Savoring the silence here, home all alone with the doggies and the kitties. Everyone else is somewhere else, and here I am. I got up this morning, and visited with Miss Sonja when she got in the door from her night shift. She ate a snack, then went to bed. I enjoyed the quiet, washed dishes, did some laundry, perused the internet, then went out the door.
My first stop was the thrift store. I found two brand new looking baby sleepers, and a cute little autumn top, a lovely sweater for me (I just LOVE it!). I also bought a pair of Doc Marten sneaker boots, look brand new.
Then, the craft store, all by myself, which was wonderful. I mean, if someone is interested in it, by all means, come to the craft store with me, but having to hurry, meh.
So I got to look around. I had talked to Tennyson on the phone earlier, and told him when he comes to my house, he can paint. So I got some watercolors, and more paper. I also got a few little Halloween things for the kids, like glow-in-the-dark worms and a light up pumpkin necklace for 70% off. There was a 50% off any one item coupon, and 30% off any other full priced items, so it was quite reasonable.
The Christmas stuff was out, and oooh, so tempting...but at only 40% off, nah. I don't need ANY of it anyway. But it's fun.
My last stop was Aldi, for lasagna fixings. The family is coming over tomorrow, and I'm kind of excited to be making more fall/wintery food. I haven't boiled lasagna noodles in years, I've always just made it the day before with lots of extra water and sauce, it turns out fantastic. Now they make no-boil noodles, in fact it was all they had at Aldi. So I can just put it together tomorrow, so I don't have to clear a big space in the refrigerator.
I bought Italian bread to make garlic bread, and stuff for a salad. I also bought one steak for tonight, because the kids are gone for the weekend, and it'll only be Paul and I...when he gets in from hunting. (he did get a deer the other day, but sadly it was nearing the end of the day, and that deer ran and ran, and he couldn't find it...then it started getting dark, so he had to give it up for the coyotes...)
Tonight, I'll pan fry the steak, which has been coming to room temp with some seasonings, ( I actually used Everything But The Bagel with jalapeño, it's so good, we'll see how it is on a sirloin...)(and yes, steak when the kids are gone, ha...), I have sweet potatoes sliced into fries and soaking in cold water, I'll oven fry them with some Buffalo sauce, and we'll have some salads. I haven't eaten anything yet today, so I'm pretty excited about dinner.
Yesterday was mostly a stay-at-home day. Three daughters came to visit with eight grandchildren.
There were some fights yesterday, but they're learning to get along. I do love having them all over. It's crazy but so much fun.
In the afternoon, I went out to our church to help out with the youth weekend food. 120 pizzas to assemble (plus some gluten free ones) and pans of chicken tenders to oven fry, then douse in various sauces. I lasted two and a half hours, then decided to throw in the towel. There was a good crew there, and I was able to leave. My knees start to lock up when I stand too long, and my hip gets iffy. I WANT to help, and I WANT to do all the things, but I have to learn my limits. By the way, it was great fun, and I'm glad I am able to help at least some.
9 comments:
How fun to have the grandkids in and out. I love it… most of mine are now in college and we miss them terribly but the two youngest are so sweet. Spent today picking up odds and ends for Operation Christmas child boxes. The little ones will help pack them with my girls that are still home. Lots of excitement here.
I also don’t understand how anyone can handle life without God. Just knowing that He knows our needs and supplies them when it’s right, gives me hope.
Have a special Sunday!
Judy
Your second last paragraph....it hit me. Two Christmases ago, in the midst of the worst Covid, my family was hit so very hard. Within a few days, my widowed father, widowed mother-in-law, husband, myself, and some of my adult children came down with Covid. In two days, my husband, father, and MIL needed to be hospitalized. My older children, despite not feeling great, and myself, severely sick, were divided between homes, caring for those three until we couldn't anymore. My father was not given much hope on entry to hospital. He was a very sick person. My husband was gravely ill. My MIL severely ill. All day, every day, I was getting reports from three different hospitals because I somehow became the main contact. I get family and friends notified around the world. I still of course had to look after my 9 of 14 children still at home. I was so sick. I had never been this sick before. I didn't know if I would make it. I don't know how I made it. The reports were soon coming from the hospital that my father will not make it and neither will my husband. The families were called in to both hospitals. It still brings me to tears now, almost two years later. We had not been able to visit my husband nor my MIL nor my husband, whether we were vaccinated or not. Such inhumanity! I don't think the hospitals my father and husband were at tried anything, because, as they said, both of them were unvaccinated. It is just gruesome to thunk that in a first world country there would be such treatment of other humans. I know, I know, some are probably saying, others had it or have it much worse than me. I understand that. At the time, I was near breaking point, though. I had to be stron for my children and for everyine else. No one could see me crushed beneath the weight and worry and grief and decision making. And so it came that my father did pass (I miss him so much ~ he had phoned me every day to check up on me after my mother passed 14 years prior). By the way of an angel (in the form of a family friend who had heard of our plight and was a well known, well respected, extremely smart internist), my husband was brought to a large, more advanced hospital in hopes a certain treatment might help him. Through God's mercy alone, he soon started improving. Soon he was ready to move back to the hospital he came from which I vehemently vetoed. I was POSITIVE that hospital, which right now will remain nameless, did NOT wish for him to live. At any rate, I was able to get my husband transferred to where the angel doctor actually worked. My husband was still in a coma at this time which he had been right from the second day of admission because he was on a ventilator. After some days in the ICU at this next hospital, he was well enough to be extubated. He talked to me over the phone, which the nurse dialed and held for him as he was so weak, in almost a month. Sadly, my father's funeral had been just the day prior. (I and my older children were already also caring for my MIL who was released from hospital but still needed 24/7 care as she was weak and recovering). How does one deal with such emotions? Should we be sad or happy? I was still very sick, with constant headaches, stomach cramps, extreme tiredness. Every bone and tooth in my body hurt. I had lost 30 pounds and was very weak. But still I needed to soldier on and make funeral arrangements, look after every at home, field calls from the hospital, and soon I was able to visit my husband. I went three times a day, for every meal, so that he would get fed. He could do nothing for himself. They would drop the tray of food in front of him and leave. It was just awful. He had hallucinations from all the medications he had been on. Some time later he transferred to rehab.
Part II. All in all, he was in 6 different hospitals. And he still needed to recover at home. In the meantime, the business we owned together that provided our livelihood, was in ruins. It had already started to falter the year before from all the shut downs and closings. But after he (and I) were unable to manage it when he was in hospital, it crashed. I know God does not allow anything to happen over what we can bear, but I must say honestly I came very close to despair. My husband is disabled on his right arm from either covid or medication or from being poked over and over. He is working, but hasn't drawn an income in almost two years. He is trying to build up our business. One year ago, I started working night shift to help make ends meet. Night shift so that I can home school during the day, as well as do all my other work as needed ~ laundry, dishes, cleaning, paperwork, looking after my poultry business, gardening, cooking, baking, food preservation, looking after my MIL and take her to appointments, and so on. If I sleep 3 hours daily, I'm very happy. I'm still always, always exhausted. Days are hard, nights even harder. It takes every ounce of will power to go to work every night. Still, no one must see me crushed. I cry and whine for myself and long and pray for the day when I might not have to work any longer. Sometimes we don't understand why, but I know I deserve every bit of this because I'm a sinful being. And so, I must bear it. Note: Covid is very, very real, despite how many made light of it and vaccination. One should not ever do that, but take God's punishment very seriously. I understand there are risks of getting vaxxed, but there are also very great risks of not. It was and is a serious situation.
A nice catch-up, Della. Great photos. Sorry Paul lost his deer. That's sad. Your church kitchen must be huge. 12o pizzas... whew!! Busy, good busy!
Judy, that's really sweet that you guys do the Operation Christmas boxes. I agree, how can anyone survive without that hope?
Oh dear, I don't even know what to say. You have been immersed in trials, and I am sorry for your loss, your dear dad. I will pray for you, and I mean that. It's written that we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed (2 Corin. 4). I sincerely hope things will get better for you, and that you'll find little treasures amongst these thorns. God bless you.
Terri, it is sad! And ha, our church kitchen isn't nearly big enough, there were 386 youth signed up for the weekend. It somehow works though. :)
Hi Della!
You have been a busy girl. I love all the pictures of your little grands 🥰 They are adorable AND they are lucky to have such a lovely grandma.
I’m back from my little vacation and it was amazing from start to the end. I had a horrible cold and still do, but tried not to let it interfere with our fun. The time passed very quickly as time does. But it was wonderful. I will try sending you a few pictures on an email.
Have a wonderful day!
Marilyn from Canada 🇨🇦
Marilyn, thank you. I can't believe your vacation is over already! Sorry you came down with a cold, but at least it isn't like it was during Covid, and you would have had to isolate! I would love pictures!!!
Hi Della…….I sent you some pictures. Let me know whether or not you got them. 🥰
Marilyn from Canada 🇨🇦
Marilyn, I got your email, love the pictures. Happy Birthday, I was thinking you look fabulous, then I saw your "80 and Fabulous" hat, and thought, how apt! Your girls are good fun, and that Lab, oh dear! God was very kind and gracious when He decided to create the Labrador, for sure!
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