A Little Time For Me

I trust you all had a wonderful Easter celebration. I have caught up on reading all of your blog entries, even though I did not make any comments as I was feeling a little out of the loop. 

I'm listening to the happy sound of melting snow dripping off the roof and enjoying a bit of sunshine through the studio window late this afternoon. We've lost about a foot of the white stuff so far this week.

My children all arrived late Friday evening; we spent a little time together before heading to bed...the travelers were quite tired. Saturday morning we all took turns showering...6 people and one bathroom makes for some interesting mornings, but we seem to make it work. 

Daughter #1 and her Hubby decided to go out to breakfast, just the two of them; the rest of us poured cereal or made toast and enjoyed coffee. Later, it seemed to be the plan to do some shopping...my phone had died and I needed to go to the Verizon store and see what could be done and I wanted to take the opportunity to take advantage of having my favorite tech expert home to help me choose a new printer and get it set up with my Chromebook. I thought we would all go together, but Daughter #2 chose to stay home but later went to the church with her dad to crack eggs and slice sausage for the Easter breakfast. Daughter #1 and her Hubby didn't want to go with Son and me...they wanted to do their own thing by themselves. 

My son and I ran an errand for Daughter #2...she needed some things from her house that she forgot. It was quite a challenge getting into her place, descending the ice covered steps. My son was patient with me and helped me step by step, supporting me as I inched my way down, then while I was inside finding the items we needed, he took the shovel and tried to chip away some of the ice to give me a little footing on the way out. 

The next stop was the Verizon store. I explained my situation...it was charged, but it would not come back on. Yes...we took the battery out to reset it...it still did not work. The man in the store took my phone, pulled out the battery, put it back in and....it lit up!! I still don't understand what happened, and I felt embarrassed to say the least, but my son had my back and told him..."no really, I tried that too". I told the guy it must have just needed his magical touch. 

The last stop we planned was Walmart for the printer, but when they didn't have what we needed it was on to Office Max where fortunately for us, they had it on sale. I had planned to take some money out of savings to cover it, but when we got to the checkout, my Son pulled out a $100 bill. I protested, but he insisted on paying me back the money that I forwarded him right after he got laid off. I still wanted him to use it for what he needed, but he insisted all his bills were current and he has been put back on the payroll, at least temporarily. 

On our way home, we drove by a new antique store I had been wanting to visit so chose to go in. My son and I share an appreciation for the old and worn...he has a love for the industrial stuff and this store promised to give us plenty to drool over. It began with a large bell just inside the door...list price...$1200.00. He also spied a small green safe the perfect size for an end table...$358.00. I wish I could afford to get it for him. We both had a big laugh when we turned around and saw this guy! We also found some great old trunks and I had to look through every record album to see if the one missing from my Bobby Sherman collection happened to be there...it was not. We had a good time...it's time spent like this that makes for wonderful memories. It's too bad the others' didn't want to join us. Once back home he helped me set up the printer and get it going and also helped with some other issues I had been struggling with on my Chromebook. 

Hubby left the house early Sunday morning to begin cooking the eggs for the annual Easter breakfast at church. When we were getting ready the sun was out and the moment we walked out the door it began to snow! I couldn't believe it. I was disappointed, but later I was reminded of 

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

Here I was complaining when I should have seen the message of Easter as it came...softly falling on my shoulder.  

When we arrived I went to the sanctuary first to set up the organ and play through my music and the hymns. My son came in to see if there was anything I needed and told me he was saving me a seat at the table. I hurried to finish and join my family. Breakfast was excellent as always. I wanted to share some pictures my daughter took of Hubby making the eggs, but she has been too busy to send them...I'll share as soon as I can. 

Church was also excellent and culminated in the baptism of four young girls, one of them being the associate pastor's daughter. He had related earlier in the week that in his desire to make sure she was ready for such a decision he told her that it was an important commitment, it was telling the world that you have put your faith in Jesus and in Him alone for your salvation and eternal life in Heaven. He told her about those who had been baptised in the early church that were often rejected or stoned for their faith. He sent her away to think about it and she thought about it for a day or so, then returned to her dad and said "Daddy...I want to be baptised...even if they stone me".  What a precious testimony! Just as the pastor dunked the first young girl, the sun began to shine brightly through the stained glass windows...I truly believe God was speaking through the weather that day. 

Daughter #1, her Hubby and my Son left right after church. Daughter #2 stayed the night and left the next morning for classes and work. For Easter supper I made ham, cheesy potatoes and vegetables with oatmeal pie for dessert. 

This week I was given an added incentive to start my spring cleaning...company! I had intended to start this week anyway, having done just what was absolutely necessary before the kids arrived. The plan is to take my time this year, both to do a thorough job and to keep from exhausting myself as I have done in the past. There is one exception though, and that is my kitchen/dinning room floor...it must be finished this week. I mop it weekly if not more, but it must be hand scrubbed with a scrub brush in order to get it clean. It's not a bad looking floor when it's clean, but it doesn't take long before the dirt settles into these small crevices and looks awful...though I have been told no one else notices or cares except me. You can see the difference between the clean tile on the left and the dirty one on the right. It's an exhausting job to scrub each fake tile, one by one, so I have divided the floor into sections and plan to do one section every day. An online friend said she would pray for strength for me today...I was given enough to scrub two sections and I knew I had nothing left to do any more. 

Back to my company. A college friend of mine sent me a message

via Facebook saying she and her husband were making a delivery about 120 miles from us and would like to continue on to visit with us and stay the night. They visited once before many years ago now when our kids were small. She and I were the only two piano majors at our small Christian college, so tho we were friends, there always seemed to be a competition between us. She was always so serious and studious and I always felt my skill at the piano to be inferior to hers. It will be nice to see them though and Hubby will enjoy the time with her husband. 

We are still in need of a paycheck...the house payment is now overdo as are all the other bills. There is some work in the shop, but no money changing hands as yet.

Well, that brings you up to date on the life and times here in the Little Turquoise House. I have enjoyed my afternoon chatting away with you in the sunshine...it was a nice break and a little time away just for me to collect my thoughts. I'll bet you didn't know that Suki stopped in to say hello...I was snacking on some popcorn and it is her favorite snack. 

Until next time, may the joy of Christ's resurrection continue in your hearts.