Sunday, March 15, 2020

Weekend Blessings

I am blessed with such good neighbors!
Stephanie has lived next door for over 30 years and Olga has lived on the other side of us since Louis Dean and I got married. We have watched their children grow up.
Then there's Tamara who lives around the curve. She's an amazing lady and I'm so glad we finally connected a few years ago. I don't remember what brought us together. It may have been the time she saw me walking down the street with a huge canvas I had rescued before the trash picked it up.
She and her equally amazing husband have lived in the neighborhood a long time.
They are Dallas Cowboy fans and I always admired their blue Christmas lights.

Tamara is an excellent gardener and has often shared her produce with us. One time when the quads were coming over on a regular basis, she treated them to refreshments and a gardening lesson.
I absolutely love visiting her and touring her beautiful back yard.
Our homes are the very same floor plan and yet totally different.
Her husband is a musician - I can't ever remember the title of his job but he travels around the world with the Trans Siberian Orchestra and is in charge of the sound system. That sounds more simple than what he does but it's too late to text Tamara and ask - again - for his job title.
He is also an excellent craftsman and has build some beautiful cabinets and built ins for their home.

Anyway, she is in a deep cleaning and purging mode and I was the lucky recipient of her treasures!
I think it's amazing how God gives us the desires of our heart.
For months now I have been looking for white king sized pillow cases or shams when I go to the Goodwills. I found none! 


Look what Tamara gave me!! Two of these plus several others.
A whole stack of standard pillow cases, a good dozen towels - which came in real handy when the quads were here and taking showers the other night - plus some dish towels and much more.
Her purging inspired me to get busy and do some of my own.

And that's what I have been doing!
I started in the guest room and went through my own linen closet and filled several bags for Goodwill. Then I went through all the drawers and closets in the guest room. I dusted and cleaned the mirrows and finally........


lit the candle to celebrate my first clean room!

I went out Saturday afternoon to pick up some medicine and mouthwash and then drove to Goodwill where I unloaded a completely full trunk!

This morning we watched Fellowship Church online as Ed Young, Jr. preached a timely message on 'Fear.' I watched on my iPad as I sat up in bed sipping a cup of coffee.
Then we went out to the den and watched Winning Walk with Ed Young, Sr. preaching from Second Baptist Church in Katy, Texas. Finally, we did our own Bible reading and devotions.


I think it's pretty amazing how everyone seems to be pulling together as we weather this Coronavirus.
The churches going online with their services....some restaurants offering free meals for children who would be getting free lunches at school now that most schools are closing for a week at least. Some church day cares offering free child care for those working in the medical field, and on and on.
We tune in on the TV to hear the updates a couple of times a day.
I do believe I see a unity in our country as we come together to do the right thing.

I had started cleaning our bedroom yesterday and finished it today.
Purged a couple of bags from my closet as I changed out the fall/winter things for the spring/summer ones. Louis Dean came in and did some repair work on my closet doors. They are sliding mirrored ones and one could still slide but the other one would not stay on the track. Actually the track was loose and Louis Dean had to repair it. Guess what he used! Gorilla Glue! And some wooden shims to keep it level. I was nervous about him using that in there but he insisted it was the only way he could make it work. So I couldn't watch! I went to the den and watched a program instead.
After he finished, I went in and - sure enough - there was glue seeping out under the track. I was fast, though. It hadn't dried yet so I used fingernail polish remover on a cotton swab and got it off the floor. Then I used a razorblade scraper to get the excess off that had seeped out from beneath the track. Louis Dean does good work - he just doesn't clean it up well. 


So I was able to light my second candle and call our bedroom clean!


In the process of cleaning, I found a brand new bottle of hand sanitizer in a bag in the closet.
It's amusing how there's only empty shelves in the stores.
Not one bottle of any kind did I see at the Dollar store.
And toilet paper! WHY? Why is the toilet paper gone?
Reminds me of this......


That reminds me - Louis Dean also asked me to pick him up a box of wine when I was out Saturday.
Thankfully, that isle was fully stocked at Walgreen's!


We have been eating up what we have. Tomorrow I may go to Aldi's and buy some fresh fruit and salad makings. No tomatoes so I used raspberries in tonight's salad.

I have stacks of books all over the house and am in the process of reading what I have and then moving them on to Goodwill.


I had never read this one before.
It's so old that I'm going to toss it in the trash once I'm done. 
The pages are literally falling out!

I'll close tonight's journal entry with a poem by Lynn Ungar that was posted on Facebook.
Wise words.......


Such wise words!
I do believe God is using our current situation for our ultimate good.

"All things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28















17 comments:

  1. Hi Linda - Lovely post. You are right - most people in our nation seem to be pulling together to get through this pandemic. That is so good to see. God is in charge. Thank for sharing that poem and this lovely post. I think I read Immortal Wife years ago. I really enjoy Irving Stone books. Hope you have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, busy lady!
    I hope Lillian is ok. They have " locked down" nursing homes around here, and some are fearful. Some never have visitors. It's rough.
    Sounds like you have some lovely neighbors, and I know you are one, too.
    Y'all stay safe, dear!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This poem presents a very cool mindset to have now! Here, we are not only out of hand sanitizer and paper goods. Also not one onion or potato can be found! I am guessing since more people are staying out of restaurants and are cooking, many dishes need onions. I know Vera Wang from designing ice skaters outfits, but had no idea she designed fancy linens!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ixve been thinking of you two since Dallas now has cases of the virus reported! (I know you live in Irving) Stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I need to get my act together and start doing some purging around here.
    It is nice to see when people pull together to help each other out. Around here with the schools being closed a lady who drives a school bus has offered child care to parents who need it. Others have offered to feed kids who rely on the schools breakfast and lunches.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Our church is still open so I was able to attend church yesterday. The Day of Prayer we had was wonderful. We need to pray not only for those who are sick, but for our country's leaders as well that they make good decisions for us. I do believe in many ways this has brought our country together. I know for sure it is bringing me closer to God. Now it is off to the supermarket to see if I can get anything. Stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a lovely poem! I love some of the attitudes I'm seeing come out of this and the wonderful things some are doing to help others. I work in a nursing home and we have closed to visitors and are taking all kinds of precautions, but you never know as this thing spreads. Mostly, our biggest fear is being there if it comes to quarantining the home. The store situation is improving a bit here now that stores are limiting hours and the number of certain items you are allowed to buy. These are crazy times. I am so glad to know the One who is in control!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such an amazing time in history!

    Trusting people will stop panicking! Let’s all take a deep breathe, people!

    I saw that poem online yesterday! It’s so good.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like your parting thoughts best! Sometimes that glue is easier to clean when it is dry. Caulk was the one thing I used to pray that John didn’t get his hands on. I am still cleaning up and have a major project outside in a few weeks when it is a bit warmer. Must get busy puttering here and perhaps I’ll put on the diffuser once my chore is accomplished. Your idea of lighting a candle when a room is completed has always appealed to me. How is Summer doing?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well I am trying to look on the positive side of this time Linda. Families will be together for two weeks with no sports to distract them. Family meals will be eaten together. Games will be played. books will be read. Hobbies can be indulged in to the hearts content. I too pray that our social distancing will slow the progress of this virus. I have been spring cleaning so this will continue as well. Yall take care!! Keep Calm and Carry On!

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's wonderful to have such good neighbors tht you've known for such a long time. I don't know any of my neighbors here, they pretty much keep to themselves. I rarely even see one out in the yard to wave to. They are all courteous and don't cause any problems. So is could be worse, We are all in this together and should help each other out when we can. Praying for all the doctors, nurses, emts that work right in the middle of it all. The are our unsung heroes.Mewnqhilw I'm nor faint our unlwaa I Hcw ro.

    ReplyDelete
  12. sorry for all the typos. I meant to say I'm staying in and not going out unless I have too. and limiting the times I go for groceries.

    ReplyDelete
  13. i have enjoyed the self quarantine so far, like being snowed in, without the snow to clean up!! and chuck does not have to be away like he does in a snow storm!!

    i had already started to clean and purge, now i will have even more time to finish up!!

    the shelves in all of our food stores are empty, empty, empty...there is just nothing left. we shopped at costco 3 weeks ago, knowing this was coming as my cousin in italy warned me. we stocked up on cereal, caned good, mac & cheese, soup...all the things. we spent over 200.00, we did this when no one else was. i sure am glad we did. i still have my home chef meals coming but i don't know how long that will last. i sure am happy we did that costco run!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. oooooh and i wanted to say that we have awesome neighbors too!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. the shock of you unloading a whole trunk of stuff INTO Goodwill put me on the floor, but I got back up and read the rest and that poem at the end is PERFECT. I do so hate gorilla glue, it is soooo messy. glad you caught it in time.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Linda. What a good post. I too have been purging since we are homebound. I love linens and dishes and are drawn to them in thrift stores, and other stores. Cloth napkins are a fetish and I can't seem to have enough. I use them for place mats too. Our "Home Goods" store has a nice variety and at reasonable prices. How nice that your neighbor cleaned house and give you just what your heart desired,

    I have a large set of white pillowcases I got at the thrift store some time back. I love lots of pillows on my bed.

    Making stuffed bell peppers tonight...haven't done that for a while. Got the Magnolia Magazine and have tried several of JoAnn's good recipes. Warm Tiny Potato Salad was the best.

    Until next time.
    Until

    ReplyDelete
  17. We are hunkering down.. We are getting stuff from the supermarket using click and collect - it has been working well so far. Toilet paper and hand towels are available here but hand sanitiser not so much. Take care and don't hug strangers! Cheers

    ReplyDelete