It's been a while...for a lot of things!

December 2012 has nearly knocked me down.

Yes, I had a lovely Christmas with my family in person and enjoyed many phone conversations with daughter Libby and her family and my sisters and their families far away, but through it all my heart ached.  The ache was always there, just underneath my happiness and gratefulness for my many blessings.

Dear, special friends lost loved ones this month.  Sam and her precious girls are forever without Abe.  He left us quietly and suddenly.  Cinda and her family lost her Dad.  He left us fighting the good fight.  He really was that Timex watch!  So many more of you have struggled with family members in and out of hospitals and rehabs.  So many prayers for so many people and that's what binds us all together.  But like many of you, Newtown, Connecticut, broke my heart.  I continue to pray for the entire town and especially the families who lost loved ones.  Those sweet little faces are forever imprinted upon my heart as well as the adults who gave their lives hoping to save others.  God bless them all.

God has been on Facebook a lot lately.  Have you noticed?  I'm not sure how I get these posts, what I did or "liked" or didn't "like" or became a friend with someone else but several times a day I receive posts from "GodVine", "Walk with Jesus", or "Let's join forces as Christians..."!  Do you get these too?  Someone will probably respond to this post and tell me the people behind these postings are in some far-reaching country baiting me to give them my social security or credit card number!  But I like these sites and the thoughts or the music they provide.  (Now someone reading this is thinking I'm some old and lonely woman with nothing to do!  Not so!)  I believe along with many of you that every time the Lord enters our lives, it's a good thing!  I hope he is always popping up in front of me...and you too!

And here we are on the eve of 2013.  Seems like just yesterday, it was the eve of 2011, and I was completely astounded I had survived 6 months without HC Baker.  And now I have survived 2011 and 2012!  As I reflect (oh boy!), I have made a few decisions that should have required a bit more thought, but all in all, I have survived.  My family has stood by me through it all (TR Baker literally some days), and made sure I landed on my feet.  Some friends have become dearer while others have drifted away.  And I have wonderful new friends.  Life goes on and it's only better or worse because of what we do.

I'm not much for "resolutions" but I do absolutely love to count my blessings.

I am grateful for my family.  Libby, Emily and TR Baker make my life happy.  I am blessed to watch them live their lives.  Brett Lindgren is the best son-in-law in the world!  And of course, I have the most perfect 6 grandchildren ever born!

I am grateful for my sisters, Linda and Mary.  They too are always looking out for me!  And I am excitedly grateful Linda is a cancer survivor!!!!  And their families are a blessing to me too...Bill, Joseph and Seamus!

I am grateful for terrific cousins who even though we do not see each other very often, we certainly do love each other.  When needed, just call and we'll get there!  

I am grateful I have amazing friends who are like family to me.  We are always praying for each other and each other's families.  We have weathered many storms and are in the midst of some of those storms right now.  And still praying!

I am grateful that regardless of our political affiliation, we all CAN AND MUST pray for our country and realize whatever happens we still live in the best country in the world.  We are FREE (even if it is expensive to be free - shut-up Jo Ann)!

And I am grateful the Lord blesses each of us every day.

I saw an interesting post on facebook the other day, and I'm gonna' do this.  The post suggested we start the new year with an empty jar and as the year progresses, we fill the jar with notes about the good things that happen to us throughout the year.  Just imagine this time next year...won't we be havin' fun?

I love each of you!  Happy New Year!  2013...come on down!  xxoo    

        

What I Want for Christmas

It's simple...

I want President Obama and Senator Baynor to come to my home for a visit.  I have plenty of room for them to spend the night because I think we'll need more than a few hours to talk.  I'll be happy to cook for them while they sit in the kitchen and listen to me.  And I need them to explain to me why they can't compromise and avoid the cliff.  Have they not noticed the word "promise" in compromise?  We have all learned to compromise.  We do it with our spouse, our children, our friends, our supervisors, the people and companies we do business with everyday, and ourselves.  The only person we cannot compromise with is our God.  We know what he asks, what's expected of us, and we work hard to accomplish it.  We are his servants.  As elected officials, aren't President Obama and Senator Baynor our servants?  Don't we pay their salaries?  Don't they take orders from us?  I am comfortable as I speak for most of us...we are all afraid of the direction our country is headed, we are all afraid of the status of our families lives, we are all afraid for our children and grandchildren's futures, and the list goes on.  I know I'm not politically smart.  I know I don't understand how the stock market works.  I know I need to pay more attention to my own personal fiscal status.  But I do know I don't spend money I don't have!  I vote in the hopes of my voice being heard.  Unfortunately I really wonder if my vote makes a difference any more.  So here's what I am going to do.  I'm going to put a home made sign in my front yard today that says in huge letters PLEASE PRESIDENT OBAMA AND SENATOR BAYNOR!  I think everyone who passes by will understand.  I'm also going to post it on my fb "wall".  I have some friends who will understand.  I love the United States of America.  I am blessed to have been born in this country.  I am proud to be an American citizen.  The US Constitution is a very important document to me.  I honestly believe there are a lot of elected officials who have totally lost sight of our country's best interests.  This isn't about your political party or who won the election or personal egos.  It is what it is, we've got who we've got.  This is about people.  "We, the people".

Help me understand...

I once thought the older you got, the easier it was to understand things.  Did I hear that or dream it or what?  Just a week ago we celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday and I know all of us were thankful for the many blessings God has given us and we told Him that day just like we tell him every day.  I believe myself to be a pretty good christian and do spend more and more time in prayer every day.  I never pretended to understand everything but I'd just like to understand a few things.  And I wonder if I'll get the answers to my questions once I leave this earth and hopefully am blessed to live forever in the Kingdom of our Lord?  So here's the question I need help with today.  Why do wonderful people die and bad people continue to walk this earth?

I received a call from dear friend Jack Saturday morning telling me one of my very special friend's son-in-law had passed away Friday of a massive heart attack.  Abe was 41 years old.  He was married to beautiful Samantha or Sam as most of us call her, and father to absolutely precious twin girls.  The family was getting ready to have an incredible Christmas celebrating not only the birth of our Savior but the final paperwork that will complete the adoption of the princess twins.  

As soon as I got off the phone with Jack I started to pray.  My prayer began, "Dear Lord, I'm having a problem with this."  My prayer continued of course asking Him to surround Sam and the girls and the entire family and stay with them and stay with them and stay with them helping them to understand what has happened (because I can't believe I'm the only one wondering).  And I also know it's pretty normal to have these questions.  Been there, done that!  

But we are saved by His grace and it's our faith in Him that keeps us trusting in His decisions, His timetable, His love.  

It's not easy though, is it?  Please pray for Sam and the sweet girls.  

Thanks for listening!                    

The Little White Tree!

Dear me, it's been quite some time since I've written and now that I'm writing, Widow-World...I've missed you!

Since HC Baker died, November and December are not my favorite months of the year.  This November was especially difficult because my dear friend Pat died.  I flew to Louisville for the funeral and it was truly a celebration of Pat including some of her favorite hymns and scriptures.  The service was at Highland Baptist Church, my home church where I was baptized and married (twice actually but the first one didn't "take").  My father was an Honor Deacon there and mother worked in the "Cradle Roll" department (long-time Baptists will remember).  So in addition to remembering Pat, I was remembering so much more.  Pat's daughter Ashley spoke at her celebration and as she spoke, I was listening to a strong and courageous young Pat.  It was beautiful.  Burial was at Cave Hill and it could not have been a more perfect day to be there.  The fall colors, the sunshine, and the stillness and warmth of God's presence surrounded us all.  After the graveside service, my sister Linda and I drove a few rows over where mother and dad are buried.  It was the kind of day Cave Hill gives you when you need it most.  Please continue to pray for Ashley and Stephen as they learn to live without their Mother.

The same week I was in Louisville, TR Baker was at a UPS training seminar in Grand Rapids, quite an honor for him to be chosen.  So Nutty had to go to the kennel.  TR Baker picked her up on Friday as I did not return until Saturday.  Oh my goodness!  Isn't it wonderful dogs can greet you with so much happiness, it helps you forget the sadness in the world?  The kennel folks were so great to her.  They called me to tell me she was doing fine and a wonderful friend stopped by the kennel each day I was gone to visit Nutty!  Dogs...they bring good things to your life!!!!!

Because it's a lonely month for me, I have tried to fill it with lots of activities.  A dear new friend has a Christmas Show each year in her home (she says this is her last one).  Anyway, she makes the most beautiful wreaths, garlands, tabletop arrangements and other decorations, then she opens her incredible home and people come from all over to see and buy!  I helped her for the 3-day event along with other friends.  I had a great time and made more new friends.

Also this month was election day.  Locally, in my very small part of the universe, a new friend was elected Mullet Township (Topinabee) Supervisor.  Mary Anne has incredible energy, a wonderful vision for the area, and a giving heart!  On November 20th, several of us joined Mary Anne and her husband for a pre-inauguration dinner at our local bar and grill "Breakers" and then went to the "swearing in"!  No motorcade, although we tried!!!  What fun!

Thanksgiving Day here was snowy!  Surprise!!!!  Emily prepared a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal and of course, we all ate until we couldn't move!  (A great American tradition!)  That evening we went to the movies!  That's a new tradition for me and have enjoyed it for the past years I've been here.  Emily, Gracie and I saw Life of Pi ( the guys saw something else).  Emily had read the book and her middle school was bringing 7th graders to see it the next week.  So there we were.  WOW!  That's some movie.  Not at all what I expected or Gracie either.  She's 10 and kept her coat over her eyes much of the time.  I guess I should have read the book too (although sometimes that doesn't work out too well!).  Lots of things to think about at the end.  And I'm still thinking.  I haven't had a chance to ask Emily what the students thought about it.  I'll get back to you on that!

Thanksgiving weekend also includes Christmas in Indian River!  The Friday after Thanksgiving, there is a HUGE craft show at the high school in Indian River.  Gracie and I always go and check it out!  It was packed with people and we saw everything they had to offer and left.  Had a better time at lunch at Subway!!!!!  Did you know they make pizza?  Then starting at 5pm, the shops open their doors to offer treats of the season to shoppers.  It was snowing and VERY cold.  The candy store offered flavored coffee and chocolate covered potato chips!!!!  At other shops you could find soup, hot chocolate, hot cider, hot dogs, and plenty of cookies.  The highway is closed of at both ends of town and people walk down the middle of the road.  Then at 6pm, the Christmas parade begins.  The end of the parade brings Santa!!!!!!!  The parade was almost 5 entries short (and there's not more than 10 entries!) because there was an accident on the interstate and the fire engines and rescue vehicles had to respond!  But not to fear, they made it back in time!  THEN...(there's more), on Saturday night, there is the tree lighting and carol sing in Topinabee!!!!!  The Library Committee sponsors this and I volunteered to bring cookies.  So Gracie and I made iced cut-out cookies and took them to the library for the event.  About 50 people met outside the library for the party!  Hot chocolate, hot cider and cookies were served, the tree lit, carols sung and Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived!  All of this was outside and it was...snowing!  Small town life is EVERYTHING it's cracked up to be!!!!!

Now we're at the last day of November.  At what age exactly does the time begin to pass so quickly?  Tomorrow is December 1st and it seems like just yesterday it was New Year's Eve 2000 and we were all worried all of our "web" stuff would be wiped out?  (Maybe it should have been!)  TR Baker has a young family as friends, mother, father and nearly 2 year old precious little girl.  The mother and father have worked hard to keep the little princess unaware of computers, cell phones, and all the technology small children today experience.  The child is precious, very creative, wonderful talker, happy and well cared for.  The parents are doing an excellent job.  Remember those days?  God bless the little children and their parents.  May we all experience the wonders of Christmas and be thankful for the lives we have.

So, the little white tree!  Some of you know for years I have had my ballet Christmas tree.  It's always fun to unwrap each ornament and remember where it came from (person or place), how long I've had it and what memories it stirs.  About 8 years ago, HC Baker bought me a white metal tree with white lights permanently attached.  It's about 4 feet tall, and I love it because it's open through the branches and I can see all the ornaments.  Last Monday, TR Baker brought all the Christmas decorations to the living room so I could begin decorating.  When I opened the little white tree box, put it together and plugged it in, the lights did not light!  I fiddled with each bulb, jiggled every wire but all to no avail.  No lights!  TR Baker said buy a new tree.  Yes, I could replace the tree but not with the same little white tree.  While shopping last week, I actually did buy another tree, 3 foot green with white lights.  I brought it home and put it together and plugged it in.  Not the same and just wouldn't do.  So I spent hours with wire cutters removing the non-working lights, then bought new white stranded lights and Viola'!!!! Not perfect but very close.  I just could not part with what I will now call HC Baker's little white tree.

Hope your decorating is nearly done or at least started!!!!  Don't you love your decorations?  I believe my Christmas decorations hold some of my most favorite memories.  It's nearly the story of my life.  Wait...Christmas IS the beginning of the story of our lives.

Happy Holidays!  Love, Love, Love to each of you!  xxoo  

 

A few personal thoughts...

My wonderful friend Pat died Friday.  You all have been praying for her for some time and for that I'm so grateful.  She is free of pain and at peace.  What a strong woman she was.  Nearly 15 weeks ago she was given days, at the most, a few weeks to live.  And she fought so hard for the past 2 1/2 years.  I was blessed to have 2 personal conversations with her in September.  She told me she was ready and excited to see what came next.  Her daughter posted a beautiful photo of her with her husband who died some years back.  I said I was sure they were back in each other's arms.  I'm sad to lose a good friend.  I'm sad too and felt some jealousy because I want to be back in HC Baker's arms.  Just a small hug is all I need.  That's the difficult part about being without your spouse.  It's the small hugs that make the difference in a relationship.  Please continue to pray for Ashley and Stephen as they adjust to life without their mother.  The good news is we know where Pat is and know she is happy!

I, and I'm sure many of you, will be so happy to have the election over!  Since I'm voting in Michigan for the first time, I'm working hard studying various "proposals" that appear on the ballot.  Did you know that one man owns the bridge that crosses from Detroit to Canada?  He makes $100 million each year from its' use.  Others want to build another bridge and the big question is of course, who will pay for it?  Canada, US federal dollars, or...the TAXPAYERS!!!!!!  There are quite a few proposals on the ballot so we'll see.  And of course, various senators, congressman, and judges.  I'm looking forward to no more TV commercials.  I'm sick of hearing ugly comments about people I don't know.  And the sad news is maybe those comments are true.  I hope everyone has prayed about their choice.  It's the only thing we can do.  Our country needs help! 

My dear friend Barbara spent last week with me, and what a great time we had.  Her daughter married in September and we needed to talk about the wedding weekend (gossip actually!).  And then we needed to review our history (about 50 years) and determine how we survived some of our activities!  We laughed and talked and laughed and talked!  Barbara recently retired and this was the first time in our lives we spent 5 days together.  I am blessed with the best friends!  

Please continue to pray for Ashley and Stephen, my friend Patsy, a dear friend and her father, a young friend who is a single mother and struggling to make ends meet, our military and their families, and our country and the election on Tuesday.  We'll be busy!  

Love to you all, xxoo            

    

Spittin'!!!!

TR Baker asked this question the other night while watching one of the baseball play-off games.
Is there any other sport that involves as much spitting as baseball?

Is it a pre-requisite and part of the hiring process?  I can hear the owners and coaches now...

• He pitched 2000 no hit games but more importantly, won the national spitting contest at his local state fair!
• He's the world's best home run hitter but better than that, he "spit" out a fire in his home.
• He caught the most fly-balls for the season and contributed to the survival of the rain forest with his spitting!

And what are they spitting?  I watch them put a handful of some kind of seeds in their mouth and then (apparently another huge talent) somehow, inside their mouth, open the husk for the seed and "spit" the shell!  Is it tobacco?  I thought that was against the rules anymore!  My grandson says they're chewing bubble gum (Big League Chew).  If it's bubble gum and they spit it out, how come all the players don't have "gum-stuck" shoes?  And then I see what must be just plain spit!  

How can we stand to watch the game?  It's disgusting when you think about it.  The other night when TR began this discussion we monitored the next 2 minutes of the broadcast and EVERY player the camera showed was spittin'!!!!  I wonder what their mothers think as they watch their sons spit on TV?

And if that isn't enough, late in the game, check out the "floor" of the dugouts.  So glad I don't have to clean that up!

As popular and acceptable as it seems to be, you'd think spit would be used everywhere.

Song title - Spittin' on the dock of the bay...

Nicknames of famous people - Spit Romney

Articles of clothing - Spittens

What can you add to this list?  Am I the only one who wonders about this?  Well, one thing's for sure.  The play-offs are winding down to be followed by the world series, to be followed by a baseball vacation, to be followed by spring training, to be followed by another season.  What do those players do with all that spit in the off-season?

Top of the 8th - Tigers/8, Yankees/1.  Is the Yankees dugout worse than the Tigers?

OK, enough already!!!!!  Happy Thursday evening!

Please don't stop praying for my friend Pat.

 

 

 

Knitting again!!!!

OK - I went back to knitting classes and this time we began a scarf!  Finally, what I wanted to do.  It's a 3 week class and hopefully I will be done with it by then.  It's the casting on that drives me crazy.  The first square (for lack of a better word) is regular knitting, then comes pearl, then comes something else and so on until 6 squares are done.  There are 3 of us in the class and the other two got to the pearl stage but not me!!!!!  Still trying to figure out the regular knitting part.  I'm very frustrated as I have no patience and failure is not an option (I might have to change my thinking on that).  Anyway, it's going to be a scarf for TR Baker.  It's red, black and dark grey.  I hope he likes it.  And I haven't finished Madeline's dishcloth yet, but I will!!!!!!!  The wonderful person teaching really works hard to encourage me.  Last night I think she felt sorry for me and tried to sneak a finished dishcloth into my bag.  I saw her do it and told her I couldn't accept it and she said of course I could.  Then I told her I wouldn't be able to take it into my home because it was yellow!  (I don't do yellow anywhere, anytime, anyplace!)  I don't think she quite understood that but she continued to be kind and gracious while removing it from my bag.  This knitting thing has become more of a challenge than I ever expected!

Last week was wonderful, so wonderful that I'm sort of sad this week.  Can't anyone come and play with me?  My dear friend Barbara J, will be visiting me early November hopefully.  I must share with you something that Kristi wrote to me in an e-mail.  I just love it and I think it says what all of us often want to say.  She wrote...
"There's not much more energizing than a couple of long, full days with good sport/best friends.  It lingers well with me."
Don't you love that?  And it lingers well with me too!

Last night after knitting class, I sat down and tried to watch the presidential debates.  "Tried" and it wasn't easy.  I finally had to do something else...anything at all that would get me away from those arguing, smug, contradicting children.  That's what they seemed like to me.  I love reading the fb comments of those who watched.  Most of my fb friends feel the same way and we're all good people!  What is our world coming to?  And then I always have to throw in who wants to be the President anyway.  I swear, I honestly believe some of us taxpayers (me and my friends) could do a better job of running the country than the options we have available to us!
We have spent years and years not buying things unless we had the money to pay for them!
We have spent years and years working hard to live on the money we earn and pay our bills at the same time.
We have spent years and years hoping our medical insurance will cover the expenses we incur (and I was married to the insurance man!).
We have spent years and years trying to save enough money to be able to "retire" and continue to survive.
We pray to God and trust in Him to guide us.  Well, I'm hoping He speaks to me about this election!  I need His help!
Ok, enough of that soapbox!

Did I tell you Gracie and I are having a Halloween Costume Party?  It's Sunday, October 28, 4-7pm!  Each of you is invited and we'd love to see you.  We'll be bobbing for apples, eating donuts hanging by a string, and putting our hands in bowls of icky stuff for a game we call gooey guesses!  The food will be wonderful, very spooky and of course, prizes for the best costumes!  Everything is nearly ready and this weekend Gracie and I will plan the food.  Those of you who used to be in the Hannah Sunday School Class will remember a Halloween Party HC Baker and I had at our Cherokee Road home.  There was a big crowd and lots of laughter.  I have photos from that evening and still love to look at them.  I'll have new photos to share soon!

Sweet dreams to each of you.

Please continue to pray for Pat.  xxoo