Thanksgiving 2023

 There's lots to be said for such a day as the first of the winter holidays "Thanksgiving". All my family left town except for my 18 year old grandson. Let met tell you what a very special day we had yesterday. With all the family gone one would think it would be a dismal and lonely day. NOT!!!

My daughter had invited me to use her home to have and serve dinner for some of my friends. We all live in small apartments. It just so happened that the grandson was going to be home and was going to help with the meal. He may be just 18 but...he's quite the grandson and my husband's name sake. So...together we cared for the turkey in the manner of the Grandfather who enjoyed all our married life fixing the turkey and dressing, stuffing as some say. Chase provided the turkey and made sure it was thawed. I arrive with all the stuffing ingredients except for the major ones which I forgot at my place and had to return home to get. Isn't that what's suppose to happen?

I put all the ingredients in a very large iron skillet, mixed it all up and after the bird was rinsed out well and patted dry, stuffed the bird. Wrapped it in extra strong foil and in the oven it went. The grand was watching the time and thermometer. Company came and some helped in the kitchen while others watched White Christmas. Dinner was served...pretty much on time!

We sat down to turkey and stuffing, green beans, mashed garlic potatoes with bacon, cranberry jelled sauce, gravy, my favorite salad of cool whip, baby marsh mellows, pistachio instant pudding dry, pecans, and crushed pineapple, all mixed in a large bowl, and 7up with cranberry juice in a goblet and lots of pleasant remarks about the food and the day. Being the only male in the group Grace was said by Chase. Desert followed quickly which included, home made banana pudding, lemon pie with whipped cream, pumpkin squares and pecan pie with a different molasses take. 

It was a day filled with thanks for all and ended with take home containers filled, full tummies and hearts ready for that special nap. A truly thankful day for all of us.  I hope for you as well.

And now...?  Merry Christmas!

Judy here at zero dark thirty, the day after...and dishes to be washed! And Black Friday too. 'till next time. Happy December. From me and Milo.

Been a little busy have you?

Boy, I sure have been busy.

I'm currently leading two Bible Studies on Revelation, Life Lessons series by Max Lucado. That means I do the same thing in both groups. Actually it makes it some what easier because I prepare twice for the study and then present it twice.  So in the real time of it I study twice, the second time to refresh what the class will be about. I also meet for counseling purposes with one senior lady once a week for which I pray and study for according to the leading of Holy Spirit for the particular individual.

I also keep up with friends regularly calling and visiting every week. Once a month I meet my cousin on my Mother's side to get to know each other. For me, other than my immediate family she is the only first cousin I have contact with. I have some nieces and nephews but do not regularly get to visit with them. I do have a daughter and grands living near by sorta. The grands have left the nest mostly. One is studying with her new husband to become missionaries, the middle daughter is in college and plays on the JV basket ball team so she is away from home but close enough to come home on the weekends. I don't see them often and the youngest is in college but lives at home. I do see him at church.

Not sure why I'm telling  you all this personal stuff except to give you a since of my life at 79. I continue to keep busy on things I believe are helpful in the Kingdom of God. My life is rich at this age and I'm continually amazed at what God continues to do in me and my life and that He continues to use me, maybe more in some ways. The point is I'm not done living life at this stage. I'm excited to meet a new day each morning though, I do creak a bit some mornings when I first swing my legs out from under the covers and set my feet on the floor. But, that soon passes as I keep moving.

You could say I have kind of a new life.  I never in a million years (I like that phrase) did I think I would write a book and it be published...self published but never the less published. Some look down on that manner of publishing but a good deal of those people haven't written a book that is on the shelves and on line for purchase. I'm just say'in.

I wanted to post so anyone who checks to see if I have a new post would find one. I've already decorated my apartment for Christmas. But, keeping with the calendar, I'm meeting with my grandson to discuss Thanksgiving Dinner. He and I are cooking the turkey, a couple of pies and other side dishes for some senior lady friends of mine. My daughter will be out of town so she offered her home for the dinner. This morning will be a planning session so that we will be set for the big day. I'm excited to cook with my grandson.

So, here it is, Happy Thanksgiving to all and blessings for all the things you do during this season. May God bless you and keep you.

It's early in the morning on Friday before Thanksgiving and I'm Judy. up and at 'em while Milo is sleeping on his circle bed just behind me. We're in the cottage and it's still dark out this morning. Until next time, stay warm if it's cold where you are and be careful in traffic.

Got a new Blog

 I'm trying to figure out how to combine this blog with my new one www.jchasewrites.blog. I can switch from one to another but I can't combine them. Maybe I can link them. I'll look into that in a little bit. But, just in.case there is anyone that still checks this one I wanted to give you a heads up that I'm back.  

I do have a couple of other blogs out in space but they haven't popped up anywhere. Sure wish I had known how to keep the stuff I did on those. Well, apparently I backed this one up because it's still here.  

Yay.  

Come see me at my new place. I'd love to have you, you are always welcome!

It's Judy in the cottage, still here with recliner. Gotta new pooch, you'll have to come and see.

Thought I'd resurrect this!

It's a short one for a re re new entry.  After all it is 2018 a very long time since my last writing.  All I can say is life happens and it's been happening all this time even though I haven't been writing.  So what's new...It's 12:19 on April 18, 2018.  That's 12:19 am. So this is gonna be very short.  I'll tell ya what's new tomorrow.  I'm gonna go to bed.  It's Women's Bible Study in the morning and then work later in the afternoon.  But I'll explain that later.  There's a specific reason that I'm back but again, I'll tell you about that tomorrow.  I'll give you a hint...it's a new adventure!  Later gator, good night and God Bless your sleep too.

I Am Rejected

Hi on this Wednesday before Christmas,

I now must read up on how to blog.  I thought it was about writing but, apparently I'm misinformed or not informed at all.  I applied for ads to be posted on my page but....I didn't pass so for now, no ads.  I am going to improve tho.  It is fun and I'd like to be seen and I haven't fully done things that will get my blog in a position to be read, my blog isn't out there, view-able.  Of course I did know that I wasn't getting comments and was missing anything that was offered in the comment section.  You won't regularly be seeing new posts while I read and study up on this thing called blogging.

For now though, I mean since I'm already here I might as well chat a little bit.  I've finished all my gifts for my family and have thought about making a couple more gifts but not sure I want to.  I'm awful tired and I should have thought about this earlier but I was busy with family gifts.

I worked outside because of the temperature.  I wanted to take advantage of the warm weather while it was still available.  Suppose to turn cold again tomorrow.  So, I cleaned out the front flower bed and worked on the back as well.  Not completely finished but it's a good start.  Gave a few things to the flower lady.  I am going to take all the rocks, whole bricks and the few pavers, plus 1 good size barrel planter and 1 pottery pot and two metal tubs for flowers.  Taking my shepherds hooks but giving her the 2 trellis and a fence stake.  One of the shepherd hooks is stuck so I'm gonna work on it as I can and hopefully I can take it with me too.

If I don't get back to this no worries, I'll just be reading up on how to do it right.

ox's and blessings,   Judy...the studying widow   Merry Christmas

I Like Pentrest

It's still morning and I've been lazin' around but the thing is I'm up.  Good morning to ya!

Excuse me for just a moment while I take my morning pills...K, done.!

The kiddo's classes and extra curricular activities and done for this week and next so no taxi service.  I do have tasks to do around the apartment getting ready to move.  It's suppose to be nice this afternoon so I plan to work on cleaning up the flowerbeds for the next resident and tidy up the outside.  Called the apartment manager but didn't get the info I wanted, No move in date yet...BUT I do get new carpet.  Yay.  I'm terrible excited about the whole move thing.

My creative tasks are to paint my newly acquired lamp which is presently gold to silver.  Also want to find out how to change the shade color which is now beige.  That will all be fun.  I worked on my watch band last evening and it looks nice and it fits, but it's not really how I want it so I'm going to keep looking around for the right bits and pieces that will be the right stuff.  I used blue moon stones and crystals and I like that.  It was my husbands Seiko.

Christmas is closing in and I have 2 more gifts to complete.  I'll get those done today too.  Then I'll make the short trip across town to deliver some to the kids house.  My wrapping color this year is blue with white ribbon.  All are wrapped the same, no doubt who they are from!!!

I have some reading to do also.  I found some articles on blogging at the Pentrest website and saved them.  I'll be reading up on how to set it up, what not to do, what to do, what to write about, etc., etc., and etc.   Hopefully I'll get better at this.  So far what I read encourages one to write sorta the way I'm writing and I'm glad about that.  I'll be growing and growing in this creative adventure.  But I'll tell you about what I'm learning as time goes on.  Of course, I'm excited about it!

Time to walk with Wendy...my blood pressure was really good this morning...yay!

Blessings today to all......Judy a Senior new blogger.... and Merry Christmas

My living room!

The lamp I will paint

I Have a Plan

Good Evening,

After some thoughtful consideration, I think I have a workable plan that will work for me in the weight loss predicament I find myself in.  A little warm up here.  Seems like what I've tried in the past was something I suddenly had to adapt to immediately.  Not a gradual moving into.  I just had to change overnight so usually I had a couple of days to eat all the things I wouldn't be able to eat.  Like all the chocolate and ice cream, fried chicken and french fries, well you get the idea.

This idea of mine helps me to move slowly into the mental place where I will be ready to, in a couple of weeks, be able to in a natural way, eat the right amounts of the right things and stop at a regular time every evening.  I just began to write down what I've eaten for each meal and no in between food. Next Saturday I will begin reading labels and counting calories, measuring and all that.  I will eat 300 calories per meal and 600 split between 4 snacks.

Meal planing will be my mode this next Thursday and Friday...  I will log it all each day and hopefully this whole process will have tuned me up to follow the 1500 calorie eating plan.  In the past, once I begin eating well I feel better day by day.  Increasing my exercise should help that as well but I haven't really figured how that's going to work.  Yesterday it was 6 degrees and started out that way today.  Tomorrow it starts at 18 degrees, 37 degrees at 3 pm.  That's pretty cold.  I've done it before so I'll just have to set my mind and do it.

I'm looking forward to success.

Blessings to ya'll.     Judy             P.S. If you are in a battle of this sort, may God Bless you and give you the strength to pursue your goal and the continued encouragement to take it a day at a time.