Merry Christmas!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This December has passed quickly for me. 

I didn't join in lots of activities but the few I did were satisfying. 

Five of us ladies from Creekside enjoyed an evening walking around and viewing the lights at a site called 

"The Grotto" in Portland...one of the few no rain nights...

I sent out 22 grandkid Christmas cards

and several to adult children and friends

Our park provided ham and rolls for a festive pot luck dinner

I was privileged to play carols before and for a sing along after the meal!

Micaela met me for lunch one day

And joined me for a living Nativity service at church, including Curly the camel

Little goat kisses...

or maybe he wanted to eat my coat.

Jake and Mic brought in, set up and helped trim the tree with me!

(The only decorating I did this year.)

There was time to make peanut butter kiss cookies and homemade caramel corn. Yum!

I enjoyed a Christmas Eve sleep over and  Day with the Miller family!

"Well, that got my goat!"

REFLECTIONS

This is a busy activity time of year, getting ready for Christmas.  But it was good to pick only a few to engage in for me.  This season has been relaxed; I don't feel overwhelmed. (This might be an excuse for giving into lazy mode.) I know this isn't possible when preparing with children, but a perk for senior status! Yet, festivities really aren't over for me.  I still have our "Gram G Christmas" on Sunday, New Year's Day, to prepare for!  Need to nix the lazy for the next five days.  

This has been a good two GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

HAPPY, BLESSED 2023 NEW YEAR!!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, 

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6)

A Cornacopia of grateful Activities!

At this point in time it is closer to Christmas than

Thanksgiving, but lots of living went on these past autumn days!  Most of this post was written a few weeks back.  My motivator has been stuck lately!

I recently started presenting a hymn and church service at a local assisted living facility.  It is very rewarding, even though I am listed as Pastor Gloria Schmidt.  

 

One sunny, though chilly, afternoon Zach accompanied me on a walk through Orchards park.  I've been here 10 years and though this patch of woods is quite near, I have not visited it.  It's an impressive place in the middle of our neighborhood.  Very tall trees, a hobbit or two

And a rather boney, tall basketball player...

Awhile back I wanted some stuffed sweet red peppers, but tomato products are too acidity for me.

I tried raw shredded potatoes instead of rice and substituted beef gravy for the tomato sauce.

Is it a prize winning new recipe?  Probably not.

The potato gives a mushy texture, rather than chewy like rice.  The beef flavor and cheese is quite tasty...and easier on my digestive tract.

Finished, and been received...

Digital album of Emilia and Gram G's

trip from Milwaukee to San Diego...

And back! Such a fun trip!!

Wednesday, Nov. 16

It was a frustrating day at times!  Trying to figure out once again how to record and then save to wherever!  That part went alright, but trying to find where the lyrics were filed in the computer forced me into a few unsavory words. I was, also, disappointed that all 4 of my piano students canceled for various reasons, but I had more time to be artistic! I sent in TWO songs to the Great American Song Contest for the third year.  They say three's a charm.  We'll see come next March.  

Is it a bathtub or a shower  behind the flowing curtain....

Out with the old and in with the new!

I now have a modernized walk in shower!!

(It was)Time to send out Thanksgiving cards to my family!

It's difficult to find cards with turkeys on them these days.  

It's difficult sometimes, too, for me to kick back and enjoy everyday living; to take time to write out cards and send love and a prayer along with a note.  Yet, the most important aspect of life is staying connected to family and friends!

Life's big question: Can you be family and friends at the same time????

Our community is getting back to social gatherings!

Thanksgiving Dinner

It's TURKEY TIME...

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

The Happy Turkey lives for another year!

Thanksgiving Family time and Labyrinth!

What gives Gram G a sense of victory these days?

How about searching the grocery meat department and finding nice sized natural chicken thighs in a small package and reasonably priced?

SCORE!!

(I'll refrain from including a photo of the raw chicken.)

Here's the finished product

Chicken dumpling soup to warm the soul on chilly rainy days!  Yah!!

When snow makes a pretend visit to the PNW!

November has slipped into December, just overnight!

Let the games begin!!

REFLECTIONS

It is sometimes difficult for me to be happy and energetic when the daylight is short and the outdoors is chilly and rainy; when I am forced to contend with annoying "unfun"  daily tasks that need to done; when there's only "me" to hang out with day to day. I'm a bit boring.  I'm so grateful for a large extended family and friends to think about and keep in contact with!!  Thank you!!

This has been a good 4 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G!

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."  (Psalm 107:8-9)

Indiana Autumn

Wednesday, Oct 19 I headed to the airport for an autumn wedding week in Indianapolis!

Micaela, my lovely driver to PDX

 

Thursday Tea luncheon

Betsy, Geo, Catherine, Kate, Stephanie

"Four Teas" Sampler...Gram G's Delight!

Enjoyed an evening 4.36 mile walk with Kate!

Friday morning rehearsal and lunch

Princess Geo

Saturday WEDDING!!

Bride and Groom and Officiant, Uncle Jim!

Presenting Mary and Patrick!!

 Happy Family!! 

Catherine, Big Ray, Patrick, Mary, Stephanie, young Ray

Three Sisters on a windy afternoon

'What Is It?' Tree..

A skinny sexy monster lady?

A fierce flying dragon?

Sunday...

Three siblings playing Mexican Train Dominoes

Same siblings on a sunny Sunday afternoon nature walk...

John, Kate, Geo

"Reindeer" tree...

As youngsters, Jim Sperry and I would swing on "vines" in the back woods

Monday...Golden Corral

Kate, Geo, Susie, John, Frank

(the over enthusiastic server almost took a fall while jumping onto a chair to get the perfect picture) 

Southern Cooking around the clock..

12 O'clock mac and cheese/ 1 brussel sprout

3 black eyed peas/6 collard greens

7 catfish/9hush puppy/11 fudge!!

Mac and cheese and fudge were pretty good...

Tuesday Tea Time Visit

Sister Group...

Betsy, Kate, Paula, Geo

Last Indp meal...

Betsy, Kate, Jim, Stephanie, Geo

 Wednesday Faithful airport transport...Nick 

It's been a fun time, Indy Family!!

_____________________________

Back Home Again!!

PNW Color!!

REFLECTIONS

     I was refreshed to travel home to Indianapolis for a happy occasion.  It was fun to be included in the various festivities!  I reconnected with most of my family.  There was lots of good food and conversation, not to mention all the photo ops! The weather and autumn colors were perfect.  

    I am gratified each opportunity to visit, bond and get to know my family more.  It grows my love and makes the distance between us much less!

______________________________________

A GEOGRAM EXTRA, EXTRA!!

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A Fall time change mystery to ponder

VISITORS IN THE NIGHT...

      Far, far away in the land of the Pacific Northwest... (Unless you happen to live there, then it's not so far, far away.)...when the night (or the night eve) of the yearly fall time shift came once again, there was a young maiden (or perhaps a senior lady) who was fast asleep (or trying to be fast asleep)  When SUDDENLY... 

     "Errr...Errr", sang the door chime in a high pitched whine.  "Who is at my door at 1AM?", declared the senior lady...(to on one in particular, cause no one else was there.)  It's spooky enough that the fierce wind is banging something around on my outside back bedroom wall and that torrents of rain are deluging  down. There is a strange brightness to this stormy night. Why? Why is my phone lighting up so much?  I don't recall that on past nights.  Is there an emergency I don't know about? Is someone trying to contact me? Someone from the next realm? The 6th dimension? Someone past or future?  I must have just imagined I heard that annoying electric squeal.  

    I lie quietly snuggled in the flannel sheets and warm quilt.  I should have been asleep an hour ago but something has kept me restless and awake.  Strong tea too late at night?  I don't think so. Dragons flying in from the east? (No, those are geese returning.)  A dry pea secretly placed under my mattress to prove I am a princess? Too many unsettled decisions?  I try to relax and remind myself that the Lord is taking care of things. 

     "Errr...Errr..." The annoying electric whine of the door bell.  "Err...Err..."  There it is again!  It's now 2AM.  What is happening? Reluctantly, I push myself out of bed.  I need to investigate, but cautiously.  I stand by the kitchen door but don't hear or see anything amiss.  Sneakily I glance out the front porch door.  If anyone is there I don't want them to see me.  No one there, though the motion lights from the house across the street are beaming too brightly while their decorative flags whip wildly in the wind. Having checked out my house and glanced out the bedroom window to find nothing abnormal I swallow a Tylenol and munch a couple crackers in hopes of  inducing sleep, then climb back into the shelter of my warm bed.  I'm gone.

     "Errr...Errr...,  errrrr... errrrr...Err...Err.. er..er.. Errrr...Errr..."  What the hey???  It's 4AM.  Yay, I slept 2 hours.  But...."Errr...Errr...er..er..e.e.Errrr...." Is there a city wide earthquake warning?  Flood? Tornado? Fire? Zombie attack?            "Errr...Errr..er..er..e.e.Errr...Errr..." Maybe if I ignore it "it" will stop.  Nope.  Once again I drag myself out of bed. This time thoroughly perplexed.  It must the the door bell, but how do I disengage it?  Stop it? Smash it? Annihilate it? Why is it doing this to me? I was sleeping so well. 

   I followed the annoying screeching as it got louder and louder...to a....small rectangular box plugged into the entrance wall.   I've  wondered for the past 10 years what it is for.  The doorbell hardly works when actual people are pressing it.  I reasoned it was a bug killing devise or vampire repellent.  It never intruded on me until now so I left it to its own particular life style.  

     SO!  It is the doorbell connection!  But who or what is pressing the doorbell so incessantly? And is blatantly keeping on even as I watch.  Victoriously,  triumphantly, I yank the wretched thing out of the socket. And then...there it was...! Can you hear it? Can you? Blessed silence!  Silence never sounded so good. I cast the cursed thing aside and went back to bed in luxurious stillness. At 8AM the silence lingered. Even so at 10AM when life called me to sanely get on with the new day.  

     I have boldly reinserted the offending devise.  So far it is behaving.  But what lingering powers are regrouping to assert themselves at some unsuspecting hour?  And what brought it on?

    I'm still mystified at what cosmic forces (in the far, far away land of the Pacific Northwest...unless you live there. Well, you know...) were at war last night bewailing the end of daylight saving time and fighting to ward off  the hours and hours of darkness for the next several months?  May the spirits of daylight savings not be at war with the sprites of darkness until the return of spring!

It's just too hard on Gram G.  

But it makes a good story.  The End.

This has been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I [Jesus] have loved you."  (John 15:12)