Seven Quick Takes

One

Boo was super excited last evening.  The weather channel called for 2 to 4 inches of snow in our area.  He was anticipating building a snow man with Boudreaux.  Well, we got a good dusting of snow.  I took him outside last night for a couple of minutes to watch it fall.  Boo continued to wake during the night and look out the window "to check on the snow."   At day break, we still had just a dusting...not enough for a snow man. 

Two

Now about Boudreaux and snow...You'd  think a cat that dislikes water wouldn't like snow.  Not necessarily true.  Boudreaux likes snow more than Boo does.  I let him out briefly this morning thinking that he'd quickly realize that snow was cold and wet.  I guess he did figure that out, but he was not deterred.  Snow is wonderful.  Instead of getting a photo of Boudreaux disliking the cold, wet stuff, I chased him around the front yard in my bedroom slippers.  He liked kicking up the snow and chasing it.  I brought him back inside shivering, but annoyed.  He wanted to play more.  I remember that as a kitten he enjoyed the snow and had to be brought in shivering and fighting to get back out.  Somehow, I thought Boudreaux had grown up.  Perhaps not.

Three

I finished two scrapbooks this week and sent them to be printed.  One was for my Mother with Christmas photos, mostly from this year.  The other was for my Aunt Cherrie whose husband was buried last Saturday.  Aunt Cherrie's scrapbook I made in two parts.  The first part was photos that I found in my father's photo drawer of Christmas shots of Aunt Cherrie, Uncle Everette and their son from the early 1950's.  The second section was old family photos.  Several photos were taken when my uncles went away to fight in WWII.  As well as I thought I knew my uncles, I couldn't identify them.  They all looked so young and they all had hair.  Maybe I thought they were born bald?

Four

Boo and I have been battling colds and sore throats this week.  We're much better now.  Time has a way of curing colds.  However, we did try several home remedies that seemed to help.  For Boo's cough, I gave him a tablespoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon.  He liked it and it did seem to quiet his cough for a few hours at a time.  For our sore throats, we gargled with warm salt water...my father's remedy for sore throats (although I think he also dissolved an aspirin in the water.)  A friend also suggested a tablespoon of vinegar three or four times daily.  That definitely helped.  We do take extra vitamin C when we begin to feel sick.  I've ordered some herbal extracts to increase our immunity after ensuring that none of them were contraindicated by any of Boo's current medications.

Five

Today is the day for homemade bread and vegetable soup.  It's a meatless day and cold and wet.  I can't think of anything more appropriate.  Besides, it's easy and I have loads of laundry to do.

Six

Earlier this week, Boo decided to take up crocheting.  He's mastered the chain stitch so far.  That's taken alot of mental and physical effort on his part.  Thus far, he has a four and a half foot chain.  I haven't convinced him to try any other stitch.  Maybe he's making a snake for Boudreaux? 

Seven

This week's photos...



Here's our "snow" for the day.

From Mom's scrapbook

From Mom's scrapbook

From Aunt Cherrie's scrapbook

Going away to war photos

Another page from Aunt Cherrie's scrapbook.  The photo on the lower right is of my parents in college.

For more Quick Takes, join Jen at Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes

Ever had a week you thought would never end?

Well, that's been the way the past seven days have been for us.

One...

Boo is miserable with a cold. Just a cold. Still, what's “just a cold” for most of us affects Boo quite differently. His blood sugar is more difficult to control and he's more confused than usual, especially in the evenings. Boo's less conscious of his left side (the side most affected by his strokes) and is more unsteady. He's getting better daily, but it has been a difficult week.

Two...

The weather is cold and dreary. Definitely appropriate weather to be sick. But I don't like cold and dreary when I'm not feeling well. I want bright, sunny days to lift me out of my funk. I explained this carefully to God. It seems He has other plans. (Maybe that He has everything under control...even the weather. Maybe that I need to look beyond outward appearances to the heart of the matter...)

Three...

One of my favorite uncles died around noon Tuesday, January eighth. He went Home to be with God.

Uncle Everette knew how to make me feel special and loved even as a shy, awkward, skinny, bespectacled child. Whenever we stopped at his Esso service station, I got to choose any snack I wanted from his vast selection (at least it seemed like a vast selection back then.) Then, I got to choose any soft drink from his cooler. Remember those coolers like chest freezers filled with glass bottles? On hot summer days before air conditioning, the cool blast of air from the soft drink cooler was a real treat...and it made my glasses foggy. Uncle Everette would override my parents' objections every time and my sister and I always got our treat.

Four...

One of my favorite memories of Uncle Everette was his ability to pay attention to only good things. As a child, he “caught” my sister and I doing good things and commented on them.

During WWII his hearing was damaged. I remember Aunt Cherrie fussing about a minor issue one day and Uncle Everette sitting in his easy chair in the next room smiling and completely undisturbed. He'd turned off his hearing aid! She quickly figured out that he wasn't responding and promptly demanded that he turn on his hearing aid. This obviously had happened before. “Now Cherrie, I don't need to hear all that. I know you love me.” She sputtered a while, but calmed down.

That was one of Uncle Everette's gifts...the ability to focus on what was good, what was important. I need to practice the art of focusing on what's important and ignoring or letting go of the unimportant.

Five...

Yesterday about noon one of my childhood friends, Kim, for whom I've begged prayers also went Home to be with Jesus.

Kim bravely battled breast, brain and spinal cancer. More importantly, she remained steadfast in her faith, remained compassionate, loving and giving. She kept her focus on what was truly important. There's so much I'd like to say, but I just can't yet. This grief is still too new, too raw.

Six...

When I told Mother about Kim's peaceful Homegoing we talked about various memories. One especially precious memory was of the day Kim accepted Christ in the small church my father pastored. In the Protestant tradition in which I was raised, an altar call is given and one walks down the aisle, accepts Christ, is baptized and joins the local church. The day Kim “walked down the aisle,” her tall, long legged father was so excited that he literally jumped over pews to get to his daughter. It was the only time I remember my father open mouthed and speechless in church.

The decision Kim made that day, she continued to live. Hers was a luminous, growing faith.

Seven...

Boo is obviously feeling better this evening. He's attempting to teach Boudreaux a “cat in the bag” trick. I'm not sure what the purpose of this trick is, but Boudreaux loves paper bags and boxes. So, Boudreaux is fully cooperating and jumping in the bag at every opportunity. Currently the green gift bag they're using is a shambles. Perhaps I should find another paper bag for my two men.

Please join Jen at Conversion Dairy for more 7 Quick Takes.

January Daybook

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...it's a chilly, wintry day.  The sun is casting it's thin, watery rays over a muddy blue sky.  It just looks like a cold winter's day!

I am thankful...for Boo's health, for wonderful times with family over the Christmas holidays, for the smell of clean sheets (I can never get enough of it!), for warm oatmeal and homemade hot chocolate.  Boo is thankful for being home.  He really didn't like being away from Boudreaux over Christmas.  He's also thankful for oatmeal which is one of his very favorite foods.

In the kitchen...I'm preparing beef vegetable soup and spinach, sausage cheese balls.  That sounds warm and homey.  Just the thing for today.

I am wearing...blue micro fleece pajamas with blue hearts and green socks.  OK, I should be dressed I know.  However, it's so chilly looking outside and I am sick.  So, I'm still in pajamas at lunch time.
Boo's in pajamas too, but his are a dark blue plaid fleece which he stylish paired with an over sized gray fleece shirt.  Boo generally likes to wear pajamas at home.

I am creating...a crocheted hooded scarf for a friend of ours.  Then, I'll work on a gray one for my daughter for her ground hog birthday.

I am going...to Walmart later today to pick up some supplies for Boo and some scrapbooks that didn't arrive in time for Christmas.  I can't wait to see them.  Oh, and I might get some cat treats for Boo's favorite four legged son.

I am reading...nothing right now.  That wouldn't be news worthy except that I read constantly.  I haven't felt well since Christmas and just haven't read anything.  Who knew I could go almost three weeks without reading?  Boo has been listening to Christmas music and EWTN podcasts.

I am hoping...that the new antibiotics prescribed yesterday will kick in shortly.  I have strep throat and just feel icky.  Yes, I am taking extra vitamin C, resting, disinfecting all my eating and drinking utensils and door knobs.  (I know I'm weird, but door knobs just seem like germy places to me.)  A friend suggested that grapefruit seed oil was an excellent remedy for many viral and bacterial infections.  I ordered some this morning and plan to try that too.  I'm also hoping that Boo doesn't contract strep.

I am looking forward to...improving my immune system so that I don't pick up every little bug that makes its way near me.  Any suggestions???

A favorite quote for today..." Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."  C. S. Lewis

One of my favorite things...sweaters!!!  I love warm, fuzzy sweaters.  Really, they don't have to be fuzzy, just warm.  One reason I'll probably never move to the tropics is that I can't wear my sweaters.  Just for your information, I found a sweater that I wore in college.  I've been moving it with me for years now and I'm pretty sure I'll never weigh 94 pounds again.  So, the likelihood that I'll fit into the sweater again is slim to none.  Throw it away?  Not after all these years!  Maybe I'll turn it into a pillow.

A peek into our holidays...

Christmas at Mom's 2012

For some reason, I was unable to upload Christmas photos to Blogger today.  So, I provided a link to them.

Join in the fun at The Simple Woman's Daybook!