HELLO Monday!

 

 It's Monday and time for some hello's this new week............

HELLO Formidible Women.....by now I'm sure most of you know that this is the "birthday group" that I belong to.  We take 3 outings a year to celebrate our birthdays.  This past Thursday we took off for LeCompte, La.  It's a small town about 120 miles from here and they were having a flower show Thursday afternoon that we attended.

Before going to the flower show we made a couple of stops and had a delicious lunch.  There is never a dull moment when we are all together and Thursday's trip was another for our "book of memories."

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HELLO fun day........this past Saturday we met our daughter, SIL and Clancy man in Shreveport for the day.  Our SIL was working the Food Safety Booth for the USDA (his employer) at the state fair and while he worked we played. ~smile~  Bridget and I went to the outlet mall and Poppa took Clancy to Bass Pro Shop that adjoins the mall.

  Later we went over to the state fair and checked out some of the exhibits.  It was the first time Hubby or I had ever been to our state fair.  You might say we are just not "fair people."  We have probably only been to our local fair a couple of times and that was when the kids were young.  

Saturday was such a gorgeous day and that made our time together that much more enjoyable.  We're just so thrilled that our daughter and family now live close enough that we can meet up with them in just a matter of a couple of hours.  

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HELLO new house progress......the brick work continued this week and some of the stucco work was completed.  The stucco guys make me a nervous wreck the way they appear to be so sure footed up on the roof and put ladders up on scaffolding and go up and down like monkeys.  Tommy reminds me that they do this every day and I am quick to remind him that accidents still happen regardless.  The big photo above shows one of the finished eaves.  The sheet rock was finished last week and the sheet rock finishing will begin later this week.  It all continues to come together.

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HELLO 85th birthday.......to my Daddy.  His birthday was yesterday and for the very special occasion I placed flowers in the church honoring him.  He attended worship yesterday and they recognized him and many came to him following the service to wish him a good day.  I'm pretty sure he felt very special and we are grateful he is doing so well.  If a miracle would restore his vision he would really be doing well, but he does the best he can with what he has left. 

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HELLO my cousin, Lisa........who is in ICU at a hospital in Norfolk, VA. where she is recovering from brain surgery.  On Wed. of last week she suffered a brain aneurysm behind her left eye. She endured a 9 hour surgery on Thursday.  The Drs. are very optimistic regarding her recovery but she is still very critical at this time and I ask that you please add her to your prayers.  She is a vivacious, wonderful Christian gal and we want her to have a full recovery.  She is 57 years old.  This is just a reminder that we never know from one day to the next how drastically our lives can change.  She went to work just like every other day on Wed. and that afternoon her life was at stake.

NOTE! In my Friday letter post I mentioned something about Simply Jane and getting all the British shows from this site.  Well, it should have been www.SimplyJune.com, not Simply Jane.  I'm so sorry for this confusion!!!

Wishing you a wonderful new week!!!

Friday Letters

Dear Nov. 4th election.....the voters spoke up and sent a message, "we are tired of the way our country is going."  Now, if we can just finish things off in the Dec. election.
Dear Political Recorded Calls.....please, please do NOT call our house.  It aggravates me and certainly do NOT make me want to cast my vote your way.  Thanks in advance!
Dear Megyn Kelly.....It appears that you have hair extensions and they are not at all attractive on you.  You are way to attractive to be fooling around with your hair.  Let well enough alone!~just my opinion~

Dear Sirrus and Pandora.....I admit, I am so spoiled to you and would have a huge adjustment if I ever have to go back to listening to regular radio.

Dear SimplyJane.com.....thank you so much for posting all the British shows as soon as they hit the airways.  I'm enjoying Downton Abbey right now and if not for you, I'd have to wait until January to see Season 5.  It is great entertainment for me while I'm walking on my treadmill each morning.

Dear New House.....so many things going on and it's all so exciting and you are looking more and more like a house everyday.

Dear Cervical Injection.....once again you have provided relief for my neck, shoulder and arm pain.  I just hope you last for a lot longer than the past ones.

Dear Daylight Savings Time....oh, my goodness, this "falling back" has my internal clock so messed up and I'm ready for bed by 6:30PM and ready to "rise and shine" at 4:30AM.  I will adjust to you, it just takes a few days.

Dear Apple.....you really do, in my estimation, have the best tech support of any company around.  And, I was so glad that a simple reset of our gadgets was all it took to get them over the struggles your last update caused them. ~frustrating~

Dear Baby Girl......we look so forward to welcoming you to our family and can't wait to see if you have beautiful red hair like your Mommy.~hope, hope~
Dear God......I know so many that are facing either life threatening or life altering illness and so many that have lost loved ones very suddenly in recent days.  I pray your peace and comfort will surround them as never before in these difficult days.  And, Lord, may I never take life and good health for granted.
Dear Peppermint Bark......you are one of  the many reasons I love the holiday season.  Chocolate and peppermint - does it get any better?  I think not!!
Dear LSU Tigers.....while truly it is just a game, it would be so great if you guys beat Alabama on Saturday night. ~Geaux Tigers~
Dear Heated Mattress Pad.....you make going to bed on these cooler nights such a cozy feeling.  Nothing like crawling into a warm bed and you are so much better than an electric blanket.  
Dear Current House.....I pray daily that a buyer will come along once you are for sale that will love you as much as we have loved you these past 33 years.  I hope you bring as much happiness to the next owners as you have to us.

HELLO Monday!!

The Monday's just keep sailing by don't they?  But, I've always loved Monday since it's the beginning of a brand new week and new opportunities and responsibilities always lay ahead.  And, heck, it's just good to be alive another Monday!  Now, on to some HELLO's..........

HELLO to the continuing process....... the "going through and packing" process continues here at the Culp house.  I bet you look at the above pictures and are so thankful that it is NOT you. ~chuckle~  I started on the walk out attics this past weekend and got almost one whole side done.  The plastic containers hold all my seasonal decor and it's all nicely labeled with the contents and I will have a fabulous storage room with shelving made especially for them inside the house.  Can I just tell you that I am as excited about my two storage rooms as I am anything in the house.  It will be the most convenient storage anyone could ask for.  One will be nothing but adjustable shelving and the other will be filled with cabinets.  AND, if it all doesn't fit in them, then it will not be staying. ~no joke!~  

I am so glad that we have two large landing areas at the top of the stairs in this house and that is where I am putting all the boxes and such as I pack it.  I imagine it will be full to overflowing by the time the move takes place, but at least it's upstairs. ~outta sight, outta mind~  It allows our downstairs living area to remain very livable.

In the going through process I came across the kids Senior pictures, baptisimal cross stitched certificates  and such stuff as this.  Goodness, while there is sentimental attachment, none of these have hung in our house for years and never will again.  So, I unframed all of this type thing, keeping the items that were in the frames but will be selling the custom frames at the appointed time. It is a very BIG job for sure but I feel good every time I get a little more done.
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 HELLO brick laying........yes, last Friday, Carl and his trusty crew began laying the brick on the house.  They came on Thursday to set up for the process.  It seems that for so many projects, the setting up is a HUGE part of the process and this was no exception.  But, once they started it was so interesting to watch them and the rhythm with which they work.  And, as with the sheet rock, this job is NOT for sissies.  It is hard work!  But, Carl and his crew certainly do seem to enjoy what they do and we are more than pleased with the way it is looking thus far.  We decided to go with a flush joint.  It's one of those things that I have never paid any attention to when I see houses but when it came time to decide what type of brick joint we wanted, I became more observant.  And, Hubby and I like the flush joint best.
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HELLO changes......this has been mine and Hubby's church for the past 40 years. When we joined the church around 1974 it was thriving!  The new contemporary way of worship was just beginning to invade worship but had not found its way into church worship.  Christian artist were  up and coming and the new contemporary Christian music was budding.  But, at our church it was as traditional as traditional as could be and I imagine that was the case with most all evangelical churches.  Our pastor and Music Minister (now known as worship leaders) were donned in suit and tie as were most all men and we ladies were in our hose and dress. I'm sure you are getting my "drift."  My, how things have changed!  And, I do know that I am really dating myself with these comments but I imagine I will always struggle to fully embrace contemporary worship.  My roots just go too deep in traditionalism.  Is there anything wrong with contemporary/modern worship? Absolutely not, it is just a matter of preference.  And, as all the proponents of contemporary worship have said, "the message has not changed, just a new way of sharing it."  I guess I sometimes  feel like the church of today feels as though they must put on a type of "dog and pony show" to attract the people through it's doors.  And, I suppose if it brings folks to the Lord, then it certainly can't be all bad. 

  Our church is currently without a pastor.  Our pastor of the past 12 years, left for another pastorate 2 weeks ago.  Our first Sunday without him we transitioned to two worship services. One is a blended worship(8:45AM) and one is a modern worship service (11:15AM).

 Just an added note here:  Due to major economic set backs in our small town our church has suffered greatly in recent years as many folks have moved from our fair city and it has left a definite void in our church membership.  We have done things to try and attract folks to our church and going to two worship services is another way of hopefully reaching younger folks in our community.  We are now mainly an older aged congregation and we desperately need young folks if we are to survive. 

It remains to be seen at this time if the two services will accomplish what they were created to do.  I'm hopeful we will see positive results from them.   I miss all of us not worshiping together and since we are not a big congregation to begin with, each service is fairly small right now. Hubby and I attended the modern worship last week and the blended yesterday.  Not only do we prefer the blended style of worship we love the earlier time. 

I love many of the contemporary Christian songs of today (The Message on Sirrus radio is one of my most favorite stations) but they will never replace the hymns. And, many of the younger generation has no real appreciation for choir. Choirs have been replaced in many churches by Praise and Worship Teams.  I am truly sorry that the younger generation of today will not have the appreciation of the hymns that we have.  I'm also sorry that we have become so relaxed in the way we dress for church. I know, I know, most folks think dress has nothing to do with worship.  But, I'm of the opinion that our neatness in appearance  prepares our attitude for worship. But, I am probably in the extreme minority in my way of thinking but I still like to put on my Sunday best to head to church. ~a great big chuckle~ I try very hard to adapt and try to have an open mind but I suppose it will likely always be a struggle for this very traditional gal!  I can't help but wonder what the Lord thinks about all these changes in our worship to HIM.  I wish that Sundays were days that folks automatically got up, attended church and just enjoyed worship, whether traditional, blended, contemporary, or modern style.  But, since they don't, our churches are reaching out in the way they deem necessary to get folks through the door.  And, that's not a bad thing because it's all about bringing the lost to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
If you stuck with me through this last HELLO, thank you.  These are just my thoughts and personal convictions and I don't think there is a right or wrong way of worship as long as the Lord is glorified and lives are changed. And, sorry if I rambled a bit, I had so many thoughts coming at me that I may have not made good sense in some of it. ~big laugh~
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Happy new week!

Friday Fragments

It's been one of those weeks with just enough busyness and that's a rarity.  It's generally too much going on or perhaps not quite enough.  Love it when it works out to be a perfect balance of busyness. Now for some fragments from this balanced out week.

Tuesday of this week I attended my first ever District Garden Club meeting. It was a lovely event and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  There were probably about 85 women from across our state and a most fun group of women.

Four of us attended from our club.  The host club did an excellent job with the decorations and the meal.  They made us feel very special indeed.

The keynote speaker was a designer from South Louisiana and was a Master Flower Show Judge and after seeing her design work it was obvious as to why she had this designation.  She had about 10 of her designs on display and they were just gorgeous.  There was a design for anyone's taste for sure.  In my "next life" I want to be creative like that. ~big laugh~
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Yesterday was "elderly day" at Clancy's school so this is his look for the day.  He had his shirt half tucked in and his walking stick.  Bridget said he told her he wanted to wear tennis shoes with his jeans because that's what his Poppa always did.  So, guess in his little mind his Poppa is elderly because he wears tennis shoes with his jeans.  How funny is that.......Tommy got a kick out of it.
(sorry for the somewhat blurry picture, Bridget snapped it with her phone in a hurry)
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These guys have worked hard the past 8-10 days hanging sheet rock in the new house.  I never knew what a hard, hard job that was until now.  Sheet rock is HEAVY and I truly do not know how their shoulders and arms hold up when they are putting it on the ceiling.  But, they definitely knew what they were doing.  And, in case you don't know, hanging sheet rock makes the biggest mess!  It drives

me bonkers, but, no one ever said that building a house would not create a mess at times. ~laugh~  
I met with a professional closet organizer on Wednesday and she is designing our Master Bedroom closets.  It made me happy, happy to hear about all the various shelving, rods, drawers and such that are available to maximize every square inch of a closet.  She is working with our cabinet designer on the cabinetry for the closets.  For an organizational enthusiast such as myself, this is TOPS!
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I could NOT resist getting this precious fall romper for our "yet to be named" baby girl for next fall.  I stopped by a shop this past Tuesday that had all their fall clothing 40% off and not only did I get this romper, but I got big sister, Hanna Beth, the matching dress.  I don't imagine that their Momma will get by dressing them alike for any length of time due to Hanna Beth's age, but I'm hoping she will think it is special next fall to dress like baby sister.  I love Chevron print and I love pumpkins, so this was a no brainer and being on sale was "icing on the cake."  

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Happy weekend y'all!!!!

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday and that means more questions from Joyce.  And, today's is on one of my favorite subjects - birds. 

1. My hubs spent last weekend pheasant hunting. Are there hunters in your family? If so, what do they hunt? Which of the following have you tasted-pheasant, rabbit, venison, duck, goose? Which of those would you most like to taste, or be most willing to taste?
Vegetarians keep calm and Hodgepodge on.

Oh, my goodness, yes, Hubby is a big time deer hunter and has been for about 55 years.  Deer gun season opened this past Saturday and it was the first time in Tommy's history of hunting that he has not gone the first day.  The past few years his interest has lessened somewhat and this year he's sort of distracted by the new house.  But, he has some gorgeous trophy's from his years of hunting and thankfully he has an office to hang and display those in.  I am not a fan of wildlife in one's home, but that's just a personal preference.  I have eaten venison and duck but am not a fan of either.  Ground deer does make some really good chili though and it's much healthier than beef for sure.

2. What high spot have you visited that gave you a wonderful 'bird's eye view' of something below?
On one of my trips to NYC we went up to The Top of the Rock in mid-town Manhatten.  Talk about a bird's eye view - breathe taking for sure!

3.  Do you have any birds in your home? These could be either real live pets or decorative, as in bird prints, knickknacks, fabric or pottery.

I do not have any of the live kind, but every other mentioned, I have.  I love bird decor!  I have some beautiful Andrea birds, I have some of the fat pottery type birds and a couple of beautiful bird prints.  Birds will definitely find a spot in our new house.

4. Tell about a time you 'killed two birds with one stone'?
I guess that's sort of what I'm doing now as I begin the packing process and while I pack I'm going through things and getting rid of things.  It's a most fulfilling process.

5. Your favorite song with a bird in it's title?
I have always loved Snow Bird by Ann Murry.  In fact, there wasn't a song by Ann that I didn't like and still do.

6. What most recently gave you goose bumps?
Well, this is pretty silly but watching Mark and Sadie do the Rumba last week on DWTS.  It was perfectly beautiful and done with such style and grace.  We are so proud of our North Louisiana sweetheart.  I do believe she and Mark are headed straight to the top.

7. Halloween is this Friday...any plans? Did you trick or treat as a child? Carve pumpkins? Share your most memorable costume.
No plans as of yet and probably won't have any.  I did trick or treat as a child and it was all fun in those days and the neighbors always made homemade treats for us and there was never any worry with us bringing it home and eating it.  We did carve pumpkins but never had any that would have won a prize for sure.  But, we sure did have fun trying.  I cannot even remember any costume so guess none were all that memorable. ~sigh~

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
Are your mailboxes as full as mine with all the Christmas catalogs?  I think I started getting them in early Sept. and probably have thrown 90% of them straight into the trash.  First, I've pretty much finished my Christmas shopping now and I will generally just find the item I'm looking for on the internet rather than browsing through catalogs.  I have found myself browsing through home decor catalogs lately and that's pretty much the only catalogs that make the cut here.  I know these catalogs cannot be cheap to print and it makes me feel a little bad that I just chunk them before ever even opening them but, it's just the way it is. 
~so much for my random thought~
 

HELLO Monday!!

Linking up with Lisa Leonard for some "Hello Mondays." Just a word about Lisa.........if you have never dropped by Lisa's blog then I urge you to click on the link and visit her.  She's an awesome Christian gal with so much talent and creates the most gorgeous jewelry.  She is Mom to a special needs son that she shares about with such devotion.  Now, on to some hello's this morning.

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HELLO new house progress....Lots and lots is going on with the new house.  Last week they finished the insulation, started hanging sheet rock and the bricks were delivered.  Of course, with the bricks all bundled up you can't really tell at all what they are going to look like.  But, they will start laying them in the next week or so and then you will be able to tell what they will look like. This morning they are starting on the stucco and continuing with the sheet rock. It is "all hands on deck" and it is truly taking shape!

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HELLO packing, getting rid of and going through process.......I began this process last week and what a job!  I am using an area in our upstairs to put the boxes I pack so as to keep the rest of the house looking neat and tidy.  The problem with that is I have to carry every box that I pack downstairs up the steep stairs. I must have carried 15+ boxes up there on Saturday and can I just tell you that I was tired.  The boxes I pack upstairs are just moved to the area where they are being stacked and no stairs are involved.  I'm trying to make wise decisions in what I am keeping.  I really had a hard time when I was packing up my China and crystal.  The last time I used it was 7 years ago and before that, I couldn't tell you.  My kids do not want it so I'd probably be just as well off if I sold it when we have an estate sale after our move.  But, I did pack it up very carefully and for now, it's making the move.  And, because I'm doing my own packing I can't use very big boxes because of the lifting.  So, as our daughter said, we'll probably have 600 boxes in the end and it could have been half that many if I had been able to use bigger boxes.  But, I want to pack myself because no one else would be able to decide for me if it goes in the "keep, get rid of or sell" pile.  I'm just thankful that I have anywhere from 4 - 6 months to do this.

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HELLO frozen Greek yogurt......when I find something that is good I always try to share it with you.  I came across this the other day and can I just tell you that it is delicious!  It is another low calorie nighttime treat.  It comes in a couple of flavors but I always gravitate towards blueberry.  I let it sit about 15 minutes before I eat it and it is in a softer, creamy state and oh, so good!

Here's wishing you a beautiful new week!

Friday Letters

I haven't written any letters in quite some time so felt the need to do so.  A little letter writing always does the mind good.

Dear 2014 - where have you gone?  Wasn't January 1st just the other day?  And, is it true that the older we get the faster time goes? I sure hope not!

Dear Jane.com - why did I even have to find out about you.  You are even better than Zulily and you tempt me more than I need to be tempted with all your super discounted prices.

Dear Internet - you make Christmas shopping so insanely easy that now the most difficult part of Christmas shopping is the wrapping of the gifts.  Some folks say that they have to "touch and feel" before they buy, well, not me.  I'm good with just seeing it and I would say that 90% of the time I'm happy as a clam with what I ordered.  And, it's so great when the kids just email you the link for the item(s) they want and then you do not have to wonder if you are getting the right size, color, etc.

Dear DWTS - I do not watch your show but this season I have been recording it so I can keep up with Sadie. She is like a breath of fresh air and I am hoping she takes it all the way to the finish line. I fast forward through everyone except Sadie but have seen enough that I'm thinking your show should  probably be rated "R" except for Sadie's dances. ~nuff said~

Dear Cervical Injection - I'm going to get one more of you this next Thursday and am really hoping that you "do the trick" this time. The first two "did the trick" for about 6-8 weeks and then the pain returned, not as severely, but still a huge aggravation to me.  So, my Dr. (a Neurologist) says that he wants me to try one more. If it doesn't work then he will go in and remove the bone spur and that will take care of the issue.  I'm just so thankful for a Dr. that is willing to do the least invasive surgery should it come to that.  I had seen another Dr. (Orthopedist) and he said I needed to have the disc removed.  No, I don't think so, the Neurologist says that removal of the bone spur is all that is needed.  And, I, personally, would NEVER let anyone one but a Neurologist do any surgery on my neck. ~just sayin'~   It's amazing to me how many folks just take the word of Drs. as the gospel and never get a second opinion or see a specialist.

Dear Hallmark App - can't believe I didn't know about you until a couple of months ago.  I so enjoyed watching both seasons of Cedar Cove in the mornings while I walked on the treadmill. Now, I'm enjoying some of your movies.  You rate right up there with Netflix except for your bothersome ads.  But, since you are free, guess that explains the reason for the ads. Ugh!

Dear New House - a friend stopped by to take a tour of you the other day and her comment to me afterwards was, "this is one of the most livable houses I've ever seen."  I'm not sure she realizes what a compliment that was to me, and, you are only half way finished! Bet she will really think you are livable when she sees the finished product.  ~exciting times~

Dear Voters - election time is just around the corner and it is of utmost important that we all go and vote!  We are at a most critical time in our country and I hope you will give much prayer and thought to those that you vote to put into office to make decisions on your behalf.  This is serious business!!

Dear Care Zone Meds App - you rate right up there with the best apps available.  It is so nice to have my medications scanned in and if I ever need to refer to them, they are on my phone.  No more having to remember what I take, how much I take or when I need to have it refilled.  I enjoy it and I'm only on two medications so I know if folks are on lots of medication they would really, really like you. And, you have lots of other features that make you very worthwhile, such as a place for other members of the family's medications. 

Dear Readers of my Blog - please know that I am more than appreciative of your sweet comments about my blog. Hardly a week goes by that some random person doesn't stop me to tell me how much she enjoys my blog.  I'm often so surprised at the various ones that stop by my blog and it's like icing on the cake for me.  I blog for myself and if others enjoy it, then that's all the better.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!!!