A Light Glows on October 3

It's a gray, cloudy day today and it rained quite a bit this morning - very fall like. I'm lighting a candle today in honor of my mother; today would have been her 86th birthday. I usually try to do something special on this day, but with a lesson right in the middle of the day, it's a bit difficult to very much. Perry Como is singing in the background...he was her favorite. I miss her terribly. 

Today I'm trying to catch up on correspondence, blogs, emails and letters as well as sort through some computer files. If time, I'll work on some cards. 

I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures, but not the lack of sunshine. I'm not quite ready to "hunker down" just yet, so I'm hoping for more sunny days ahead. I still have a few chores I need to do before the weather turns bad. We made a total of 22 1/2 quarts of applesauce and after giving away 2 boxes of apples, we still have  a box full to deal with. I decided to juice some and put that in the freezer as well. 

I'm enjoying my students; each one is a joy. I could still use a few more to fill the days, but in the meantime I plan to use the time to get myself organized around here. I'm still trying to get my Etsy store up and running and make more cards to put up for sale. I hope this weekend I can get several made and get pictures taken of them for the website. 

The new organ has yet to be picked up, but they are predicting we should have it sometime in the next couple of weeks, then the work really begins. I have been spending more time at the piano recently which is a good thing. I have been trying to work up a piece of Christmas music my college professor arranged. It's quite challenging and my brain just refuses to wrap itself around some of the patterns and surprises it holds. Still I soldier on...I would really love to play it this Christmas in his honor. Please continue to play for Dr. Gordon Page, he has his consultation today. http://drgordonpage.tumblr.com/ One of the things on my to-do list is to make him a card and send him a real letter. 

Hubby continues to worry me. He is restless in his sleep...when he sleeps - I know he has so much pressing on his mind that he refuses to discuss and I don't know how to help. We continue to pinch our pennies and to no avail. Now with the healthcare requirements...UGH! We can't afford insurance, nor can we afford the penalty. How they figure it's affordable for everyone is beyond me!! Our country is in such a mess and between that and the other discouragements and sadness in my life I struggle to stay positive but I keep going back to Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble." 

For some reason I keep thinking today is Friday...wishful thinking? 

Winter Preparations

We've spent the day - a beautiful day I might add, doing odd jobs around the house getting ready for winter.

We made another 6 quarts of applesauce first thing this morning and I made two loaves of banana bread and a pot of

vegetable soup then went to the garden and brought in some produce to cut up and freeze while Hubby "made wood" as they say up here from the dead wood in the field across the street and mowed the lawns on both our properties and the adjoining properties.

He's on a bike ride now and I'm supposed to be making cards, but thought I'd stop in here first. 

Honest, I will try and catch up on reading your blogs soon, I've just been a bit busy. 

Broken Hearted

I've been MIA; it seems like for a long time...all of a sudden life got so busy as we prepare for the coming winter. Catching up on me, then I hope to catch up on you all tomorrow. 

We went out one evening and picked wild apples...probably too many and have been trying to get them turned into applesauce. I also made an apple crisp...SO YUMMY! We made our first batch of applesauce this week - it's such a big job.  We only did one batch so far - about 6 quarts I think it was and that was only half of one of four boxes! The next morning we ate French Toast made with homemade bread covered in homemade applesauce made with wild apples...no sugar added or needed! YUM!! Hubby is working on it again tonight and we have to keep this going nearly every night until it's done as the apples are already beginning to bruise. Hubby has also been "making wood" from some dead trees in the field across the street. We are supposed to get a delivery as well, but haven't seen the guy yet. I took some money out of savings and went into town to Walmart and the Co-op for pantry staples - laying things in for the winter. It won't be long now and I won't be able to make that trip. 

I went to a Stampin' Up party Saturday evening, I had hoped to do some networking for piano lessons, but just had a good time. Should our scrapbook store close, I will need to make this a source of supplies. 

Also Saturday night while I was away the neighbor girls came over asking for a safe-haven. All the kids in that family are adopted and one of the boys rages. The parents had a school meeting to attend and the kids (all junior high and above) were home alone. Isaiah got into a rage and the girls came here to stay until things calmed down. Hubby said one of the girls looked as though she had been hit in the face, they didn't seem to want to talk about it, so he didn't press them for information. One of the girls is my piano student and I told both her and her parents if they ever needed anything that we were here for them. It was nice to see they felt they could take us up on that offer when it became necessary. 

All conversations at church Sunday turned to the arrival of the organ and the placement of the speakers and how it's all going to get accomplished. 

Our pastor wants to institute small groups at our church and there are many that are against it. I can understand some of their concerns such as the demands of being hostess, an empty church for visitors because everyone is in homes, lack of qualified leadership, tendency to become cliques, etc. I also see it could be a positive, so I guess I'm on the fence on this one and will follow along and see where it leads.

Gilmore, our other big dog must have gotten into something that made him sick - he wouldn't eat or drink and would have episodes of rather violent shakes. We thought we were going to lose him, but last he is now back to his normal self. 

I found out via Facebook that a dear, dear friend of mine has been diagnosed with cancer. My heart is breaking. He was my piano professor in college - a very talented, loving, caring, very patient man. He taught me SO MUCH! Yes, that's him and me in his office at WBC. He's listening to me intently and preparing to share his wisdom and encouragement. 

He played the piano and the organ at our wedding and he was also the pianist for our college choir and so went with us on our tours every spring. He was so much fun to be around! He makes his living as church organist, choir director, teacher and piano tuner. He also now enjoys skating as well from the looks of Facebook, he's still involved in the lives of young people!  I couldn't even get the words out to tell Hubby, I had to give him the computer to read it for himself. He said on Facebook that it started in his lungs and is in

multiple places already, yet, he sounds positive and is planning a party for when he is declared cancer free. His wife is wonderful as well and they have always been so much in love. I remember seeing the way she would look at him - precious. He has been constantly in my thoughts and on my heart this week.  My mom loved him! He'd start playing piano and I swear she would literally swoon LOL. We used to take her to the Missions and Founder's Day Banquets the college put on each year because Gordon would play the dinner music. She got the chance to get all dressed up and sit and listen to him play all evening - she loved it. I am so blessed to have his influence in my life. I can't tell you what an impact he had on me and continues to this day! Maybe I'm being selfish, but it's just too early for this talented, loving, giving, caring man to leave this earth. Please, please pray for Gordon Page, his wife, Sharon and their son, Evan. Thank you. 

I LOVE THIS MAN!!