My Simple Daybook~November 5, 2016

Our lives pass swiftly by!

Remembering and recording the everyday

 moments is a great gift to leave behind.

The big things are important, but it is in the details

that our story is born.

The telling of the ordinary moments

are the Threads from 

which the bigger stories emerge.

These things are important links to the 

outcome of what our posterity will inherit from us.

These Daybook posts are my attempt at it.

Just for today~November 5, 2016

Outside My Window....it is 10:20 AM and this is the first time I've had a chance to write something for fun in along time.  It is my favorite kind of day.  Beautiful and crisp outside.  We've had more rain than usual this year so far so it is looking extra gorgeous outside.  Many leaves have fallen but there are still thousands to follow.  It is the time of year we really appreciate the people who come and work in our yard each week.  We don't have any lawn, just green trees and bushes and ground cover.  So no mowing but a whole lot of blowing. They more than fill up our clippings bin and cart off the rest. That is the best.  But I do have to say that is one mess I don't mind...the crunchy leaves on the ground. There is something festive about it.  The long hot summer is gone and the holidays are so near.

I Am Thankful For...everything good about this life and for the strength and faith we have to push through the rest of it with faith and as much patience and hope as we can muster.  I am thankful for good people in this world.  I am convinced that we have a corner on the best family and friends a couple could have.  Seriously each one is so special in their own way and each has given us so much of the goodness that is inherent in them.

Spiritual Thoughts...expounding upon my spiritual thoughts from last time, "The Lord has put us on this earth for a reason.  One of the most important of those is to help, edify and lift those that are touched by our lives.  Almost always this requires work and sacrifice on our part.  It is not meant to be easy.  It is meant to help us to become less selfish and more loving and to become more like the Savior."  

Last Sunday we hosted a party for Jim's mother's 90th birthday.  It was no easy task for two people but I can tell you the ministering angels, our family and friends made it a joy. There were 85 guests there at a sit down dinner and that required a lot of unselfish service from a lot of loving people.  It was miraculous to see that people we know that don't know Jim's mom at all and people from her church who don't know us, just opened their giving hearts and helped us create a wonderful celebration for her.  That is Christ working thorough good people.  That is love unfeigned.

From The Learning Room...that sometimes you have to abandon your routines and devote yourself completely to a one time worthwhile project.  This year we have been thinking about doing a memory book for Jim's mom so started to collect photos, etc. a few months ago.  On Oct 1 I sat down in earnest and began her book.  On the 20 of October I finished and mailed off the electronic copy to have it published.  I had no idea how to use the picaboo.com website.  I will not lie, it was not easy.  In fact it was beastly difficult to learn.  It was a project fraught with blood, sweat and tears but one that was completely satisfying and in retrospect very worth the effort.  Think delivering your baby...Yep, pretty much like that!   I have a link to it if you would like to see it just leave me a message and I'll send you the link.  I have some of your email addresses but for some of you I don't.  If you are not comfortable listing it here, just private message me.  

I Am Praying For...the health and well-being and success of our family and dear friends. So many are in need right now, it is almost astonishing.  Last night we learned of our friend, Judy, breaking her femur.  Judy had polio when she was a child.  Her leg had been getting weaker lately.  She just stood up yesterday morning and her femur broke and essentially had to be replaced by a 12 inch rod.  To complicate things even further, her husband, Kurt, is still recovering from a surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his kidney and is now awaiting the results of a bone scan to see if anything further is needed in terms of treatment.  

Carol whose husband was hospitalized and nearly died in the beginning of the year and spent nearly three months in the hospital.  John was back this week having tests done after having a series of strange episodes with neck pain and sudden loss of vision and is going for an MRI tonight of his carotid artery. These are the times you intensify your prayers and wonder why these happen to such wonderful people.  Then you remember...it is part of Gods' plan for us to have trials and difficulties and to learn from them.  How else could we know deep love and compassion, if we did not experience such things from time to time ourselves?  Stay healthy friends, and do your very best as you prepare for the afflictions that will surely come all.

Quoting Pinterest...

Listening to...Rod Stewart..."You Really Got A Hold On Me." His oldies from the 40s and 50s are fun.

Watching...Poldark, Season 2 on PBS.  One of the best TV series ever.  So uplifting and enjoyable. It has been a long year waiting for it.  It is so thoughtfully and beautifully done.  I don't now how they come out with these amazing series one right after the other. Love Masterpiece Theatre.  I am also watching Indian Summers.  Last night we watched Fletch. Such a funny and classic movie.  Chevy Chase is now 73.  What?

Thinking About...the Election...I just completed my absentee ballot and will drop it off on Monday.  I'll say but one thing.  What a big fat nightmare!  

In the Kitchen... I am trying not to think about the kitchen after a weekend of eating lot of things I don't normally eat. Friday night our daughter, Jen, treated us to dinner at Scoma's in Sausalito as we awaited Chris' flight.  Both of them were able to come for Grandma's 90th celebration.  We had a fancy dinner for Grandma, our kids and us on Saturday night.  A nice quiet time to give her her memory book.  We missed having Laura there so much but she had other responsibilities at home in Virginia.

Sausalito's Scoma's one of the most iconic

Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area.

Located in Marin county, 

just north across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Scrumptious seafood!

Jim and Jen
Such a fun night!

I'm Happy About.....Jim's Mom's Birthday Celebration.  We went all out and so did a lot of others to make her feel loved and appreciated.  She is the first person in our family that we have known to reach age 90!  She is in great shape and very healthy.  I would not be surprised if we are doing this again in ten years for the 100th!  Our cousin, Stephen sent her a really special surprise. She loved this so much as did we all.   https://youtu.be/tjTkQIYJwSo   

Favorite things...creating life time memories which is what we did last weekend.  Recording family history as I try to do here and through the 81 page personal history I did for Gloria with photos spanning 90 years.

Pet Peeves...A broken election system that produces the debacle we have going on here on Tuesday.   Trying to clean up the local jurisdictions since we have essentially no say in the presidential election.  I will be 100% relieved when this whole thing is over.  

Loves and Passions...All of the good things above.

Around the Cottage...Putting away Halloween stuff and getting out Thanksgiving decor.  Chris and Missy will join us with four of our grandkids on Thanksgiving and for that we are very excited.  Also cleaning out areas so they have room for their gear when they get here.  We are going to Virginia for the Christmas season to be Laura and her family so I am not decorating the house at all for Christmas this year.  I will miss that but not the aftermath which can be overwhelming.  Laura does an outstanding job on her home for Christmas so that will be just plenty and enough!

Photos I'm sharing... A few shots from the Birthday parties.  I will do a whole post on this next time.

Jim's mom looking at her book!

Sylvia, Michael And Cass from Solooper
Thank you dear Stephen!

Well that's a wrap for this time!