Books update

Recently I finished Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton. This is the second in her series based around a knitting shop. It was an easy read with a fairly good story line. I learned a lot about alpacas and what it takes to raise them. I had no idea that an alpaca's worth depends on what colors of wool they produce and a male alpaca is worth more based on what coloring is produced in his children. The author does such a good job of describing the textures, colors and feel of the yarn that I just had to start knitting something - so I have done another baby blanket and started a second one.


I just finished reading The Princeton Murders by Ann Waldron. I probably would have never picked this book up but I met the author at my sister's house (they are friends and both live in Princeton). She is an interesting lady so I was curious about her writing.
The book was pretty good - interesting way of killing off an English professor at Princeton. She includes lots of details about the school and Princeton itself. I enjoyed reading it as it brought to mind the beautiful old buildings and quaint narrow streets of Princeton. I have several of the books in her series so will move on to the next one after reading one of the many other series books that I am hooked on. I don't like reading too many books by the same author in a row as they tend to run together and I get tired of them.

I am currently reading Cutwork by Monica Ferris. This is not one of my favorite series but so far this one is proving to be interesting. The main character is volunteering in a huge craft festival in the community and it talks a lot about all the planning and coordination that is involved. It also describes some of the crafts in addition to needlework which I always find interesting.
I have done some cutwork when making ornaments one year so I know how detailed it is and how beautiful it can be when done well.

Titus 2

The church is also starting a Titus 2 program. In this the women meet in small groups with a 'leader' and share their concerns, prayer requests and just get to know each other better. This is based on Titus 2:3-5
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
(Okay- I know we hate the 'submissive' part but that is a word that has been distorted by the World and meant to mean something bad rather than the God-honoring act of respecting and honoring the husband who is the head of the home - doesn't mean he is a 'dictator')

Anyway, the Titus 2 program is meant to develop deeper relationships between women within the church community and help us help each other. There is always someone who is more mature in their faith that we can learn from and someone who is less mature who we can teach.

The women are also planning some Titus 2 group fellowship activities throughout the year like Knitting and Crocheting (getting together to knit or crochet blankets and hats for the Mosaic pregnancy center), Pie baking or Cardmaking. We could even just have a recipe swap or something - anything that gets women together with others so they get to know them.
Our church has about 300 who attend regularly and some have been there since the beginning when there were 30-50 while others have just joined recently (since we joined 2 years ago we have grown from 250 to 300) so there always seem to be a new face on Sunday morning.

I have made the effort to get together with women more - especially those that I don't see during Sunday School or other activities. It has been a great way to share my faith and my experiences - sometimes encouraging the other women in her walk and sometimes strengthening my walk by reminding me of the way God has been faithful through a variety of struggles. One thing I have learned over the years is that everyone has struggles - no matter how collected and perfect they may look on Sunday morning, they are either in going into a struggle, in the midst of a struggle or coming out of a struggle. And some are in struggles that will never end on this side of Heaven.

As I am getting older, I find I am bolder and more direct in talking to others when they are suffering - not beating around the bush or just saying "I'll pray for you." or "Call me if I can do anything." Most likely they won't call so I often suggest some ways they can let me help. Sometimes they take me up on it and sometimes they don't - but I know it encourages them to know I am willing. (Been in similar situations and some of the most encouraging times were when someone would offer to do something even if I did not take them up on it - it just made me feel better knowing that they were offering.)

Our Titus 2 group met last Saturday when I was in Chicago - we will meet once a month. I was sorry to miss it but I made the other plans before the date was set. I will have to mark my calendar for the rest of the year so I don't miss again unless it is unavoidable.

Oh! The smell of burnt bread!

I burned bread under the broiler - and boy does it stink. I was broiling some French bread slices to put in the leftover onion soup DH and I were having for supper and got distracted. I made the mistake of going into the dining room where I have some card making supplies out and looking through the cards I have made recently (posted in another post) and got caught up taking photos etc.

When I thought about the bread it was too late. I opened the oven door to a waft of black smoke and the poor bread was charcoal. (Guess my stuffy nose did not alert me!). DH came by and tossed them out in the yard but the poor dog was unsettled for at least an hour or more after that. He kept going to the door and whining that he wanted outside. I guess he smelled the smoke and thought he was in danger. Fortunately I had some more of the Schwan's frozen baguettes in the freezer and was able to bake a loaf to use for our soup.

I probably wouldn't have picked up on his sense of danger if a friend's house had not burned last week. While she was at work her neighbor called and said the house was on fire and the fire department was there. It was a total loss. What did not burn had either melted or had smoke/water damage. This happened on Tuesday - they think it was a light fixture in the pantry. When the pantry door was closed a broom pushed against the light fixture somehow and caused the fire. If this had happened on Monday, her 2 sons (17 and 14) would have been asleep above the kitchen. Thank God they were all out of the house when it happened.

The morning of the fire, they let the dog out and he would not come back in. It is a big dog and they coaxed and bribed - but there was no way he was coming back in the house. So they left him in the garage. Maybe he could already smell the smoldering in the pantry. As it was the dog had some smoke inhalation and had to spend the night at the animal hospital for observation.

Her co-workers (I include myself in that even though I do not work in that department any more) are wanting to do something for her. I suggested some sort of theme shower - like a kitchen shower or a linen shower. One lady suggested a Christmas shower. That would be fun!
Meanwhile, our dog is still sitting at the door whining and panting - he just went out a few minutes ago - guess he can still smell the smoke :-)

Chicago Weekend

DD17 and I took a road trip to Chicago last weekend (over Valentine's Day). We visited my sister and her family. My brother-in-law is a graduate student and they are living in a 3 bedroom Brownstone apartment so it was a lot different than visiting them in their large home in Indiana. My niece from Iowa was also visiting.

We had deep dish Chicago pizza on Friday evening. On Saturday we spent several hours at the Museum of Science and Industry and then walked along Lake Michigan - it was cold!!!!!! (DD17 didn't enjoy all the walking but she made it - and we were all a little sore the next day). That evening my brother-in-law, nephew and niece made a breakfast supper for Valentine's Day. They made heart pancakes, French toast, bacon and fruit salad. It was all delicious! On Sunday we were lazy and played Wii , read, knitted and I play with my sister's Sizzix die-cut machine. I made a bunch of flowers and other shapes as well as some embossed flowers and brought them home to use in card-making and scrapbooking. (Of course I gained a few pounds - even with all the exercise!)

By Monday I had a full blown head cold - and was looking forward to being home again. I was off work Tuesday as well so just lazed around the house most of that day. It was a fun weekend and a good time of catching up and sharing what's been happening in our lives. At least my cold didn't last too long and I was feeling much better by Wednesday.

Menu Monday on Saturday???

I haven't posted menus for a while so thought I would do it early this time :-) I actually will post more than a week to get me caught up to Monday. I do have some of the recipes on my 'sister' blog and have added links to those or to a website that has the recipe I use. I need to take some pictures like Rhonda does of all her delicious meals and recipe adventures :-)

Saturday:
Blackberry Balsamic Chicken (Freezer meal)
Baked Potatoes
Green Beans

Sunday: Mission Potluck at church - International cuisine
Greek Chicken Thighs and Potatoes (crock pot - modified weight watchers recipe)

Monday:
Turkey Breast (crock pot)
Mashed Potatoes and gravy
Green Salad

Tuesday:
Lemon Tilapia (freezer meal)
Asparagus
Multi Grain Loaf (Schwan's - delicious!!!)

Wednesday:
Soup and Panini sandwiches (made on the George Foreman Grill)

Thursday:
Chicken tostados (freezer meal) with tortillas
Refried Beans

Friday:
Turkey and dressing casserole (microwave recipe using some of the turkey from Monday)
Cranberry sauce

Saturday:
Impossible Enchilada Pie with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream garnish

Sunday:
Pork Roast, Cabbage and Potatoes (crock pot) modified WW recipe
Green beans or Corn

Cross stitching finishes

I completed 2 cross stitch projects this week. The first is a bridal shower gift for a young lady at church. She is registered for multiple colors of Fiesta ware so I thought this colorful bread cloth would look nice on her table. I will add a couple gourmet muffin mixes in the gift box. For her wedding gift, I purchased the muffin top pan from her registry.



The second piece is a square for Love Quilts. This one is for a little girl who loves the EMS Baby Animals.
I am also going to do the pig baby in memory of my Aunt Ruth who collected pig figurines and other knick knacks. Her dad (my grandfather) was a farmer and had pigs and cows. Guess they reminded her of her youth.

Still here

Well, I am still here even though haven't posted lately. I've been busy on the planning committee for a marriage retreat through our church. It was a big success but I put in a lot of time getting things lined up.

I've also been busy cross-stitching, knitting and planning a scrapbook. I need to get busy on DD17's scrapbook which will be part of her graduation gift. I made one for DD19 last year and got an extra copy of some of her photos that included her sister. Hoping that will save me a little time. Of course, I will have to come up with some different pages for DD17 so her book is not the exact same thing as DD19's.

Last week I also organized a dinner to encourage a young lady at our church who is in the middle of a messy divorce. Her wedding anniversary was last Thursday and she would have been sitting alone. We all met at a local smokehouse and had a great time. We'll have to find some other excuses to have a girls' night out.

DD19 comes home this weekend because it is her BF's birthday and he has to come home to celebrate with his family. It will be good to see her. She called today and she is doing very well in her classes and getting used to the couple instructors. The campus was closed for several days last week due to ice so I imagine the instructors are going to be rushing the students to stay on schedule.