Anniversary Day Recap

Hello Friends!! I hope you've all had a wonderful day today! We certainly did, and I promised you, if you read my last post HERE on the Tuesday 4 post, that I would tell you all about today whenever I was able.  (and thank you to all of you who wrote such wonderful words of congratulations and best wishes in your comments! I appreciate every one of you!) As many of you know, today was our 53rd anniversary, but we spent the day working at Dixie Cottage so our "kids" could get some other projects done.

Well, here's one of their projects that needed to get done:

The original sign, although it was nice and "cottage-y", just wasn't big and bold enough to be seen from the road, and people had mentioned to us that we really needed to get a better sign that could be seen. And so it was done:

Benton and Rose sure make a good team!!

 Their landlady has been very busy in improving the looks of the building ever since she knew they were moving in.   Here's the "before" photo:

And here's how the front of Dixie Cottage looks now: 

I'd say that's a big improvement, wouldn't you?  God has truly blessed them with this sweet landlady. She's so excited to have their store here in our little town, and she has bent over backwards (almost literally), to improve the looks of this building. We are all very thankful for the wonderful ways that God has been blessing this venture from day one.

And so John and I spent the day at the store and had a very pleasant day. It was kind of slow, but Tuesdays generally are a little slower...that's why we wanted to work on this day.  However, we did have a fairly steady stream of customers in and out all day...just not a lot of big "spenders"...but some really good "talkers".  LOL.  That's okay. Most everyone says they will be back, especially as we get closer to the holidays as they can see there are lots of great gift items they would like to buy.  So that's good news.

When 4:00 finally rolled around, the kids came and picked us up and we headed up the road to Keystone Heights for supper.  They took us to this BBQ place called "Johnny's BBQ".  

And here we are, for our annual anniversary photo:

And here's Rose and Benton, our sweet kids. Our son Scott was unable to come since he now works and lives out of town a ways, but he did call and wish us a Happy Anniversary and that was like the icing on the cake for us!

Of course, no meal would be complete without some pictures.  With all of the great and wonderful choices on the menu, wouldn't you know my hubby would choose his old favorite, beans and wienies! Some things just never change...LOL.

Here's Rose taking a picture of her plate, smoked 1/2 chicken, curly fries and coleslaw. (I think Benton ate some of her chicken too).

And here's Benton digging into his dinner, BBQ brisket, green beans and coleslaw:

And last but not least, my plate of BBQ brisket, baked sweet potato and coleslaw and cornbread.

It was all very very good, and a very nice gift from our sweet kids.

When we got back home we had some special visitors...The Sand Hill Crane Family dropped in to say hello. This is "Colt", the "Baby"...remember him?  Well, he finally has developed his red topknot on his head! And he is definitely as big as his parents now.

Here they are in the pond...(what's left of it). If we don't start getting more rain, Still Waters Pond is going to just be "still no more waters".

It has become so shallow the cranes were able to walk across to the island:

It was fun to see them again, and I do hope they will come back soon. I've missed watching them.

And now the sun is setting in the west on this lovely anniversary day...

Not really anything super spectacular, but lovely all the same.  No two sunsets are ever alike.

God is our Master Designer and sustainer of all that exists...

On this, the closing of our special day...53 years of marriage...we are still amazed at all the ways God has blessed us and cared for us all these years.  It is difficult for us to realize that so many years could have passed already...and when we look ahead into the future, if it weren't for the knowledge that our God is in control, it could be a bit daunting.

But here's a few verses that came to mind as I was writing this, and even though they were written thousands of years ago to the children of Israel, I can see a personal message here for us and for our country as well:

Portions from Isaiah 46:

3“Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,

all the remnant of the people of Israel,

you whom I have upheld since your birth,

and have carried since you were born.

4 Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

8“Remember this, keep it in mind,

take it to heart, you rebels.

9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

10 I make known the end from the beginning,

from ancient times, what is still to come.

I say, ‘My purpose will stand,

and I will do all that I please.’

11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;

from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.

What I have said, that I will bring about;

what I have planned, that I will do.

12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted,

you who are now far from my righteousness.

13 I am bringing my righteousness near,

it is not far away;

and my salvation will not be delayed.

I will grant salvation to Zion,

my splendor to Israel."

I find comfort in these words...especially knowing that God will continue to sustain us and even carry us even when we are old and gray-haired! (Oh, that's quite close!)  We do not need to fear the future...our lives are in God's hands, no matter what may befall this old earth.  And with that I will say good-night. Tomorrow begins a new adventure into a new year for us. We face the future with confidence...God is with us...and He will carry us  and sustain us no matter what.  Praise God!
 

Friday Foto Friends...Memories of Youth

Good Morning Friday Foto Friends! Today is going to be a rainy, stormy day all day long and even tomorrow...they are calling it a "nor'easter" along the coastal areas of Florida and southern Georgia. So it will be a good day to stay indoors and watch the rain. It's supposed to be much colder as well, so maybe even a fire in our "fireplace" might be in order today!

In the way of having some kind of pictures to share with you today I thought you might like to watch the sun going down...

down...

down over Still Waters Pond the other evening. 

It's always a delight to sit out on the swing and watch for the sunsets.

You can't really tell it from the above picture, but that is our holly tree in front of me, and the holly berries are ripe and red and waiting for "customers" any day now. Last year we had such an influx of Robins and Cedar Waxwings that they ate every single berry within a week.  In looking back at that link I noticed it was around November 20th. So let's see if it happens again this year!

But now let us move on to other things that I've been thinking about this week.

Someone posted on Facebook these pictures of my old Alma Mater, Tavares High School:

This is how it looks today.  When I attended there over 50 years ago, (!!! Really??? How can that be?) we didn't have to have that tall fence in front of the school. No one ever thought of doing the horrible things that you hear of happening in schools nowadays back then. But anyway, let's don't go there.

This particular building was built in 1926 and was our Junior High and High School main building back when I attended there. The elementary school building was next door. At that time there were probably only about 500 total students in grades 1-12.  (We didn't even have kindergarten then). My graduating class had 50 students, and a large majority of us were there the whole 12 years.

Here is the current view of our beloved school auditorium, which was used by all grades for their special programs back in the day.  Now I don't even think one full class of students could fit in here at the same time...

Oh, and we didn't have those nice cushy seats back then either. Ours were the old wooden style auditorium seats...not very comfortable, but we spent a lot of time in there for school assemblies, concerts, plays, programs of every kind...cheerleading tryouts, talent shows, elections of school officers, homecoming queen, Miss F.H.A. contest, Mr. F.H.A. Sweetheart Contest (Future Homemakers of America...does such an organization even exist anymore???).  All grades 1-12 used this auditorium back then, so you can imagine it stayed very busy.

And here is the stage, very much as I remember it. I am so glad they still have the red velvet curtains.

Somehow the stage looks smaller to me than it did back then, but actually I think they have added a section out in the front that wasn't there before.

Here is a throwback to 2nd grade, and our class Easter program! Yes, we celebrated Easter in public schools back then, and I remember going on Easter egg hunts as a class as well.  

Here is our whole 2nd grade class on that same stage:

and in this close up, I am on the front row, on the right, with a flat hat on my head and dark sweater. My girlfriend Rhonda is the white cat on her knees right beside me.

And there we are 11 years later, walking side by side as we graduated:

Funny, I'm still wearing a "flat hat"! LOL.

And here's what's left of our class for our 50th class reunion a few years ago. Not everyone could attend, and then sadly we have lost a few of our classmates over the years. My friend Rhonda and I are standing in the second row at the far right end. I am in blue, and she is in black.

As a matter of fact, one of our dear classmates is currently battling a brain tumor with other complications, and perhaps that is what got me thinking about this right now. His name is "Jimmy", and he's the taller guy on the back row, the third one over from the left, wearing glasses. Prayers are much appreciated.

Jimmy is also in this picture below, standing on the back row, in the middle with a bowtie.

Jimmy's daddy was our family doctor in the early years. He took good care of me in this very year, 2nd grade, when I got pneumonia and had to spend a week in the hospital inside an oxygen tent! (Does anyone remember when they did that?)  I missed a lot of school that year, so I am glad to see I was able to participate in this Easter program! 

So now we pray for the doctor's son, who needs the Great Physician to heal him. Jimmy is a retired pastor, and he knows and loves the Lord, and is ready to share his faith with anyone and everyone.  May God give him the strength he needs to fight this battle.

Thinking about that stage got me to remember when I spent a lot of time acting on that very stage. It was our junior year, and we performed "The Curious Savage" for our class play.  You can click on the link below for more information about the play. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of our class performance. I wish I still had the playbook with the script.  I played the part of Mrs. Ethel P. Savage, as seen below:

The Curious Savage

The Curious Savage, written by John Patrick, is a comedic play about Ethel P. Savage, an elderly woman whose husband recently died and left her approximately ten million dollars. Contrasting the kindness and loyalty of psychiatric patients with the avarice and vanity of "respectable" public figures, it calls into question conventional definitions of sanity while lampooning celebrity culture. The play was first produced in New York by the Theatre Guild and Lewis & Young at the Martin Beck Theatre and opened October 24, 1950, with Lillian Gish 

Lillian Gish as Mrs. Savage

in the role of Ethel. Peter Glenville directed the production.

 Mrs. Ethel P. Savage: Referred to as "Mrs. Savage" for the majority of the play, she is a witty, kindhearted, blue haired woman with a shifted viewpoint of humanity. The events of the play are centered around her and her decision to hide the money which she has inherited from her late husband from her greedy stepchildren, to give away to those less fortunate or to fulfill others' random, yet important lifelong dreams. She dislikes her stepchildren, but learns to love the residents of The Cloisters, accepting their own realities and delusions with an open-mindedness that others on the outside do not.

Although I don't believe my hair was blue for the part,  I do remember spraying it with silver hair spray. I remember wearing an old fashioned hat that was loaned to us by a lady in our town.  I carried a large teddy bear much like the one above, and we sewed a little pouch on his bottom where I was hiding the bonds that my selfish step-children were trying to take away from me.  I had over 400 lines to memorize in this play, and today the only lines I can remember are these:

"I do not like thee, Lily Belle;

The reason why I cannot tell;

But this I know and know full well,

I do not like thee, Lily Belle."

Lily Belle was my spoiled, selfish step daughter.  The step-children were trying to have me committed to an institution so they could get a hold of the inheritance.  It was a great play...and the only other memory I have is that on the day of the evening performance, when all the parents and town people were invited to attend, I came down with a sore throat.  There was general panic as no one else knew all of my lines and there was fear they would have to cancel the play. However, I spent the day at my friend's house  (because my mother had to work), and her mother got me some chloraseptic spray.  It really seemed to help, and so that evening I carried my little bottle of chloraseptic spray onto the stage with me and hid it in the couch cushions so that I could spray my throat in between scenes as needed.  "The show must go on!"  And so it did and all was well!  

For our senior year we put on another play, and I honestly can't even remember the name of it, but I remember that I had to wear my mother's red negligee' set (it was an anniversary present to her from my father).  It was perfectly modest, have no fear, but I think I was some gambler's girl friend, or something like that. It was another fun experience.  

I enjoyed acting, and did one more play at a community theater, "The Ice House Theater", and it was the play, "Life With Father".    In this story, the father liked having red-haired maids, and there were three girls in my senior class who were all redheads, myself included, and so we three girls got the parts of the maids. It was a lot of fun to do this play, and I enjoyed acting so much I thought I wanted to be an actress. However, my parents said enough was enough and that the theater was not an appropriate place for me, and so that was that.  So a year later I met my husband and got married and that was the beginning of my best  and longest lasting performance of all.

I guess it is time to put this "show" to rest and get it posted before the day is over and done. It's still raining and I don't think we'll be going for our walk today.

I hope you enjoyed this little walk down memory lane with me. I wonder if there are any other young (or current) actors out there in blogland? Would love to hear about your experiences if so.  Today I can't even remember what I had for breakfast hardly, let alone memorize over 400 lines. Oh to have the memory/mind of a 17 year old again! LOL.  

I like what God says promises in the book of Isaiah

Isaiah 46:4

"Even to your old age, I am He,

And even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Yes, no matter how old we are, or even if our mind goes, God will still be there for us...He will carry us through anything we have to go through.

This is good news.

Thank you again for your kind thoughts and prayers for my friend Jimmy.

Have a blessed and happy Friday.

Okay, Folks! I Did It!

You are probably scratching your head and wondering, "what now?"

"Did she climb a tall mountain?

Run a race?







Win the Lottery?" (no picture to describe how amazing THAT would be!)



Well, no, nothing quite that exciting or exhausting or amazing...but I did something that I've been wanting to do for a LONG time...probably for about 65 years or something like that!  I finally took the plunge and gave my notice that I am actually going to.....drum roll, drum roll...

RETIRE!!!!  YAY! YAY! HIP HIP HOORAY!!!! THREE CHEERS FOR ME!!!!

I expect to be doing a LOT more of THIS in the near future...
Taking lots of pictures...and smiling a lot more!!!

Now, just please say a prayer for me to survive the next few weeks as I train someone to take my place and clean out my five and a half years worth of stuff from my office. (Click HERE for more about these pictures)

 (Actually, I can't wait to bring this tea set home...I just have to find the right spot for it...and have a tea party as soon as I can!)

Another of my office "treasures" that I will have to find a home for here at home.

I'll probably be leaving this lovely picture behind...maybe...unless I see that my successor
doesn't fully appreciate it the way I do...
Psalm 33:1-3
"Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy."

 Pray that I will leave on a positive note, and that God will be with me as I embark on this new adventure in my life. I know that the Lord has been with me throughout these past years (and I am most thankful for His Presence in my life both then and now)...and all the years prior...so why should I doubt that He will be with me when I take this big step and leap into the great "unknown" of retirement?

I do have concerns...mostly financial issues...I don't have a big cushy pension to fall back on...I don't even have a small one...so the government better not mess with my Social Security and Medicare...or I'll be in a real pickle.

But my God is bigger than any government or any retirement plan.  He has sustained me thus far in life, and I have no reason to fear that He will ever change His mind about that.

"Even to your old age, I am He, 

and even to gray hairs I will carry you!

I have made, and I will bear;

Even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Isaiah 46:4

Actually, I am excited about the new adventures that are waiting to be discovered.  I may not have a lot of money or big plans, but God has promised to give me good things...

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,

Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope..."

(Jeremiah 29:11)

He also reminds me of this... 

"Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert."

Isaiah 43:18-19

So.....Ready, Set,  Here I Go!

Wanna come along?

Get ready for the great adventure!

I can't wait to see where God will lead me in the very near future!!!

Stay tuned, folks! This is not THE END...This is just the beginning!

Trying to Stay on Track...

I keep coming back to this blank page...and then I get distracted.  There really isn't anything in particular on my mind tonight, but it seems as though I am supposed to be writing something!  So, I sit here and wait on an inspiration to come.  I go back and forth, look at Facebook, look at other things, finish my last library book (why didn't I bring home another???) take a walk, take some pictures...eat a brownie with whipped cream and wish that I didn't...listen to the chatter in the background of my family, the TV, the wind chimes chiming in the back yard as the breeze blows.

Now my almost 92 year old mother in law is asking anyone who is listening if Gene Autrey used to sing a certain song, but what was it? (We need some clues here before we can figure out which song she is thinking about).   And he had a horse named, oh it was a beautiful horse...and Roy Rogers and Dale Evans sang "Back in the Saddle Again" and what was his horse's name? I said "Trigger".  And did we know that Gene Autrey owned the Angels and, so on and so on.  This is the way it goes...conversations go off on different tangents here frequently.  She may start talking about one thing and that leads to another and another and off we go again around the mulberry bush. Such are the ramblings of someone who has mild dementia...(sometimes not as mild as other times) and one can feel like he is watching a ping pong match trying to keep up with the train of thought.

This post is sounding a lot like that. That's what happens after a weekend of trying to keep up with the train and keep it on the track and not allow it to go into dangerous territory...i.e.; some subjects are better left alone. When the "train" starts venturing into that region it is my responsibility to pull it back on the track and keep it going in the right direction...the "safe zones" of pleasant conversation and not areas of anxieties, fears, frustrations, anger and "I want to go back to my own home,"  and "If I still had my car I could still live at home."

Anyone who has been a caregiver for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's can relate. Things can go from pleasant to anger in a flash. I have to remember to not try to correct anything that she might say that I know is wrong, because then I am the one who is wrong and judgmental. And don't dare let things get out of order...everything needs to be in the right place at the right time...and meals and pills must stay on schedule.  I tend to do this almost to a fault, because I understand the consequences if I don't keep a tight schedule.  There isn't a lot of room for flexibility in this arena.

We share this responsibility of care with my husband's brother and family.  Thank goodness we are still able to do that, even though it means that we are giving up our weekends...but they have her during the week.

The weekends have turned out to be really nice for my mother in law because she truly enjoys our little Home Bible Fellowship every Sunday morning,

and also looks forward to monthly gatherings with a Ladies' Prayer Group.  These ladies have become special friends to her...and every week she asks me if we are going to see "the ladies" again...especially the one who can play the accordion or the organ and sing.

 Music is the highlight of her life right now.  I understand that is rather typical for elderly people, especially with dementia.  The memory of music seems to be one of the last "senses", if you want to call it that, to go.

There are many golden moments, such as when she started telling the ladies this weekend about the song, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There's just something about that name..." (by Bill and Gloria Gaither) and this gracious group of women just picked right up on that and started singing the song with her.  What a perfect way to start our prayer gathering!  That was totally unplanned...but God knew exactly how to use her "story" to put us in the right frame of mind. It's those kinds of moments that make me pause and smile and say, "That was YOU, Lord, wasn't it? Thank you for living in this precious woman."

My Beautiful 92 yr. old Mother in Law is the lovely lady
 in the center with the white hair!

I am thankful to be a part of her life...(she's been my mother in law for almost 46 years!)...and to help her ease into this last stage of life here on earth as we know it.


"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!"  Isaiah 46:4

I sometimes wonder if my own sons will be able to care for me when I reach that stage of life...or if anyone will have the patience to deal with my anxieties and feebleness.  What a comfort it is to know that even to our own old age, God promises to carry us. He knows our needs and will provide whatever we need when the time comes.  I want to be faithful to do my part now for as long as I am able...and trust that when the time comes, God will send the necessary help.

If you are going through similar trials in your family right now, my word of encouragement would be to trust God to see you through. Let Him guide you as you make decisions for your loved one's care, whether it be at home or in a place of professional long term care.  Be sensitive to your family member's needs, but be realistic and reasonable about what you can and cannot do.  We are blessed that our dear one is still physically in pretty good shape, and that we have the support and cooperation of other family members.  It may not always be so.

There are many challenges ahead, but in the meantime we will make the most of the good times and give God praise for her good health, wisdom, and Christian faith. The future rests in God's capable hands. I know He knows what is best for ALL concerned.   And you can rely on that as well in your situation.

Well, I must get to bed. It's been a long weekend, and tomorrow morning I head back to work at my "real job".

BY THE WAY, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF GENE AUTREY'S HORSE? DO YOU KNOW? YOU GET A GOLD STAR FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER!

"There Is Something About That Name"  by Bill and Gloria Gaither

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

There is something about that name.

Master. Savior. Jesus.

Like the Fragrance after the rain.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim.

That kings and kingdoms will pass away.

But there is something about that name.

For some other posts on this subject you might like THIS. (Click Here),  and HERE, and HERE.