Friday Faves 5 & Saturday 9

Five things I am thankful for from this past week.

1. Thankful for Senior fellowship this past Wednesday. Lot of fun, food, testimonies, prayer and bingo.

2.Thankful for my friend Coreen who lets me take my grandkids to her house for swimming.

3. Thankful for the study I am doing on the book of Acts and the beginning of the church.

Thankful for simple things like birds at the birdbath and butterflies in the yard. Being able to take cuttings to create new pots of beauty. God has provided all these things for us to enjoy!

4. Thankful for People who put inspiration and positive things on social media. 

5. Thankful for the Word of God and the things that Jesus taught. Love one another.

Saturday 9: Since U Been Gone (2005)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. I got that CD for my daughter when it came out.

1) In this song, Kelly Clarkson is dissatisfied with her relationship and she's moving on. What's something you've moved on from lately? It could be anything from a romance to the laundry detergent you've been using for years.I would say stuff in the garage. I am going through boxes that have paper and other products. It is slow going but satisfying. 

 

2) She sings that she can now breathe. Studies have shown that July can be a good month for allergy sufferers because trees and grasses are no longer pollinating. How are your eyes, ears, nose and throat this morning? I have dry eyes and it bothers me all year. My sinuses are a bit dry, but nothing serious. Ears and throat are doing well. I miss swimming under water because I can't get my ears wet.

 

3) Kelly complains that their romance reminds her of a "stupid love song." Let's be more positive: what love song do you associate with positive memories? So many songs to mention. The first would be Jesus Love Me. I learned it as a little child. I sang it to my kids and grandkids. Romantically speaking, there are lots of songs. A few remind me of old boyfriends, but more remind me of the dating and early days with my husband. Just My Imagination by the Temptations. Let's Stay Together by Al Green, Can't Take My Eyes off You by Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. You Make Me Feel Brand New by the Stylistics and Close to You by The Carpenters.

4) While Kelly's first love is music, she's established herself as a TV personality. In addition to her daytime talk show, she's been a judge on The Voice and hosted an awards show. Have you ever been on TV?  I have only been to tapings of shows. American Idol and America's Got Talent.

5) She has confessed a weakness for Doritos. Would we find salty snacks in your kitchen right now? 

Yes, Lays potato chips and pretzels.

 

6) Kelly has found her weight the source of public debate. Are you like Kelly, whose weight fluctuates? Or does it stay stable? Yes, it has fluctuated these past few years. Losing or gaining 5 pounds is a big deal for me. It is the difference between a size 4 and 6. I need the wait for my rear, but it wants to stay on my middle. I am short waisted so when I put weight on my middle, I feel uncomfortable. 

 

7) In 2005, when this song was popular, a motorist made news in Texas when he was ticketed for driving over 200 mph in a 75-mph zone. Have you ever been pulled over by the police? Yes, for making a lane change over a solid. Another time when I went through an intersection on an orange and it turned red. I was not going to argue with the officer. I paid my tickets and went to traffic school to  keep it off my record. Twice in 54 years is not too bad.

 

8) Also in 2005, Tom Cruise had a pop culture moment when he famously jumped on a sofa. Do you remember where he did this? I can picture this scene in my head but can't remember the name. I want to go see his new movie and will check if it is still in the movies. Oh, is it Risky Business?

 

9) Random question: Tell us about a photo you wish you'd taken, but didn't. I always say " I should have taken a picture of that or them or us. After we went swimming at my friends house, I realized I did not get a picture of the older grands in the pool. But we will go back and I will get one.

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

Tuesday 4 & Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Do you think that you handle problems well over all? Just depends on that the situation is.

I used to want to control everything, either with action, or just in my head. I try to look at the

big picture. I take things to God more instead of doing things myself.

2. What kinds of problems send you into a tizzy or downright scare you? Maybe some just exasperate you? Yes some things exasperate me. I have to remember what I can and cannot do. You can't change another person or situation just because it bothers you. Sometimes I have to let it go or take a break. Something require action. I am going to physical therapy for the numbing I was having in my arms and legs. It is helping. I can't control my genes and how it affects my physical body. I can try the best I can to eat well. I just have to stick with it and not get discourage.

3. We always have God in our corner but besides him do you have a reliable back up system to go 

to for help with car trouble, home repairs and maintenance, or any troubles that may arise for you?

I rely on my husband for most of these things. If he wasn't around, I would ask for help or learn.

4 I love the idea that a lovely cupcake can fix anything at all.  "Oh, you are sick? Just eat a dozen of these delicious cupcakes and you will be right as rain!" What foods, places, music or whatever can make a problem seem easier to handle? I guess we are talking about what brings you comfort in the way of material things. Music, Bible journaling, time with good friends, soaking in my spa. Reading and watching things that are encouraging. Food rarely comforts me. My hubby makes a good chicken soup that he makes and that is comforting, especially when I am sick.

1. What is an adult problem nobody prepared you for? 

Aging. I totally understand what my 80 year old grandma told me once. It is hard when you mind tells you that you are young, but your body tells you otherwise. It is frustrating to want to do things but you can't because you are not physically able to. I wish I would have known how important exercise and eating enough protein was important. I wish I had known that the medicines I took in my 40's and 50's would cause problems of today.

2. Without mentioning any tech, what's your most prized possession? 

The ring my mom gave me and my Journaling Bibles. I also have my grandmother's Bibles.

3. It's National Peach Ice Cream Day (July 17th). Will you be celebrating? Do you like peaches? Given a choice would you prefer peach ice cream, peach pie, peach cobbler, or just hand me a peach? Do you own anything that is peach in color? 

I like peach cobbler. Fresh peaches remind me of my Grandpa David. He would take them off his tree, hose them down and give us one. I ate some peaches last month that my son gave us from his tree. I do own a couple of shirts that have that color in them.

4. What makes a friendship successful? 

Sharing a common interest. Making time to spend time with each other both in person and through text. I have a few close friends. My sister and my cousin are my closest friends. I can tell them anything without judgement. We share the same interest. We can speak truth and feel safe and loved. We can go days without talking/texting and pick up where we left off. I think it is the same even online. If you blog and your readers respond and you respond, there is a mutual friendship made.

I once read that friendship is like playing tennis. Both parties have to hit the ball over the net. Sure, things can keep it from going across, but you pick the ball up and try again. Once that stops, the game is over. Blogging is more than making friends. It is about writing out your thoughts and being able to go back and look at them. I still refer to my original blog for lots of info I use on current memes. The blogging community I was in before Facebook was fun and caring. But life happens and I moved from my old blog to this one and made new friends!

5. Let's give our brains a rest and do a little summertime this or that...

beach or pool? ice cream or snow cone? amusement park or camping?* like both, but hubby doesn't life camping anymore) burger or hot dog? watermelon or strawberries? get up early or sleep in late? sunrise or sunset? 

I do love the beach and have only been once this summer. I may go next week.

I did have a nice time with my grands at my sisters house over the weekend.

6. Insert your own random thought here. I am thankful for the people that host the memes and encourage participation and take the time to visit your blog.

My previous post had a long story about my summer in Mexico as a teen.

Thanks to Annie and Joyce for the mems. Their links are on the left.

Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing

Saturday 9: Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)

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

1) In this song, Nat King Cole sings about enjoying "soda and pretzels and beer." Which of those three would we find in your kitchen right now?

 I think the grands have pretzels in their drawer. We don't buy sodas or beer. We have some Snapple diet peach tea that I add to water sometimes.

2) The lyrics mention a romantic movie. Which movie couple do you believe had onscreen chemistry?

Only thing that came to my mind was Gone with the Wind. Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'hara. Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh)I know there are many more, but my mind is tired after a busy couple of days with the grands.

3) He wishes "summer could always be here." How has your summer been so far? It has been nice so far. I am taking the grands swimming at my sisters today as I write this on Friday and we come back Saturday. My sister lives about 45 minutes away.

4) According to the song, a great warm weather meal includes sandwiches and wieners. Tell us about your perfect sandwich or, if you prefer, what you believe is the ideal way to dress a hot dog. 

The last sandwich I had had was made of turkey, avocado, Havarti cheese, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise. I like my hot dog grilled and the bun slightly warmed. Mustard and ketchup. Sometimes with dill pickles.

5) Nat was a big baseball fan. Growing up in Chicago he played sandlot games and listened to Cubs games on the radio. As an adult he was a season ticket holder at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. 

Do you enjoy playing/watching baseball or softball? I have gone to a few Angel games. I watch the World series.

6) The lyrics of this week's song were written by Charlie Tobias, who wanted to create a sense of nostalgia for summers gone by. Share one of your special summer memories. In 1971 when I was 15, I went to Mexico City with my friend and her family. Her sister was getting married. The station wagon was loaded with people and the top stacked with luggage. We left early in the morning to get through the hot desert. I got to see so many places like Mazatlan, Guadalajara, and Acapulco. We stayed with family in Mexico City. The family was very nice and I learned some new customs. My Spanish was limited, but they were all so helpful. The boys were cute. One boy's name was Cuahtemoc Anderson and had the prettiest green eyes. I enjoyed sitting at the dinner table eating white rice and black beans with a particular roll. We ate red (Mexican rice and pinto beans at home with tortillas) After the wedding, they took me to Acapulco to see the Clift divers. I ate a lot of good food and fresh seafood. We stopped at a huge open air market in Guadalajara that was huge. The family was careful with what I ate and drank. I never got sick. We went a place and spent the night at a where the Olympic divers had stayed. Each hotel room had its own mini pool/hot tub. Mexico had hosted the Olympics back in 1968. I remember taking a book to read on the long stretches of driving. 1834 miles from Los Angles to Mexico City.

When I got home, my mom had decorated my room and bought me Carole King's Tapestry. I also had a nice birthday party with my friends for my 16th birthday. It was a very exciting and fun summer! Alejandro is the boy standing behind me in the white shirt.

7) In 1963, one of the best-selling books was Happiness Is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz. The cover showed Lucy giving Snoopy a big hug. Name another character from the Peanuts comic strip. 

Lucy, Charlie Brown, Linus and Peppermint Patty.

8) Also in 1963, men were wearing thin, solid-color ties. Later in the decade, ties would become wider, patterned and more colorful. Where do you turn to keep up with fashion trends? I tend to get what I need. I found some pants I liked at TJ Max. I got two shirts at Kohls in the Jr. section. I am more into comfort and how it fits than style. I ordered some bathing suits too.

9) Random question: Would you rather be a cowboy or a pirate? Cowboy.

1. What is the hottest temperature you've seen this summer so far? 102

2. What is your favorite summer beverage? Ice water with fruit.

3. Have you seen any fireflies/lightning bugs yet? Cicadas? no

4. What are the last 3 things you bought online? a book, charms and essential oil glass containers. 

5. Where do locals go to cool off? Pools and the beach.

6. Where did you buy your last postcard and what was on the pc? When I was in Oregon last summer.

It had a lighthouse we visited.

7. What's your favorite summertime scent? my plumerias.

8. What kind of a/c do you have - central, room, fans only, chillers, none and what temperature do you set it to?  Central

9. Do you have a summer vacation planned and if so, where are you really going??We are spending a few days at the beach four anniversary and may go whale watching. We moved our cruise to January.

10. What are your favorite summer activities? Pool, beach and family gatherings.

11.  What's your favorite summertime food? BBQ burgers and chicken.

12. Did you ever go to summer school? Yes, once in elementary school. Once in Jr high to take typing twice in high school to take drivers education and behind the wheel training and government and economics.

13. What's your favorite summertime memory? See #6 above.

14. Do you like fireworks? Not as much anymore.

15. How do you feel about the longer days of summer? I like them. I like the extended light and I can drive in the early evening.

Tuesday 4 Summer Solstice

1. How is summer treating you so far this year?  Could things improve? How do you make summer fun in your neck of the woods? The weather has been great and should be 82 today. My lifegroup is having a study/potluck/pool party today. Then we will break for about 6 weeks. My grands go back to school the 2nd week of August. Eddie is in summer school, Jazzy starts flag twirling camp at the end of August. The younger two are busy with mom since she is off too. We do have a few park days in the works along with a beach day. Just depends on the weather because we can get pretty hot. I do like to spend time in my hot tub, with the temperature lowered of course!

I will be visiting my sister in July. In August I am going with some of my friends to Grants Pass Oregon. We are going on a jet raft on the Rogue River. Our hotel overlooks the river. I am excited to visit a new place and try something new too! Hopefully I can meet up with an online friend that lives close to the hotel called the Riverside.

2.We give you magic powers! You can change the climate, the surroundings, even your house and anything you like. Tell us what you are doing to make your summer or your entire year better..... GO!

I would sell and move to the mountains overlooking a lake. I would like our weather to stay around 82 with a breeze with occasional showers.

3. The puppy on the boat at the right is your new friend.  He wants a name.  What name will you give him, and would you like to be in that picture (if you can't sail we will provide someone for you!)

I would call him Freedom and I would love to be in that boat with friends or hubby. Maybe my whole family, but then I would need a bigger boat!

4.   It's friendship potluck day at your house this month.  Everyone is coming. Please assign us what dishes each of us are to bring to make for a great day.(by the way, you needn't use names. Just name some dishes you would like people to bring along) Green salad, pasta salad, fresh fruit, deviled eggs, tuna salad sandwiches, pickles and chips and dip. I am taking chips and dip to our potluck today. Ice water that is fruit infused and iced tea for drinks.

Tuesday 4

Summertime and the Living is Easy?

 

Well, we hope it's easy anyway.

Welcome back to Toni's Tuesday 4!   Always good to have you here. Let's concentrate on the little bit of summer that is left, shall we?  We need to enjoy every season to the fullest I believe. what say you? Not much more of summer left so we better enjoy it while it lasts.

1. What do you like to do in the summer? Our summers can get hot, so staying cool is important. Outings are best in the morning. Hard to enjoy the outdoors with the killer mosquitoes arrived with Covid. I do love going to the beach, but it takes time to
get there. We got to have the grands over a lot this summer. We Bible journaled and camped indoors and even had smores. We did make it to our neighbor's pool. I went on two visits to Texas this year. I am going to Lake Tahoe on the 11th of Sept. Our weather will be hot until mid-October.  A heatwave in arriving on Wednesday and we will be near 108!!!!

2. What is your favorite summertime food and beverage? We eat more salads. I drink ice water with fruit throughout the day.

3. How do you beat the heat? Staying inside with the air. Not happy about our AC bill. I have visited Hobby Lobby a few times walking around in the cool air and listening to music. 

4. What do you really like about the summer season? I love all my seasonal series, but they are on break. If give me more time to be with the grands, craft and read. This Saturday my brother and his wife are hosting a Labor Day get together at their house. They bought it from my parents and there are a lot of sweet memories there. It will be great having all the families together. When my dad passed it 2013, there were only 5 great grands. Now there are 17!  

Tuesday 4, Summer!

♬ ♫ Summertime and the Living is Easy. ♩ ♪

1. What gave you the most fun in summer as a kid or as an adult? 

Life was much simpler when we were kids. I remember laying on the sidewalk after playing in the sprinklers. I can still here a plane flying in the blue sky. We would ride our bikes with the neighbor kids and play in each other's yards. We could get a popsicle from the ice cream man. Better yet, there was the Thrifty's ice cream cone for 5 cents! It was riding my bike to the park to play games and sports with the neighborhood kids. The best times were spent with the cousins in either of my grandparent's backyard. Later it was hanging out with friends. it was listening to music and sometimes going to someone's pool. There was more planned out vacations in the summer. Our kids could still play with the neighbor kids, usually hanging out at each other's home. Kids were now playing with electronics inside and spending less time outside. I did encourage my kids to read and play with Legos. 

Now as grandparent, we have the grands here for many summer days. We try to limit the electronics. The younger grands were play with the hose today and our older grandson went in the spa after basketball practice. Our older grand girl is in Palm Springs with school friends. We are planning a beach day at the end of the week.

Every end of summer our family went to church camp.

Once we got into Jr. high, we got to sleep in the teen bunkhouse.

We always enjoyed hanging out at the pool.

This is my favorite summer day. The beach with the family!

2. Does summer heat get to you? How do you cope? It can get pretty hot here in the summer. We can go from the 90's-100's from July through September. Thank God for air conditioning. Beach days and pool days are the best!

3.  Do you have summertime foods and drinks you really enjoy eating?   Does your menu change in summer? I drink a lot of fruit infused ice water. I don't drink soda's. I enjoy my Snapple diet peach tea. We eat more salads in the summer.

4. Do you enjoy sitting outside or on the porch in summertime? How about some photos of where you enjoy being in summer. It is hard to stay outside to enjoy the cooler evenings when mosquitos are biting. These new ankle biters are so small that they actually can bite all day and the seem to follow people into the house! 

My hubby and I are leaving on vacation next week to Lake Tahoe. Much cooler there.

The summer heat is in full swing and we are going on week two with weather in the high 90's. I have been enjoying my spa these past few days. I love watching the hummingbirds and bees enjoying our flowers. My plumerias are growing well in front yard but not in the backyard. They are going to be moved soon. This past week I went to the movies with friends from church and we saw Overcomer. It was such a great movie and I want my husband and grandkids to see it Have a great holiday weekend! .

My regular blog is at Susan's Garden of Friendship The link is to the right. Lots of inspirational pages too. I hope to see you there!

The days just seem to fly bye! Hubby and I just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary on August 10. We have been trying to get reservations for NY with our time share, but they seemed to be booked. We did spend our day at Laguna Beach and that was fun. My grand daughter Jazmyn and I celebrated out birthdays on August 12, the first day back at school. I have been busy working on my various Bible studies and just stared one at church on King David. It will be hot here in So California through October so it is still summer here.

My regular blog is at Susan's Garden of Friendship The link is to the right. Lots of inspirational pages too. I hope to see you there!

Summer blessings

My regular blog is at Susan's Garden of Friendship The link is to the right. Lots of inspirational pages too. I hope to see you there! I keep this blog so when I leave my website I have a place here. The grandkids have kept me busy and that is fine because they are a blessing! My two older grandkids got baptized and it made this mema happy!

Here is a picture taken at church before the 4th.