Friday Fave 5 & Saturday 9

Hello! Another week has flown bye. Life has been busy and I am thankful for that.

Last weekend was nice though cold and cloudy. We went to a family baby shower at a park and they had a taco man. The food was so good! Church was good on Sunday and I was a greeter again. We met up with our son and granddaughter for lunch at In and Out Burger. I was really tired on Monday and thankful to sleep in. Monday evening I went to the Women's Bible study, and they provided burritos, chips and salsa since it was Cinco de Mayo. 

Once I got home I found out that my grandson got into the volunteer program at the local hospital. Over 100 kids applied and only 20 made it. He was really happy because last year he missed it by one day. He wants to be a doctor and this is a good way to start getting experience in the medical field. His volleyball team has made the playoffs too!

Tuesday morning, I went to my lifegroup and took sandwiches. There is always lots of food. Our last meeting is June 10th and then we break until mid-August. It is really nice to fellowship. Later I went to my PT and the massage on my back really felt good after all the exercises they put me through.  I am always thankful to have good insurance to cover it, and they have approved my back therapy again for a 3rd time. I plan to make my other appointments next week. 

Thankful for a good night sleep and I woke up refreshed on Wednesday. Then we went to our grandkids school to see the science experiment my grandson did along with other classmates. I am thankful that we could go see him and show our support. Later hubby dropped me off at Staples so I could look at printers. My printer died and I need another one. I hope to go back and get one this weekend. 

Thursday our married lifegroup drove to San Juan Capistrano for lunch. We were a block from the mission but did not go. We ate at a place called the Adobe restaurant and is a historical building. One part being build in 1797 and the other part in 1812. The bottom of one building once held the jail. It was converted to a wine cellar and not it is a private dining room. Another underground place was a stop off for the stagecoach, until 1888 when the trains started coming through. I love the local history. While on our way to the place which is an hour away, we heard that new Pope was selected and is American. I am not Catholic, but I was happy about it. We took a long way back home through the hills and it was a really nice drive. 

Happy Mother's Day in Heaven to my beautiful mom!

Saturday 9: Mama Liked the Roses (1970)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Elvis tells us his mother loved tending the roses in the garden. Do you have a green thumb?  A little bit. I do grow roses and plumerias. I have also been taking cuttings from succulents and make new little pots to give to my BJ group.

2) Mama would put the roses in a vase in the living room. Do you have cut flowers in your home right now? Yes, my roses are blooming.

 

3) Elvis sings that he found Mama's rose petals pressed in the family Bible.  Have you ever pressed petals in a book? If yes, what occasion were you commemorating? Yes I have. My grandmothers and parents.

4) OK, so now we know Mama liked roses. What about you? Would you prefer white, pink, yellow or red roses? I love them all. My favorite is the double delight because it smells so good!

5) Elvis' own mother, Gladys Presley, had a major impact on pop culture. When her son was 11, he asked for either a rifle or a bicycle for his birthday. She deemed the rifle too dangerous and the bike too expensive, and so he chose a guitar instead. The rest is history. Tell us about a special birthday gift from your youth. Getting a big girls 2 speed bike for my 10th birthday and a big surprise party.

 

6) Abraham Lincoln credited his stepmother, Sarah, for her lasting influence on his life, saying she ignited his love of reading and learning. Tell us about a woman -- mother, stepmother, grandmother, aunt, Godmother, teacher, neighbor -- who changed your life for the better. I was lucky to have many woman that had a positive influence in my life. My mom, my grandmother's and aunts. Also my youth counselor from church and later a supervisor at my work. 

7) Mother's Day is almost upon us. According to the National Restaurant Association, we like to eat out on this holiday, with revenue up more than 80% on Mother's Day weekend. When did you last dine at a restaurant? Was it a special occasion? We went out to El Adobe restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, a block from the mission. We were with friend from our married group celebrating 4 birthdays.

8) Candles are a big seller for Mother's Day, too. What's your favorite candle scent? I don't burn candles because of my allergies. I diffuse essential oils. I like lavender and peppermint.

9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds? Dark chocolate with almonds.

I loved playing Farmville and designing my farm with lots of flowers!  I sure miss the game.

 

Thanks to Susanne and Sam for the memes. Links are on the left.

Friday Favs 5 & Saturday 9

Thankful for another week of life! Here are my Friday Faves Five hosted by Susanne

1. Thankful to find a calendar on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Also came with a digital download!

2. Thankful for great Sunday at church and Superbowl party at my son's house.

We took shredded chicken, beans and the toppings for tostadas.

Beans on the right, chicken on the left.

lettuce, tomato, cheese and salsa. Yum!

3. Marriage group meeting and lunch afterwards. 

4. Thankful for a nice lunch today with hubby at Outback steakhouse and we used a gift card!

5. Thankful for......

Day 4 of our cruise is posted now, linked above.

Saturday 9: Cupid (1961)

 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Sam Cooke enlists the help of Cupid, the Roman god of love, to help him get a girl. In Greek mythology, the god of love and lust has a different name. Do you know what it? Eros.

 

2) Sam Cooke was inducted as a charter member into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The museum and hall are located in Cleveland, OH. Cleveland is proud of the six major museums featured on its website. When did you most recently visit a museum? The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. We got to meet a Holocaust Survivor. Kobe Bryant died that same day. January 26, 2020

3) Sam went to Wendall Phillips Academy, the same Chicago high school Nat King Cole attended. Can your high school claim any noteworthy alums? Bill Medley-one of the Righteous Brothers,  Diane Keaton-actress, Chuck Smith-founder of Calvary Chapel, Gerald Carr-Astronaut, Greg Louganis-Olympic medal swimmer. I did this page for my crafty group school project a few years ago.

4) "Cupid" was released in 1961. One of the major news stories of that year was the death of Ernest Hemingway. Have you read any of his works? Yes The Old Man and the Sea.

  

Since February 14 was Valentine's Day...

 

5) Sweethearts, those small heart-shaped candies printed with messages like "Be Mine" and "Kiss Me," are top sellers this time of year. Did you enjoy them as a child? Do you enjoy them now?

I did enjoy them as a child! I don't eat them anymore. I prefer chocolates.

 6) While Valentine's Day is popular in Mexico, it's celebrated a bit differently than it is here. For our neighbors to the south, it's a day for love and friendship, with no distinction between romantic, familial or platonic love. Do you tell your friends you love them? Or do you reserve "I love you" for your partner and family? I do say it to some of my friends.

7) In Poland, Valentine's Day, or Walentynki, is often celebrated with a gift of "tea and sweets" -- a tin of black tea paired with candy. Do you more often drink tea or coffee?

I drink a cup of coffee in the morning. I drink a cup of tea in the afternoon.

 

8) One of London's top accounting firms did a study and reports that in England, Valentine's Day is a 52%/48% affair. 52% of the participants planned on buying at least one card or gift, while 48% did not expect to spend anything on Valentine's Day. This year, were you one of the 52% or the 48%?

52%

9) A similar study in Rome showed that today's young lovers would prefer to share a romantic experience on Valentine's Day – a stroll through the gardens of Villa Borghese was a popular choice – than exchange gifts. Would you rather do something memorable for Valentine's Day or receive something you can retain as a keepsake? 

We always go out for a nice meal. As long as I get a card, I am happy!

Thanks to Susanne and Sam for the memes, links are on the left.

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  If you were or are married, did or do you enjoy being married?  If you are not married are you content and happy in that life? I will be married 50 years this coming Saturday. Yes, I am happy to be married. My parents were married for 57 years until my mom passed. My in-laws were married about 51 years. 

2. What are the best parts of your life today? Our family and extended family being close. We went to our family get together at my sister's house and it was so much fun. We plan to meet again at the end of September.  What were the best things about your life in the past? Doing fun things with my family, The fun things my husband and I did before we had kids. The special memories with our kids. Having my faith in the Lord has always been important, but even more now.

3.  What more could you add to your life to make it better, or conversely, what could you remove to make it better for you? Better physical health would make things better.  

4. If you work... are you really pleased in your job or would you like something better?  If you are retired is it all you hoped it would be and how could it be better for you? My husband and I are both happily retired.

1. What's a task you do on a regular (or semi-regular basis) that feels like it should be an Olympic event? Exercise, strength training with elastic bands.

2. What's in the trunk of your car right now? A small ice chest.

3. Summer foods vs. fall foods...which do you prefer? I like both, but if I had to pick one, it would be fall food. Summer food is easier to put together, but I like the heartiness of fall/winter food.

Would you rather-watermelon or caramel apple? iced coffee or pumpkin spiced latte? potato salad and sweet potato casserole? barbecued ribs and roast turkey? ice cream sandwich or apple pie? corn on the cob or candy corn? I like it all!

4. August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Have you visited any lighthouses? Do you have a favorite? Is a lighthouse something you seek out if you're visiting an area known for theirs? I have been to a few.

The last time was last August while we were in Oregon. We visited the Yaquina Head lighthouse in Newport Oregon. We came here after speeding down the Rogue River in Grants Pass Oregon.

Sailing away from Portland Oregon  2008

I took this picture of my parents at Peggy's Cove, 

Nova Scotia Cananda. 2008

5. Light at the end of the tunnel, out like a light, give the green light, a lightbulb moment, in a new light, in the limelight...of the 'light' idioms listed which applies in some way to your life lately? Explain. 

Give the Green light. This questions really made me think. Though I am dealing with the loss of a lot of muscle, I choose to keep going. I have to give myself a mental green light and go. Looking past, I have lots of times that I did not stop when the going got rough. I pushed through it. I know a day will come when I can't, but until then, I will keep going. I did a page on Lighthouses at my website. You can find it here.

6. Insert your own random thought here. Happy 8th Anniversary to my son Daniel and his wife Melinda. They are spending a week at Disneyworld. He proposed to her at Disneyland. We went to Disneyland with them after they came back from their Honeymoon in Hawaii. I am happy for them!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What is a childhood habit or preference you will never outgrow? The love of reading and music.

2. Did you know July is beans month? What's your favorite bean? Pinto beans 

Your favorite recipe that calls for beans? Tostada we like to use Colby-Jack cheese and sometimes we add chicken. We also make our own shells.

When it comes to chili are you team beans or team no beans? Beans 

3. Some historical figures have a tag line after their name, 

something like 'the brave' or 'the wise' or 'the mad'...what would your tag line be? Explain why? 

the Squirrel. I have ADHD. So I can be into one thing and get distracted unless I am totally into something. I can chatter with family or friends and then my mind goes off on a tangent. So many little nuts to get me distracted.

4. The way to my heart is a hug from my grandkids. 

5.  The calendar rolls into August this week, but before we go give us four adjectives that describe your July. Busy, creative, fun and challenging. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. It has been a busy July and August will be busy.

Physical therapy has helped and now it is up to me to keep it up. 

Friday Fave Five & Saturday 9

Saturday 9 is below Friday Five

Another week has flown by! Thanking God for a few things from the past week.

1. The visit to my sisters with my grands last Friday. We had the best time! I posted pictures on my previous post. Thankful that my sister invites us over. We will go to my other sister's home in August and we were at my brother's home for the 4th. My house does not have a pool.

2. Thankful that I do have a large spa and I have spend several days in it. I like the jets as they hit my neck and lower back.

3. Thankful that had a lot of rest this week. Physical therapy is helping. I think I figured what exercise I can't do with my elastic bands. I was feeling so good after my Monday appointment that I overused my bands and the numbness came back on my lower back. I missed my appointment Thursday because I thought I had a head cold, but it must have been my sinuses. I go back on Monday.

4. Thankful that my Bible journaling kits for August are almost done. We meet on the 13th but I will be busy the first weeks of August and wanted to be ahead of schedule. The topic with be on peace-Shalom.

This is one of the pages I did to give the ladies an idea.

5. Thankful that hubby and I can watch cruise videos on YouTube TV. We have been looking at the layout of the sheep and the dining experiences. We went to Alaska in 2006 and I went to a New England cruise with my parents in 2008. We will be celebrating my hubby's 70birthday and our 50th anniversary celebration. We don't go until January when the grands are out of school on winter break and they can watch out Minnie doxie furbaby. They will watch her in August too when we go away to the beach for a few days for our actual anniversary. We are thinking of going whale watching like we did for our 40th.

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Saturday 9: Disco Duck (1976)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Rick Dees begins by describing a party where he can't resist that disco beat. What's the last party you attended? Was there dancing? The last time I danced was at my 50th high school reunion in August 2023. It was a slow dance.

2) While this record was a massive international hit in 1976, it got off to an inauspicious start. Rick Dees said it took him less than a day to write the song, and more than three months to convince anyone to let him record it. Tell us about a time you were tempted to give up but were glad you didn't. Trying to get pregnant. I took about 4 years, and I had three miscarriages. I had to go to infertility specialist and had to stay in bed and be treated by high-risk OB group. It cost more than what my insurance would pay, but it was worth it! I was blessed with 3 kids and now 4 grandkids. Thank You Lord!

3) In the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, students are briefly seen learning to dance to "Disco Duck." Can you name another song from Saturday Night Fever? If I can't have you. More than a Woman. How Deep is your Love. Night Fever. I still have the album packed away somewhere. Here is a picture from our disco days back in the 70's before we had kids in the 80's.

4) Dees was already a top disc jockey in Memphis when "Disco Duck" was released. With the record's success, his radio career soared and he got a better job reaching a greater audience at a radio station in Los Angeles. Are there any disc jockeys you loyally listened to every day? I remember listening to Rick Dees back in the 70's. Rick Dees in the Morning show. KIIS FM

5) After more than 20 years, Rick lost his regular radio slot to Ryan Seacrest. But he still shares "the hottest music on the planet" through the Rick Dees Hit Music app (available at the Apple App Store or Google Play). What app have you recently downloaded to your phone? Princess Cruise since we are going on a cruise in January 2025.

6) He used his favorite radio format to create a cookbook called Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts. If you could finish a delicious meal with the dessert of your choice, anything at all, what would you order? Creme Brulee. I plan to order it when we are on the cruise.

7) In 1976, when "Disco Duck" was a hit, The Bionic Woman premiered on ABC. Because of her "bionic parts," Jamie Summers could run super-fast, had super-sensitive hearing, and super-human strength. If you could have one of those qualities enhanced -- speed, hearing or strength -- which would you choose? Strength- Super muscles. I have lost a lot of muscle mass and it is affecting other things. 

8) Also in 1976, like this year, the world got together for The Summer Olympics. Will you be following the international competition? I enjoy watching the Summer Olympics which starts July 26.

9) Random question: You're bone tired, exhausted, and you have an early day tomorrow. As you wash your face and brush your teeth before bed, one of the two bulbs in the bathroom fixture goes out. Do you 1) change the bulb before bed or 2) promise yourself to do it in a hurry tomorrow as you're rushing around in the morning or 3) decide you can live with one bulb for a while, go to bed, and replace the burned-out bulb when you get around it?3 or I will tell my husband the next day and he will fix it.

After listening to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack on YouTube, I found songs from the 60's I enjoyed. Funny how I still know the words to those songs and now it takes a while for me to learn new songs at church. 

Thanks to Susanne and Sam for the memes. links are on the left.