Breakfast Out

Jess wasn't able to go to breakfast yesterday because Debbie didn't work and I had to be here with the furnace guys.  Jon had the day off so the three of us went to Garden and enjoyed breakfast out.

Unfortunately, I've been in alot of pain all day.  Several organs are not where they should be in my body and today I think it's my colon that's giving me problems.  The pain woke me up several times last night.  I've laid down twice today and slept for about 3 hours.  I did manage to dust, sweep floors, vacuum and do a load of wash in between sleeping.  Guess that's not too bad. 

Heat In Half The House

Even though two men have worked steadily for four days, we only have heat in half of the house.  Air conditioning works, though!   Hopefully, they will be finished on Monday.

Jess had a great time with Rachel today. She helped decorate cookies that Rachel made at home.  As you can see from the picture, she's one happy girl when it comes to food.

I worked on justifying the checkbook - since April.  Foolish thing to wait to do.  Jon worked.  I went to Joyful Journey tonight.  That's about it.  Going upstairs and heating up some rice packs and putting them in my bed.  My bedroom won't have heat tonight. 

Do You Ever Stay Home?

That's the text I received from my sister this evening while I was at the Sterling Inn for Trinity Lutheran's Women's Retreat.  Can I help it if I like to go out and have fun?  As long as the home front is covered, I go if I can.  I hadn't been to this particular retreat in the past several years, but my mom and I went years ago and for many years - probably 10 or more.  It used to be held all day on a Saturday.  Now it's just dinner and a speaker.  That's OK.  It still was fun, especially being with some of my like-to-laugh girlfriends.

Debbie was able to come for a couple hours this morning while I went to Bible Study.  I just stayed for the video portion then came home so she could go back home and be with her parents.  The rest of the day Jess and I hung out together.  Oh, and a couple men in the basement, too!

I'll call you tomorrow, Di! 

Day 2 of Furnace Installation

Jon, Jess and I were home all day.  One of the furnace men worked all day long doing I'm not sure what, but he sure did make alot of noise.  Speaking of noise, the oil drum that has been in the basement since the house was built was drained, cut in half, and removed.  The cutting was so loud that I was looking for ear protectors.  It was really bothering me.  The strange thing, though, was that Jess was on the couch in the family room.  Whenever there is noise - even a little noise - she flees upstairs.  She never budged off that couch and acted like it was no big deal.  That was totally amazing.  Bill couldn't even use an electric screwdriver before she'd head upstairs.

Tonight I had Stephen Ministry Continuing Education.  I gave the devotion and talked about what happened the night of Bill's funeral at his grave.  It's a pretty neat, true story and maybe soon I'll write about it and post it.  I entitled my devotion: Angel In the Cemetery.

Glued To The Computer

That's where I've been all day - glued to the computer.  The computer desk top is almost empty.  I've taken care of so many things today that I haven't touched in months.  I ordered a blog book for the months of July, August and September.  I ordered over 200 pictures on Snapfish.  I scanned and e-mailed alot of stuff to various people.  I cleaned up my e-mail's, and answered a few.  I placed a Miles Kimball order.  A very successful day!

There was a tremendous amount of noise coming from our basement today.  Both furnaces have been removed and the basement being prepared for the new one.  I'm very glad that it is not cold outside. 

For something different, the kids and I went out to dinner.  We had a very nice time together and it was made even nicer that there were no kids in the restaurant and Jess was great. We brought half her meal home for lunch tomorrow.  She's done SO well ... she's lost 11.4 pounds in the past couple of months!  Way to go, Jess!

Scrapbooking Again !!!

For Girl's Day Out this afternoon Jess and I had to find another place to go since Bellacino's closed yesterday.  I took my lunch and we went through the McDonald's drive thru for Jess.  We ate in the van in the parking lot.  To the bank, post office and then we visited Grandma and Grandpa B. 

I had a busy morning and later afternoon.  I removed all the boxes from the basement that needed to be cut up and recycled.  I'm having a new furnace put in to replace two old furnaces tomorrow and needed to clean the basement before they begin working down there.  Debbie brought her son, Mike, over in the late afternoon and they helped me cut them up and took out all the garbage to the road, as tomorrow is garbage day.  I am so thankful for their help.  It was just too much for me.

Chris and a new friend, Gayle, came over for dinner and then we scrapbooked!  I am so glad to get back into doing this again.  I LOVE to work with pictures and record history.  Jon finished a 3-day-in-a-row work day.  He's very tired tonight.  He has the next 2 days off then works 2 more. 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Friday was a very busy day for me and by the time Chris and I left for a Ladies' Retreat around 3:00 p.m., I was exhausted.  Chris was, too, she said, as work was very busy.  We drove to the Marriott of Pontiac near Auburn Hills for a Wesleyan District Women's Retreat.  The conference began at 7:00 p.m. and ended on Saturday afternoon at 3:45 p.m.

Mary Kay Beard was our speaker.  I've heard her before and I was lookin forward to hearing her again.  At one time in her life she was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list, with a mafia contract out on her and outstanding warrants for her arrest in four states.  She was a very successful armed bank robber.  While reading a Gideon Bible in solitary confinement in an Alabama jail, she experienced a spiritual transformation, and the rest of her story is the proof of what God chooses to do with a willing follower. She is also the Founder of Angel Tree. 

By the time I arrived home, got a bite (or two) to eat, I was just as exhausted as the night before, so I decided not to do much.  I began a book then went to bed.

Today, Sunday, has been a very nice day spent with my daughter.  After breakfast we went to Meijer's to get a couple items that I had forgotten to put on the grocery list last Thursday.  Jess was great.  She helped me do everything in the store, including scanning the items and bagging the groceries.  There was also a screamer in the store and she handled that very well, too.

I've spent all afternoon working on thank you notes, e-mails, made a few phone calls and now I'm on my way upstairs to do my Bible Study.  Each week we have 5 days of lessons to do in 7 days.  I'm one day behind, so I have to do 2 tonight.  Whick is OK, because I'm really enjoying this study.