A QUICK POST

Thanks so much for your comments about the clothes line. I appreciate the information that you shared with me. I found it so amusing that many of us seem to have the husbands who have to "think about" our requests. I know in our case it's a good thing Mickey is not as impulsive as I am......I need his more level headed thinking many times......he also needs my impulsiveness, too!!! Really neat the way God seems to match us up with the one who truly makes us complete!!!+

To Linds: Yes, I would really like to receive the instructions to the clothes line your dad built for your Mom....Mum as you call it in England :o)

To Leigh Ann: I was thinking about you when I wrote about wanting a clothes line because I remember when I first met you how "shocked" I was that you were using a clothes line!!! See the influence you have had on me!!! I had forgotten about the clothespin bag you made out of Elle's shirt but instantly remembered it as I read it.

To those who were interested in my Frugal post here I want to encourage you to read two neat posts along these lines.

The first was written by a dear blog friend, Kitty, on Job Security (Post One: Health & Beauty Aids). Kitty has wonderful tips in this post to save money.

The second is a post by Maxine of Nanna's Reflections on Baking Soda: Count the Ways. Maxine has listed so many different areas where we can use the simple product of baking soda. After reading her post last evening I put a small jar in my bathroom and brushed my teeth with Baking Soda last night and again this morning. Leaves such a clear, fresh feel in your mouth!!!!

We have an exciting day ahead of us. We picked up our grandson, Aric, yesterday afternoon and he is spending a few days with us. Mickey, Aric & I are going to go to Tulsa's Air & Space Museum this morning. I'll be posting about it tomorrow. Our granddaughter, Oksana, has been doing some work in the filing room for her dad at the accounting firm he works at. She is excited about earning some extra money here just before school starts.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

CATCHING UP & THIS and THAT

It just dawned on me that in all that has been going on in our lives this month I failed to mention that David moved out of the 5th wheel in our back yard and in closer to his work in Tulsa. He actually moved July 1st and Mickey & I took over the last load of his stuff on Saturday, July 12th.

Yesterday we had the carpets professionally cleaned and now the 5th wheel is in tip-top shape. Don't know yet what we are going to do with it: just let it sit where it is, try and sell it, etc. 3 of our 4 children have had occasion to live in it temporarily during the past 4 years since we parked it for good. Suzette & Dave for 3 months while their new home was being built, Jacque for a year after losing everything in Katrina, and now David for these 9 months. It has served this family well.....plus our wonderful years, and miles of travel all over (although all of that was not done in this unit).

We are going to miss having him right here with us and I especially will miss our long, meaningful talks but it truly was time for all of us for him to move on to the next step in his life.

Aric & Oksana's great-grandmother was in town this week, she lives in Texarkansas. She took all of us out to dinner last Thursday night to Te*xas Ro*ad*hou*se for a delightful meal and a wonderful visit. She was so surprised at how much Aric & Oksana had both grown. She had been here 9 months ago, right after David came from California, and we had taken all of us out to eat on that occasion. She is a delightful woman and has become a great friend of ours.

Monday I went back to the surgeon who did my knee surgery 3 months ago. He took x-rays of my knee, both ankles and looked at previous back x-rays and is satisfied all is well even though the lower part of my back is out of alignment by a 1/2 inch. I still have considerable pain, especially at night trying to sleep. Oh well. I've learned to live with it.

Last night our dear friends, Jack & Mary, had 5 of us over for one of Mary's gourmet meals. Always a treat and a wonderful time of fellowship. 3 of the 7 of us present have had heart surgeries of one type or another so there was much encouraging of Mickey about the upcoming event.

Today is election day in our little town. We are voting for a 1/2 penny sales tax increase. Our sales tax is already higher than Tulsa's but we are growing and there are needs to be met so we will vote for it. It is to be used for: 1) an additional fire station 2) new playground equipment 2) new splash park 3) additional police equipment 4) road improvements & 5 POSSIBILY lower home insurance rates (this is based on IF the added new fire station moves our town into a lower risk factor with the insurance rates).

I've told Mickey I want a clothes line. We talked about it 4 years ago when we came back home and have never done it. Don't know whether to get one of those purchased umbrella style bought ones or have him run some clothes line. He is in the "thinking about it phase". Do your husbands do that? Mine does on everything. I'd appreciate imput from those of you who have & use a clothes line as to what you like and think would be best for me.

I told you this was a lot of this & that!!!! Have a blessed day.

AFTER OBEDIENCE--What?

Yesterday morning, in the prayer room before Church services, one of the men shared this scripture with us :

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Hebrews 10:35-36

Then this morning, during our prayer and Bible study, we read the following in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

"And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side....." Mark 6:45-52

"We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God's purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.

What is my dream of God's purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process--that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.

God's training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience, we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end.

God's end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious."

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I never cease to be amazed at how God puts just the right scripture and word before me when I need them. As Mickey & I walk out God's plans and purposes, with the heart issue, He has been so gracious to remind us, once again, to Keep our eyes fixed on HIM and let HIM work out His plans and purposes which He has known all along. To not "cast away our confidence" in the one who holds us in the palm of His hand.

If you do not know this wonderful Jesus as your PERSONAL Savior I beg of you to seek Him now. I cannot imagine living this life without HIM and He grows dearer with each passing day. I so want you to experience and know the joy He, and He alone, brings. I invite you to read my Personal Testimony on my side bar.

A 50's PARTY

I am playing catch up!!

This is about a fun 50's Birthday Party that we attended Saturday, July 19th.

(all pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them)

We took a picture of the honoree but it didn't turn out so I dug through old pictures and found this one of his birthday dinner 2 years ago.

Ron is the one in the gray & white shirt, his wife, Dody is across the table and next to me in the yellow top.

This was a dinner that Don (standing behind Ron) and Barbara (in the pink top) hosted at their home. Our other dear friends, Jack & Mary are the other couple behind Ron and of course me and Mickey taking the picture (as usual!!!)

Here is the pre-invitation that was mailed on May 19th telling us to reserve the date - July 19th and annoucing the Surprise 70th Birthday Party for Ron. This party was planned and executed by Ron & Dody's only child, their daughter who lives in Lake For*est, CA.


This is the actual invitation that arrived a couple of weeks prior. Old Route 66 runs through Tulsa and there is an area of town called "Cherry Street" that has been maintained and restored along this route in the 50's theme.


This is the inside of the invitation stating the party will begin at 6 p.m. at Tally's Cafe and a Buffet dinner will be served. Games, door prizes, music, karaoke, dancing..... and asking for an R.S.V.P.

There were 4 of these huge tables and it was decorated all around the pink color of the neon lighting in the room with the lovely turquoise color. One table was filled with out of town family and friends from Chicago and Texas.


The surprise was truly pulled off!!!! They hid all the out of town guests in another area that you cannot see and the rest of us were totally quiet when we were told Ron & Dody had arrived and when they opened the door we all shouted Happy Birthday. Ron was TOTALLY surprised. After they got Ron seated in his "chair of honor" a nephew, who lives in Tulsa, got up and read sort of a "This Is Your Life" theme about the various out of towners and as he would describe them they would walk out!!!!

The entire ceiling was filled with colored balloons and the walls with various 50's items.

We were to dress in a 50's theme. The biggest thing Mickey did was go and get a crew cut!!!! He did not tell me he was going to do this and boy was I shocked when he walked in the door from the barber shop. I didn't care for it but am getting use to it and it's really kinda cute :o) He did manage to get an empty pack of camel cigarette's, stuff it with a napkin and roll it up in his T-shirt sleeve like they use to do. He has on his Con*verse Tennis shoes and just before we walked into the cafe I had him role his pant legs up two more rolls.

This is the best I could do!! Longish skirt with loafers and bobby socks. Charm bracelet on my arm, dangling earrings and face painted with: blue eye shadow, rouge and RED lipstick. How in the world did I EVER wear makeup like this!!!!!!

Here are Don & Barbara. If they had given a prize for the best dolled up it would have to have been Don. He blackened his hair and mustash and had this black framed glasses. Barbara looked cute too with her hair sort of up and back and a scarf around her neck. I wished I'd have thought to add a scarf on mine. Never remembered that until I saw Barbara.

This is the neon sign as we left. What a fun party with about 80 guests.

ANGELS ALL AROUND ME!!!

Please read this ENTIRE post

Mickey & I made a 2 day trip to Oklahoma City for him to have a heart test procedure done. We left home at 6:30 a.m. and his first appointment was at 9:30. I did all the driving and we were both so proud of me that I had done so well driving to and into this large city.

When I printed out the map showing the route I put in the 900 block of the street NW. It was really 900 block of the street NE!!!! So we drive up to this very small building that turns out to be an office of two attorneys. Mickey calls the hospital and asks the address and we realize the mistake I had made. Since it was only the 900 block it was not a serious one and we drove the 18 blocks to arrive at the correct place.

The VA Hospital is a huge place and when we stopped a young man wearing a badge to ask him how to get to the first appointment, he had 4 separate appointments all at different locations on different floors, he didn't just point and give us directions but said "Come on I'll take you there" and DID!

Here is a shot of Mickey waiting for one of the appointments. For the hospital being so large and the many people who were there for appointments the entire morning and schedule went like clockwork.

We were out before noon and I was able to call Annie and set up for us to meet her for lunch at 12:30 at the Cheesecake Factory. (See separate post here)

We stopped for a cup of coffee before leaving the hospital. Mickey had been fasting since midnight and had not has his usual 3 or 4 cups of coffee!! While we were having our coffee Mickey said to me (jokingly of course) "That's really good, Susan. You bring me to OKC, away from all the kids, and take me to an attorney's office to file papers against me and abandon me!" We had a good laugh over the ironery of that situation!!!

After a 2 hour lunch with Annie we went and checked into the hotel that VA had arranged for us. We had planned to go out that evening to Bricktown for dinner and to ride the gondola down the cannels but we were worn out and decided to grab a quick bite about 7 p.m. and just turn in for the night.

That evening in the hotel room we were talking about feeling like we literally were aware of our Angels all around us the entire day as so MANY people in the hospital had helped us, everyone was so kind and thoughtful, and everything had worked out so smoothly. There had even been an incident as I was nearing the hospital that I changed lanes and didn't see the car coming and was saved from an accident.

Tuesday morning Mickey is scheduled for his procedure at 7:30 a.m. We go out to the car and my key flob will not open the door and I have to open it with my key. We think "battery in the key flob must be bad". I put the key into the ignition and nothing. The car is absolutely DEAD. I cannot even get the key out of the ignition!!!

Here we are in a strange city, with about 20 minutes for him to get to the hospital, and the car dead. Mickey immediately calls the Road Service. You know how that is these days, as you listen through all the directions and punch this and that #. While he is doing this a couple comes out of the motel toward their car......I run over and say "Are you going to the VA hospital" "Yes" they are. "Can my husband hitch a ride with you?" and I explained the situation. I run and get Mickey and say "Get over there they'll take you to the hospital" and I take the phone and continue with the Road Service lady who tells me that a tow truck will be there within an hour.

I am NOT good in these type situations!!!! I get overly excited and upset and Mickey is always the calm, cool, collected one. By the time I get off the phone I am crying and very upset. I think "I've got to call Marc (our youngest son in Tulsa) and tell him he's just going to have to come and help me). I open my phone and dial 1-9 (I am preparing to dial the 918 area code) and the phone rings. It is Marc!!!!!! I begin my frantic, wild, fast talking to tell him what is going on and he says.....in the calmest voice (he is so much like his wonderful Father) "Mother.......calm down a minute". I stop talking and calm down and he says "I am in OKC. I am at the VA hospital but I haven't found dad. Tell me where you are and I'll come right to you." I hang up the phone and I am crying and shouting "Praise God" "Thank you Jesus" "Thank you Angels"!!!!

Marc said "I just "had a feeling" (we know it is the Holy Spirit!!) that I was to come to OKC today. I was not worried about dad at all but just "felt" I needed to be here"!!!

To make a long story short....the tow truck came, Marc & I proceeded to the hospital and actually got there by 9. Mickey was prepped but had not gone into the procedure yet so we were able to see him, let him know that Marc was there and with me, the car was being towed to the Chevy dealership and all was well. It was such a relief to Mickey to be made aware of all this before the procedure.

The test, which was suppose to last about an hour, ended up lasting three hours because they had some complications. Here was my dear son with me!!!!! It would have been so much harder for me to sit there by myself. When the test was done and we got to see Mickey in recovery they said he had to remain there until 3:30. Marc and I left to get the repaired car.......they had to replace the battery!!. We bought this car July 9, 2007 (read all about THIS episode here) and 1 year, 13 days later the battery is no good!!!!! It was all taken care of under the New Car Warranty, both the towing charge and the new battery.

After we got our car, had stopped for lunch and seen Mickey I told Marc to go ahead and come back to Tulsa but he insisted in staying with us until we ALL left OKC for Tulsa in our two separate vehicles.

No one will EVER convince me that I do not serve a God who loves me beyond measure and who is there to meet my every need. Do I get tested......oh yeah, over and over again........Do I grow a little more with the testing.......you bet I do. Do I love my JESUS, my husband & my son.......OH YEAH!!!!!

By the way, we solicit your prayers. Mickey's heart is fine, strong & good BUT they have discovered some heart disease in two arteries and one valve. We are waiting to hear from the VA and a higher group of surgeons about the next step of a possible double by-pass surgery.

MEETING ANOTHER BLOG FRIEND

What is more exciting than meeting a Blog friend at Cheesecake Factory? (See the third picture below) Mickey & I were in Oklahoma City Monday (please see separate post about this and the Angels that went with us)

Had to show you the very tempting, VERY fattening cheese cake display!!

MEETING ANNIE!!!!!

I FINALLY am getting to meet Annie (My Life as Annie). She is tall, over 6'. I use to be 5'7" but my age is shrinking me and I am now 5'5". She is actually stooping down here as we meet!!! One of the first things I said to her was, "You are as beautiful in person as you are on your blog!"

Annie lives in a small town not to far from OKC. She and I have been trying to get together for months and it finally happened. We had to be in OKC for Mickey to go to the VA hospital for a test and could not even set a firm time to meet Annie. She was so gracious, said she'd clear her entire day and just to call when we could meet and she would drive in to meet us.

Annie came bearing gifts. This lovely mug that reads "Do All Things With Love"

And this beautiful blue plaque that reads "The Lord will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." Psalm 91:11 What a perfect gift for me. She knows I love The Word, Angels and blue is my favorite color!!!

I gave her an old "used" book!!!! But it is a special book "The Splendor of His Ways - Seeing the Lord's End in Job" by Stephen Kaung. This book got me through a very difficult time in my life and has my underlining and markings in it. It is a totally different take on the story of Job. I trust it will be as big a blessing in your life, Annie, as it has been to mine.

We had a delightful lunch and then of course Cheesecake!! Annie had Brownie Sundae Cheesecake of which she took a bite and then took it home for her son Bailey. Annie recently helped me by downloading a CD I wanted on our Hearts In "1" Accord Prayer Blog. It turned out to be more complicated than we anticipated and she called in 14 year old Bailey to help her. These computer savy youngsters!!!! Thank you so much Bailey!!! Mickey & I shared a Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake. Of course we had to eat it all because we couldn't "take it home"! and of course my Mickey had to clown around!!!

Our sweet waitress offered to take a picture of all of us together and we were delighted. Annie is everything I thought she would be and even more. A pure delight and such a wonderful, young wife, mother and Child of the King. We visited for almost 2 hours and I asked the waitress if she was going to charge us "booth rental"!!!

Annie is the third blog friend I have had the privilege to meet. Read about Sohailoh here and Michelle here. It is just always amazing how wonderful they are and what a closeness and rapport has been developed over this wonderful conduit connecting us called Blogging. We are truly making not only lifelong friends but many of us will be eternal friends.

Thank you Annie for being you!!!!

Annie is the one who made this "Siggy" for me which is on every one of my posts!!!

SHOW & TELL #21 - Baby Doll

Friday's have become a special day in my life for many reasons. I know we hear people say Thank Goodness It's Friday, usually meaning I'm glad the week-end is almost here. My reasons are different.......TGIF for me means - It's SHOW & TELL time at Kelli's and its our COWETA REMNANT PRAYER MEETING night. Two special things in my life.





Thank you Kelli for hosting Show & Tell ....... it has been amazing for me to look at so many of my things with fresh eyes and realize how very many treasures I have. It also gives me the pleasure of visiting all the other Show & Tell posters and seeing the wonderful items they have to share. What fun!!!





(click to enlarge pictuce)

This week I am showing a doll that I bought from my sister-in-love, Sally, in 1991. I am not a doll collector but I have two. I showed my Sleepy Baby Doll here on December 7th last year. Isn't she precious? I actually purchased 3 dolls from this wonderful, talented SIL. One was like this one for my daughter, Suzette. Suzette's has blue eyes, like she does, and has a different dress on. Sally made not only the dolls but the clothing they wore.



I never named this doll but she lives on this shelf in our guest bedroom. If you ever come visit me you'd get to share the room with her. On another Show & Tell I will show the complete shelf and all the neat things she lives with.

PLEASE read the post below on living a Frugal Life Style and leave a comment with a frugal idea you have and do. I'm wanting to become even more frugal with your help. THANKS!!!

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Addendum:

My doll with no name has just been named by two sweet girls!!!

Please meet KATHLEEN

See comments 6 & 8 and you will understand about this.

THANK YOU SO MUCH GIRLS, she is really double special now.

LIVING A FRUGAL LIFE STYLE

Yesterday I was reading Christy's blog here and her post titled Feeling The Pinch here.

We are the most blessed nation on the earth. Most of us have lived a life style that is the envy of the world. It is basically that "life style" that has gotten us into the mess we now find ourselves in. I'm not going to go into all this part of the issue, many others have already done a good job of that. Here is a link from Christy's blog that addresses that issue well.

What does come to the forefront in my mind is

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:" Romans 13:8

&
"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender" Proverbs 22:7

I'd like to tell you that we are completely debt free but that would not be truth. We owe 3 1/2 more years on our home and we owe on the 2007 Chevy HHR that we purchased on the spot last year when taking our grandkids on a brief vacation and our car broke down out of town and out of state. You can read about that here.

What I want to address is how we can live a frugal life style, being resourceful and not wasteful. To learn to stretch our dollars and what God has given us to the max. To be good stewards.

I learned frugality from my parents at an early age and it has stood the test of time. Mickey and I have never made big salaries or a lot of money but we have lived a very full life and have enjoyed many pleasures. We have never felt deprived and have always counted our blessings. Mickey has always told our kids "the reason we have what we have is because of your mother" and my four kids all think I am down right "cheap"!!!! They can call it cheap, I call it being sensible and practical.

I thought it might be interesting if we began to share with one another some of the things we do to economize. Some we have always done and I am finding myself learning to be even more resourceful these last few months as the gas prices are soaring, the food costs going up from week to week, and the utility bills rising rapidly.

Here are just a few things that come quickly to my mind that I do:

1. I do not throw out any left over food but find some way to use the left overs in another meal or another way.

2. I find a rubber spatula to be one of the most thrifty items in the kitchen and scrape out every last bit of any and everything in a jar, a can or the sides of mixing bowls. It is amazing how much food is left on the sides and wasted. .

3. I try not to buy items in plastic squeeze bottles because you cannot scrape them out as above.

4. I use my lipsticks down to the metal by using a lipstick brush once the upper part of the lipstick has been used up.

5. I almost never buy any of the fancy cleaning products that flood the market. My basic cleaning supplies are Pin*esol, Co*met cleanser, amon*ia water for cleaning windows, old newspapers for drying down the windows, M*r. Cl*ean & bleach.

6. We save all our coffee grounds & egg shells to put in the flower beds.

7. I buy ice cream in the 1 gallon and 1 pint size plastic bucket and then save and use the bucket for cleaning, or other uses that come up.

8. I use scrap sheets of paper for notes and doodling and have them by my computer and our main telephone in the kitchen.

9. I diligently watch the grocery ads of two stores. One I have to drive a ways to and the local neighborhood store that is way too high priced for normal shopping but runs great leader ads. I buy to the quantity limits on the specials they run.

10. When going to the store I have to drive about 20 miles round trip. I always go when I am having to run another errand that direction. With the cost of gas now, it doesn't pay to make a special trip.

11. I am blessed to have an extra frig and an upright freezer in the garage and I take full advantage of them with the sale items.

12. I squeeze every toothpaste tube until you can not get out another drop!! My husband is ready to throw his out and I take it and can get at least 2 more weeks of brushing out of it.

13. I have a dishwasher but I only use it when we have large family or company dinners. For just Mickey & I or even just a few extra I always wash the dishes by hand and my sweet husband usually dries them.

14. I basically shop at Al*di's (don't know if you have them in your area. They don't carry a large supply but what they do carry is very good and always a few cents cheaper on everything) the two stores mentioned above for the leader items and then Wa*lmart for the things I can't find at these and still need.

15. We save a lot of the plastic and paper grocery bags and re-use them. I use the plastic bags to line all the small household wastebaskets. I use the paper ones to wrap items I am mailing.

16. I save ribbon bows and the colored tissue paper from gift packages to re-use. I save all gift sacks I receive.

17. We keep out house thermometer set at 79 degrees during the day in the summer, lower in the winter, and turn it to 80 degrees when we leave and at night.

18. We have ceiling fans in every room of the house.

19. I never use the "hot" water setting on my washer.

20. I usually buy the large size of things.......but I do look at the price per unit on the tag to be sure it is the best buy. Some times it is not. I use the price per unit as I shop.

21. I usually buy the house brand of products and not name brands.

22. We have replaced almost all of our light bulbs with the newer energy saving ones.

23. My husband keeps a "rag box" to use in his garage and shop area.

24. We do not drink a lot of soda pop but I do save all the pop cans in a barrel. My two daughters also save theirs for us. When I get a barrel full and take them to the recycle place (which we have one right here in Coweta so I'm not spending money to drive there) and get my $5 to $7 I put the money in savings accounts I have for Oksana & Aric.

25. We have a Wa*mart Di*sco*ver card that pays us a 1% rebate on all purchases. We use that card on most all our purchases. We pay the card off in full each month (other wise this would not be economical) and then I put the rebate check in our savings account each month.

26. The above mentioned card also saves us 3 cents per gallon on gas at Mu*rphy which is where we always fill up.

27. We have a land line phone with basic service, none of the bells and whistles like call waiting, caller ID, etc.

28. Mickey had bought me a cell phone as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago, that we buy minutes for in advance, to use solely for emergency purposes if I ever needed to reach him if I broke down somewhere. Now that he has quit work and we are together almost 100% of the time we will not buy any more minutes when these run out and will stop using the cell phone.

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These are some changes and additional things I have been doing recently as I am becoming more aware of the need to pinch & save any way possible. Mickey & I are retired and on fixed incomes that are not rising along with the cost of living.

A. We are limiting our driving trips into Tulsa. We are 25 miles SE of Tulsa and we thought nothing of running in there several times a week. Now we try and only go once and take care of everything we need to do in the one trip.

B. I have begun to do most of the driving when we go places. I am able to get better gas mileage than my sweet husband!!!! (our car has the automatic gas mileage reader that tells us the miles per gallon we are getting). Seems he has a heavier foot than I and he is more of a sped up, slow down driver than I. He actually enjoys being able to relax and look around and enjoy the ride more. Especially since his last jobs have been driving all over town delivering abstracts!!!

C. I have begun making a simple salad dressing out of just mayonnaise with milk and a dab of sugar and cutting down on buying as much ranch salad dressing.

D. I have begun taking my bottle of shampoo and dividing it and doubling it by diluting it with water. I find it does as good a job and cuts down on cost.

E. I have always used cloth napkins when having guests because I prefer them. We have begun to use cloth napkins everyday and cutting out using paper napkins 3 meals a day. I have very many sets of napkins so it did not necessitate buying any.

F. I just recently began shutting off my computer at night when I go to bed. Before I left it on all the time.

G. I've been thinking about having Mickey put me up a clothes line and not using the dryer but haven't done it yet.

H. I also want to buy a large barrel and start catching the rain water. I remember my grandparents doing this and the water was so soft. We've had so much rain this year it's a real shame we hadn't done that already.

I. Just before the last stamp price increase I bought a lot of extra stamps at the 41 cents instead of having to pay the current 43 cents per stamp they are now charging. If there is another price increase before I use up what I've purchases my savings will be even more per stamp.

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Please leave me a comment and tell me what things you have done and are doing to economize. Are you are making any changes in your life style due to the current conditions. Let's all share and learn from one another.

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.. Psalms37:25

I've A LONG Way to Go!

I saw this at Rita's and had to post this one, too.

I thought I was one of the oldest bloggers out there but here's one that actually makes me feel young. Hee Hee

I love this!!!

Her last post "Singing a Happy Song".....no wonder she lived to such a ripe old age.

Trust me, I believe if I live to be 103 I'll still be blogging.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

A reason to blog.
SYDNEY, Australia (July 14) - A 108-year-old Australian woman who was promoted as the world's oldest blogger has died two weeks after making her last post about "singing a happy song," her great-grand son and her online forum said.

Olive Riley wrote 74 entries in her blogs, firstly http://www.allaboutolive.com.au/ and later http://worldsoldestblogger.blogspot.com/. A friend introduced Riley to blogging early in 2007, and was hooked.
Riley "passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 12," a posting on her Web site said. No cause of death was given. "She will be mourned by thousands of Internet friends and hundreds of descendants and other relatives."Born in the remote mining town of Broken Hill in 1899, Riley blogged regularly in the last year of her life about growing up in the Outback, raising three children and working as a farm cook and bartender earlier in her life.

ACTUAL NEWSPAPER HEADLINES 2007

Are you ready for another good laugh this morning!!

If this one doesn't make you smile something is wrong with you.

Man Kills Self Before

Shooting Wife

and Daughter

This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible!!! They put in a correction the next day. nih


Something Went Wrong

in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No, really?


Police Begin Campaign

to Run Down

Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!


Miners Refuse

to Work after

Death

No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!


Juvenile Court

to Try

Shooting Defendant
See if that works any better than a fair trial!

War Dims

Hope for Peace

I can see where it might have that effect!


If Strike Isn't

Settled Quickly,

It may Last

Awhile
Ya think?!

Cold Wave Linked

to Temperatures
Who would have thought!

Enfeld (London) Couple

Slain;

Police Suspect

Homicide
They may be on to something!

Red Tape

Holds up New

Bridges

You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?!
Oklahoma's construction program!

Man Struck By

Lightning:

Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge

New Study of Obesity

Looks for Larger Test

Group
Weren't they fat enough?!

Astronaut Takes

Blame for Gas

in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!

Kids Make

Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?

Local High School

Dropouts

Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

Hospitals are Sued

by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips

Through Cemetery;

Hundreds

Dead
Did I read that right?

We all need a good laugh, at least once a day!

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:

but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Provebs 17:22

GRANDCHILDREN

I just received this in an e-mail this morning and it was too good not to share.

Enjoy - Smile - Laugh

She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, 'But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!'

My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, '62.' He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, 'Did you start at 1?'

After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, 'Who was THAT?'

A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: 'We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods.' The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, 'I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!'

My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, 'Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?' I mentally polished my halo while I asked, 'No, how are we alike?' 'You're both old,' he replied.

A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word X-AntiVirus: checked by AntiVir MailGuard (Version: 8.0.0.18; AVE: 8.1.0.35; VDF: 7.0.3.224) processor. She told him she was writing a story. 'What's it about?' he asked. 'I don't know,' she replied. 'I can't read.'

I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it as. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, 'Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!'

When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, 'It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights.'

A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, 'Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today.' The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. 'That's interesting,' she said, 'how do you make babies?' 'It's simple, ' replied the girl. 'You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'.'

Children's Logic: 'Give me a sentence about a public servant,' said a teacher. The small boy wrote: 'The fireman came down the ladder pregnant.' The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. 'Don't you know what pregnant means?' she asked. 'Sure,' said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child.'

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. 'They use him to keep crowds back,' said one child. 'No,' said another, 'he's just for good luck.' A third child brought the argument to a close. 'They use the dogs,' she said firmly, 'to find the fire hydrants.

SHOW & TELL #20 - Mother's Day Card

It's Friday again which means Show & Tell time at Kelli's. Be sure and go here and learn all about it. Select something to Show & Tell about, post your name on Mr. Linky and then enjoy the fun of seeing what other really neat things people are showing.

What I am showing today is something that truly touched my heart. It is a Mother's Day Card that my grandson, Aric, made for me at school. This card is so very precious to me.

Here is the front of the card. I just LOVE the adjectives he chose for me: nice - quiet - peaceful (he misspelled it!) - sweet - old - gives kisses - gives hugs.

When I was reading it and came to "old" he said "I'm sorry grandma!". I said, "Nothing to be sorry about, Aric, I am old!".


This is the inside of the card.

This is the back of the card and he was sure to point out to me to turn the card over and see the back as he was describing to me it was a cloud raining hearts.

Every grandmother out there, and even you younger mother's, have to know how very touched I was that he thought of me for this card.

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP

As I read the comments yesterday, on my post about celebrating our 50th Anniversary YEAR, I began reflecting on what a wonderful relationship Mickey & I have and how it was something that didn't just "happen" when we became husband & wife.

Mickey & I truly are enjoying the "fruits of our labor" that we have worked hard to develop. We have been through a lot of "stuff" during these 50 years. As I've shared often before, after 25 years our marriage suffered the worst blow any marriage can suffer. We were VERY tempted to just give up, "throw in the towel" and QUIT. BUT, we didn't!!!!! As good as the first 25 years were, and they truly over all were, these last 25 have been so much more.

As I was thinking on this yesterday I was thinking about, and relating it to, our relationship with God. Just as in marriage, or any other relationship, it must be developed, worked on, change and grow for it to truly be all God wants and intends for it to become. That we don't just accept and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and suddenly have this deep, abiding, loving, mature relationship with God. We have to truly "get to know Him" better, to understand Him more completely and to be conformed to Him plans.

Lo and behold, last night when we went to Church the Pastors message was DEVELOPING A HEART FOR GOD!!! It was right along the lines that had been flowing through my mind all day. Pastor broke it down into 3 parts and I am going to share the 3 parts with you. The headings are from my Pastor, but the comments are my own thoughts.

1. An Open Heart - Getting rid of our pre-conceived ideas!!! Boy, now that's a big one in both marriage and our relationship to God. We don't just "live happily ever after" because we have become husband and wife. I know I spent a great deal of my life casting off "myths" that I had been taught. I got where I actually would say to myself, "Well, there goes another false myth!" as my eyes have been opened as it related to both my marriage and my knowledge of God. . We also don't automatically become one with God in body, spirit and soul, just because we've accepted Jesus as Savior. We have to be willing to learn the likes and dislikes, the moods, the good points and bad points of our spouse. We have to learn to know what God is really like by spending time in His Word. Learning that He is a loving God, a God of mercy and grace, but he is also a God of justice.

Just as we learn to love our spouse more deeply, as we go through both the good and the bad times together, we learn to know and understand God better, through both the good and the bad times. Yes, there are good and bad times in both our relationship with our spouse and our relationship with God. As we handle each situation, good or bad, we develop that "history" with one another that sustains us in future situations. Just as I've learned I can count on and depend on Mickey I have learned I can count and depend on God because I have the history and knowledge of past occasions.

2. A Transparent Heart - We must be real. We must be willing to share our greatest joys, and our greatest fears. We must be an open book to one another in marriage. In our relationship with God it is more about letting Him reveal our true heart, and selves, to ourselves. We are so good at deceiving our selves and refusing to look into those areas of thinking, conduct, and actions that we don't want to face. If we seek God with an open, willing heart He will go deep into our darkest parts and reveal them to us. We must desire and seek to be transparent.

3. A Broken Heart - We must be willing to confess when we have been wrong both to our spouse and to God. I have to add here also to ourselves. We must want the best for both our spouse and for God. We must get to the point where we are not willing to settle for anything but giving our best. We must be broken to know God's heart toward the lost of this world. To develop a real concern and passion that ALL come to know Him and the joy and satisfaction that we enjoy. To care about the needs and hurts of others.

The Church is called The Bride of Christ. We are called to be a pure and spotless Bride. We are being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. For those of us who are married we have the perfect training ground for this in our marriage.

I wish for all of you to be blessed with the happy, secure, growing relationship in marriage that I enjoy in mine. I thank God daily for mine and I do not take it for granted.

More than the above, I wish for all of you to have and develop the happy, secure, growing relationship with your Lord & Savior that He intends. May we all strive and work to develop this most important of all relationship . May we truly KNOW HIM and love Him with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves .

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:37-39

PHANTOM of the OPERA

This is the 3rd installment of our Celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary which will occur October 4th.

We decided earlier that instead of doing one bang up party we would spend this year doing some wonderful things because it is a year to celebrate. In April we took a 9 day trip to Norfolk, Virginia to attend the Scottish Tattoo and visit family. In May we took a 2 day trip to Kansas City to visit the International House of Prayer. Last night, July 8th was our 3rd special event of this special year.

Mickey has always loved the music of this show and we play the CD often. Several weeks ago I, unbeknown to him, bought two tickets to attend it and surprised him with them.

We began our wonderful evening with a lovely meal at a Mexican Restaurant.

Then it was off to Tulsa's Performing Arts Theater to see this wonderful musical.

It was a packed house, and it was a Tuesday!!!!

The entire production was WONDERFUL. The voices magnificent, the costumes, set designs, sound effects and orchestra all could not have been better.

What a wonderful 3rd segment of our celebrating we enjoyed last night.

Here are our ticket stubs. We have such great seats. Absolutely dead center and about 1/2 way up on the main floor. If you haven't seen this production and get a chance to do so we would highly recommend it.

Wonder what the next segment of our celebrating will be??!!!!!!

THE BLOOD OF THE CHILDREN

One of my blog friends, Danny of The Bumbling Genius, has just written one of the most poignant, moving posts I have read in a long time.

As we have just finished celebrating Independence Day and our Freedom I truly hope everyone who comes to read my post today will go read THE BLOOD OF THE CHILDREN this wonderful, thought provoking truth about the condition of our society and the horrific price our children are paying. Then pray for God to help us. You will be glad you did.

CELEBRATING THE 4th

NO PICTURES!!!!!!! Arggggg......I took the camera but it wasn't charged.......or well such is life and it certainly didn't mar a WONDERFUL time.


First, after our Wednesday night Church services we had a time of celebration. Ice cream and then a wonderful, BIG fireworks display. It was so lovely sitting out behind the church sharing this time of fun and fellowship with our body. Aric was with it and that was great.


The 4th was a lovely, lazy day. Our friends, Don & Barbara, called and wanted to know if we wanted to join them in going out for pizza for lunch. They drove out here to Coweta and we had a delightful lunch and visit with them. Nothing like dear special friends!!!


Speaking of friends.......we are being good friends and have been "dog sitting" with Baron, our friends Jack & Mary's dog for 13 days as they celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary with a cruise to Alaska.


We did not have our family 4th celebration until 7 last night because our daughter, Jacque, had to work. Walgreens pharmacy never closes!!!!


Anyway, our daughter, Suzette, hosted the event and it was grand. All 12 of us were present and everyone accounted for except our 22 year old granddaughter, Jessica, who had to work!! People like to eat out on the 4th so no day off for her and she was on the late shift.

Son-in-love, Dave, smoked 2 pork loin and it was melt in your mouth good. Suzette then fixed baked beans, potato salad, sliced cantaloupe. I brought deviled eggs. Jacque & Benny brought orange jello with carrots salad and banana pudding. Marc brought soda pop and Oksana fixed the Simple as Pie dessert for us.

Delicious meal and such a nice time just sitting outside in their lovely patio and visiting. After it got dark we could see fireworks going off all around us. We actually stayed until 10:15.......late for Mickey and I. Even the 40 minute drive home was enjoyable because fireworks were going off the entire drive home.


We love our family!!!!! We are so thankful to have all 4 of our children right here in the Tulsa area and get to celebrate all these special times together. Next will be Marc's birthday on August 2nd!!!!

GENERATION OF VALOR

This picture is worth 100 Million Words

We truly take a lot for granted.

Forget the football "heroes" and movie "stars"...

This is the price of freedom!

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,

Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.

One died for your soul

The other died for your freedom.

May we remember as we celebrate the 4th of July.

Thank you and a VERY busy week

First, a BIG thank you for all your prayers and thoughtful comments.

As always, what Satan meant for harm our wonderful God & Savior has, and is, turning into good.

As many of you who have dealt with divorce and all the ramifications, especially to the children, know there are things and issues that raise their ugly head that must be addressed. They have been, and are being, and the ones involved are on the road to recovery and solutions.

*************************************************************************

Last week was a very busy week. We had Aric for the week and he attended our Vacation Bible School on Monday through Thursday from 9-noon.

He loved it and learned so much. He memorized all his Bible verses and knew all the various day's Bible lessons.

Here is a picture I took the first day of he and grandpa just before they entered the church on Monday morning.

The Vacation Bible School program was on Thursday night and Marc, his dad, and Oksana, his sister joined us for the program and then a carnival and eats they had afterward. I took my camera ...... and can you believe, we were having such a good time I forgot to take a picture one. Oh well, we have the memories!!!

Yesterday both Aric and Oksana came out and spent the day with us.

Oksana and I were watching TV and they gave a recipe that looked really good. I had all the ingredients so Oksana made it

Here is the cook, Oksana, taking the As Simple As Pie - Pie out of the oven,

Here is the recipe. It has only 4 ingredients and is really simple.

As Simple As Pie - Pie

1 Can - Cherry pie filling

1 Can - Crushed Pineapple

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1 Stick Butter

Mix the cherry pie filling and the crushed pineapple in the bottom of the cake pan.

Sprinkle the yellow cake mix over and on top of the fruit mixture.

Cut the stick of butter in chunks and cover the top of the cake mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Yummy!!!!! And soooo easy.