Major appliance woes

And I'm a big baby. This is what happens when I don't get a sub job for over a week. I whine. Yesterday it was "blimpy". Today it's about my appliances. Yesterday, a freezing cold, but not as cold day, I decided to bake away. I made whole wheat bread and caramel rolls. Andrew likes those and it's fun to make him happy. *smile* The wheat bread finished and I popped the risen rolls in the oven. After about a half hour or so I wondered about them, so I opened the oven. It was only warm and the rolls were just sitting there nice and puffy and WHITE! I hadn't even turned the oven off when I took out the bread, just lowered the temperature. Apparently, the gas igniter decided to burn out about that time. At least that's what I think it is. It's burned out before. So I just wrapped those rolls in foil, still in their pans, and put them in the refrigerator. Hopefully, when the thing gets fixed, I can pull them out and put them back into the oven. sigh. At least we didn't come home from church expecting our dinner to be finished!

So I finally got around to calling SOMEBODY! I had no clue who to call, so I just sort of flipped the phone book open and took a guess. While I was at it, I figured I might as well get the fridge fixed. It's been leaking from the freezer into the bottom under the vegetable drawers ever since last summer. To keep put off getting it fixed, I put a bread pan in the back of the refrigerator. It collects all the water, for some reason freezes it into a solid block of ice, and I knock it out once a week when I put new milk jugs in. I have my methods... Wouldn't it be nice to have it all fixed? These appliances are only 8 years old. You'd think they'd function properly for years. Oh, well.

I also spent about an hour on the Internet trying to find the best deals in flights from Chattanooga to Omaha--without much luck. Will's flying home for spring break. Fun! This is the first spring break that either of them has spent at home. (Who wants Nebraska in March rather than Florida???? He must have a major project to work on.)

On my way to blimpy?

Well, let's hope not. But my one activity that was holding "blimpy" back has been suspended for the time being. I guess it could still go on...but not as much fun. To come right out and say it: my walking buddy got a real job. There. So how else will I face 5 degrees in the early hours of the morning??? Three friends said, "Get a dog." Yeah, right. And then what do I do when I want to go out of town or be gone from sun-up to sun-down? And then I think of shots, licenses, vet bills. No thanks. I enjoyed Joanne's dog, but she took her home with her. *smile* I'll miss our walks, Joanne! But I'm glad for you. Now maybe Emily can get her horse....!

A devotional meditation

Last night in worship team practice we sang, "Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart" to the tune "Morecambe". That same tune is used for the song by one of my favorite hymn writers, Horatius Bonar. It is "Here, O My Lord I See Thee Face to Face". For your morning meditation here are the words. Read and worship!

Here O my Lord I see thee face to face; here would I touch and handle things unseen, here grasp with firmer hand the eternal grace, and all my weariness upon thee lean.

Here would I feed upon the bread of God, here drink with thee the royal wine of heav'n; here would I lay aside each earthly load, here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiv'n.

This is the hour of banquet and of song; this is the heav'nly table spread for me: here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong the brief, bright hour of fellowship with thee.

I have no help but thine, nor do I need another arm save thine to lean upon: it is enough, my Lord, enough indeed; my strength is in thy might, thy might alone.

Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness; mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood; here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace, thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord my God.

Omaha's crazy weather

Look at this crazy weather. It keeps getting colder as the day progresses! I can hardly see across the field for the snow. But it's not supposed to last long, the snow that is. The cold will be here awhile. Yesterday it was 55F!! I cleaned up the driveway, washed the car, pulled leaves out from around the air conditioner and from the eavestrough on the garage. Even raked the willow branches out of the backyard and cut back that wild "Gramma's" rose. I think Sleeping Beauty's thorny hedge must've been made from Gramma's rose. We cooked out chicken, too. Ah, tastes like summer.
But today.....Sheesh, it's January again!

CURRENT CONDITIONS Condition: SNOW Temperature: 5° F RealFeel: -29° F Wind: NNW 31 mph Barometer: 29.80 in/Hg Humidity: 76% Sunrise: 7:38 AM Sunset: 5:35 PM

Girls Night Out

Friday night I went my first "girls night out". We went to a Mexican restaurant, had a great time getting to know new friends and eating good food. The we met up at a dollar theatre and saw the funniest movie! Dan in Real Life is the name of it. About a dad who is a widower and raising three daughters alone. He falls in love with his brother's girlfriend before he knows she's his brother's girlfriend. It is hilarious, especially for those of us who are either in that teenage rearing stage or finished with it. (Thank goodness, I'm in the latter!!!) To make it funnier, the man is Steve Carell, the head guy in The Office. Of course if you haven't seen that yet, you won't get it. The girl is Juliette Binoche. It is well worth a view!

Weekend in Iowa

We went to my mom's this weekend. Over one day and back the next. She needed some help with her computer, so Den took an old one of ours over and bought a new modem. She still has dial-up, but she writes letters and loves hearing from family via email. So she was feeling cut off from everyone. It was a weekend in the 40's, so we figured we could risk a trip across I-80. It was a lovely weekend. Flickr has pictures for you Iowa lovers. I just couldn't resist the "Sprint" silos. Great signal here! *smile* And we had a bit of time to catch up with our old friends, Tom and Sue and Dan and Donna. We went out Saturday evening with the A's and Mom. We had to wait AGES! But we had a good visit. Sunday lunch we caught up with Tom and Sue and THAT is NEVER long enough! We were all young mothers together 25+ years ago. They started their families before I did, but I met them nearly 30 years ago when I went to begin my teaching career. Dan was the headmaster and my "boss"! (Hard to think of him like that!) They both have grand children who all are in the church they go to. What a way to grow the church. Sue (right) and her family have been in this church since she grew up. Her dad is still there along with Sue, her children and grandchildren. I think that is so wonderful! Enjoyed our time with Mom and all the friends.

Oh, just one more today

My begonia is blooming. Great color in January. I'm trying different things with my camera. I need Meredith to help me. I love the pink.