70 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 11-30-16”

  2. Hi Chas. Getting late here.
    I am making felt nativity sets with my kinder class. This evening I cut out a lot more felt. When I checked what my aide had gotten ready, she had done everything one color. Part of the creativity of the project is that they get to choose what colors of clothing they want for Mary and for Joseph. I bought the felt and carried it back in my suitcase. Now there are a lot of choices and we will work on Mary tomorrow.

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  4. Leftover from last night.
    Yes Cheryl. Animals do kill for sport.

    I looked three times and didn’t see how Cheryl misused “I”

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  5. Correction: It was Donna who asked if animals killed for sport.
    Cheryl misused “I”.
    I need to get this day started right. I have lots to do.
    Now? To it.

    Liked by 4 people

  6. Chas, you are going to get me in trouble. I thought that if I posted that this morning on yesterday’s thread, no one would see it (I was more trying to be funny – I don’t want to be thought of as a shrew).

    Liked by 4 people

  7. Chas don’t want to get nobody in trouble over nothing.
    Especially a little English grammar.

    The accusation struck me because I knew that Cheryl was an editor. And she wouldn’t let noting get by her.

    😉

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  8. See how Chas intentionally misspelled “nothing”? I caught the misused “I” but because I type so much on here that I go back and see I misused or misspelled a word that I gave her some slack although it comforted me in a way. If Cheryl could make a grammar mistake then certainly I could be forgiven for making more than one or two.
    We love you Cheryl!

    I have lots to do today. Guy wants me to go to the beach and hand out flyers on a restaurant space he has for lease. We are expecting more rain today. I don’t want to be climbing in and out of my car in the rain. He also called me about something yesterday afternoon. He asked me about a space he wanted to to get listed for lease. Then he asked why I didn’t remind him of something and I told him, I was well aware of it but didn’t think I should mention it to him again because it was exactly two weeks ago that he had made me cry over it. Of course he was apologetic for a moment then steamed on with what it was he wanted….
    Have I mentioned that I am taking a Sunday School class at the Baptist church with a group of women on the book and study guide to Boundaries???? I have read the book twice on my own, perhaps the class will unlock a little more.

    Liked by 7 people

  12. jmiller, when I worked for Catholics I noticed Mary usually wore blue and white and Joseph, brown and purple. I think there is some symbolism there, like the purple shows Joseph’s royalty.

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  14. Kim, thanks for posting that. It is well worth a listen. I felt encouraged by it.

    Well, shopping for healthcare is quite fascinating besides time consuming. I talked first to an agent in Ohio, then one in Maryland, and today one in RD in El Paso who told me she is twenty minutes from Waco.

    I have gotten differing information from each one. I told Art that if I call enough of them, I might get my cost down to zero. This whole process gives me another reason to feel insecure about sharing personal information. I have not given my SSN but will have to when I make my choice. I think I need to at least find a local broker. I like the idea of going into an office.

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  15. More cute and awesome kitties. Four paws in our home keep us on our toes. This morning Miss Bosley used Art’s jean’s pant leg as a scratching post. That was a first. She always thinks up new ways to get our attention. She was not at all interested in our conversation about health insurance. I could relate to wanting to take out my frustrations about having to discuss health insurance by clawing on those who enacted the Unaffordable Care Act.

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  16. I am dreading it Janice. I liked it better when I worked for a company that provided insurance and I didn’t have to think about it. I even liked it better when I just had a BCBS “disaster” policy through my local Alfa Insurance agent.

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  18. Happy birthday to AJ’s Cheryl!

    Mouse looks very patient with the newcomer …

    I had a hot, very quick shower in the plastic-encased Psycho tub this morning, you’d be surprised how good that feels.

    I have a couple stories to write today, one will be short and pretty easy, the other one is half written already. And I have to do a phone interview for my Pearl Harbor story. I’m taking Friday off to go to the Harvest (crafts) Festival in Pomona with my friend. While I could really use the day to concentrate on house things, it will feel good just to run away and do something just “for fun” for a change. I think I need it.

    I have a mental picture of Kim wearing a hooded slicker as she tromps through the sand on the beach with soggy fliers. “Hey, wanna buy a house?”

    Real estate pal who is helping me with finding house workers is having an open house at his new company this week, tomorrow I think. It’s a small, family-owned real estate company that recruited him, their territory is near the beach so sales promise to be more lucrative for him there.

    He sometimes laughs at my whack-a-mole life these days as I try to get this house in order. Just when one thing gets fixed, another thing seems to go haywire. He keeps telling me to focus on one thing at a time, but it’s hard, I look around and start wanting to do it all asap. I’m hoping to have the painting (which I think will be one of the final things) done in the spring. I’d like to do it all before Christmas, but it won’t happen, I know.

    I just want a working, pretty bathroom for Christmas.

    Liked by 5 people

  19. Looks like Jemma is yelling in Mouse’s ear in that photo. She looks very happy in her new home. 🙂

    Tess is better, she’s leaving her ear alone and it looks like it’s healing up nicely. So glad it wasn’t anything serious. The first ER vet who looked at her Sunday thought there was a growth on her ear, so of course I immediately thought ‘cancer.’ But my regular vet said no, looked like just a bumpy hot spot gone bad with scratching. I have to bring her back in a week for a re-check.

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  20. DJ, I thought “all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth” was the most “practical” Christmas wish ever . . .

    You’re welcome, all, about my misuse of “I” yesterday. 🙂 Yep, I’m fallible.

    Liked by 4 people

  21. I just found out that someone I have had insurance with since my twenties when I first had renter’s insurance has someone in the office who deals with health insurance. I hope, hope, hope that the can help me. I will trust them. My insurance agent was my supervisor’s husband when I was a co-op student with the IRS.

    Liked by 4 people

  24. I wound up just opting for my employer insurance again (rather than try to navigate all the ins and outs of medicare supplement options I qualify for this year for the first time). Our deadline was short at work to make a decision and with all the house things I had going on, I felt I just didn’t have time to research it all.

    Our employer option this year comes with a health savings account component (as out-of-pocket charges will be higher with our new plans) — they take a specific amount out of your paycheck (you designate how much & can change it anytime) that is put into a health account.

    Just a cursory review of some of the medical insurance plans out there before I made that decision, though, was really dizzying.

    Liked by 2 people

  26. Happy Birthday, Cheryl!

    As to animals killing for fun. Yes. How many carcasses have I discovered on my front mat with little to no sign of being ingested? Cats. Yes, I know, they are fine tuning their skills, killing for fun.

    Dogs, wolves, coyotes do the same. Mountain lions and bears kill more than they eat as well. Which is why sometimes they will kill several elk and only eat off of one of them.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Yesterday I saw tinted water in the toilet. Since Art has been sick lately with a fever, I assumed the worst meaning blood in his urine. But after flushing I saw there was still color in the water. So yuck, not the problem I thought, but still a problem. When I got my big load of light towels from the dryer, yep, muddy spots. I just called my neighbor to find out there had been a water main break. I am glad we are using bottled water for reasons such as that. Not sure which is potentially worse in the long run however.

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  29. Fifteen year old son had a rough start. I thought I would give him an early Christmas present and let him take the bus to school again. Got it all cleared with the school and sent him up to the mailbox at seven to wait for the bus. The bus comes by about seven fifteen but he needs to be out of the way while the younger fold do their chores. He came down and called to me as we were moving hay about seven fifty. He missed the bus or the driver did not get the message to pick him up and went a different way. I told him he could ride his bike. He sadly told me it would be quicker to just walk the four miles. I said okay. I think he may have been hoping I would offer to drive him but we had things to do and schoolwork to start and I know he can get himself from point A to point B. He took off running. I emailed the school secretary, told her about the error and let her know he had not eaten breakfast here and would be too late there. She will get him something and he will be excused for being tardy and hopefully, he will learn that our lives are not the center of everybody else’s lives and change can come slowly the more people involved. It is snowing.

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  31. Mumsee, your story of him running to school reminded me of another movie, McFarland, USA. The sons of the migrant farm workers were always running here and there because they had no wheels. That enabled them to be discovered as track champions. It’s such a good movie. Have your children seen it?

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  33. That kitten is either telling a secret in Mouse’s ear or getting ready to chomp it off!! Happy Birthday Cheryl!! ❤
    It's going to be warmer today…31 degrees!! Next week we are set to have a cold snap…with a possibility of some snow…maybe I'll put the tree up! Anyone besides Kim have their tree up yet? I kind of hate putting away my pumpkins and gourds…I do love Autumn….

    Liked by 1 person

  35. I don’t think so though I think it is one I hope to watch someday.

    The funny part is that we told him repeatedly not to wear his winter boots when it was hot out but he loved them and wore them anyway all summer and ran to town in them everyday. They are now worn out and he is wearing sneakers in the snow and ice.

    Many of my children start out that way. I still have to remind the fifteen year old daughter that it is too warm for a scarf and hat and sweatshirt when it is eighty out and that they would be useful at twenty.

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  40. It did not touch down here, but is hitting in other spots Thanks for prayers. It still looks bad out. We may be in for more. It’s in my brother’s area north of here, too.

    The insurance lady called while I was in the closet. She does not handle what I need.

    Liked by 2 people

  41. I have several trees up already, but not “the” tree. That will wait another week and a half. Don’t want it to dry out before Christmas with our children.

    Liked by 4 people

  42. Glad to hear your part, Janice, I will be continuing to pray for y’all the rest of the day. Do you normally get tornadoes? I thought that was more central. That would mean you are between tornadoes and hurricanes. Ick.

    Liked by 1 person

  43. Russell Moore writes about another new series I hadn’t even heard of but sounds worthwhile:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/11/30/why-were-obsessed-with-the-hit-show-this-is-us/?utm_term=.08f2bbf127b2

    _____________________________

    Maybe we find ourselves brushing away tears because we so often wonder in our own lives about whether to stew in our regrets and our missed opportunities or whether to see, behind all the mess, a sign of grace.

    “This Is Us” is a pro-family show. The family is presented as a positive force for good. But this good is grounded in complexity, and even in forgiveness.

    We see the plot behind the plot, but the characters don’t. They learn to show mercy when they realize how much they don’t — and can’t — understand, even about themselves. Maybe we love “This Is Us” because this, in fact, is us.
    _______________________________

    Liked by 3 people

  44. As I was rolling out the pita bread again today, I keep thinking of our tortilla discussion and trying very hard to not make Iowa or Ohio or Idaho. They are fairly round for a change.

    Liked by 4 people

  45. In case anyone is interested, John Jakes “North and South” trilogy is on sale at Amazon for Kindle today at $3.99. I thoroughly enjoyed these books and this is a great price.

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  46. Mumsee, we do get tornadoes, but we don’t get them as frequently as Tornado Alley. Once when Karen and her daughter were here at my house, she and I along with her daughter and my son stayed in the downstairs hallway for a watch or warning. That was pretty unforgettable with all the toys and books the kids brought with them for waiting out the storm.

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  48. Mumsee- Making a tortilla look like Idaho would be a challenge with a rolling pin.

    By the way, last Wednesday I was driving home on I-72/US36 heading into Missouri from Illinois and passed a flat-bed tractor trailer from Idaho. I remember you said that Idaho Mike was not going to be home in time for Thanksgiving so I had to wonder if he was the driver. Does he drive one of those rigs, or is his an enclosed trailer? (The truck was white with the name of a company from Boise on the door.

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  49. I see sunshine! We have had so much rain. 17 inches in November and, wait for it, slightly unbelievable, 123 inches so far this year.
    Even a few hours of sunshine is exciting.

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  50. Peter L, I have never seen the trucks he drives but they are enclosed and they are actually out of Spokane, Washington. But he was there at Cedar Bluffs for Thanksgiving. Though we would love to have him here, we want to keep him on the road as much as possible to pay the bills and to give him a dream come true before the arthritis becomes too bad. It also seems to lower his pain level, getting away from the stress of those here in the house. Or perhaps the farm chemicals from surrounding farms. Or allergens. Or whatever.

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  52. Happy Birthday, Cheryl!

    NancyJill, we put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving this year, and the decorations that we could find. (Couldn’t locate them all, and didn’t dig around trying to.) We also rearranged some of the living room furniture, and have the tree in a different part of the living room than other years, so that was fun. 🙂

    Congratulations, Michelle!

    Jo, that’s a lot of rain! I keep saying how much rain we’ve been getting the last three months, but even our September-October-November total, despite being twice as much as normal, was still less than your November rainfall alone!

    Liked by 3 people

  53. More revelations on what happened this morning. Seems yesterday, son had told the superintendent he would prefer to walk or wait at the neighbor’s barn (about one mile away). He has been told by us that he cannot wait there as they have small children and he is not to be alone with small children. And so it continues….He did stay at our mailbox, which I can see from the house, about one quarter mile away. But now the bus will come all the way down and turn around at our house. I was trying to make it more convenient for the driver but he is fine with it either way.

    Liked by 2 people

  59. Mumsee, side by side wouldn’t measure depth, but length. I think you need to stack the drops–but if you know how to do that, you’re probably better off doing something more useful with such a skill.

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  61. It seems they had enough to get there, Chas, but were put in a holding pattern. Still, one would think they would have alerted the tower and been given permission to land.

    Liked by 1 person

  66. Snow in the forecast tonight for us.

    Looks like concert practice is getting moved to Friday instead. That’s alright. The roads will probably be better then than tomorrow morning if the snow comes tonight.

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  69. There’s a big, lit-up inflatable snowman bobbing on the front yard of neighbors across the street (along with inflatable Minnie Mouse and Micky Mouse in Santa-hat elf outfits) against a cascade of waterfall-like blue lights rippling across the front of their house.

    The neighbors next door have put up their waving Santa in his sleigh with reindeer displayed across their Spanish, flat tile roof.

    Christmas has arrived in LA.

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  70. Christmas has arrived here as it is December 1st and I just received my package. I had asked my daughter to send some things that I left there and needed and will need for my trip to Australia. They added some very sweet things: my favorite chocolates, a twiddle, a tiny game of Set, a Willow Tree angel called “missing you”, a koosh ball, bottle caps that I needed, pictures of Archie and a sweet card signed by them all including my son’s family that was visiting. A true treasure.

    Liked by 6 people

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