The Day After Christmas

I received a call yesterday morning from our 7 year old grandson Kash.  It seems he had been up really early to play with the DS game we gave him for Christmas.  He said he liked it and that it had some hard areas in it too.  His mother said he was balled up under his blanket playing away when she got up that morning.  Apparently he had been at it for a few hours already.

Nola Wrapped in the Hello Kitty Blanket We Gave Her for Christmas

His sister Nola had a cough and had to take some medicine for it before going to bed Christmas night.
She wanted to use her new Hello Kitty sheets, pillow and blanket that night but her parents didn't want any of her medicine to stain them so she had to wait until her cough was gone.  She was not too happy with that parenting decision!

Chandler was very happy with the Smyrna Bulldog clock, T-Shirt and knitted hat that we got him.  Also his gift certificate to Family Hobby was equally received. 

It feels so good when you hear that all the gifts you selected were met with such enthusiasm.  In my childhood, gifts were played with over and over.  They brought joy to the receiver.  My hope is they will think of their grandparents fondly as they use the gifts we gave to them this Christmas.

God is good!

Red Hat Friendships

After our Red Hat Christmas meeting a few of us hung out in the parking lot for a while.  We have such a good time together that we tend to linger on and on at our meetings.

We had played Dirty Santa and collected some canned items for our local food bank.  Traditionally we wear purple with red.  This combination seemed odd to me when I first joined the group but seems perfectly normal to me now.

Walter and I were talking recently about all his many hobbies and interests.  I concluded that my hobby is meeting with friends and eating.  I think that is a wonderful way to spend your time.  You don't have to own a fully stocked hobby closet or have deadlines for finishing things.  Certainly it never goes out of style.  Our friendships grow sweeter with the passing of time.

Anna, Trish, Me and Lydia in Front- Carolyn and Shelia in Back

It would seem wise of me if I could wax profound, but just laughs and grins with others is fun enough for me now.  The only decision that our group usually makes is where do we eat next.

God is good!

Backstage at the Living Nativity

This month throughout the world thousands of people are working behind the scenes to produce religious productions in their local churches.  This work typically has long hours, usually with small budgets and tight deadlines and with no pay.  And I am proud to be a part of this group of workers.

At my church we are having two nights of the story of Jesus' birth called the Living Nativity.  There are five scenes depicting the foretelling of His birth, the rejection at the inn, the birth in a lowly stable, shepherds around a fire, and the wise men visiting the young Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Behind the scenes were carpenters, painters, sewers and technicians, to name a few.  I was one of the sewers.  For days before the production the team of sewers decided on the proper costumes, inventoried the costume closet, bought materials, cut patterns and sewed the many costumes that turned church members into Biblical characters.

I am not as seasoned as most of the other sewers.  That fact did not deter me from jumping in with both feet.  I cut patterns and got to run the serger. That machine both cuts the fabric and binds the seam with overlapping thread.  It has four needles working in unison, which was pretty intimidating in the beginning.  I was glad to learn a new technique and I got fairly good at it before the project ended.

After all the costumes were completed, they needed to be ironed.  We removed as many wrinkles as we could.  We used steam irons and even a steam machine which one of the sewer team owned.  She had been a professional seamstress during her working career and had a heavy duty steamer.

I was afraid of it, quite frankly, but with time learned to manage it.  I had burned my hand on a similar carpet cleaning machine.  I did not wish for a repeat of that burn.

The Steam Machine Was Challenging But Effective in Removing Wrinkles

We learned to use a glove and to pull the fabric slightly taut while holding the nozzle over the fabric.  Although we knew after the actors put the costumes on, they would get some wrinkles, we wanted each person to start out with a fresh pressed costume.  And they did!

The Living Nativity played out with no major glitches and everyone seemed to have an awesome experience.  Many people visited our church those evenings and today, seven people joined our church!

God is good!  (Side note:  I like to think that I, as a lowly sewer, had a small part in that being the outcome.  Any talent or skill you have can be used to glorify our Lord).

My 65th Birthday Restaurant Crawl

I have had a fantastic 65th birthday.  I qualify for Medicare now.  My health plan has changed, I get free Silver Sneakers coverage at the local YMCA, and I expect that a lot of other changes are coming my way.

Walter wanted to give me a great gift.  What I really wanted was not a gift at all.  I wanted to spend some time with my family and friends.  And I wanted to not cook or wash dishes for a week.  So I convinced him to accompany me to a series of restaurants over my birthday week.  I contacted about 40 friends and set up small dinner parties at O'Charleys, Hickory Falls, La Siesta, Jim & Nicks and Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse.   The final dinner was with my children and grandchildren.  Each meal took on its own personality and had its own jokes and conversations according to the guests at each table.

Friends Celebrating My 65th Birthday at Jim & Nicks

I got to visit in small groups which I prefer over a large party where I do not get to speak very long to any one person and the event is over too soon.  This gave me a sense of intimacy with my friends.  It also gave me the gift of anticipation as I waited for each evening to come with a renewed energy.  After the meals, I was able to reflect over each conversation and enjoy them again and again.

The surprising thing was everyone said yes to my invitation immediately.  The month of December is so busy for all of us so I know they made the time for me.  I have a great set of friends and family members.  Some of my church members thought this was a great idea and asked which restaurants were on the list.  A few even said they might do the same for their birthdays.

I made sure to exercise during each day so I could eat a good meal each evening.  I did not gain even one pound!  How exciting is that?

God is good!

The Joy of Sox Party

143 Pairs of Socks Displayed in the Church Welcome Center

When the season starting changing into fall, I thought about putting on warmer shoes.  For most of the summer I have worn sandals.  No need for socks then.

And that is where three separate ideas came together for me.  Number One:  I wanted some new socks.  Number Two:  I wanted to have a party to get to know more of the ladies in my church.  I hadn't had a party for some time.  And Number Three:  When I told Walter that I wanted to have a party to exchange socks, he added that we should ask attendees to bring a pair of socks for The Way of Hope ladies.  Well, that did it.  It all crystallized for me in that one moment.   I would have a "Joy of Sox" party that benefited that organization.

There is nothing that gets me into total housecleaning mode than knowing that a group of people are coming over for a party!  For two days Walter and I whirled around our house, taking note of all the little things we had always meant to do and then the miraculous happened!  We did them.  We painted doors, bought new rugs, etc.  You get the idea.

I knew we needed a catchy invitation to coax people into our home on a lovely fall Saturday.  So I settled on a play of words when I settled on The Joy of Sox party.  I emailed almost all the ladies in our church and even had the preacher announce it on his Wednesday night service.  To a few ladies without email I printed and mailed an invitation.

The wording on the invitation was: 

It's that time of year again ladies.  It's the time we go from sandals to boots and closed toe shoes. So what do we need?  SOCKS OF COURSE!  You can never have too many socks!  Oh, the joy of sox.

So please buy some socks-white ones, funny ones or seasonal ones.  Wrap one pair up for our gift exchange and bring the others unwrapped to my house for a good time together and to help some ladies in our community.  All unwrapped socks will be given to the Way of Hope ladies.

The details are:

What:  The Joy of Sox Party

Who:  All women interested in having a good time and also helping others (Bring a friend, too)
Where: Martha's House

When: 10:00-1:00, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014

Why:  Outrageous fun and Way of Hope benefit

Feel free to bring a finger food to share, if you would like.  I will have some nibbles and drinks for you.  Please drop me an email or text to let me know if you can or cannot attend so I can have enough food for everyone.  I hope to see you Saturday!

We had fifteen attend which filled my living room and kitchen area up.  We played the Lap Game which involved a series of questions where if you answered YES you moved to the chair left of you.  If you answered NO then you stayed in the chair.  Sometimes people were two or three to a chair.  Well, this was a great icebreaker.  As an example, to the question "Have you ever flown?", one lady said NO and the lady next to her said YES, she was a past flight attendant.  So she wound up sitting in her lap. Ha!  What a match up that was.

After eating all of the goodies that people brought, we played two more games.  We had volunteers uncover one foot for a game to see who could put the most marbles into a plate.  They had three turns.  Another game we had more volunteers uncover a foot and as we all chanted the time, they vied to see who could get the most socks on that foot before the time ran out.  The winners got nine socks!  Prizes were awarded for these games.  Simple prizes-a variety of teas and autumn themed dishtowels.

Then I divided the group into equal teams for the relay race.  Participants had straws and a tissue.  The winning team got the tissue to their last team member without touching it with anything other than the straw.  Each team dropped the tissue but was able to get it up by sucking on their straw.  Hilarious!!  The winning team got to share a full bag of Halloween chocolate bars.

Then we got down to the sock exchange.  We played this game using the same rules that the Dirty Santa game uses.  Three steals and the sock is officially Dirty and can not be stolen again.  This ended the party on a great note!

I read somewhere that a great party is the one you yourself enjoyed.  And believe me I did enjoy being with these ladies.  I took all the party day stress off of myself by making food items the prior day and serving simple things.  I made sausage balls and miniature ham and biscuits.  I put out chips and dip, candy corn mixed with cashews, frozen eclairs and set out bottled water and liters of several varieties of sodas.  The ladies brought other finger foods.  How easy was that?  Perfect, I would say.

The highlight of the party was the group gathered 131 pairs of socks that morning for the Way of Hope Ladies.  This is an organization that houses homeless ladies and small children in seventeen  churches in the area.  My church houses them two nights each month.  We run around 50 people but with the cooler weather and the holidays coming, I predict that the number will rise quickly.  In fact, we had 62 people last time.  So we will be able to distribute the socks very quickly.  The participation was good.  Some people who were not able to be at the party were there in spirit.  The sent socks and some brought them to the church.  That is why the number has risen to 143 pairs gathered to date.  I have a few more promised.

I had never given a benefit before.  I would definitely do it again.  It warms my heart to know someone in my community will have warm feet due to a morning of fun and games at my house.

God is good!

Fall Table Setting

My cousin, Paul, visited us a couple of days ago.  He was headed to Flat Rock, TN for his family reunion on his father's side.  After eleven hours of driving straight through from Oklahoma, he was happy to spend a few hours with us including overnight. 

I had already set the table with a fall color theme. I was so glad he got to see something on the table that he had used many times during his life.  The table combined many things purchased or collected over the years.

Table for Four

I used a patterned runner that I have had for several years.  It has fall themed patterns on it but nothing Halloween inspired.

Maple Table

The cream chargers were a gift from my daughter.  They go with so many different plates but for this table I thought they really highlighted the Golden Wheat plates.

Golden Wheat Pattern Came in DUZ Dish Detergent

As we were preparing breakfast, Paul said, "Hey, I remember these dishes!"  And he should have because they were given to us by his mother and father a few years back.  I absolutely love using them and talking about how we came about to own them. I used the golden flat-wear that Walter bought us about six years ago.  His son always liked having them out, too.

Orange Paper Napkins Fit Right Into the Tablescape

The white plates under the hurricane lamps came from Goodwill a few years ago.  I think they were $2.00 for ten of them-all in excellent shape.  I use them for both salad plates and dessert plates.  The hurricane lamps were perhaps the best buy of all.  We got them a few weeks ago at a yard sale for $1.00 each.  I have seen them for $15 and more in retail stores over the years.  They were the best bargain from a full day of yard sale walking.

The Fall Colored Centerpiece

The centerpiece is silk floral pieces in a wooden box. The box coordinated well with the maple table and chairs.  I think it was bought at Old Time Pottery but I am not certain of that.  So the entire tablescape was done with things that I already owned and have loved for some time.

We had a good visit with my cousin.  Maybe next time through he will be able to travel with his wife and we will get a good visit with her too.

 

God is good!

 

The Best 50 Cent Bargain

We have had the most fun from a 50 cent purchase that Walter found at a yard sale.  He found an unopened Skip Bo game marked for 50 cents.  We had once played the game at a church game day.

A Fun Simple Card Game

We had not mastered the game due to not having playing instructions but enjoyed it.  When he found the game which included the playing instructions, he knew this was a bargain.

We taught ourselves the game by the instructions and have spent joyous hours playing it with just the two of us.

Additionally we have played with a friend for hours in a hotel lobby in Memphis while waiting to go to a doctor's appointment, played with our 10 year old grandson, Colin, and even entertained friends by playing several games.

When Walter's 45th high school reunion came up, he and a classmate, Larry, decided to get together separately for their own brand of reunion.  We met Larry and his friend Debbie at a local Cheddar's restaurant.  After dinner, we went to our house for conversation, Skip Bo playing and dessert.  I had made a coconut cake earlier in the day and it was just right for the evening.

Sweetest Note We Received

The evening was filled with laughs and merriment as we played several games.  Debbie blocked Larry from some of his plays and he joked that she would need to take a taxi home.  The evening ended on a high note with promises to do it again soon.

We got the nicest thank you note afterwards.  So this 50 cent investment has paid us over and over again with the best of fun and great times with those we hold dear to us.

God is good!

New Range-top

Sometimes you just want something else even though you have a reasonable functioning item in place.  For me it has been the kitchen range-top.  We have lived in this house for seventeen years using a range-top with only two burners.

Griddle, Vent and Two Burners

It has become increasingly harder to cook for many people as our family has expanded with many grandchildren.  Menus have to be planned around only having the oven, microwave and two pans on the range-top at any one time.  This sometimes means staging the cooking over a few days and deciding on hot versus cold dishes to offer.

Covered Griddle

Also the knobs and griddle cover have weathered over time and attract dirt more easily now.  So finally we decided it was time for a replacement range-top.  I wanted a newer, sleeker four burner ceramic glass unit.

So Walter set about finding one to fit our counter as we did not want to buy or install another one.  We had an electrician suggested to us and he removed the old unit.

Hole After Heatproof Tape Was Removed

This left a gaping hole in the counter.  As fate would have it, our new unit was too large to fit into the hole.  The electrician could not cut the counter.  We had to find a company who installed Corian counters to come out and trim the needed 3/8ths inch so the range-top would drop in properly.  This added about a week to our installation time.  It also added $150.00 to the project.  The company representative told us that the trimming would produce a lot of dust, so Walter emptied all movable items from the kitchen and put up plastic to protect the cabinet fronts and other areas of the house.

This small replacement project had now turned into a major inconvenience.  We planned meals without a need to cook anything on a range-top or ate out.  I even asked my Women on Missions group to feel sorry for me as we had to eat out so much! Ha! Ha!

Newly Installed Four Burner Streamlined Range-Top

Several days later, the new hole was created and the electrician returned to install the new, beautiful range-top.  It fit perfectly!

Sleek Modern Style

It has a heat sensor that displays a red light while the surface is hot, even after the burners are turned off.  It is a nice safety feature.  I worry about the children touching the top while it is hot and now they can see for themselves that there is still heat even after all the burners are turned to the off position.

Vent Protrudes Into the Cabinet Space

An unplanned bonus was also in the works.  The old unit needed space under the cabinet for the vent that the griddle needed.  The new unit does not have a vent, so all the under counter space opened up for storage space.  I had not realized that I would have no vent, so I had not considered what the under cabinet would look like.  I was so excited to have new space in the kitchen!

Newly Organized Pans and Trays on New Shelves

For years I have had trays stacked up on ends and pans stacked around the vent.  Both of these storage plans were not good.  Seemed every time I needed a pan I had to take out most of the pans until I got to the one I wanted.  The trays were just as hard to get to.

When the vent was removed, we had all of the under range-top space to use.  At first we thought about buying some removable storage units to hold the items.  But since the project had added extra costs for the counter trimming, Walter decided to build in shelves from some thin wood, LuAnne, that he had leftover from another project.  He worked out the design and spacing so that he could add two shelves in the space.  They will hold lightweight items and give us much more storage in that area now.

He covered them in white contact paper and added cleats to the cabinet walls to hold them.  While he was working, I went through all the pans and other stored items and was able to set some things aside to be given to Goodwill.  Now I have only items that I want in the shelves.  We also changed the contact paper out in a side cabinet that I had reorganized.

Even though we lived for several days with cabinet contents in other rooms and no range-top access, the finished project is more wonderful than I had envisioned.  I love the new function of our kitchen.

Side note:  The electrician did two other small jobs while he was in the house.  He added an electrical plug to the wall behind our display cabinet.  Now we can use the light which is in the cabinet without having to run the plug into another room and across a doorway.  He also moved an intercom speaker from one room to the downstairs room that we use mainly for watching the television.  Now we can hear if anyone comes to the front door while we are so far away from it.  We had wanted these repairs made for many years.  They were just too small to call an electrician in just for them but bundling them in with the kitchen work just made sense.  I love the fixes!

God is good!

Weekend Company

I know of few things finer than having weekend company who are also beloved family.  My brother-in-law, Bill, and his wife Cindy came in Thursday for a four day visit.  They had driven approximately 12 hours from their home in Hanover, PA.  I had a favorite meal of theirs ready for them.  I made pork chops with sour kraut, mashed potatoes, homemade oatmeal, raisin and cinnamon bread, iced tea and yellow cake with milk chocolate icing.  They were truly grateful, I could tell.

Bill and Cindy Share a Laugh

They were able to use our home as their central point as they visited other relatives and friends, returning for evening meals and sleeping.  We even got them to watch our 2 DVDs of our 12-Day Mediterranean cruise from 2013.  That's approximately a two hour commitment.  They held up to it though.  They travel a lot and had just recently returned from visiting their daughter's family in Norway.  We got to see some of their pictures too.

Me and Walter.  My Favorite Blue Willow Dishes Are Behind Us in the China Cabinet

We had fun together as Walter, Bill and Cindy remembered old school friends and family moments long ago.  They are special people who have always made me feel welcome into their family.  After twenty-five years of marriage, I love to hear their early family stories too.

I have to add that I used different dishes and napkins for almost every meal I served.  That gives me pleasure to be able to change up the table settings for the different meals served.  I do not know if they noticed, but I enjoyed doing it.  Play time for my dishes and me.  I used the every day Blue Willow dishes for the pork chops, the colorful butterfly and flower dishes for the spaghetti meal on Friday and solid green ones for the breakfast.

For the Saturday night meal we went to our local Tokyo Japanese Steak House for a hibachi meal.  They said they had never been to a grill restaurant like this one.  We ate too much.  Of course every mouthful was yummy! 

On Sunday, after a breakfast of sage sausages and pancakes, we tried to take pictures of us with our Canon camera.  It was pretty funny as we don't own a Smartphone.

A Fake "Selfie" of the Family

Not too bad a shot for four old people playing at making a "selfie" without a camera phone!

They joined us for church services and then left for their home.  The weather was cool for their drive.  It was a great weekend!

God is good!

Orange Cake Mix Cookies

Sometimes I need to make a dessert for an event and I have very little time to make anything, especially anything complicated.  Some years ago I found a Cake Mix Cookie recipe in the local newspaper that I turn to when I need something delicious and fast.  They make up quickly, pack well and taste yummy.

I almost always have the three ingredients that are needed for this cookie recipe in my pantry. 

Orange Cake Mix Cookies

The recipe is: 1 box of Orange Supreme Cake Mix, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil.  Do not use the cake mix instructions.  Merely add the three ingredients together.  The batter will be thick and very moist.  Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet about two inches apart.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 9 to 10 minutes.  I baked these for 9 minutes because we like them soft in the middle.  A slightly longer time will produce a nice crisp cookie.  This recipe makes about 30 to 33 cookies.

Many cake mix flavors can be used.  Depending upon the cake mix used, other ingredients can be added like chocolate chips, M&Ms, coconut, various nuts, etc.  I have used this for Sunday School outings, welcoming a new neighbor and visits from grandchildren.

Having a reliable easy cookie recipe is a good thing.  God is good!

S.L.U.T.S. Ride Again

On July 3, 2014, the S.L.U.T.S., Southern Ladies Under Tremendous Stress, met again for a road trip. Lillian, Virginia, Anna and Anna's friend Stuart and I piled into Anna's car for our trip to Bell Buckle, Tennessee.  The town is located between Murfreesboro and Shelbyville.  It was a train depot stop in earlier times and although the trains still run the tracks, sadly there are no stops in Bell Buckle anymore.

The town is known now for the many craft and antique shops that line the main street.  We ladies took a morning looking through the many specialty shops.  Everyone looks for their own special treat to take home.  I found a dessert bowl that will help me fill out a set that was left to me by my mother.  The green dishes I collect were freebies in the oatmeal boxes in the fifties.  I almost have a full set for six people now.

Green Sandwich Glass Collection Originally From Oatmeal Boxes

My friend, Anna, gave me a whole bag of old buttons.  The last time she and I visited Bell Buckle, she found out I want them to do a craft project to give as a gift.  I couldn't believe that she was so generous with these beautiful buttons!  Some are decades old and some are younger but I will have a great time sorting through all of them, so lovely in their patinas and patterns.

Antique Buttons For A Craft Project

She has become a friend to one of the shop owners who had given her some white buttons previously, so she took him some collected colored buttons on this visit.  I tease her about how fast she is able to make friends but I secretly wish I was that outgoing sometimes.

We took a break from scouting out our bargains to eat at the Bell Buckle Cafe.  It is what we in Tennessee call a Meat and Three.  The wide selection included many wonderful vegetables which make up the "Three" of Meat and Three.  Good eating!

After another round of shopping we refreshed ourselves at the Bluebird Antiques and Ice Cream Parlor.  We each had an ice cream cone.  Mine was the white chocolate raspberry cone.  Delicious!

We finished our trip to Bell Buckle in time to get back into Smyrna for the Fireworks display that evening.   Our Sunday School Class met in the park to eat, fellowship and watch the fireworks.  What a full, wonderful day.  God is good!

North Dakota Friend

Our friend Sandi moved away to North Dakota about five years ago.  We had not seen her in all this time.  Other than a few phone calls, we had not been in touch often.  So when she called to tell us she was in town for a few days visiting her grandchildren, we jumped at the chance to see her.

Sandi Is Ready for Pizza

She had a list of friends to see.  We had to wait a few days but on Monday, the appointed day, we happily drove to the Sir Pizza restaurant where we had previously agreed to meet.  We used to eat at Sir Pizza years ago when they would run a Buy One, Get One Free Night on Tuesdays.

Sandi was our Sunday school teacher around the time Walter and I were getting engaged.  She was a wonderful encourager of our relationship.  This was 26 years ago!  She and Walter used to tease each other so much that you would swear they were siblings.  After we moved into the house we are in now, she commented that the house had a really good vibe to it.  I always treasured that comment. 

She has settled in to her new North Dakota lifestyle around family members.  She has a brother, a son and his wife and a beautiful granddaughter there.

Walter, Me and Sandi Pause From Our Pizza for a Picture

I don't think Sandi will ever leave her new home, but I hope she gets to visit us again soon!

Side Note:  Sandi's birthday is the day after mine.  This makes us the same age for one entire day!  On my 64th birthday, she called me and we sang the Beatles song, "When I'm Sixty-Four" together.  Good Times!  Also her granddaughter is born on my birthday too!

God is good!

Jersey Boys Night Out

Walter and I have seen "Jersey Boys" at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center twice now.  The story is of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they became popular musicians.

When we found out that the play had been made into a movie we wanted to go see it on the opening night.  We knew just the music alone would be wonderful and wondered how the storyline would be treated.  With Clint Eastwood involved in the production we were confident that we would be nicely entertained.

We decided to ask another couple who recently joined our Sunday School class to go with us.  We were delighted when Deanna and David agreed right away to get a babysitter and meet us Friday night at a mutually favorite Mexican restaurant, La Siesta.

Walter and I After Eating Our Mexican Meal

I waited eagerly all day for this outing.  Our supper was fantastic!  I ordered fajitas which proved to be enough food to put into a take home box for lunch the next day.

Afterward we went to the movie theatre.  The film was rated R.  We warned the couple and they said they would be willing to try it.  As it turned out the language was a little raw but not as much as I had feared.

Walter, Me, Deanna & David By The Fountain Prior to the Movie

I think everyone enjoyed the film.  David mentioned a few times that his father would really like it as he knew all their music.  Outside of the theater we chatted for a while, then said our goodbyes.

When we got into the car Walter and I both thought we wished the evening could continue because we were having so much fun.  So we texted them to see if they would like to meet at a place for a dessert.  We landed on Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!  After two sweet treats and much chatter, we called it a night. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Can you image the surprise when the following Sunday while Walter was filling in as Sunday School teacher, David put on a Krispy Kreme cap and totally blew Walter's presentation?  Tears filled my eyes.

I hope this couple is up to a rematch for another evening out soon.  God is good!

Move Live On Tour

Since the start of the TV show "Dancing With The Stars", I have been a fan.  I like the music, dancing and costumes.  Two of my favorites since the beginning are Julianne and Derek Hough.  She was 19 when she was first on the show.  He is 27 now and she is about 25.  He still calls her his little sister.  Sweet!

Ryman Stage

They now have a show tour called Move Live On Tour.  What a tremendous responsibility to have their own tour.  Everyone is expecting them to be able to sustain all that is needed to keep it on the road.  They came through Nashville, TN a few days ago.  I convinced Walter to go.  We went into town early so we could park right across from the Ryman Auditorium.  After a short walk to Demos Restaurant for steak and seafood we settled in for the performance.

First Act with Several Background Dancers

They performed for almost two hours - full out!  It was a great mixture of popular songs, interaction with the fans and singing and dancing.  A troupe of about 12 dancers are touring with them.

Julianne Has A Great Voice

We were impressed with the energy that each dancer gave to the show.  They had already had one show before we came for the night time show.  They danced with such movement that Walter had a time getting any action photos so most of them are of them singing.


The Ballard "Say Something" from Julianne

I was not aware that Derek also sings.  He has a good voice.  I am guessing that he probably had a lot to do with the choreography of the whole show too.  They worked so hard that sweat was popping out from the very first song.

Derek Adds His Voice to the Show

The styles of dance during this show ran the gamut. There was Tango and Paso, Quickstep and Contemporary, Rumba and Swing, Hip-Hop and so many others. And every emotion you can imagine came through onstage. It was light and fun, upbeat and energetic, soft and sultry, hot and sexy.  The songs were from all generes.  The Nashville audience appreciated the country songs offered.  They recognized another brother and girl act from Utah in their show by singing "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" - remember Donnie and Marie Osmond?  I particularly liked the "Black Betty" song where Julianne and the girl dancers climbed a pole.  So Hot!

The Houghs Share a Song

Julianne was quick to point out that she had won two Mirror Ball Championships on DWTS.  Derek had won five of them!  She said that was because she left the show early on. 

I hope the show stays on tour for a long time, but not too long for Derek to get back on the cast of DWTS.  The night was a wonderful night out for us. 

Pillowcase Dresses

I heard that our church is planning on taking dresses to Haiti in the fall.  They made and gave out pillowcase dresses in years past but I did not participate since I was working full time then.

Size Five Ruffled Dress

Now that I have a new sewing machine, I decided to try my hand at making them.  I went to Goodwill and found some pretty pillowcases to practice on.  I liked a flowered one with ruffles because I did not have to add a hem or any embellishments.  A friend loaned me a pattern so I did not have to come up with the armhole cut of the dress myself.  I cut the pillowcase so that the seam became one of the side seams in the dress.

Size Six Striped Dress

Another pillowcase that I found had a sweet rose patterned border that I used for the hem edge of the next dress.  This time I cut the pillowcase so that the seam could be used as a back seam in the dress.  That allowed me to have two identical armholes in the dress.  I think they came out really well and will be glad to give them to the Haiti mission.  I was surprised that even though they are called pillowcase dresses, most of the images I found on the Internet did not make them out of pillowcases.  They had several more steps to them, mostly side seams and hems.  The pillowcases I chose saved me those steps and I was able to make the two of them in an afternoon.  I asked my granddaughter to try them on and they both fit her very well so I am fairly certain the little girls in Haiti will like them.  They should give the girls plenty of room to run and play.

For the armholes on the ruffled dress I just turned in the fabric and did a sewing machine hem.  For the striped dress, I used bias tape to line the armholes.  I liked the look of that method best and will probably do the bias tape reinforcement for any additional dresses I make.

I may make a few more if the ladies in charge of the project like them.  It feels good to start a project and finish it with good results.  A bonus is someone in the world is going to be a joyful recipient of your efforts.

God is good!

Daddy's 100th Birthday

June 7, 1914 was my Daddy's birthday.  Had he lived, he would have been 100 years old Saturday.  He didn't.  He died in 1971 at a very young age.  My daughter, Patricia, was only a few weeks old when he died.  My sister Jean's daughter, Elizabeth, was born about 10 years later.

Me, Jean and Elizabeth

Jean's husband, Edd, had an idea of how to mark this family milestone.  He suggested to her that we get our families together for a weekend and tell Daddy stories.  So we got together on his birthday anniversary at my house.  Her family came from Sevierville, TN and Patricia came from across town.

We had each written down things we wanted to share about Daddy and about the household we grew up in.  Because of our girls being so young and their grandfather not being around, we had each not consciously shared many stories about our young family life.  It was funny to us that we each had many of the same incidents written down on our respective lists.

So we all gathered in the living room and took time about telling our version of the Daddy stories.  I am sure the girls had not heard of many of these things.  Even Jean and I were also hearing some new things.  It was great to hear each other's stories.

Mothers and Daughters - Patricia, Me, Jean & Elizabeth

We remembered when Daddy jumped into the pond to escape the bees.  He also loved to play the harmonica.  He loved his family and used to say, "I must be doing something right when two little girls faces are pressed to the window when I get home!"

His profession was plumbing and electrical work.  We both told about diagrams he would work on into the night in prep for the following days' work.  Many times we went with him on work trips.  We lived in the country and if a dairy cooler went out, he had to go without regard to the time of day or night.  The farmer's livelihood could not be compromised due to a milk cooler failure.  He was recognized around the community as quite bright and attracted many educated people to him, although he never finished eleventh grade himself.  He told me his last science book ended with a statement that someday scientists would split the atom!

We laughed over many stories and even sang two songs that were favorites of his - The Old Gospel Ship and In The Garden.  I played the piano and everyone sang. Though not too musical in the quality, the heart was truly there.  Yes, a few tears were shed as we sang together, remembering our own thoughts and as our young girls heard about some family memories for the first time.

Patricia, Walter, Jean, Elizabeth and Edd Share a Moment Together

Jean had several pages written down contrasted with a short page of bullet points that I had.  I teased her that I could go toe to toe with her on stories since I had two more years of knowing Daddy than her.  She is two years and nine months younger than me!  The husbands seemed to enjoy the sharing.  Though they were not in the family when Daddy died, they enjoyed seeing Jean and I so happy with our memories.

Even our food choices were selected with Daddy in mind.  I made homemade bread and coconut cake.  Both of these were some of his favorites that I had made for him as a teenager before I left for college.  We had homemade chicken pot pie.  Our family had chickens on the farm.  We grew green beans in the garden and ate corn from our fields.  Elizabeth made apple crisp from Mother's recipe. And of course we had gallons of sweet tea to go around for everyone.

It was an excellent idea that was executed simply and beautifully!  We are a little stronger as a family due to this time together.  God is good!

S. L. U. T. S. Are Born

The four women who worked together on the costumes for our church Easter drama got together again today - for lunch this time.  We met at the new Panera restaurant in town.  The church Music Director had given each of us a gift certificate which we decided to cash in.

Jillian, Me, Virginia and Anna

We had a great time together discussing our individual sewing and crafting projects.  And as things go when friends get together we got giddy.  Someone suggested that we form a group named S.L.U.T.S.  The letters stand for Southern Ladies Under Tremendous Stress.  (We had managed to get about 60 people in costume for two performances!)  We talked about several places where we could get away and enjoy each others company in the future.

Someone suggested that it would also be a good name if it was the Sewing Ladies Under Tremendous Stress.  Well, we will see which name "takes".

After two hours, it seemed that we had only just gotten to the restaurant.  Time passes easily when we are together.  I love these ladies, whether Southern or Sewing.

Walter is Released; Walker Aprons Donated

Walter had a total knee joint replacement on April 30, 2014.  He stayed in the hospital for 11 days. While there, he received physical therapy several times a day.

I slept on a cot beside his bed each night except one.  I also attended some of his physical therapy sessions so I would know how to help him after he went home.  One of the techs who worked with Walter gave him a walker apron.  He said volunteers made them for the patients and he was always having to search them over for masculine patterned ones.

Each Apron Has Four Pockets - Large Enough For A Bible

Well, that got me to thinking.  I had just bought a sewing machine which I had not started to use.  This was on purpose, as I had both my surgery and Walter's surgery still to come.  I was unable to focus on much else at all.

So after he returned home, I started to read the manual and proceeded to set the machine and the ironing board up in the living room where Walter was also using the space as his daytime recovery room.

My New Brother Sewing Machine - So Many Fancy Stitches!

A sewing friend visited me and helped me get acquainted with the machine.  She gave me some unused fabric from our church Easter drama to use for making some aprons.  I cut the material into three pieces and made three walker aprons.  The machine was fun to use and the project came out well.

Two of the Finished Aprons on My Cutting Mat

I was thrilled that the finished project was so nice.  We had three walker aprons that someone else who has been in Walter's condition can use.

Walter and Sam Holding the Three Finished Walker Aprons

After seeing Walter's surgeon today, we went back to the St. Thomas rehab facility and met with Sam, one of his physical therapy technicians.  We surprised him with the aprons.  He was extremely happy to receive manly colored aprons for his new patients.

Oh, and by the way, the surgeon gave Walter a clearance.  In only four weeks, he is released to drive, swim and most importantly for him to bowl!  His healing is so good the doctor allowed him to stop his physical therapy completely.  He also bowled two games this afternoon!

God is good!

Nola's School Year Comes To An End

We were invited to watch the children where Brandy teaches celebrate the end of their child care year.  Some of them are moving on to elementary school.  The entire group of children wore caps and gowns and put on a program.

The Program Did Not List Any Last Names

They had a sweet little program.  I don't know why the last names of both students and teachers were not printed on the program.  That seemed odd to me.  Nola knew the words to all the songs.  Of course, with her mother being a teacher, I am sure she was coached and practiced a lot both at day care and at home.

Nola Sports a Cap and Gown for the First Time

Listening as Awards are Given to Fellow Classmates

 There are fourteen children in the day care classes and three teachers.

All Stand for Pictures After the Ceremony

"Certificate" That Those Not Going Into Elementary Received

Nola is four years old.  She will be in the day care another year.  Brandy plans to continue with the day care for that year.

Mother and Daughter Share a Smile With Us

 Walter was able to drive to the church.  I drove home as he still had physical therapy scheduled in the afternoon.

Nola, Me and Walter Treasure Being Together

Nola shared a few moments with us.  She had many guests so she was quite the busy girl visiting with friends and family.  Her two older brothers, Chandler and Kash, were with us today too.

Big Brothers Chandler and Kash Help Celebrate With Nola

The students and guests went to the fellowship hall to let the children eat their lunches while the adults ate some snacks the staff had provided.

This Cake Was Delicious!

 Chandler and I ate two pieces!  I had been trying to cut way back on refined sweets, so this was a sugar high moment for me!

Cute Idea - Cupcakes with Cap and Tassels Added

The entire morning was a delight.  We loved seeing everyone and having good fellowship with loved ones.  God is good!