A Day in the Life: Day 3- Thursday...

Wow, what a great day.

It started off with our usual routine. Take dogs out, coffee, take dogs out, news of the day, take dogs out, shower, dress, take dogs out.... I think I see a pattern here.

We met our Marine and his mom for breakfast. The Starlight has a great breakfast.

This is our very own, Very Special Marine Nathan. I got his name from his Aunt. Nathan has been deployed and she knew that I belonged to a Troop Support group that packs boxes for Deployed Troops. I got the address and asked to adopt him.

Adopting a name off our list means that I am committing to pack that Troop's boxes and add letter or some little extra special thing if I choose to.

Nate's Special thing was Milky Way bars. He didn't care that it was 130 degrees, he wanted one. We made a joke of it sending Milky Way Soup in every box. At those Temps the bar melted. So I would take it out of the wrapper, place it in one of those plastic disposable containers, tape the wrapper to the container along with a spoon. He loved it.

I even got a call about 2 am from Iraq. It was Nathan, that was cool.

I soon discovered he was raised not to far from here. I met his wonderful family. They were a joy and it has been a wonderful blessing to get to know all of them.

I feel so blessed that Nathan makes time whenever he is home to see us.

I really love this photo. The two of them were checking out a video on YouTube.

Talk about high tech.

Hubby and Nathan have a special bond. One that only men who have been in combat can truly understand.

This is one of my favorites.

I wanted a good picture of this tattoo. Nathan has a bunch of them. Some to remember his time being deployed and some to remember friends who gave their lives.

I have always wanted a tattoo. I know, it's crazy.

After we left the restaurant we decided to run to an estate sale we had seen earlier in the day. I don't often go to these sales. I have some issues with IBS and being somewhere that I don't have a restroom available is not an option. Today I found that a friend lived across the street, so we stopped. I found a few treasures. A Pyrex 3 qt bowl with cover, and insulated bag for $5, some cute doilies for $.50, a set of Christmas kitchen towels/pot holder for $1, some bright orange Tupperware measuring cups for $.25, the pretty blue colander for $1, some lawn chairs for $2. and hubby got a wrench for another $1.

After we got home I took a walk around the yard and found a few beauties.

First the lilac bushes are starting to bud out.

The frost killed off a lot of buds, but there are still a few survivors.

Next, the flower that grows best in any yard we've ever had...

DANDELIONS

I attempted to get a photo of me from the front working on my blog post.

Didn't happen. My back is as good as it gets.

Saw this little fellow out my Kitchen window. Just a few minutes earlier hubby had seen a deer in the back of our yard by the fence. Maybe I will luck out and get a picture of one before the end of the week.

We finally decided that the reason why we were hungry is because we hadn't eaten supper and it was 7pm. so I grabbed a pizza. amazing how they just don't seem to look like the picture on the box. This was one of my $1 sale bargains.

This post was probably Not the one to add this to, but these dogs crack me up. Rosie sits intently on hubby's lap while he eats. Sissy waits patiently at his feet hoping beyond hope that a piece of food will fall off the plate.

Their eyes never leave the hand with the food in it..

After hubby is finished eating he lets the girls lick the plate. OK, don't get sick. I wash them good, tho we do like to tease company that when the dogs are done with them we can just put them back in the cupboard they're so clean. LOL

They do this little dance for a chance to lick a plate.

Well the day is over, the garbage was put out, cat box was cleaned, tomato plants were put outside for a bit, supper was baked and eaten. Now it's time to stretch out and think about what I have planned tomorrow.

A Day in the Life: Day 2 Wed.

Wow, I think I finally figured how to do this day thing in order and with all the photos in one post. It took a little longer to upload them, but when I did them earlier thinking they were in order, they were not. LOL reading them from the end of the day to the beginning is bad enough. This time they were not only backward, but mixed in with another post. weird.

Today started great !! Hubby brought me home a wonderful English Toffee Capacino. It was way yummy and gave me a quick caffeine push. I needed one. I was about to embark on an adventure.

Before the adventure begins I'll remind you that I have done all the routine morning things I told you about in the Monday posts. All 7 of them.. sheesh.. If you read them all you get an A.

These are the girls. Sissy is the one at the bottom of the bed. she is the timid one. She has gotten a bad reputation. She is my chewer. She has chewed numerous holes in my fuzzy blanket (the one on the bed) . She has chewed the binding off it (yep, this one) . She has chewed through almost every sheet set, blanket, and comforter I own. Hubby caught her chewing on the blanket the other day. He read her the riot act. She is very contrite and sweet and I haven't caught her munching on my bedding all week.

I had decided to head out for a short walk. This is one of the many homes for sale in our area. Like so many this one is owned by a company out west. The lender foreclosed on it. It's been sitting empty with about 6 other homes in our subdivision. A shame how the American dream of Home ownership has become a nightmare for so many.

I love this picture. I love the chairs. I love the shape of them and the color. I hate the fence that keeps me from getting a fabulous shot of them. It's a very tall fence. The people put it in years ago when they had large dogs. I think it's 8 ft tall maybe taller. I wish the neighbors would just let me roam through their yards and take pictures. They don't. Unfortunately these days I would be met with the wrong end of a loaded shotgun, or taking a ride to the pokey in a

police car. I just stay on my side of the fence.

I get back home from my walk and begin the day.

Today I'm going to cook Wednesday night supper at Church. We have a couple of groups that take turns making supper on wed. nights. It's a great ministry. It lets those who work get their kids and head to Church without having to worry about getting supper first. Today I'm taking a turn. Some of my regular helpers are out of commission,

so I'm going to do most of the cooking myself.

I have an easy menu. Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, tossed salad, and vanilla pudding with vanilla wafer cookies. Plus Ice tea and punch. I head to Gordon's food service. It's my first of two stops to pick up the groceries.

Then it's on to Meijers for the rest of what I need.

This photo is of me taking my picture. I did it when I stopped at the Church the first time to check on my shopping list. I don't want to buy food it if we don't need it.

I'm kind of cute except for that giant right eye.

I probably shouldn't have, but I did. I was hungry and, I knew it would be awhile before the food was cooked, so I stopped at the McDonalds on the corner, next to the Meijers.

I got a happy meal so all my weight loss buddies can rest easy. I didn't even eat all the fries.

I loved the smile I was greeted with. It's amazing how a smile can make your day a little happier.

(for my special Soldiers and Marines, I got the boy toy)

This is my first attempt at a real meal for wed. night. I've only cooked wed. nights one other time a couple of weeks ago. This is the first time I'm cooking by myself. Now don't get the idea that I couldn't find help. I had several people offer to help me cook. Meatloaf cooks itself, and instant mashed, and gravy mix don't get any easier. Corn was in the can along with the vanilla pudding. The salad was pre-mixed in a bag. I just added some cherry tomatoes and diced cucumber. The hardest part of this meal was getting the meatloaf out of the pans in one piece so I could slice it. My helpers came to set up, serve, and clean up.. yahoo for Church family that pitch in and help...

I made 3- 3# meatloaves for about 25 of us. There wasn't a crumb left. I usually bring a plate home for hubby. I had to make him soup and grilled cheese sandwiches when I got home. It was all gone except for the gravy and some salad.

This is Alex. He and his mom Becky came up and helped cover the tables, put out salt and pepper, the salad and dressings, the pudding, cookies, ice etc.

I would have gotten a photo of the dinner when it was done, but I was so busy serving I didn't even think of taking pictures until we were almost done.

The food has been served and my friend Cathy and I are on the last of the dishes. only a few pots left and the containers for drinks. I do want to remember to make a small pot of coffee next time. I didn't this week and several folks came looking. I just didn't think of it.

We usually stop the dinners during the summers. When they start back in the fall I'd like to make Pasties. I think most people would eat them. I would need some help making them as they take some work to prep. I'd also like to whip a little Nissua on them for dessert. We would have to have coffee too.

I got home about 5 hours after starting. I was tired. whipped actually. My knee was screaming with pain. I got home, hobbled inside, and grabbed the pain meds. Fixed hubby his supper, then headed to the couch. I did make it back to computer to play a little scrabble, but the day had gotten the best of me and it didn't take me long to give it up and go to bed.

All in all it was a good day.

A Day in the Life: Tues. pt. 7 (the last one)

After watching evening TV. I head back to the computer. The past week Cindy and I have played Scrabble in the late evening. It gives us both something to do. Cindy is a brilliant scrabble player. If I can get within 100 pts. I'm thrilled. I'm getting a little better.. I apparently need to learn some 5 and 6 letter words. I'm good at 3 and 4.

After the girls go to bed. Our psycho kitty Sylvester makes his entrance. He and the dogs do not like each other. He stays in one of the bedrooms and naps most of the day. He is an elderly gentleman and prefers napping to mouse hunting adventures. He comes out after the girls are put in the crates for the night. He gets his petting and loving.. then sleeps next to hubby most of the night.. his purring keeps us awake. Now that he is older.. (13) his snoring keeps us awake too.

Well, I'm back where I started.. turning off the computer and heading for bed. It was a fun day. I even got a quick nap in after supper. I won't bore you with anymore of the mundane everyday stuff I do.. I have routine on most days.. the rest of the days, I'll just post the special things/extra things I do that day. I have a fun week ahead. Well, mostly fun.

Now did you join in???? If not.. start today. Grab a camera. get some photos. jot down things about them.. then scrap them. fun, fun, fun, thanks Sharyn for starting me on this.. I'm having a blast.

This one last photo I took this afternoon on the way home from the hospital. It's where I worship each Sunday. It's where I learned about a God that loved me and sent His son to Die for my sins. It's where I learn His word, and Sing of His Glory. It's where I work along side others and serve. It's where I Worship.. It's Home to me. More photos of it later..

Good night..

A Day in the Life: Tues. pt. 6...

OK, back to the kitchen. I cooked supper. We had Salad, cube steaks, baked potatoes, and Lemonade. It was good. Hubby really likes the cube steaks. I roll them in flour that has garlic, salt, pepper, and a few other spices like onion powder in it.. and fry in about a Tblsp. of oil. yummy goodness..

I look out this window in the kitchen a lot during the day. The sun is starting to set. I wish I had a good place to take a photo of it. The house next door's former owners added on, so basically now when I look out this window, all I can see is their house and the deck. nothing else. oh and our trailer.

As some of you know I'm a huge snack eater. My downfall especially these days when I have decided I need to lose weight. We watch Biggest Loser on Tuesday nights (until LOST comes on) I have to eat. We eat and talk about how we need to lose weight. Please tell me that we are not the only people who do that. I have improved my snacks. Jillian and Bob would be proud.

This is our other little girl Rosie. She is waiting for a treat. I keep them in by the computer. The girls get treats first thing in the morning and before they go to bed. Sissy knows if she cries long enough I'll give her another one. Rosie can hear the treat bag rattle from a mile away. she shows up and will sit up pretty for a treat.. that's it. she refuses to do any other tricks. She has informed me that she doesn't want a treat bad enough to humiliate her like her sister does.. Sissy will lay down, sit, stand up pretty etc.

A Day In the Life: Tues. pt. 5

This is Sissy again. She gets cold and will sneak into my room and get up under the covers. She puts her head on the pillow too. It's just to funny.

This is my hubby. He bought a mower for our daughter. He has worked on it and it's mowing like a champ now. He decided to replace the blade. Off to Lowe's we went.

How hard can it be to find a blade that matches. Well, plenty hard. He bought a Universal one, but has used them before and they tend to be sloppy and let the blade wobble. Which, I was informed, can cause something to shear off.. doesn't sound good to me.. We bought it cause we needed one..

Not being prejudice about our purchases, we headed across the street to The Home Depot just to see if they had a blade. They did. The same exact one that the mower needed. We purchased it and returned to Lowe's to return the other blade. Then home to put it on the mower. Not me, hubby. I fixed supper. My photos of supper didn't turn out.

A Day in the Life: tues. Pt. 4

This is a picture of me and Cindy outside of Logans Roadhouse. It turned out really good. There was a first one, that well, you could see inside my nose.. not pretty.

Cindy's hubby had brain surgery a week ago. It was a real miracle. There have been some complications that were unexpected. Mark is in the hospital in rehab. I went today. It's amazing how God has brought him from paralysis on one side, to moving his arm and leg. There is progress everyday. God is Good.. After lunch with Cindy, I went to visit him.

As you can see this photo is not to good. LOL I told him about my Day in the life series and he said it would be OK to include a photo of him. He is an amazing man. Still laughing and knowing that God will get him through all of it...

This is another photo of Mark. He was down in therapy when I visited. That is really a car in there. It's cool. The participants work on getting in and out of it. A great thing to know so you don't crack your head or fall out of the car getting in and out.

Remember to pray for Mark and Cindy as he recovers.

A Day in the Life: Tues. pt. 3

After the bank, I stopped for some gas. I was mortified to see that it had gone up to $2.93. I only needed enough to get me across town and back. Good Thing.

I just like this picture. The colors I think. Colors just make me happy.

This may seem like a weird photo to you.. Don't tell hubby I was snapping photos while driving. This was my one and only time. to difficult to do safely. It's the Truck plant. There is a Metal fab plant in the complex too. The last remaining dinosaur of the Great GM plants in these parts. I decided I need to look around online and find pictures of all the plants that use to be here. I need to remember them. Most are gone and the buildings have been torn down. very sad.

This was my next stop. Logan's Roadhouse. I love their food, atmosphere. Everything. I was meeting my friend Cindy here for lunch. We had a great visit and enjoyed our food.