I’m BaaAAAaack

Not very original I know, But it’s the truth .

Last week on my first day of going to college my computer hard drive had a nervous breakdown.  I could not get it past the Dell logo. I was blessed that My Man had the day off and I just dropped the stress of the situation in his lap and went on with my day. He did get it going once and I attempted to back up the hard drive. I have absolutely no excuse for not having done that previously. I have three, yes three, external drives.  It stopped in the middle of the back up… Oh well.  The man who had a day off had to reset my computer back to factory settings. I came home from school to a clean hard drive, a computer running better and a husband who wrapped his arms lovingly around me and said in a low voice, "You owe me…and what’s for supper?” He just melts my heart.

Re-installing the programs has been a slow process. And this blog has been on the back burner during that time. Of course I have kept up with Facebook, but that is community… i.e., instant gratification.

My dear man, however, has not let me forget about my corner of the web. So today I downloaded Live Writer and here I  am. And it feels good.

HA!

Waiting for the second installment on the bathroom? Well you will have to wait a bit longer. I am tired of that room and it's not even done :oP

Yesterday I was out at the college getting my books, It was interesting standing in line with kids the same age as my own. One young man I talked with was going to major in theater. A young mom is going to finish her medical imaging degree this year and is excited to see the end. Another young lady is taking criminal justice wanting someday to become a detective. Here I am at 50 and just now starting this phase. I have had many blessings along the way that I would not change. My faith, My Man, my loving children, friends... so much to be grateful for.
still I am excited to be going back to college. This fall I am taking 2 courses --2-D Design Foundations and Modern Art History. As I glanced through Janson's,I was a bit intimidated. I have the full edition and have read here and there for leisure, the difference now is I have to KNOW it. But this is where I am to be.

This next week will be busy. For those of you that have had children, you know that nesting feeling you get before you give birth, well I have been getting my nest in order. Okay I still have laundry waiting for me, but I will get to it ... I promise.
Young man is not happy. First Mom made him declutter his room, then he finds out he will have more responsibilities. All so Mom can be gone. To funny!
Art Girl is excited. Next semsester I hope to be taking a couple graphic art courses, which is what she is interested in. So she is hoping to glean a lot of knowledge from my experience.
Now My Man, he is the best cheering section I could ask for, every time I share any doubt or fear , he speaks life. I am blessed!
Okay well I have been on here long enough, I guess I'll go answer the call of the laundry... maybe...

And remember Be BLESSED

The Bathroom -- First installment

It seems I have been waiting forever to pull up the carpet in our downstairs bathroom. In the two and half years we have lived here, one thing after another has taken priority over it. Which has included: having a hysterectomy (my apologies to those out there who think TMI), my mom's diagnosis of uterine cancer and her death last August, our second oldest falling off a balcony and breaking her elbow and all that entails. So you can see why it has not been done yet.

Well, I finally finished painting the walls a beautiful red.... Okay, the first paint I chose, once on the walls, looked more magenta; so I had to totally redo it. Then I decided to take down the over-sized cupboard that hung over the toilet, and which had only one coat of the red paint under it. So I applied two more coats to that area. Be forewarned: even with a tinted primer, it took three coats--but worth every bit of time. What I learned about me... I am impatient; therefore not only did I have to redo some parts over and over (like where the walls meet the ceiling) but I ended up wearing a LOT of paint.

Next on the list: paint the vanity (and the mirrored cabinet that hangs above it) a nice semi-gloss black. I took the doors off each, primed, and painted. Very pleased with the result. Now time to put them together. First I went with the cabinet doors. I had bought new hinges and at the store they looked very similar to what was already there. Wrong! They held the doors away from the frame. It was late and I was a little ticked at myself. I got out the old hinges (proving my parents right: don't throw anything out because you might need it some day) and spray painted them black. After they were dry and I went to assemble the doors, I couldn't find the screws! So down to the basement to dig through My Man's screw stash. I found some that would work and got everything together. But then I realized I had also lost the screws for the mirrored cabinet. Hey, I was feeling pretty good at my ability to fly by the sets of my pants and once again descended to the basement. I came back up and began to put it together. As I tightened the first screw the head came off completely. Hmmmm... I must have tightened it too hard. So when putting the other one in I was extremely careful, but it met with the same fate. Then I realized that I had grabbed the wrong type of screw. These were meant to snap below the surface so they wouldn't show or be felt. I now had to figure out how to get them out and get the right screws in.

That done, it was time to hang the cabinet back up. Trying to put it back up, we realized that the new light fixture we had put up was in the way. Totally my fault as My Man and his friend had specifically asked if I wanted it exactly where the old one was. My Man solved the problem by turning the light fixture upside down--which made the light shine up--which I actually like better. Ahh...now to put the fixture covers on. Hang the towel rod. And now to the floor....... That carpet is going to go...... Tune in later for the .... rest of the story.

Not just another day

I am enjoying this morning. It's quiet, with no definite plans. Young man is playing the WII. Youngest daughter is off in another world ,listening to her MP3 player and drawing. Just a nothing day. Soon our days will be busy, filled with school for all of us. I'm taking a mental snapshot... this is a mile marker in our lives. We will not pass this way again.

Paeonia officinalis

That is the scientific name for a favorite of mine... the peony. As a child I remember looking forward to their big heavy blooms. It was fascinating watching the black ants scurry over them chewing away at the green hard bud. And such small buds compared to the large flower that burst forth.
They are forefront in my mind today because as I was going through my hard drive in attempt to clean out all the unnecessary stuff , I came across some pictures I had taken of the peonies in our backyard.
I am drawn to them for so many reasons. The smell is incredible. At the height of their blooming season I can sit on the bench that Robert placed near them and I am enveloped. Better than any Calgon moment I have ever had.
The blooms are beautiful. So big are the blooms of this particular peony bush that I need both hands to cup them.
I feel a kinship with this flower. Starting out in the spring with fresh shoots. Something seemingly out of nothing. But it is when the buds appear that the connection grows strong. Our life in Christ starts out so small --you can hardly see the color that the flower is destined to show forth. Time continues and the buds receive nourishment from the roots and the light of the sun. Oh, it seems to take so long for those blooms to come forth. I try not to get impatient. But the floral fireworks begin, beautiful, colorful, fragrant.
I have been that hard little bud, wanting so much to be more, to get rid of all that was holding me in, constraining me. I did not realize that I needed time. Time to be nourished, to receive the healing power of the sun. The day came when I began to feel movement, slowly stretching out, unfolding, becoming who God created me to be, until one day I realized I am open, free, moving gracefully in the breeze releasing the fragrance that He has given me. And then I notice Him, my Father reaching down, cupping me in His hand and smiling.

Taste and See ... They Are Good

I love cheese! I am always finding an excuse to add it to our meals and one of my favorites is cream cheese. I use it to make a light and flaky pie crust. I add it to our mashed potatoes. For a late night snack I will mix it with some herbs , sundried tomatoes, garlic... whatever seems right at the time. I can find a million ways to use it.
This spring my Father had a light stroke and by God's grace he has no lingering affects. But it did make me think. I need to make some changes. One of the changes was to start making our own yogurt. J, you don't have to read this -I know you don''t like it ...but it is sooooo good. The whole process is easy if you have a yogurt maker. I enjoy our morning smoothies more. Do they taste better? For smoothies I haven't found the difference to be noticeable. What I do enjoy is that I know it is fresh and more cost effective.
Last night I went one step further. I put the yogurt into cheese cloth that I had lined a colander with. Suspended the whole thing over a bowl to catch the whey draining from the yogurt. And this morning I had a homemade version of cream cheese. Ahh, what to do? I finally decided to make cheesecake tarts topped with blue and black berries. I substituted Splenda for sugar. I'm telling you, we are making big leaps here. The whole time they were in the oven, I wondered if they would come out okay. To my amazement, they came out looking beautiful, and My Man assures me that they do indeed taste as good as they look.
I am hooked.

Real Age

Today as brought up my page I noticed a little ad under the inspirational Bible verse:
Doctors shocking test: The RealAge test will change your life forever. Take it today, Free!
My Real age?? Do I really want to know my "real" age. With all the body aches I experienced this morning ... I don't think so. But this I do know with all the ways this body is imperfect and aging I am moving forward. I know what God sets before me He will help me to complete it. After all that is Who He is.
Paul shares with us in Philippians 1:6
"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." (msg)
So I am not going to worry about my real age. I am content with the fact that each day He is at work in me, changing me, maturing me.