Diary of my week

Lots of things to share from this past week!  I've got a great computer now on which to blog, but it's harder to hide myself from a certain little someone when I'm sitting here!  I have no idea why the middle portion of this post seems to be in a text box, nor do I know how to get rid of it.  Also - if this seem like diary entries, that's pretty much what this blog is - for the past 16 years!   We refer back many, many times whenever we have questions about events and times.  I do it for me, and for anyone who is interested!

Wednesday, November 3

I updated here last Wednesday morning.  Later in the day I cooked a meal for Anthony and Lori's family, and Destiny and Elizer went with me to take it over to them.  First of all I'm sharing this amazing picture I took at their place!  I wished I could sit there for a long time to soak in the beauty and serenity of it. 

 

When we were getting ready to go to their place Elizer was so excited to get his shoes and hat on - a sure sign of going outside!  We stayed for a little while as Hunter was showing Elizer some of his toys, and Lori and Destiny were catching up.

Thursday, November 4

Thursday morning was cold with a hard frost.  Destiny's car windows had a thick coat of frost, and we had not yet gotten our scrapers from the shed.  Neither was her defroster working correctly because of a setting that needed to be adjusted.  So I pulled out the emergency scraper and we got 'er done!  

After she left for work Elizer was my breakfast buddy.

Later in the day I took him for a walk.  Our neighbor has a  yellow maple tree that had shed its leaves.  He had fun playing in them.  With his camo jacket he was fitting right in, haha!

I took these pictures that evening.  Destiny was putting together a little spinner as he watched and "helped."

Friday, November 5

This is all that was left of my beautiful roses by Friday, but I was determined to enjoy and breathe in their fragrance as long as possible.  

We  had fun watching J'von's playoff game on our TV that evening.  It was broadcast on YouTube Live. His team lost by ten points, making this J'von's last high school game, sadly.  But he will be remembered!!  He made FIVE touchdowns!!  And he set a new state record for receiving yards - 357!!  (I have no idea what that means, but I know it's amazing!)

 

Saturday, November 6

Destiny had a long day at work on Saturday, but I caught this cute sight in the morning!  Elizer is a smart, busy, strong-willed handful, but he is very, very loved.  

Dick worked in the morning and then went hunting over in Anthony's woods in the afternoon.  Alex, Elizer, and I went to Auntie Anne's in the afternoon!  Destiny was able to take a half hour off so we could walk to a nearby shop for some food.  Why did I not take any pictures??  

Sunday, November 7

I took pictures at church for the first time in a while.  We had an almost full house!  We do still wear masks as suggested by our bishop, but also out of regard for our mostly older population and Pastor Lynn's ongoing cancer treatments.  I will be so thankful if and when COVID is no longer an issue and we can sing unmasked!  

We had a special time of honoring our veterans and presented little gifts to each one.  In the second photo you can see the veterans standing.  

I was feeling "antsy" that afternoon.  I wanted to go somewhere!  So we went over to Anthony and Lori's.  Dick wanted to check his trail cams in the woods.  I had fun swinging the boys, and going for a "walk" with Hunter and Elizer around the barn.  Up the stone steps on one side, across the upper deck, down the wooden steps on the other side, across the lower deck, up the stone steps, across the upper deck, down the wooden steps, across the lower deck - again and again and again!  Of course Hunter was much faster than Elizer and I were, and you can be sure he kept track of the amount of times for each of us, haha!!  Again, no pictures of that activity!  I did get some exercise!  Meanwhile Anthony was starting a fire and we sat there for a while.  It was amazingly warm and the fire felt hot!

Elizer fell asleep after we left, so we decided to go for a drive.  First of all we went to Dairy Queen for cones, then we went over the mountain behind our place to see leaves.  Actually, the prettiest tree was at Dairy Queen - the photo on the top right.  Most were a very blah color, but we like to drive, so it was fun.

On our way home we stopped at Troy's near Bellefonte to get hoagies to bring home.  They were so delicious, and we all enjoyed them tremendously.  Alex shared his with Elizer, and he said he "tore it up" haha!

Monday, November 8

Monday was my 70th birthday!!  It started out as a regular cooking day, but there were lots of fun things  throughout the day.  For one thing, how about Facebook birthdays??  What a way to feel special!  So many greetings from people from all eras of my life!

I decided to make a quick collage of each decade of my life!  

It was a beautifully warm day!  That last picture was taken as I ate my lunch on the porch!!

In the mail I received my annual card from sister-in-law Faye Stauffer - her own beautiful artwork and handwritten note!  I always look forward to that!   I also got a hilarious, hand-made card from our daughter Miki in Sweden.  I don't think she intended it to be a birthday card, but that's the day it arrived, haha!  I got a good laugh!  And I got flowers!  My doorbell rang and there was a delivery of flowers and a balloon from Jenn and the kids!!  Wow, that felt really special! 

When I took the dinner I had cooked over to Anthony and Lori they all stood on the porch to sing "Happy Birthday" to me.  They all started out singing melody, but as usual, halfway through both Anthony and Lori branched off into harmony parts, and by that time the boys weren't exactly on the melody either as they got eager for the funny ending.  I jumped in at the very end to add some melody, haha!!  I should have just sung along the entire time since they both do such great harmony.

From their place I met Dick at the parking lot of Calvary Harvest Fields.  We left his truck there and headed down 322 to meet Sam and the kids for dinner.  His birthday is the day after mine and we have had a long-time tradition of eating out together.  This time we met halfway at a little deli at the Thompsontown exit.  Dick has fond memories of eating there with his dad and brothers after their days together at the hunting cabin.  

We had a really fun time, and the food was great!  Such a tiny place, it was hard to not be noticed by the others eating there.  I'm afraid we were a bit loud, haha!  I love them so much and we always have such a great time together no matter where.  

Tuesday, November 9

Tuesday was a day off for Destiny, and they were enjoying a chance to just chill on the couch together that morning.  Elizer climbed up and sat between them.  So cute!!  I tried to sneak a picture without them knowing, but guess who spied me, haha! 

Later that morning I got a phone call from my neighbor lady asking if "that young man over there" could come over and open her peanut butter jar.  It just wouldn't budge!  Alex was right on it and opened it with no problem and we got a good laugh!  It made her day and Alex's too!   Meanwhile Destiny took a video through the window, but I just took screen shots from it, because all you could hear was my big loud talking and laughing from our porch.  

Later that afternoon Destiny and I went grocery shopping, and after we got home I tried a new lasagna recipe.  We all LOVED it -  and ate too much!!  Especially me, since I am lactose intolerant and forgot to take any Lactaid.  My insides were unhappy with me all the next day!  

Isn't this gorgeous?  I caught the sun shining on my birthday bouquet. 

Wednesday, November 10

Another cooking and laundry day.  Jamaican Rice and Peas and Curried Chicken this time.   I took dinner over to Anthony and Lori's and the sun was already setting as I returned home just after 5:00!  Boohoo!!   But it was beautiful.  I drove up to airport park nearby so I could get good pictures.  

Last evening I was sitting here at the computer to start this blog post.  We have a car seat and stroller set that we need to sell, but meanwhile it is sitting here in my den while Dick figures out how to repair one of the parts.  Sometimes Elizer thinks it's fun to crawl into the car seat and chill a while, this time with an old cell phone, hahaha!!  

And now I'm finally caught up!  Thanksgiving is two weeks from today!  Can you believe it??  I'm NOT organized this year at all!!