Snow Picture

I decided to change my picture on my blog to one of the pictures I took last Saturday when the snow was so lovely and the sky was nearly blue. My first attempt to put the new picture up made it really huge, almost like a mural, with the writing in the upper left hand corner. My second attempt I decided to push the shrink to fit button, and now it doesn't quite fill it! It took a long time to upload each time, and I am not going to try again tonight to be like Goldilocks and find the one that is just right! Maybe another time...right now I am getting used to the new laptop, and I just downloaded pictures from my camera to the laptop for the first time tonight. We can't get this granny too overwhelmed!

Another Birthday!

Last Sunday, December 7th, I had another birthday. I turned 56. A week or so ago I figured out that the age of 56 is Sweet 16 and Forty all rolled into one!! We had a very nice Sunday. Union meeting was here, and we all had dinner here together. There were nine of us. Ken had made me a birthday cake, and even decorated it with birthday wishes!



I was born on a Sunday, too. A new acquaintance one time asked me, "How long have you been going to meeting?" My reply was, "Well, I was born on a Sunday, and I guess we didn't go that day!" On the day that I was born, there were special meetings over at Port Allegany.



It was also the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, which was in 1941, and the beginning of the USA involvement in WWII. I have often joked that I was WWIII when I was born!



People have often told me stories about the day I was born, and somehow, it always made me feel special to hear them. Just for fun, I thought I would write down what I have heard!



According to me baby book, I was born at 5:50 in the morning. I was born at home, in the bedroom off the kitchen. My mother was taken care of by a midwife from Wilcox named Alma Peterson. My mother named me after her. I do not know why she did. They were acquaintances but I don't think they were close friends. Perhaps my parents just liked the name. And, I was number 6 in the family, so perhaps they were running out of ideas!



Some people came to visit us before they left for special meetings: my Uncle Max and Aunt Bertha and Gertie bumpus. James Shadle is also listed in the baby book, so he must have been visiting them. Some came to visit later in the day. I assume these workers had been at the special meetings and stopped on their way to somewhere else: Miriam Mader, Susan Wallace, and Willie Beacom! Of those who are listed as visitors, the only ones still alive are Miriam and Jim.



My mom and I did not go to the special meetings, but my dad did. Apparantly he left it up to the rest of the 5 children whether they would go or stay home. My sister, Ruth aged 14, decided to stay home with us. I do not know about the others.



The news of my birth was told amongst the friends and family at special meetings. The story goes that my Uncle Max told people that my name, Alma Louise Lindberg, spelled the word ALL and that meant I would be the last of the children! He was not a true prophet, because three years and a month later, my younger brother Glenn was born! So, I wasn't ALL!



Gertie told me ths story of coming there to see me again in the evening, and I was crying and crying. When someone picked me up, there was blood on my shirt and in the bassinet. Apparantly my umbilical cord was not completely tied off and had to be redone. Gertie said that my mother said, "Oh, my baby, my baby, she is dying!" But of course, I did not die and I am still kicking around 56 years later.



Yes, the stories of the day of my birth have always made me feel very special. In 56 years, there have also been lots of days that have been very, very special to me. There have also been some days that were very, very hard, but they are all part of my life's experience and have made me what I am. Life has had joy and sorrow interwoven and I am thankful for everything.

Heidi's Big Question

Heidi loves the computer and is quite proficient and efficient on it. Her mother is constantly bouncing her off of it, not wanting her to spend all her time there. Now she has written a story of six chapters on a webpage. I am sure her dream would be to have her very own computer and to use it as much as she wanted.

Jill and the kids and I went shopping together on Saturday when we were up there. I was waiting with the kids in the van while Jill went into the bank, and Heidi asked me a question:

Heidi: "Grandma, how old were you when you got your first computer?"

Me, scratching my head and trying to remember: "Oh, I am not sure, Heidi, I must have been about 49 or 50."

Heidi: "Oh", and then a pause. "Did your mother have one?"

And then I was really chortling inside, just trying to picture my dear old mother sitting in front of a computer, checking her email! "No, Heidi, she didn't."

I expect Heidi wants to get her very own computer before she turns 49 or 50!

Grandkids--don't ya just luv em?

Three Thanksgiving Dinners

How lucky can a gal get? I got to eat three turkey dinners, and I didn't even cook one of them! I love turkey dinners, and do enjoy cooking them, but this year I didn't have to! And I don't have any turkey leftovers in my refrigerator, either! Just two very, very cold turkeys in our freezer.

Our first Thanksgiving dinner was at Glenn and Anna's on November 15. Glenn and Anna decided to have their family Thanksgiving then because Joni was leaving Nov. 22 to go to Australia to see Roger, and also Andrew's family was visiting for the weekend. We had a great time eating, laughing and playing music.

Meal #2 was on the actual Thanksgiving Thursday, and we went to son Todd and Sue's for the meal with Sue's family. Todd and Sue did a great job at putting on the meal together. This is the two of them in their kitchen which is tiny but very beautiful.

My computer is taking FOREVER to download the pictures, and I am doing a sudoku puzzle while I wait for it to do its thing! We have a new laptop ordered, so I am hoping it will be an improvement on the picture thing!

Our next meal was on Friday at Leigh and Jill's. Same song, third verse! Once again, it was all very good, and makes me hungry for turkey! Guess I will have to get one of my birds out of the freezer and roast it soon!

One and a half sudokus later, I have finally managed to upload the three pictures. I have more pictures from Leigh and Jill's house that I want to write about, but I guess I will wait for our new computer,

Seasonal Picture in my Heading!

Well, I changed my picture up above. It's the same scene taken in a snowstorm instead of fall harvest-time!

Ken is off work now until next Tuesday. They had a plant shutdown for the Thanksgiving holiday. His job security there seems to go down a notch every day.

We plan to go to Todd and Sue's on Thursday for turkey with some of her family. I am to take angel biscuits, a family favorite! I will try to take a picture of the finished product and put the recipe and picture on our recipe blog.

These days I am enjoying facebook a lot. It is so special to connect with our dear friends, young and old, from Pennsylvania and other states. I even have a connection in Canada and London, England!

November, my least favorite month, will soon be over. It has not been a dreary month because we have had snow on the ground a lot (and in the air, too!).

Replacing My First Digital Camera

We recently purchased a new Panasonic digital camera to replace the old FujiFilm. The old one was no longer working as efficiently as it should so we decided to retire it. What a difference a few years have made in digital cameras!

The new camera's readout covers nearly the whole back of the camera. WOW! My grandkids are gonna love it! After I take their picture, they always say, "Can I see?"

The new camera is lots smaller, as you can see! It feels so dainty and petite compared to the old one. And, view finders are now a thing of the past. I never got used to taking a picture on my old camera by just looking at the readout, but now it is a must to learn. The large size readout makes it much easier to learn.

I don't remember learning about digital cameras and computer pictures. It seems that they just slid into my everyday existance somehow.

I am old enough to remember film and flashbulbs for cameras! (Can you even buy them anymore?) Pictures were a bit of a luxury item to take, and we didn't just snap, snap, snap, back in the olden days. You had to wait a week or so for them to get developed, either in the drug store, or mail order, then the thrill of opening up the package to see how they turned out! Black and white pictures were cheaper, of course, and better for kids with their first camera.

One of my big picture regrets is that we don't have any pictures taken of me with my newborn babies in the hospital. Nowadays, people take lots of pictures of newborns, but back in the 70's, we didn't take lots of pictures!

Yes, pictures today are so much easier and lots of fun. We can share them on our blogs and on facebook. My screensaver on my computer is fixed to scan through my pictures, and it is fun to see the random shots!

Family Recipe Blog

A couple of weeks ago I started a recipe blog after seeing a couple on the internet. It is possible to have a blog that is authored by several people, so I decided to start one to be authored by the descendents of my parents, Herb and Lenore Lindberg. I have invited about 12 or 14, and we have several recipes up and going, with more family members jumping on the bandwagon! The blog is open to anyone to read or browse. Even if you are not part of our family, you are welcome to read and use our recipes!

So, stop and visit www.lindbergfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com. We would enjoy your comments!

The Vulture and the Hummingbird

I think this little story was published in the Reader's Digest. Don Grady shared it with us in Sunday morning meeting in the summer of 2001. In September of that year, we heard it told at Madisonville, KY convention. It's a story that helps me to think about the best things!

I wanted to get pictures of the two birds, but was afraid I might be infringing on copyright laws to get them from the web, so you will just have to picture them in your own mind!!

The Vulture and the Hummingbird

Both the vulture and the hummingbird fly over our nation's deserts.

All the vulture sees is rotting meat, because that is what it looks for. It thrives on that diet.

But the hummingbird ignores the smelly flesh of dead animals. Insted, it looks for the colorful blossoms of desert plants.

The vulture lives on what was. It lives on the past. It fills itself with what is dead and gone.

But the hummingbird lives on what is. It seeks new life. It fills itself with freshness and life.

Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do...........

Kirsten turns seven!!

Ah, isn't she cute? She was about 18 months old in the picture on the left. The picture on the right was taken just a few weeks ago. Today, Nov. 6th, is her birthday. I often say that if she had blue eyes instead of beautiful brown eyes, she would make a cute little Scandinavian gal!

The day of her birth will always be special in my memory. Jill had gall bladder trouble during her pregnancy with Kirsten, and was in the hospital for several days before Kirsten was born. When the medicine they gave her to induce her finally began to work, things happened very fast, and I was the one who was there with her for the birth. Leigh did not make it back to the hospital in time, and he walked into the room, ready to coach his wife, and instead found her with Kirsten in her arms!

Another interesting fact is that Kirsten was born on what would have been my Aunt Bertha's 100th birthday, if she had been living. She would have been very pleased because she certainly loved all us kids and our kids!

We have two other November birthdays in our family--my sister, Lois, and my daughter-in-law, DeAnn.

This weather this November has not been typical! It has been mild and sunshiney, and I have laundry hanging on the line. Those sheets will smell good tonight! This nice weather makes me feel a teensy bit guilty about dirty windows!!

And November is here...

November, my least favorite month of the year. It always seems to me to be such a dismal month where I wish the weather would just get on with it, and not make us endure the brown, cloudy, rainy days.

Now that I got my crabbing out of the way, I would like to say that this first day of November has been very pleasant, in the 60's! We had a cloudy morning, but the afternoon was very pleasant. Ken helped me and we got the garden cleaned up and "put to bed" for the winter--tomato tie-ups removed and stakes pulled out. Then Ken went over it with the brush-hog to mow it all down and chew everything up. All those weed seeds and grass clippings will get plowed under next April, all being well!

Linda H. and I have been having lots of email fun the last couple days setting up a recipe blog for the Lindberg family descendents. It is up and running, but Linda is using her digital photo expertise to make it lovely and attractive. I will write more about it when we have it set up to admit the public for viewing!!

Dismal November is redeemed by Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday!

And, don't forget to turn the clocks back tonight!

Our trip to Port Allegany

Roy and DeAnn have been wanting to go up to see Olive and Alice for a good while. Roy had a vacation week this week so they came up here on Monday. The three of us went up on Tuesday to see Olive at the nursing home in Smethport, then lunch at the Cottage House, and on to see Alice at her little house. Leah came over and shared the visit. Joe had gone to be with his daughter who was in the hospital in Rochester, NY. On our return trip we stopped at Lindberg Furniture in Johnsonburg and saw Bonnie, Randy, and Randy's little girl, Ella.

Olive looked well cared-for and had a pleasant smile. Roy mentioned to her that conventions would soon be starting in Argentina. She said she loved Argentina, and I asked where what it was about Argentina that she loved! Her reply: "the people". We reminded her about her story of when the workers came in 1914, and DeAnn asked her who the workers were, and she replied, "Nettie Miller and Inez London." One is glad for the things that are indelibly written on our hearts that remain such a part of us no matter what!

Many of you would know that my mother and Olive were the same age, and their parents heard the Gospel in that same mission in 1914. That is the reason why I wanted to have my picture taken with her!

We had a great time with Alice and Leah, too. Alice said she only has pain when she tries to move. I thought she seemed to have more trouble hearing the conversation than she used to. She does such a great job with keeping up with all the news of everybody through her email!

Alice will turn 91 in December, and Olive will turn 99! Leah said she was 83.

So, it was a lovely day for this blogger, spending time with my son and daughter-in-law, and with other dear friends who have been such a part of us for so many years!

Grandma's Brag Page

Whattayaknow! A family portrait! Leigh and Jill, with Shane, Kirsten, and Heidi.

The grandchildren with Grandpa in the back of his truck. Heidi, Kirsten, and Laura, Abby, Ken, and Shane.

The same dear kiddoes without Grandpa! Heidi is 9, Kirsten 6, Laura is 6, Shane is 3, and Abby is 21 months.

The grandchildren have spent many happy hours at this swingset that Ken built from a kit. The swings look very lonesome to me after the kids leave! Here are all 5 of the grandchildren in motion under the watchful eye of Sue, Todd's wife.

Heidi loves to climb the tree near the swingset, and it is a great place for a picture! At 9, Heidi is on the verge of becoming a young woman!

A close-up of Kirsten, a very photogenic first-grader!

Shane is all boy, and loves tractors, trucks, and equipment--and dirt!!

I will get some solo shots of Laura and Abby for the next brag page.

October's Bright Blue Weather

The weather for the past several days here in western PA has been so beautiful, and a fulfillment of this poem. I think we studied this poem in grade school, and I have hung a copy of it on my refrigerator each October for several years now!

Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)

October's Bright Blue Weather

O SUNS and skies and clouds of June,

And flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour

October's bright blue weather;

When loud the bumble-bee makes haste,

Belated, thriftless vagrant,

And Golden-Rod is dying fast,

And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When Gentians roll their fringes tight

To save them for the morning,

And chestnuts fall from satin burrs

Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie

In piles like jewels shining,

And redder still on old stone walls

Are leaves of woodbine twining;

When all the lovely wayside things

Their white-winged seeds are sowing,

And in the fields, still green and fair,

Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks,

In idle golden freighting,

Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush

Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunts,

By twos and twos together,

And count like misers, hour by hour,

October's bright blue weather.

O suns and skies and flowers of June,

Count all your boasts together,

Love loveth best of all the year

October's bright blue weather.

This poem can be found in:
Jackson, Helen. Poems. Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1893.
Stevenson, Burton Egbert, ed. The Home Book of Verse for Young Folks. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1915.

This evening we have Peggy J. and Marie F. with us. We have had a lovely visit and it is so good to have them! They will start Gospel meetings in Brockway on Oct. 26. The workers are taking turns staying with Judy O.

We had Heidi, Kirsten, and Shane with us over the weekend while their parents went to Ohio for a wedding. Next post I will put up some brag picture!

Tomatoes, tomatoes, and MORE tomatoes!

No doubt about it, I had a beautiful garden. During June and July everything was growing nicely, and the garden was lush and beautiful, with practically no weeds. Mulching with grass clippings helped keep the weeds down.

Then came August and conventions and the weeds got ahead of me. The tomato plants that I had so lovingly tied to their stakes again and again became heavy with fruit, and collapsed. Now the beauty of the garden is a different story--we have a bountiful harvest! Early this week I picked the ripe and nearly ripe tomatoes since we had a frost warning. I brought them into my kitchen for frost protection, and to can.

First thing Wednesday morning, I got started. I wash them, cook them, then put them through a food mill and can them in quart jars. Before the day was over, I had 28 quarts done. And, before the day was over, I was tired of standing on my feet! And tired of looking at tomatoes!

I haven't counted the tomatoes I have already done on my canning shelf in the cellar, but I think I must have between 75 and 100 quarts. I have some left over from last year, too.

Spaghetti, anyone? Or chili? We will be eating lots of good stuff this winter at our house! Come and join us!

On Thursday, Ross only had one class and it was such a beautiful day that we decided to dig some of the potatoes in the afternoon. He ran the shovel and I picked them up. (The next morning when I got out of bed, I discovered some new muscles!) We still have a row of potatoes to dig, and so far it has been a bumper crop.

Now, the beauty of the garden is in the fruitfulness of it. My garden was a wonderful investment this year and paid great yields!

Stew Cook

Happy Birthday, Ken! In honor of Ken's 60th birthday, the kids planned a fun day of cooking stew together, and then invited relatives and friends to help us eat it! This copper kettle came from Florence C. She gave it to Don G. who passed it on to us. Finally, after having it in our possession for nearly four years, we got a chance to use it, thanks to Jill's creativity in figuring it would be a great way to celebrate Ken's birthday. Lots of chopping and fixing went into that pot of stew!

Jill's getting ready to cry over all those onions!

One of my specialties--kitchen floor buns. This is a variation on the favorite Grady bun recipe, where I add several cups of various grains to the mixture. This time I used oatmeal, Red River cereal, and some bran flakes. My kids named them kitchen floor buns when they were rascals at home because they said it looked like I had swept the kitchen floor and dumped it into my buns! They are always a hit when I make them.

Leigh and Kirsten helped to dig the potatoes from my garden for the stew. Looks like we have and exceptionally fine crop of potatoes that we will soon need to dig for our winter supply.

Todd arrived by bicycle--he went extra miles besides the eight miles from his house to ours. He did a great job helping to chop up the cheese--left handed!

Even the guest of honor helped to peel the carrots! Most of his time was spent outside tending to the fire.

.Todd clowning around with his dad. We have never figured out how this kid got so tall!

Roy (and Deann, not pictured) arrived on the scene in the early afternoon. By this time, the steam was rising from the pot and smelling wonderful!

Ken's birthday present from the kids was a very nice gold watch. No more Walmart specials for him

This line-up of ladies was waiting for the stew to be declared ready.

After they got their tummies full, they managed to make their way outside the building to sit around the fire!

Instead of gifts, Jill wrote on the invitation to bring her dad a pie. Here he is with all eleven of them! He did not eat them all, but certainly enjoyed them with the others.

Ken reading his cards--His actual birthday was September 18, while I was enjoying Demorest convention. On that day, his 94-year-old mother fixed him supper--roast beef, mashed potatoes, tomato dumplings, other vegetables, and a birthday cake! What a grand lady!

Punk and Roy enjoyed a jam session of music, and others enjoyed listening.

I don't know how Ross escaped getting into any of the pictures, but he was a part of the day, too!

Thanks to all who came! We want to cook in this old copper kettle again!

Sally

Sally was one of my "baby-house buddies". Their four children were a little older than our four, and arranged boy, boy, girl, and boy just like ours. I had so much confidence in her and felt like she would know the answers to all my questions!

This lovely picture of Sally, Dick, and Leah B. was taken in August of 2006, at our before-convention hymnsing. Sally had been diagnosed in February, 6 months prior, and we were thrilled that she and Dick and Leah came up to be with us that night. Her choice of hymn was 278, "Oh, for the peace of a perfect trust". Two years and a month later we were singing it at her funeral.

We knew that Sally was very low when we went to Demorest. Donna had talked to Arlene K. on the telephne from Demorest and heard that Sally was in a coma.

Friday morning we were waiting quietly for the meeting to begin, and Lily C., who was sitting at the other end of the row from us, sent us a note which said, "Did you hear that Sally Clites died this morning?" Somehow, the finality of it all hit me very hard. Even though I could not wish her back in her diseased body, I still keenly felt the loss of a very good friend and example. Within about 20 seconds or so, the meeting began and it took me a while to get my emotions under control and the flow of tears stopped.

Then we went to lunch, and lo and behold, we were served chicken and noodles, the meal that Dick and Sally have cooked together for our Newry convention! More sad/happy memories.

By evening meeting, I thought I was getting kinda situated, but then they gave out the first hymn, "Life's short day will soon be over" and more memories came--that was the hymn Dick had talked on their blog about them singing after they came home from their last trip to Johns Hopkins.

I was glad to get to Sally's funeral on Tuesday with Joan H. By the number of people there, it was clearly evident that there were other people who loved Sally like I did! I was glad to see and visit with Dick's cousin, Dinah D., whom I had not seen for over 30 years.

Yes, Sally was quite a lady and will be long remembered amongst her friends for the example she was in word and deed.

Demorest

Ah, convention. I had wondered what my third convention would be like. With a month in between Newry and Demorest, that gave me ample time to rest my body and brain before using
it again! And Demorest proved to be a great blessing to me. It was wonderful to see a few familiar faces, and make some new friends, too.

Donna C. and I left Punxsutawney a little after noon on Tuesday, heading for Charleston, WV. We got to Ethel L.'s house in time to go with her to Gospel meeting, where we heard Carlton S. and Scott H. How many people get to go to a Gospel mtg. and convention in the same week?

We left for Demorest the next morning and it was a LONG ride that day! We had difficulty finding the convention grounds after arriving in the area, but got there at last about 5 PM. We got settled in to our sleeping quarters over the dining hall and found our seats in the second row.

It was so good to see Jennifer G. and Joel C. and also reconnect with all the Shadles and the Turpins. Fred and Bobbie were at Fort Sam with my brother Ben and Ethel, and they have been friends ever since! I had not seen them for over 40 years!

We left Demorest after lunch on Sunday and got back to Ethel's about 9 o'clock. Carlton and Scott were there to welcome us, and we had a grand visit and rehearsed the things we had heard. Monday it was home again, full of memories to cheer our hearts for a long while to come.

A thought from Demorest that has been in my mind the last couple of days--when love weakens, other things creep in.

What fun to have Jeannette come for a visit! We had a potluck supper for her here on Monday, September 15. We had about 20 people or so come. Several of them had not electricity at home from the previous nights high winds (thanks, Ike), and we appreciate them coming and leaving those problems behind!

Jeannette seems rather frail in her body (see the cane handle in the bottom right corner of the picture) but her personality has not lost any of her feistiness! She had lots of stories to tell us, including about her early days in coming to meetings and going in the work. We have such good memories of her back in the 60's and 70's when she was in PA and trying so hard to keep us straight!

We have a 40+ year old tradition from the Lindberg family to make cream puffs when Jeannette comes, so we upheld it for this special occasion! And, of course, we had to have Jeannette pose for this picture! Afterwards she told us, "I spit on every single one of them!" In spite of that she didn't get to eat them all!

I told Jeannette that I was going to call the picture of the three of us, "I still wish they had gone in the work", but she said she had gotten over that long ago!

Where do I start....???

Where do I start to tell you all about the full, rich days of the last two weeks? I have so much to tell, and I want to post pictures with it, too.

First we had Jeannette F.'s visit.
Then I went to Demorest with Donna C.
Sally C.'s death and funeral
The stew cook to celebrate Ken's 60th birthday.

So, here goes!!

Home from Georgia

Just a quick update. We returned safe and sound from our trip to convention in Georgia. I got home today around 4 PM. We had wonderful days, and I hope to write some more about them and post some pictures of the last week.

It was a very sad experience, humanly speaking, to be given a note from Lily Chenault about 10 seconds before the Friday morning meeting at convention, that our dear Sally Clites was gone. We knew she was very low, and actually it was good news that her suffering was over. But I was unprepared for the flood of feeling that came over me and out my eyes! And, we were sitting in the center of the second row!

Joan H. and I are planning to go to her funeral tomorrow. We hope to leave here at 6:45 AM. I will write more when life gets back to "normal."

Convention and the Sunrise

My dear granddaughter Kirsten and I were walking from our campers on the hill to go to breakfast at Newry. The pink clouds of the sunrise were exceptionally beautiful that morning and I was glad we did not miss the spectacular view! I told Kirsten that conventions were like sunrises.

How are conventions like sunrises? If you want to see it, you have to make it your business to be there when it happens. It is all too soon over, and it will be a while until it comes around again!

For that reason, August is my favorite month of the year, because it means conventions for our household! And this year, I am getting an extra bonus convention! I am going with Donna C. to Georgia convention! How nice to have the month in between, too, to get "rested up" and ready to go again! I have never gone to a convention this late in the year.

Tomorrow Jeannette is coming and we are having a potluck supper here for the folks around here. We have so many good memories of Jeannette and we will be glad to see her!

Then Tuesday, Donna and I are leaving at 12:30. We just might make it to Gospel meeting near Charleston, WV, where we are planning to stay the night with Ethel and take her with us on Wednesday.

I am anticipating a beautiful sunrise!!

Another New Identity

For many years, I have been known as the "rug lady" by some in the community. I began weaving rugs in 1991 and have sold lots of them. Trouble is, they last too long. The last couple of years have seen my sales drop off, and I have been reluctant to go out of the area to larger shows to sell. So, my rug business is dying out, and I may declare it dead in the next couple of months.

I have loved being a stay-at-home mom and wife for many years, but I seemed to be developing a restlessness in myself. I began to feel like I had too much unstructured time. It was time for me to move on to something new. Since hearing Jill tell all about her studies at nursing school and her time in the hospital, I discovered I have a keen interest in the hospital environment. I decided in May to look into volunteer work at the local hospital, DuBois Regional Medical Center. It is about 8 miles away.

My first station to learn is in the Hahne Cancer Center, which is part of the hospital. I continue to go there on Fridays. I escort the patient from the waiting room to the area where they have their radiation treatment. After their treatment is done (appointments for treatments are scheduled every 15 minutes, so it doesn't take long), I take them to the area where they have their weekly time with the doctor, weigh them, and get their chart out for the nurse. In between patients, I make phone calls to remind people of their doctor appointments, and do other simple paper work.

I have learned several other stations, too. I have worked at the main desk, the triage desk of the ER, and the surgical waiting room. A couple of days ago I trained on the short-stay floor, where they get the patients back from cataract surgery, and other same day "drive-through" surgeries. I am hoping to get a regular shift at the short-stay unit.

Who knows where all this may lead? Perhaps a part-time job? Maybe even some schooling? Time will tell!! Maybe it will just be a two shift a week deal until I get tired of it!

On another subject, I actually managed to get a "Home Sweet Home" picture put up on the top of my blog! At first I couldn't figure out how to get my lettering of my title on it, but then I realized it was actually still there, but the color of the writing was white and did not show up on the sky! Duh! Oh, the things you learn in the mid-fifties!

And speaking of home, sweet home, I have been remembering a couple of workers quoting those words at convention from Home on the Range--"where seldom is heard a discouraging word". They said how nice it would be if we could say, "where never is heard a discouragin word". That's something I need to aim for!

Another picture

I had Ken take some pictures of me. I wanted to put this one at the top right of my blog, but couldn't seem to get it put there, but I have managed to put it here! Hopefully I will get picture savvy soon!

We had this bread machine bread for supper with chili. I made a big pot with my ripe tomatoes. I will soon have to can some.

We had a great Saturday with Leigh, Jill, and family at the antique tractor show in Centre Hall, PA. Sunday was Union Meeting at Jim and Nancy's. We had a nice meeting and dinner and visit. Brian told us all about his job at the peanut butter factory!

My dear mother-in-law, Martha, turned 94 on Friday, August 29. Ken and I took her to the Dutch Pantry for supper to celebrate! Later, the waitresses brought her a cake with candles (about 10!) and balloons, but this was a better picture of her, so I am posting it.

We also celebrated on Sunday at Jane's house with Jane's Allen and family, Teresa and family, and our Todd and family. That was a big cake that day!

Martha says she thinks she has lived longer than any of the others in her family. And, even more amazing, she still lives in her own home, takes care of her own bills, and does light household duties. She no longer drives, but is happy to ride along with others. She was able for all four days of Newry convention.

She got lots of cards, including one with a picture of the ugliest woman you ever saw on the front, and inside it was signed "From your secret admirer". So far, she hasn't found the sender, and neither have we!

She has been a good mother-in-law to me. Ken is her only surviving child. Her other son, Don, died of cancer three years ago in July. She has survived lots of bumps in the road of life! We go to her house every other Wednesday for Bible study, and Jane picks her up for Sunday morning meeting here. She seldom misses!

So, she has the distinction of being the first one to have her picture on my blog!

A New Identity

I am or have been a daughter, sister, sister-in-law, wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. Now I am embracing a new identity--blogger!! Thanks to the influence of my dear daughter, Jill, and dear niece, Linda, I have decided to write about the days of my life. Linda reminded me about the newsletter emails I have sent out which I had named Beechwoods Musings and told me I already had a name for my blog, so here goes!

I looked for a picture of myself, but since I am usually behind the camera, the last picture I have was taken last February. So, we will make a beginning without a picture.

August was a very rich and special month with eight days of convention meetings at Freedom and Newry.

Yesterday was Labor Day, and supposedly the end of summer. We enjoyed a picnic at Cook Forest with friends and family. It has been a tradition for lots of years to go there! The beautiful weather was surpassed only by the company of our dear friends! And the food was fabulous, too!