Saturday 9: Every Time You Go Away

Saturday 9: Every Time You Go Away (1985)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about separation. Who is the last person you said goodbye (or maybe just "so long") to?
Our friends, Kay and Wilson are moving next week and we went over on Wednesday to visit and tell them we love them and say good-bye! Their daughter promised they would come back for a visit, but Wilson and Kay are both in pretty fragile condition healthwise.

2) This week's featured artist, Paul Young, was a gifted athlete during his school days and briefly played professional football (aka soccer). Sam enjoys playing tennis, though her serve doesn't give Serena Williams anything to worry about. What's something you enjoy doing, even if you don't excel?
Playing my piano.

3) Mr. Young and his wife Stacy were married for 31 years, until her death in 2018. What do you think is the key to a happy marriage?

Trusting each other, accepting your roles, sharing your faith, laughing, good communication, never going to bed angry, forgiving.

4) Paul Young's performance of this hit song was one of the highlights of the July 1985 Live Aid Concert. This international benefit raised more than $100 million to alleviate hunger in Ethiopia. Tell us about a charity you support. 
Besides our church and others, one of our favorites is an orphanage in Nicaragua that is run by one of our former pastors and his wife, Bob and Barb. They have done so much with these children and the kids are excelling and winning awards in a variety of areas. 
Here is a link to their website: https://nicakellys.blogspot.com/

5) This song was written by Daryl Hall, of Hall and Oates. What's your favorite Hall and Oates song?

Kiss on my List from 1980  – That tells you how long it’s been since I’ve heard one of their songs.

6) In 1985, when this song was popular, the New Coke was unsuccessfully introduced. What's the last beverage you drank? Coffee

7) In 1985, the New York Stock Exchange had to close because of Hurricane Gloria. Has a hurricane shared your name? (Find a list of recent/upcoming storm names here.)

8) 1985 was the year that the Titanic wreckage was discovered. There have been at least 11 movies and TV shows about the fatal voyage. Have you seen any of them?
I saw bits and pieces of the current one and the one with Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb. Robert Wagner was the young man in that one.

9) Random question: Would you rather own and run a coffee shop or a shoe store?
Maybe a coffee shop. 

Why? They are so popular now and I do love the smell of coffee. I guess owning a shoe store would be very lucrative because women seem to have so much of a thing about shoes.

My Friday Fotos!

A Happy Sunshiny Friday!

Different wildflowers around this area.

We still have bluebonnets

This will most likely be the last year you see two little boys dancing together!!

Cooties, you know. Haha!

Jack is in the royal blue shirt.

Sweet second grade children performing songs for their families. Their music teacher seemed a gentle soul with his guitar, but judging from the way the children sang, he must have the gift of bringing out the best in those kids! They were most entertaining. Jack sang his heart out, as did all the others, except for those moments he was looking out at us and grinning, or when he jumped off the back row of the bleachers. 

The truck pulling the raft was our son who is with the swift water rescue team here and they were deployed to Abilene to help with rescue for floods and then to Waco for the same. It turned out to be precautionary in Abilene, but they rescued six people in Waco who were camped at an RV park by a creek that got out of control. We are so proud of them and glad they are now home safely. 

The last pic is of dear friends from the past 25 years who will be moving to South Dakota in the next few days. Wilson, a prince of a man, has been suffering with cancer resulting from agent orange while he served in Vietnam. He and his sweet wife, Kay, have been “ordered” to move by their children who want them nearby to care for them. Wilson and Kay aren’t eager to leave their home, but they are certainly blessed to have kids who care so much for them. We will surely miss them so much as we have spent time in each others' homes for Bible study, shared meals together, especially burger nights for years and the men's Wednesday breakfasts!

We had sooooo much rain this week and everything is totally saturated. Yesterday was one of those rare Texas days with 70 degrees, sunshine and NO WIND!!! I went to the nursery and bought a few things to get me started with spring planting. 

And the skies the other night after the rain were so pretty, with the clouds in the east almost, but not quite, hiding a full rainbow, which I could not capture due to the house next door and the trees! But we all stepped outside to enjoy it as it was so huge across the sky.

My photos are so amateurish, but still I cannot resist trying to capture the moments of beauty that God provides for us from day to day!

I did have to drive home in the storms on Tuesday night after Jack's program, praying all the way and this song running through my mind! These days it seems I'm either driving ahead of a storm or driving into one. Isn't that kind of like life? 

HE WILL PILOT ME

Although I cannot see the way, o'er life's tempestuous sea,
I know that Jesus is my friend, and that He'll pilot me
He'll pilot me from day to day,
When blinded eyes can't see the way.
Let come what may, On life's dark sea,

My Blessed Lord will pilot me – pilot me.

Dear Lord what e'er the storm may be, I'll simply trust in thee.
Relying on thy love so true, to safely pilot me.
He'll pilot me from day to day
When blinded eyes can't see the way.
Then come what may on life's dark sea

My Blessed Lord - will pilot me.

Wednesday Medley and Wiener Warmers!!

It's time for another Wednesday Medley medley of questions from Terri, Your Friend from Florida. No rules and there is no obligation. Link up if you want to.  This makes for a fun Wednesday blog and, if you are interested, then I invite you to join in and link up with other ‘Meddlers’ tomorrow!! 

1. Typically served as an hors d'oeuvre, have you ever made or had a Pig-in-a-Blanket? Do you like Pigs-in-a-Blanket?

Sure. They are usually served at a Christmas potluck or brunch: sausages in a Pillsbury crescent roll. The Pancake House also had pancakes wrapped around sausage on their menu. 

2. Pigs-in-a-blanket are also known as devils on horseback, kilted sausages, and wiener winks. (Seriously.) Please make up another name for this fun little appetizer! 

I like the Wiener Winks, but how about “Wiener Warmers?” Or Lazy Pigs since Pigs in a blanket are wrapped up in something and just lay there.

3. In the UK, pigs-in-blankets are small sausages, or chipolatas wrapped up in bacon. Which country's version is most appealing to your taste buds? 

Not the U.K. version! 

4. The first written record of pigs-in-a-blanket occurs in Betty Crocker's Cooking for Kids in 1957. In this digital world, do you still have a favorite cookbook you use most of the time? Is there a recipe you can share with us from that cookbook?

Before the Internet and Pinterest, my Betty Crocker cookbook and my Betty Crocker Dinner for Two cook book were my favorites. The oatmeal raisin cookies have been baked over and over again. And the Dinner for Two cookbook guided me with menu ideas each week, which helped me tremendously when I first married. I shopped for the listed ingredients and cooked straight from the book! 

We ate from the "Frankly Thrifty" section quite often.

Always a success!

5. What is your favorite cooking show on TV? 

I like Pioneer Woman, Alton Brown, and Barefoot Contessa. 

6. Tell us something random about your week, please.

Last night we celebrated our grandson Jack’s 8th birthday. His restaurant of choice was the Lazy Dog restaurant, and from all the wonderful choices on the menu, he ordered a Nathan‘s hotdog. I thought that was funny. 

We had so much fun at the restaurant with plenty of laughter and sharing funny stories. Then we had cake and ice cream at our house. Jack had specifically asked for a one layer cake with chocolate chip cookies forming a circle on top, and vanilla ice cream in the center of the circle. He also wanted some Cookie Monster ice cream on the side! 🤢 he told me it all met up with his expectations and imagination! That boy!

This evening we are going over to see the second graders sing. He sang the song Buenos Dias for us last night just in case we don’t make it over there. Kate played Happy Birthday on the piano and we all sang to him. It was a wonderful evening. 

A Special Weekend - A Special Day

This Easter weekend was filled with times of celebrating and also rest! Good Friday services at church, Saturday morning services at Beth Sar Shalom, resting Saturday evening, and two Sunday services!! Whew!! It was all good!

A couple of weeks ago, I invited the kids over for dinner on Easter, but we came to the decision we would meet on Monday for Jack's birthday celebration. Well, as life holds many surprises, Amy texted me Saturday evening asking whether they might come to church with us on Sunday and lunch afterward! Well, sure!!! Delighted!!

So, although I was serving in two services, we still managed to connect on Sunday morning and make it to lunch. The kids (Jack especially) were expecting Easter Egg hunts in the backyard, so I was glad to have candy and other surprises on hand along with the Easter baskets from the past few years. It was fun, but somewhat sad as this probably will be the last Easter Egg hunt in our backyard! We had a great lunch, and fun in the afternoon.

I love this pic!

Looks like Bear didn't feel like having his pic made!

Jack's only disappointment yesterday was that he couldn't open birthday presents. But his Daddy was working on Sunday and today is actually Jack's birthday. He is so funny! His special request for birthday celebration is that we eat at the Lazy Dog Restaurant and that I bake a one layer chocolate cake, with chocolate chip cookies in a circle on top and monster vanilla ice cream in the center of the cake!! Pretty specific on what he likes and wants. So, the cake is now ready except for putting on the candles and the ice cream in the center.

And besides all that, it's his day and so it's all about his choices!

Happy Birthday, Jack Jack!!!

Thank You, Jesus!

Recap Events: Seder meal, Open House and Book Club

The past few days I have been focused totally on preparing to share a lesson with our Tuesday Morning Bible Study, Ladies of Grace. The past couple of years I have been asked to "teach" on Passover and Communion. Now it's over and I thoroughly enjoyed it and had good feedback. Here is a photo of the table I set for a visual aid so everyone could taste and experience in a small way the bitterness of slavery, the sweetness of freedom, and our communion with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It always blessed me to re-read the passages in the Bible about the Exodus, the Passover, and the Last Supper.

Afterward, we delivered the 100 gift bags to the nursing home we visited. It was also a blessing to see the joy on the residents' faces as we shared the goodie bags and prayed with them.

Last Thursday morning our BSF had a special pizza party after the lesson. It was another opportunity to get to know a few of the ladies from my discussion group a little better. The two on the left are  mother and daughter.

The facilitator of the group is standing in the center - she is truly a sweet lady, as they all are. This has been a good year as I transitioned into a new BSF closer to home and I'm really glad I made the move. It's wonderful making new friends and still seeing my old friends from the previous church.

After the fellowship, I received a text from Amy informing me that the kids had an open house that evening if we were interested. So, change of plans for us and we were glad to go. It turned out to be a good thing for Amy as she was caught up with something going on at her new job, and Jason was at the fire station. So we ended up being the grandparents visiting open house to see what the kids have been up to.

Jack wanted to be first and he was very eager to lead us on a scavenger hunt to look at different things in his classroom. 

He just couldn't find the favorite page,

but he did show his favorite book.

Who is sleepy, kind and good!

Who loves my hover board, iPad and dog.

Who feels kind, loved, and nice.

Who fears breaking a leg, arm, and my nose!

Kate's hand!

The Alamo Project was very good.

Sweet Kate!

The Thinker!

I liked this!

Do the math to learn her age, shoe size, birthdate, etc. 

Friday morning our book club had the first meeting. There were eight of us and oh my goodness, we had so much fun. So much insight into the book we read, News of the World, which I thoroughly enjoyed and would read again and also recommend. We discussed it, critiqued it, laughed, and everybody just clicked (or did we clique? We are certainly not excluding anyone who might want to join us)! I am looking forward to our future meetings. Now that I have finished my research and preparation for Passover and Communion, I am ready to begin reading Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (she wrote Unbroken, which was a wonderful book, although it was difficult to read about all Louis Zamperini and the other POW's suffered in WWII.

We had torrential rains on Saturday with large and strangely shaped hail. The roofing people have already come by but I plan to wait. 

Saturday 9: April Love

It's a cool and stormy weather kind of day here in Texas. 

April Love (1957). Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here. I loved and still do love this song and the movie and Pat Boone. We saw him in concert in the 70’s.

1) In this song, Pat Boone sings that April love is a wonder reserved for the very young. Do you think the sensation of falling in love changes as we grow older? 

Probably. I feel it’s more about a crush when we are young, a little more shallow, but very sweet.    However, I have friends who fell in love at 15 and 16 and are still married 50 years later. And my brother and sil met at 16, married at 19, are still happy in love 🥰 42 years later and still going strong.  Must be something to that young, immature love. I’m thankful I didn’t marry the ones I had a crush on. When I met my DH, that love was truly a wonder! I was so happy.

2) "April Love" reached #1 on the charts. Between this song and "Love Letters in the Sand," Pat Boone had a career year. Only one artist sold more records in 1957: Elvis Presley. When you think of Elvis, what's the first song that comes to mind? 

You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog!

3) Pat was extremely busy in high school. He wrote for the school paper, ran track, and acted in school plays. Share a memory of your extracurricular activities during high school.

I didn’t do too much during high school, I was more involved with the youth group at church, Christ's Ambassadors, aka CA's. I was honored to be elected Miss CA when I was a junior in high school. At school, I was in the pep club and attended football games to cheer our team, but that was about it, except for the Red Cross. 

4) It was his track coach who introduced Pat to the new girl in school, Shirley Foley. Three years later Pat and Shirley married, and remained man and wife for 65 years, until her death earlier this year. Who is the longest married couple you know?

Our dear old friends, Vern and Lotus made it past 65 years just before he passed away. They knew each other for one month before they married. We loved them so much and they often shared their stories with younger marrieds at church. Vern was a great friend and role model for my husband.

Beaming at an anniversary party we had for them.

Lotus on a camel in Israel with Vern to her right.

They were in their 80's when we took this trip!

 

5) Pat has lived in the same house for more than 60 years. He once received an offer to sell it for $18,000,000 but turned it down because it's the Boone family home and he simply doesn't want to leave. Do you plan on moving in the foreseeable future? 

I would like to, but there is no plan at this time. It’s overwhelming to think about and DH is happy here.

6) Pat has a warm friendship with his neighbors, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Pat has mentioned in interviews that he has enjoyed bike rides around Beverly Hills with Sharon. Tell us about one of your neighbors. 

The family to the left of us is from India and they are very nice people. Both the mom and dad are RNs and they have a son and daughter. They are Syrian Christians and wear their cultural attire when they attend their services. We talk, but aren’t close. I used to bake cookies for their children. Their daughter is at Texas A & M, and she is very smart and beautiful. She certainly has blossomed. Their son will be graduating high school this year. 

This was taken shortly after they moved in.

They are a beautiful family.

7) Mr. Boone was very critical of Barack Obama, enthusiastically supports Donald Trump, and has appeared on Fox News to express his views. How do you feel about celebrities talking politics? 

I respect that they have opinions, but unfortunately, many of them aren’t able to do it in a decent way. I’m sick of hearing threats from them and the hate that is in the news daily. Being critical is one thing, being mean is quite another. 

8) In 1957, the year this song was popular, Dr. Ian Donald pioneered the use of ultrasound technology. Today ultrasounds are commonly used by doctors in diagnosing conditions affecting the eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, gall bladder and more. Have you ever had an ultrasound? Oh yes!

9) Random question: You're sitting alone in a restaurant, waiting for a friend. The waiter brings you a drink and the compliments of a member of the opposite sex seated at the bar. What's your reaction? Are you flattered, shocked, embarrassed, intrigued or annoyed?

Hmmmmm. I don’t think so. I would have to tell the waiter to say thank you, but no, thank you.

Wednesday Medley Celebrating Siblings

Wednesday Medley this week is all about siblings! You don't have any siblings? Terri says if you are an only child, substitute an aunt, cousin, or a friend if you want to participate! Grab the questions right here to answer on your blog and link up with Your Friend from Florida on Wednesday! No rules … just fun!

NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY
National Siblings Day (also referred to as Sibling Day) is observed on April 10. It is a day created to honor our brothers and our sisters.

Siblings. They are sometimes our best friends or our worst enemies. At times, siblings will provide us with our biggest competition, strongest encouragement and remind us of our most embarrassing moments.

1.  Stealing the questions from the National Day Calendar:  How many siblings do you have? Are you rivals or do you support each other in all you do?

One sister, Roberta, and one brother, Phil. We love each other. 

That hat!!! and haircut!!! Ha!

2.  Have you heard of the Birth Order Book?  What are your thoughts on the premise that your birth order affects everything you do in life?

I haven’t read the book nor do I know much about it. I will say some of the effects for my family would be that my sister and I being two years apart grew up and shared some things together that my younger brother did not. He was nine years younger than me and in some ways, he was an only child since he didn’t have a sibling close in age. 

However, he and I are extremely close in the sense that we are so much alike that my sil says we are twins separated by 9 years, i.e., we think alike, have the same opinions, likes and dislikes, pet peeves, etc. I just wish I was as smart as he is. I do think because he came along later and was a boy that maybe he enjoyed some privileges my sister and I did not, but I believe I can honestly say there were no favorites by my parents and I don’t think there was any jealousy on our part. 

I’m the oldest. My sister says I am a controller. That’s all I’m going to say about our birth orders. I think my parents did a good job of being fair, giving all they could to us with a sacrificial love that did not give us everything we may have wanted, and that each one of us have been successful in relationships and our work ethic and most of all, in relationship with the Lord. 

3.  Is there something that you still do that drives your siblings crazy?

I will have to ask them. My sis may think I’m a little too fussy. My brother may think I’m too prone to dwell on my failures. 

4.  Are you closer to your siblings now than you were when you were younger? Yes  

5.  Would you dare to tell us an embarrassing story about a sibling?

Not too embarrassing, but maybe about my sister: we had a neighbor who borrowed often. One day she came over to ask for two eggs. Roberta gave her one egg and my mother asked why she didn’t give two. Roberta exclaimed "because those eggs have double yolks!"

Also, people were always commenting on how cute my sister was and one time when an older lady remarked, you sure are cute, Roberta replied, "well, you’re not!"

6.  Tell us something random about your week.

We went to Austin to visit our daughter. It was a beautiful drive there on Friday and I so wished I could take pics along the way of the bluebonnets and other wildflowers, but I was, and always am, the driver. Blankets and blankets of color covered both sides of the highway all the way down I-35. 

Bluebonnets in Ennis, Texas

Hill Country, Texas

The reports say that 2019 was the best year for bluebonnets since 2009!

Saturday was a very stormy day with lots of rain, so we stayed indoors and played cards and 42 until later in the day when the sun came out. We went to watch the girls’ soccer team from Brady’s school and it felt good to be out. 

  

On Sunday we were to return home and what a trip it was for me as more severe storms had come early Sunday morning and I was racing trying to stay ahead of the rain. Oh my though, the fog was with us all the way until it finally cleared just before Dallas. 

My sister and niece came on Sunday afternoon and we had a nice visit with them. Roberta wanted to treat me to dinner for my birthday next month.

It was a good weekend. After my sister left, I did two loads of laundry only to discover the washer had leaked out all over the kitchen floor and into the dining room. So thankful I got downstairs in time to see what was going on and sop up all the water! What a big mess!! The repairman came on Tuesday so we are back in business!

Happy Siblings Day!! I'm thankful for mine!