Over at Hillbilly Housewife's blog I found this recipe that sounds SOOOO good! I want some. Maybe even right now! This could be because I am recovering from the flu... I almost have all the ingredients too! I don't have the much needed crunchy peanut butter however. Just thinking of how pretty those swirls of chocolate and peanut butter must look in a pan makes my mouth water.
Having successfully caught the flu for the second time in a month, I've been hoping and dreaming of getting better so that I can finish my Christmas shopping and get my house tamed back into shape before our family's big Christmas Eve dinner. But I've been stuck on the couch doing nothing at all towards these goals . And to top it all off, I've given the bug to The Dad.
Excuse me... I'm heading back to the couch again to dream of... Tiger Butter!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Sudden Flood
I didn't cry until this morning. I got up and went to the kitchen in my usual routine, got my drink of water and turned go look at my Christmas tree and it hit me. There under my Christmas tree was our church's beautiful nativity figures. The wise men bowing under my tree, baby Jesus nestled all snug against his mother Mary. And I teared up.
Yesterday, Daughter L went to clean the church to get it ready for our Christmas Dinner and Sing that will be this coming Sunday. And she noticed, as she walked up to the front door, that there was what she described as "a river of water" coming out from under the doors! "How strange," she thought and opened the door. Out poured a flood of water that washed over and covered her feet. The water poured on and on because the whole, entire church was filled with ankle deep water. I got a frantic phone call, "Mom! There's a river of water pouring out of the church! It's flooded!" I have to admit, even at that moment my mind went to the song, "There is a River". Even as I write this I'm not sure if it was poetry or hysterics. As I got the story from her I ran and got my car keys, Son J and out the door we flew.
Heading to the church just a few miles away every car in front of me was going about 15 miles slower than the speed limit. I think that's a hallmark in situations like this. But finally I got there, it's pouring rain and there's my bedraggled daughter out front of the church and sure enough, there's the river of water still pouring out the open front door. Son Th was there also, poor man! He had got Daughter L's call too, but he was home that day, in bed, doubled up with the stomach flu. But now, there my brave man was trying to stop the flood of water flowing on and on.
The first thing I heard was water rushing. Rushing everywhere around me. I peered in through the front door and water was cascading down from the ceiling just inside the door and the ceiling was coming away in places and hanging down. Looking toward the men's bathroom door I could see in just a little bit and what I saw was amazing. Again, water showering down and chunks of insulation and plaster everywhere. Quickly I turned away because Son Th was still trying to turn the water off at the water main. And now I'm starting to think about the electricity! Water and electricity do not mix and my daughter had just walked up to a building full of water AND electricity! Oh and by the way, I was now standing in that same water. But there was no place to not stand in water because I then noticed that around the entire church yard there was water. The water must have been flooding for some time, there was water out all the way into the neighbors' backyards! My brain was trying to comprehend all this and by this time Son J had taken off his shoes and socks and had rolled up his pants to wade out to the water main to help his brother figure out how to shut off the water. Finally a city worker pulled up in front of the church and helped turn off the main pipe.
Gradually the water slowed and the torrent from the ceiling lessened. Our church's heating and cooling unit uses water to heat and cool with. It's up in our attic. Last week we had the unit checked and I don't know still how or what happened up there, but the water was all coming from up in the attic of our sweet little church that to me now looked destroyed. At last, my husband pulled into the driveway and put on his boots, went into the church and turned off the power. We at least were all now safe from electrical shock. But all of a sudden there was a crash. A big chunk of the ceiling had fallen in! I remembered then that I had my phone that I could take pictures with and so I started taking pictures. Most of them are a little fuzzy because I was shaking with shock, cold and wetness. It was, of course, pouring rain outside still!
I had to leave to go to the library to work after that. It was so hard to drive away. My mind was filled with so many questions. How could this happen? What will we do now? Where will we have church? When can we be happy in our little building again? And then thought hit me; it's just the building. The building might be devastated, but our real church; the people, are safe and we are fine. All will be well.
Sidenote: Thank the Lord for small mercies. Both Sis. D and I were so happy to know that our precious nativity figures had been lovingly placed up on a table last Sunday night in preparation for the church sing. If not for that, our little baby Jesus would have been found floating around the building and we would have had to rename him Moses instead!
Yesterday, Daughter L went to clean the church to get it ready for our Christmas Dinner and Sing that will be this coming Sunday. And she noticed, as she walked up to the front door, that there was what she described as "a river of water" coming out from under the doors! "How strange," she thought and opened the door. Out poured a flood of water that washed over and covered her feet. The water poured on and on because the whole, entire church was filled with ankle deep water. I got a frantic phone call, "Mom! There's a river of water pouring out of the church! It's flooded!" I have to admit, even at that moment my mind went to the song, "There is a River". Even as I write this I'm not sure if it was poetry or hysterics. As I got the story from her I ran and got my car keys, Son J and out the door we flew.
Heading to the church just a few miles away every car in front of me was going about 15 miles slower than the speed limit. I think that's a hallmark in situations like this. But finally I got there, it's pouring rain and there's my bedraggled daughter out front of the church and sure enough, there's the river of water still pouring out the open front door. Son Th was there also, poor man! He had got Daughter L's call too, but he was home that day, in bed, doubled up with the stomach flu. But now, there my brave man was trying to stop the flood of water flowing on and on.
The first thing I heard was water rushing. Rushing everywhere around me. I peered in through the front door and water was cascading down from the ceiling just inside the door and the ceiling was coming away in places and hanging down. Looking toward the men's bathroom door I could see in just a little bit and what I saw was amazing. Again, water showering down and chunks of insulation and plaster everywhere. Quickly I turned away because Son Th was still trying to turn the water off at the water main. And now I'm starting to think about the electricity! Water and electricity do not mix and my daughter had just walked up to a building full of water AND electricity! Oh and by the way, I was now standing in that same water. But there was no place to not stand in water because I then noticed that around the entire church yard there was water. The water must have been flooding for some time, there was water out all the way into the neighbors' backyards! My brain was trying to comprehend all this and by this time Son J had taken off his shoes and socks and had rolled up his pants to wade out to the water main to help his brother figure out how to shut off the water. Finally a city worker pulled up in front of the church and helped turn off the main pipe.
Gradually the water slowed and the torrent from the ceiling lessened. Our church's heating and cooling unit uses water to heat and cool with. It's up in our attic. Last week we had the unit checked and I don't know still how or what happened up there, but the water was all coming from up in the attic of our sweet little church that to me now looked destroyed. At last, my husband pulled into the driveway and put on his boots, went into the church and turned off the power. We at least were all now safe from electrical shock. But all of a sudden there was a crash. A big chunk of the ceiling had fallen in! I remembered then that I had my phone that I could take pictures with and so I started taking pictures. Most of them are a little fuzzy because I was shaking with shock, cold and wetness. It was, of course, pouring rain outside still!
I had to leave to go to the library to work after that. It was so hard to drive away. My mind was filled with so many questions. How could this happen? What will we do now? Where will we have church? When can we be happy in our little building again? And then thought hit me; it's just the building. The building might be devastated, but our real church; the people, are safe and we are fine. All will be well.
Sidenote: Thank the Lord for small mercies. Both Sis. D and I were so happy to know that our precious nativity figures had been lovingly placed up on a table last Sunday night in preparation for the church sing. If not for that, our little baby Jesus would have been found floating around the building and we would have had to rename him Moses instead!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Quiet
I am home this morning. Quiet. Doing simple homely type things. It's really cold outside, but the sun is brightly shining. Crisp and snappy are words you could use to describe this delicious morning. I am home. Nothing outside my home is calling me to go do or come be. It's delicious. It's quiet. There is a fat robin outside in my backyard that I watched eat an entire leftover apple fallen from the old apple tree this autumn. My heart is glad that there are a few apples out there waiting for the birds to enjoy on this cold morning. I should have picked them up last fall. But I didn't. The chickens are huddled together out there too. The hens seemed to appreciate the warm water I brought out to them, clucking to themselves and chiding each other to come get a drink while it's still warm. On my back porch there are four boxes full of Christmas decorations and I brought the first one in and set it on my kitchen table. I opened the box and out came a jingle bell necklace, an ornament that I've had since 7th grade and a stocking. How did that stocking get there? It's a leftover stocking. It's Son #4's stocking. He lives far away from us. And my heart constricted and suddenly I found myself longing for the days when I brought out the Christmas decoration boxes and unearthed 9 stockings ready to be filled.
I am restless, here with the quiet of home. It's been exactly one year since two of my children moved out on their own leaving only three of us rattling around in this house together. There are times of quiet. And then there are times when everyone is back home and the house is bustling. I adore those times. Not so sure about the others. Quiet and busy.
I still can't say that I'm accustomed to this quiet. Only one child left at home seems lonely after raising a house full. But, I'm trying to make my peace with the quiet. Let myself even enjoy it now and then. Stopped for a minute here and there to listen to my memories of days gone by when it was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for everyone around the table for lunch, down for naps and hoping I could steal a few minutes of quiet for myself while they all slept. My life is just different now. Quieter. Full of wondering, what should I be doing right now? It's so quiet.
I am restless, here with the quiet of home. It's been exactly one year since two of my children moved out on their own leaving only three of us rattling around in this house together. There are times of quiet. And then there are times when everyone is back home and the house is bustling. I adore those times. Not so sure about the others. Quiet and busy.
I still can't say that I'm accustomed to this quiet. Only one child left at home seems lonely after raising a house full. But, I'm trying to make my peace with the quiet. Let myself even enjoy it now and then. Stopped for a minute here and there to listen to my memories of days gone by when it was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for everyone around the table for lunch, down for naps and hoping I could steal a few minutes of quiet for myself while they all slept. My life is just different now. Quieter. Full of wondering, what should I be doing right now? It's so quiet.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Once Upon a Time....
in a doubtlessly true-to-life land called Nearby, there lived three brothers. One was young, one was older and one was oldest. Now the young brother had come upon some good fortune one day and he decided to purchase two golden tickets to the greatest tournament held in the land. This tournament was held especially to decide who was the most victorious in the land of Nearby. The mighty winner of this tournament would go on to be the challenger in the Great War of the Roses held in a land called Faraway.
Now, immediately upon purchasing the tickets the young brother knew that he would be taking his older brother with him. He was sad that he didn't have enough to buy three tickets so he could take his oldest brother also, but he was happy enough to bring one brother. He couldn't wait to see the mighty heroes at the tournament battle it out for the winner. Slowly the day approached for the clash. His older brother and him made plans and carefully anticipated all the wonders of that day coming.
Meanwhile, the oldest brother watched his two younger brothers look forward to the tournament and rejoiced with them that they would be able to attend. After all, he would be able to hear all about their adventure when they returned from the mighty tournament. Such stories they would tell!
As the Great Tournament Day approached, the young brother who had the two golden tickets began to think. He thought harder and harder about the two tickets he owned. He knew that the most important Holiday in the year was drawing close as well as the great day of the tournament. He knew he didn't have a special gift for his oldest brother and this weighed heavily on his heart of hearts. So, with great love and joy in his heart it came to him one night. He would give his own golden ticket to his oldest brother and let him go to the tournament in his place! The very next day, he ran to give his own golden ticket to his oldest brother. The oldest brother said that no, he couldn't take his place. But the young brother urged and insisted that the ticket was his and he could give it freely to whosoever he desired.
At last the oldest brother accepted the gift of the golden ticket. And as the day dawned of the great and mighty tournament he rejoiced greatly along with his whole family that he had such a noble young brother who would give such a gift to him. Oh the stories he will tell to his young brother after the tournament! But most importantly the oldest brother would have the treasured memory to keep in his heart forever of what his young brother gave up for him.
The End
Now, immediately upon purchasing the tickets the young brother knew that he would be taking his older brother with him. He was sad that he didn't have enough to buy three tickets so he could take his oldest brother also, but he was happy enough to bring one brother. He couldn't wait to see the mighty heroes at the tournament battle it out for the winner. Slowly the day approached for the clash. His older brother and him made plans and carefully anticipated all the wonders of that day coming.
Meanwhile, the oldest brother watched his two younger brothers look forward to the tournament and rejoiced with them that they would be able to attend. After all, he would be able to hear all about their adventure when they returned from the mighty tournament. Such stories they would tell!
As the Great Tournament Day approached, the young brother who had the two golden tickets began to think. He thought harder and harder about the two tickets he owned. He knew that the most important Holiday in the year was drawing close as well as the great day of the tournament. He knew he didn't have a special gift for his oldest brother and this weighed heavily on his heart of hearts. So, with great love and joy in his heart it came to him one night. He would give his own golden ticket to his oldest brother and let him go to the tournament in his place! The very next day, he ran to give his own golden ticket to his oldest brother. The oldest brother said that no, he couldn't take his place. But the young brother urged and insisted that the ticket was his and he could give it freely to whosoever he desired.
At last the oldest brother accepted the gift of the golden ticket. And as the day dawned of the great and mighty tournament he rejoiced greatly along with his whole family that he had such a noble young brother who would give such a gift to him. Oh the stories he will tell to his young brother after the tournament! But most importantly the oldest brother would have the treasured memory to keep in his heart forever of what his young brother gave up for him.
The End
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