Our friend, Vanilla, is on the mend. I’m glad to see that and continue to wish (and pray for) him a speedy recovery. Take a moment, visit his blog and leave a word of encouragement in a comment. Thanks.
Category Archives: friends
Monday Rewind
Why do I review old posts? I want to remember what was on my mind a couple of years ago. How about three or even five years? This is from about five years ago. The question was, “What does it look like to be a Christian?
The QuestionI stood the midnight watch atop the rampart
Sleep who wrapped me in her arms had fled
And loving mercy withheld slumberThe year was not yet three weeks old
In the frosty silence above the sleeping world
The hunter made his nightly circuit of the skyThe gibbous moon veiled the scene in ghostly light
And that weak light diminished the stars’ shine
Though its glory is but a poor reflection of the greaterA friend had shared from sincere heart
The thought with which he wrestled
The burning question in his mindWhat does it look like to be a Christian
How do you know, how can you spot
That which is real from what is notAs I pondered on the thought and on my friend
My thoughts were bent toward persistent grace
And along side is untiring loveThe fruit is borne on the inside
Outwardly, the form and fashion vary
Each of us a Work in Progress
What would your answer have been?
The original post went up in January 2011, part one and part two.
Fun With Friends
I’m feeling a little bit sad this morning. Our friend, Vanilla, went back to the ICU yesterday. We continue to pray for him and his lovely wife as he recovers from his recent surgery. Also Sharkey will wrap her visit and head back home after lunch.
We’ve had a lot of fun, laughs and serious discussion. Last night was our big music fest. Sharkey with her accordion and Sylvia with her guitar.
I don’t think you’ll find any of our music on a top-40 list from recent decades. That doesn’t matter. We love it and that’s good enough reason to play and enjoy it.
Looks like the rain forecast for this afternoon will come to pass.
Good News Day
Tuesday just after noon, Sylvia took me to the podiatrist. (I still am not allowed to drive.) They took X-rays of my foot and it looks good and seems to be doing well. I was able to trade the heavy boot for a light-weight surgical shoe. As the doctor said, it’s not as comfortable as the boot, but it’s easier to deal with.
After that, we stopped at the steak house and had a nice lunch. I’d call it dinner. Grilled prime rib is not on our normal luncheon menu. That was in celebration of our wedding anniversary, which is today.
That evening, a friend dropped in for an overnight visit. We always look forward to seeing Sharkey.
Sharkey and Sylvia
This morning started with breakfast with Sharkey. Then she was on her way east to be with friends. Later we’ll travel to be with Sylvia’s family as we celebrate her dad’s 98th birthday.
Today is our special day as we celebrate another year of togetherness.
Happy anniversary my love. I’m looking forward to many more years together with you.
Another Fun Visit
Yesterday afternoon, our friend Sharkey stopped in for an overnight visit. Sylvia and I always look forward to her visits. We know we’re in for a lot of good conversations and laughs. We didn’t do instrumental music this time, but we did sing.
In the evening, Sylvia and Sharkey were sitting at the table playing a word game. They were getting into it and were enjoying themselves immensely. I was in a corner reading and relaxing in my recliner. The sun was about ready to set when I noticed a bit of color on display.
I started walking toward the office. The camera is kept there, and the way leads past windows with good views of the western sky.
Sylvia asked, “Did you see that sun.” “I saw it and have the camera,” I replied just before stepping onto the front deck.
Sunset and thunderstorm — Awesome
I didn’t capture any lightening, nor did the image contain the sounds of thunder that followed. A short while later the rain arrived on our roof and grounds.
Have You Read This?
This is not a paid post. The opinions are mine and freely shared.
I splurged and bought a Nook HD+. I found that I could read from the back-lit screen for extended periods of time. Reading more than three or four pages from a book printed on paper had become a difficult chore for me. I can also use my Nook to surf the Web using the Chrome browser which comes already installed. For fun, I have apps for Sudoku and Angry Birds. (The best feature of the latter is the sound effects.)
I like mine so much that I bought one for Sylvia. We find that it’s also a great way to get books from the library . . . and you don’t have to leave the house to fetch or return a book.
I’m getting toward the end of Paddy Plays in Dead Mule Swamp by Joan H Young (aka Sharkey). This is the third in this series. These are excellent books. They are easy reads with compelling story lines. You can discover more about Joan’s writing at Books Leaving Footprints.
Footnote:
Before this was posted, I had finished reading the book. I stayed up way past my normal bed time, but the story had pulled me into it so that the only way to extract myself was to finish the story.
The Joy of Friends
Flashback Friday is hosted by Camille. (Click on the badge to visit her blog, which is the home of Flashback Friday.) Won’t you consider joining in the fun?
Last August four blogger buds came together for our first ever face-to-face. Our house is about in the center of our geographic spread and so we hosted it. The idea came from Lin. Vanilla and Shark rounded out the group.
After a picnic lunch, we had lots of time to talk and explore the grounds beside our secondary road. The garden received a lot of attention and visitors received some of the bountiful harvest that it produced.
No gathering of friends is complete without pictures. This group was no exception. Lin’s hubby, Joe, did the honors.
Vanilla, Shark, Lin & Chuck
As Joe was taking the shot, Shark observed, “I’m always the shortest one in the photo.” Lin gave me an elbow in the ribs. I looked at her. She nodded. I nodded. Joe took another shot.
Who’s the shortest now, eh Shark?
Class clowns caught in the act.
Perhaps we can do that again some day. I certainly hope so. That was fun!
I Did It
I have been frustrated in recent years by an inability to read more than a couple of pages in a printed book at a single sitting. Once in a while something would engage me enough that I might make it through four or even five pages, but then I’d have to lay it aside.
Last Christmas my son showed me his new Kindle HD Fire. That looked interesting. His daughter, Briana, had a new tablet, which is also very nice–and it has a larger screen. A few months ago, I found myself with a few extra pesos and decided to check out the Kindle. I did and read side-by-side reviews of Kindle and Nook. I bought the Nook HD+.
That is not my toast. Sylvia bakes our bread, which has a different shape and far better, but this familiar object is included to provide an idea of size.
It has revolutionized my reading habits. I can now read even 100 pages at a sitting. It is super! I should also say that this post is unsolicited and uncompensated. I just wanted to share my very positive experience with you.
Our friend Shark aka Joan Young’s book North Country Cache is one of the few that I’ve read on paper in the last few years. If you haven’t read this book, you should. You can learn more and purchase a copy here. Or on her own Website.
I recently downloaded the 100 page fiction story, The Hollow Tree at Dead Mule Swamp. Joan makes this short story available for free download. I enjoyed her non-fiction a lot and wanted to sample her style when writing fiction. I was not disappointed. I’ll be purchasing the other e-books in the Dead Mule Swamp series.
If you’re not familiar with Shark’s blog, do stop by and pay it a visit. Please tell her that I sent you. Thanks.
Monday Musings
Dreaming of days of plenty
The garden may be covered in snow, but I can still dream of those wonderful summer days of last year. Warm days and a garden yielding a bumper crop of good eats.
Thanks to Lin for the comment on last Friday’s post. She told how after her foot surgery the doctor had suggested she purchase two pair of inexpensive athletic shoes–one in her regular size the other a size or two larger. I thought about that overnight on Sunday and this morning I drove to Walmart and bought two pair of shoes. For now the larger one goes on the right foot and the smaller on the left. After the next foot surgery, the unmatched sizes will be reversed with the large shoe on the left. I like that I’ll be able to use all four shoes–eventually. 😀 Isn’t that a great idea?
Maggie relaxing on her bed.
It is with sorrow that I pass on last week’s report from Shark of My Quality Day that her dog, Maggie has passed. Shark and Maggie were visitors here at the home of Secondary Rds in early December. Maggie was a sweetheart and a lady. I’m glad that I had the chance to meet her.
Finally, here is a poetic rerun for my cousin, Beverly, who missed it the first time around. Do you remember this bit of fun?
Don’t Wok On My Kitty
Don’t wok on my kitty,
Please don’t wok on my cat.
I love my furry feline friend,
I’m here to tell you that.I do not want her baked or broiled,
Nor cooked up in stir fry.
And if you wok my kitty,
You know I’ll surely cry.You may have exotic tastes,
And go for things like that.
But don’t wok on my kitty,
Please don’t wok on my cat.
Have a good week and keep looking for Spring. I’m sure that it’s coming soon. Isn’t it? Please!
What He Said . . .
No post scheduled for today. For an interesting story with a twist, be sure to visit my friend, Vanilla–especially if you need a laugh.