Going to be a busy Saturday....

 I stopped working about 3:30p yesterday so that I could take hubby down to this place to pick up a walker for him.  They loan them free to people living in our area.  They want them back when they are no longer in use.  It is all volunteer - men repair used walkers, wheelchairs, etc. and then they are loaned out.  Donations are accepted.  Went out to my car to back it out of the garage and ..... click!  Lights worked, radio worked.  But, .... click!  I let hubby drive his car and as I was not going to let anything come in the way of getting that walker (he was immediately in a bad mood when I pushed for us to go. After all, he DID say we could get it Friday).  It was only a little over 3 miles away so we got down there fairly quick. Within less than 10 minutes, he (still grumpy and I apologized to the lady because he was!) he had signed the paper he was getting the walker (it's a nice one too!) and a man met him outside the door to make sure it fit him (height-wise) and showed him how to stand with it, how to use the brakes, and yes, it has a seat. I pretty much insisted on that as he can't walk very far before he has to 'rest'.  Anyway, long story short, we got the walker and then came back home.  (Yes, hubby did apologize to me later about being so grumpy and rude about getting the walker).

I thought AAA down the street was closed so I called AAA Mobile when we got back home and within ten minutes or so Dillon was here to check my car.  He immediately said it was the battery. I disagreed (of course) because the lights still worked.  He showed me.  The gauge read '9' and should read '12' to start.  I had battery power, but not enough to turn the car over.  So he didn't charge it, but did get it started and told me to let it run for (I heard) 45 minutes (hubby heard 4-5 minutes).  Who was right? I have no idea.  It was about 4:40p so I decided to call 'my guy' at the AAA Repair down the street.  I explained what it was (I had bought a new battery from them less than a year ago) and asked if I could get it down there to charge it.  Only problem, they close at 5:30p and it needs to be on the charge 2-3 hours to totally charge up.  We decided to not rush about and get down there, that I would bring it down at 8a when they open this morning and get it on the charge.  If it doesn't start, 'my guy' said he would send someone over to jump it and get it started.  So I shut the car off (it ran about 10 minutes, and did start right back up) and went to fix dinner.

I ended up making shepherd's pie for dinner just because I wanted something quick and I needed to use up some hamburger.  You know the recipe, hamburger, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and mashed potatoes and cheese on top - and I baked it in the oven to melt the cheese. :-)

My oven.  It works!!  My oldest son came over for a visit yesterday morning and luckily I didn't have any work to do.  We sat and talked while I kept an eye on emails and Teams texts.  Finally about 11-ish I said I was taking an early lunch and we moved to the kitchen and I decided to make oatmeal raisin cookies.  I haven't been able to bake since February!  Hubby checked - they picked up the oven part on March 5th and I didn't get my oven back until July 6th!  Anyway - I made oatmeal cookies and they turned out good.  I need to send my big brother a birthday package so plan to put a small bag of those in for him; my little sister reminded me Morgan likes oatmeal raisin (I hadn't even thought about it!) and of course oatmeal raisin is HER favorite.... so I plan to save some for Morgan, and send some to my little sister as well.  Sent a few home with my son.  I ate way too many of them!  (and I caught hubby in the act of reaching for a cookie and talk about looking guilty! LOL  I didn't care he ate them, but I caught him 'sneaking' to get one and it was funny).

Today is crazy this morning as I will need to get dressed in about an hour to take my car down to AAA Repair.  We need to leave about 10-ish to go to a funeral at our 'old' church.  The visitation is at 10a; funeral at 11a.  I told hubby we don't need to be there an hour for the visitation; he just wants to see old friends, and I get that. But he wants to get there early as there is limited parking.  Well, it depends on my car.... or he will have to drive.  That's why I want to get my car down right at 8a.  AAA Repair is where I've been getting my routine work done (oil changes, etc.) and it is only about a mile down the road. Hopefully, it won't take 3 hours to charge my battery and I can get it back quickly. I'm not sure what time they close on Saturdays and I don't want to leave my car over Sunday.  Hopefully it will charge up quickly.

Nothing is planned for this afternoon but I need to get to the store. We've been out of milk for about a week, I think.  Need to pick up a few things, but you know how that is when you go in person.  I've told myself to write down what meals I plan to make and make sure what ingredients I need, to at least ensure that I get those.... we ate out a lot last week, and it definitely got expensive.  Oh - btw - Taco Boys is now open where Coco used to be.  I think they were 'coming soon' for about a year.  Drove by it the other day and it is finally open.  We may try it Monday as I don't want to fight the new crowds over the weekend.  As I mention we need to quit eating out.  But, got to try it at least once, right?

Oh - we got home with the walker last night and hubby immediately put it in the back room with the exercise equipment to 'get it out of the way'.  He won't use it today, you watch. I'm not going to argue with him.  If he falls, it's his fault.  I did go on Amazon and ordered one without a seat.  Why did I do that when he has a nice one?  Because the place we got it from asked that we don't take it out of the 'city'.  But what definition is 'the city' - where we live, or the cities surrounding it.  I think I will call and confirm.  Hubby did ask about taking it up north when we go on vacation next month and was advised 'no'.  They ask that it not be taken on vacation because it can get damaged by being put in and out of the car and whatnot.  I think the implication is it is to be used in the home.  Which being in the exercise room is really going to help (about as much as the exercise equipment has, right?).   Anyway, we won't be going much of anywhere on vacation (I don't even want to go!) so he can use the one I'll be getting from Amazon on Tuesday.  He walks about 100 feet and he says his legs get shaky.  That's when he begins to fall.  I overheard him talking with his brother about the walker yesterday afternoon - and (as I knew he would!) he told him that he tripped at the doorframe as he came into Dr. Mark's office.  Uh, no, Lily called him out on it - he tripped over his feet because his legs were weak and he couldn't walk straight!  I didn't see as I was in front of him - but I trust Lily!  I think hubby is truly being humbled by this experience - and he doesn't like it at all!

Well, I think I'm going to just jump off here and get dressed.  I am out of things to share this morning. I think I slept the best I have in a few nights and woke up still early this morning.  It's always nice to have time alone - with God - and by myself.  In fact, I may just stay in here another 45 minutes.  

Have an amazing day!

Blessings!

I am getting better....I think

 Once again I started yawning early last night and went to bed early - and woke up at 5AM when my alarm went off.  I slept well last night, having taken just a tylenol to keep any pain at bay.  Since I slept all night, I think the worst is over and I am doing just fine with this surgery recovery.  I get twinges ever so often, but I ignore them, unless it is bad.  I'll take another tylenol before we go to church this morning, just to be sure I don't start hurting during church.  

My youngest made brownie points yesterday - he and his wife came to the funeral for a dear old friend.  He didn't know him well, and of course hadn't seen him in years, but still, he came.  And the church was pretty full.  By the time we got there, hitting every.single.red.light. except for one or two, I think, it was 9:50AM.  It was to start at 10AM.  But, just before we got there, they made an announcement that it may start, hopefully, by 10:15AM.  What they shared was the hearse had broken down on the freeway and another large car had to come pick up the casket and transport it to the church.  I don't know who the Yukon belonged to, but it was long enough to transport it.  It arrived just before we got there.   It was a nice service, although the microphone wasn't working that well most of the time and we couldn't hear all that was said. We saw several people we hadn't seen in years.  That's what always happens - at weddings and at funerals.  We went to lunch with the youngest and his wife and had a nice visit.  Coming home - guess who settled in for a nap?  Yep, me.

I find it interesting that with the TV off, hubby isn't taking (or at least I haven't seen it) naps like he did before.  He'd take 2 hour naps easily.  And he says he is sleeping all night.  Imagine that!  Usually the TV comes on at 2PM and he's asleep by 2:30PM and wakes up around 3:30-4PM.  I should bring that to his attention.  Maybe.  Last night he asked if I wanted to watch a movie.  He didn't like my response - but I told him, "You have been doing so well with not even talking about the TV or asking about movies, and I know you said if I wanted to watch a movie, you'd turn it on.   You have gone six days without the TV - and I don't want to mess you up.... if YOU want to watch a movie, then watch it; I can do without it.  I'm just afraid that if you watch a movie, then you'll start rationalizing that you will just watch the news, and then before you know it, you'll be watching TV."  He grumbled a bit, but he left the TV off.    He has stuck to his vow of no TV.  He didn't give up any food specifically, but is trying to stick to what I am, including fish and chicken.  I'm not to judge what he does; that is between him and God, just like my fast is between me and God.  Even at the restaurant, I had 4 vegetables.  Hubby had fish and two vegetables.  And we left the biscuits alone.  And that was hard - I love bread, as you know.

I didn't get anything done yesterday that I wanted to.  After the funeral, and taking a nap, naw, I wasn't getting up to do anything.  I did some crocheting and some knitting - didn't even cook dinner since we ate lunch - and hubby realized I wasn't fixing anything, so he got up and fixed himself some leftovers from the other night.  All by himself.  Yeah, some sarcasm there.   I have things I really need to get done today, and may... or may not.

Jesus was talking to several Pharisees who wore white clothing to sow how holy they were. He said in Matthew 23:26 (NKJV): "First, cleanse the inside of the cup ......"  That's the alignment of your inner world. You cannot take the man out of the slum. You have to take the slum out of the man. That alignment in your inner world is your purity. It's your thought life. The Pharisees were so worried about looking the part on the outside, but on the inside they were full of dead men's bones.  Some people worry about how they look on the outside only.  You know, how they look, what do other people think, etc.  But the greater thing is to be clean on the inside, in your thought life, in your purity and your attitude, in your spirit.

In other words, it doesn't matter how we dress, whether we smell pretty or not.  What matters is that inside of us is pure and clean.  What does that mean?  It means you are following Jesus, you are obeying Him.  You are following Him so close the dust of His sandals gets all over you.  That what I want.  To be so close to Him.  

Sometimes, yes, it feels like He is far away.  I'm sure you have felt that too.  But He isn't.  It is me, or us, who have moved from Him, by letting something in that shouldn't be there.  Perhaps it was a cross word or two, an attitude.  Things that we know are not of Him, who is perfect is every way.  The devil has a way of sneaking in and when you are walking with Jesus, the devil will do everything he can to flip the scales in his favor.  When you recognize something is different - and you will - ask for forgiveness and turn your way around.  And you will find Jesus right there once again.

Life doesn't get any better than with having Jesus right by your side.  Don't you want to experience that feeling, that joy that He brings?  Think about it.  Do it.  Just once step.  Acknowledge Jesus as Lord of all, and ask forgiveness. It's so easy.

Blessings!