logic?

 

I was recently visiting a friend (yes, I have one), and she asked about my headcovering habit. I mentioned 1 Corinthians 11 as being the “proof text” and she promptly opened up her giant KJV coffee table Bible and started right in. Good for her!

I don’t know if she was trying to change my mind or just explaining her views, but she exegeted the first couple of verses (3-5), saying that if a man “covers” Christ and tries to go to the Father without going through Jesus, he dishonours Jesus. OK, I’ll buy that. So, she continued, if you take that and apply it the same way to the next verse, if a woman doesn’t “cover” her head/husband and go to Christ herself, she dishonours her head. She stopped there and “clapped to” the book, as Howard Pyle used to say.

So, it makes sense. It would “dis-honour” (give the wrong honour to) Bob if I had to filter my prayers through him. I don’t know if I’d ever heard it put that way, but it resonates as a spiritual truth, and we left the conversation there.

However, even though my friend acknowledges that the covering is a separate item from the hair, she’s apparently happy to think of it as a purely spiritual/attitude “item.” I get it, I think. A lot of people sing “Standing on the Promises” while sitting, after all.

But…

There in the second half of 1 Corinthians 11 is the discourse on communion. A physical item is presented as a symbol of spiritual truth.

The point of communion is that without Jesus’ sacrifice we are separated from God; that His spirit fills us, and that we participate in His death and His holiness by “consuming” His “flesh and blood.” We don’t eat it because we are hungry. It’s a symbol. But I’m willing to bet that my friend participates in the physical symbol of communion, as well as the spiritual side of it.

So, what am I saying? In this single chapter, we are presented with two spiritual truths represented by physical symbols. Wouldn’t logic compel us to treat both in the same manner? Maybe it’s my brain type, but I don’t see the difference. I once heard a sermon – I think it was Alistair Begg – on the headcovering. He went through the chapter verse by verse, proving that the covering was a physical thing separate from the hair, and that it was certainly a Christian practice (not a Jewish or Corinthian one). All the way through I was silently cheering at his plain factual way of dealing with it, until the very end, where he asked if the women of his congregation ought to do this, and answered “of course not – it has no cultural significance today.” What?! Does eating a stale cracker and drinking a thimbleful of lukewarm grape juice have cultural significance? Or baptism, for that matter. No one outside of the Church would do any of these things, or understand why we do them. But that’s not why we do them! And again, where’s the consistency, when you pick some symbols to keep – not because of their scriptural or cultural significance, but because of your personal familiarity with it – and discard others?

Disclaimer: I don’t think headcovering is a salvation issue. For that matter (and I realize this wouldn’t fly with a great many churches), I don’t think communion or even baptism is – strictly speaking – a salvation issue (see the thief on the cross). Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus. Period. Obedience FOLLOWS (and sometimes precedes) salvation, but it doesn’t bring or cause it.

So, again, what’s the difference? The same Spirit, through the same author, says, “Let her be covered” and “take, eat.”

His Story

 

I was probably 16 years old when my Sunday School teacher once played a little game in class.

Each student was allocated a million dollars, and the teacher opened an imaginary auction. We were asked to bid on items like good looks, popularity, maybe even superpowers like x-ray vision or invisibility. I don’t remember exactly. But what I do remember is that I was willing to blow my whole budget on “being understood.”

Which leads me to believe that I’ve always felt myself to be misunderstood.

As an adult, I’ve done some learning and introspection, and come to the conclusion that I am autistic, which makes sense of the fact that I often misunderstand others, and they misunderstand me. Though, I have ironically found that those who have the most trouble understanding me are those who most vehemently deny that I could have autism.

All that to say that I have kept diaries or blogged or tried to write poetry over the years, in the hope that someone, somehow, someday, would “understand me.” And then I morphed into talking about my thoughts (with a few people), trying to explain my perspective. That often sounds like complaining, I’m ashamed to say.

Anywho, I’ve been reading the Betsy-Tacy books to R. Betsy once wrote some “trash” stories based on the dime-store paperbacks of a friend, and upon becoming ashamed of herself, she burnt the stories. Where I would have put them in a box to be read posthumously in order for someone to know where I’d been.

THEN, two weeks ago at church, Pastor talked about “locked doors” – places we don’t want God to clean out. Sort of the concept of holding on to our own ways in case we decide to revert to them. I didn’t take a lot of notes, and I didn’t write this right away, so I’m not able to fill in the blanks very well as to what was actually going through my head. But the grand conclusion of all this is…

I don’t need people to understand ME. I just need to point them to God!

Whether or not I did stupid stuff (I did), or suffered unjustly (maybe), or had long, convoluted thought processes (apparently!), none of that is what defines me. None of that is what is ultimately going to help other people. None of that is going to make me famous, or rich, or an “influencer.”

What defines me NOW, more than anything, is that God reaches down and touches my soul. Sometimes I respond appropriately and sometimes I don’t, but he never gives up on me, and so that is the best thing about me. And that is what I really want people to understand.

allergies

 Obviously no one is reading this, but it helps me remember things, so I'll write it down.

The allergy tests came back NEGATIVE for wheat and peanuts, and everything else except grass and weeds. I consulted with my allergist, and have been eating freely ever since! A good thing, too, as I never could get the sourdough to work like I did previously. I started shots again for the grass and weeds. SO, I might OUGHT to go gluten-free anyway, as I've been more tired and bloated and achy since then, but that may be because of the 20 pounds I gained once I started eating wheat, as much as because of the wheat itself. Either way, I'm trying to watch my calorie count now, and see what that does for me.

It's still a little weird to think about not being gluten-free anymore. But I'm getting used to it. Going out is much more fun this way.

Health and Worth

Yesterday I went to Tulsa with Bob and his mother, for the funeral of her Aunt. Aunt E was 92 years old; she had married at the age of 14, and was widowed 26 years ago. She had 8 children, 3 or 4 of whom preceded her in death. The living ones and many grand and great-grandchildren were in attendance. I met Aunt E once or twice, but didn’t know her. SO what’s the point? Well, based on what was said about her, and pictures of her, and my observations of her descendants, not many of her descendants followed her example in lifestyle/values choices. So I got to thinking about MY offspring, and wondered what my purpose was, if I was to have such a minimal impact in their lives, and other such gloomy and introspective thoughts.

At the graveside service (which lasted about 5 minutes), the preacher said in his prayer that we can be a good example, but people get to choose whether or not to follow that example. And I know and believe this to be true, and it cheered me up a little bit.

Then, on the way home, we stopped to have dinner with my grown daughter, T. And we talked about her growing relationship, and she mentioned moving to California for a while – and we all groaned – but then said that they want to do that sooner rather than later, because they don’t want to raise their children in California, and they DO want to homeschool, NOT in California. So it was a sort of side comment, and we didn’t address it further, but upon reflection I am SO happy to know that I/we have been an influence, and that all of our choices haven’t been dead ends as far as generational impact goes. And I’ve often said, and I think I believe it, that I don’t want people to do something simply because I do it, but I do want the fact that I do it to cause them to question why, and to realize that my choices were good choices, and then they can choose them, too – because it’s good, not because it was me. Of course, with my loved ones, I would like to think they’d want to please or imitate me because of me. But that isn’t the main reason; that’s the vain reason. :)

Today I went to my allergy doctor for a 6-month followup. Six months since I took my last allergy shot. I’ve had some sinus pressure and drainage since the trees started blooming, but not sneezing. So he thinks that’s related to the EOE/Gerd issues more than allergens. My latest endoscopy didn’t detect EOE, but I had been faithfully medicating before that, and it’s possible it was in remission due to the medication. So, he wants me to start back on that and see if it helps. We talked a little more, and he ordered a blood allergy test. That should show on paper how much good the shots have done, identify any remaining issues, AND clarify the wheat and peanut issues. He warned that false positives are common on food allergy tests, but there are no false negatives. Also, just because a person isn’t allergic to a thing doesn’t mean they can tolerate it. So, we’ll see. I hope the results aren’t too long in coming. It was five vials of blood! And thank God for insurance.

I’ve started making sourdough again. My first loaf was a little too sour, so I didn’t let the second sit so long. It’s just finished baking, so the results will be out in the morning.

 

News

 So, I'm no longer an active Pampered Chef consultant. I should probably remove the links from the review posts... 

I read some of my old posts and wondered why I stopped writing. It's so handy to be able to look back and see where I've been. And R is jealous of all the stuff I wrote about the older children. Haha. She never gave me a chance to write! But we're working on it.

Bob had surgery on his right shoulder the week before Thanksgiving, 2022. He had bursitis and bone spurs. In the weeks following, he had physical therapy, and did some work around the house. It was a nice balmy December and January, so he got quite a bit done.

In fact, he/we finished the remodel of the old garage, turning it into a master bedroom. 

Once upon a time we'd planned for that space to be my library. Then we just about gave up on getting it to a livable condition, and just before Covid we ordered a shed/portable building that we planned to finish out and make a library/school room/play room. Bob wired and insulated it; put up lights and drywall. I painted the interior and it was quite cozy. We measured and talked... The day I ordered the 12 bookcases, I had a moment of second-guessing. And next thing you know, Riah and Ced had moved into the library/schoolroom side of the shed! They put up a partition wall, and the other side became the dedicated playroom.

But then what? 

We moved the school into the dining room and closet (where Riah had been sleeping). And the garage decided to be the master, and our old master became the library.

The garage had rough, uneven concrete floor, and that had been our biggest hangup. After discussing several options, talking to professionals, and taking measurements, we decided to just have an uneven floor. lol. We put thick sheets of foam insulation down, then plywood decking, then vinyl plank floor. Yeah, I have shims under my bed to make it level. What can you do?

We replaced all the exterior walls, and divided the space into a bedroom, a closet, and a laundry room. I had hoped for an additional bathroom (2 bathrooms for 9 residents gets a little sketchy), but it wasn't feasible. We were able to make a passage from the bedroom to our existing bathroom, so it isn't bad.

Our previous bedroom was about 9 1/2 x 12 - not a rectangle shape - with a 2x3' closet. Our new room is about 15x15, with a 7x7' closet. I haven't got used to the wide open feel yet, and still change clothes in the bathroom. We moved in the night before Bob went back to work: mid January.

Since then we have assembled 11 of the bookshelves. (2 had broken parts, and 1 was missing the hardware, so we haven't got one together yet.  Bush Business Furniture sent one replacement part, but I only requested the others yesterday. Yeah, I'm a procrastinator.) And then we carted the books in from the building - by hand at first, and then 3 trips of the Honda Pilot. If we keep the three shelves in the living room, it will just be enough. EEK! I have some duplicates, and there are some I can probably do away with. Well, actually, I already pulled out 2 boxes full. But there will be more. In fact, I sat down at the computer just now to type up 2 recipes from a cookbook that I can pull out.

 

Too much to put in all the details. But I am so happy and loving my situation right now that I hardly know what to do with myself.

So, maybe I'll write now and then. Who knows?

Stone Bar Pan

 

The Stone Bar Pan is my favorite stone.

Top features:

It’s an inch deep, so you get good circulation for things like chicken nuggets, but they don’t slide off when transporting or flipping or stirring.

Biscuits brown nicely without burning, and no danger of the butter cooking out and dripping on my oven floor.

Perfect size and shape for sheet cake (or jelly roll).

Two of the pans fit side by side in a standard American oven, so you get more pizza in less time.

Like all stones, it improves the texture and consistency of the food baked on it, and will develop a non-stick surface over time.

Now, Pampered Chef has improved on a classic by making the stoneware safe for use under a broiler, and dishwasher safe! (Please refer to the use and care guide for details)

Rapid-Prep Mandoline

 

Being a YouTube sensation in harder than it looks. Sigh. I wanted to do videos of several of the products, but it hasn’t worked out that way so far. Anyway, The Pampered Chef has already created professional videos on most of the product pages, showing best techniques and features.

The Rapid-Prep Mandoline is one of the items with videos, so go check them out.

For myself, I have used my mandoline a few times now, and am really impressed. If I have a complaint, it’s that I’d prefer an even smaller slice option, and maybe a “waffle” cut. Not that I’d use that much. So why am I impressed? I’ve had 2 other mandoline slicers before, and enjoyed them immensely (especially at pickle-making time). But both of those, with their various features, leave a good chunk of waste at the end of the useful slicing abilities, especially if you use their included food holders. I got around this some by wearing cut-resistant gloves and pushing the food through up to my fingertips. Not exactly ideal.

BUT… the Rapid-Prep Mandoline managed to safely push through every last bit of carrot! I lifted the food pusher, ready to pull out the waste chunk, and there was nothing there! I was really excited.

In addition, 99% of the sliced food landed in the container, which snaps very cleverly to the legs of the mandoline, which have suction cups on them so it doesn’t go sliding around.

It’s really easy to use, very well designed, and safer and more efficient than any other mandoline that I’ve seen. Two enthusiastic (and intact) thumbs up.

Mix 'N' Chop

I first saw the Mix ‘N’ Chop at a party about 13 years ago, where the consultant used it to break up Italian sausage she was browning to make a copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscona. I was so impressed that I added one to my order on the spot.

So, yeah, I’ve had this tool – which comes with a five-year guarantee – for 13 years.

I use it about twice per week, whenever I cook ground beef (usually from frozen).

Reading the reviews on the official website, I see that people also use it to shred chicken, break up canned tomatoes, and to mix meatloaf!

Mine has dulled over the years, so I’m swapping it out for the new one that come in my Consultant Kit 

 

enrichables

 

If you watched my unboxing video, you saw a small green package called “Enrichables Pea Protein.” I didn’t really know what to say about it, as I’d never seen or heard of it before. So, if you are curious, as I was, read on!

It is a very fine powder, pale yellow/off white in color, with no discernible taste. 

 

What is the purpose? Why should anyone want to buy it?

Well, many people want to include more protein in their diet, for various reasons, and this is an easy and inexpensive way to do so. Each scoop of the powder has 2.5 grams of protein. Without adding flavor, texture, or strange additives, you can easily enrich your own loved recipes by simply stirring in a scoop or more of the Pea Protein.

It is non-GMO, vegan, and free from the major allergens.

I have successfully added Pea Protein to spaghetti sauce and chicken casserole. I would have added some to a smoothie, but I forgot. We seriously couldn’t taste it!

You can buy this one bag at a time, but once you use and love it, The Pampered Chef offers a subscription service on a monthly, 3-month, or 6-month plan which can be paused or canceled at any time. A really cool bonus feature of the subscription is that each month The Pampered Chef offers a list of items that can be purchased as an add-on, that will ship for free along with your Enrichables! Who doesn’t love free shipping?

In addition to the Pea Protein powder, we also offer a Super Veggie Enrichable, and a Kale & Fiber Enrichable. Bob is always looking for fiber, so I have purchased the Kale & Fiber packets, and will be subscribing. I made this recipe https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/smorrow1/recipe/Breakfast+%26+Brunch/Deluxe+Cooking+Blender/Green+Monster+Muffins/1606000 twice now, and the children are begging for more. The recipe could be adapted to other mixing methods, I’m sure.

In short, this product line has my hearty endorsement.

Who loves popcorn??

Do you love popcorn but hate paying $3 per bag for the stuff? Or the NOISE of a traditional hot air popper? Or the W A I T?

Let me introduce you to the Microwave Popcorn Maker from the Pampered Chef.

It’s made of collapsible silicone for easy storage.

The vented lid doubles as a measuring cup.

Add butter or oil if you want, and just “pop” it in the microwave ;)

Ovens vary, but it averages two minutes for a bowl full of fresh, hot, chemical-free popcorn

You can make multiple batches back-to-back with no worries of overheating, and when you are done, the whole thing goes into the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Personally, I’m regretting that shiny new hot air popper I bought on Black Friday. The Microwave Popcorn Maker is going to see a lot more use, and its smaller and easier to clean. The hot air popper left fewer kernels unpopped in our home test, but the benefits of the Microwave Popcorn Maker outweigh that by far.

Any comments or questions? Let me know, so we can learn together.

 

Smooth edge can opener

 

Who hasn’t struggled with a can opener?

There are so many styles: manual and electric, side cutters, top cutters; even people who use side cutters as if they were top cutters!

I’ll be honest; I had a Pampered Chef brand can opener before, but didn’t love it. It seemed to struggle with generic brands of cans. But they must have noticed, too, because it was redesigned several years ago.

Since I received my Smooth-Edge Can Opener with my Consultant Kit, I have used it exclusively. The other three can openers in my cabinet are quite neglected. I can say with confidence that it is the best can opener I’ve ever owned. My memory is faulty, but I’m pretty sure it’s the best I’ve ever tried.

Why?

The Smooth-Edge Can Opener can handle a variety of cans – even the pull-tab style! It is easy to operate (my daughter can manage it, and no other). It doesn’t leave a sharp edge on the lid OR the can. It doesn’t cut into the can, spilling liquids. It doesn’t tear the paper and make a mess in the food. It stays clean. It’s easy to grip, with a single handle rather than two parts that must be held together. It’s compact, fitting easily in a drawer or pocket. It comes with a 3-year warranty. Why buy a “cheap” can opener that leaves you struggling, frustrated, and shopping again? This beauty will do the job. Guaranteed.

The product page has a nice video demonstrating the best use, for those of us who need a little help.

Rockcrock

The Rockcrock Dutch Oven

I’m traditionally a stainless-steel-and-cast-iron kind of cook, but I didn’t sign up to be a Pampered Chef Independent Consultant because I like boring!

So, what makes the Rockcrock unique? It’s safe for the stovetop, broiler, oven, microwave, and grill. It’s also lighter than cast iron, and it’s fridge, freezer, and dishwasher safe.

 

Is easy cooking and cleanup enough to pull me away from the familiar? Well, I did give it a try, using one of the included 10 recipes. Actually, I modified the recipe a bit, using chicken instead of pork in the Mexican Pork Stew.

The first thing I noticed was that the chicken actually browned nicely. It developed a bit of buildup on the pan – sometimes referred to as “fond,” though Wikipedia says that isn’t quite right – much like my cast iron. I was proud of the browning, but worried about cleaning the buildup, as I didn’t want to scrub vigorously on the glazed surface.

 

The next step of the recipe was to add flour (except I used half as much cornstarch instead, to make the dish gluten-free), and slowly stir in broth. That buildup deglazed easily, making a beautiful fond, and easing my concerns regarding cleanup.

 

The recipe was delicious, and the pot cleaned up so easily that I didn’t even put it in the dishwasher; just wiped it with my dishcloth.

In conclusion, I’m glad that this piece was included in my Consultant Kit, and (while I won’t be tossing ALL my old cookware) I’m sure I will use it often. The size, shape, and versatility are just too convenient. It also looks mighty fine simmering on my stove.

 

It should be noted that the Rockcrock Dutch Oven comes with a 5 year guarantee for noncommercial use, and is eligible for host discounts for even greater value. Also, all opinions and experiences relayed are my own, and I’m not compensated for them.

 

Consultant kit

 If you ever wondered what it's like to get a whole lot of Pampered Chef product at once, here's my unboxing video:

https://youtu.be/AhRrD6bxln0

I quickly show everything  and make a brief comment about each item. I used my high-pitched voice, which I'm not sure I like, but at least it's not mumbly. :) Also, my script was on my laptop (printer connectivity issues), and the mic picked up the fan noise after a minute of recording. :/ It could be worse.

If you prefer to read a thing rather than watch a video, here's my script (I didn't follow exactly word-for-word):

This is the Ultimate Kit, which cost $279. There is also a Deluxe kit and a Starter Kit that are even cheaper. You can find those under “Be a Consultant” at pamperedchef.com/pws/smorrow1

I intend to do reviews of each item separately in future videos, but this is just an overview of the kit.

Silicone Prep Bowl set – It lists at $27. I bet this gets a lot of use

Mini Measure all cup – at $9, it’s so handy for sticky stuff!

Citrus Press – $23; this is really heavy duty

Smooth edge can opener – $28; a classic favorite; I’m so happy to get one

Manual Food Processor – ON SALE NOW for $53.55 I look forward to trying this. The blades are safely packages, as they are very sharp.

Mix n Chop – $16; so handy for breaking up ground beef

Coated Chefs Knife with protective cover – only $22 and well-designed

Microwave Popcorn Maker – $26. Collapsible silicone

Mini Serving Spatula – $10 I use mine all the time

Large Chefs tongs – $26; also available as part of a set; they lock open, down; they lock closed, up!

Rockcrock Dutch Oven – This sells for $140. this is new to me. Well packaged; nice and sturdy, glazed ceramic; there are other pieces in this collection

Garlic Press! $22; A classic favorite

Flexible Cutting Mat set $21– keep foods separated and safe

Stoneware Bar Pan – $49 I’ve had one for YEARS, but this is a new and improved version; broiler and dishwasher safe?! Awesome!

Box #2! There are SO MANY products in this kit! I’m running out of room on my counter

The Iconic Apron! Every consultant gets one

A box full of recipes and catalogs

Classic batter bowl –$22; great design on this piece

The Lid for storing in the manual food processor

Enrichables Pea Protien- $20, or as a subscription for savings

Long Skinny Scraper - $13 Designed for the Deluxe Cooking Blender

Small Mix'n'scraper – $15 - great tool

Adjustable Measuring Spoon set - $12 for the set; every kitchen needs this – they seal for liquids and accuracy

Salad Chopper – $39 - we’ll see how that does

Mini oven mitt set – $17; I bet the children love this

Garlic and Herb seasoning – sounds yummy

Consultant Tote – cool; nice size

Rapid Prep Mandoline – normally $70, on sale now for $59.50 this really caught my eye; I can’t wait to test it out

What sets apart the ultimate kit is the choice of an appliance – and I chose the Deluxe cooking blender. It retails for $349; more than the cost of the whole kit

This is a tamper, a dual-sided cleaning brush, the base, the pitcher

I can’t wait to try this out – grinding flour, making creamy soups and smoothies, maybe even almond butter!

Thank you for watching; if you like what you see, you can sign up, too, with no contract or obligation. Stay tuned to my page as I review each item so that we can learn together.

Pampered Chef Consultant

 Hey, I'm back! And better than ever, since I've started selling Pampered Chef!

I had a Facebook page

And my very own website

I ordered the Ultimate Kit because of the great value. Starting as a consultant also helped out my friend who recruited me, and may prove to be profitable for me. It's already been a lot of fun, just looking through all the gear and trying to get my head around the idea. Bob and Ced helped me do an unboxing video, which isn't QUITE finished yet. And I wrote my first item review. I'll probably do some video and some written reviews.

So, here's my first item:

Up for review today is the dual-sided cleaning brush!

I’ve had this brush for exactly two days now, and can say with confidence that every kitchen needs one. My grandma used to say that her favorite cleaning tool was an old toothbrush; this is like a toothbrush on steroids. The head is angled (as are the semi-stiff bristles) for ultimate reach into corners and tight spaces. On the other end is a hard tip, like a super toothpick. I used mine to clean my coffee maker basket, and it looks better than it has in a long time. Then I cleaned my sink drain, and it worked great there, too.

I’m thrilled that my Ultimate Consultant Kit came with two brushes – one with my mandoline  and one with my blender. I’ll keep one at my kitchen sink and one in my Consultant bag. Unless Bob finds out, and takes one to his shop! ;)

 

Update 3-7-2023

I am no longer a consultant. 

Covid blather

I just realized I haven't time to type this out right now. sigh.

I think the virus itself shouldn't be a cause of concern for most people, but the government response should be. Of course, the outcome is the opposite - many people are worried about the virus, and few people are worried about personal freedom.
When I think about the levels of conspiracy, mistrust, corruption, and violations of rights, I get very frustrated and upset, and feel powerless to do anything about it. When I think about God's sovereignty, and His love and care, I feel peaceful and empowered. I know that all the schemes of man cannot stop His plan for us. I know that He can do what is needed, and so can I! I can pray. I can share. I can listen to those who need to vent. I can get lots of work done at home since all our appointments have been canceled.
The first week that Arkansas was "shut down" - in quotes because we haven't shut completely like some states have - our family did go to a church meeting anyway. It wasn't crowded, and people refrained from shaking hands and hugging. I enjoyed the meeting , but some others thought it wasn't worth going out if we couldn't go tour regular fellowship. So the following 3 (?) weeks, we have stayed at home, and either had our own service, or watched one online.
I was initially prepared to "dare" someone to stop me from going to church, or to arrest me, or whatever. I had my dander up, so to speak, and wanted to rebel against the stupidity and the system. Let me be clear: I never thought that "church" would protect against the virus. I felt that it was better to exercise my rights than to be safe from the virus. I thought it was right to do my reasonable service to God, whether or not it put me at risk. I remembered the martyrs and the persecuted church throughout the centuries, who risked life, limb, family, job, and just about everything else, in order to fellowship with believers. And I thought that the worst we can do is maybe get a ticket, or get sick. Since there are numerous viruses going around at any given time, we already risk getting sick when we go to meetings.
But, somewhere along the way, I felt that desire to fight was fading away. I still get frustrated when I think of the governments' behaviour, but I don't feel that I am on a personal vendetta against it. I believe God is making a way, even in this. And if it's the way to the end, so be it.

Meanwhile, we have plenty of food and toilet paper, and everyone is healthy. The boys haven't got their braces yet, but I guess that's ok. We are working on the house, anticipating a mortgage which will allow us to renovate the kitchen, replace the roof, and pay off our credit card debt. People in town display a lack of knowledge about how to stay sterile, and the recycle center is closed. The counting at the door of Walmart seems a little over-the-top, but so far I haven't had to wait outside.
And I was right; I didn't have enough time to write. Must go fix supper.

What else - Corona

I'm getting frustrated at this virus thing. Restaurants closed, churches closed, curfews, etc. Because of a cold!
Would love to blather on, but I have work to do

blah!

The mental noise! Naysha's trip tp Ireland, dental insurance, budgets, shopping, taxes, family! In case it doesn't show up there, I will share here what I typed to my brother Wil in response to his response on his blog, to our grandma's letter to him.

Hi.
First of all, let me assure you that Mom and Dad read and reread and talk and agonize over every word you write. They may not respond, being at a loss as to how to communicate effectively, but they do not ignore what you say.
Anyway, I had some thoughts on the matter, and will let you decide if my attempts at communication are effective. :)
We - your relatives who have reached out to you, and probably many others - value you as a person, even when we disagree with you. I, personally, would like the opportunity to show you that I care about you (and I assume the same is true for the others, but do not claim to speak for them). Our shared history (not to say, necessarily, our blood relation status) seems to me to be a claim at least as strong as that of location. That is to say, if you can "put politics aside" - not to deny your values, but to choose to find common ground or non-controversial topics of conversation - for the sake of a neighbor or co-worker, could you not do the same for your extended family?
If I thought someone was claiming a "right" to my time, money, and company, I would probably be somewhat irritated. However, on further consideration (as regards Mom, Dad, and Granny), it does appear reasonable for them to feel that way. They have given so much of their time, money, and company to me (and you) that they really do have a right to expect some return on the investment.
I feel like there should be a concluding paragraph here, though perhaps I have said enough for the present.
Still loving and praying for you,
Shari

Anyway, time to get a couple other things done.

Yes, I do

Recently, the children were trying to recreate the Yellowstone trip, and I said that we could check my blog, and they were all shocked that such a thing existed. haha.

I should do a nice write-up on our trip to Petit Jean State Park, but I think I've forgotten how. Anyway, I'm supposed to be filling out the FAFSA... so, see you around

March already

Quick thoughts:
We went to TTD NWA Thurs-Sat, and learned some and spent some money (about $500, including supper after, but not including hotel or meals we brought). Wow.

I've started having reactions to my allergy shots, so I'm back to taking Zyrtec every day, which  makes me sleepy. So I drink 2-3 cups of coffee instead of the 1 I had been doing ever since I had the stint put into my groin last May. Yeah, it's a year of self-improvement. First the legs, then the allergies, then the T-Tapp. Well, I did 4 weeks of T-Tapp, and lost a couple inches off my waist, but not much elsewhere. We're starting up again today.

The hyacinths Ruth and I planted in the shade garden are blooming! So many of the bulbs I bought are lost because we never got soil for the garden. :( Hope and waste and carry on.

Bob SHOULD be able to "apply" for a full-time position this week, and then only another week or two until he gets a raise and a day off each week! We've been holding on for this since December, when the retiring guy went on terminal leave, but being a government agency, they couldn't even post the job as available until the guy's leave was up and he officially retired, then the postmaster had to email somebody, they had to approve it, email back, THEN they could post it. :eyeroll: anyway.

I just went online to check when Riah's next heart appointment is, and re-evaluated his last few ECHOs.  It's really hard, because each time they record different things in a different way. For instance, in '15 they recorded a dimension of 4.1 and a gradient mean of 16. In '16, the dimension was reported as 4.6x4.6, and no gradient (or else I didn't jot it down; hehehe). In '17 the dimension was 4.7-4.9x4.4-4.5, and the mean gradient was 13. In '18 the mean gradient was 11.2, and the dimension was once again in a single measurement of 4.67. So I looked up the gradient for the first time that I remember, today. Smaller is better! He's been going down for the last 3 years! Smaller is also better on the dimension, but as you can see, it's hard to get a bead on that when they report it in different ways. I had looked at the MRI reports pretty thoroughly last year and found that it had decreased slightly from the previous one to the more recent one, but when we saw the doctor, he said it had increased slightly, so that has been bugging me ever since: wondering if I had read it right or what. Maybe he only looked at the ECHO and not the MRI. Anyway... Even if it got a teeny bit bigger, that was during Riah's growth spurt, and by all expectations, the valve should have looked much worse after the body growth.

I have a cool app called Automatag that can change "unknown" albums in your phone's music into known albums, complete with artwork and song lists. You just have to be patient with it.

We put in new septic lines last week. By hand.

I suppose I'd better go be useful.

howdy

I'm still alive. Still homeschooling. No longer pregnant or nursing. Busy with garden and kitchen and allergy shots and dentist visits. Never get to the computer because: teenagers.
:) Miss typing out my day. Oh well; stuff to do.