Jan 2 - 38 degrees this morning

Sis woke up with a migraine this morning.

It was 38 degrees when I first checked the weather on the internet and while the sun shone brightly, it really doesn't feel like it warmed up a lot today.

We had 46 at church this morning (my unofficial count, I could have missed a couple). The pastor did the Wesley Covenant Service. It was quite lengthy.

After church, Sis and I went to the Little Red Barn Restaurant for lunch. I brought half of my lunch (chopped steak, baked potato and salad) home for tomorrow's lunch. The servings at most restaurants are too large for me.

A few months ago I was given a Chronological Bible. I looked it over and as it has readings for each day, in the order they are thought to have been written, I decided to start reading it on January 1st. If read that way, it can be completed in a year.

Our pastors also passed out a reading program by which we can read through the New Testament in 90 days. That sounded interesting too, so I'm doing both. For that 3-month program, I am using the NLT version of the Bible.

I am feeling queasy this afternoon and hope it isn't caused by anything I ate for lunch. I have already stopped putting salad dressing on my salads when I eat at that restaurant, as I've had this problem in the past. Now I'm wondering if it is something different but have no idea what it could be. The salads are very basic - lettuce, shredded carrots and a banana pepper. I never eat the pepper.

New Year's Day 2011

We had a quiet New Year's Eve. We aren't partiers and didn't go anywhere last night. Earlier yesterday afternoon we thought we would go see the Steves Homestead in the King Williams Historical District. It was advertised to be decorated for the holidays with tours being given throughout the day, through Jan 2. But it was closed and the gate was locked. There was no sign giving any information why it wasn't open. That is only about 4 miles from our home, so it wasn't a long drive. On the way home we passed a little restaurant called La Tuna. Phoebe had heard of it when she worked on a temporary job near there last year. We stopped and had lunch there. It didn't look like much outside, but it was really very nice inside and the food was outstanding and so was the waiter.

I think there was some talk of having a watch night program at church last night, but I forgot all about it. I don't like to drive late at night anyway.

I went to bed early last night but woke up a little before midnight, so I got up and watched the fireworks that were set off at midnight. The ones going out of the Tower of America were spectacular. I saw them on television. Then I was also looking out the living room window and seeing ones in the surrounding neighborhoods. Actually, people had been setting off fireworks ever since it got dark earlier in the evening, but it really all cut loose at midnight. Last year we were under a severe burn ban, but this year it was lifted and people seemed to really be making up for lost time.

Then I went back to bed and slept until about 7:15 a.m. We decided to go to Bud Jones restaurant for breakfast. I got my favorite breakfast there: 2 scrambled eggs, 2 sausage patties, 2 biscuits, and home fries. I always ask for a take-out container when my breakfast arrives. I put half of it in it for the next day and then eat the remaining half. It is a really good price for $3.99 and the breakfast options that just have one of each item still cost the same: $3.99. Tomorrow morning I will split the remaining biscuit, put the egg and sausage patty in it and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds for my breakfast.

We haven't been doing much at home today except catching up on email and knitting and crocheting. We had leftover chili for lunch. That was delicious. I probably won't eat much of anything for supper tonight, as that is the only way I can keep from gaining weight. A piece of fruit or a bowl of cereal is plenty for me in the evening.

28 degrees at 5:42 a.m.

No wonder it felt cold when I got up this morning. I just checked the weather on the internet and it is only 28 degrees. I watched the news on TV last night, but I don't remember the weatherman forecasting it to be quite that cold.

Christmas Day, Dec 25, 2010
We had a delicious dinner of ham,butternut squash, potatoes, green beans, spinach souffle, homemade yeast rolls, fruit salad, and mince pie.

I finished knitting a pink baby blanket this afternoon. I didn't make it for any particular baby.

Friday, Dec 24, 2010

We went to a Christmas Eve candlelight service at church this evening. Pastor Bob gave the message. It was a good service.

Precious and Calvin - 23 Dec 10

They don't often pose together.

Dec 17-18, 2010

Friday, Dec 17, 2010
I worked until noon. This afternoon I went to my weekly beauty shop appointment. I won’t go next week, but will go at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 30th.
We finished up some leftovers for dinner. For supper we had mackerel patties, salad, and fried potatoes. Sis had made some cookies today, so we had a couple of them for dessert.

I started knitting a pink baby blanket tonight. I got 15 rows done.
John called tonight and said Edna is in the hospital. It sounds like congestive heart failure. She has been in the hospital for about a week. He gave Phoebe her phone number so she can call her tomorrow.

Saturday, Dec 18, 2010
I got up at 4:00 this morning and after checking my email, I knitted 10 more rows on the baby blanket. Then I made a pot of coffee. Sis got up later with a migraine headache and had to heat a rice bag and put it on her head for awhile.

Later we went out for breakfast. I brought half of mine home for tomorrow. When we left the restaurant we went to Wal-Mart. I wanted to buy a new coffeemaker for the office. I found one there and got it. It is programmable and has a charcoal filter to put in the tank. We have very hard water and the coffeemakers soon get limed up so I am hoping this will help.

We used a coupon later this afternoon to buy two Subway sandwiches for the price of one and Sis made apple dumplings for dessert. I have wanted homemade apple dumplings for awhile. They were delicious.

Sis and I both talked to Edna for awhile on the phone. She is hoping to go home from the hospital soon but so far the doctors don’t think she is ready.

Fred called later and we both talked to him. He had to go to the doctor and get medicine for an infected eye.

Caroling on the River

The weather was perfect for our outing last night.

It started out rather badly. We all met at the church parking lot to take a van ride downtown to the River Walk. Another of our three churches was to provide the van and driver. The man from our church who is coordinating the trips for all three churches checked twice in the last two days with the other church and was assured that the van and driver would meet us at our church between 6:45 and 7:00 p.m.

He didn't show up. So our coordinator went over to the other church and people there were having a meeting and a dinner and no one there seemed to know anything about the deal. They finally got him the key to the van and allowed him to drive it, as he had already taken the precaution of being put on their insurance for the van in case they needed another driver. He brought the van back and we all got down to the River Walk in time for our assigned barge ride. Thirteen of us went in the 15-passenger van and four more of our group met us down there.

Our barge ride left at 8:00 p.m. and the ride lasted for an hour. The lights decorating the route were beautiful and people on the sidewalks along the River Walk and eating at the outdoor restaurant tables there cheered and waved as we passed, singing Christmas carols as we went.

The ride doesn't normally take an hour, but we went slowly and stopped several times to sing at particular spots.

After it was all over and we were headed back to the church in the van, I was very glad that we had an experienced driver driving, as the traffic was worse than I have ever seen it. He has driven tour buses many times and wasn't a bit intimidated by the traffic.

We got home by 9:30 p.m. and I was soon ready for a good night's sleep. I just don't stay up as late as I used to.