IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT THIS BASKET ...

If you aren't able to get pictures, sorry!  I just had to post these pictures.  If this doesn't make you want to buy this Longaberger Basket - then there is NO selling you on it.  *smile*

We snapped a zillion pictures yesterday.  I didn't spend any time fixing these up.  I 'tried' to eliminate the red eye in some of them - but didn't do a very good job.  She looks like she has an eye disorder in some of them.  Sit back and watch -- 21 pictures (and the only reason there aren't MORE is 'cuz I got tired of messing with them right now!) 

We had a nice Sabbath.  I didn't know the Pharr-Phamily was coming down, so it was a great surprise when they walked into church. But then ... PANIC!!  I hadn't planned anything for lunch and Mother Hubbard's Cupboard is fairly bare. 

But guess what!  I took the last of my oatmeal, the last of a tube of crackers (crunched), the last of some Special "K" cereal, a package of onion soup mix and the last of the eggs I had.  Mix, mix, mix -- fry, fry, fry and YUMMY!  They weren't so bad.  We had some mushroom soup gravy or red sauce (s'getti sauce) to put on them.  Add some corn and ... ? well, we didn't starve!

Later we had some folks in for game night.  Joy, Colton, Maggie, JoDe, Reese, Ryan, Rhiannon, Jaimee, Mark, Bellie, and Sharon Wooten -- we ended our evening with FARKLE.  Ha!  It wasn't 1/2 bad - once we figured it out!  We have to do it again soon.  Game night that is.  I think with all the game choices we have -- maybe we should throw 'em all in a basket (the names, not the games) and draw one to play each evening.  I love games.

Wynter how did your Thanksgiving go?  She was hosting her mother's side of the family at her house today.  Wyn is a great cook.  She makes things from scratch and she tries new things.  Like they were having a dessert that had phillo dough (the flaky layery pastry) and mango and ??? what else?   It sounded way interesting.  And she had an artichoke/turkey something she was making.  Hope it went extra great for you kiddo!

JILL is found!  JOANNIE is found!  ARLENE is found!  The first two are part of that missing Ludke-side family!  Arlene is my dad's cousin.  We had been so worried about everyone (still are quite concerned over some of the missing folks we know) - fretting day and night (and night and day) -- hoping everyone is okay.  THANK YOU guys for the news!  I love hearing from you.

Jill had an exciting adventure with a school break-in (she is principal and teacher at their school) - a deer with antlers and everything broke in and ravaged the school while they waited for emergency help - it finally broke out through a window - slicing it's belly open badly.  What an ordeal!  You must have an abundance of deer there like we do here!  WOW.

I need to go get ready for bed.  It is another week ... and that means I have to get up bright and early to do Vonda's Vine and get to work by 7:30 am.

I need to figure out what my grocery list is -- and get that going.  I got all the tables set up today (the sit and eat tables).  I am going to set up a couple of smaller tables for food.  So preparation is coming along pretty good.  Does anyone (near me) have either a card table (regular square) and/or one of those small 2' x 4' tables that is height adjustable.  (I already have yours Rhiannon.)  If so let me know so I can run by and pick it up.  I could use one or both of those sizes.  Whatever is available.

Love to all of you -- off to get ready for bed!  (Its only 8:30 -- but I'm slow! and there are a couple of other things I need to do before I can actually retire!)

OH -- and the T-day plans continue ...

To the tune of that ageless favorite from "Sound of Music" ... FAVORITE THINGS ...  (I think it was Sound of Music).

Green beans and taters and
Turkey with gravy
Noodles and fruit salad and
Rolls smeared with butter.

Golden brown dressing
all baked up and warm.

These are a few of our Turkey day foods ...

Punkin pie and punkin bars
and macaroni and corn ...
Special K loaf and much, much more
I'm running out of creative juice

But these are a few of our favorite FOODS ...

See you Thanksgiving day at 2-ish!

REWARD!!

There will be a substantial reward (of gratitude) for information leading to the rediscovery of ANY Ludke-side family relatives.  We have not heard a peep from anyone in eons.  Nope, nope, nope!

Not any from Minnesota (tho those were the last ones we heard from...with darling pictures of cute little girls!), not any from Maryland, none from Georgia, or Iowa, or even Pennsylvania.  They are absolutely and positively MISSING.  Poof!

I'm sure your lives are just as boring >>ahem, EXCITING!!!<< as ours -- *LOL* -- I know you are thinking NO ONE'S life is as pathetic as YOURS Von -- NO ONE's! -- so anyway that's even more reason to come out of the woodwork.  Give my pathetic little life some meaning - some PURPOSE.

Same goes for any of the rest of you family and 'family of friends'.  SERIOUSLY!  We're WORRIED about all of you!  I was overjoyed, I will say, with a long juicy note from Cousin Kathy in California.  Your life seems like an interesting one.  Can't wait to see the pictures of Casey's girls.  And Kirk, while your news wasn't good - it was nice to get a personal note from you as well.  Thanks.

MAKE IT GO AWAY --   It's too much!  I'm talking, of course, about that pot of chili that I put together a few days ago.  I've had chili twice a day ever since (except for one night).  I can't do it much longer!  There are consequences to having that much chili for one person.  I'll just let you Google that one ... 'consequences of eating too much chili' ... I have no idea what you'll ACTUALLY get as a search result.  But ... well, 'nuf said about that!

Sounds like we're going to have a little family get-together here to play games, talk, watch a movie or SOMETHING on Saturday night.  Rhiannon is in charge.  I'm just an attendee.  I bought a new game called FARKLE (and no, it has nothing to do with chili soup).  I know, I know -- we were moving on ...

Anyway I am hoping for a fun relaxed evening with folks I love! 

I went to TOYLAND at Blaine's Farm & Fleet on Wednesday night.  Rhiannon was looking for a fence to keep her baby in.  So she was going there anyway.  I remembered hearing some hype about all the toys that they have there. So I called and said ... TAKE ME TOO!  I wanted very much to see what bright eyes would think about all the colorful toys. 

I put reindeer ears on her.  They were cute.  And she rode a rocking horse.  She seemed to like that.  I had a good time anyway.  Jaimee seemed to like it and Rhiannon ... she started to foam at the mouth from all of the educational anticpation for her baby!  She had visions of learning stations dancing in her head.  The teacher in her was coming out and all Jaimee and I wanted to do was honk the octopus legs!

Randy has been rebuilding Ryan and Rhiannon's computer.  She wants to do her videos with high definition.  Her computer, the way it was - didn't have enough steam.  So dad is putting all sorts of new stuff in it to make it better than it was.  He wanted Rhiannon to hang around a little longer last night because ... "I'm almost done!!"  The 'puter was going home with her.  He's had his little laboratory down in the basement.  He didn't come up and didn't come up ... and when he finally did.  He said he just wanted a little Jaimee time and the computer would be another day.

Today he's spent a lot of time working on it.  Something about it needed a bunch of stuff put back on it again.  Just now he went to the garage and came back in with a HAMMER.  I'm thinking it isn't going so well down there in the laboratory.

Okay -- I need to run.  Take care.  Remember that reward!
Love to all!

WHY IS IT?

Why is it that all day long I think about all the things I 'get' to do when I am off work?  And then when I am home, I can only think of what am I going to eat and WHEN can I go to bed? 

I'm tired tonight. 

I did throw a pot of chili together when I got home tonight.  Went to the store to get SOMETHING to eat.  I was thinking soup.  Looked at row after row of canned soup and nothing seemed to scream ... "ME!!!!"  Until I saw a can of chili.  That peeped ... "ME!"  But what screamed "ME" was the idea of a bowl of hot homemade chili. 

I just finished eating it (finally) and Nick is enjoying a bowl now that he is home from work.  Good choice Vonda Rae!

Now my main thought is ... when can I go to bed?  *LOL*

I baked a bunch of cookies for the center yesterday; still have some to bake in the fridge.  I ran out of steam about 6-ish last night, so covered them with saran wrap.  Will bake them probably tomorrow night.  TOO tired tonight.

We ran to IC Saturday night to enjoy a little time with the dumpling.  Jaimee is 'super-sonic speed baby' now!  -- at least compared to the little squirt we saw the week before.  She is interested in everything and is off to explore the world with or without her adults. 

She got a little tired and started fussing after a bit.  I held her on my lap for a little bit and fed her some Cheerios and ice chips.  She and little Reese have a great appreciation for good ice!   It revived her and she was sweet as pie.

Rory, Jaimee's dog (or is Jaimee Rory's human?) - laid by us.  I touched Rory's ear and had Jaimee touch Rory's ear.  I said "Rory's ear".  Then I touched my ear and said "Gram(me)'s ear." and then I touched her ear and said "Jaimee's ear."  Then started over with Rory.  At that point she reached up and touched her own ear.  She's getting so big, in such a little way!  It's fun having a little person in the family again.

Gotta run.  I am counting down the minutes until I can go to bed!  ZZZZZZZZzzzzz!

Just a couple more weeks until part of my afternoon job ends.  I am anxiously awaiting the miracle of provision that God has in mind then!  I KNOW He will provide.  Your prayers will be appreciated as I wait!

WITH SINCERE CONDOLENCES ...

Judging from the 'fragrance' of the air here near our computer - I'm guessing Mickey and Minnie recently lost another Iowa relative.  Uff-da!  And yet, I'd rather put out DECON and take a chance on this odor - than have to live with LIVE relatives of the famous couple.  It's doesn't happen THAT often and even now it's not so overwhelming that you can't breath. 

A few years ago (before I started putting out DeCon) one died in our heat vent somewhere.  We did EVERYTHING we could think of to diminish the smell.  It was horrid.  And being in the heat vent, the warm moving air kept it especially pungent!

It was fun this week to have a day off in the middle of the week.  Being a City employee I got Veteran's Day off.  Whoo hoo!  I played in my basement for a little while.  Meaning I made a couple of cards!  I feel like I don't get down there nearly enough!  It's so relaxing.  Except - right now I have about a thousand dead wannaBees down there. 

WannaBees are the Japanese Beetles that wanna be Ladybugs.  We've been inundated with them here in the last month. 

Got our Goddard Family gala Thanksgiving planned.  Not me personally got it planned.  There was the customary gathering of the Goddards in a food establishment and that's where it got planned.  I'm so thankful for the cousins who took charge.

I'm in charge of POP!  I know that recipe, so that is what I am doing.  Wyn - I think Gr'ma kind of volunteered that you would bake a turkey.  I have a roaster pan if you want to use it!  See what happens when you get the reputation for being a good cook?    My cousin Tammy said she LIKES to cook.  That on a day off on the weekend she likse to cook and actually thinks "what can I cook next?".  I don't think that thought has EVER crossed my mind.  Not once!  "What do I HAVE to cook next?" has probably been there a time or two. 

My friend Sharon, when I was talking about dressing for Thanksgiving said "oh that's EASY!" - keep in mind that she is a professional cook.  So she probably not only makes it easily, but GOOD.

Nick shaved his head this week.  He's such a party pooper - I wanted SO BAD to take pictures of the process, but he threatened me!  LIFE and LIMB -- so I didn't.  Seriously though there is almost NOTHING as amusing as seeing someone with huge shaved chunks out of their hair here and there!  I should have done it anyway.  At least at my funeral there would have been funny pictures to show while telling how I met my demise! 

Stamping last night at Tammy and Dwayne's was fun.  I even got to sit and make the cards.  SO now I have duplicates of some, but that's okay.  Unless my memory really fails me and I send the same card to the same person -- who will know!?  

Thanksgiving for our clan is, as far as I know -- here at my house.  ON THANKSGIVING DAY -- around 2-ish.  Bring by anything that you can the day before so I can get things warming and ready if possible. 

And so there you have it -- boredom reigns supreme!  Oh ... one thing!  We got a weird email today.  It was kind of an unbelievable email.  It was from someone we KNOW and had the CORRECT email address (theirs) and it said they were in Nigeria (big red flag here!) on a vacation and blah-blah-blah ... sad story and they needed money.

First of all the Nigeria thing is always a clue.  But then --- these ARE people who have traveled the world.  What IF something had happened to him and he was using his yahoo account to TRY to contact someone here in Muscatine?  Wouldn't we be sad if we found out that we should have done something?  (It was Gary Pudewell for those of you who know him.)  So after talking together, Randy called Gisele and Gary's house.  And Gary is okay.  NOT in Nigeria.  They had a virus in their computer and it was using the email account to spam people.  So if you get an email from someone you know -- and they are in Nigeria on a vacation needing money ... well, you handle it however you want, but it's probably the same thing.

Later gaters!  HAPPY SABBATH!!

A LOT TO SAY ABOUT ... STUFF!

You might wanna get some chips and dip and a soda ... I've got a bunch to say!  *wink*

First -- THANKSGIVING PLANS:

I'm planning for it here - unless anyone says "NO WAY!"  Tom Turkey and a fruit salad are already taken care of.  So what are you planning to bring (you don't have to be specific, just so we don't have a lot of duplication!)  I am doing smashed taters and the rolls for sure. 

Time?  Didn't we do it a little later in the day last year with pretty good results?  What time works best for everyone?

Night/day before - start bringing your stuff (if you choose to bring a lot of stuff) early so I can have it warm and waiting (we'll use crock pots and such to keep it all perking along). 

Mom?  Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same if we said don't bring ANYthing - but how about you don't bring EVERYthing!  *smile*  Choose a couple of things like everyone else (as long as it includes pumpkin pie).  Make the day a joy for you too!

Second - SOMETHING BUGGING ME FOR DAYS!!

What happened to tolerance and kindness in this world?  I heard something so mean spirited this week that it bugs me.  Why do some people think they can say ANYTHING they want -- outloud -- and not have to worry about hurting other people.  The Bible says that without the love of God - people's hearts will wax cold.  Cold wax is hard!  Hard hearted people. 

Please all - forgive me if I've been mean-spirited in words or actions and have hurt you in any way.  I like to think that I wouldn't PURPOSELY do that (except I have to Randy sometimes -- sorry honey!).

Third - I missed the jammies memo!

I am no fashionista - you might have noticed!  Stop laughing!  But I did go and get a haircut this week (again) and I have to say that my hair was looking so good today that I wished I could look in my rearview mirror all the rest of the day!  {{insert wolf-whistle here!!}}

But seriously I must have missed the memo that says being an adult female (or male) and wearing flannel jammie pants in public was attractive, appropriate, or ???  I saw a lady AT CITY HALL today with flannel TINKERBELL pants on.  She was a grown up -- and she strolled in like she MEANT to be there in her PJ's.  I had to conciously drag my eyes AWAY from her - because if I hadn't I KNOW my mouth would have soon said "excuse me ma'am, do you know you're in your jammies?"

Later I got to thinking that I've seen that more and more - and Randy - NO MATTER WHAT THE RESPONSE FROM ANYONE ON THIS IS ... you are STILL not allowed to wear your snowflake pants, your plaid pants, or any other pant that I may deem inappropriate outdoor attire ... OUTDOORS -- oops!  a little sidetracked there ... mighta been an issue once (or twice) -- anyway seems like flannel pants with Tinkerbell or stars, or polka dots or clouds ... and even sometimes SLIPPERS are showing up more often.

My main question - since I missed the memo and all -- is if you wear this kind of attire - is it WITH a bra or without!??


And last ... finally to the end of my ramble (this time!!) --

Anyone who has ever met Nick's dog Ti - knows that at our house Ti is synonymous with NAUGHTY DOG!  All manner of naughtiness eminates from this pup.  He's lucky he's cute and has a nice personality.  Or he'd find himself on a back alley of some Chinatown somewhere ... not long for the world!  Chewed everything you can think of - including my leather sofa (BTW Nick -- when does that go for repair?), chewed NEW shoes (and old), oh my -- this is way long enough that I don't need to make a chew list.  Everything.

Well, I subscribe to a thing that gets sent to my email each day called StoryPeople.  It's just quirky little one sentence 'stories' that appeal to my sense of humor.  More often than not people look at me when something Brian Andreas has written makes me smile - and say HUH?  Well today's was funny to me because ... #1) I listen to public radio a LOT (love it) and #2) it made me think of naughty Ti. 

I put the following together. 

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE ...

It's not the s-lo-w lane actually, because there is always plenty to do.  With 1/3 of my afternoon job coming to an end at the end of the month, I have found myself up to my neck in things that I want to tie up before I turn over the property. 

Today I was able to drive to Iowa City and shop and purchase an egress ladder for one of the units.  Three years ago when the property reopened after major refurbishing, it passed inspection and has until now.  An inspector determined it needed a few changes in one room to make that unit compliant with code.  Hence my shopping trip.  I'm glad to have that purchase made.  It will be delivered in 2 days and installed by the maintenance guy and we're good to go with a reinspection.

Of course every trip to the IC area incorporates a squeeze of my baby J into it!  Today was no exception.  She was supposed to be napping, but was still awake when I got there.  I got to change a stinky diaper.  (Under every stinky diaper is still a soft baby bottom - cute as can be!)  Then she demonstrated her every improving skills at crawiling and manipulating things with her hands.

The day ended with getting my hair cut.  Thank you Rhiannon for going with me.  BORING as it was. You didn't have to go, but it was nice!  I like my cut better now that I'm home and seeing it in my own mirror!  I always look spectacular in the downstairs bathroom mirror!  *wink-lol* 

Bellie, I got some jasmine rice.  Now to find myself a good Roasted Tomato Soup recipe (anyone?) -- it has to have roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion and cream - and be topped with jasmine rice.  I had a bowl of Roasted Tomato Soup with jasmine rice this week and it was superb.  Now to duplicate it.  GLORIA????  I thought of you immediately - it seemed like a recipe you might try.  Have a good recipe?  This was thick (in part because of the scoop of rice in it) but also from the tomato and other things.

Off to bedroom I go -- It's still to early to say off to BED I go, but I can at least go to the bedroom and read or something until an appropriate time.  I'm pooped!

DAY ONE OF FALL BACK! Did you remember?

I am sure going to enjoy (???) getting up tomorrow better than I have been for the last couple of weeks.  It's been SO dark in the morning.  I like light in the sky (at least a smidge - is asking for one or two small sunbeams all that much?)!  Probably won't like the darkness coming before I get home though. 

I guess it doesn't really matter one way or the other.  I don't get to make the choices!

Here are a few more pictures taken yesterday that I just HAD to share.  It's our little monkey.  See her tail and the banana in her back pocket?  She could have cared less, but we sure thought she was cute!  We took these when we came back to our house after the farm and just before our small group started.



Poor Nick.  He is really sick.  He didn't feel good before he left for work yesterday, but he went anyway.  When he got home he ate some soup and went straight to bed.  He got up today long enough for me to make him some oatmeal and get him some Sprite and soda crackers.  Haven't seen him since. He's been sleeping pretty much straight for over 24-hours now.

I worked on my card projects today.  I have several I have to do.  I'm going to do part of my community service as a card making class for ladies at Hershey Manor.  I have one of two projects done for there.  And I have an idea for the second one (which is 1/2 of the battle!).  I also got some stuff ready for our next stamping night.  So as of November 1st -- I'm really on top of it.  I won't stay there, but *ha!* I'll enjoy it for tonight!

I better get off of here and do something else.

Ludke family -- where are you guys?  I haven't heard from ANYONE lately!!

A DAY ON THE FARM!

Another beautiful day at the farm.  That little house holds a lot of love!  It's a tight fit with all of us gathered, but it's filled with chatter, smells of good food and love!

We arrived after church and already several had gathered!  Mom was busy in the kitchen and it was smelling wonderful.  She works too hard!  Wynter and Rhiannon chopped up some onion.  Obviously I had not trained my daughter in the art of onion chopping.  She did pretty good though.  Wynter was the champion of the onion chopper though! 

Tons of toppings from the aforementioned onions to tomatoes to to black olives, sour cream, guacamole ... and that was just for the tacos!  There was fajitas (with choices of chicken, steak and tofu, four mexican style casseroles (and my ever thoughtful mom had mac and cheese for those who weren't Mexican food fans).  Not to mention a bevy of desserts.

Mom -- it was delicious -- but SIMPLIFY!!  *lol*  or DELEGATE!  It's okay (REALLY) to give us each a recipe and a list of "to-do"s.  Thank you though for the amazing food!  I know I appreciated a delicious meal and I'm sure others did as well!

And Joy -- she made a couple of pies.  So she still gets her title ... of YOUNGEST FAVORITE DAUGHTER!

Bellie and Mark came a little later as Bellie works at the Lutheran Homes.  She is a nurse there and sometimes her schedule includes weekends.  She had her FORTIETH (40) birthday this last week too!  Happy birthday dear sister!

Also congrats to Mark and Bellie on their 3rd anniversary this month and John and Gail on their 18th anniversary.

We enjoyed having Ryan home for the weekend.  He did children's story and Rhiannon had special music for church.  Jaimee was happy to have her daddy.  Hard as it was to have her sitting so close to us in church - we refrained taking her from Ryan because she hadn't seen him in two whole weeks.  She seemed perfectly content to be sitting in her father's arms. 

We left the farm and came home to get ready for small group.  We are well over 1/2 way through the Desire of Ages.  Much as I am enjoying it - it's a LONG book and we will all be glad for a change.  We read through the chapters in the book and then read the account in the Bible as well. 

After small group - Sabbath was done and we rooted around for food (basically sandwiches) and popcorn left from small group.  Watched the movie The Propsal.  It was a cute movie.  Had a few naughty words, but not as bad as so many.  Things like referring to your backside as A-- and stuff like that.  But the F-word was NOT in it.  I hate that.   Wish they could make a movie without any of those words ...

Here are some pictures of our three little characters (the great-grandchildren) plus Colton was in a few and JoDe, Rhiannon and Tonya were in some.

NOT MUCH HAPPENING ...

Not so much going on - I'm just glad it is Sabbath.  I'm ready for a nice quiet Sabbath.  Are you?

This week started pretty regular and then seemed to shift into high gear.  Partly because I filled in all day at City Hall on Wednesday and only ran to my afternoon job over the lunch hour.  That meant Thursday I worked a little later in the evening and then again today I had some things I had to accomplish.  So I went in.

Typically I try to get my hours in for my afternoon job so I don't have to go on Friday.  It's not such a big deal during the summer months, but these winter months it's almost impossible to work all day and get things tied down in time for Sabbath. 

Rhiannon and Jaimee came down this afternoon for a little bit.  Rhiannon has special music tomorrow at church.  Randy said it sounded really nice today.  They got the speaker settings all figure out and she got the opportunity to work with the mike so she knows how she will sound.  Pray for her that nerves are abated when she starts to sing.  Ryan has children's story!  He didn't remember saying 'yes' to that -- thought he had agreed to prayer or offeratory.  So that was a surprise to him.

Rhiannon was so excited for Ryan to get home.  It's been 2 weeks since he's seen his little girlie and she's done SO MUCH changing the last couple of weeks.  Rhiannon said she's a crawler now!  Meaning FORWARD crawler!

Hey Goddard girls (and guys) -- wanna know where we get our amazingly gorgeous look?  *LOL*  Here is a picture Mark's son Zachary found in the Ocar Grossheim collection.  It was taken in June 1928 - and is of Grandpa (Ivan)'s sister Sini.  Isn't she pretty?

I DID THE CRIME - now I have to pay the fine!

No, this orange color isn't to represent anything to do with HALLOWEEN.  It's to represent the pretty ORANGE jumpsuit the county let's you wear if you are a criminal!  I'm trying  to avoid that little ensemble!

FIRST -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DADDY!! I'm the worst daughter as far as those things. I haven't even called. I had to work all day at City Hall. Spent my lunch hour running to my afternoon job and then back. Tonight I just got home a little bit ago (it's almost 7 p.m. now). I'm zonked. Still have to finish up Vonda's Vine - evening edition - and do the church bulletin! ZZZZZZzzzzz!

I have to start thinking about my plan for conducting my community service time - those 25 hours to rectify my crime of speeding (with an expired license no less!). I've talked to one place and she was happy to have me come do a couple of card making classes for the seniors there. So will at least start with that. Those things take awhile to prepare for - with getting the pieces cut and prepared. So that should help! I have until January -- I don't think anyone would have trouble finding places to volunteer, so I know it won't be hard!

Wishing FULL TIME paid jobs were as easy to secure! I'm sure I'm not alone in that feeling. So many people are wishing the same thing.

I'll JUST KEEP TRUSTING MY LORD, as I walk along --

I got a bit of distressing news today.

As I went between one job and another, I got a phone call from my afternoon District Manager. She had just learned, and was relaying to me, that approximately 1/3 of my afternoon job was going to be discontinued. This also probably means that 1/3 of my afternoon job paycheck will be discontinued.

The different properties I take care of have different owners and investors and it's their prerogative as to who the management company will be. I think many times these investors have their OWN management companies, under a different corporate umbrella.

This portion of my afternoon job has been looking for a new general partner. My guess is that they found one who has some sort of ties to a different management company.

LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL ... *sigh*

What is faster than a speeding bullet and more dangerous than a text messaging driver?

It might have been me this morning on the way to work.  I was running SO behind.  I'm not even sure how that happened.  One minute I was doing great and the next minute I was LATE.  I pretended to 'iron' my hair, shoved it around a bit on my head, spritzed some helmet maker (aka super strong hairspray) on it and off I went.

But not before throwing my toothbrush in my purse and grabbing my make-up basket.  As I drove, I was giving myself a beauty make-over from Bare Escentuals!  The rear view mirror was my only witness of the transformation!  I keep a hair-do utensil here at the office, so I plugged it in and attempted to rearrange my helmet after I was here.

THE WEEKEND ENDED and all is well...

I know, I know -- Oh Von, how you go on!  Well, yeah ... I guess! 

But let me tell you something.  Life has a lot of things in it you would rather would not be in it.  Sometimes you wonder if there is ANY good around.  And you wonder 'what next'?  And then God slips in something fun and wonderful as a reminder that HE is in control and gives us blessings all the time.  We have to recognize them.

WE ARE GETTING ALONG VERY WELL!

Bundled as she was last night this little peanut got chilly.  I know because she woke up at 2 a.m.  (she'd gone down a little before 7:30 p.m. so that wasn't too bad).  When I changed her diaper, I discovered that her skin was chilly to the touch.  So I added a nice warm covering to her and she slept nicely until about 6:30 a.m. 

Thinking she was probably up for the morning I brought her downstairs and we sat on the floor and played (I was really groggy still and not ready for getting up*).  I made her a bottle which she drank a bit of and she became really fussy.  I thought my notes from her mommy said this was a smiley time of day and this was NOT a smiley baby I had.  I thought she acted tired still.  I carried her back up to Rhiannon's room and we both layed down on the big bed and snuggled under the warm blanket and she fell back to sleep for another hour (about). 

SIX HOURS and so far ... NOT SO BAD

Hey there! I'm an overnight Gram(me)!! So far (for about 6 hours now) I'm doing great. Baby Girl is off schedule real good. Napped maybe 1 hour instead of two. And her ONE hour was in a couple of short stints.

Gr'pa the escape artist made excuses that he had things to do this afternoon - he couldn't stay here and play with us.  But that is okay.  So far so good! 

FOUR DOGS is going to be the bigger challenge in my book. I had just gotten Jaimee to sleep rocking her. All of a sudden the dogs decided to get up from THEIR naps and romp. Seeing what they had in the works I carefully got up and proceeded to lay her in the other room.

LAST FULL NIGHT OF SLEEP FOR ???

Going to bed early.  Must be well rested.  Vitamins are laid out for morning consumption.  A can of 'Popeye' spinach is on the counter for Randy (he's gonna need his Popeye sized gr'pa muscles!).   It will be just Randy and I on duty. 

I can't/won’t leave Nick in charge of Jaimee! *smile* He scoffs at her outstanding abilities to do things! Like eat, poop, smile – he thinks enough is enough already! And did you see her in that Ducky Riding YouTube video? If she wasn’t waving, then I don’t know what she was doing!

Seriously, I know he would take extra good care of her.  While he isn't mesmerized by every little things she does - he does think she is "one cute baby".  For him that is LOVE! 

OUR FIRST ADVENTURE IN OVERNIGHT GRANDPARENTING

Please know - we are not afraid.  We are calm.  There is no reason to panic.  We have a plan.  There will be NO problems.  We are prepared.

This weekend (starting around noon-ish Friday) will be Randy's and my first ever shot at overnight grandparenting.  We are atwitter!

We've received the Excel spreadsheet from Jaimee's parental units providing us with a checklist of where, when, what, and how for all the moments of her life!  Now, if only Jaimee could read!  Then she would know what she is expected to do!

Tonight I make a cursory search through the linen closet (or would it be under the bed?) for crib blankets.  I think I still have them.  I hope the threads aren't falling apart.  You know my own tiniest baby - Nicky - will be 24 years old in January. 

Please know - we are not afraid. We are calm. There is no reason to panic. We have a plan. There will be NO problems. We are prepared.

LUDKE-ville 10/17/09

Happy Sabbath!

I've been playing with this blog (probably more than I should be). I don't really UNDERSTAND blogs, so it's been fun to fiddle and ... well, not sure if I know more or am more confused. But it doesn't matter. It's interesting!

We've had a nice Sabbath so far. Started off with us needing to pick up Jerry, a man who is in a nursing home - due to his disability caused by a high school football accident, to take to church. I decided to call ahead and see if they could ask him to meet us at the front door. I was rewarded by a sweet Phillipino accent... "Bellie's station #2".

It was my SIL Bellie who had to work today. She walked him out to the front and showed me her slick new phone! I love my Blackberry, but hers and Rhiannon's and Ryan's all make mine look sorrowful. I mean they have touch screens and ... EVERYTHING. Bellie is able to say "text Vonda" and it opens up text messaging. Then she can say the message - and it types it out. She doesn't even have to TYPE it. How cool is that?

It was fun to see her so early in the a.m. She's such a great addition to our family! Almost three years now isn't it?

We got to SS late (mutual fault, I would say -- I feel like I race around so much during the week to get UP, get to my computer to get Vonda's Vine done and sent, be sufficiently beautified to leave the house, and be in my chair at work at 7:30 a.m. -- that I have convinced myself that I need to lolli-gag around a little on Sabbath morning!).

Lolli-gagging has its benefits! I had totally forgotten about my beauty tip ... HEMEROID (sp?) CREAM ... I was rewarded this a.m when I went digging in a drawer for something else with a full tube of PREP H. I slathered that stuff all over my face - and I have to say that I looked at least 23 1/2 minutes younger INSTANTLY.

It seemed like EVERYONE did a really nice job with their portions of the service.

Chuck Lee does such a nice job with teaching the SS lesson. I should have gotten there earlier. Sometimes I get a little 'peeved' at discussion because there is so much "I think" or "my opinion", etc. and not enough "THE BIBLE SAYS ..."

Moving into the service - the gentleman who spoke presented a really nice message. He has a special talent in public speaking and made his topic very informative, spiritual/Biblical, and easy to listen to.

Children's story was nice - it was about a town in Romania that during one of the World Wars had hippos in their zoo. Everyone was concerned about them being hungry (and sad). So they gathered over 9000 articles made of straw (which was a popular material to create slippers, shoes, hats, bags, etc.) and they fed the hippos slippers, shoes, hats, bags, etc. during that cold hard winter.

Special music, the lady who had agreed to provide special music had unfortunately forgotten and was gone. So we asked Karin W. to do it. Her special was well done, especially considering she had only a day of preparation time.

Even the call for offering went well. The person who was set up to do it called about 20 minutes before and wasn't going to make it. So Randy asked Abby Paul to do it. She did, and in my opinion did a great job. I loved her prayer when offering had been gathered and brought back. Her words were clear, youthful, and heartfelt. I was blessed and I know God WILL use the offering to His glory!

Anyway - my custom (to take a short story and make it L-O-N-G) has been upheld. The bottom line is that it was a very spiritually rewarding service.

This afternoon we're just hanging out. Randy and I took Jerry and his mom back to the nursing home after church. I'm going to take a little nap in a bit. Then it will be time to make popcorn. We have small group here at 5 p.m. We always serve popcorn and ice water. (We're such good hosts/hostesses aren't we?) When we first started small group I tried having bars or cookies or ... but that got to be more than I wanted to do. Popcorn seems to be well received by everyone and it's become a staple. Once in awhile we'll add something small (candy corn, caramels, etc.) but usually not.

Following that we're having a little gathering here. It was supposed to be the young people. Savannah, the little gal who did an evangelistic series here last year, came back to visit Lynn Tavener. (She stayed with Lynn for all three weeks of the series.) Lynn wanted something for her to do tonight with young people. I emailed a couple of the girls at church to let them know about it. Haven't heard back from them. The other girl I thought might come is involved in Homecoming Festivities tonight - so I can't blame her for not coming. Homecoming is a big event - complete with pretty dresses and tuxedos!! So our gathering is going to end up being GEEZER WII, I think! Should be interesting!

Hope your Sabbath day is full of peaceful blessings. I can't tell you how much I love Sabbath. I don't think I would be sane without it.

We want to hear from everyone! I think of you all often and even though Ludke-ville doesn't seem all that 'personal', it is. I have each of you in my mind and heart as I write.

V

rludke@machlink.com

LUDKE-ville 10/15/09

Feels like a long time since I wrote a Ludke-ville note. I feel bad because I consider this my personal email to each of you. I love hearing from people and always hope to hear back from each of you!

Well, starting from today and going backward -- howz that for a plan?

10/15/09

FIVE LEFT SHOES. Yes, five. All left ones.

I ran home at lunch (my afternoon job is less than 5 minutes from home) - walked in and oh my! Every day with Ti is an adventure in puppy boredom. He's lucky he is cute ... BUT!!

Today someone left the main floor coat closet open about 6 inches. Never mind that it was dark in there, but Ti (I suppose Rooney might have helped, but am sincerely doubting it since we USTACOUD leave the door ALL the way open and NONE of our shoes would wander out.)

So anyway Ti busied himself with finding 5 left shoes and bringing them out into a pile. He also busied himself by bringing a rag rug from the front door to the dining room. He also busied himself by bringing the afghan from the back of a chair in the family room TOWARD the dining room. He emptied a basket of some books.

YUP - we USTACOUD leave our house and except for a few animal hairs here and there we didn't know we had a dog. But Ti reminds us of why TWO dogs are NOT better than one.

Of course now that I'm home, he is sleeping soundly. Must be worn out from all the frolic of the day. *sigh!*

*LOL* I think God made creatures cute while they were young and super spunky or else you'd reconsider pets, kids, etc.

I saw a WALKING STICK outside today. It was on the side of the garage between the two garage doors. Don't see those around too often. They must be kind of lonely. Unlike those pesky LadyBug Wannabe's who travel in herds.

WED10/14/09

There are now TWO of us in my office with allergy to hair dye. One of the gals had her stylist/colorist do a patch test on her and she reacted. Today she asked me all about my allergy. It was hard to talk about it because my vain side colored my hair a couple days ago, so I'm really suffering right now. It will only get worse for awhile, before it starts getting better. Anyway, she was talking about itching and I was feeling like scratching!!! (ME, not her -- I would scratch ME!)

I'm itchy - but I AM gorgeous! I really LIKE my haircut (I got it re-cut after the FIASCO haircut of a couple months ago.) But there are still some days that are not good. Like today (Wednesday) - every morning when I get ready for work I am flying around like a maniac! (I always feel like the music in Wizard of Oz when the wicked witch is peddling her bike - with Toto in a basket - and the music is rapid and rushing ... well anyway that's my morning in my head theme song.)

So anyway I got to work thinking I was some sorta hot chic and then I looked in the mirror. OH BOY! I looked like I'd been rubbing balloons on my head to stick on the wall. Every hair on my head had an assigned duty. Either it was CLINGING to my head for dear life or it was WAVING aimlessly straight away from my head. NONE of my hairs were doing what the 'cut' intended them to do. Can't imagine what people were thinking - it made ME laugh and I shoulda been crying.

Son in law is on his way home for mid-term break today. Which basically is a weekend with a couple of extra days off. But its enough that his little family is happy to have him all to themselves for a few days. He gets to take Baby J to swimming lessons and Wee Read tomorrow (with mommy, I'm sure!).

TUESDAY - 10/13/09

I had an all day training for my afternoon job on Tuesday. Had to travel to the Mesquawki Casino in Tama for it. I thought of you Gloria - they had a really big BINGO place right close to the conference rooms. In fact one of the ladies at my training also had to drive quite a way to get there, so a friend came with her to play BINGO while she trained.

Lots of white haired folks at the gambling casino on this Tuesday! I wonder if they bring in bus loads of people for the day or something because there weren't that many cars in the parking lots. When we left there were quite a few more, but early in the a.m. (10-ish) cars were sparse.

The casino/hotel had a conference room area and that's where our training was held. It's a nice facility and it was GOOD training. Last year's was kind of non-informative but this year I felt that I learned quite a bit. Plus the 5 hours on the road gave me a chance to listen to my Bible on CD CD's ... I've listened to most of 1st and 2nd Samuel today.

I stopped by Coralville on the way home to see the little peanut. She looked sweet today. But her little cheeks were red and her little nose was runny. I think she spent too much time with Grandpa this past weekend.

We gave her crawling lessons. She gets up on all fours like she is GOING to go somewhere, but then she either goes backward or nowhere. So while she was up on all fours I manipulated the back end of her (legs) and her mommy manipulated the front end of her (arms) ... we did left/right/left/right ... at the end Baby J picked up one arm and then toppled.

She'll get it on her own eventually, but we had fun playing with her. At least Gram(me) did!

BACK TO THE PRESENT - Thursday

I suppose, even though there are just paragraphs and paragraphs of absolutely gripping adventures from my life left to write, I should probably say SO LONG!

Hope you are seeing God's blessings in your life each day.
Keep in touch!