a new normal

We do not know how long it will last,  but we are in a new chapter of life,   a
                          New Normal

Most days feel about the same.  They all seem like Saturday 

Starting at about  6:31 A.M.

That is when  I head downstairs for my first cup of coffee
           If I wake up before then I just look out the window, say " Good Morning" to my creator and put my head back down on my pillow.

For about two hours   ( now that we have no place to go or  people to see ) I read, and pray and write things.  If I am praying for you, I might just send you a text to let you know.    If you have shared a concern with me, it is in my prayer journal...but that is another story.



So by about 8:31, hubby has refreshed my coffee at least twice. Bless his heart.  I am downstairs and rustling up some breakfast.  Kale.  Yep. My son-in-law introduced me to it  and I like it.  Saute  in olive oil and throw in a couple eggs, maybe some left over spuds.  

We are thankful to be in good health.  Someone wears hearing aids. ( that is not an aid to listening)  Both of us are failing in the memory area ( not to a threatening point )  
Allergic Rhinitis ( perpetual runny nose / not allergy )
Nothing to complain about 
And that is how today started.


Hubby ?  Well, his day looks just about like it did last week, last month, last year.  He is out cutting and stacking and delivering wood .  Enough said. 

Yesterday morning was laundry.   Not that long ago we did laundry every day.  But, just the two of us, maybe once or twice a week. 
Then in the afternoon, 6 mini loaves of banana bread.  

Told Ya !   
This week I tried one new recipe.   I already have a favorite, but it does take a little longer to get all the ingredients ready.  But, I have all the time in the world.   

I also like to sneak in a chat with the littles next door  ( tea party .  egg hunt ).   Yesterday it was just a quick hello and a little bag of cookies.

Back to today.
A dilemma.   My friend Sally is turning 80 tomorrow.   ( she used to live across the street, now about 12 minutes away )  We have been friends for about 45 years.   She has been in quarantine, I have been in quarantine.  Yesterday my shopper bought some chocolate cupcakes.  What should I do?


pause.


Lunchtime is usually leftovers.  That is what women do, they clean up what no one else loves. Then it is time for a little ( or not so little ) power nap.  

This afternoon I got a sweet video from the little cuties next door.  They were thanking me for the cupcakes.   ( How did that happen?)  And it is raining, so I am content with that "chat".  

Time on the computer
Then out to The Burg.   Drive-in hamburger joint. Yes, they come to the car window, take your order and then your dinner comes back on a window tray.  But now, it is in a to-go bag, but we can stay and eat in the car.  
On the way we deliver 3 mini banana bread loaves to our favorite seniors that live near us, but not near their family.

7:00 Zoom time. Bible Study and prayer.  Tonight had a very hard time getting on line... but that is another story.  

9:30 ish... time to pray and such with hubby.  He goes to bed early. 
Me?  I do enjoy a good western: the good guy wins
  Or a mystery: like Perry Mason where you do not know the bad guy until the end, but it is never the guy who needs Perry.
Time to iron, computer work, cleaning up here and there.  
Last night, 26 hankies  ( allergic rhinitis needs ) Tonight, 5 old, very old, from the family farm old, flour sack tea towels.  Still wet from the wash, so they will take quite a while to iron up.

Each daughter would like one. 

Plenty to do while watching on YouTube a favorite mystery.   It is a great series and I have seen it before, but I just can't remember who did the naughty deed.


No virus 
No  complaints
I live an exciting life

Tulips and more Tulips

Hi Marti..

One of the Northwest favorite "shows"
                      Tulips

This year, a little different calendar. There were no tours, or parades or festivals 
BUT
There are tulips

So we made the trip to Mt Vernon, Washington

Along the way.... rest stop.  no coffee, but a landmark we have never seen before
( funny how life changes when you have all the time in the world ) 

And here they come..   the fields of wonder   brilliant colors and sunny skies

Three different nurseries  but  this time of the season, they all start looking "similar"






But this place  "Tulip Town"  had some fun decorations, tulips for sale, and food to go

And before leaving town,   this very cute house caught my eye 

We are still in the area... needing some lunch and another "rest stop"\

          One more landmark  

And another

We stop at Jack in the Box / lunch bowl
Stop at Safeway  /"rest stop"

Stop at A & W / root beer float 

Then the most fun of all
Stop at T Man's 

Now you see him  

Now you don't 

But we can see a table set with coffee and warm cookies 

And that brought even more smiles


I live an exciting life.


Much to be thankful for 

memories are made of this

It started with a text from our neighbor.

He is in Boston, waiting out the virus situation here, and he remembered   that last year at Easter, he spent the day with us.        ( I had forgotten.. I was too absorbed in the now...not able to be with family)
The thing is,  he is not a Christian, but he wrote...Have a blessed Easter.

I was touched.
  I thought it was worth writing about. I was busy in the kitchen and as I headed to the computer I remembered something...my grandpa would say  " you can't cook dinner in the living room"  That was his way of saying that the stove was on and I should be heading back where I was needed.

You know how it is with memory..... sometimes you have it, sometimes not

Hard to forget Easter 2018 .  It started out in a normal sort of way.  We always celebrate here,  and the usual menu.   I was bending down to lift out the clay pot for the ham.   I could not get back up.   The pain was bad.   Very bad. With the help of hubby, we got the ham into the oven.  I stayed home from church. The girls always come early and help.  But, Anita called..".sorry,Christian is sick, I am so sorry, we can't come.  Tiffany is going to bring the salad for me." 
I could not let her know my concerns....
Then,  the doorbell rang  and it was Anita and family   " April Fools".
The rest of the day went well.  With the help of the girls our other guests had no idea what the morning had looked like, or notice my unusual walk.  

here is that pot...

Now you see it...now you don't... gone !




Another Easter memory...  forgetting where I hid the eggs... So Damon took over on the 100 + outside eggs, and I now take pictures of where the inside eggs are  ( they have $$ )

This is always on the menu
Jeanette's recipe.... Carrot cake 

Always on the table...no new ones this year  ( date on his bottom 2013 )   He is a keeper, that Old Bunny   

And there is more to decor than food

Gifted to our kids about 35 years ago
Full of Sees Candy !
Now it houses those yellow Peeps.  The same ones for a few years. No one eats them anymore.  Hmm.  Maybe I should introduce them to the grandkids   

These are also very old.... Solid sugar, me thinks.
No one dares to eat them either 

And pretty much always something "musical"  


One year we invited our neighbor across the street to come for Easter dinner.  He declined,saying he needed to pack, he was moving the next day.  So, our boys ( all the family here that year) headed across the street.  Sure enough, he had not packed yet.  Apparently he could not come to grips with the fact that his house did not sell and he could not make the payments and he needed to be out ! We all lent a hand.  

Then there was the day after Easter..because am sure hubby would not cut wood on Sunday.    Just down the trail, he had been cutting and stacking and on Monday...

But this year, well it will always be remembered.   No egg hunt.  No family gathering. But, wait... 

I put on a spring Sunday dress.... had prepared an almost typical Easter dinner with what I had on hand ... The new family next door have two little girls.  They are 2 and 5 years old.   About 9:00 we got the word that they were heading out to gather eggs.  So, while standing on a step ladder, I peeked over the fence.    It did not take them long to find 17 ( one is still hiding ) colored eggs.  We waved goodbye and headed inside. 

We had our own corned beef dinner and then met with most of the family on Zoom


The boys across the street came to our door with a basket of treats "Pick out something you like"

So this year will indeed be an Easter to remember. And every day we are thankful for the morning, long ago,  when Jesus arose from the grave !   Simply believe and receive the greatest gift of all... Salvation !
Read more in the Bible.  
Need one?    just ask me


I live an exciting life

and thankful

Keeping our distance

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood

and  I was excited

Just last week I met our neighbors. They moved next door in January. Why I only met them this week?   ( I don't want to talk about it )

The mom and dad and two little girls were very friendly and before I knew it, I had told the littles I would have a tea party, by the fence.

Got permission from Mom,  placed the yard sticks on the ground for "good measure"  and today was the day 

                                Invitation accepted.

Hubby helped with some of the grunt work.

Using what is in the cupboard and pleasing a 5 1/2 year old and a two year old means no pressure.   And prepacked, to be safest. 

Social distancing         and

                                               Here they come

Can you see the bubbles?   Well, little one was very impressed with Mickey making bubbles

A little tree climbing

Good conversation

And then... time to say goodbye



My take away:  
  The  simple pleasures of children, priceless.
  The confidence and assurance that  they had permission to help themselves to  all that is set before them...a reflection of the sweet family values.
   When you give a little joy to someone the joy comes right back
  And, a feeling of being..the old lady that lives next door.
(BTW, just found a thank you picture at my front door. And two more pieces of Dove chocolate.  This little gal knows how to spell and draw ... in the picture, her mom in pants, me in a dress, her sister in a pink dress, and she was in  white with blue edge trim.... just like yesterday )

 I am pretty sure we will "party " again, soon.


I live an exciting life

End of a chapter

Such a short chapter, but  one I will always remember.

Well, hard to forget that in March 2020 our nation,  our world entered a harsh season. Even the youngest members will remember "learning from home".  And much more for the rest of us. 

Our young man was going to be learning on line in his last term, and his hours at Arby's were getting less and less.   Then his parents became concerned that he was bringing potential contamination into our house, so, they bought him a ticket and in two days, he  had packed and flown off  to California. That will be his new home for a while.

But, lest I forget, the chapter started on February 6. 
     He moved in and did a bit of changing in the room.
  We had some fun and interesting chats, especially around midnight. 
    We both tend to stay up late and like puzzles 

Then things changed, for us all.    The Corona Virus hit and Richard had to leave Microsoft and go back to Vancouver until... we do not know when.  

But, Danylo was able to continue classes on line and work too.   Little by little the boundaries changed and soon, with spring break, there were no classes and very little work.

That brings us to March 26.  The call came from Dad and Mom.  On line classes will work anywhere and a few hours of work are not worth much.   So.  March 27, we had a goodbye dinner.
Not too festive since we could not go out to the store, and it was short notice.

No complaints on the entree...pulled that out from the freezer, homemade by Connie.  The butter rolls, also from the freezer, thank you Christian.  Molly made the strawberry jam and me, well I caramelized onions ( Danylo's recipe ) and Godiva chocolates for dessert 

We tried to keep our "social distance", but he did let me hug him goodbye.  Eyes swimming... 


Very quiet around here  these past few days.  Our guest room changed from "Guest room" to  " Danylo's Den"   to "Guest room"

We put Eva's coverlet back on the bed and we are ready for the next visitors.

Come on over..... very lonely around here...