Bits of This and That

 

Happy Monday:

We had a nice weekend.  Mostly it's been quiet, with a few fun things interspersed throughout.

On Friday, I met two of my cousins at a concert in nearby Middletown.  The Methodist Church there has free concerts by various artists on the first Friday of every month. This one was Jimmy Rogers who is a pianist and singer of honky tonk and blues.  His piano playing was awesome and he had a nice voice too.  After that we went to lunch at Cracker Barrel and just had a fun time talking and being together. After that, I met hubby at church and finished up some things there.  Then we came home that evening and watched some TV (getting back into some of the shows we've been binging in the past year).  I also finished the blanket I was making for Lucy.

Look at all those plugs (most will be going away soon when I take down the Christmas stuff) 
We're not quite ready to turn off the lights.  lol

I think it's safe to say, she likes the blanket.  A couple times when I was still working on it
 and had laid it aside to do something else, I caught her laying on it.

On Saturday, we woke up to some snow, which was pretty much all gone by evening. But Lucy and I went out and took about 20 minute walk in spite of the snow.  Enjoyed every minute of it too.

That afternoon, we grabbed a bite from Freddy's and then spent the rest of the day at home doing laundry, reading and watching TV.  Oh and I also made a pot of potato soup and I've been enjoying that the last couple days.

Sunday we had 2 great services and we had Skyline Chili for lunch and took a nap in the afternoon because neither one of us slept well Saturday night.  I'll post the pre-recorded sermon below.  He started a new series called "Outrageous Grace - Travelling with Jonah".

I received a picture from my daughter of Colton on his first ride on the monorail at Disney World.

I think he likes it!

I finished my 2nd book (this is the first book in the second series I mentioned in my last post) of the year this morning and I have the next downloaded from Libby and onto my Kindle ready for me to start this evening,

So that's pretty much my weekend.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

Hello Friends.  It's time for me to be intentionally thankful again.  Being thankful and remembering, acknowledging, and sharing what God has done and is doing in my life is very important for me.  I also hope that it will encourage others.  Here is a short list of things that come to mind this morning that I am thankful for:

• Exercise - Continuing in to this 2nd week of exercising 5 times a week for 30 minutes.  I think already I am feeling better at the end of 30 minutes.  I've been praying some, listening to some of my daily scriptures and even singing a little bit (very quietly) while out walking around my neighborhood.  Mostly, I take Lucy with me and we get some time together and plus it wears her out and she's pretty quiet for a while after because she's sleeping.
• Crochet Circle - Still enjoy meeting with these ladies to crochet together and have lots of good conversation.  I'm still working on the baby blanket.  It's slow but it's coming along.
• The Gospels - I'm still enjoying Reading the Gospels along with Annie F. Downs each day.
• Prayer - I've been working on a slide-show to display on the screens at the front of the church.  On the first Tuesday in July, hubby (the pastor) is starting a new Prayer Open House Program.  He will be opening the church sanctuary for 2 hours on Tuesday mornings and anyone that would like to come and pray, may come.  They can come for 2 hours, or 5 minutes and pray, that's all.  The slide shows have some scriptures and will help us get our focus in the right place.  Then in August he will be having a 31 Days of Prayer for us as a church.  He will give prompts for each day so we can pray separately but as a group focused on the things the church needs to pray for.  I'm so excited for these prayer times and to see what God will do in my life and the life of each one in our church.
• Dentist Appointment - This morning and it's over and I'm so glad.  lol
• Doctor's Appointments - I think they are all done for this go around and all is good...working on a couple numbers from the lab work, thus the walking I talked about earlier.  lol  
• New Glasses - I got my new glasses on Tuesday and I'm still adjusting some to the new stronger prescription.  But their doing better.
• Haircut - Finally went and got a good trim.

That's it for now...it's no longer morning, but better late than never.  Link up with with Jennifer at Overflowing with Thankfulness, if you'd like to.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

 

Good morning!

Happy Monday everyone.  It's been another nice weekend.  On Saturday I got up early and took another 30 minute walk with the dog and then came home and got cleaned up and headed out to lunch with my sister and her husband and my husband's mom.  It was so fun being with family and eating and laughing and talking.  Such a nice time together.  After that we went home and enjoyed a quiet evening watching a couple Hallmark Mystery Movies.  We both have been enjoying these in the last couple months.  We watched one of the Chronicle Mysteries and Mystery 101 movie series,  And I think hubby has a couple more of these recorded to watch.  We usually only watch movies on the weekend.  I know there are some new movie mysteries coming up yet this month that he has set to record. 

On Sunday we had 2 church services and in between hubby and I had Chipotle for lunch and then took a nice nap.  Below is the pre-recorded sermon from Sunday.  It is the last in the series called Big Promises for Big Problems.  This one is titled God's Answer to Despair.

So it was a really nice and relaxing weekend.  Just the way we like it.  Oh and I forgot, we finally got some good rain Sunday evening, which we desperately needed,  Thank you God.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

It's almost 3:00pm and I have done a Thankful post yet.  I've been gone most of the morning.  But I figure better late than never.  I'm thankful for today and each thing we've been doing.

We had to take hubby's van to the shop this morning as it appears he has an oil leak.  I'm thankful we have a good mechanic who really takes care of us and has for many years.  Plus he's just an all around nice guy.

After that we picked up a burrito from McDonald's for breakfast and then took a drive out to a local park to just relax and enjoy the beautiful morning.  Hubby did some reading and I did some loom-knitting and a took a short walk and enjoyed the wildlife there.

After that we headed to a Chinese restaurant we have never tried, but they always seem to be busy.  Let me tell you it was delicious.  I have leftovers to eat later too.  Hubby got Szechuan Chicken with fried rice and I had Cashew Chicken with steamed rice.  Both were excellent.

After that I brought hubby home and I went and got a hair cut at Great Clips and then picked up some prescriptions that were ready.  Now we're home for the evening and I'm getting ready to go enjoy a walk around the neighborhood with the dog.  The weather is perfect right now.  I want to enjoy while I can because there is a 100% chance of rain off and on all day tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting and you an link up here if you'd like.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

 Good morning!

It's Monday at 10:40 and I am sitting in my little office reading blog posts and now writing this one.  I love reading others' posts and learning a little more about them each day or just laughing and enjoying the humor they share and/or the pictures they post and getting just a glimpse into their life.

Hubby and I had a really quiet weekend and I enjoyed it all.  I read a really good book by my favorite author.  I have read it 2-3 times before and each time I enjoy it more and more.  The author is Lori Wick and as far as I can tell she is no longer writing.  So I just reread her old ones from time to time.  I hope someday she'll write another.

I also read these 2 books last week and really enjoyed them.  My sister loves this author and has all her books and is constantly looking for new ones by her.  Evidently she writes several a year.  They are a little shorter but these 2 were really good.  I'll have to get my sister to loan me a couple more by her through the Kindle app.  I love being able to do this as my 2 libraries do not carry her books yet.  Her name is Jean Kuhnke.

It feels really good to finally have my reading mojo back.  My GoodReads goal for this year is 50 books.  Don't know if I'll make it as I've been in a real reading funk the last couple of months.  Time will tell. lol

I also missed several of my morning walks last week, but hopefully I'm back on track.  Yesterday while out with Lucy, we saw this hot air balloon flying over our subdivision.  And also a very beautiful sunrise across the field from the cul-de-sac at the end our road.

We had really good services at church on Sunday.  Hubby has started a new series from the book of Hebrews.  Actually he did the first 15 sermons last summer and is picking it up again and it's called "Let Us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus." Below is a video of the sermon that is posted on YouTube and FB.

Well that's about all I have to day.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Click here or here to link up.

I'm thankful this week for:

***Bible Study started Tuesday night and we are doing Lisa Harper's study called "How Much More".  I'm so thankful for each lady who attends and participates.  Our first night was really awesome and I hope we all learn exactly what God wants us to and that each one of us come to understand even more who He is and how much He loves us.

***Walking.  I'm back walking again.  12 times out of the last 15 days.  30 minutes and I'm so glad I finally got myself started.  This is one of the goals I had when I retired to get back to walking.  Lucy and I both are enjoying it.  But I've got to get some new walking shoes to help the pain in my back cause I'm walking in shoes that just don't absorb the shock of pounding the pavement. 

Walked by this yesterday as I took my walk in the
area of our church since I was there most all day.

 

***Weather.  We have had some absolutely beautiful weather lately.  Lots of blue skies and some days in the 60's and 70's.  Totally love it.

Pond in our neighborhood plus
beautiful blue skies

***Puzzles.  Still enjoying working the puzzles my sisters and cousin are sharing with me.

That's all for today.  Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a blessed day.

Cathy

Bits of This and That #2

It's Sunday night around 10:00pm and I am sitting with hubby watching TV.  We're binging the show Castle.  We've been watching this for awhile now.  It's been a beautiful day and is currently 55 degrees.  We've had several days of beautiful weather.  Thursday, we stayed home all day and cooked some (it seems like I spent the day cleaning up in the kitchen) but we did enjoy being home.  I read some, worked on a jigsaw puzzle and did another on Saturday.  

Friday we got up early and went to breakfast and then met my sister and her husband to go to an estate sale.  I bought 11 skeins of yarn for a $1.00 each.  It was so fun checking all the crafts and stuff they had for sale.  But I only let myself buy just the 11.

Saturday we went to Kentucky to the Cincinnati Airport viewing area and watched planes landing and taking off.  It was such a beautiful day and there were so many families there with their kids playing in the little park and watching the planes.  Such a good time.  Then we drove back to Ohio along the Ohio River and then back home.

Today we had 2 really good services.  The morning sermon was from John 8 was out the woman caught in adultery and she was brought before Jesus by the religious leaders to see what he would do.  It was such a good sermon. He titled it “Where misery meets mercy.”  Isn't that just like Jesus?  When we are in misery and we come before Jesus, He gives mercy.  I'm so thankful for mercy.  I need it so often and I hope I give it to others, as Jesus gives it to me.  Below is the sermon, if you'd like to have a listen.

I've walked about a mile each afternoon for the past 5 days and I'm so glad to finally have gotten myself starting on this again.  I hope to get healthier and this is my first step towards that.  Below are a few pictures from some of the days I walked.

Well that's about all I have for today.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a really good day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Today I am thankful to be spending a full day at home with my hubby and the dog. We’re having a quiet morning so far. I finished a jigsaw puzzle and will probably start another one later in the day. I’m hoping to do some reading and maybe start the crochet blanket I’m wanting to make. I’m so happy to have a day like this to enjoy. As I’m typing this, Lucy is in my lap sleeping and hubby is on his iPad. Thank you Lord for a lazy morning. 

Sorry Lucy, that is not a very flattering position.
Makes your rear look big! lol

Yesterday afternoon Lucy and I took about a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood. It was such a beautiful day. Today is colder, but I still plan to walk again. I have got to get back into that habit. We both sleep better at night when we take a good walk during the day. So thankful I have my little buddy to walk with. 

It was such a beautiful to walk!

I know winter isn’t over yet, but I’m so thankful for the beautiful days we’ve been having this week. And while today is colder and not as sunshiny, it’s supposed to warm up for the next several days. Thank you Lord for every beautiful moment. 

Well, that’s all for right now.  If you’d like to join in with Thankful Thursday, you can link up here and here.   

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day. 

Weekend

We had a nice weekend with beautiful weather.  Loved every single moment of it.

I met hubby and his parents on Friday after work.  Drove to Middletown and we ate at Rapid Fire Pizza.  This was a first for hubby and I and it was really good.  I got their Hawaiian Pizza and it was delicious.  It was so nice, just sitting and visiting with them for a bit.  We go out most Friday evenings with them now and they are just so fun to sit and talk with.  Hubby definitely comes from good stock.

Got up Saturday and cleaned up and stopped and got a light breakfast from Burger King and then went to a nearby park (this is the same on I walked in on Monday) and relaxed in the van.  Well, hubby relaxed and I got out and took a mile and a half walk.  I'm working towards doing a 5K at the end of October.  I walked a little shorter distance, but I did it at a quicker pace.  Got to build up my endurance, don't you know.

Ducks on the pond

More ducks on the pond

My walking path this week. Love this feature on my watch.

Then we went to Walmart and got some needed things and then home.  I had about an hour and a half to relax and then took off to pick up my sister so we could go visit my other sister.  We had a really nice visit and then we all went to the store together.  It's fun just being together.

Got home fairly early, so hubby and I got a little TV time in and just spent the evening together.

Sunday we had a wonderful church service and Sunday School.  We had a really good sermon about how God guides us and has a plan for us.  How he doesn't tell us the future, but always gives us the next step.  Just following him one day at a time will get us to where he wants us to be each day.  So much of the time I want to know where I'm going to be a year from now or 5 years from now, but if I just follow Him each day, I'll be exactly where He wants me in 5 years.  Pretty simple really.

After church we went to Lowes to pick up a couple things and then got some lunch and went home and took a nap.  Well, I did.  I don't think hubby ever did nap.  Then back for evening service.

And now it's Monday and back to work for another week.

Hope you had a great weekend and that you'll have a wonderful week.

Thanks for visiting.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

Click here to join in with Rebecca for Thankful Thursday.

Things I'm thankful for:

**Walk:   Hubby and I went to a park to just sit and relax and then I decided to take a walk and ended up just shy of 2 miles.  I'm trying to build up to be able to do a 5k at the end of October that I've signed up for.  I was pleased with my results and also with some of the beautiful scenes I saw.

Little island out in the middle of the lake

Ducks (or maybe geese, I can't tell) on the shore

Duck in the water

My walking path

I love that my watch maps and gives this information.

I'm enjoying crocheting this new stitch (new to me) called the waffle stitch.  Working on a baby blanket for a friend.

Love when Lucy comes and sits with me in the evening.  I'm afraid hubby is going to have to fight her for his blanket when I'm finished.  I guess I'll have to make her one too.  lol

Of course as always I'm thankful for my grandson.  He's shopping with mommy and must have thought he needed this toy.  Of course, Gigi has already bought it for him for when he comes to my house.  There will definitely be some bowling going on.  lol

I'm thankful for Rebecca who keeps this Thankful Thursday stuff going.  I need this reminder to stay thankful in all things.  

I'm also thankful for everyone who participates and also for all of you who read my blog from time to time.

Thanks for visiting.

Cathy

Pictures of My Week Volume 6

Here are some pictures from my week.  Hope you enjoy.

Saturday my friend and I did a 4 mile run/walk in Cincinnati to benefit Cancer Research

Here we are at mile marker one

Here we are coming up to the finish line.  No way were we taking a picture of ourselves here.  We had been rained on and didn't look too good.  Despite that we had a great time.

Have you ever seen one of these along the edge of the roadway?  It's a little Library.  Anyone can come and take a book and/or leave a book.  Then when you finish you bring it back.  It's all on the honor system.  This was in one of the neighborhoods we walked through on Saturday for the Hyde Park Blast.

Beautiful drive into church on Sunday.

There were 3 hot air balloons out Wednesday evening.  Here's one of them.

Lucy laying in her daddy's chair on his blanket

Lunch Wednesday at my work desk.  Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich from Arby's and a blackberry lemonade from Wendy's!  Delicious

Lucy again on her daddy's blanket only this time daddy's under the blanket.  She likes to lay on the foot rest of the recliner on his blanket.