar exits to a music venue was always known as Exit 10 but now is marked at Exit 210. I guess the change was mandated because of the extension of I-69 to Evansville.
Even with the slow down we reached the high school just in time for the 11:00 luncheon. The food was delicious and Ray and I ate our fill. The teens not so much. Kaitlin is a very dainty eater and seemed to eat only a few bites. Garrett has been through two surgeries on his esophagus and is facing another one next week so it is difficult for him to eat.
After leaving the luncheon we headed south to Trinity Church Cemetery to check my parent's gravestone. We had heard that it had shifted so we wanted to see it for ourselves. On the way, we passed the building where I went to high school. It's now part of the Indiana Tech campus.
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| When I went to school there was no parking lot in front of the school. When I saw the red trees I immediately wanted to take a picture. |
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| Compare the gravestone with the one on the right. |
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| Another view shows the lean. |
I probably haven't visited the cemetery since my aunt's funeral in 2008.
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| My aunt and uncle's gravestone. I was exactly six months old when they married. |
I saw this new gravestone and realized it was another relative.
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| Luella lived to be 88. She was my mother's cousin. |
The fall colors during our annual trip to Fort Wayne were as beautiful as ever. We arrived home on fumes and stopped at the local truck stop to fill the tank and were home before 4:00. Still time to do some laundry and make plans for the weekend.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Trader's Point Creamery
We're really not very familiar with the northwest side of Indianapolis but have heard the term Trader's Point. Last summer we spent a day at the Trader's Point Charity Horse Show and today we visited the Trader's Point Creamery.
The Creamery is part of a working farm and we enjoyed lunch with Max & Pat Walker in the old barn converted into a restaurant. The mission statement on their menu explains it best: "To offer food in which you can trust and believe. To be a place where you can watch how the cows are raised and see the products being made. Eat where a community believes food should be chemical free, hormone and antibiotic free, and animals should be out on the pasture." When opened in 2003, the Dairy Bar Creamery was Indiana's only 100% grass-fed organic dairy farm. The restaurant opened in 2006.
After lunch we went on a walking trail around the farm. The charge is $2/person. Our leisurely stroll took about an hour.
We returned to the start and went into the restaurant for a scoop of ice cream to top off the afternoon. The creamery makes cheese and yogurt and had other items for sale. Some of their items are available at Whole Foods and other local grocery stores.
The Creamery is part of a working farm and we enjoyed lunch with Max & Pat Walker in the old barn converted into a restaurant. The mission statement on their menu explains it best: "To offer food in which you can trust and believe. To be a place where you can watch how the cows are raised and see the products being made. Eat where a community believes food should be chemical free, hormone and antibiotic free, and animals should be out on the pasture." When opened in 2003, the Dairy Bar Creamery was Indiana's only 100% grass-fed organic dairy farm. The restaurant opened in 2006.
After lunch we went on a walking trail around the farm. The charge is $2/person. Our leisurely stroll took about an hour.
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| The beginning of our walk was past this barn and equipment area |
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| Wavy and irregular bricks formed the foundation of the barn |
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| The base of a tree -- what caused this unusual formation? |
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| Pat and I under the man-made arch -- Eagle Creek is behind |
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| Ray ponders whether he could cross Eagle Creek on the stepping stones. Can you see the red tree house on the opposite bank? |
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| The tree growing at an angle is a Sycamore. Seems like gravity should pull it down. |
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| Some of the Brown Swiss cattle that are only grass-fed |
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| Ray took a different path (through the milking parlor) and made his way back to the trail using the same path as the milk cows. |
We returned to the start and went into the restaurant for a scoop of ice cream to top off the afternoon. The creamery makes cheese and yogurt and had other items for sale. Some of their items are available at Whole Foods and other local grocery stores.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
A small crop
After a hard freeze, it's time to dig sweet potatoes. Normally we have a bumper crop, but this year not so much. We suspect the drought kept the potatoes from developing they way they usually do. They aren't even pretty enough to photograph. Last year's crop was huge and we ate sweet potatoes for many months.
Ray also picked the last of the pumpkins and we now have 15 small pumpkins in the garage. I made a pumpkin cake today from the pulp of a pumpkin we picked last week. Guess I'll be making some pumpkin soup in the next couple of days. Could there be some pumpkin cookies in the future?
Ray also picked the last of the pumpkins and we now have 15 small pumpkins in the garage. I made a pumpkin cake today from the pulp of a pumpkin we picked last week. Guess I'll be making some pumpkin soup in the next couple of days. Could there be some pumpkin cookies in the future?
Monday, October 8, 2012
First Frost
As predicted, the temperatures this morning were as low as 29 and hovered around 30 as we drove to the Rec Center. I had donned cold weather gear and enjoyed my run. The wind was calm and the sun was bright. As I neared Hummel Park I could see the fog was much heavier than when I started. The park has a one-mile trail around the perimeter and I could barely make out the opposite side, an indication that the wind wasn't moving the fog in any direction.
The Kubota was delivered after lunch along with a $900 invoice for repairs. Ray grimaced when he heard the figure, but later admitted to me that the repairs changed the operation of the tractor for the better! The engine runs cool even when operating at high speed and he finished the front yard in a few hours. Tomorrow he tackles the back which hasn't been mowed in about three weeks.
After he had been mowing a short while he came in the house with a briefcase that he found on the lawn. He found a business card and realized it belonged to one of our neighbors and immediately called them. Ray didn't know it at the time, but an i-Pad was inside the briefcase. The neighbor forgot that he had set his briefcase on top of his truck and drove off and when passing our house, it flew into the grass. We all have stories like that, don't we?
A rep from our electrical company also stopped in this afternoon and gave us some suggestions and tools to help keep our energy costs down. We'll still have big bills if we have another hot summer but he explained how to go to their website and monitor our day-to-day electrical usage. They take a reading of our meter every day at midnight -- we never knew that. He also gave us an electrical usage monitor that we can use with anything electrical to give us the exact cost of using that appliance, TV or computer. I think we'll be learning a lot in the next few weeks.
The Kubota was delivered after lunch along with a $900 invoice for repairs. Ray grimaced when he heard the figure, but later admitted to me that the repairs changed the operation of the tractor for the better! The engine runs cool even when operating at high speed and he finished the front yard in a few hours. Tomorrow he tackles the back which hasn't been mowed in about three weeks.
After he had been mowing a short while he came in the house with a briefcase that he found on the lawn. He found a business card and realized it belonged to one of our neighbors and immediately called them. Ray didn't know it at the time, but an i-Pad was inside the briefcase. The neighbor forgot that he had set his briefcase on top of his truck and drove off and when passing our house, it flew into the grass. We all have stories like that, don't we?
A rep from our electrical company also stopped in this afternoon and gave us some suggestions and tools to help keep our energy costs down. We'll still have big bills if we have another hot summer but he explained how to go to their website and monitor our day-to-day electrical usage. They take a reading of our meter every day at midnight -- we never knew that. He also gave us an electrical usage monitor that we can use with anything electrical to give us the exact cost of using that appliance, TV or computer. I think we'll be learning a lot in the next few weeks.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Football Sunday
The first Sunday in October is almost universally known in the Lutheran Church as LWML Sunday and most of us who are active members wore purple shirts or blouses to church today. The pastor's sermon was based on the theme Salted for Service from Mark 9:50.
We decided it was time to turn on some heat especially since the prediction was for an overnight freeze. The Colts were back in action today after having the previous Sunday off. During the week, news broke about the head coach, Chuck Pagano, and his health. He has a rare form of leukemia and is in the hospital and might miss the rest of the season. The Packers were in town and at half time led the Colts 21-3.
The second half of the game was much different. The Colts played extremely well -- especially Reggie Wayne. Wayne caught numerous passes and some were not easy. The defense stopped Green Bay and allowed only one touchdown in the second half. In the end, the Colts defeated the Packers 30-27. The locker room was filled with emotion after the game as team owner Jim Irsay was given the game ball which he immediately delivered to Pagano in the hospital.
We are wondering how cold it will be in the morning. A freeze is expected. Ray picked tomatoes and he's also hoping the tractor is delivered tomorrow so he can mow again after 13 days without a lawn mower.
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| Banner hanging in the church sanctuary |
The second half of the game was much different. The Colts played extremely well -- especially Reggie Wayne. Wayne caught numerous passes and some were not easy. The defense stopped Green Bay and allowed only one touchdown in the second half. In the end, the Colts defeated the Packers 30-27. The locker room was filled with emotion after the game as team owner Jim Irsay was given the game ball which he immediately delivered to Pagano in the hospital.
We are wondering how cold it will be in the morning. A freeze is expected. Ray picked tomatoes and he's also hoping the tractor is delivered tomorrow so he can mow again after 13 days without a lawn mower.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Happy #17 Dustin!
Spent most of the day at Camp Lakeview (south of Columbus, Indiana) at our Women's Retreat. Only seven ladies were able to come this year so it was an intimate crowd. Last evening we began a Bible study on some of the verses from Proverbs but also had fun playing Catch Phrase and got to bed quite late (for me). Earlier in the evening the camp manager started a fire in the fireplace making the meeting room seem cozier.
The weather was sunny and after lunch we went for a short walk outdoors. As part of the activities for the day, we cut crosses from the front of greeting cards and wrote a Scripture verse on the backside. The crosses are given to to prison inmates.
I arrived home about 5 p.m. and within a few minutes Ray and I headed to Greenwood. Grandson Dustin is 17 years old today.
We didn't stay late at the birthday party, but got to sing "Happy Birthday" with Boo the dog joining in too. Enjoyed a piece of cake and then headed home. I'm a bit tired from the long day and lack of sleep last night.
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| Not a great photo but evidence that we did have a working fireplace. |
I arrived home about 5 p.m. and within a few minutes Ray and I headed to Greenwood. Grandson Dustin is 17 years old today.
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| No longer a little boy |
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| There was some discussion on the correct spelling of Shmmm |
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| Getting in character |
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| Posing with cake |
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| Silly Siblings |
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