A full, fun Sunday

Now, let me try posting about our Sunday again.  For some reason blogger did not automatically save the last part of my post this morning, and when I clicked "publish" it said, "Service Unavailable."  Times like that get me about as close to swearing as anything, hahahahaha!

My Sunday morning started out with a pretty funny event.  At Dick's parents' house we sleep in the basement, but need to go up to the main floor to use the bathroom.  Early Sunday morning I went upstairs for that purpose and discovered that it was raining.  I also noticed that the front door was open (there was a screen door there, of course.)   I was surprised they would have let their front door open overnight, and since it was raining I decided to close it.  There were no lights on as I walked through the living room to the foyer.  Just as I reached for the door I heard,  "Good morning, Jeanie" right in my ear!  There in the dark was Dick's dad, and I had not seen him.  He had been looking out at the rain as he waited for me to come out of the bathroom.  Well, needless to say, it scared me like crazy and I managed to keep my scream muffled.  And then we laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed as quietly as we could to keep from waking everyone else! 

As if that wasn't enough excitement for one morning, I also set off their smoke alarm with our too-dark toast!  They apparently have never done that, because they did not even recognize the sound of their own smoke alarm!  I guess I just like to keep things exciting!

During Sunday School, I treated the kids to birthday cake.  It was fun for them all, and very special for Destiny.  She has grown up in Sunday School with these kids.  

After church we ate a packed lunch along with many others.  There was a drama practice immediately following, which we stayed to watch.  We will not be able to be there for the production, but at least we got to watch part of the rehearsal.

From there we went back to Dick's parents' house where Dick took a good nap and Destiny played with the wonderful variety of toys and dishes they have.

I, however, was off to another event.  I, along with my sisters Doris and Mary Ellen, were invited to a 50th wedding anniversary celebration.  This was no ordinary celebration, let me tell you.  Grace and Sam are a conservative Mennonite couple who were originally from our childhood church.  They were farmers and eventually had 12 children!  Over the years they had many hired girls which they invited to this anniversary celebration.  That's how we got invited.  Their family now numbers 109, with several more on the way! 

The summer I was 13 I was Grace's hired girl.  At that time they had four children, a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, and 9-month-old twins.  I stayed in very close contact with the family over many years.  I had some of the older children as students, and then as a young mother I was a co-leader of the Manheim LaLeche League with Grace.  Without a doubt, Grace was my mothering mentor.  All of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were there yesterday, and it was so very interesting to get to talk to each of her children.  We could have stayed hours longer, but I really did need to leave.

Below is a picture of some of the women in the family busily working in the kitchen.

Grace would probably hate this picture, but it's the only one I have of her.  She's talking and laughing with another former hired girl, Elsie.  

We had a light supper with Dick's parents, then packed up and left for Reading to take Destiny home, then went the rest of the way home, and were in bed by our regular time.

Celebrating Destiny's 10th birthday

We had another packed, but good, weekend in Lancaster County.  First of all I want to share a beautiful sky picture I took on Friday afternoon.

Dick and I made the trip Friday evening, picking Destiny up in Reading first, then on to Dick's parents' house for the night.  They were already sleeping when we got there, but we "sneaked" in quietly and were in our beds by 10:30.

We hung out at their house Saturday morning, then headed out for a day of special activities to celebrate Destiny's 10th birthday (which will be tomorrow, the 14th).  

First we picked up her brother, Frank's son J'von, in Lancaster and took them roller skating.

I'm not sure if J'von had ever roller skated before, so he was falling a lot.  Soon they opted for game.

He did keep working at it and was doing a lot better before we left.  Destiny had fun doing the Limbo.  Here's a really short video of her last round.

When we left the roller rink we told them we would go somewhere to eat.  Where would they like to go?  Can you guess?  Without any consideration it was a unanimous "McDonalds!!"  So we went to the one near the mall that has a great indoor playground.  

 

J'von enjoyed this basketball challenge and did quite well.  Do we have a future basketball player here?

Our evening activity was really special.  Frank's football team, Lancaster Lightnings, had the rare opportunity to play a game at the Clipper Stadium in Lancaster.  Their games are usually held at high school football fields.  Because it was 9/11 there was a special military ceremony during the National Anthem.  It was very emotional to listen and watch and remember.

As if that wasn't emotional enough, I then noticed that Frank and some of his teammates were wearing pink stockings in honor of Cancer Awareness Night.  I knew Frank did that because of Dick's ongoing fight against lymphoma for the past 14 years, and it touched my heart. 

The team's fight against the Pittsburgh Colts seemed like a losing battle for most of three quarters, but then their luck turned, and they ended up winning by one point!  I was hoping to show the score, but my camera did not pick it up from that distance.  (Notice Destiny in the foreground pointing to the end scoreboard!)

Destiny remembers the last time his team played in the Clipper Stadium five years ago, and they won.  She's sure her presence brings his team good luck, hahahaha!   

Here the kids are with Frank after the game, sporting the Lancaster Lightning caps I got for them.

Unfortunately, I also just spent a long time writing about our very interesting Sunday, but blogger has failed me big time and lost it into cyberspace.  I do not have time to rewrite it this morning, so later.....

Where's Waddle?

Yes, you read that right.  I do not mean, "Where's Waldo?"  

I do mean, "Where's Waddle?" 

If you should happen to leave the Walmart at the north end of State College and want to go the short distance to the highway, Route 322, you would most likely take Waddle Road to get there. You may need to click on this picture to see it, but that street sign does indeed say Waddle Road.  One would think that Waddle Road probably takes you to Waddle, right?

And if you would get onto 322 West you would certainly think that Waddle must be quite an important place, because it is named on big green overhead signs no less than four times in the space of a mile or so.

No, this is not the same sign as above.  Notice the arrow is now slanted to the right.

If you were to follow that arrow it would lead you to a right turn onto Stevenson Road.

Stevenson Road is only a couple of miles long, very rural and full of sharp turns, eventually ending at the greatly advertised Route 550.  Now Route 550 is also very rural and full of sharp turns and hills and valleys, and it is the road that our community is along.  Several times a week I travel Route 550, then Stevenson Road, then Business 322 to go to Walmart or our bank or Target or Kohls.  It occurred to me the other day that just before I turn left onto Stevenson Road there is this sign.

So at each end of Stevenson Road there is a sign for Waddle.  But there is no Waddle.  I even Mapquested it this evening and it's on the map, pretty much right here where I took this picture today.  Maybe this farm is Waddle.  

So I'm sure you could care less where Waddle is, but now you know the deep things I ponder as I drive, hahahaha!

Master bedroom and bath

Little by little we're getting some pictures hung and finishing touches done. Here are a few pictures of our master bath and bedroom. Nothing grand, but just right for us.

Yes, we do have a toilet and a shower in the bathroom. They're on the left and I can't get them in the same picture! I love the skylight above the tub. One night the full moon was shining right through it. Just beautiful.

On the one wall of our bedroom, just like in our Lititz house, I have a collection of paintings by Dick's mother. The one in the middle is a painting of the home farm where Dick grew up.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Mary!

Today my sweet stepmother turned 83. I'm so sorry that I had to miss being with some of the "Zimwits" this evening when they took her out to eat at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. I know they had so much fun. This picture of her and me was taken last winter. I wish I could have put my arm around her today.

We love to reminisce about the time we met each other for the first time. She and my dad had been dating just a few weeks when Dick's parents invited them and us to come to their place for a hot dog roast. During the evening we also gathered in the basement to watch my dad's slides of his recent trip to Israel. Jeremy was a very affectionate three-year-old and wanted to sit next to her. Just after the lights were turned off and the slides had begun, Jeremy looked up at Mary and whispered, "Are you our new grandma?" Both Mary and I pretended we didn't hear what he said, but in the years since then we each admitted we had indeed heard him. And we laugh about it every time we remember it!

Only the oldest grandchildren in my family remember my mother. Many of them were not born yet when she died. So Mary has been the only Grandma Witmer they have known. And they all love her so much. She's on Facebook to keep up with her children and grandchildren. Her home page was filled up with "Happy Birthday, Grandma" messages today. Technology is wonderful, and even 83-year-old grandmas can make use of it!

A spectacular drive

As I went walking that ribbon of highway

 I saw above me that endless skyway.

I saw below me those golden valleys.

This land was made for you and me! 

Remember that old Peter, Paul, and Mary song?  I used to sing it with my school kids sometimes, and they just loved it.  I thought of it today as we drove from State College to Altoona and back.  It is the most spectacular drive.  You feel like you're driving on top of the world!  Everything - the sky, the mountain ranges, the valleys are so VAST and beautiful.  

Where were we going?  And what is Dick looking at in the pictures below?

Why the rides he was about to experience at Del Grosso Amusement Park, of course!  He, Lori, Anthony, and Austin spent a few hours there today.  

I had a headache and wasn't in the mood for it, so I instead drove a little further to the Ashley Furniture Home Store to have a look around.  Somebody we know is going to be able to get us a good deal on some new living room furniture!

My Labor Day Sunday

So this is Labor Day weekend, a weekend when many people go away for the weekend. But it was Dick's weekend to work, to Labor, hahaha!

Both of my assistant worship leaders at church were going away this weekend, so I left home a little before 8 AM and made the trip down, getting there about 10 minutes before service time at 10:30. We obviously did not have a practice, but there wasn't much of a team anyway. No guitars or extra vocalists - just me and the two trumpet players.

I had a good time catching up with my dear friend Betty Martin after church. I think we must have talked for at least 45 minutes until I got a phone call from my sister Mary Ellen who was expecting me for lunch. Betty said, "Tell her it's my fault!"

I went to Mary Ellen's for lunch, delicious chicken corn noodle soup with chow chow. Now that's as Lancaster County as you can get, and I LOVE it!!

I took a nap at Mary Ellen's, then went to Lancaster City to pick up Destiny from Frank. He had had her for the weekend. I told her we could do something special before I took her home to Reading, and she decided she wanted to play in the park near her house in Reading. It's a beautiful park with a really fun playground. She had a great time.

This was the best part of her time at the park! So cute!!

From there we went to her mom's boyfriend's house where they were having a big family Labor Day gathering. It's a very warm, friendly, multi-generational family that I have come to know over the past two years, and they welcome me in like family whenever I drop Destiny off there. This time they insisted I stay for some food. Oh my!! Over the years that my life has intersected with the Puerto Rican culture, I have learned to love their food and the very smell of the house where the food has been cooked. Pork chops, rice and beans, chicken, fried plantains. I love it all.

It was 8 PM when I left there, and I knew I could have slept at Mary Ellen's for the night, but I just felt like going home to my own bed. I had had a nap, and I always have good music to listen to, so I hit the road for home. My bed felt great, and now this morning I'm home and can relax. Dick even has off work today, which is just wonderful.

A Saturday at home

We have been living in our new house for a month now, and today I finally got to spend a Saturday at home!  The first Saturday after we moved was our friend Kati's wedding, the next one was our regular weekend in Lancaster County which we spent at my stepmother's house, the next one I spent in Philadelphia with Anthony and Lori, and the next was our weekend in Lancaster County for the joint service.

Today Lori and some of her friends went to a spa in Altoona in celebration of her birthday.  Anthony had to take Lori's brother to the train station in Lewistown this morning, so I picked up Austin, took him with me to buy more curtains, then brought him here.  Oh my!  This house is not childproof.  The first thing he did was proceed to unlock and open the front door.  Later in the morning when I was in the kitchen and he was playing in the living room, I checked on him and found the front door wide open and he was on the porch!  He was delighted to find my piano here, and he immediately insisted on hearing his favorite programed-in song, to which he started dancing.  He checked out all my kitchen cupboards, pretty much ignored the box of toys I have for him, and finally contented himself with my collection of lids.  At first he tried spinning one of them on the carpet, which did not work at all.

 

So he brought it out to the kitchen where it worked great!  

I fed him lunch, then took him home for his nap.  Anthony was home by then, so I came back home and worked on ironing and hanging the rest of my kitchen curtains.  Look at the view from my bedroom window where I was ironing. Imagine what that will look like in the fall!

Here's my breakfast nook with the new curtains.  We don't own two tables anymore, so for now I just have the card table set up here.  

I took this picture from the living room.  For some reason the walls look kind of yellow.  I think I like it!

I made BLT's this evening.  A co-worker of Dick's gave him a couple of ripe home-grown tomatoes, and then my friend Kat mentioned on her blog the BLT's they had, and I've had BLT's on the brain ever since!  I think this was the first meal I've made in this house!  I always cook supper at Lori's and then either eat there or bring some home to eat. 

My kitchen and my grandchildren

We've survived another extremely hot week, and just this evening some wonderfully cool breezes started to blow.  It felt so refreshing.

I've been agonizing over finding towels, curtains, and rug for my kitchen.  The vinyl floor is grayish tan, and the counter tops are pinkish mauve.  The windows had mauve lace curtains.  To me it just seemed bland, and I have hunted in so many stores to find towels and rug to match those colors.  They don't exist.  Except at Sears, where they have one pathetic mat and some towels with some gray and mauve in them.  I ordered one of each, waited an entire week for them to arrive, and they made the kitchen look even more bland.  So I have finally decided to give up trying to coordinate my accessories with the floor and counter tops. It goes against my grain, but I need color.  So here's what I've decided on.

 

I'm starting to think these walls are awfully white around here.  Don't tell Dick I'm thinking that!  

Here's a collage I made this week of our beautiful grandchildren.  Yes, it is up on my header, but I know some of you read my posts without ever actually going to my blog, so I wanted to make sure you saw it.

And now here's a video showing how Austin entertains himself on the occasions when I need to put him in the pack and play in order to get some cooking done.  This is actually mild.  I truly thought he was going to rock the thing right over the other day!

 

Belated Happy Birthday, Lori!

Lori's birthday was on Tuesday, so this is belated. Happy Birthday, Lori!!

Not many women have the opportunity to observe their daughter-in-law day in and day out for a year like I have just done. For some, such an experience could indeed be annoying, maybe even painful.

Not so for me. Not even close. I can say in all honesty that Lori and I are better friends than we've ever been. I love and admire her even more than I did a year ago. She is truly beautiful inside and out and is the most patient, gentle mother I have ever known. Anthony is a lucky man to have her for his wife and the mother of his son. Austin is BLESSED to have her for his mother. And I am very proud to call her my daughter-in-law.