Christmas For Leroy and I

Hello, Leroy and I had talked about not exchanging gifts because we will not be home for Christmas. Well, today we went shopping for some things and ended up buying some clothes for each other. Not much surprise involved, because we tried them on at home to make sure they fit and were what we wanted. We will exchange them after Christmas when we come home. Perhaps we will have forgotten what they are and it will be a surprise. This all started when Leroy saw a shirt he would like, but felt that he did not really need it. I told him I could get it for him for Christmas. He liked that idea. It grew from there to include a pair of pants and then another. I got into it and picked out two shirts and one pair of pants for me. We are a pair, aren’t we? Our downstairs friends have a heated bird bath that is very popular with the birds. It must be hard for birds to find water to get a drink in our frozen world. They are not really doing the bath thing, but drinking is it. Paula

Blooms and Cold November 29, 2024 Hello, There is something so satisfying to me to see the blooms on the flowers when it is quite cold outside. Three of the cacti are blooming. The white one has a large bloom. It had belonged to my sister.

Three violets are blooming. Really just seeing the green of various shades is also good. There are only 26 plants in the house. Seems to me that some years there have been more. Five of them have gone to church to spend the winter. A friend asked if I wanted to go for a walk today. I am glad they did ask. It was cold enough, I might have not done so much walking outside which is my favorite place to walk. It lifts my spirit to be outside. Leroy has started to work on our Christmas letter. We will be gone by the middle of December so we cannot put it off too long. We did go buy some groceries today, but did not participate in the “Black Friday” sales. I, especially, do not appreciate crowds. On line shopping is not really my thing either. I just do not purchase much. Paula

Harvest Time

Hello, Leory and I went to the community garden. He brought a saw so he could cut off the tall brussel sprout stem. We brought it home and will pick the sprouts later. I also picked quite a bit of cilantro. It was close to the ground and still quite nice. Then there was another picking of broccoli along with kale. There is more kale for someone as well as quite a few brussel sprouts. We stopped on the way home and offered some broccoli to a neighbor. He had seen us stopping at his sidewalk, came out and told us to come in and warm up even though we were just a short distance from home. His home looks quite nice outside, but needed a bit of work inside. I figured he did not have much money because he does not have a car. The house was built in 1900. I liked looking at the registers because we had those in the house where I grew up. The fireplace was beautiful tile in need of some repair. He did not want anything but some broccoli. I was certainly glad to share. I also picked a little cilantro at home. It is almost December and we can still get things from the garden. In our garden we have some small cabbage that we may also pick if the predicted low temperatures do not get here. I dropped a donation check off at the place up the street that serves meals five days a week. Soon I will figure out how to volunteer there. Paula

Books to Deliver

Hello, Yesterday, Leroy and I went back to the half price book store and spent the last of the money for books that address racial situations as well as those that deal with gender issues. I asked for help from one store worker. She helped, but even more help came from a customer who heard the inquiry. It was great. We had found quite a few, but it is hard to sort things out if you do not read the description on the books which takes a lot of time. We spent every last dollar on the card and some of our own money. After removing store stickers, I put five or more in our little free library in front of the house. We took a nice long walk and delivered to two of the libraries in the neighborhood across the street from us. There are still sixteen books to get distributed. I am hoping some people find them to use for Christmas presents if money is in short supply at their house. It is a nice excuse for a walk. It feels good to be able to do this. I am now done with the action team possibilities from our insurance company. Leroy needs to do one more this year, but he does not know just what to do. He will think of something, or ask someone else. Our neighbor is putting in a new fence. It will extend the place where the old fence was. Changes the look and the feel. We feel more closed in as we walk around the side of the house. Paula

Looking for Laughs

Hello, I feel a need to find books or movies that help me laugh. Somehow that is not so easy. Smiles, but laugh out loud does not happen so often. Perhaps I am just going to do the fake laugh and hope it turns into the real thing. Real and fake are both beneficial to the body or at least that is what I have read. There were some times I laughed this morning at church. I was a greeter and that involved much smiling. I was by the door that is opened with a button. Some people were surprised when the door opened by magic. We often had a little laugh together. Leory ushered today. It is nice when we both have jobs so we can remember to come early. There were many people who walked into church just about five minutes ahead of time. I had thought I could go sit, but they just kept coming. The service had already started by the time I went in. Hard on my need to be on time. There are talks after the service about the sermon and I like going to those. It is always interesting to hear other opinions. All of my holiday cacti are now blooming. The last ones just have two blooms open all the way. They are beautiful. Paula

Helping at a Funeral Reception

Hello, I volunteered to help at funeral dinners. Today was my first try. It was a small funeral group, so a good place to learn. I helped set up, serve if anything was needed, and clean up. It was quite within my abilities, although I noticed being on my feet for such a long time. That included my walks there and back. It was good to meet some people, now if I can remember names, I will be set. One thing I noticed is that some people are aware of many details of appearance. Luckily, I am not in charge because that is not really my skill. I am better if they tell me to go and do that. This may sound crazy, but I learned how to put a lid on a coffee carafe. Since I do not drink coffee, I knew little about the apparatus. Learned just now how to spell the word, hopefully it is the proper word. Thinking about what should be served at my funeral since I do not eat so much of the things that were there. Luncheon meat, jello salads, and desserts are not on my list of favorites, but it seems to be for many people. Even thought the flowers are gone from around the church someone brought many gourds and two pumpkins. They look quite nice. Again, this is something that I would never think of doing. Some people have good ideas. I find that women also spend a bit of time talking sports and I do not know about any of that. I can listen and say hum from time to time. Guess that works. Leroy commented that next year he will have been ordained and graduated from seminary fifty years ago. Time flies. Paula

Going Too Far?

Hello, It was 37 degrees F. when we hung out sheets and some other things. With wind and patience, they often dry. There was a bit of wind, but the humidity was also present today. When I brought them back in after lunch, they were all damp and some closer to wet. I suspect I have a reputation in the neighborhood as that crazy person who hangs out clothes in weird weather. My next-door neighbor wondered if we have a clothes dryer. We do, but it is seldom used, as clothes are hung on dryer racks instead. I consider that more beneficial to the environment. I like to hang out clothes so that makes it an easy choice for me. The squirrels are busy chewing on walnuts. Sometimes they chase each other trying to get some nut from the neighbor. We enjoy watching them in the yard. They are our entertainment. Are we deprived or blessed? Paula