November Stuff

Hi there everyone.....wow, where did this month go to. My mother was right, "the older you get the faster time goes" yep, now I see what she meant.

November has been a little rough for yours truly. Guess that is why I have not blogged that much. Both JP and I have had Doctor appointments, he deals with a lot of health issues. One of his main issues is his constant arm pains, he's dealt with these pains for over 10 years now. The older he gets, the rougher they get.

Well, 12/2 he has an appointment with a pain specialist....I hope this works as all the other Doctors could not find the root problem. On 12/10 he has a sleep test. Hopefully we will know what his problem is soon. 

               

Even though it is still Thanksgiving....Christmas is not far off. I bought a wreath for the front door. My birthday present to me. It's been a long time since I bought a wreath, at least 4-5 years. I thought it was time. Also, a little decoration for the back door too. I shall have to take some pictures. Not sure how much Christmas decorations will be done inside the house....since JP will not be able to help, he always brings the containers up from the basement.

Do you like the snow flake card above? I think this will be my Christmas card to send out to friends this year. Just have to take some time to get them done. Hospice cards are done and dropped off. So now I can zero in on making my cards for this Christmas.

I love this Christmas card. I wish I could find this die, I did give 3 of these cards to family in Chicago and one to a friend last Christmas. So, I will continue to hunt for this die. Maybe when I get extra $$$ I will search more diligently.

I always loved this card....some day I will make this card also....looks pretty easy, just have to find that happy, jolly snowman.

Gosh, I did not realize, this is my 900th blog today....wowsers. Time flies when we are having fun....right?? I started blogging in 2008....12 yrs ago??? Wonderful days before the Corona Virus. After all these months, I am still not used to the masks and they look so funny on people too. But, I will obey the rules and wear the mask, even though I do not like them.

Oh....when I went to the Doctor Monday...he asked if I wanted a flu shot, first I said no, he told me the pros and cons, especially someone like me with diabetes. I thought about it and decided maybe it was time. So I got a shot. Amazed the arm does not hurt and seems there is no side effects to this shot. Maybe it will even protect me from the Corona. My last flu shot had to be when I was still working at the Salvation Army, and that was over 20 years ago....again where did all that time go???

Well, I think I will close here before November passes us by and I didn't get to publish this blog. Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy those that sit around your table....you are blessed.

Keep looking up, better days are coming....Cheers ~ Louise

Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throune of God."

HA! Made a List of "TO DO" Things this Morning

Hi there everyone....hope your quarantine time is going well. Life has surely changed, not sure if it is for the good. I guess we all will find out eventually. 

Going shopping sure has been a challenge, especially this past Tuesday. Went into the store to get my diabetes strips and a few groceries....still no toilet paper, so I got paper towels (we are limited to ONE paper product). We personally are out of toilet paper so we have been using Kleenex….works well. So many of the shelves were bare....sure is scary to see this. The store does seem to keep the junk food and soda aisle well stocked though.  

Anyways, I left the store to go to my car, started it up and noticed the brake peddle went down to the floor.....oh my, how am I going to get home. Well, I figured I would go slow and pump the brakes 3-4 times till the car came to the stop lights. I did pray to God to get me home safe and give me green lights all the way home. Thank God only one light was red and by the time I got to it, it turned green....Thank you Jesus!!!! I got home safe. The car is parked right now, can't go anyplace anyways....hopefully the car will get fixed sometime this month.

JP was laid off his job last week, so he has no place to go either. We will get by with God's help!!! I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to Biz right here. May God Bless you abundantly today and always. 

So I made a list early this morning of "to do" things to accomplish TODAY. 14 things to accomplish and 2 things done so far. (doing this blog....was NOT on the list.) Here are some of the projects, make an apple pie, make a seasoning (perhaps I will give you the recipe in this blog at the end), make thank you and thinking of you cards, wipe floor, do dishes, straighten my stamp area, make Hospice cards, clean the garage and basement, change the sheets to name just a few......uuummmmm not sure I will get to all those things. Why do I have so much to do???? No time for me to be board, that is for sure.

One of the other things was "walk the grounds and see what is growing" It seems we are going to have an early spring and there is a lot of work to be done outside. I shall have to take some pictures, but I am sure they will look really dreary.




See the poor little baby on the right....that's me. The hard part about this coronavirus is NO HOCKEY.....actually all sports have been cancelled. The Olympics have been cancelled till next year. I don't know, I can't help but think that there something more to this whole thing that we are not being told....something very, very political and corrupt!! But that probably is just me, but something just doesn't seem right.

The Easter card below is one I am going to try to make today....looks simple enough. I have the die for the cross, I don't know, looks like that circle is felt or something and I am sure I have a dove die, will have to look for one. Should be easy and fun. I really need to get back to card making, sloughing off. Too many other things taking up my time. OOOO can you imagine...I FINALLY took my Christmas village down!!! I really enjoyed turning the lights on every night....but when I looked at the calendar it was going on APRIL....LOUISE it is time to take Christmas down.....I said. My gosh, talk about procrastination!!!!

Well, I guess I will close here and get going on one of these other things "to do". Oh wait, I said I would give you the recipe for the seasoning I made today. Here it is "Best Burger and Fry Seasoning" this seasoning is so good on burgers, fries, chicken, fish, pork and sheet pan vegies. This is a double batch and you can half it down if you like. (I doubled it today cause I use it so much)
1 Tbsp. Basil, 2 Tbsp. Garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. Parsley, 1 tsp. Celery salt, 2 tsp. Chili powder, 2 Tbsp. Garlic salt, 4 Tbsp. Paprika, 1 Tbsp. Cumin, 1 Tbsp. Pepper, 1/2 cup Salt. Mix all together in a mason jar and shake to mix well. To use, sprinkle with your fingers or a spoon. I love this stuff.

Well you all take care of yourselves and keep looking up, better days are coming. It's SPRING, be HAPPY!!!! Cheers ~ Louise

Saturday's

 Hi there everyone, been awhile since I last posted. 18 days to be exact....where does time go???? Don't you just love Saturday's?
I do, sometimes I wish everyday was Saturday, but then again, maybe not, probably would get tired of Saturday's.

Been busy this month....my birthday month. I am now legally 73 yrs old. How did that happen???? My mind still says I am maybe about 37 years old, but the body is not agreeing with my mind....lol.

Had a Doctor's appointment this past week. An annual check-up and blood tests. My A1C was 6.2..yay for that, Doctor cut my diabetes pills down, this is good, maybe someday I won't have to take any pills for diabetes. My Vitamin B-12 was a bit high, so instead of 1000g, down to 500g....okay, I can do that. Cholesterol was a bit high, so he wants me to work on my diet (so tired of dieting), and do a little bit more exercises. I guess I can do that. I miss my dog Kylie, cause we took walks everyday, she kept me busy everyday...since she has been gone, don't go for walks around the block any more. (Cute dog up above, sweet.) This house is so quiet without her too. 

Had to get my driver's licence renewed...that was sort of scary for me. Don't know why, but I just was not looking forward to that experience at all. $34.00 later, I was walking out the door an hour later....whew!!

Still working on the cookbook, been typing recipes into the Fundcraft program. We are at 135 recipes, working towards 200 recipes. We don't have far to go. Then, I need to organize the recipes and put them in the right dividers. We were trying for December to finish, but found out we had to be done collecting by the 15th of this month. We are going to try for January and hopefully have the cookbooks done by February. We'll see how that goes.

I thought I would add one of the recipes I entered into the cookbook. I actually made this tonight and it was REALLY GOOD!! It is called;
"One-Pot Spaghetti Dinner"
1 lb. lean ground beef(90% lean)
1 3/4 c. sliced fresh mushrooms(I used canned)
3 c. tomato juice
1 can(14 1/2oz)no salt-diced tomatoes 
1 can(8oz.)no salt-tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. salt(optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground mase(optional)(I had no mase)
6 oz. uncooked multi-grain spaghetti-broken in pieces
Fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese(optional)

1) In a dutch oven, or big pot, cook beef and mushrooms over medium heat and meat is no longer pink; drain if needed. Add tomato juice(I added the whole can), tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried onion, and seasonings.
2) Bring to a boil. Stir in the spaghetti. Simmer, covered 12-15 minutes or until the spaghetti is tender. If desired, serve with cheese on top.

Been busy watching my Hockey games. My Chicago Blackhawks are not doing that great right now...but I have high hopes. There is still 5 more months to play in the regular season and then the Stanley Cup Play-offs that will last till June. So there is still plenty of time for them to make it for the play-offs. I will let you know how they do.

Well, time to close, did not mean for this to be so long.....but, I get a little bit wordy sometimes. You all have a great week-end and keep looking up, better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise 

Lots Of Blessings Today

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a GOOD DAY. I am, we ALL need a good day every now and then. Breaks up the monotony of bad days!!!

So today in the mail I received my Chicago Blackhawk hat....seen below. It was $7.99 plus tax and shipping, making it $13+ (forgot the exact amount). I am excited, now I can watch the games with my hat on......Go Hawks!!! I was told the hat would not make it here till October 1st. But surprise...it came today. Blessings!!!

I think I might add some bling to my hat....red and silver gems, will make it flashy and sparkle!!! So am wearing it as I type this post....love my new hat. Now I have to get some $$$ in my Paypal to buy some Blackhawk slippers, which is next on the agenda.

Another blessing for today, I went to the eye doctor for a Diabetes Eye check. No diabetes present. That is a good sign. I asked for prayer at church Sunday...guess I was kind of concerned, but all clear!! Praise God!!

On the way out of the clinic, I saw a man sitting in a car with a little white doggie. I said Hi, can I pet your doggie? Sure he said. What's the name and what breed? I said. He said, a Teddy Bear (a cross between a Bishon and Shih-Tzu, a Shichon) and her name is Cassie. All the while we were talking Cassie came to me and I was petting her....I said I missed my dog, she died 2 months ago. Aww he said you'll get another dog....it sure felt good to pet a doggie, I tear up even now, just thinking about this little blessing from God today.

Finally finding some time to make cards. Maybe I will have some posted here in the next week or so. My creative juices have been dried up a bit. We'll see how things go. Have to have some cards made for Hospice meeting November 1st. I think I should have 50-60 cards.

October is the Secret Stamper revealing party. So I need to finish making 4 more cards. Then I will have two cards each of the 6 images my SS gave me. And I will have made 2 cards of 6 images I sent to my SS. Does that make sense. Kind of complicated. After the cards are made, then I must make 6 new images for my NEW Secret Stamper, Whew....hope I got that all right.

Trying to think of any other blessings. I guess every day is a blessing to wake up in the morning, I think we tend to forget who gave us breath?? God cares for us in so many ways, never forget to remember from whom all blessings come....keep looking up!!

Now this is my winter hat which I already have. I marvel at some Blackhawk fans in Chicago, they show pictures of their Blackhawk rooms, you name it, they have it, jerseys, blankets, pillows, pictures, pucks, sticks many of them signed by the players. I have some pictures too, but from the 60's, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Chico Maki, Moose Vasko and so on. Maybe one day I will scan them and put them on this blog.

Time to close this post. I have to clean this house. J.P.'s Brother and sister in law are coming for a visit Saturday...need to straighten up the house. They usually take us out for lunch. Another blessing for this week!!!

Have a good day and keep looking up, better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

PS Did I forget to mention, my computer is working better, I had to uninstall 3 programs that were bogging down this computer and optimize and clean the disk a couple of times. Next thing is to get some of the pictures off this computer and onto a Gorilla Drive Stick. Or, maybe if I can find a "Photostick" maybe this computer will work really fast.

Some Adult Coloring

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a good day. We have been dealing with Doctor appointments these last couple of days. Today, JP had an appointment with Urology....we were at the hospital from 9:30am, finally leaving @ 2:30pm.....long, long day. He has to have a prostate biopsy. It does not sound easy or comfortable. He'll have to take 2 days off from work, because there's no heavy lifting for two days after the procedure. I am hoping for a good report, but the Doctor said this could be cancer. Please keep JP in your prayers.

My appointment was on Tuesday. Diabetes is a very distressing desease. Along with weight (I have gained back 24 lbs of the 40 I lost last year, dealing with the hernia). Needless to say my blood pressure and blood sugars have gone up and my A1C is still a tad too high. I have to have a mammogram in September, my last one was in '05....gosh time flies. Oh and I have been dealing with itchy skin, so the Doctor wants me to stop taking each medication (one at a time) for a couple of days to see if I am allergic to any one of them. If the itching stops, then that med needs to be changed, because I am apparently allergic to it. If itching does not stop then it might be a food I am eating or the laundry detergent. Right now, I am itching...metformin has been excluded for a couple of days. Will have to wait to see what happens.....the itching could be  nerves.

Well...on to some fun stuff.....this is what keeps my head together....is my art work, card making, gardening and cooking.

I bought a couple of Adult coloring books and have been doing some coloring.

What is nice about spending time on coloring these flowers and stuff is that they can be turned into a nice card......we'll see what I come up with. 

Right now I am thinking that I might want to frame a few of these pages. I really liked the above color page...I was almost finished with it and used a pen to outline and there was tooooo much ink in it and it leaked on my colored page. I tried to cover it but to no avail. I just showed you the pretty part. Down in the right corner you can see a dark sploge. Oh, and maybe over on the left in the middle.

This color page was done with colored pencils....oh and ink and stamps (those little dots). It was okay....but I prefer to use Copic markers. Colors are more vibrant.

Well, I think I will close here as I have to do some dishes and think about what I want to make for JP's late supper. You have a great night and keep looking up....better days are coming.

Cheers ~ Louise

What Do You Mean??????

Ha-Ha.....Yep it is!!!! Hi there everyone, hope your days are not going as fast as mine are. Not exactly looking forward to Tuesday, cause that is when I have a date with the dentist to get this tooth pulled. OIE....no, not looking forward to it. I wish I was not such a scardy cat!!!! But I am.

Oh but first comes Monday....and Monday projects include:
1) JP has a blood test in the morning. They think he might have diabetes.
2) In the afternoon a lady is stopping by from "Rebuilding together" to see how much lawn work needs to be done. Yes....they will spruce up the front yard and back yard...that will be a great help. Otherwise it just may take me all summer to get stuff done.
3) Call and cancel Accident Insurance...that will be $36 extra in the pocket a month.
4) Call a plumber...our sink is backed up and I can't get it unclogged. We tried all day but to no avail. So the dirty dishes sit on the counter.

Probably sometime this week the project manager from "Rebuilding Together" will be in touch with us to walk through the house to see all that needs to be done. The biggest project will be the ceiling getting fixed......

Along with a few other projects, new gutters, porch painted, some electrical work, shutters painted and put up. we might even get a taller new toilet and get the leak fixed in the bathroom sink. Too bad the plugged drain could not coincide with all this other work being done.  Will see what happens in the next week or so....but so far my Monday and Tuesday is VERY BUSY!!!! One thing is for sure....there will be plenty of pictures...stay tuned.

And the Winners of this lovely card was: Biz, Diana, Patty and Angela. Hope you all like your card...it was fun making them and sending them on their way. Be Blessed.

Wednesday I have a date with my friend to go to her house and make some cards....that is always a fun time....Thursday I will post the cards here.

Wow....Thursday and Friday are wide open for now....we'll see what takes place and what comes up....you never know.

Well, you all have a great week and keep looking up!!
Cheers ~ Louise

Tea ~~Dentist~~Blueberry Pie

Hi there everyone....what a lovely day it has turned out to be. Hope you are having a good one today. I saw a cute picture on Facebook and thought to save it....but didn't. It said, "Only in Wisconsin do people get excited about 40 degree weather." Ha! that sure is the truth though...cause this weather feels so much like SPRING has sprung!!!! YAYYYYYY!!!!

Well, it is time for tea, got your cup? Think I could use one as I type this little post. As you can see in the following picture I visited the dentist today.... it's not my favorite place to go. So yeah...I need a cup of tea to quiet my soul.

It was actually a necessity to go today. Wednesday as I was flossing, a tooth broke. The top, back molar. Not knowing where to go, I decided to call the place we used to go to and could not get in till today. Have not been to a dentist since 2001....yeah, I am a big scardy cat. We have had no dental insurance all this time. I did pick some up last year for JP, but he did not want to go....neither did I for that matter. So being the "sometimes unwise people" we are, we cancelled. Wouldn't you know it....now we need it and could use it.

So today I went in....as I said, it was the old dental office we went to years ago....but with a different Dentist. The dentist we had, retired....this dentist.....I really liked him, very pleasant man and seemed to really want to help. His assistant was really nice too. They made me feel really comfortable. Never once scolded me for not coming in all these years. It was a nice visit....I will let you know after a couple more visits, what my opinion is then.

They did a complete x-ray exam, and it was all digital......I could actually see all my teeth, fillings and cavities on the screen. Then they went tooth by tooth and what each one needed....I did not understand a word they were saying. END RESULT.....the tooth will be pulled, verses saving it. Saving it, will cost $1600 verses $338 to pull. Yeah...that's the route I took. I also have 6 cavities that need to be filled and also need a DEEP CLEANING going under the gums....gosh all this time I thought my flossing was helping....he said, "partially, but because of diabetes my gums are in desperate help and will need to be cleaned every 3 months".....darn these sugars.

So the plan is, next week on St. Patrick's Day I get my tooth pulled and they will give me some "LAUGHING GAS" so I won't be feeling much pain....that is fine with me. (Darn....so much for corned beef and cabbage.) Then in about a month starts the teeth and gum cleaning....then the cavities. Sounds like quite the agenda....hopefully I can keep up with the payments. In June or July I might be getting cataract surgery.....so we shall see how this all fits together, time wise and finacially.

Does this dessert not look delicious???? (I am thinking it is diabetes worthy, don't you???) "Blueberry Icebox Pie" 313 calories per servings....oh-oh 52.3 grams of carbs, oh, but it has 11.4 g of protein. That's okay.....one slice can't hurt, can it???

Here is the ingredients:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups finely ground reduced fat graham cracker crumbs
4 teasp. light butter, melted (or buy a store bought graham cracker crust)
2 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen and thawed)
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 teasp powdered unflavored gelatin
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
8 oz fat-free cream cheese
14 oz fat free sweetened condensed milk
Several fresh mint leaves

Preparation:
Preheat oven 350 F. Lightly coat a 9' spring form pan or glass pie pan with cooking spray. Combine crumbs and butter in a bowl and press into a pan. Bake 10 minutes. (or just use an already made graham cracker crust)

Puree 1 1/2 cups blueberries; mix with lemon juice in a micro wavable bowl.

Sprinkle gelatin on top and let stand 10 minutes. Microwave on medium 10 seconds to dissolve gelatin, then beat with an electric mixer or food processor at a medium speed.

Beat in cream cheeses and sweetened condensed milk. Pour mixture over baked crust and chill until set. Garnish with mint and remaining blueberries. I think I shall make this pie sometime this week.

Well time to close.....just one more reminder, leave a comment and for every comment is a chance to win a St. Patrick's Day card from me. Tomorrow is the last day to qualify for a card from me, because I shall be picking names on Wednesday and sending the cards out by Thursday.

Have a great day and enjoy the weather and keep looking up!!
Cheers ~ Louise

A Few Things On Next Week's Agenda

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a good evening and your week-end will be a fun one. Can you believe March is just around the corner....whew time does fly by. I think I'm going through "Winter Fatigue" (that would be "just getting tired of the winter blahs") although JP said it was just "Cabin Fever" either way, I am looking forward to Spring and walking outside and getting some fresh air. Lately it has been way too cold and snowy for me or Kylie. I have noticed it is getting lighter and lighter at 5:00....yay...pretty soon we can start walking again.

I was looking at Pinterest and saw some things I would like to try...that's always a fun thing for me to do. Don't these sandwiches look really good below....yum. I think the recipe said a slice of toast, with mayo, tomatoes and avocado with melted cheese....mmm. Sounds good to me.

Here are two drinks that I might try....they sound so refreshing don't they? If they worked and did the things said....it could be worth it. I do have some frozen lemon and mint ice cubes in the freezer. Need to get some ginger....maybe I could use a tsp of ginger might work. Looks like the drink below could be made tomorrow for breakfast. I have all the ingredients. Maybe I could turn it into a smoothie???

These two beautiful cards....I just love. I am going to a Stampin' Up Camp on Sunday. So I know for sure, one of my purchases will be this lovely butterfly. So pretty. Oh, there are a few stamps I will be buying also. Maybe the set on these two cards.

I saw this cake today....mmmm....it sounded delish. The cake is baked in a cast iron pan...now that is interesting to me. I printed the recipe out...so if it works I will surely put it on my blog. I think it is diabetes worthy...I will just cut down on the sugar, like from a cup to 1/2 cup. If I can handle it and not get tempted....and maybe two bites at a time, leaving the rest for JP.

Doesn't this little dish look yummy.....grilled tomatoes on a bed of spinach, a poached egg and grilled portobella mushroom....nice breakfast, lunch or dinner right????

So there you have it....some cards, drinks, desserts and food I plan on making this next week. As for soups.....I have a recipe for Chinese Meatball soup and Basil Tomato Soup and Turkey Meatballs.....sound good??? A few other recipes I need to try...Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Eggs baked in Portobello Mushrooms. I may also try a recipe that I have not made in a very long time, Tuna Fish Casserole. JP will be eating well this next week, don't 'cha think???

Time to close and go do some wash and ride the bike. I hope you liked my plans for this next week.....maybe this will help me get past the "Winter Fatigue" phase.

Have a good night and keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise

2014 Resolutions from 2013, 2012, 2011 etc.

Did you all make any resolutions for the New Year??? I thought about it, but sometimes they are just too hard to keep. I might just try continuing what I started in 2011, 2012, 2013 and now 2014. As you can see these are "on-going" resolutions!!

1. Continue on my journey to lose some weight and reverse diabetes.

Still working on that and probably continue on into 2014. (2013 the Doctor put me on diabetes medication which lowered my blood sugars but the side effects were "gaining weight" So now I need to take those pounds off that was gained in 2013)

2. Paint a room or two this year....been awhile since I painted and redecorated.

Nope, no room painting in 2012. (2013, I did paint the little entry into the bedroom, and the brick wall going down-stairs)

3. This spring, paint the porch floor.

2012 - Nope, no porch painting...thought about it though. (2013, painted the porch railings and steps, but no, didn't do the porch floor as yet)

4. Get some cards into a few beauty shops.

2012 - Nope. (2013 - nope not as yet....but I am donating alot of my cards to Hospice, 397 cards to be exact)

5. Get the kitchen ceiling fixed.

2012 - Nope. (2013 - No, not yet as the roof is still leaking. I am going to try for a City grant, I have till the 17th to get the papers put together....maybe just maybe we can get the roof, ceiling and new gutters fixed this year)

6. These are long shots.........get a new or used stove and couch.

Got the couch and did look at a used stove, but nope, did not get one. (2013 - got the couch and 2 chairs, no stove yet)

7. More mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago and a vacation this year.
Nope, no vacation but many mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago. (2014, no more mini vacations on Lake Winnebago, we are planning a trip to Ladysmith though)

8. More blogs then last year.

Yes, I did manage that by 22 more blogs........2013? 25 more. (2013 - 122 posts, I shall try for 25 more this year)

9. Learn something new.

Guess I didn't, cause I can't think of anything. (2014 - learn to play my guitar)

10. Lose an old habit, what that is I don't know as yet.

Ha...probably gained some old habits, but lose, Nope! (2014 - lose 20 lbs.)

11. Continue on in my personal relationship with Jesus.

Yes! (2014 - this is on-going)

12. Make a new friend and cultivate and old friend.

Not sure I did. Oh wait, I did make a blog friend, does that count??? (2014 - new blog friends, lost another old-time friend who died of lung cancer in 2013...sigh)

13. Weed through the house, get rid of stuff not used for a couple of years.

Yes! (2013 - yes and have another garage sale)

14. Garage sale this summer?

Yes! (2013 - yes, had a couple of sales, didn't make much but unloaded a lot of stuff)

15. One accomplishment in 2013 - I added a pond with lots of flagstone that was given to me by a person no longer in my life. I guess, people come into ones life for some purpose and leave as quickly as they came. But they left this lovely pond which consumed my summer because then we bought 2 yards of red mulch and extended all our other gardens. This summer, I had the pond garden, tomato garden, patio garden, angel garden, front yard garden and a fire pit garden. This summer, we shall buy 2 more yards of mulch and finish my gardens off and add more perennial plants.

Well that is 14 things to work on, there probably are more, but this is a good start. Will have to remember these resolutions are here so I can keep reading them every now and then.

Guess I did not read them enough, cause many were not accomplished. So there you have it, shall I continue my quest for perfection in 2014......kinda' hard to attain perfection, very unattainable to me.

What to expect for 2014???

I have no idea what to expect. Peace would be a good thing to expect, but with the way this world is going, it's hard to foresee. I find it very hard to understand how people can continue living without a relationship with Jesus Christ and still survive living in this barbaric way of life. Killing and being killed, and sometimes for no reason at all, then to just kill!!!

A very sad commentary for "modern" man!!! Everyone blames the other guy and sadly does not look into the "mirror of truth" to see one's self-deception. We deceive ourselves daily, thinking we are good, when in reality we all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. There is a scripture in the Bible that says to this affect. "Whoa to them that say good is evil and evil good..." This is fast becoming very familiar in our society. Very sad, very sad indeed.

Hello 2014 Hope this year is a bit better then 2013 was. Spiritually, emotionally, financially and creativity wise and morally speaking. God Bless America and may God's Word come into focus in everyone's heart in this year 2014!!!

Christmas Village.....

Hi everyone. Well the count-down begins....four more days to Christmas. Where in the world has this month gone. Used to be Christmas took forever to get here when I was younger....now it flies by. I think as of today I have everything checked off on the "to do" list, so now I can sit back and enjoy the season.

Cards made and mailed, the last of my cards with letters sent off today. My step-fathers gift was sent off to Las Vegas today. I was surprised that the lines were not long, maybe because of the weather??? Or maybe the bulk of everything was mailed earlier. Cookies and apple pie made, pumpkin pie next week. Decorations up. Presents bought for JP. I'm watching "It's a Wonderful Life" What's Christmas without that movie???? How many times have I seen that movie...and it still brings tears to my eyes.

I don't have any other gifts to buy....it's just JP and I, oh and my little dog, Kylie. JP's family is down in Chicago. We've not gone to Chicago for Christmas in a long time... As for my family it's just my step-father, Pops. He should get his present after Christmas...I couldn't see spending $16 for it to get to him sooner. As it was, his gift was $12 to send...the cookies and stuffed doggie didn't even cost that much. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

So today I am showing you my christmas village....I love putting it up every year. And, every year when it comes down, I am sad to see it go.

Every year, I like to buy something new for the village, whether it be a building or people or whatever that might be. I am running out of space though, might have to extend the village for next year.

In this picture is the whole village. I guess I have some space yet to fill. Will have to check the stores for 50% to 75% off village accessories after Christmas sales.

Oh...I had some good news today. Went to the eye doctor. A different one from the last time. I had no faith in the last one and customer service was bad. So this eye doctor checked my eyes and said there was not much change from the last time and when he checked the eyes for diabetes, he said there was no sign of diabetes in my eyes...usually people who have diabetes the inside of their eyes have pools of blood. My eyes were clear. Thank you Jesus!!! My blood sugars have been normal pretty much. I told the Doctor that my average for 8 days was 115, he said that was a very good average. He even asked me, "how long have you been diabetic?" I wish I could say I am not diabetic anymore....that would be nice. Now if I could just get this weight controlled, I would be a happy camper.

Well, it is time to close for today. Tomorrow we are going to do some shopping and pay the electric bill. There is supposed to be a big storm coming our way, Weatherman is saying 4-8 inches.......it's going to be a WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!! You all have a great weekend and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh. Cheers and Merry Christmas ~ Louise

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!!

So Long 2012 ~ Hello 2013

Yeppers........Dashing will be completely out of the question for 2013! Going to enjoy every minute (or so I say)!! Been reading a few blogs today, 1) some wish you a Happy New Year, 2) some list "the 12 most popular", (which I truly love especially when it comes to FOOD) 3) and some just continue on as if it is just another day. Me, I think I will go back to January 1, 2012 and see what my expectations for 2012 were and if I met them........

Did you all make any resolutions for the New Year??? I thought about it, but sometimes they are just too hard to keep. I might just try continuing what I started in 2011.

1. continue on my journey to lose some weight and reverse diabetes.
Still working on that and probably continue on into 2013.

2. paint a room or two this year....been awhile since I painted and redecorated.
Nope, no room painting in 2012.

3. this spring, paint the porch floor.
Nope, no porch painting...thought about it though.

4. get some cards into a few beauty shops.
Nope.

5. get the kitchen ceiling fixed.
Nope.

6. these are long shots.........get a new or used stove and couch.
Got the couch and did look at a used stove, but nope, did not get one.

7. more mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago and a vacation this year.
Nope, no vacation but many mini-vacations on Lake Winnebago.

8. more blogs then last year.
Yes, I did manage that by 22 more blogs........2013? 25 more.

9. learn something new.
Guess I didn't, cause I can't think of anything.

10. lose an old habit, what that is I don't know as yet.
Ha...probably gained some old habits, but lose, Nope!

11. continue on in my personal relationship with Jesus.
Yes!

12. make a new friend.
Not sure I did. Oh wait, I did make a blog friend, does that count???

13. weed through the house, get rid of stuff not used for a couple of years.
Yes!

14. garage sale this summer?
Yes!

Well that is 14 things to work on, there probably are more, but this is a good start. Will have to remember these resolutions are here so I can keep reading them every now and then.
Guess I did not read them enough, cause many were not accomplished. So there you have it, shall I continue my quest for perfection in 2013......kinda' hard to attain perfection, very unattainable to me.

What to expect for 2013???
 I have no idea what to expect. Peace would be a good thing to expect, but with the way this world is going, it's hard to foresee. I find it very hard to understand how people can continue living without a relationship with Jesus Christ and still survive living in this barbaric way of life. Killing and being killed, and sometimes for no reason at all, then to just kill!!! 
A very sad commentary for "modern" man!!! Everyone blames the other guy and sadly does not look into the "mirror of truth" to see one's self-deception. We deceive ourselves daily, thinking we are good, when in reality we all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. There is a scripture in the Bible that says to this affect. "Whoa to them that say good is evil and evil good..." This is fast becoming very familiar in our society. Very sad, very sad indeed.

Well, guess it is time to close this blog for 2012.....see you all in 2013 Lord willing. So you all keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Cheers ~ Louise
 Hello 2013

Ah......Monday - Health and God's Healing

Yeppers, it is Monday. I found this cute little picture on facebook yesterday and just had to add it to my blog today.

It's been pretty warm these last couple of days, too warm for me, I like 60's and 70's, but that is me. Do  you wonder why it has been so warm? Guess the "Global Warmers" would say, "See, we told you so." But you know.....I think we are under judgement from God. He is very angry and when you hear of earthquakes that deffinently speaks of God's wrath (Psalm 18:7). He loves us very much, but He is angry, because we think "WE" can run things.....nope, we can't. We need God in our everyday lives, we just can't do without HIM, and that's for sure. Has HE got your attention yet???????????

I found a neat website a few days ago and it is FREE. It's a community of dieters called http://www.fatsecret.com/ you can journal, type in what you ate and it adds up your calories, see what other dieters are doing, go on forums, find recipes. An array of things to do. I am still looking around trying to get acculmated. I actually have lost some weight, it has been tough though, but finally am seeing a few pounds come off. "God did His part, now I must do mine."

What I mean by that previous comment is this: These last 6 months, my health has not been up to par as I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. I've asked God to help me lose weight many times (Psalm 18:6), but never realized it was the meds that might be the problem. Having to keep tabs of my Blood Sugars since December 13th, I've found it VERY difficult to diet. I have been on blood pressure meds for over 20 years. When the Doctor perscribed diabetes and colestral medication, suddenly my liver levels went up. So he first took me off the colestral medication. Blood test and no change. He then took me off ALL medication. Blood test and still no change. Had an Ultra sound and blood test. Finally, liver levels were normal, but they found a gall stone. Have not heard what they are going to do about that. But the Doctor wants me to lose weight. Finally, I my weight is coming off, a pound here and a pound there, I have been trying very hard.

I need to tell you, that when the Doctor took me off all medications, I was really frightened. Blood pressure medication for 20 years????? I thought for sure I was going to die, (the pharmasist told me I was a walking time-bomb, so I really needed to take that blood pressure medication). So naturally I was scared........did the Doctor REALLY know what he was talking about????? I sure did not know, but I did stop taking all meds, including vitamins...........who knows what was causing my liver levels to go up. Well, after about a month of no meds, I actually started feeling better and my blood sugars seemed to go down alittle.

My last blood test, last week, came back and my AC1 is 6.8 = controlled, so that is a good sign. Finally, my body is getting into a normal mode, could it be that God is healing my wretched body. I would like to believe that. So after a couple of months of this roller-coaster ride, things are leveling out......God did his part, now I must do mine......It is God's business to keep us healthy and whole. I am so glad I have God to lean upon. We sure can wrack up our bodies with bad living.

So this is all good news ~ that I am very happy to report on this warm day on July 2nd. Maybe I can truly celebrate Independence Day by saying "Yes, I am on my way to losing weight and feeling free and healthy, the way God meant me to feel!!!! Whole in HIM!!!!!

Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption drawth nigh!!! Cheers - Louise

♥ Starting To Decorate ♥

Well..............I debated with myself, was I going to put up Christmas decorations this year or not......yes, no maybe so........well here it is, the start of the decorating. Usually I decorate the dinningroom table, so this was the first thing I did tonight. Had started addressing my Christmas cards last night, now that is a first (so early in the season). Won't be buying alot of gifts this year. Depends on who was naughty or nice this year.....hahahahaha.

Tomorrow I go to see the Doctor for information about diabetes. Guess he will tell me what I can eat, or what my options are, not really sure what he will do. I sure don't want to take shots, hopefully this is something that can be controlled with diet and exercise. Of which I am not doing so good with at this point. I do ride my stationary bike 5 miles a day, sometimes 10 miles. Guess that is good, but maybe I should be doing more for this body!!! I have been so busy taking care of JP and his body, I forgot mine. We have been doing pretty good at controlling his gout. Feeding him the things that do not produce purines that cause him to get pain in his joints. Guess I need to watch what I put in my mouth. When we were young we just did not take care and ate anything, now we are paying for those wrong choices.

Well, I think I will close this blog for tonight, keep looking up for your redemption drawth nigh!

Cheers ~ Louise