Thank you!!

Hi everyone!


First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who wrote welcoming me to the blogging world! Wow! Dawn told me I shouldn't be upset if I sometimes don't get responses, but this is overwhelming! Of course, now I feel like I'm under pressure to write something fun and interesting!! :-)


Dawn is going to help me add my clock and counter after she finishes her dinner since she just got home from work.


Speaking of work, to begin to tell you a little about myself.....I am employed as a church secretary for a Lutheran church. I've been there 13 years and I love it! It's in a primarily senior area of the state so most of the people who attend the church are senior citizens. There are a few younger people (including the Pastor and his family) but I'd say about 95% are senior citizens and the largest percentage are in their 80s. We even have about 10 who are in their 90s. One woman in particular comes to mind. She turned 93 a few weeks ago. She doesn't look it nor act it. She looks like she's in her 70s. She dresses to the nines, is smart and articulate and even still drives, though only locally. I always say that I wouldn't mind living to such a ripe old age but only if I am in good health.


Adding the elements was fun! We were trying to do it through IMing but finally I just called Dawn on the phone. It went a lot quicker that way.


I'm really pleased with my veggie garden this year. Last year this time I wasn't in a place where I had the energy to do much with it. I had just stuck a few plants in pots but they didn't do well at all. PTL this year has been much different. My DH does the rototilling for me but the rest is my job and I love....as Rebecca Kohl says....getting my hands dirty!!


We had our firstfruits of the green beans for dinner tonight. Ummmm!! They were delicious! I don't use any insecticide on my plants and it's so good to just go out there, pick what I want, wash the dirt off, and eat! I can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen. I usually wind up eating as many as I'm picking. I love the smell of tomato plants!


Those of you who know Dawn know that she's into "green" these days! That makes my heart happy!


For anyone who likes to listen to books on tape (or CD's these days), I'm listening to a good one. It's titled "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. It's a memoir of her life. While listening to it, I think I read the book a few years ago because some of it sounds familiar. The only problem I have with it is that there is quite a bit of bad language because her father curses alot. The woman who is reading does a very good job.


I haven't listened to a book in quite awhile but I'm getting tired of the radio. While I enjoy the Christian station I usually listen to, they play the same songs over and over. The talk radio can be okay sometimes but other times not. So, for awhile anyway, I'm back to books on tape while traveling back and forth to work and other times when I'm by myself in the car. One time when DH and I were traveling I asked if he would like me to read out loud the book I was reading as if it were a book on tape, but he said "No."!! I can't remember what book it was, but he probably wouldn't have been interested anyway!


During the next few weeks when you're saying prayers, please pray for my DD Erica. Next Wednesday she will be having a hernia operation. I will be going to TN to help out the last week in July. She has three of the six grandchildren (Dawn has the rest) including the baby. They told her the recovery time will be 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, I cannot go for that long, though it's tempting. Times like this is when it's hardest being so far away. I keep telling myself that we're not the only ones but that a lot of families are in the same situation where they are separated by so many miles. Of course, she could be even further away. Thankfully, it's only two hours by plane and thank the Lord I was able to get a good price.


Well, I was gonna go on about just how good the Lord has been but it's getting late and I've sort of rattled on so I'll save those stories for another day.


Good night and God bless,

Linda