Happy Autumn!

The downside of this season, full bore allergy attacks! Despite the chemical & natural counter attacks, my head is soup, my dose (That's how Nose sounds when you're under attack!) is dripping like a leaky faucet.

Upside- gorgeous weather here. The windows flung wide, temperature just perfect. So far, I still haven't been assigned a job by the temp agency. I continue my quest to clean and de-clutter the house. For my efforts... the house is looking cleaner. I have a few items in the box for the Taylor reunion auction coming this weekend. You'd think I could easily come up with more, wouldn't you?

I had intended to work on the hood for Sam and Dan's guitar case this afternoon, but I am so miserable I don't feel like doing anything. I also had a brainiac idea to use my microfiber damp-mop (It has removable/ washable pads) to make a dust mop pad from micro-fleece. Easier to dust mop than to sweep, with the doggy fur all over the floor every day.

I have plans for an apple pie for supper. Oh, I meant dessert... the supper will be fajitas. (Neither one low carb... oops.)
But for now... I need to see if I can figure out how to stop sneezing!
Have a blessed day!

New Job, Day 4

Day four has gone pretty much like days 2 & 3... and only differing from Day 1 in that, on Day 1 I spoke to an actual human when I called in to confirm my availability. Since then, I have spoken to a recording... and not been on an actual paying job at all. If this keeps up much longer, I will be back to looking for work.
**************************


The pattern for Sam's hood just hasn't fit correctly. We went back to WalMart and purchased six more yards of $1 a yard fabric to experiment on. I now have quite a stack of hoods to fit narrow shouldered people. I will try again- only altering the measurements and reshaping the back of the hood. We still aren't ready to cut into expensive fabric!
My sewing scissor disappeared. Sam had grown frustrated at trying to cut even the light muslin with the dull, dull, dull scissors I otherwise have around. He even purchased a pair of intermediate 'school' scissors.. which were better than the dull pair! While buying the practice fabric, he also purchased a pair of actual razor sharp Fisker sewing scissors. Once home and using them for the first time- Sam tells me he can now understand WHY I have always stressed that my sewing scissor was for FABRIC and nothing else! What a difference in effort sharp scissors make.


*****************************
We are having cool, rainy weather at the moment, after a hot and humid day for most of yesterday. Today IS supposed to get up into the mid 80's- and with the rain this morning, this will give us a sauna this afternoon. I've got on long sleeves now- I may be in a tank top this afternoon! The weather has been fluctuating between the low sixties and upper eighties during the day, and from 43* to 64* at night the past week or so.
******************************
TAYLOR REUNION is coming up... the 27th in Broken Bow, Same place as last year! I hope everyone is planning to come.
**********************
Welcome to Bailey Ranae Beard! Born to my nephew Tony and his wife Cami last evening, Bailey was born at 7:44 pm September 17th, weighing 6.8 lbs., and is 20 inches tall. Bailey and Cami are doing well. (Tony is the son of my brother Robbie.)
**********************************
Guess I best get on with my cleaning and reorganizing of the house- my self appointed task for the days I'm "not working."
Thanks for reading, have a blessed day!

Sewing...

This morning, I went with Sam to Hancock Fabrics so he could get some fabric to make a winter hood. He had found a pattern online, which we had to reproduce with measurements to fit him. As we produced our pattern, he was asking me questions about how I learned to sew.

I remembered my first solo sewing attempt. I was seven or eight years old. Mom had bought some calico printed material to make me a jumper, or perhaps some shorts. I don't remember the purpose for which she intended the fabric. Like many of us, Mom got the fabric home, and it sat for awhile. She was busy... you know- four kids, husband, toddlers, laundry, feeding people and cleaning up after them...the usual stuff that sidetracks people from doing their sewing projects.
I grew impatient, as Mom had promised she would teach me to make some doll clothes. One day, I took Mom's fabric stash back to my bedroom, and laid a piece out. I traced carefully around my doll's waist and legs... and cut out a pair of doll pants. Belatedly realizing I needed a front and a back for pants, I traced the doll outline a second time. I hacked the outlines from the fabric. 
Mom was busy, but she absently knotted the thread on the hand needle for me when I asked... never questioning why.
I sewed up the little pants... not putting right sides together so my stitches showed, or the print was INSIDE the pants.

I didn't think to try them on the doll, but went back to hacking the fabric into raggedy pant shaped bits. Mom even tied another knot in the thread for me, as I recall. (Still too distracted to ask what I was doing with this threaded needle!)

I eventually got the pants sewn together. Of course, they were about 1/3 the size I needed them to be to fit my doll. So I tried again to cut them out larger- still following your basic doll sprawled outline.

I don't know how long I persisted before I finally asked Mom what I was doing wrong.
I'm not sure if she laughed... or cried. I had butchered several yards of fabric- what wasn't cut entirely to bits was mangled enough she would never be able to make a human sized garment from it. She did sit right down and show me where my pattern had gone wrong, and draw me up a pattern for a real pair of pants, in doll sizing. Mom showed me how to fit the pieces together, and let me sew them right up. She showed me how to make the casing for the elastic waist, and how to hem. And... I got to keep all the butchered fabric to practice on, but was warned to NEVER EVER get into the sewing stuff without permission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam and I are about to try the pattern we made out on a cheap bit of muslin before cutting into his expensive wool fabric. I also picked up an application to Hancocks while I was there.
Thanks for reading!
And Thanks for teaching me to sew, Mom!

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

Busy anyway

I neglected to take into consideration that Monday was my 'regular' day off. Also Tom's day off. We had plenty to do. While I superficially browsed some job listings, I didn't put in any applications.
 Tuesday, I got up and got online, even before a breakfast. I put in an application for Staffmark, which is an agency people call when they need someone to fill in for a few days or weeks. I would like a job that is flexible enough to be able to take off work when Paula has Peaches, and at Thanksgiving. To be able to take vacations with Tom, when he wants to go to Ohio and see his family. Most jobs aren't offering that sort of flexibility. I also need a job where I am not straining my body... it's got to last another 50 years!

Once I got that application done, I started where I left off yesterday in the kitchen. I am re-organizing my cabinets, giving everything I use a HOME... as opposed to my usual "stick it there for now" method. My bowl/ plastic ware cabinet looks great! All bowls that have lids have them matched with them. My cups are all neat, and every stinking water bottle/ thermos/ sippy cup that HAS a matching lid is together WITH its lid, neatly STANDING upright. About 10,000,000 lids with no container to fit have been pitched, with the exception of a very few Tupperware lids.

Today I worked on the food storage upper cabinet. The cabinet is made from really cheap fiberboard for the shelves, with very little support beneath them. In the 10 years we have lived here, they have really begun to sag. While the cupboard was empty, Daniel went to town and got some angle iron with pre-drilled holes. He gave the shelves a nice bit or reinforcement/ support.

After wiping off the shelves, I categorized the items going back in, and repackaged much of it. There was a literal pile of various baggies of dried items Dan has been preparing for use on his AT hike. Some of this I sealed up into vacuum bags. Some I put into glass jars. I have two lower cupboards of pans and the spice cabinet to go, as well as the small units over the refrigerator and stove. I suppose I should also see to the underneath of the sink as well. From there, it will be on to the laundry room.

However, I will start each day with at least one job application! These are tedious to do- but at least most are online and I am not wasting gas driving hither and yon.

My last day at work was also my co-worker John's last day. He retired- and he well deserves a great retirement!  John brought me breakfast, coffee and a sausage biscuit! I got as much of the work that was piling up done as I could, then called a day.
Sam made it safely to San Angelo, and that was the last we heard from him until today! He is having a good time- but most nearly visited out, I think.

Sunday, Tom and Daniel picked two+ more bushels of apples. With their help, I made 7 more pints of applesauce and 14 more half pints of apple butter. Then, almost all the rest went into more apple cider. By Monday, the beautiful plums were calling out to us... but Tom and I ignored their cries and didn't stop to pick more. (If I pick more, I have to buy more jars. But I really want to pick more.. since a friend told me of an upcoming craft sale where I could get a booth.) I need to decide in the next day or two, while there are still plums to be had.

(Who has time for a job?)
Please pray I will find the best way to earn income!

Officially Unemployed

I am home from my last day at O'Reilly's.
 I am proud of me... I didn't shirk, I worked hard all week... even my last day. Yes, there were things left undone. Things are continually flowing and piling at most jobs... I did as much as I could, which was more than many would. This is the season of change throughout the company, as summer gives way to fall. Displays change, new products come out. The hunting accessories start to arrive, the AC items give way to the cold weather gear.
I did love most aspects of my job. However, it was becoming too much for me, physically.
So now the hunt for a job I CAN do begins.

I realize some of my family and friends here do not participate in Facebook.
I need to update you on some happenings the past week or so.
Last Saturday, Daniel and Sam went to Lewis and Clark Outfitters, where Daniel has purchased a great deal of the gear to use on his Appalachian trail adventure. The boys has heard that there was to be a big 'gear swap' for anyone interested in purchasing used equipment or had any to sell. They had not double checked... the gear swap is in October! But since they were there, they took time to talk to the very friendly folks who work there, and look at bicycles. Sam has been talking about getting a bicycle for MONTHS. And there was a bike sale going on.
Sam put a bike on layaway, not having had cash on him to outright buy one.
The boys had no sooner arrived home than the phone rang. It was the OWNER of Lewis and Clark Outfitters! He happened to have been one of the people who had chatted with Daniel and Sam at the store. He asked Daniel if they could get together and talk about Lewis and Clark Outfitters sponsoring a portion of Daniel's Appalachian Trail hike- something like supplying his footwear?
The details have yet to be ironed out, but I thought this was pretty amazing! Daniel hadn't mentioned a sponsorship, the thought never occurred to any of us!
Tuesday, Sam was champing at the bit to go to the bank and get money to redeem his bike from its layaway. As there was no freight Tuesday, due to the Labor Day holiday, I was off. So we went to Lewis and Clark and Sam bought his bike. The bike bug had bitten Daniel over the weekend... so Daniel also purchased a new bike. Folks, these are not your $80 WalMart bikes... these are NICE bicycles, which were expensive, even on sale. No where near top of the line, but lower end scale QUALITY bikes.
While Dan worked for our neighbor Tuesday afternoon, Sam explored routes to work that didn't involve riding their bikes on the highway.
Wednesday morning, Daniel rode the 8 miles to work... well, 8 miles is incorrect. 8 miles as the car drives is closer to 12 miles as the back roads meander! It was gloaming dark at the time Dan left for work. I fretted. (Moms do that!) When I got home, I said I would of felt better if Dan had let me know he arrived safely at work. Sam popped off the remark that I would of heard if he HADN'T made it safely!
Thursday morning, as Sam is preparing to ride to work, I state that it is getting light LATER every day. Sam tells me that he and Daniel have already taken this into consideration.
At work, the phone starts ringing by a few minutes past 7:00 am. This is NOT unusual. I always check to see which line is ringing. Most family calls come in on line 3. Line 1, the general public line, was ringing. The Mind Link said answer. I argued with myself... I didn't answer. Mind Link says "Call home!" I argued... "so they can laugh at me for being concerned over nothing?" I didn't answer the phone.
The phone rang pretty much incessantly until the store opened at 7:30. First call, acting manager calls out to me, "Tammy, LINE ONE!"
Sam was on the phone. "I am relatively OK. Doesn't anyone answer the phones up there?... and, how does one bandage a deepish irregular wound?"
I said I would come home and evaluate. Sam was saying he didn't think it was necessary.
I insisted. I know my boys understated concern!
I got home to a blood drenched Sam laying on the couch, with paper towels pressed to his elbow. He removed the paper towel to reveal a dime sized hole in his arm. Hole is the best term I can come up  with... he was literally missing a chunk of flesh. He has called paramedic in training Ben, who had told him that such wounds usually cannot be stitched, and to clean it and fill with antibiotic ointment.
I said, "Get in the car. This needs to be evaluated by a doctor. You NEED stitches."
Sam attempted to argue. I told him Ben may well be right, but you are still going to see what a doctor has to say.
We drove to the local doctors office. They were full up and overbooked, but once Sam showed his wound, he was a priority walk in. He had at least five internal stitches (Doc lost count) and four external stitches. A gap was left so fluids could drain. A scar was guaranteed. Sam was put off work for at least 10 days. Not only can he not stretch the stitches, but he has deep oozing abrasions surrounding it, as well as deep abrasions in his palms. One CANNOT wash dishes with open wounds.  And he must keep them dry to heal.
By Friday afternoon, Sam was already stir crazy. His bruised and swollen knee had him sleeping on the couch, rather than in this Captain's bed upper bunk. He is faithfully setting his alarm to take his antibiotics. Paula suggested that, since he couldn't work anyway, he come visit her and Ben. Sam took her up on it. He just landed in Snanjlo...

At work today, it occurred to me, Sam could well decide to MOVE to San Angelo. He is a dishwasher. And his binding tie... Daniel... is going away in March. If Sam has an opportunity while on this visit... He may never  come back to the nest.
Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Dan is already considering moving to San Angelo after the AT trip. He is interested in what Ben is doing with the Fire Department.
Empty nesting... sigh.
Around here, the company Mr C works for is AGAIN downsizing, after a name change earlier this year. The CRJ700's he has been working on are going away in favor of some other aircraft. How hard is God going to have to shake this up to get a move on?
Thanks for reading. Prayers are SO appreciated. Job hunt starts Monday.

Wellllllll

My busyness continues. I agreed to work one extra week at O's, as the management change doesn't actually happen until the 8th. I have already put in more than 40 hours this week- tomorrow ending the work week- and tomorrow will be as long as I can stand. I discovered in trying to complete the tool aisle planogram... it involved TWO sections more than I realized. I haven't even FINISHED the ones I knew about, which were due today. Freight has been crazy heavy all week. Small mistakes in ordering fixtures cost time here and there. (A 3' bar was ordered when a 4' was needed. Ran out of 15" deep shelves...)
So, while I agreed to work next week, it is also to my benefit, as I am grandfathered into holiday pay as a part-timer. (New part timers do not get 1.5 holiday pay.) There is no freight scheduled for Tuesday, as the drivers have Monday off. If I am not caught up tomorrow... and there is no realistic way I can be, I can CHOOSE a day to come in and just work planograms. If I choose Monday... guess what? It is time and a half scale! I already have prior approval of both the exiting manager and the acting manager to work any of those days I chose. The new manager coming in.. (Tim) was there today. He didn't veto my working the holiday. :)

Here at home... the local apple trees have been dispersing their fruits. Two days ago (or was it three) I had noticed plum trees with ripening fruits along my drive home. I asked Sam (who was off until 1:00 the next day) if he would mind picking me enough plums for one batch of plum jelly. These plums are different than the ones we had in Marlow. Those plums ripened in late May to early June, these plums are just NOW coming ripe. In the 10 years we have lived here, I have never noticed them before!
So... Coming home from work, I saw the plum trees were just as laden as they had been the day before. I figured Sam had been called in to work, or else forgotten my request. So I stopped and picked enough for a batch of wild plum jelly.

Dan passed me picking plums on his way home from the Wooden Spoon. We waved. I got home and started my plum jelly. The phone rang. It was Sam, asking that Daniel bring their backpacks and come get apples, which had been a canning goal of ours for weeks. Dan picked up one backpack, to learn it was FULL of wild plums. Sam had not forgotten at all. My first batch of wild plum jelly yielded 10, half pints.
The boys brought in apples. And more apples. AND MORE APPLES. They stopped at just over 2 bushels that day. So after the plum jelly, I got a pot of applesauce going, as well as a slow cooker batch of apple butter.
The next day, I had to can the apple butter. Tasting it, it was sour! I added some blackstrap molasses. Sam was leery... he said blackstrap has such a strong taste I probably ruined my batch of apple butter. Tasting it, his eyes lit up. He says it tastes like liquid gingerbread!
While he was at work, he mentioned the abundance of apples... and managed to borrow an antique (over 100 years old) cider press! So last night, I did another batch of applesauce, another batch of apple butter, a double batch of wild plum jelly... and the boys have thus far done about 5 gallons of hand pressed apple cider. (I have 30 jars of wild plum jelly (half pint), twelve pints of applesauce, two pints and six half pints of apple butter... and nearly a bushel of already harvested apples to go.)
I declared tonight a night of rest... NOT dealing with fruits.
Of course, it is now suppertime. I'm so tired, I have NO CLUE what I am making for supper... but the kitchen is cleaned, the sticky apple residue washed from the floors, and laundry and the dishwasher running.
Have a blessed night!
Keep praying about a good job for me!
~Tammy~

Staying BUSY

This is my last week at O'Reilly. I have been working extra hours, and even extra DAYS to try to complete this major planogram due by the 29th. I have two full sections to go; though today I had time to set the basic structure of one of those. Tuesdays continue to be major freight days by simple fact we don't have trucks on Sunday and Monday.
I ended today with 17 hours under my belt for this new pay period... normally I would have about five at this point in my week.


I am NOT getting hired at the local restaurant where the twins work. They filled their three openings with church members and friends... which is totally OK by me. I was a bit concerned about them having three of us working there, as it would make taking family time off very difficult. But it does mean I need to dust off my resume and hit the virtual streets, putting in applications. Pretty much ALL  jobs these days require online applications. I am thinking: local staffing agencies, Lowes, hotels in their maid/ laundry sections (even desk clerk), and perhaps the local casino.
There are chicken hatcheries that I saw *now hiring* signs outside, and there is McKee (Little Debbie).


Meanwhile, with frugality and the extra hours I've been getting, we should be fine for several weeks.
(Thought of setting up a booth at a local Farmer's market. Spaces are quite inexpensive. I can sell jellies and such.)


We had such a great visit with Paula and Becky and the kids! Jasher took a few independent steps, but wasn't ready to be declared "walking". Miss Grace decided she can roll over, and was QUITE pleased with herself. We went to War Eagle Mill, and the kids played in the mill stream. ALL of them had a great time, from Grace on up to Tyrel!
We went to the local Wild Wilderness Safari Park... our first time ever. It was much "more" than I expected. And about the same price as going to Tulsa Zoo, but 100 miles closer! I highly recommend going again whenever we have visitors!


I REALLY need a nap before supper, which my Sam is cooking... home made pizza!


Have a blessed night! I ask your prayers that God open the perfect job for me!

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

I was complaining to Mr C yesterday morning, about my job. I was once again passed over for the driver's job- the boss admitting I would NEVER get to be the delivery diver because I am GREAT at my current job as Merchandiser. During the time I had quit O's and gone to work in Ohio, they went through four (or five?) people as Merchandisers. The store was chaos when I returned some 18 months ago. And if I am switched to delivery driver, then either the manager or the shop specialist has to do freight... until they hire a new Merchandiser, and they aren't going to do it. So, due to my habit of doing a good job- I am penalized.
The position has really become too much for me. I ache all the time and sport bruises daily.

I got to work yesterday, and my boss, Chris, greeted me, "It's been good working with you!"
I asked if I am fired, or was he leaving? He found a job making as much to start as he can ever top out as for O's. And he can clock out, go home, and have zero responsibilities that go with being manager. I am truly happy for him.
What I was NOT happy with was that his replacement will be the old boss, Tim. I am not going to work for Tim.
With that little shove, I gave notice at O's. I applied at the restaurant where the twins are working. Not sure of a job there, but I will find something.
I spoke to the remaining driver we had at the store (The open driver slot is still not filled)... John is an older fellow, and was planning to retire in November. He suffered worse abuse from Tim than I did... and he has also put in his notice of intention to retire... our little O's store is down by half its staff in two weeks. They will need three drivers and a merchandiser, having already decided on a new manager. Most the remaining folks are great friends with Tim, willing to overlook his lack of people skills. John and I were not.

Before my two weeks are up, I will be logging pretty much full time hours. I have three or four planograms, two of which are MAJOR. So I will be exiting with one of my larger paychecks from this company. That should help the transition to the new job... whatever that job may be.

Oh, and right at this very minute... Becky and Paula are on their way up to visit, bringing GRANDBABIES! I need to find a day/ way to get them together with their more local cousins (90 miles away) at least for a day.

Have a great day, be blessed, and Thank You for praying for us!

Nothing New...

The canning has become more sporadic... only a couple of times a week as we come to the end of the tomatoes. I made my best batch of spaghetti sauce yet yesterday. Yield was 3 quarts.


The boys are ready for Trek. Their gear is assembled and sitting in the living room, in anticipation of an early start on Saturday.


Jasher has taken his first independent steps, I am told... but he doesn't WANT to walk. He is the BABY and wants to be carried! Such a cutie.


Grace has discovered she can suck her fingers and soothe herself when Mommy can't feed her THIS VERY INSTANT!
Becky and Stephen blame Cowgranny for this!


The Taylor Family reunion is coming up on the last Saturday in September, in Broken Bow. Same location as last year. I hope as much of the family that can be there will plan on attending! Lunch is at noon, meat provided, bring a dish to share and something for the auction!


Today is a gorgeous day in NW Arkansas. Sunny and mild, only 78* today. Tonight is the Perseids Meteor Shower .
I love to sit out and watch the night skies. Just wish I didn't have to be at work quite so early.


Have a blessed day, thanks for reading. Happy Stargazing tonight!

July has certainly slipped away on me!

Our garden has started to wind down, for the most part. Aside from the roughly 80 Quadrillion peppers that are going gangbusters on the 13 plants. (4 jalapeno, 4 bell, 2 banana, 2 chili, and 1 ghost), we have a few tomatoes still straggling along, despite the blight. We are discussing doing a small fall garden; perhaps spinach, lettuce, and some different varieties of squash.
I made 5 pint-and-and-a-half jars of spaghetti sauce this past week. Froze the last of the fresh squash into a casserole.
 I have bell peppers and tomatoes I have to do something with this afternoon- likely freezing the peppers in portions for fajitas. The tomatoes, possibly some more fresh salsa or just plain canned tomatoes for chili this winter.

Tom and I have our 30th anniversary this weekend. Every idea for any sort of doing anything at all has been shot down. (Oh well, why should 30 years be any different than the previous years?)

Daniel and Sam are preparing for going on Trek with the Zesch Home Church group next month. They are already weighing packs and planning meals.
Tommy prepares to head back to Christ for The Nations International in another week.
Benjamin has started the paramedic training portion of his firefighter training.
Paula is doing so very well on the Gluten Free diet- her kidney issues appear to be under control.
Tyrel just had his 7th! birthday.
Kimber, Dakota, Jasher, and Grace are all growing like weeds.
I am assuming Nickole and Gavin are preparing to head back to school. Nickole will be in Kindergarten; Gavin will be in 2nd grade, I think.
Connor and Alana have had a busy summer. I am hoping they will get to stay a few days before school starts back, but here it is the tail end of Summer before school starts again, so I don't know if we have time.

This past weekend, I got the living room re-arranged and deep cleaned. (Well, except I missed dusting the ceiling fans and washing the light sconces on said fans.) The re-do on the living room involved swiping a bookshelf from my bedroom, which led to minor re-arrangements in there. Plus, I finally hung the twinkle lights up to 'frame' a headboard. It is really pretty. I still would like to find a sheer fabric to drape over the lights.

 

I can't figure out how to turn the photo!

 

Guess that's all for today. Have a blessed day!

Still in full bore summer mode...

First of all, Tom's Mom's surgery was a success. Arlene came home from the hospital this afternoon.
Thank you for your prayers!
Next, Today is Ralph's 80th birthday... Happy Birthday to him!
It is also my Favorite Son in Law, Stephen's birthday. Happy Birthday, Sven!
The twins made their static line jump this past Saturday, July 5th. Here is my post to a group of friends regarding it.

As I mentioned, my 'babies' turned 18 a couple of weeks ago. They used their birthday money and windfall from an unexpectedly well paying job to go to 'ground school' in preparation for a static line jump from an aircraft. Static line is the one where you jump- no instructor with you, and a line deploys your chute on exit of the plane. This fun little venture involves climbing out of a plane and hanging from the wing struts before dropping from 4,500 feet in the sky. Even with my glasses on, that is too high to see even the CHUTE for several minutes.

The diver is equipped with a two way radio, by which an instructor on the ground gives steering instructions and advice. In event of a radio failure, the diver is to look for "the ground arrow" and follow the directions given by the instructor communicated through this gigantic (about 12 foot long) arrow mounted on a pivot. The diver is to signal he realizes his radio is malfunctioning through a specific series of maneuvers with his chute.

So, Sam, my last born... exited the plane first. The pilot had dropped him much too far to the north of the landing zone, but the ground instructor was able to relay through the radio what Sam was to do. Sam had been apprehensive about the jump, to the point that Mr C told me he was concerned about Sam jumping at all.

The instructor allowed us a special *treat*... we were allowed onto the landing zone, not far from the "ground arrow" to watch the boys descents. Mr C and I, my former DIL Jennifer- mother of my eldest two grandkids, and said grands, Connor and Alana. (Jennifer has known the twins from birth and babysat them long before my DS#1 married her.)

So Sam's chute appears, bright orange and yellow in the partly cloudy blue sky. He follows the instructions and does a PERFECT feather light landing on his feet. We had been told that every diver is instructed to roll on landing... but if he doesn't NEED to roll, he will know it. The instructor helped Sam gather his chute, and he comes over to stand with us while we wait Daniel's jump. Sam said it was fun, but he isn't sure he EVER wants to do it again.

Look, up in the sky! Not one diver, but TWO. The air instructor had also jumped just after Daniel, but had done a freefall, so she was well below him.
Daniel was not responding to radio instructions from the ground instructor.
The jump school personnel all began to gather out on the field. The ground guy starts spinning the ground arrow, Dan's signal to respond with the specific "I see and understand" chute actions.
Dan is not responding.
I can sense the growing apprehension among the school personnel. They are scattering across the landing zone.
Dan's chute is a cloud white and hazy sky blue... it is difficult to see the chute against the sky and clouds.

Dan never gave the "see and understand" signal, but the ground instructor began using the ground arrow to send directional signals. Our family was huddled in our designated area, hands clasped in prayer. I was praying aloud and had tears running down my face. Sam stood with his chute clutched, in tense anticipation, telling Dan what to do... though of course Dan couldn't hear him other than the psychic connection!

Dan gets low enough for the ground crew to all begin to converge, shouting at him. He was still a good 50' feet off the ground, and thought they were telling him to "flare" his chute- which collapses it. (They were shouting at him to bring his legs together into proper landing form.) So he flared his chute WAAAYYY too high. (Sam says it is VERY hard to gauge how high up you still are.)

Dan landed hard but went into the perfect roll.

He had not given the "see and understand" signal because he was too low when he realized his radio was malfunctioning. He couldn't FIND the ground arrow for a long time, and had relied solely on his training and instructions prior to boarding the aircraft, to get to the landing zone, where he did, finally see and respond to the ground arrow.

He had a grand old time. He can't wait to do it again.

I came home with a sick headache... too much sun and stress. I've had nightmares for two nights now, waking from hot flashes/ cold sweats and feeling pukish.

I hadn't even thought about Jennifer having kept the boys as babies while this was going on. She said yesterday she was a wreck! "

 The garden grows on. Yesterday and today, Sam helped me pick beans. We put up five QUARTS yesterday. Today, we set aside a big batch for supper, and put up another five pints. I got five or six squash from our five squash plants yesterday, and almost as many today. I failed to "deal with" the squash yesterday. This afternoon, I was putting together a squash casserole. I use disposable foil pans, as I generally cook these casseroles out on the grill. I was talking to Sam, and asked whether he thought the pan was about rightly sized for our meals. He agreed it was, but then asked me why I don't just make more than one at a time? I do have all this squash to work with. And I have the pans, as well as other ingredients.
It was an AH HA! moment. Much of the squash already frozen is destined for casseroles. As long as I am making one... how much more trouble is it to make two? (DOH!) Saves clean up later on, deals with the squash all at once.
I sure have smart kids.
And, if I failed to mention it lately, I believe I have KIND kids. THOUGHTFUL kids.
When in town, if one twin stops and buys himself a treat, he buys TWO, so that his brother may partake.
Outside of just the twins, I was thinking of Benjamin and Tommy "translating" thoughtless remarks. "I didn't like what you made for dinner".
Let me (Ben) translate that: "I appreciate you making dinner for us! It was a nice thing to do.  Next time you might try ______ (suggested improvements)." to a budding cook.

Becky and Stephen have been hard at work making improvements to their home. They came down to a choice: Buy a new GOOD vacuum to replace their latest broken 'disposable' (unfixable cheap) vacuum, or rip out the 1970's carpet and put down hard flooring. I didn't ask the price of the flooring, but I know a GOOD vacuum runs almost $350.  They went with the flooring! It is beautiful!

It has been a bit less than a week since the boys skydive, and I am still having nightmares. Maybe a wee bit of PTSD? I've been told I have PTSD from Bill's death, maybe this exacerbated it?

On my "pennies from Heaven"... the last two days I am finding dimes in the oddest places. I told "Bill", If you can drop dimes, maybe you should try leaving me $100 bills to find!!

That's all, thanks for reading!

 

Few minutes for an update...

The garden is still taking  much of my time outside of work. Today, after picking green beans, I decided I had enough to can a couple of jars, as we are about green beaned out on eating fresh cooked ones, and the fresh have surpassed more than we can eat at a time.
My "couple of jars" ended up being SIX pints, which are currently in the pressure canner.
The pea vines were pulled up last night, and the remainder of the peas, Sam shucked while I worked on the beans. I added one half-pint of peas into the lot of canned stuff. I have yet to deal with the squash from today and yesterday. I didn't pick any more blackberries today... I am just worn out, for some reason.
Hopefully I will have nice berry picking weather for my 'long weekend'! I need to freeze some more to make blackberry cobblers and such!
Yesterday, I dealt with the cucumbers a co-worker gave me, and made a batch of bread and butter pickles.  I have been either canning or freezing foods here on a daily basis for the last several weeks.


*****************
One day this last week, while I was the ONLY person at work, I was preparing to get started receiving merchandise. I heard a distinct "tink" and looked down to find a penny at my feet. Like it appeared from out of the sky! My first thought, "Penny from Heaven!" and either Bill or my brother, Roger. Then I realized I had stuck my box knife in my pocket, and the penny may of come from being wedged in its clasp.
Nevertheless, I took it as a sign my family was saying "Hello". I mentioned this to my boss today... He mentioned how he sees a cardinal bird as a Hello from his deceased family. He had never heard of Pennies from Heaven. It was a VERY short time later... I found another penny on the floor. Someplace no one was EVER likely to LOSE a penny. I said, "Hi, Bill!"


*************
I don't have to work Saturday. HOORAY!
(At least, not on the paying job.)
I am quite sure garden produce will have me hopping!
************
Dan and Sam did their ground school for a static line jump from an aircraft last weekend, but conditions prevented their jumping. Not sure if that will happen this weekend or not.
***********
And there is my timer on the beans. Have a blessed day/ weekend! Thanks for reading. PS prayers appreciated for 1) MIL having a surgery for a vein stent on Monday, non heart related. Also, a special request concerning something I have desired for YEARS, which must remain unspoken at the moment.