Monday, January 19, 2009

Monday Morning...


Outside My Window...it's a little dreary and gray, with quite a nip in the air. But the day is young and, hopefully, the sun will soon show its face and spread a little warmth and light.

I Am Thinking...how true it is that, aside from God and family, nothing can take the place of true friend. True is the key word here. Many call themselves 'friend', but really, true friends can be counted on 1 hand...with fingers left over.

I Am Thankful for...my wonderful friend, Elizabeth. We spent the entire day together Saturday, from noon until eleven p.m., and savored every single minute of it. We didn't do anything big or exciting, just laughed and talked and watched the inauguration fan-fare and played the piano and made tomato basil soup, and we even got in the mood to get out the oils and dabble a little on a canvas. I feel abundantly blessed to have one with whom I can share the contents of my heart! Someone who truly cares and is so in tune with me that she can feel my pain and cry
with me as though the sorrow were hers. God is so good.

From the Kitchen...Not sure yet. I probably won't be cooking much of anything for around here, but at some point I will be preparing food to take to a family who just lost a most precious member. It will be something special, for sure.

I am Wearing...It's seven a.m. You don't even want to know that one.

I am Creating...love on a canvas. True genuine, straight from the heart, warm, fuzzy love. Can't speak about the subject right now, just in case the special recipient is reading, but, hopefully, this gift from the heart will be extraordinarily special.

I am Going...nowhere special today. Just the routine stuff is on the agenda...the drycleaners, the grocery store, and Goodwill. I don't function well in a clutter filled, disorganized environment, so when the 'purging' mood strikes, the GW folk love to see me coming!

I am Reading...the Word, in the order outlined by the B.R.E.A.D. (Bible Reading Enriches Any Day) Program, which, if followed correctly, will take you through the entire Bible in a year. It's an ongoing program for me.

I am Hoping...for grace, mercy and restoration.
And hope maketh us not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Romans 5:5

I am Hearing...A collection of Big Band music made for me by a dear friend

Around the House...all is warm and cozy and comforting and welcoming. Yesterday, I moved some art from room to room and also rearranged a few accessories. It's amazing what a difference these little things make.

One of My Favorite Things...
is the weekly Sunday afternoon lunch date I have with a tiny handful of folk I hold near and dear. It's an old tradition that we all look forward to and rarely break. Sometimes we get so involved in sharing the events of our lives that, before we know it, we've been there 2-3 hours!

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week...
Paint, paint, paint! Gotta meet a deadline. Other than that, I am only working two nights this week, Tuesday and Saturday, and that's a great thing, because I really do have a lot on the agenda! In the upcoming days I'll be meeting with a couple of ladies to plan the menu for our annual Ladies Conference brunch, shopping for carpet for upstairs and colors for trim paint for outside, and making a fun decision--whether to go to a conference in San Francisco or Los Angeles. The rest of the tasks will fall in place as time moves along.

Good News to Share...
Saturday morning, I was notified that I was nominated and elected to the office of Treasurer for the local chapter of AWHONN (Assoc. for Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses). AWHONN is the national organization which sets the standard for nursing practice in this highly skilled specialty. It is, essentially, the 'golden rule' in the world of women's health care. Being elected for this position is quite an honor, as my chapter is the only one between Houston and New Orleans.

A Picture to Share... A blast from the past...Strawberry Preserves, made in July. Ahhh, 'summer in a jar'

A Recipe to Share...


Creamy Potato Soup

4 slices bacon

3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

water to cover

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon paprika

In a large saucepan cook bacon until crisp. Set bacon aside, along with 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings.

Add potatoes, onion, carrot and celery to drippings. Add enough water to cover vegetables and cook over low heat until tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream, flour and paprika. Gradually stir 1 cup of hot soup mixture into sour cream mixture.

Pour sour cream mixture into sour mixture. Cook until good and bubbly hot. Top with chopped bacon pieces

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