The Ugly, The Bad, and The Good...

I know, I know… I got it backwards… but then I get things wrong quite frequently, and I like ending with good news… so there!!  :P:::::::   (Those not in the know the :P is a smiley-variation, me sticking out my tongue, and the ::::::: is the splatter from me giving you a raspberry… clever huh?  (I digress))…

Ok… so the Ugly:
Came home from the grocery store to flakes flying in the air… yep snow… again… and also to kitty puke on my carpet (1 room in the house is carpeted (white of course (I digress (once again))))…  There's nothing I can do about the flakes… I cleaned up the kitty puke (we have friends coming over tomorrow (getting ready for a music ministry (will I ever stop digressing (I guess the answer is no!))))

Now for the Bad:
I've been having trouble with a piece I'm working on in the studio, her name is "Grace"… named initially after Grace Kelley, but now coming to mean God's Grace instead… and I've not had the chance to fix her because… I'm sick (again (sinus infection (again (these digressions are getting a little wacky (but I'm wacky (and I've not even taken my Dayquil (at least not today (went to the doctor instead))))))))  Perhaps I have a fever???  Could that explain it???…

On to the Good (you knew I'd get to it (didn't you? (I had to, you know (being that the title said so (now what was I going to say… (oh, yeah, the good))))):
Bread (not just any bread (white bread (sandwich loaf (soft crust (fluffy (airy (wonderful (yummy goodness (Jeff's gonna love it!! (recipe here (stop sniffing/licking your screen))))))))))

Hey!!  I thought I told you NOT to sniff/lick your screen!! (sheesh (some people (just when you think you've got things figured out (now where was I going with this line of thought? (whoops! lost it! (time for me to take some Advil & get a nap (Zzzzzzz…..

Reflections...

I'm having a very blessed day!!

I think sometimes our lives get so busy that we miss appreciating the blessings that we have…  I know I've been way too busy lately, and that at times I've been even a bit overwhelmed.  Today has been at a more relaxed pace, and its a much appreciated "breather" which gave me time to reflect.

Thank You Lord for the blessing of Family...
Today I got to have lunch with my son Tim, we had such a sweet time visiting, I always enjoy his company!!  I am looking forward to getting to spend more time with Tim and his wife Marta around the holidays.  :)
My husband Jeff has been very sweet & understanding about some health problems that I'm battling, that makes the battle bearable, and makes me realize what a dear man I'm married to!!
I've just recently been to visit extended family in California, and I'm never sure when I'll get to see family since we're spread far & wide, but its nice to have the chance to see some of the more distant relations!

Thank You Lord for the blessing of Friends…
Today I stopped by to visit a friend and bring her gifts for her new baby, friends are such a blessing!
Tomorrow I plan to spend time with another precious friend, and spend some time in prayer with her, that should also be a time of blessing!

Thank You Lord for a warm comfortable Home & nice Neighbors…
As the days cool, and Winter is fast approaching, I really appreciate having a warm home to live in.
I appreciate having a spacious kitchen for all of my cooking & food experiments. I have a lamb roast for tonight's dinner, and the makings for a pumpkin apple pie… I can't wait to get things cooking and fill this home with wonderful scents that will greet Jeff when he gets home.
I appreciate a warming fireplace (kitty appreciates it too).
I appreciate the nice friendly neighbors that I have, we watch out for each other - what a blessing!!

Thank You Lord for Health…
This one is tougher for me to say, but even though I'm struggling with my health I'm still able to do just about anything I'd like - that's a real blessing!

Thank You Lord for the Beauty of Your Creation…
I love looking out my windows at what remains of Autumn, and look forward to seeing the first snow make the world look bright & clean again - but I'm in no hurry, I'm appreciating the "now"…
I love the single Day Lily bloom that opened a few days ago, way out of season, her sunny yellow color just cheered me up on a hectic day!
I love the birds who visit my feeders, I love the bunnies & the deer despite the fact that they eat my plants, and I even love the squirrels who have been troublesome this year but are amazingly entertaining.

Thank You Lord for Music…
The church choir is already preparing for our Christmas Concerts, such fun!
As I was out & about today the music playing on my local Jazz station was energizing, and later the music on my local Classical station was soothing.

Thank You Lord for Time…
Time to spend working on Bible Studies.
Time to pursue new hobbies like metalworking.
Time to do experiments in the kitchen.
Time to spend with the wonderful people you've put in my life.

There's so much more… I am a very blessed person!!

Thank You Lord!!

The Big Celebration...

I'm having a Big Birthday, actually I already had it (yesterday), and I've been enjoying the many blessings in my life!!  It's my Big 5-0, so I'm giving this birthday the Royal Treatment!!

First I had the blessing of time with family (see my earlier post on the multi-birthday get together with the kids).

Second I had the blessing of time with friends.  I had a lunch out with my girlfriend Patsy (not pictured - I keep forgetting when we get together because we just talk our heads off)…  Then a couple days later (Monday) I had dinner with my girlfriend Ann (below).   The weather's been so nice we were able to have dinner outside… and we chatted so long it was pitch dark by the time we left.

Ann posting to Facebook about dinner...

A nice lady at the table next to us took this picture for me.

Tuesday it was a high class version of Pizza & a Movie with my sweet hubby Jeff - Punch Pizza & Verdi's Nabucco.

Wednesday (my actual birthday) was filled with all sorts of fun activity….  First there was a visit from a garden friend… he was hanging on the screen door going out to the deck and he stuck around for quite a while, so I was able to get these nice pictures :)

I went to one of my favorite garden centers with a Birthday coupon for a free rose… smells even better than it looks!!  (Thanks Bachmann's!)

In the parking lot of the garden center I took a picture of these colorful trees… it was the most beautiful Fall day… sunny & in the 70s… Thank You Lord!!  What a Gift!!

My art class started back up after Summer hiatus & I was able to finish these two pieces...

Kitty left me a birthday present… um, yep, kinda gross… but when she chooses to puke on the floors instead of the carpet (its off-white) I consider it a gift ;)

Wednesday was finished up with a nice dinner of homemade soup at home (Yum!), and playing Scrabble with Jeff (he won both games, oh well)...

That's it so far, that's right, I'm not done celebrating yet… come back in a few more days & see what else I did to celebrate!!

I've been wished so many nice wishes & heard from so many dear ones that I'm amazed… this has been the sweetest Birthday I've ever had!!

Celebrating my Sweetheart's Birthday!!

Wow!!  A lot happening in the last week that I need to get everyone caught up on… mostly surrounding hubby's birthday (last Thursday)…

Jeff's brother surprised him with tickets to a Twins game, very nice seats in the Legends Club area.

As you can see we had a great view...

Yep, that's my happy hubby!!

When we got home there was a little cake (my S'mores Cake for 2) waiting for him… but he'd eaten too much "fun stuff" at the game, so we sang "Happy Birthday" & saved the cake for another night :)

The next night (Friday)… Jeff likes his birthday present…

Yep, he put it to use on his cake...

He toasted up his marshmallows, after all it can't be s'mores without toasting the marshmallows...

We dug in… YUM!!

The day after that (Saturday)… we were off to a local park for the Arden Hills Fall Festival.  The band Jeff plays in had a concert there that evening… the band set up in a parking lot…

More pictures from that day...

Various booths...

Some food vendors...

All by the side of a pretty lake...

We ran into pastor John, he lives right in the area… his daughter is the one in the doorway of the Fire Truck.

Horse cart rides...

Little petting zoo was set up...

This sweet dog was on hand for the concert...

Merle directs the band, the band played until the fireworks started just after dark.

The next day (Sunday) we met my son Tim & daughter-in-law Marta for a multiple birthday celebration at Benihana's.  Belated birthdays for Marta & Jeff, early for me.

Never can get Jeff to keep a straight face, Marta took this picture for me… now I know why she was laughing… (sigh)...

Our cook impressed us with his knife skills...

Lots of tasty tidbits...

I tried the Mango Shrimp...

The final birthday gift for hubby was a dinner at Manny's Steakhouse in Minneapolis on Monday… lets just say this isn't a Weight Watchers friendly venue…   Jeff is showing off his Bacon Appetizer…

He also enjoyed a baked potato, a beautiful bone-in rib-eye steak, a couple beers, and some bread pudding… he's a very happy hubby!!

Now we're gearing up for my birthday next week… and its a big one!!

Plodding along...

That's how things have seemed to be the last couple days… just plodding along… I can't say I haven't accomplished anything, I've actually come up with 2 new recipes (yet to be posted on my food blog) & gotten some things done around the house… perhaps its just that things have been so "busy" & "exciting" the last couple weeks that things now seem a bit "blah"…

It seems I'm not the only one with "the blahs" the last couple days… Kitty has taken to napping under one of her favorite "snuggle" spots… she normally prefers to be on the blanket on top of this chair, especially if there's human company…

Can you guess what this is?  Want a closer look?

Figure it out yet?

This is evidence that the Gardener in me has been neglecting her duties, especially as pertains to the herbs on the back deck… I've been told not to let them bloom so that they'll produce more leaves, but here I went and let my Peppermint get several blooms… So today I trimmed off the blooming sections, but never one to waste good stuff  I pulled the big leaves to have with some Sorbet tonight (yum) & decided that these little blooms might look cute in this tiny little bud vase…  The blooms themselves don't smell like much, but the cuttings smell like peppermint :)

Sometimes we have to take our mistakes & make something useful of them…

Isn't it cute?  It makes me smile!!