Currently on This Last Day of January

Here's a little about what is going on in my world this final day of the month of January 2024. 

Outside my window it is dark now, but today was a beautiful day. The skies were blues, the sun was shining and the temperature got into the low 60s - very warm for the end of January in Northern Utah.   By Friday and Saturday, the temperatures are forecast to drop and we are supposed to get rain and snow.  Hopefully, most of the snow will stay in the mountains. 

I've been reading this  600 + page history book, Saints - No Unhallowed Hand -  about the settlement of Utah.  It's well documented and very interesting.  I started it months ago and am slowly making my way through it, and I still have over 200 pages left.  I'm up to the late 1870s in a book the goes to 1893. This is the second volume in the set.  There is also a third volume.   I finished a fiction book last night and will pick up another one today at the library.  

I've been listening to a few podcasts that I enjoy and find quite thought-provoking, uplifting and educational.  I listen to a lot of different podcasts most of which tend to be about politics and/or religion, but I recently found a good one by a licensed therapist that is really good. 

I've been working on Volume II of my 2023 blog book. I print one book that goes from January to the end of June and a second volume that goes from the first of July until the end of the year.  I'm taking advantage of a 40% off sale at the company I use for my books, Blog2Print.  I finished preparing the second volume and ordered it last night.

  

I'm creating some more cards for Letters Against Isolation.  I will make two more over the next few days and hopefully send these out over the weekend.

I'm looking forward to another blossom from my Thanksgiving/ Christmas/Valentine's Day cactus plant.  It totally surprised me that this plant is blooming again, but I love it. 

I'm enjoying walking at the rec center several times a week, and I am loving that a large county library is adjacent to the rec center so keeping my body and my mind in shape is easy. 

In the kitchen, Charly made a delicious casserole for dinner last night, using vegetable-based Beyond Beef.   I'm so glad that there are leftovers for us to have tonight. 

Here's the recipe for anyone who is curious.  Of course, it could be made with regular hamburger as well. 

I'm grateful for so much - my home, my husband, my health, and my faith, family and friends.

Thanks for stopping by.  See you again soon!

Until next time, 

😊Deb💖

"When you change the way you look at things,

the things you look at change."

~Abraham Hicks

Another Week of Gratitude

I have much to be grateful for this week, so I am linking again with Susanne and friends over at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five.  Let's get going with the good stuff.

😊 Charly had another follow-up at the orthopedic hospital for his broken hand. The x-rays showed that his hand continues to heal normally.  He doesn't have to wear the custom splint any more and the doctor told him to try to move his hand more to regain normal motion.  I am so grateful for this. 

😊 Charly had to have some blood work done last week, and the results were great!  His numbers across the board were excellent.  I am so grateful for his health.    It will be my turn for annual blood work in a month or so.  

😊  One icy morning last week, I slipped on black ice in the parking lot and fell while walking into school.  I am grateful that I didn't break anything in the fall, although I bruised my knee pretty bad.  I am also grateful that I was able to get some ice cleats, similar to these, to put on my boots so I won't fall on the ice just trying to get into the school building on winter mornings.  I also got another pair of cleats that velcro on the front of my boots, so one way or the other, I should be able to walk into school safely. 

😊 During the cold winter months, my hands get very dry and cracked.  Charly suggested that I try O'Keefe's Working Hands, which is advertised a lot on TV.   I finally ordered it from Amazon and was pleased that it did work and healed some cracks in my fingers that had been painful for several weeks.  I am grateful that this hand cream is working to help my dry and painfully cracked hands. 

😊 I am so grateful for a husband who gets up early and warms up and scrapes the ice off of my car before I go to work on cold, icy mornings. 

😊 I ordered my blog book for the first six months of 2023 and it arrived a couple of days ago.  I am very pleased with how it turned out.  I am grateful that I have a history of my life and family in words and pictures dating back to 2007 because of my blog and blog books.  

😊 After taking a few days off due to the cold and snow, and an overall very busy schedule, Charly are trying to get back into the habit of going to the rec center to walk every night.  I am grateful that we are back to walking and that we have a convenient and safe place to go to try and stay in shape! 

Although there is always more to be grateful for, I will stop here for now.  Thanks for stopping by and have a good weekend, and remember to look for the good in every day!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

“When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food 

and for the joy of living. 

If you see no reason for giving thanks, 

the fault lies only in yourself.”

~Tecumseh

Currently on a Gray January Sunday

Outside my window it's dark now, but it has been a gray and cloudy Sunday.  We had some rain - not a downpour, but a steady drizzle.  I took this picture Sunday morning on our way into church and it's been about the same all day.   Our temperatures have warmed up and it has been in the 40s today.  

I've been reading these two books - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, which I finished a couple of days ago.  Now, I'm concentrating on Shattered Identity by Betsy Love, which I am reading on the Kindle app on my phone.  Of course, I'm also reading my Bible and a couple of Bible study commentaries - one about the Gospels and another one about the Book of Revelation. 

I've been listening to this audiobook Building a Non-Anxious Life by Dr. John Delony.   I plan to finish it later tonight. 

I've been watching a scripture study master class after church every Sunday.  It is taught by a university professor and it is very interesting and enlightening.  Charly is watching it with me and we're learning a lot. Friday night, we watched a comedy called The Lost City with Sandra Bullock. It was good and a fun movie to watch on a Friday night. 

This past weekend we went car shopping again on Saturday afternoon. This time we went to two Ford dealerships and test drove the Ford Bronco Sport. Both Charly and I were quite impressed with it, and Charly really liked the orange one.  We decided we aren't quite ready to buy right now, but we are narrowing down our choices. 

In the kitchen we had slow cooker chicken and vegetables for Sunday dinner.  We had some whole grain LaBrea toast with it. 

I'm loving these new shirts I got, on clearance, from Love In Faith, a Christian clothing company based in Southern California.  I'm excited to wear these shirts, especially with Valentine's Day coming up. 

I'm enjoying using the Marco Polo app to message back and forth with my blogging friend Faith, over at Gold in the Clouds.  I find myself looking forward to these little daily messages and updates. 

I'm grateful for a warm, comfortable home and a good man to share it with.  

I'm looking forward to springtime and seeing more of the sun.  I've never been officially diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I do have some of the symptoms and know that I tend to have a lot more depression on gray winter days. 

Coming up this week:

Tuesday - Charly has a follow-up doctor appointment for his broken hand. 

Saturday - We are getting together with friends for lunch. 

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the coming week. 

Until next time, 

😊Deb💖

"Winter is the time for comfort, 

for good food and warmth, 

for the touch of a friendly hand and 

for a talk beside the fire: 

it is the time for home."

- Edith Sitwell

 

Best of the Week - Friday Favorites

It has been one of those weeks where not all of the news has been good, so, although I really didn't think I'd have time, I decided to make time to join with Susanne and friends over at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five.  Here are some things that happened during the past week that made me feel uplifted and grateful. 

😊 We had a significant amount of snow this past week. The top picture was taken from my classroom window on Wednesday afternoon.  The bottom pictures was taken from the same window Thursday afternoon, just about 24 hours later.  I am grateful that we got some snow we needed, and also that the snow moved out leaving us with warmer temperatures and blue skies. 

😊 We ended up having to replace the hot water heater over at our still-not-sold condo after the old water heater sprang a leak.  The first plumber we scheduled to do the work could not come when he said he could, so we called another plumber who ended up doing the work for about $500 less than the first guy quoted us.  I am always grateful when we can save some money on needed home repairs. 

😊 Wednesday after school, our teacher union, The Granite Education Association, sponsored a class on Social Security and Medicare at our district offices.  Both Charly and I attended and learned a lot about how Social Security and Medicare work - something we need to know at the time of life we are in.  I am grateful that we could both attend and get some important information that will help us in the years to come. 

😊  I have been teaching an ACT Prep class every day after school this week.  I love working with students who are excited to learn and do well. I am grateful for this opportunity to work with and help prepare students for their future, and make a little extra $$$ for doing so.  

😊 I had a nice phone call with Josh Thursday afternoon.  He is well into Winter Semester at BYU-Idaho and things are going well for him.  This is his second to the last semester before he graduates with his Bachelor's Degree in History.  Josh has told me that he is so grateful for the opportunity he has had to attend this fine Christian university.  I am grateful to hear that Josh is doing well and having a good college experience. 

😊 Thursday when I got home from school.  Charly was already hard at work preparing dinner. 

Here is a picture of the delicious meal he made,  Hearty Potato and Sausage Bake.  It was excellent!

Here is the recipe for this delicious meal. I am so grateful for a husband who thoughtfully made an excellent dinner for us on a night that I got home late and was very tired. 

That's all for this post. I hope you have had a good week with much to be grateful for.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.  Have a great weekend!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"If you want to find happiness, 

find gratitude."

~anon.

Ten Things Tuesday

I decided to join with my blog friend Stacy at A Mile in My Shoes for Ten Things Tuesday so here are ten things on my mind this Tuesday night. 

1. More snow is expected here tonight.  Some areas of the mountains have several feet of snow (one has over eight feet of snow), which is great for our water snowpack here in Utah. 

2.  Our temperatures are in the 20s and 30s - cold for sure, but not nearly as cold as some areas of the country are experiencing. 

3. I'm disappointed in what happened in Iowa last night.  I was hopeful that as a nation we could move on, but apparently not.  Sigh. 

4.  I found a new "political analysis" podcast tonight which made me feel a little better about what happened in Iowa last night.  

5. I started an after-school tutoring class for the upcoming ACT test today.  This will be an hour after school for about two weeks, so I am taking a deep breath and realizing that I will probably be even more tired than I usually am for a little while. 

6.  I got this fun picture of my oldest son today.  My son is a fish biologist for the Federal Government in California.  It was neat to see a picture of him on the job. 

7. We had to have a new hot water heater installed at our condo.  We did not want to, but the old hot water heater was old and sprang a leak over the weekend.  The condo is under contract and we are praying that it is completely sold by the end of this month. 

8. Inspired by the auto expo we attended with our son-in-law and grandsons on Saturday, We started car shopping on Saturday.  I am currently driving a 2015 Honda CRV, and we want a new car by the time I retire, so we have started kicking tires and taking test drives.  So far we have checked out the Chevy Equinox and a 2024 Honda CRV.  We liked the Honda better than Chevy, but we want to do a little more test driving and tire kicking before we make a final decision. 

9.  Charly gave me this little Ninja Blast portable blender for Christmas, and I love it!  I have been making smoothies from breakfast which are delicious.  I feel like I am doing something  healthy every time I have one.

10.  After being inspired by the book, The 40-Day Sugar Fast, I am attempting to abstain from sugar myself and so far I am doing pretty well.  My goal is losing a bit of weight and establishing some healthier eating habits in the new year.  

That's all for now.  See you again soon.

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

• “What good is the warmth of summer, 
• without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” 
• ~John Steinbeck, “Travels with Charley: In Search of America”

 

Mid-January Weekend

The weekend was much the same as the past week - cold and snowy. 

Friday morning, I encountered this accident in a major intersection I drive through every morning on my way to work.  As I passed the smashed up cars, I prayed for those involved in the accident and expressed gratitude for a safe drive on snowy, icy roads. 

Friday afternoon, our realtor texted us that an inspection of the our condo for the people who are buying it, revealed a leaking hot water heater.  We met a plumber at the condo right after school. It wasn't actually the water heater tank that was leaking, but the overflow on the top.  We made arrangements to have the faulty part replaced and some other issues taken care of early next week. 

Saturday morning we woke up to more snow.  Charly got out early to clear the snow with our new power shovel.  

We had previously invited our son-in-law and grandsons to meet us at the Mountain America Expo Center for the Salt Lake International Auto Expo.  Our oldest grandson loves cars and want to be a mechanic.  We met them about 10 a.m., just as the car show opened. 

Our grandsons and son-in-law really enjoyed the driving simulator at the car show.  There were lots of fun activities and lots of great cars - old and new - on display.

After the car show, we all went to lunch at our favorite All-You-Can-Eat place.  We had lots of great food, and good conversation. We enjoyed each other's company and it was a fun day. 

Sunday, we watched our church service online.  It was was a conference for several congregations in our area, and had some excellent messages. 

I took a walk outside in the afternoon.   It was snowing again by the time I got home. 

I also worked on and finished some Letters Against Isolation cards going to Meals on Wheels programs in Orem, Utah and Hiawatha, Kansas. 

Sunday dinner was ham, hash browns and green beans with apple pieces for desert. 

As a new week begins, I'm still reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. I have just over 100 pages left.  I started a new mystery on my Kindle app called Shattered Identity by Betsy Love. I'm also reading the nonfiction book, Sugar Fast by Wendy Speake, and yes, I am engaging in my own sugar fast.  Finally, I'm still listening to the audiobook, Building a Non Anxious Life by Dr. John Delony.   I should be finished with that this week too. 

When I finish this post, I plan to work out on my Health Walker a bit, shower,get my jammies on and read and relax until bedtime.  

Weekend gratitude:

• Safety on snowy drives. 
• Fun Saturday at the Auto Expo with our son-in-law and grandsons.
• A long weekend for Martin Luther King Day with Monday off.

Coming up this week:

Monday - Martin Luther King Day - off!

Tuesday  - Back to school and beginning of ACT after school tutoring.

Wednesday - Retirement planning meeting after school.

Saturday - Lunch with friends.

Until next time, 

😊Deb💖

"One kind word can warm

three winter months."

~A Japanese Proverb