THIS AND THAT

 Hello, friends.  The countdown to the end of the month begins.  I feel as if time is just whizzing by me and I can't seem to get on my feet with it.  

I enjoy Halloween to see all the cute little kids with their costumes collecting candy.  I like the jack-o-lanterns.  I like the cute black kitties.  I do NOT like skeletons, witches, goblins, devils (demons), etc.  And I noticed that this year there is more demonic stuff on TV, etc. than in years past.  Just another sign of where this old world is going.  Still I do hand out treats (this year veggie chips) and Gospel tracts to the kids who show up.  Never a lot on this little one block street.  But I always say if the world is beating a path to your door, give them the Gospel.

I have some pictures I haven't shown you yet, so thought I would do that today.

For the last three years my African violet didn't bloom at all.  And now all of a sudden I have four beautiful flowers.  So pretty.  The strange thing is I thought I had bought a white and purple flowered plant.  These flowers are definitely pink.  I have it on the kitchen table by the back windows and it must get just the right light.

This is one of Jack's favorite places to spy on Joe and me.

I snapped this photo on the way to my sister's house before we went to the Poconos.  We were stopped at a red light and I looked over and saw this cute little evergreen tree.  I just liked the whole composition and fortunately I had the time to grab my camera and take the shot.

Elaine had such pretty mums in her front yard.  But there was a heavy rain right before we got there and they all drooped.  Hopefully they recovered as they dried out.  I forgot to ask her but I will have to when I talk to her next.

Yesterday I went to get the MRI on my knee that I hurt.  My appointment was for 8:00 and I got caught in traffic.  I showed up about 8:10 but they still took me.  The MRI lasted about 45 minutes.  My leg was screaming by the time I got out.  It hurts to hold it straight and I was locked into the brace they gave me for the whole time so it wouldn't move.  I could barely walk when I got out.  But it is done and hopefully will give me some answers to what is going on.  Today it is very swollen and painful.

I came home from the appointment, grabbed something to eat and my meds and went over to church to teach Bible Study.  I haven't been there for a couple of weeks (Pastor took over teaching duties for me) so it was nice to get back to it.  We did most of Hebrews 7.  I will finish it up next week and hopefully move on to chapter 8.

And that's about it.  I have a couple of days off and then on Friday it's evening Bible Study.  Hope you are having a productive week.  Make sure to check in on my vlog this week -- Kathy's Happy Home.  It's yet another recipe, but I think you will really like this one -- cheeseburger pie.

See you really soon -- I hope.

Kathy

THE WEDDING

 Hello, friends!  Thanks for hanging in there with me this past week.  I am not doing well at all.  I am in a lot of pain with my knee and can barely walk.  I finally got to see the doctor and I am getting an MRI next Tuesday morning to see if I have a torn meniscus.  He doesn't think so, but just to be sure.  If that is the case, I will have to have orthoscopic surgery.  Not what I am looking forward to, but I sure would like the pain to go away.

To top it off, I am having difficulty with my stomach and hiatal hernia.  So I am having chest pains that mimic heart attacks.  It's not fun being me these days.  But I try to carry on.  Not that I'm doing that well these days either.  Keep praying my praying friends.  Food is not my friend.

In spite of all of that, I am going to post a happy time today.  Two weeks ago my nephew got married.  Joe and I had just gotten back from the Pinebrook conference.  We were home one day and left for another hotel.

We left in time, but got stuck in a lot of traffic.  Besides the fact that we didn't know where we were going.  We ended up going to the hotel first, checking in, and then leaving for the church.  Another place that we didn't know where it was.

The wedding was on a Friday night at 4:30 p.m.  We were cutting it close and ran into more rush hour traffic.  Plus trying to follow the GPS.  We got there with 5 minutes to spare.

We went into the church and found we were no where near the last people getting there.  My sister and the friends she came with weren't there yet.  And some of the bride's family hadn't shown up either.  And fortunately the wedding didn't even start for another 15 minutes.

Now are you prepared for picture overload?  Here you go.  A lot of these pictures are borrowed from my sister with her permission.  My camera was just not working well.

There were rose petals and candles on the floor all along the center aisle.  So pretty.  I wish I had thought of that for my wedding.

Waiting to walk in:  The Man of Honor (Gianna's brother), the Bride's mother, The Best Man, and the Groom's mother (my sister-in-law).

My brother, sister-in-law, and the best man walking down the aisle.

The Man of Honor and the bride's mother.

And Gianna, the bride, with her father.

Her dress was so beautiful.  The train was all embroidered and ruffled.

And they're married.  Here come Gianna and Terry.  I love the way she is looking at him.

And now on to the reception.  It was held at the Radnor Hotel and was really top-notch.  There was a cocktail hour first.  They served the most amazing hor d'oeuvres.  Waiters came by with trays of everything imaginable offering them to the guests.  Just when you thought you had tasted the best thing ever, another one caught your eye and it was even better.  I thought I would ruin my appetite for dinner, but dinner was served so late that it really helped to hold me over.

When we finally went into the ballroom, each table had a different centerpiece.  I loved the one on our table.

There were white fake pumpkins on a side table.  Everyone was taking the black markers there and signing the pumpkins as a keepsake for the newlyweds.

Here is my brother and sister-in-law entering the room.

And the bride's parents.

And finally the bride and groom.

Their first dance.

The first course was a delicious salad -- romaine lettuce and parmesan cheese.

My friend, Marion and my sister Elaine.

Me and Joe.

My brother, Larry, with Elaine and Marion.

The cake was beautiful.  And delicious too.

I had Chilean Sea Bass for dinner.  It was delicious.

Joe, Elaine, Marion and Marion's husband, Rich, all had the chicken.

My sister took this picture of my brother Larry and his wife Kim.  She said they looked like movie stars.  I agree.

They not only had dancing, but there was a live band.  They played great music too.  If my leg hadn't been hurt, I would have had a dance or two with Joe.  But as it was, I stayed seated and enjoyed the music and watching everyone else.

The bride's family had booked a bunch of rooms for the wedding guests, so we stayed over.  I wish I had thought to take pictures of the room because it was great.  So pretty and the bed was so comfortable.  I mean COMFORTABLE!  The bathroom was the best of the three places we had been in that week.  There was even a magnifying makeup mirror on the wall.

I found this picture on the hotel's website.  This is exactly like the room we were in.

The room came with a free buffet breakfast in the morning.  We went down to the restaurant and were asking for a table when Larry and Kim came up behind us.  So the four of us sat together and had a great conversation.  We had eggs, bacon, muffins, yogurt, coffee and tea.  Everything was great.

After breakfast we split up and headed for home.  Even though we had a great week (except for my knee), it was good to get home and have our own things around us again.  Living out of a suitcase is hard.

Hope you enjoyed seeing all the photos and I didn't bore you too much.  When we got home we had in the mail a "Save the Date" from Joe's niece who is getting married next April.  So we can do the whole thing over again in a few months.

Have a good night everyone.  And a good day tomorrow.

Kathy

  

I'LL BE BACK SOON

 

I'm not feeling very well these days.  I will be back soon.  Later this week most likely.  Take care and hang in there.

Kathy

THIRD DAY OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Wednesday was the last day of the Annual Conference.  I managed to get to breakfast and sat at a table by the door.  But it was right in front of the open door and I started shivering.  So we moved one table over.  Joe got me breakfast again.  I had scrambled eggs, a hash brown potato patty and bacon.  He had French toast.  An elder from another church sat down with us and we had such a nice conversation over breakfast.  Then Joe went back to the meeting and I went back to the room.  I really wanted to go to the meeting but...  So livestreaming it was.

After laying down for awhile I had to use the bathroom and while I was up I packed up some of our things so it wouldn't all be on Joe when he got out of the conference.  I couldn't do everything, but most of it was finished when he came back to get me for lunch.

Lunch was a baked chicken sandwich and fries.  I had trouble eating the chicken with my sore jaw so I ate half and Joe ate the other half for me.  Then I went back to the room.

I took a video of the room for my YouTube channel and some pictures to show you.  We had a nice double bed to sleep in.  It was comfortable and I slept well.

There were also two sets of bunk beds.  I sat on the lower one a lot since it was easy for me.  I got around the room by holding on to the bunks.  Since this is a camp site for kids during the summer, there are bunk beds in every room for the campers.

And since it is in the Pocono mountains, the views out the window were always beautiful.

The meetings ended around 4:00 p.m.  We hated saying goodbye to our friends, but we will be back in six months.  The conference is going back to its original date in April.  Not that it's any warmer in April than it is in October.  We packed up, returned the room keys to the Guest Services Building, and left for the motel we always stay at.  I don't drive in the dark if I can help it and certainly not 3 hours in a place I don't know.  

We always stay at the Super 8 motel.  It's such a nice place.  Super clean and the staff is so nice and friendly.  This time did not disappoint.  And we always stay in the same room.  I think they have only one handicapped accessible room.

I love the view out the window here.

I was in so much pain that I didn't feel like driving to a restaurant.  So Joe called out for dinner.  He had a small pepperoni pizza and I had four chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce.  They were really good!  And they delivered right to our room.  We had never done that before, but we will again.

Thursday morning we got up and showered.  What a nice shower that was!  It was like getting a massage.  Joe was dressed first and went to the breakfast room and got us muffins for breakfast.  Then we packed up and left.

I didn't know how to get home so we had the GPS on.  And I drove.  And drove.  And drove some more not having any idea where I was going.  We were going through beautiful scenery, but they were all little towns and no highways.  Hmm...  Finally the GPS led us to a closed road.  I tried to get it to go elsewhere, but it wouldn't.  I pulled into a garage and Joe got out to ask directions.  The man in there was very helpful.  By this time I had pulled out my phone and gotten the Waze app up.  So we turned around and Waze had us going back the way we had come.  Instead of heading for Philly, we were headed for New York!

It was an interesting drive.  The usual drive of 2 1/2 hours, turned into 3 1/2 hours.  I was running out of gas and finally we saw a gas station that was open.  I pulled in and Joe got out and filled the tank.  Then we started driving again.  All with my swollen, hurt knee.

We saw parts of Pennsylvania we didn't even know existed!  And everything was so beautiful.  If I hadn't been driving and hadn't wanted to get home, I would have been taking pictures.  I did find some on Google though that looked a lot like what we saw.  Check out "Bucks County, PA in the fall."  (I was very happy when I found out we were in Bucks County.  It's right next to Philly.)

After 3 hours of driving we found I-95 and got on.  Another half hour on that and we were finally home.  I was so glad to stop driving.  We were home about 24 hours before we had to leave again to go to my nephew's wedding.  But that's another story for another day.

Thanks for coming along with me on this long story.  I'll tell you about the wedding tomorrow.  See you then.

Kathy

SECOND DAY OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Tuesday was the second day of our Annual Conference.  Joe and I got up and went across the street to the dining hall for breakfast.  We had scrambled eggs, bacon and potatoes.  Instead of potatoes, Joe had pancakes.  Everything was good.

We finished and headed to the door to go to the morning meetings.  I was almost there when my right knee gave out on me.  I was in so much pain and couldn't put any weight on it.  Joe was ahead of me talking to some people and I could hardly walk.  One of the pastors came up to me and asked if he could help me.  I took his help up to a low wall right by the building.  I sat there and Joe saw me and came back.  He helped me into the building.

I got a seat and sat there through the session.  The singing and worship messages were great.  But by the break I was ready to go back to the room.  Joe helped me back and then had to return to the meetings.  I laid down on the bed and turned on the livestream of the meetings and watched it that way.  I had taken some Tylenol and drifted off for awhile.

Joe came back at lunch time but I couldn't eat.  He stayed with me until he had to go back to the meetings.  The same thing, I watched some -- the messages especially -- and then slept some.

At dinner it took me a long time leaning on my cane and Joe to get to the dining hall.  I sat at a table by the door with some pastor friends of ours and Joe got me dinner.  I had a chicken leg and wing, mashed potatoes and mixed veggies.

I really wanted to go to the evening session because we were ordaining nine men but I decided the best thing to do was put my leg up.  I tried to make it back to the room, but couldn't.  Joe got one of the pastors to bring our car over to us.  Then he drove me back to the room.  I again watched the livestream and when Joe came back, we went to bed.  We went to bed about 8:30 p.m. every night because we were so tired.

And that was how I spent the second day.  Not very exciting.

This was the picture over our bed and that was what I was trying to do.  Still trying every day.  Relax... God is in control.

Third day tomorrow.  Have a good night.

Kathy

  

FIRST DAY OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Joe and I started off fine on Monday morning.  We headed up to my sister's house as a break in the long drive.  It was pouring, then cleared up, then poured again.  And the traffic was terrible.  I was stuck behind a truck and in the mess followed him instead of sticking to the road I was supposed to be on.  I ended up on Route 80 instead of Route 183.  I started getting upset and that did not help matters.  We got off at the first exit and I began to recognize landmarks.  The trouble was, I didn't know how to get to her house from any of them.  I ended up pulling into a parking lot and calling her.  I was going the wrong direction.  She had me turn around and head back.  But then I still didn't know where I was going.  So I pulled into a BP station and called her again.  It just so happened that this is where she buys her gas and so was able to stay on the phone and talk me through where I was driving.  Ugh!!!!  What an idiot I am sometimes.

This was the day that the tree people were at her house to take down a tree in her front yard.  So they had to move so that I could back into the driveway.  What a mess.  But look who greeted me when I went up to the door.

Little Ace is so cute.  Right away he wanted to play ball with me and Joe.

Elaine made us a wonderful lunch.  Lots of soft salads for my jaw.  (Still a little sore -- still have stitches in it.)  We had a nice visit and then it was off again.

This time we had the GPS on and I didn't have any trouble the rest of the trip.  But we did drive through several downpours.  Oh my it was bad.  But afterwards we were able to see the clouds laying on top of the mountains.  Part of Appalachia.  We saw signs pointing to the Appalachian Trail.

We got to Pinebrook and Joe registered us.  I stayed in the car.  My leg was hurting me from driving.  We were in the building right nearest to the meeting area and the dining hall.  It was dinner time so we headed over.  The food looked good, but I was still so full from lunch.  I just had a piece of sole stuffed with crabmeat which was so good.  Then we headed over to the meeting hall.

I was concerned because I was so out of breath when I got there.  I think I need to call my cardiologist next week.  Of course I am carrying a lot of weight.  I am trying so hard to lose.

Joe met up with Pastor and I got this great shot of them sitting together.

I met my friend, Sharon, and a couple of other pastors' wives.  There was great music and three speakers.  The theme this year was ReSet (a recognition of 2020's year of great change) and all week there were messages about the seven churches of the book of Revelation.

We also recognized two new churches into our denomination.

It was over around 8:30 p.m.  Joe and I walked slowly back to our room and went to bed.  It was a long day.  And I slept well.  I slept for 7 hours straight -- something I rarely do.

And I'll tell you about day 2 tomorrow.

I have noticed that only Debbie is commenting on my posts.  Can the rest of you read them?  Can you not comment?  Please let me know if you see these posts.  If there is something wrong, I want to try to fix it.  I appreciate you!

Kathy

  

WE ARE HERE

 We are at the conference and I have internet service.  However, I brought only my tablet so I can't do a full post for you.  Let me just say that I was exhausted from a 4 1/2 hour drive.  When everything broke up at 8:30 p.m., I went back to the room and went right to sleep.  I slept for 7 hours straight which I almost never do.

So when I get home I will be posting a full report.  But know we are safely here and the worship is wonderful.

See you all later.

Kathy

HARVEST DAY

 Hello, friends, and welcome to the beginning of my very busy week.  Yesterday was Harvest Day at church.  Our annual fall picnic.  You have seen past Harvest Days on this blog.  Some elaborate and large, some tiny and not so great.  This was a good one.

We held the day inside.  And later in the year than we usually do.  It's usually held in September and out in the parking lot where we can invite people that walk by to join us.  But there was a reason for the change this year.  In two weeks our pastor turns 65 and we had a surprise party for him.  By calling it Harvest Day he had no idea that it was for him.

The sandwiches were supplied but everyone brought a salad or beverage.  Someone brought chips and a nacho dip.  One lady brought breaded and baked swai fish.  There was so much food!  And lots of potato and macaroni salad.  Which was good because each one was different.

There wasn't much I could eat with my swollen mouth.  Mostly I was able to get the macaroni salad down.  Some potato salad although the chunks of potato was hard to do and painful to chew.

I usually take lots of pictures, but this year I didn't.  I did make a YouTube video which I will be posting on Wednesday so those of you who watch me there be looking for that.  Even that is very short.  The only photos I took were of the cake.  That is Pastor's wife holding the cake.

The only excuse I have is I was talking to people that I rarely see (visitors) and everything was happening so fast.

Today is the beginning of our denomination's Annual Conference.  That is usually a wonderful time, but Joe usually gets sick.  Sure enough, he woke up today with a sore throat.  Ugh!  The theme this year is the seven churches of Revelation.  Seven of our "new" pastors are going to be preaching on one church each.  (One year it was one verse and seven different pastors preached on the same verse giving us seven different sermons.  And anyone who says that the Word of God isn't a living document doesn't know what they are talking about.)  I am looking forward to the messages and the prayer time.  The prayer is tremendous!  And to seeing my friends who are all pastors' wives.  Since Joe preaches at times I feel as if I am a pastor's wife although he is only an Elder.

On Friday my nephew is getting married out of town and we are going to that too.  I am very busy!  But don't worry, you are coming along.  

Since this blog is private and I only allow people I trust to read it, I will take you along in real time.  The vlog will be delayed.  I don't want to advertise "Hey, come rob the house!  No one is home!"

Jack's cat sitter is coming so he won't be alone.  He loves his "Aunt Carole" because she plays with him.  I think Joe and I are rather boring by comparison.

I have to run now.  I have a lot to do before we leave.  See you all tomorrow.  I hope.  If I have internet access.

Kathy