Thanksgiving has officially come and gone; can you believe it? We are four days from it being December and 35 days from it being 2022. But God has blessed us with a much better and more normal year than we had last year so I give God praise and gratitude for that. Well, I say it was normal, but I guess what I mean is that it was more normal for me and my family. It is sometimes hard to look out side our little bubble and see what is going on in the rest of the world. Yes, people are still dying from COVID in this country and around the world. But I don’t really know what is happening with COVID in the rest of the world because it has become “old news” and back-page news. I know that my grandson’s fiance grandmother just died of “COVID but then she was in her 90’s sos that wasn’t necessarily a COVID death but because she had some of the symptoms, it gets listed that way. 

Did you eat lots and lots yesterday? We had a great meal but we didn’t really “over indulge”. We had our turkey, we had our dressing and the other required stuff. We forgot the mashed potatoes until we were getting ready to sit down but figured out that we didn’t really need them. We didn’t starve for lack of mashed potatoes. Beside, we’ll probably have some today before the day ends. I know we will be having turkey for sure. The bird turned out very well. It was really moist and juicy. 

Jim will be heading back home today but Jules is staying until Sunday. I don’t know if he is taking the pups with him or not. He brought the big Christmas tree up from the storage room yesterday afternoon. I will rearrange the living room today and put that together. We went out Friday and bought another tree to put in the sun porch. It is a little shorter at six and a half ft and sits in a pot and is “flocked. It’s a nice tree and frankly looks good with no decorations on it. 

This afternoon I have to go to the church and pick up my robe and stole for the wedding and then go to the wedding rehersal . Tomorrow is the wedding at 1400 and will take a few hours of the day. I’m just giving the homily for the wedding and the Priest is doing the rest of the service. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day for the wedding albeit cold. 

So, that’s about it for today. Have a wonderful weekend. You can get your house decorated for Christmas now and turn on the Christmas carols. I just put a Mannheim Steamroller album on. Peace. 

 A good late morning to you. It’s 1100 already. But, I just got back from the grocery store. Had a list of items to pick up, some from Ms. Kate and some from Julie. I have become the grocery shopper \\\\for us. I put my list on my phone and walk around in the store like I know what I’m doing. Today I went to Schnucks. Usually I go to the Walmart Neighborhood store. But, I got everything on my list. I usually do. It was a good experience today, no grumpies rushing through the aisles or cutting in front of me. 

Jules and the pups came over yesterday afternoon. Jim didn’t come because he is switching jobs and had to have a drug test for the new job. I’m sure if he will be making it over or not. He is a forklift driver which is a skill in demand for companies that do manufacturing. See, not everybody needs a college education. I keep telling people that and I try to push young people into skilled labor jobs. The country is in serious need of skilled laborers.

Tomorrow is turkey day. We already have the bird out thawing. Kate took the giblets out and went over it to pick off any pin-feathers. That is one big turkey that we have. I don’t know if we have ever had one that big. I have a lady at church that says they get at least a 20 pounder every year. But she always has all of the family over so I guess it works for her. I just know we are going to have a lot of left overs. 

I don’t have much else for you today. I did fill all of my bird feeders yesterday and thank goodness my Wild Birds Unlimited order arrived. I was out of several things. I pray you will have a blessed Thanksgiving. Don’t just make it a day of eating and watching football, make it a day of being truly grateful for your blessings. Peace. 

 

 Brrrrrr! It’s 31 degrees out there and that’s not bad, but —- the wind will drive all 31 degrees right through you. And there is a cloud cover preventing the sun from breaking through to at least make me think it is warm. 

Happy Thanksgiving week. Do you have your turkey or ham purchased yet? I may have told you but we did our grocery shopping on-line at the Walmart Neighborhood market. We had ordered a 10-14 lb bird and ended up with a 22 lb bird. We never buy a turkey that large and since there is only maybe the four of us, —- there will be turkey leftovers forever. But, we’ll send a bunch home with Julie, and we’ll make a large pot of turkey noodle soup. (I need to go to the store and get some wide egg noodles for that). I do like my soups. 

Julie was supposed to come down today but that won’t happen. She had a RA flare-up and will be spending the day on “Flexural” to try to calm it down. Bless her heart, she only got two hours of sleep last night, so she will try to make it tomorrow. We don’t yet know whether Jim will be working or not or when he will make it down. 

Church services went well yesterday. Attendance was pretty good. The taping of the St. Lucas service went well although, we had a problem with the screens. The computer decided to reboot and update just as we were about to start the service and that knocked out the screens. It’s a good thing that I still make bulletins for folks to use and follow the liturgy because they certainly needed them yesterday. Both churches got decorated for Christmas after their respective services. They are beautiful as always. One of the key features of the St. Paul’s decorations is the string of luminaries that run from the highway all the way up the driveway to the church. They gave been putting those out for decades and at night they really show up especially since they are on a hill that is in the middle of a prairie. It all just adds to the “country small-church charm”. Years ago they used to uses actual candles on the church and they kept a bucket of water and a person to tend the tree right there during services. It scares me to even think about that. But, I’ve never heard of a fire being started by it. 

This week I not only have Thanksgiving but also have a wedding to do on Saturday and a wedding rehearsal on Friday night. And, at some point, I’ll need to go run bulletins. We start our vacation next week so I gotta get stuff done. I’d also like to run up to the Gastoff Amish Village Bakery \to get a lemon angle food cake but I don’t know that that will happen. It is a 57 mile trip one way which is a long way to go to get a cake. But. They are soooo good. The village also has a buffet restaurant so  of course we’d eat while we are there. 

That’s it for this morning. Have a wonderful week. Try to stay warm and dry. Peace. 

 Happy cold Saturday morning to you. I’m sitting at the kitchen table loking out at my neighbor’s maple tree. Just a few days ago I took a picture from my seat, through my kitchen window of that tree. It was a beautiful fall picture and the leaves were full on the tree and were a beautiful orange and gold. Today, there are hardly any leaves left on it. That tree made the best out of fall and then dropped its leaves and is ready for winter. I had gone over and mulched up Dan’s leaves while I was out doing mine. Now you can’t tell I was ever there. It’s not terrible outside this morning but is 41 degrees and you wouldn’t want to stand out there in your skivvies. 

We started out yesterday like we seem to do many days now, with a doctor’s appointment for Ms. Kate. But this was a “routine” annual appointment for a Doppler test to check her arterial blood flow. Last year she showed about 40% blockage which the doctor says is still okay. They don’t seem t get worried until you go above 60%. We haven’t heard yet about yesterday’s test, I don’t know if she can go on “My Chart” to find out or not. I need her to check on that. She doesn’t have a follow-up appointment until I think early December. 

Yesterday afternoon we each spent some time straightening out our areas. Kate has finished making all og her Christmas cards (I think) and now has to find a place to put all of her stuff away. She moves a bunch of it out into the family room so she can watch television while she works and has stuff spread across the couch and the floor etc. It works alright for when it is just her and I because we can walk around it, but Julie, Jim, and the pups are coming over next week so she needs to try to get it in her office. She has so much stuff for her various crafts that I think I bed to build a 20’x40’ extension on the house. LOL. That might hold most of it. But, she does beautiful work so I can’t complain.. Besides —— have you been in my garage????? That’s where I started yesterday. I first of all went out back and cleaned up my little storage shed so I could move some of my stuff back out there where it belongs; yard tools and stuff. During the spring through fall period, I just put stuff in the garage as I use it so it is handy. I also have to tackle my big yard barn so I can get the little JD in there for the winter. I think that is going to be at least a two day effort. 

But now, I need to put it away, partly because a certain short person who lives here insists on putting up Christmas trees  and they are in a storage area in the garage that I can’t get to yet. So, I spent a good deal of time \clearing the area and carrying stuff around the house to the back yard. I’ll be spending a good deal of time out there again today. I know Christmas trees are nice when they are put up and decorated and all, but I don’t get it. I’d set a ceramic tree on the coffee table and call it done. Somebody though has boxes and boxes, and boxes of ornaments, many of which she has made, and each one is her favorite, and she wants the trees, (yes, plural) put up so she can decorate them. They will be up for a month and then I have to put it all away again. (SIGH!!!) Except for Julie and Jim and two dogs, it’s not like anybody is going to come to our home and see them. Oh well, —- it keeps me off of the streets and out of the bars. LOL

Enough foolishness for today. I pray you will have a wonderful and faith-filled weekend. Take time to give thanks for another week of blessings no matter what kind of week you had. God did more for you than you know. Peace. 

 Good morning my friends. It is a sunny 41 degrees out this morning but the sun is shining brightly. Unfortunately the sun isn’t going to help much as the temperature is only going to go up another maybe five degrees. I’m glad that I went out and did some yard work yesterday because today is going to be a busy day and yesterday was 70 degrees instead of 45. 

Yesterday I did get on the John Deere’s and mowed one last time and mulched up the leaves. I went over to neighbor Dan’s and did his front yard too. His maple tree had started shedding its leaves and their yard was pretty thick with leaves. We had a lot of wind yesterday and we also had rain last night. This morning it is hard to tell I did anything over there and his tree is now at least 60% empty. He’ll be back from vacation next week so the leaves are all his to deal with. It’s time for me to put the little JD in my yard barn and then change out the mower deck for the snow blade on the big JD. I always tell myself that if I put the blade on, maybe I won’t have too use it, but if I don’t put it on, it will snow like crazy. I think of it as a snow preventer not a snow remover. LOL

This morning Ms. Kate and I have to go to the churches and run the bulletins. I think I’ll run this weeks and next weeks since I have them both ready to print. Next week is Thanksgiving week and there will be enough going on that it would be one less thing to worry about. I left my truck up there Sunday so we’ll bring it back home today. Then this afternoon I have to take the Prius to the dealership for its 25,000 mile servicing. It’s really a great little car. I get 55 mpg with it which is phenomenal. My truck is lucky to give my 19 mpg but it is my baby. I love my truck. LOL It is a 2008 and I only have less than 50,000 miles on it. I think the neighbors have used it more this year than I have. They have a kid that moved into a college Odem so they have borrowed it a few times. It looks as good as the day I drove it off of the sales lot back in 2008. 

Once I get the Prius serviced maybe I’ll still have time to go to the grocery store. If not, tomorrow is another day although it is scheduled to be a busy one too starting with another doctor’s appointment for Ms. Kate first thin in the morning. But, we have to get to the grocery soon. Thanksgiving is exactly one week from today. Wow! Did I just say that?? Suddenly it seems to be rushing up on me. 

I guess I better get changed and get ready for my day. Have a wonderful day. Peace. 

 November 16th already, wow! There is only a month and a half left of the year 2021. Does that seem possible? I guess it is so different this year because at least for my life, we are pretty much “back to normal”. We go where we want, do pretty much what we want, we’re planning vacations, holding church services. For the most part, we aren’t wearing masks and COVID is “back-burner” concern, at least in my life. I certainly know that it is not that way for everyone.. There are still people getting COVID, there are still people dying from COVID, but I think we have become numb and immune to the rhetoric and accusations from politicians and people like Dr. Fauci. In fact we hardly hear from him anymore. I guess he made enough millions from the pharmaceutical companies to be quiet for a while. But, the virus is still raging in other countries and there are flare-ups in this country so we still need to be careful. 

What this is leading me up to is the fact I have been busy planning for the Advent Season and this year, as opposed to last year, we will be worshipping together and holding in-person Christmas Eve services.. And —— we are going too be having a Children’s Christmas program at both churches this year. I am thrilled. It has been at least three years since we did a children’s program at St. Lucas, and this will be the first children’s program I can remember at St. Paul’s. I have had my Confirmands do readings in the past but I don’t remember ever having a children’s Christmas program. I am thrilled beyond words. All praise to God. 

Yesterday I had to have Ms.. Kate at the hospital first thing for a pelvic and kidney ultrasound examination. That came about as a result of her last doctor’s appointments. But, I’m glad to say that the ultrasound show \them nothing of what they were looking for, whatever that was. She’s doing so much better with the diverticulitis. Again, I give God praise. 

This morning I’m expecting St. Vincent DePaul to come and pick up the couch and chair that Ms. Kate and I took out of our bedroom. I have a couple of \rocking chairs that I need to try to bring up stairs once that furniture is out of the way. I may just wait for Jim to come over at Thanksgiving and have him help me or —- I might just try to do it myself. I can maybe get it done if I take my time. However, furniture, stairs and I don’t always make a good combination. I certainly don’t want a repeat of two years ago. 

So, I better sign off and get cleaned up before the truck gets here to carry out the furniture. After that we are going to do a little shopping I think. Have yourself a wonderful day. It is supposed to be sunny and bright around here and maybe even go up to 70 degrees. I need to fill bird feeders today. Peace. 

 Happy Friday. I think my Accuweather app is confused or doesn’t know where we are. According to it, —- rain will be starting in eight minutes and will last for the best part of an hour. However, the sun is shining quite nicely at the moment, at least in the front of the house. Out back and to the west —- well, that’s a possibility. My cousin Debbie lives over in DuQuoin, IL and sends pictures every morning of the sunrise while she is on her walk. This morning it was definitely a “Red sky in morning, Sailor take warning” sky. So who knows? 

We’re doing laundry this morning, already have the second (and final) load going in the washer. It was wash the sheets day and we got an early start because a robo-caller woke us up at 0730. Of course by the time we got out of bed and answered the phone they hung up and left no message. We don’t usually get robo-calls that early. Our first one of the day is almost always “Amy, from Card services”. She calls at 0830 every morning, and frankly I’m just a little worried about Amy because she hasn’t called yet today and it is now 1000. I hope she’s okay LOLOLOL. I’d call her but she uses so darn many different phone numbers. 

Yesterday morning, first thing, we went to the doctor’s office so Ms Kate could have some blood drawn. She was supposed to have it done a week ago and things got wrapped around the axel and didn’t get it done. After that she mentioned going out for breakfast at Denny’s since it is right on the way back home. So we went for pancakes. I didn’t remember that it was Veteran’s Day so the place was packed with retired military guys coming in for the free Grand Slam. I try to stay away from those events and didn’t take advantage of it yesterday because I wanted pancakes. So many guys flock to those and will stand in long lines to get that “free meal” as if it is owed to them. I figure that America doesn’t owe me a thing. In my thirty two years of service, I never missed a paycheck. I figure we each filled our agreement, I serve honorably and they pay me for my work. But — different strokes for different folks I reckon. I get aggravated at the whining that my generation does because they came home from Vietnam and no one said “Thank-you”. But it’s been 50 years, get over it. 

Okay, I’m off before I pull out my soapbox. Have a great day. Peace..