Well…

I was neither struck by lightning last night nor did I win any part of the Mega Millions.   There were 3 winners, one of them being from Illinois in a little town called Red Bud which is near St Louis.  My brother lives in that area of Illinois.  Sigh…

Now on to more important things such as what I am going to do with this new day that I have been granted.  I should clean, and maybe I will.

I definitely am going to have to do some new television hunting.  My Samsung  TV will be 5 years old in April.  For the last few weeks it has been acting really odd when I turn it on.  It clicks numerous times(for several minutes)  until it finally turns on.  I checked it out on Google and I found that this is a known problem with Samsung.  http://www.fixya.com/support/t2671746-samsung_lcd_tv_clicking_wont_turn  This just reinforces to me that Murphy has never left me, in fact I think he is madly in love with me. 

I called the lone TV repairman here in town and he was well acquainted with the problem.  He told me it was a quite common occurrence with many TVs.  He said he could fix it, probably for under $200.  Now here is the catch.  I have to deliver the TV and pick it up when it is finished.  The turn around time could be a week or more depending on if he had to order a part.  I am not going to go through all of that hassle.  I will buy a new TV and I will buy it where it will be delivered and set up and the old one taken away.  And that is my rant for the day Auntie.  Why do all of the TV manufacturers  put the el cheapo capacitors made in China in the TVs??  When in the world are we ever going to be able to buy MANY things made in America instead of just a few.  Which leads me to another rant, outsourcing, but I won’t get into that now as that really torques my jaw.

It is nippy out this morning and the temp stands at 42 degrees right now.  It is to be in the mid 80s tomorrow and upper 80s on Monday.  This changing weather is not good for the flu season which got a really late start this year.

I cook on the weekends and today I am fixing spaghetti with meat sauce for my lunch.  I need to close this off so that I can see about getting the sauce started.

I hope you all are having a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Welcome…

to the wonderful world of blogging.  It was just like being back in spaces this morning where they made some kind of ridiculous change every other day.  This morning first thing it was impossible to leave a comment for anyone.

So, I hopped in my car as the second driver and headed for Food Depot to purchase lotto tickets for the mega millions which is over half a billion dollars today.  Yep, $540 million.  I didn’t have to wait in line, I just purchased my tickets and headed for the rest of the store where I purchased most of their specials.  This store really has bargains and I love a bargain.   Now I am home and  have everything  put away and I can dream about being struck by lightning or being mega rich.  Of course I have a much better chance of being struck by lightning.  

It is lovely out this morning.  It is 58 degrees and the sun is shining brightly.  It is a truly great day to be alive and I thank God that I am.

I hope you all have a peaceful weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Dreary Thursday…

It is chilly this morning with the temp standing at 45 degrees right now.  Rain due this afternoon and evening.  What happened to the sun??  The furnace just clicked on.

Yesterday was a pretty day though.  I walked over to the cemetery to smell the lilacs.  They are very pretty this year.  I didn’t have good luck with the photos though, maybe because the sun was almost directly overhead and my cameral is just a point and shoot.

 

I did enjoy the little jaunt though I didn’t explore as it was time for lunch.

I had questions as to why I need the c-pap machine for sleeping.  The answer is very simple.  Three different sleep study tests confirmed it and my cardiologist was pushing for it.  Believe me, I squawk very loud when I think the doctors are putting one over on me.  I went through a lot after I was hospitalized last October where I finally said enough is enough.  However, I am not stupid so I will listen to reason.  I don’t always like reason but I do like living.

I have an appointment later today so I really need to get moving.  I hope you all will try your very best to stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Yesterday was…

what I would call a nerve wracking  day.  Especially since I am still not getting much rest because of the ‘thing.’  I did find out some interesting news while I was waiting at the dealership.  A couple had brought in their 2010 Buick Lucerne with less than 15,000 miles on it.  they had purchased it new so it was still under warranty.  I am probably not saying this right but something about the driver shaft coming loose.  So loose the repairman told them it was not safe to drive and they were being furnished with a rental car till they could get the needed part from Chicago.  The couple went on to tell us that the 2011 Lucerne was plagued with troubles too.  Last year I had really considered buying a new Buick Lucerne.  Not anymore.

 

2011 Buick Lucerne

We had a pretty good thunderstorm right after I went to bed last night.  This morning it is warmer at 57 degrees and the sun is shining.

I have a lot to accomplish today so goodbye for now.  Do stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Murphy go away…

and take your darned old law with you.  Yep, old Murph has moved back in with me.  After my son in law added the windshield washer fluid to my car on Sunday he mentioned to my daughter that I was due for an oil change soon.  Marcia told me about it this morning and went with me to the Buick dealer for an oil change.  When Tom came to tell me that my car was ready he said ‘but’ your back shock is leaking on the left and the right one is wet.  Well I had to think about that one.  I looked at where I park my car and sure enough on the pristine concrete that was just poured last fall was a nice round drippy spot.  Welcome home Murphy!  So I called my BFF at the dealership and he said that I could bring the car back out and they would do it this afternoon.  My daughter was kind enough to go with me.  Now I am about $400 poorer and Murphy is hogging my television.  Anybody want him??

It was very chilly this morning but it is windy and has warmed up to 71 degrees this afternoon.  We are under a severe thunderstorm watch.

I took a couple of pics at my daughter’s house this morning. 

Here you can see how green everything is getting across the street.

Here you can see how green my kids yard is.  Mike has had to mow twice already.

I also bought a new hard drive to back up my computer this morning.  Now I will have to wait until tomorrow to use it.  I guess I can’t blame that on Murphy.

Enough jabbering or would you say gossiping RB??  I hope your day has been a good one.  Let me know if you have room in your house for Murph to visit you.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Way behind schedule…

this morning.  I had laundry to do, a trip to the pharmacy, a stop off at the bank, said hi to my friends at Kroger’s and gave them a chunk of cash and then finalized it all by stopping by the office and signing a new lease for another year.  By then it was time for Y & R and lunch but I am here finally as I am not breaking my blogging streak if at all possible.

It is a chilly windy day here. The temp is only 44 and the high for the day is mid 50s.  I am shivering in jeans and a sweatshirt so I think I shall have to turn the furnace back on for today anyway.

I had a wonderful visit with my son yesterday and my son in law filled the car with windshield washer fluid.  The msg my car greeted me with this morning was that I was driver #2.  I sent all leftovers home with my kids so the refrigerator is bare again.  Back to my old friends at Healthy Choice.

I hope this is a good week for us all.  You too RB.  Are you ready to admit that my blog is not gossip now??  Msg if you are.

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Gosh!

I have a lot of Willie Nelson playing on my site and right now he is singing “Old Friends’” with Roger Miller who wrote the song.  It is making me feel really nostalgic while I am sitting here waiting for my son to get here. 

My best friend while I was growing up was Betty Jane.  Her sister and my oldest brother were married so there was a strong family connection.  I know that she is still living somewhere in Western Illinois.  My oldest brother has passed away but Betty Jane’s sister (my SIL) is still living.  I need to call my SIL and get caught up on all of the news that is happening in that area.

I have shown this picture on one of my old blogs from the spaces days.  I am in the back row, second from the right.  My friend Betty Jane is in the front row on the very left of the picture.  I had a tremendous crush on the boy second from the right in the picture.  His name was Giles and his family was as poor as our family.  In fact everyone was poor in those days so I didn’t feel pressured or bullied till I got into high  school where there were nothing but cliques.  Of course I didn’t have time for them anyway as I was busy working for RB’s mother at the telephone company plus working very hard to stay near the top of the class which I did.  If I wanted nice clothes I had to work and so I did, if I wanted good grades and I did, I studied.  Some mornings sitting on the steps of the high school doing homework after having worked till 9 PM the night before.

I have to close and tend to stuff in the kitchen.  You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

My fourth night…

with the ‘thing’ was a little better for me.  For one thing I adjusted the straps so snugly that I had two grooves in my cheeks this morning but at least the air didn’t leak out and I got a much better nights sleep.  I can see this ‘thing’ is going to take some major getting used to.

It is chilly this morning at 49 degrees.  I turned on the furnace for a little bit to take the damp chill out of the house.  We had quite a downpour and some lightning last evening.  The sun is shining brightly this morning and it is to get up to mid 60s today.

Change of plans today.  Because of having to work till 1:30AM this morning my son won’t be here till tomorrow.  That is doable for me, just make a few minor adjustments.

My car is a 2002 Buick LeSabre,  I have a little over 85,000 miles on it.  I remember how excited Jim and I were when we first bought it.  Occasionally I think about buying a new car and then I think, what the heck, my car still chirps and text messages me.  For one week now each time I fasten the seat belt and turn the ignition I hear 3 short chirps.  The first time I thought what now, then I looked at my msg center and I read “Please add windshield washer fluid as it is low.”  Now how is that for a 10 year old car?  It still loves me, however I have always been and always will be recognized as the second driver.  My car tells me this each time I turn it on.

OK, now what to do to keep busy today?  I can’t cook anything else until tomorrow morning.  My daughter and son in law will stop by after church to eat with us.  I have asked my SIL to bring a gallon of windshield washer fluid with him.  lol

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Bring back…

the 80s.  It is a sunny cool day, still with temps above normal but only supposed to get up to 70 degrees today.  It is 54 degrees right now.  Thunderstorms are predicted for this afternoon.  I have gone from shorts and a t-shirt to jeans and a sweatshirt.

I have already done my laundry and have been to the pharmacy.  I had another restless night, even with my different mask.  I am hoping that I will soon get used to it. 

I have potatoes and eggs on boiling in preparation for making the potato salad.  The lemon cream cheese bars are made so I am getting things done. 

The rain yesterday took all of the blooms off the tulip/magnolia trees here in town.  https://www.google.com/search?q=tulip+trees&hl=en&rlz=1C2CHNU_enUS361&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0ItsT-yXB4rg2AX3opX8BQ&sqi=2&ved=0CHQQsAQ&biw=1680&bih=949

I need to check on what’s cookin’ in the kitchen.  I will catch you all later.

Beth

Short but sweet…

is my post today.  I have been to the store already this morning.  I went so early that I had to wait for a school bus loading kids.  It was stopped right in front of the house here in Pekin that was built a few years ago by Extreme Makeover, the TV show.  I know there is a handicapped child there so the wait was a little longer.  If you will go to this link, you can read the story of why the house was built.  http://www.pjstar.com/homepage/x398374077/Grys-family-of-Pekin-gets-home-makeover

I purchased fresh lemons today to make the cream cheese bars for my son so I need to really cut this short and get in the kitchen.

Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

These lemon bars are a great favorite of my son. Easy to make too!
Step 1.
Mix 1 box yellow cake mix with
1/3 cup oil and
1 egg
Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup. Pat remaining mixture into a 13X9 ungreased pan. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile do
Step 2.
Beat 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese with
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar and
1 egg until light and fluffy.
Spread over baked crumb mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumbly mixture over top. Bake 15 minutes longer. Do NOT overbake. Chill completely and cut into squares.

Also, I have to have another mask for my c-pap so that will be brought by some time today.  One nice thing about living in a larger city is I am just a few blocks from the company that delivers these.  Wish me luck as I have had 3 nights in a row of little or no sleep.

I hope you all have a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Bleary eyed..

and not liking it very much this morning.  The c-pap machine is very quiet so I have no complaints there.  The mask is causing the bottom of my nose to be very sore and I can’t get the moisture adjusted right so I am constantly waking up in the night to take the mask off to get a drink of water.  I plan to call the company this morning.  I know I can exchange the mask FOC for 30 days.

The gentleman who brought the machine to me did take the time to explain it thoroughly along with some funny stories about other customers and the experiences they had.  One lady was so nervous about getting the ‘thing’ that she barfed right in their office.  And the stories go on.  lol

This is what I have.  If you want a better look at the ‘thing’ just click on the picture.

It is another lovely day.  67 degrees and to get up into the 8os again today.  I am loving this weather although a cool down is on tap for the weekend.

I will be cooking the next two days as my son will be home on Saturday for an early birthday celebration.  His birthday is April 8.  Menu for Saturday is baked spiral sliced ham, potato salad, baked beans, green bean casserole (I am always happy for a reason to make green bean casserole), and my daughter is making a pie.  If I missed anything just let me know and I will fix it.  Of course I have to fix the lemon cream cheese bars that are his favorite.  That means another store visit as I need to buy lemon juice.  I do miss my son since I moved farther away from him.  It is a pretty good jaunt from here to Chicago.

Have a wonderful day and do stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

We finally made it..

the first day of Spring is here and it is a lollapalooza.  Just gorgeous, bright sunshine and temps to reach the 80s again today.

I have been out and about this morning to the store, etc.  I noticed again all of the beautiful trees and shrubs are in bloom.  I have an appointment for a haircut this afternoon so  I will going out again pretty soon.

Nothing exciting here except the guy brought my c-pap machine yesterday afternoon and showed me how to use it.  Needless to say I did not have a restful night.  That ‘thing’ will take a lot of getting used to.

I hope you all are having a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

No bright sunshine..

this morning, just a thunderstorm.  It is still very dark out at almost 8 AM.  I guess we do need the rain as it hasn’t rained but a tiny drizzle so far this month.

I walked with my camera just to the end of my block yesterday.  Gorgeous tulip trees in bloom!

 

My battery died after the third shot so that was all of my picture taking for yesterday.

The power just went out for a minute.  I need to shut this off I think.

Tomorrow is the first day of spring.

I hope you all have a great week.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

I couldn’t believe…

it was true.  I am sill laughing or maybe gagging.  I was standing at my kitchen sink a few minutes ago just looking out the window.  When I look out the window in the kitchen I see the expanse of grass which is between me and the cemetery.   A young man was walking his dog and smoking a cigarette.  The dog stopped to do what dogs do when they are outside and nature calls.  The guy stooped down and picked up the poopiedoop (one of my made up words.  I have a whole dictionary full of them), put it in the little blue plastic bag, lifted his hand to his mouth with the bag dangling and removed the cigarette from his mouth.  Now is that addiction or what???  I always look down at my feet as I am crossing to go to the cemetery.  Perhaps there was nothing in that blue bag after all??

It is another simply gorgeous day here in the heart of Illinois. It is 57 degrees right now and to get into the 80s again today.  The first day of Spring is Tuesday.  Hey guys, it has been a long time coming but we are finally going to make it.

Folks in this area are all hyped up because the Peoria High School basketball team has done so well in the tournament.  I really like basketball because I understand it.  I was kind of heartsick when Bruce Weber the University of Illinois basketball coach was fired a few weeks ago.  Where I lived before was very close to the U of I and Jim and I followed the basketball team closely.  Well. Jim followed the football team closely too but I didn’t, except to buy a t-shirt the last time they went to the Rose Bowl. 

I need to get moving along as I have things to be done this morning.  I hope you all have a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

The Irish…

half of me wants to wish you all a happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Only 2 more days till Spring.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

I just about broke…

my posting streak today.  I have been really  busy this morning.  I spent a couple of hours at the Laundromat using the big washers to wash blankets and my heavy bedspread.  while I was there I decided to do it all and now my laundry is done for a few days.  It was an expensive trip but well worth it I think.

It is another lovely day here in the heart of Illinois.  The sun is shining, the robins are chirping and the flowers are coming out of hiding.  I love the forsythia bush.  I know each year when I see it that spring is near.  I noticed so many forsythia  shrubs in bloom around town yesterday,

                        Source

The countdown to spring stands at 3 days.

I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

This is shirtsleeves and..

shorts weather.  It is just like early summer outside.  It is so gorgeous, the forsythia, tulip trees, daffodils are all in bloom.  The trees are all budded out. The sun is shining so brightly and felt so warm on my arms.  I am in awe of such a beautiful day on this the 4th day on the countdown to spring.

I am home from the doctor.  My daughter and I ate at Wild Berries in Peoria for breakfast.  I never saw such gigantic portions. We each had two boxes of food to bring home.  Very nice, I would like to eat there again.

I am really pooped though as I had to get up at 6 this morning and I am not used to the new time yet.  I think I might take a little nap this afternoon.  Yesterday in addition to cleaning a closet I washed out the windowsills and the inside of the windows.

I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Be still…

my beating heart!  It is 60 degrees and bright sunshine right now heading up to 80 degrees this afternoon.  Only 5 more days left on the countdown to Spring.  I love the Spring and Fall  of the year.  I am not too keen on winter.  I can tolerate summer but I hate the heat and humidity that we get here in the summertime.

I have been busy this morning cleaning a closet and waxing some furniture.  And now I am through with that for the day.  My constitution will only take so much cleaning in one day.  Not sure what I am going to do with the rest of the day.  I do promise to be good however.

I have nothing decent in the house to eat.  The cupboards are full and the freezer is packed but nothing tempts me.  I need Annie to whip me up one of her gourmet vegetarian meals.  I’m telling you that akaAnnie is a whiz at cooking.  She has been getting stuff out of her garden all winter long.  Plus her blog is funny and very interesting.

There is nothing new on the home front to report, oh yeah, except that I have another doctor appointment tomorrow. 

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Desperately aggravated…

about what happened to James Denton on the Desperate Housewives episode which aired last Sunday night.  I will confess I am a Desperate Housewives addict and I haven’t missed an episode so far.  This is the 8th and final season.  I am hooked on only one other soap and that is The Young and the Restless.  It just doesn’t seem fair to me that Mike Delfino (James Denton) should have been killed in a drive by shooting in the last show as he was the best looking guy on the show. 

It is 39 degrees this morning and the sun is shining brightly, to get up in the mid 70s today on this the 6th day on the countdown to spring.  Now brace yourself (myself) it is to reach 80 degrees tomorrow. 

Inquiring minds want to know if Julie Larson is related to Gary Larson.  They are both famous cartoonists.  The answer is no.  Julie Larson is native to Illinois, her childhood home being Lincoln IL which is not far from where I am living now.   Gary Larson is married to an anthropologist and he is quite a bit older than Ms. Larson.

I absolutely have to get off the computer and get busy as I have lots of things I need to get done.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Drizzly Monday…

but this too shall pass and make way for sunny skies and mid 70s the rest of the week.  It is only 7 days on the countdown to Spring which is one week from tomorrow.

I feel good this morning and I am having a halfway decent good hair day.  what more could a person ask for?

I have to leave in a few minutes to run errands but first I had to share Julie Larson and the Dinette Set with you.

 

 

The Dinette Set by  my favorite cartoonist.  ~ Copyright Julie Larson ~

Click on the pictures to make larger.

I hope this is a good week for us all.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

I suffered a…

nearly sleepless night thanks to the time change and the after effects of the gorgeous stuffed pizza.  My tummy is really mad at me today and my eyes are all puffy.  And it is not a good hair day either.  Oh the misery afforded the over the hill gang.  Did I learn my lesson, well for a few days anyway.  My son called me last night and told me not to eat any more of the stuff, just to package and put it in the freezer for him.  Problem solved.

It is another spectacular morning, bright sunshine and a temp of 43 right now.  It is to be mid 60s today and into the mid 70s all week after some rain tonight.  The countdown to Spring stands at 8 days, ever inching closer to the 20th of March.  The robins are thick in the front yard now and the lot between me and the cemetery is also filled with them. 

from the internet

I hope to get out for a walk in the cemetery this afternoon.  there is so much of it I haven’t explored yet.

Gas is $3.99 a gallon here in town now.  There should be some kind of solution for that.  I feel sorry for those minimum wage earners and us poor old fixed income folks having to fill the gas tank each week.There goes 3/4 of our paycheck.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Better late than never…

I guess, as I don’t want to break my blogging streak which stands at 101 posts in a row now.

OK, you say, that is all well and good but why am I so late with my post.  My niece came over and had lunch with me.  A stuffed pizza from Papa Murphy’s.   Yumm!!  Bring on the tums and the Maalox.  It was delicious though and even though I know that I shouldn’t eat it, I do indulge once in awhile.

The finished product, straight from my oven.  There was quite a bit left over.  Pizza anyone??

It is a beyond gorgeous day on this the 9th day till the first day of Spring.  It is 54 degrees and the sun is shining brightly.  A really spectacular day to be alive! 

I have all of my clocks set forward except for one clock in the living room and my cable and computer which set themselves. 

Sorry that you had to come and visit me so many times RB.  I will try and post earlier tomorrow, 

I hope you all have a nice peaceful weekend.  Do stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Windows Live Spaces Friends,,,

Many of my blogging friends don’t remember the days of Windows Live Spaces.   There are still a few of us left who have been together for almost 7 years now.  Those few are very special to me in addition to the new blogging friends I have made since moving to Blogspot.  One of my friends from WLS has gifted me with a beautiful award.    http://rappingonamelody.blogspot.com/ designed this award.  She is a very talented lady who has been my loyal blogging friend since the days of WLS.  THANKS!!

I try to check my blogger dashboard daily to see who has posted.  I then try to comment, if it is only a ‘Hi, how are you.’  I would love for all of you my loyal blogging friends to post this award on your blog.  A special thanks to Paul (my adopted brother). Nancy, Carole,Carol,Ed,Joe, Horst, Nita, Sheila, Pen, Arlene, Jerry, Dianne, Fab, Terry, Sherry, Lady Jude, Chip, Bertie (and a few more I know I am missing) for sticking with me for several years now.  For praying for Jim and holding me up when he passed away.  Also thanks to the many new friends I have found since being on blogspot.   Too many to name but I appreciate you all.  OOOPS, I about forgot Seth who is every mother’s dream of the perfect son and has been a faithful blogging friend for years.  Thanks Seth for cheering me up and encouraging me.  You all will surely be blessed!

I have been out running errands this morning so I am late as usual.  Don’t give up on me RB.  If you don’t see my post just check back later.

It is a lovely day on this on the 10th day till the  first day of Spring.  The temp is 34 right now and the sun is shining brightly.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

And speaking of…

old pictures, my WV sis sent me some pictures yesterday that were taken when they had their cabin at Lake Cumberland KY in the 80s.  Oh my, what fun we had there . Sure brings back memories.  My brother in law built the cabin himself.  You could stand on the back deck and see all kinds of wild life.

 

A picture of Jim and me taken at Lake Cumberland.

Did I cry when I saw this picture?  Well only a little bit.  I really do miss my life partner.  Instead of getting a bit better each year, it seems to be getting a bit worse.  Probably because I am having one health issue after another to deal with.

It was pouring down rain when I got up this morning.  Now the sun has come out and it is drying off a bit.   Still only 34 degrees and supposed to climb to the lower 40s today.  On Tuesday it reached 72 degrees but the wind was gusting so hard you couldn’t enjoy the warmth.  I think we are to see temps in the 70s next week.  The countdown to Spring stands at 11 days.'

What have I got planned for today?  Not a whole lot.  Anyone that wants to come and help me clean, feel free. 

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Did you ever…

set your iPod to play the tunes in alphabetical order?  I decided to do that around Christmas time.  Very enlightening!  I sure know what my favorite songs are.  Nothing like hearing a dozen versions of Blue Christmas in a row.

my iPod in the living room.

I have two iPods, both hooked up to speakers.  One in the living room and one in my bedroom.  When I got my first iPod I had around 900 CDs.  I put all of my favorite songs on the iPods, thousands of them.   I have an eclectic taste in music.  I love classic country and I love the old pop songs from the 50s.  You can even throw in a few rock songs.  I love Joe South and CCR.  I have just discovered that I really like Jools Holland so much that I ordered his Friends CD from Amazon.  I don’t care very much for todays country music.  I don’t think there is very much talent there.  Not like Conway Twitty, George Jones and Johnny Cash. When those guys were in their heyday Jim and I went to many of their concerts.  I will probably have a day of mourning when old Jones passes.

Speaking of Jones, he is going to be at the Peoria Civic Center on March 24th.  I love George but I am passing on this concert.  I have seen Jones many times and a few times up close for pics as I was a member of his fan club for many years.  To go to a concert at the Civic Center in Peoria there are so many events going on there at the same time that parking up close is impossible.  I don’t like to walk a mile to get to a concert.  I didn’t mind that when I was young but it doesn’t tempt me now.

I have to close this as I need to go to the store for bananas.  I have to keep my potassium level up. 

Countdown to Spring stands at 12 days!  YIPPEE!!

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

A glorious day..

in the heart of Illinois and the sun is shining brightly.  The temp stands at 37 degrees right now but it is supposed to climb to the low 60s today.  Which leads me to remind us all that the first day of Spring is 2 weeks from today.

The only thing marring my feeling of euphoria  is the fact that I have another doctor appointment this morning.   Oh well, one thing at a time, one minute, one hour, one day at a time.  Brings to mind a line from that song, ‘Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.”  And I do, I just keep moving along, thankful for each new day.

The snow has all melted away.  I tracked ice melt in the kitchen yesterday so that meant I had to clean the kitchen.  I have frozen or eaten my leftovers from the weekend so I guess I will have to cook again or ask Lean Cuisine for a handout.  I don’t like her handouts very much, Marie Callender’s handouts are tastier.  More sugar, fat and salt in them. 

I love this old pic of Jim and our next door neighbor taken in 2005 right after Jim had finished his first round of chemo.  I miss my old neighbors but they are kind enough to keep in touch and have even been here to see me a few times.

Wow!  I could look at old pictures all day and not get anything accomplished at all.  I have most of my old pics on the computer and have many dvds full of them.

I hope you all have a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

OOPS!!

I forgot to take the picture of the tree yesterday.  There was no snow on the ground yesterday and there is today.

 

4 January 2012 10 AM

4 February 2012 10AM

5 March 2012 10AM

It was very cold when I got up this morning at 18 degrees and has only climbed to 25 right now.  I had to sprinkle ice melt all around the car before I could clean it off.  The sun is shining brightly and that makes up for a whole lot.  The countdown to Spring remains at 14  days.

I am running late from errands so I will catch you all later.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Sunday morning…

and the sun is shining brightly down on this one particular city in the heart of Illinois.  Yep, this city is right smack dab in the very center of Illinois.  Now in my lifetime I have lived in Western IL, Central IL and Eastern Illinois.  Forgot to mention that I was born in Southeastern Missouri. 

It is 27 degrees and here it is 9 AM and I haven’t received the Peoria Journal Star.  I am not too happy about that as the paper is part of my Sunday morning routine.  It has been over an hour since I called the paper and reminded them of that fact.

I did cook yesterday  as I said I would and my tummy protested later as it is used to TV dinners and I fed it a pork chop, mac’n’cheese, green lima beans and even some pineapple cobbler for dessert.  Today I will put most of the leftovers in the freezer.

Today is my niece’s birthday.  Happy birthday Sue!!

Nothing new to report here, except I am very glad to be alive on such a beautiful sunshiny day.  I hope the sun is shining for you all no matter what part of the world you are living in.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

P. S.  the countdown to Spring stands at 15 days!

March has arrived…

with a vengeance!  So many tornadoes, loss of life and property.  I am heartsick over all of this destruction.  http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/02/10561066-at-least-28-killed-in-indiana-kentucky-ohio-as-tornadoes-sweep-midwest-south

At least 28 people have been killed.  Tornadoes struck close to home for my sis in WV.  Also for my twin in Tennessee.  This is awfully early for the tornado season to be starting.  

That said it is 16 days left on the countdown to Spring.  Looking back to happier times. 

Some of my flowers from home.

I am cooking today.  I usually cook on the weekends and eat TV dinners all week.  I hope you all enjoy the day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Back by popular demand…

The countdown to Spring stands at 17 days, 18 if you count the 2oth.

I am just home from a visit to the doctor’s office.  I am being set up for an endoscopy. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/upperendoscopy/  I have had several of these before as I suffered from bleeding ulcers when I was younger and working in a stressful job.  So even though I know what to expect I am not looking forward to it at all.  At least it is not as bad as the colonoscopy which I had done 2 years ago.

On the way home my daughter and I stopped and ate at Grumpy Pete’s.  The food was only so so today.  The reason given us was that the owner has been in and out of the hospital several times lately with pancreatitis.  I know what this is.  My sister died of pancreatic cancer after several pancreatic attacks.  I wish him well.

It was pouring down rain all of the way to the doctor’s office.  I got pics from inside the car as we were crossing the McClugage Bridge.

 

And coming home when the rain was slowing down in preparation for cooler temps and maybe some snow later on today.

 

All for now as I am exhausted.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

At Days End

by John Hall

 

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?

Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;

Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that’s slipping fast,

That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;

Does the man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say,

"You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?"

******************************************************************************************

I found this poem on a piece of paper that my mother gave to me when Jim and I were first married. I have looked on the net and I found several poets by this name but no John Hall that has this poem listed under his credits. If anyone has any info on this poem/poet I would love to hear it.

I originally posted this on my blog at Windows Live Spaces several years ago.  It is on one of my wordpress blogs that I transferred over when MLS closed our blogs.  I still get comments on it.  We are now in the month of March.  At this time I will discontinue the countdown to Spring.  The first day of spring is actually 2 weeks from next Tuesday.

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth