memories of Grandma Muriel

This was made for my family from my Grandma "Gran" Muriel in Christmas 1985. My mom passed it to me years ago. Gran wrote on the back of it but it was deteriorating.

 I tried to save it by putting the paper in a baggie. 😃 I loved her accent. She was born in England and would always make me laugh. (My mom was born in the USA yet she had siblings who were born in England as well).

Gran passed away when I was in my early 20s in 1993, yet I still remember her sense of humor, the smell of roast she cooked, and her dark apt. She didn't turn on many lights. She was great at crossword puzzles and liked to paint too. I remember her painting of a bird on her wall. And she had a dog named Whiskey. Lol.. I can't remember too much about Grandpa Norman, he died when I was around 11 years old. I just remember his Pachinco machine.

our 3rd year anniversary

My hubby and I had a wonderful time on our 3rd year Anniversary trip.

We spent quality time together, enjoyed the beautiful mountain scenery which was breathtaking. 

We saw someone had a pet goat on a leash by our lodge. Also one night 30 bats flew over our heads one by one while we were enjoying chatting, sitting on a bench at night. It was exciting yet creepy at the same time .

When we went shopping at Stater Brothers, the electricity was out because someone hit a pole down the street,  we happened to pass by that area where the accident was.  That was the first time I shopped in mostly the dark. They had a generator that turned on a little bit of dimmed lights.yet it was still funny. Everyone used their phones flashlights.   Yet if It happened where i live,  those stores would have closed the store and told everyone to go home. 

Apparently they have an annual Labor day weekend yardsales through out that city. We went to tons of yardsales.  Even the thrift stores had half off on some of them.  We love to go to thrift stores and find good deals.  The cool thing was we found a lot of neat stuff that would have been expensive in the regular stores. We even found an antique clock for $8 when it was actually worth 70.  Both my hubby and i love to go thrifting. So we had lots of fun. 

 it was a memorable funny and fun loving time.we also ate out too much. There were times for dinner we stayed in our lodge and ate regular food in our room.  It was a challenge to find foods at restuarants that I could eat.

I have been recuperating for the past 3 days and trying to get back on track.  I have been sleeping a lot. Yet the trip was so worth it to have time with my hubby and I. Just the 2 of us was what we needed.  

The weather was perfect in the mountains at an average of 84 degrees. (it was around 105 degrees where we live and 109 where my hubby worked so we were grateful to get out of the heat). 

 The tap water was so pure tasting.  It didn't have a bitter taste nor did it taste like chlorine. I was amazed. 

The air even seemed cleaner.  I felt like I could breathe freely. The nature including the trees was beautiful. The funny thing was every time we drove on 2 certain streets, my eyes started tearing up.  I don't know if there were particular trees or an allergy that I had,  but it was funny, too me.  We drove on those streets every day we were there and each time,  my eyes got watery. Lol

There was another funny moment when we were looking for a street,  we took a wrong turn and turned around in someone's drive way. Then the next day we were following gps again and we took a wrong turn and somehow ended up in the same drive way. So crazy since it was at 2 different destinations.  Lol

The locals were friendly.  We had several conversations with people who lived up in the mountains. 

I was hoping to see many critters on the ground.  I did see a pretty brown squirrel with a white chest and neck and looked like a white stripe of fur around his torso.  

There were so many trees.  Such breathtaking views. Oh and there was a lake yet it was not as big as it used to be. There were cute cabins  everywhere.

We will definetly go back.  

Oops I wrote a book.  Lol

Bread for your thoughts

We bought a bread maker for $5 at a yard sale. 

We have been wanting a bread maker. They are pricey so I figured what do we have to lose for $5. 

I used it for the first time last night.  I wasn't quite sure if i was making it right because it didn't come with a manual. I looked up recipes online and bought all the ingredients to make the bread. I followed the recipe and pushed start.  We jumped a couple times because it goes silent and then makes noises and even beeps suddenly.  We enjoyed watching the motions through its window to see how it works. It amazed me how good it works. ( I know this isn't a new thing for all you foodies out there, but it's newer to me. )

 

By the time it was done,  3 1/2 hours later, Tim was asleep.  I asked if he wanted to try it since it was my first batch and I was going to make him a sandwich for work with this new bread.  He mumbled that he trusted me. 

But i wasn't sure since it was my first batch.  So I cut the heel off and took some fluff from the center of it.  It was so yummy, fluffy and warm.  I ate the whole slice.  Lol I usually hate eating the heel but wow this was so different. I put butter on it and oh so yummy.  I was even dipping the bread in the almost gone butter. Thankfully we have another container of butter   That huge slice was all gone.  

It was not gluten free and I have sensitivies to gluten so I took some extra meds so i wouldn't have stomach trouble.  Lol...ok i better buy me some gluten free bread flour because this will be too tempting. Lol

It came out so good and it was only my first batch.

I also air fryed meatballs in the new air fryer oven we bought.  I love the crispy outside crust.  And earlier I baked cookies in the air fryer oven.  I was just trying different things last night.  It all came out good. Yum

just for thought

Can flies smell? 

Is there plastic in heaven? 

Is there building supplies in hell? 

When does a worm know when he's reached his destination? 

Since God rested on the 7th day of creation, will we rest in heaven at all? 

Does it rain in heaven? 

Does a snail have a nose? 

Can you smell the inside of your nose? 

Can you taste your tongue? 

Can you taste a snowflake? 

Is there a snowflake that has always existed?

How long is eternity? 

What's the beginning of eternity?

How old is the oldest angel? 

How young is the youngest angel?

Do they ever age?

Has there been angels that were created recently? 

Some people in the world seem to choose what beauty looks like yet who does God say is the most beautiful person in the world?

Our earthly bodies are so intricate. Will our heavenly bodies be intricate too? 

Just for thought

Me with Covid

Today is July 5, I'm on my 13th day of covid symptoms. Can't seem to get rid of the cough, congestion and low energy. I can't wait to go back to grocery stores or my friend's homes,  etc...

Well at least I have more energy than I initially had. The first week of my covid symptoms, I felt like I had a strep throat, sinus infection, allergy attack, flu, migraine, tmj jaw flare up, bad cold, and fibromyalgia flare up all rolled up into one sickness.  

There were days where I had to lay down on couch and only could sit up for 15 minutes at a time.

My highest recorded fever was 102.6 degrees.  And the body aches were horrendous. So glad they were only there a couple days.  The sore throat burned horribly. And the strange, different kind of headache, jaw pain,  and swollen glands, were no joke. The weird thing was when I thought the covid was getting better,  I would get new symptoms like nausea, stomach pains, and bitter taste in my mouth to not being able to taste certain foods. It was weird.  Thankfully those were short lived.
The blessing in disguise was that my hubby had covid at the same time so we weren't alone through the covid experience.  Plus we didn't have to wear masks around each other which probably would have been harder to deal with.
I'm thanking God that the covid isn't as bad as it could have been and thankful for God helping us through this. 
Also grateful we have hand sanitizer, lysol wipes and lysol in every room.

Thankful for friends and family that dropped off items we needed, and the neighbor who took our trash to the dumpster and watered our garden a few times.  Plus thankful for instacart that delivered our groceries a few times.  So grateful for all of these.

Looking forward to being over this covid soon and getting back to "my normal self " 

The Rainbow of Love

 🌈 I have always loved the rainbow. It's beautiful colors of purple, blue, green, orange, yellow and red.  

🌈 It always puts a smile on my face and peace in my heart.

  🌈 I remember over 40 years ago when I was in children's church they would teach that God made a promise to man. God would not destroy the earth with a flood again so he sent a rainbow 🌈 as a reminder to us of his promise. He sent these beautiful colors in the sky that are so breathtaking and are a creation by God himself.

🌈 Sometimes we need reminders of God and his love for us. Every time you see a rainbow, may you be reminded of God and his love for you. 

🌈  Genesis 9:8-17 🌈

New International Version

"Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:  'I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.  I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.'"

"And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.'”

"So God said to Noah, 'This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.'”

Incident with UBER DRIVER. (Safety is the key)

Two weeks ago I took an uber on the way back from an appointment. I always check the license plate and the person to see if they match the uber app. On this day,  the car matched but the license plate didn't. When I saw the Uber driver pull up,  I stood away from the car.  After I questioned him about the plate,  he rudely said,  "it doesn't matter" and started yelling at me to get in the car. Well actually it does matter.  Their policy is to match the driver with their correct profile 

I didn't feel safe with him so I told him I'm not going into his car.  That made him even more irritated and started yelling continually.  I stepped away, got his license plate number and reported him to UBER. Then I called another uber driver. The Uber safety personnel said I did the right thing by not getting in the car and they made sure I was ok. They said they would take actions against him. That was just horrible. I'm so glad I didn't get in the car with him. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if I got in his car.

If you catch a ride with Uber, Lyft or even a taxi,  make sure the information matches what is on their App or what they tell you over the phone.  SAFETY IS THE KEY.  Always check the license plate and the picture of the person driving to see if it matches the app. Is the car the same one on the app too?  I know this takes longer but it's for your own safety. If you don't feel safe,  don't go in the vehicle. Use your intuition.  It is good to go back inside the store or where there is other people. If needed, grab another ride by using the app or call a close friend or family member.  When you are in a safe place,  Make sure to report the incident to the safety issue by calling their customer service or call 911, if in immediate danger. 

it's been a crazy couple of months

My hubby and I have had some crazy months.
On April 1 we noticed a small flood In our bedroom carpet when we woke up. Turned out to be a water leak in the water heater. We had water damage in main bedroom, bathroom,  and water heater closet.
We slept in the living room for a week waiting for home insurance to do their thing but that was hard on the back so we, with our 2 cats, were finally  approved to stay at a hotel until the repairs were done. I packed thinking it may be 3-4 weeks. I was in contact with home insurance,  plus their claim adjuster, then the home warranty, and a company that tested for lead and asbestos (since our mobile home was built in the 60s). That came back negative thankfully.
Then there's the field adjuster, and the company that dries out the flooring and takes it all out. There's another company that replaced the water heater, and then the contractor team that worked on repairing and rebuilding the home. Then there's the company that we had to be in contact with that provides the hotel stay that the claim adjuster approves, plus the hotel person. 10 people I had to be in contact with on a regular basis. It was alot of stress and frustration; we couldn't get things done because they wouldn't  approve things until each company had information from the other companies findings of our mobile home . ... but then the right hand didn't seem to know what the left hand was doing. So instead of them communicating,  I had to be  in constant communication to get things done daily.

And half the time, the insurance wouldn't return my calls, texts or emails. Then their phone was down for 4 days.  So I had to be persistent and not give up to get approved what we needed. It finally paid off and we got the needed money from insurance  to get it all done. 

Even though the water intrusion and other factors took a toll on me physically and mentally,  my Honey and I agree it was a blessing from God.   I've learned that sometimes you have to work hard even when things are a blessing.

Now we have a brand new bathroom with new tub, shower doors, walls,  built in cabinets, vanity, sink etc... which we love.  Plus new subflooring, flooring in the bedroom and bathroom, etc.. And new flooring in hallway.

I was secluded a lot at the hotel during the day because my Honey had to work and I didn't know anyone. I'm used to visiting my neighbors.  Yet I was able to do things like memorizing scriptures and I had previously started reading each verse in the Bible.  So many times I started but never finished. So I got my mom's Bible out that was hers that she gave me years ago and read each verse.  When I was done with each Book of the Bible I put a check mark on that Book until I read each and every book in the Bible  And I finally finished it at the hotel. I started years ago  because I wasn't consistent but I finally did it because I had nothing to distract me!!!  It was nice to finally say that I've read every verse in the Bible. Although it won't stop me from reading and studying more of the Bible. I did work on other projects too. There were times I would take a walk around the hotels in the area and focus on Jesus and take a deep breath and look at all the creation around me.  God's breathtaking mountains and variety of beautiful flowers.  

I also tried to go out of my way to say hi to people and got to know the personnel at the front desk.  I met a guest with her beautiful dog that came out to this city to place her dog in a dog show. I also met and saw a lot of people who came from other states who were on business trips. Hey I even tried a veggie burger in the Free burgers night. No I didn't care for it.  Lol.
My husband and I also encountered an alligator lizard that came into the hotel door we were about to go out of.  I about jumped out of my skin.  Lol.
While at hotel,  we had my hubby's birthday, my  birthday,  a couple family members birthdays,  Easter, Mother's Day, and our nephew's graduation, etc...For Memorial day,  we visited our home and worked on our garden which was fun and relaxing..  

Several days my Honey was sick but he received much needed rest.  Then a bunch of my health problems were aggravated and inflamed including 8 days of migraine like headaches. It felt like my body was in a war for 30 days.  No fun.  I knew it started from being stressed.

For each holiday,  I tried to make it fun.  I hid hotwheels and an Easter basket around the hotel room so my Hubby had to find them. Note: he collects hot wheels.   For my birthday, we couldn't go out because he was sick so we ordered my favorite,  Chinese food from Door Dash.   For his birthday I decorated the hotel room with steamers but had to take them down soon after because the cats were attacking them.  Lol We enjoyed celebrating his birthday. 

 I was so grateful that we had a small kitchenette with a full size fridge.  We did have to invent ways to cook meals because of the 2 small burners. And boy oh boy did I love the dishwasher.... but there is nothing like home sweet home.  We love being home and even we can tell our cats Rocky and Adrian are excited to be home.  My hubby and I can go back to our garden any time we want... which we did start pruning our plants at 10 pm the other night.  And I took down our Easter decorations I had up and  we put out 4th of July decor. It's so good to be home. I wake up every morning and here the birds chirping outside. It is so beautiful. We are glad to be home and thank Jesus for helping us through this ordeal.  Now we get to enjoy our place with new improvements. The cool thing is that the things we were going to eventually change in our bathroom we don't have to now.  The contractors did the hard work for us. 

It's funny that our wooden block calendar still has the day of April 8th. That was the day we moved into the hotel.. That's 76 days of craziness, although 69 of them were at the hotel. 

Be Clean

I have read the scripture many times about the lady who went into a home and washed Jesus' feet with her hair and tears. Also she poured her perfume on him. I just thought of something. 

 After she washed his feet she probably had a lot of dirt and dust in her hair because in those days, they most likely wore sandals. She took on the dirt of Jesus' feet.  

It made me think of Jesus. When He died on the cross, he took on the dirt and filth, the sins of all of us. It was like it was all over him, spiritually... billions of people's sins all over him.  Yet when he rose from the grave,  he was cleansed.... our sin and filth is gone. 

Jesus did this for us...

Reference Luke 7:36-50

www.biblegateway.com

a spoken tongue

When I moved to Japan with my family, I was a shy, 11 year old girl and I only knew the English language. I went to a school where they spoke English and everyone on the military base spoke English. When I stepped off the base to go downtown,  I visited the stores and enjoyed the culture. Yet everyone mostly spoke Japanese.  Yes I was a foreigner in the land.  When I would hear someone talk in the English language I could immediately understand it and I would perk up and listen. I knew exactly what they were saying. 

I did take Japanese language and Japanese culture classes in school, which I enjoyed.  Yet there is always something familiar when someone speaks your own language. It's comforting and it gets your attention when you aren't in your own place of living. 

Acts 2:1-11 "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!'"

Can you imagine you hear something extraordinary? Something you will remember the rest of your life?  Say you are visiting a conference with like- minded individuals. There is only one person,  in this gathering, from each of the nations. You all hear sounds coming from a building. The sounds are of loud chattering.  Then you recognize someone is speaking your language and you understand what they are saying amongst other people.  You listen closely yet you are amazed.  Other people around you, who are from different places in the nation are stopping in the streets too,  doing the same thing, as you.  They are listening closely because they are hearing someone speak their language too. But it's not in your language,  it's from their own home town. Each one hears his own dialect.

Acts 2:16-21 "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd...this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

''''In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
 I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.''''"

God has got everyone's attention after they heard things in their own language.  Now He's using Peter to witness to them and say:  "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Now everyone goes back to their hometown and this news spreads to each country. 

Jesus wants you to know, if you call on his name, you WILL be saved. 

  

Traveling with pain

Here's a little bit of what I did to help me on my travels on a trip I recently took. You may not understand it unless you deal with daily chronic pain. If you deal with pain,  maybe some of this will be helpful to you. 

I went on a trip which was 2 hours ahead of California time. I was getting up earlier each day,  about 4 hours or more than usual.  Some days I felt like a zombie.  Yet there was a couple days I spent time resting. I spent some alone time, just resting, which I needed to keep going. We did  2 weeks of stuff in one week. So I basically had to pack 3 different times for traveling throughout one state.  And I tried to keep eating foods that kept my irritable bowl syndrome in check and didn't eat foods that would cause a fibromyalgia flare up.  My health was good there mostly and yet the humidity caused pain in the mornings. Thankfully hot massage showers took edge off and I kept biofreeze with me. I made sure I had a microwave and fridge in each hotel I stayed at.

I did take an egg crate cushion section that I cut enough to lay my body on, when I go to sleep.   Plus I brought my special pillow with me so that I could be comfortable in each bed.  My pain was so bad with first plane trip,  so on the way back I sat on the egg crate foam cushion which helped a lot.  I had originally packed it on the check-in luggage.  

Both ways I brought a tiny pillow with me on plane to help my back pain and posture. I didn't want any more new pain brought on by not sitting correctly on the plane. 

Plus I brought my regular mypillow with me in check-in luggage. I brought my ice and heat packs too. Each night I used my hot, moist pack that I could microwave to heat up and wrapped it around my shoulders and head. It all helped. I wish I could have traveled lighter but I knew what I needed to make the trip better for my body.  I have learned to do this and I even have a check list I keep in my computer so I know when I go out of town,  I don't forget my important medical stuff. 

Transform pain?

I was reading and something struck me. I know we live in our bodies and that we deal with groanings, burdens, and pain.... but sometimes I forget that our earthly tent (our physical body) so longs for our heavenly dwelling. 

We may deal with physical pain and suffering on earth yet we will be free from all of that when we are in our spiritual body, in heaven, if we are believers of Him,  Jesus. Our spirit may groan and be so desiring of our heavenly bodies.  I look forward to that day in heaven when my physical body is transformed into something new and am grateful, and find peace and joy when looking forward to eternity, forever, when we will no longer have a physical body that feels pain and suffering.

"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,  because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

thanks to these guys

To the men in different stages of my life,  thank you for treating me with love and respect like a father or big brother would.  I appreciate you for looking out for me when my father and family didn't.  Bob Boartfield Sr.  Marlin Hines. Rob Hodson  ,  Rick Pena (husband of Mary Pena ), the late Bill Thornburg, Daniel Cardenas,  Terry Henderson And big brothers Jon Llera, and the late Roy Vasquez (husband of Virginia Vasquez ), Joe Zichichi (husband of Lisa Zichichi ), Nick Thouas . And for the rest I forgot to mention. 

Happy Father's Day and Happy Big Brother's Day. (I know I made up the last one).

And to my husband Timothy Carroll  thanks for all you do. I appreciate your hard work and how you look out for me. We don't have a human flesh baby,  yet we have one well-fed fur baby cat named after your Rocky. Lol 

And thank you God for everything.  For showing me what unconditional fatherly love is and for bringing me people in my life the last 30 years to help mold me into what I am today. Thanks God.

Life in a Pandemic

2020. It was one weird and crazy year that I never thought would exist in my lifetime.  A pandemic was something I heard about in school in the history books. I never thought I would ever experience a global pandemic in my life, or how to live in one. And never thought I would understand the reality of a quarantine or stay-at-home orders.

Covid19 rolls off my tongue like something that seemed like it always existed, but it hadn't. Some people think it's a hoax and yet others know it's serious. Some because they have either had a bad case of it or knew someone who passed away from it. Through Facebook, I have actually seen people from my past, pass away in the pandemic, most of them were from the Covid19. 

We are in an uncomfortable world where our lives have changed. It feels like we aren't getting enough oxygen because of the face masks we have to wear everywhere we go. Yet we endure it to not spread this virus. I adjusted by keeping a hand-held fan blowing on my face so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out or get overheated. 

We have had stay-at-home orders and learned a new way of life with social distancing. People, like me, who are huggers have had to hold ourselves back with every ounce of our body so we don't reach out and give a handshake or a hug. I've learned if I extend my arms out from side to side that makes about 3ft. And if another person does the same of about 3 ft, that's equivelant to the 6 ft rule of not standing too close to people to not spread the virus if we had it and didn't know it. 

We go to restuarants where before we had taken for granted the enjoyment of eating in the dining area. Yet now we are lucky if they are open and have a drive thru or do walk-in orders where we can eat in the parking lot, in the outside makeshift dining area, in our cars or just take it home. I have adjusted. I bought a tray that I keep in our car so the experience of eating in the car is easier for me;  I don't drop chips and salsa on the floor like I did at the beginning. There are restuarants that allow people to eat inside at times. Most have every other table open yet sometimes they have to close because of how fast covid19 is spreading and what the government says to stay open or not. 

Even church and Bible study groups have changed. Most are doing their services online and little by little I've seen them open their doors to do service inside or even outside with the intention of social distancing...but that's not always easy. Watching church online has been easier for people like me who watched church online, before the pandemic, due to major health issues. Yet seeing people not be able to go to the actual building is heartbreaking. Their ministries changed or haulted temporarily until life gets back to normal. Again things we took for granted has made us look at life differently.

We go grocery shopping or other shopping and hope no one coughs or sneezes. When people get too close it gives some anxiety because we know we could then be exposed to the virus. Masks are to be worn over the nose and mouth.  At times I have even caught myself feeling overheated with the mask on, so I put it below my nose or hang it on my ear, one-sided, so I can breathe easier. And others do the same. I've learned me wearing a mask is protecting you, and you wearing a mask is protecting me. Or is my mask protecting me? and your mask is protecting you? No one seems to be a 100 percent positive in the way it works.

I worry about being near people especially my friends. I'm silently wondering Do they have the virus? Can I get the virus? Do I have the virus and not know it? Did I just give it to them? So again we aren't seeing our loved ones as much, or not at all, because of the unknown of the virus. We are told that there are so many complications that can lead to death with this virus or you can test positive for the virus, and be a carrier even though you don't have symptoms. The unknown has put fear in some.

Then there is the hand sanitizer. Before pandemic we were told not to use it as much because then we are becoming immune to the benefits of it. Now we are told to use it every time we go inside a store or touch someone or something, and to use it often. Actually we are told not to touch anyone unless we live with them. So we carry small bottles with us everywhere we go. We go into the store with our masks on and come out, putting hand sanitizer on, in the car; then we touch the bag from the store or touch the steering wheel. Did we just grab germs again? We touch the bottle of hand sanitizer and accidentally touch the lip of the container. Oh no, did we just unsanitized the sanitizer?  It's all so confusing. 

Some go home and Lysol their shoes when they come home from work. We can't touch our loved ones yet until they take a shower. That is still hard for me. Being newly married, I would greet my husband with a kiss and hug when he came home from work. But since the pandemic, I have to wait till he takes a shower, which is hard.

Then people put their work clothes in the hamper. Did we just expose our dirty clothes that were in the hamper already, to the virus?  We do our laundry and then realize maybe we should wash our hands because we touched the dirty clothes that could have been exposed to the virus. Then we put our clean clothes in the washer and dryer. Did we kill all the germs? Who knows? 

All I know is, I can't wait till this pandemic is over. Some say it might be a couple years. After that, I hope I won't be afraid to hug all my friends, give handshakes, freely eat at restaurants, and attend Bible study groups without any hesitation. I hope we will let go of the habit of putting on face masks and hand sanitizer all the time after this pandemic. Or should we let it go? Who knows?

my window view

I looked out the window at 6:05am and saw A beautiful, white, petite cat with brown and beige markings on it, sitting on our patio.
Then she looked like she spotted something. I saw a black and white animal, oh It's probably just Panda our neighbor cat.
Nope. it is waddling. It's a skunk.
Then the cat starts following it in a sneaky way about 5 ft away from it, yet hiding with each corner they turned.  I see the skunk's tail go up but he didn't spray just kept walking. And the cat just followed it until they were both out of  view. Someone's morning may not end well. Lol...

Keep America Great again?

I've been biting my tongue a lot this past year but I can't hold it in any longer on Facebook so I'm just going to say it. If Trump is so good like a lot of people say, why does he act like he does. I've asked some people why did they vote for Trump.

1. Because he is for Pro Life. I say Protecting the unborn child is awesome which is what I'm for too, but once that baby has grown, how does Trump treat them. He treats people like crap. Just because a person is powerful and rich doesn't mean he has the right to treat people horrible and get away with it.

2. They say to "Keep America great again." I say he has already had 4 years. Shouldn't he be saying "Keep America Great Still" or "Continue to Keep America Great".

3. They say he's a Christian. I say anyone can go to church or hold a Bible that doesn't mean they are a Christian. Where is his fruit? Where in his character or attitude does he portray God?  What are his actions?

4. They say I voted for him because he gets the job done and they say I'm not looking at his character. 

Yet I say, so does that mean that any person who molests a child, or rapes a person, or abuses anyone in any form, or  does a major crime is okay as long as they get the job done in the work world. So should we release all the prisoners? Should we overlook these major things. I don't think so. I don't think God wants us to overlook these things. If we do overlook these things then we are not for children, or teens or young adults, or adults or the elderly. If we overlook these things then we are not for the hurting, the disabled, or the widows. If we overlook these things then actually I think America has gone backwards not forwards and that breaks my heart. 

I think it's time for Trump to humbly step down like he's supposed in January and act like a civilized man who is in power and realize he doesn't always gets what he wants. I have never seen such a divided country and blinded by Trump's actions, character and attitude. 

Any other President can do the same job but with great character. 

I've been praying for this a lot

First half of 2020 written in a hilarious way (not by me)

You can read my notes afterwards. I just found this post funny and it basically sums up what we went through in the first 6 months of 2020.

Here it goes: 

I did not write this. I borrowed it from somebody who borrowed from  somebody else’s Facebook page who also didn’t write this. I am posting it so that in 5-10 years, I can read it in my FB memories Edition,

In January, Australia caught on fire. I don’t even know if that fire was put out, because we straight up almost went to war with Iran. We might actually still be almost at war with them. I don’t know, because Jen Aniston and Brad Pitt spoke to one another at an awards show and  everyone flipped out, but then there was things happening in China, then Prince Harry and Megan peaced out of the Royal family, and there was the whole impeachment trial, and then corona virus showed up in the US “officially,” but then Kobe died and UK peaced out of the  European Union.

In February, Iowa crapped itself with the caucus results and the president was acquitted and the Speaker of the House  took ten years to rip up a speech, but then WHO decided to give this virus a name COVID-19, which confused some really important people in  charge of, like, our lives, into thinking there were 18 other versions before it, but then Harvey Weinstein was found guilty, and Americans started asking if Corona beer was safe to drink, and everyone on  Facebook became a doctor who just knew the flu like killed way more people than COVID 1 through 18.

In March, (poop) hit the fan.  Warren dropped out of the presidential race and Sanders was like Bernie or bust, but then Italy shut its whole (place) down, and then COVID Not 1 through 18 officially become what everyone already realized, a pandemic and then a nationwide state of emergency was declared in US, but it  didn’t really change anything, so everyone was confused or thought it was still just a flu, but then COVID Not 18 was like ya’ll not taking me seriously? I’m gonna infect the one celebrity everyone loves and  totally infected Tom Hanks, but then the DOW took a (poop) on itself, and most of us still don’t understand why the stock market is so important or even a thing (I still don’t), but then we were all introduced to Tiger King. (Carol totally killed her husband), and Netflix was like  you’re welcome, and we all realized there was no way we were washing our hands enough in the first place because all of our hands are now dry and gross.

In April, Bernie finally busted himself out of the presidential race, but then NYC became the set of The Walking Dead and  we learned that no one has face masks, ventilators, or toilet paper, or THE  (xxx) SWIFFER WET JET LIQUID, but then Kim Jong-Un died, but then he came back to life… or did he? Who knows, because then the Pentagon released videos of UFOs and nobody cared, and we were like man, it’s only April….

In May, the biblical end times kicked off historical locust swarms (in Africa) and then we learned of murder hornets and realized that 2020 was the start of the Hunger Games but people forgot to let us know, but then people legit protested lockdown measures with AR-15s, and then sports events were cancelled everywhere. But then people all over  America finally reached a breaking point with race issues and violence.  There were protests in every city, but then people forgot about the pandemic called COVID Not One Through 18. Media struggled with how to focus on two important things at once, but then people in general struggle to focus on more than one important thing, and a dead whale was found in the middle of the Amazon rain forest after monkeys stole COVID 1 Through 19 from a lab and ran off with them, and either in May or April (no one is keeping track of time now) that a giant asteroid narrowly missed Earth.

In June, science and common sense just got thrown straight out the window and somehow wearing masks became a  political thing, but then a whole lot of people realized the south was actually the most unpatriotic thing ever and actually lost the civil war, and there are a large amount of people who feel that statues they don’t even know the name of are needed for … history reasons..... but  then everyone sort of remembered there was a pandemic, but then decided that not wearing a mask was somehow a God given right (still haven't found that part in the bible or even in the constitution), but then scientists announced they found a mysterious undiscovered mass at the  center of the earth, and everyone was like DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH IT, but then everyone took a pause to realize that people actually believed Gone With The Wind was like non-fiction, but then it was also announced that there is a strange radio signal coming from somewhere in the universe that repeats itself every so many days, and everyone was like DON’T YOU DARE ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH IT, but then America reopened from the shut down that actually wasn’t even a shut down, and so far, things have gone spectacularly not that great, but everyone is on Facebook arguing that masks kill because no one knows how breathing works, but then Florida was like hold my beer and let me show you how we’re number one in all things, including new Not Corona Beer Corona Virus. Trump decides now is a good time to ask the Supreme Court to shut down Obama Care because what better time to do so than in the middle of a pandemic, but then we learned there was a massive dust cloud coming straight at us from the Sahara Desert, which is totally normal, but this is 2020, so the ghost mummy thing is most likely in that dust cloud, but then I  learned of meth-gators, and I'm like that is so not on my (xxx) 2020 Bingo card, but then we learned that the Congo's worse ever Ebola outbreak is over, and we were all like, there was an Ebola outbreak that was the worse ever?

In July…. Aliens? Zeus? Asteroids? Artificial Intelligence becomes self aware?

Thanks to whoever started this for the copy and paste.  I have no idea who wrote this; and (xxx), I want to know.  Also, why didn't I know about the whale in the Amazon?

----------------------------------------------------------------

Note: I didn't write it but I saw it on Facebook. Even though I think it is hilarious, I do believe that covid19 is real, and it's so sad that people have died. Plus I believe that we should wear face masks. I don't like being quarantined but I respect the government's decision and abide by it when they say it's needed for covid19.

I think Black lives do Matter, but I don't believe in destroying property. I don't feel like explaining everything but you'll understand when reading it. I did take out the foul language.

moving forward

I may not like wearing masks. I may not like it when they close the indoor restaurants or other places again. I may not like everything that goes on in the world.  But I respect the fact that they are trying to keep us safe. So I wear the mask. I order take out if I need to and I pray and try to be content in the circumstance I am in.

I learned a long time ago that Life isn't always easy and it doesn't always make sense. So I've learned to keep on going even when I don't agree, to keep on praying, to keep on believing. Hopefully some day our new normal will change for the better, but even if it doesn't, we keep on moving forward, we keep on looking to God for our strength, and keep on living and striving for what God wants us to do in each season of our life.

Got Masks?

We went to a store yesterday. Some people were walking in without wearing face masks or coverings. Due to the covid19, it was and is mandatory to wear a mask. 

The worker kindly asked each person to put a mask on and said if they didn't have one, she'll give them one.  Some people were immediately angry and walked out of the store without shopping. 

I wish some people understood that the masks are to protect us and others.

(Yesterday our governor said its mandatory that we wear the masks because covid19 has been spreading a lot again....I wish people understood that it's only to protect us and each other.

Stay safe

Please refrain from negative comments

To BE or NOT to be skunked

Last night, my husband and I were chatting with a neighbor over the fence in each of our yards. We have been a little apprehensive lately because there has been skunks in our neighborhood. I was going to tease my husband and say there is a skunk coming in our yard. Well I was too late.

Within minutes I literally spotted a skunk wobbling toward our car. He hid by the tire as we told our neighbor. Turns out our yard is in the path a skunk takes to go under our other neighbor's shed. Today we have even spotted 25 small, not so deep, holes dug around our yard. We think it's from the skunks looking for food.

My husband decided we should go inside but we were trying to figure out the best way to go to the porch without getting sprayed from the skunk.

We slowly walked towards our porch to not disturb the skunk so she wouldn't be frightened. Actually my hubby walked faster than me. I was trying to be slow so not to make any sudden moves.  I felt like I was on a Lucy and Ethel episode that would have turned out bad for Lucy. 

I was intrigued yet concerned for the safety of my healthy smell, or umm, well-being. I couldn't imagine being sprayed and stinking so badly for days.  So I tried to hurry but my body wouldn't let me go faster.

We were laughing during our ordeal and hoping not to get skunked. It was rather funny. And thankfully, we did not get skunked.

Nature at it's finest.

I texted my neighbor to see if the mothballs that I placed by the shed earlier today, helped deter the skunk from getting under the shed.

Turns out he didn't stay for the skunk either. It's funny how one tiny animal can change the course of time in someone's day.