NEW WARDROBE

Well, I decided I better be getting some warmer clothes to take up north this week.   SO...I went shopping at - TA DA -  GOOD WILL and got some good buys.   I bet none of you will be able to tell what is new and what is not.   Now that's smart shopping in my book.    HA HA HA

So...have to get everything washed and ironed and ready to pack.   Cannot believe in 48 hours we will be on our way.

Hope Kim and her kids are ready for us.  

MERRY "WHITE" CHRISTMAS

Yes, we actually have a white Christmas here.  AND...as much as I dislike snow, it IS beautiful.  

Hopefully there isn't too much north of here so the girls cannot get out.   If that happens we are going to take all our shrimp, weiner roll ups, white bean chili, truffle and head to a neighbors.   Oh yes, and all the candy we have.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

Good Bye Dear Friend

Grace made her transition out of this life last night.   I'm glad her struggle is over.   For over three years she has been bedridden and I watched a really neat lady turn into an angry old woman.    I'm not blaming her, I'm sure if that happens to me no one will want to come near me.

Grace was one of my first ladies to join the Prayer Shawl ministry.   We had a Ministry Moment one time and she called me and ask if she could speak.   I had written some things out to talk about but welcomed the willingness of one of the other ladies to speak.  

I asked her is she wanted some ideas on what to say and she said, "I'll read it but I have something I want to say too".    I had a feeling if Grace wanted to speak she and God would work it out and I couldn't begin to compete with what she had to say.

Grace was always beautifully dressed and wore hats to church.   Beautiful hats.   She was a very attractive older lady.

She told the church how she had been invited to join the Prayer Shawl Ministry and thought, "That's a nice thing to do" and let it go.   Then she was given a shawl and realized how special that was.  

Grace never came to a meeting with less than three shawls.   She came in one time and had a beautiful shawl.   We were all commenting on it and I asked her what size needles she used.   She said, "A size 35 and a size 10 1/2"    I didn't even know they made a size 35 needle but by golly they do.

I'm going to miss Grace, not miss seeing her in that bed in that nursing home but missing the friend I had.   Safe journey dear friend.

Bittersweet Day

Today started out very chilly, well downright cold for us southerners but I realize 19 isn't cold for you in the NAWTH.

But...about 11 o'clock it warmed up to about 45 and Ted decided to get rid of the leaves in the yard by mowing.  It looked pretty darned good when he got done too.   I even went out and took a nice walk.   Met a couple of my neighbors out in various areas of the sub-division and visited a bit.

And during all this time I kept thinking of my dear friend, Grace, who has been laying in a hospital bed for over three years unable to get up and can only move her left hand and head.    Grace was in the Prayer Shawl Ministry I started 4 1/2 yras ago at church and never came to a meeting with less than three shawls.

I went to see her when we got back and she was always glad to see me and I could hardly get uncurled from a hug.   But last week I bent over her bed and tried to give her a hug and she asked me not to touch her it hurt so.   She began to cry and said she hurt ALL OVER and finally asked if I would please leave.   I felt so bad for her and hated to leave her alone but did find a nurse before I left and asked her to look in on Grace.

She is now in the hands of Hospice and her family is waiting for her to make her transition out of this life.   I hurt for them so and hope this comes soon.   She is a wonderful person and was a really good friend and we are all going to miss her.  

Christmas 2006

I found this story awhile back and have been saving it till now.   I do NOT remember writing it but that sometimes happens with my best stories.


December 2006

I have this very large urge that I wish I could go get my mom and bring her here for Christmas. 

She would just LOVE to see all our kids, grown up and living their lives.   But...what she would really enjoy would be to see all our grandchildren.

Meagan - Goodness, I can just see her looking at you and asking you waht you would like to be.  It wouldn't matter what you told her, she would think it was a wonderful idea.   She would ask you if you enjoyed your trip to Illinois last year.  Then probably tell you her version of the children that drowned in Spoon River and how their  mother always took a wreath over and nailed it on a tree.

She would tell the story of how the Indians warned the white man NOT to put a Dam in Spoon River and she would know exactly how many people had drowned in it since the Dam had been installed.

She would look at Ted and I and see the pride we have in you.

You are our first born grandchild and she knows the special feeling we have for you.   Not that we love you anymore than the others, just the special feeling a grandparent has for that first one.

Then she would look at Sam.   Gosh, she'd LOVE you Sam.  Her first grandchild was a red headed boy, Jerry, so she would want to touch your shoulder and tell you what a good looking boy you are.   She would ask what grade you are in and if you had good teachers.    She she would ask what you like to do.  It would please her no end that you like to read as she was an avid reader.

And once again she'd look at Ted and I to see how we were beaming, listening to you talk.

She would want to see you ride your bike and skate board and tell us all how dangerous the skate board is.

Now Jordan, she would want to hold you.   She knew I always wanted red hair and she would tell you that.  She would know we miss having you close.   She would be thrilled that you are a good student.   Education was always important to her.

She would love watching you swim and dance.   She never did either but she would appreciate how well you do both.   She would see the pride Ted and I have when we talk about you and feel the pain we have when we have to leave you.

And Benjamin.   Man, she'd just love you to pieces.   She would really enjoy your sense of humor and the tricks you play on people.  She would want you to play aggrivation with her and unlike me, she would work it so you ALWAYS won.

She would hide those silly eggs for you and Jordan all day if you wanted her to and you could all play UNO till you went to bed.

And Jeremiah!   She would just love to talk to you and hear all about your chess tournaments and your swimming too, and watch you play ball.   She would love the gleam in your eye when you were about to pull a joke on your mom and sister.

She would want to visit your school and then she'd tell me how smart you are.

Now Sierra, gosh I can just see her loving you with her eyes.  I cannot tell you how much she would love you.   Anything you did would be WONDERFUL. 

We would tell her how little you were when you were born and she'd tell us waht a miracle you are.    We know that, but would agree with her wholeheartedly.

IF I could bring my mom to our house for Christmas this is just some of what we would do.

I'd love to get her a beautiful soft gown and some shoes that didn't hurt her feet, take her to a beauty shop and out to eat.    All the things I never did for her when she was alive.

She deserved a better life than she had.

Decorations and a Walking Shell

Today we got up and cleaned up the house from getting home.  Put a few things away that were sitting out and got our Christmas tree out.   It was COLD this morning and neither one of us wanted to venture out and it was a good day to decorate.

When we got done the house looked like Christmas and I had a couple of good ideas for Christmas gifts and got excited about that.

One of the things I did was clean up some shells we had picked up down in Biloxi.   You remember one had a little animal in it and I tossed it back in the water.

While we were decorating the front room we heard a weird noise in the kitchen.   I went to see what fell and one of the shells was off the counter about a foot from the rest of them.   I couldn't figure out how it got over there but - what the heck, I picked it up and laid it back on the paper towel they had been drying on.

About a half hour later we were eating and heard a noise on the kitchen counter and there was one of those shells moving across the counter.   Man, I nearly flipped.   That little sucker had lived inside that shell in our truck for over 2 weeks and been in the kitchen inside a paper cup and plastic bag since we got home Friday evening.  

The house still looks nice and he is nestled safely in the garage garbage can thanks to Ted.

SNOW

Yesterday we had a snow forecast and for those of you that do no know it,  Tennessee goes into Psych Ward when snow is forecast.   Man, the weathermen play it up big time and even admit maybe 1" of snow is possible.  

I decided it wasn't going to do anything till after lunch so ventured out to church since our furnace wasn't working and there was only room for one of us to huddle around our little electric fireplace and figured I might as well be warm in church.

BUT...half way through church it began to snow like crazy and I checkened out and left.   Then it quit, of course, but I still had some things to do.

When I got home it had snowed more here but had stopped.   The T.V. was still blarring away about the BIG snow coming.

It snowed all afternoon, sometimes really hard and I couldn't figure out why it wasn't building up.   About 4 p.m. it REALLY began in earnest and we have a little over an inch on our deck and the roads are covered.   AND...it's still snowing some.   Needless to say the kids in TN will be home for a day or two and I guess the roads are pretty slick due to some icing conditions.

We are comfy in our warm little house since the furnace is running ALL THE TIME now and the thermometer says 13 degrees above zero.

Even I have to admit the snow is pretty - TODAY.    Tomorrow I'll be ready to read seed catalogs and get ready to plant garden.     HA   HA   HA   HA

HEAT, WONDERFUL HEAT

Furnace fixed, the house is warm again and all is well in the Tingley Household.

COLD HOUSE

Last night about 9 p.m. Ted told me the furnace was not running.   I was snug in my bed with my rice bag reading a fairly good book but made myself come out acting like I could help.   HA

We finally figured out that the fan on the furnacewasn't working.   We called one electrician but had to leave a message.   Then the phone rang and a neighbor had seen Ted out looking at the unit and asked what was wrong.    They offered a space heater but we bought one of the electric fireplaces 2 years ago so it was helping. He gave Ted the name of another guy to call.    We turned all the ceiling fans on and the house stayed at 69 to 70 degrees.  

This morning I made oatmeal and then decided I was still going to go to church and it would be fixed by the time I got home.

Half way through church it began to snow like the last snow on earth and I chickened out and left the service.  I had to make a couple of stops and by the time I started home it had quit and I wished I'd stayed in church.    BUT...when I got home the ground was covered and the deck is now fully covered and it's still snowing. 

I had put a roast in the crock pot but we opted to cook it in the oven to help heat the kitchen.   We are fine, just a little disgusted that the two electricians Ted called have not at least called us back.   Ted's brother, Merle, was an electrician and I know he worked 24 hours several times to keep people warm.

Hope you in the Nawth are not iced in.   

HOME

Yesterday morning we both woke up at 4:15.   SO...out of bed, dressed and off we took.   It was 4:46 when we pulled out of the Sager Brown complex.

The weather was great and it was 54 degrees when we left and we watched that thermometer very slowly drop.  Not near as much as we had expected.

I took two naps while Ted drove and he took one while I drove.   Traffic was not too bad and we pulled in our driveway at 4:46 P.M.   We had driven 650 miles, stopped for mail and milk on our way in and were two of the happiest little old people you ever saw.

By 7 p.m. the truck was unloaded and most of the STUFF put away.   Still have mail to go through.  I see I have many well organized friends that have their Christmas Cards all done and mailed.   One friend sent one on the Internet - my kind of woman.   I suppose those people that are SO well organized also have all their Christmas gifts  bought.    GOOD FOR THEM.

Thought for the day.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME!!!!!

HEADED HOME

The sewing room is clean, all the needles are new in the machines, and the machines all oiled and the heat turned down.

Tomorrow we head for Tennessee.   As I walked away I had a bit of an empty feeling but we are ready to get back home and on with our lives.

This, as I've said before, has been a good trip.   Ted drove the Forklift a lot and it was good to know he didn't have to walk all over the depot all the time.  

We fixed a lot of school bags people made wrong and also shortened many blankets for the birthing kits that were made wrong.    We also saw 3 shipments of school bags head out of here for Sudan.   Everyone comments on how they'd like to follow one of those bags and see the child that receives it.  We have learned that some of these children use them to carry ALL of their worldly possessions.   Makes you think twice, doesn't it?    That you could put everything you own in a bag 15 X 18 inches?  

We'll be back here in October to work again.  So our hearts are full as we head to our last meal here and the Vesper Service this evening.

End of Sewing Room  Blogs till October of 2011

Dreams Drive Me Nuts

For a long time now I dream that Connie and Mark are LITTLE KIDS again.   Why on earth I would do that, I cannot imagine.

These dreams usually come just before I wake up and usually when I am late getting up.   I will dream they don't have enough lunch money or I can't find them, something silly like that.    One time I asked Connie if we ever didn't give them money for their lunches but she couldn't remember that happening.

I remember when we moved to Towanda I thought that was just the poorest of poor schools.  (Little did I know)    Ted's mother told me if we stayed there Kim would have one of the best teachers in the state - Trunella Trent.    Well, I figured there was NO way we were going to stay at that school. (We only lived in that school area for 8 years)    One day they had a dog show come and the kids were to bring 10 cents to see it.   I remember asking Kim if all the kids had their 10 cents and she said, "All but me,  I had 10 pennies".   Man, I was weird.

Last night I dreamed Ted, I, Connie and Mark were all going to start going together in the same car so we could save gas.  ????   We would take Ted to work, then I'd take the kids to school, then I'd go to work - which I never did until they were bigger.

Well, it turned into a disaster.  No one was ready when we needed to leave, Ted missed a business meeting and Mark was going to a business meeting that he didn't think he'd have a way home from that night.   FOR HEAVENS SAKE, ELLEN.    I feel like I'm loosing it. 

I'd like to say when I get home the dreams will be different but they really won't. 

Noise or Just Being Friendly

We have a group staying in the apartments here in Peck Hall this week.   They come every year and needed a place to GATHER in the evenings and mornings.   They usually use the Chapel but because the weather is cold this year they decided to use our lounge.

This is an old building with very bad insulation so we can almost hear the guy in the apartment next to us snore (not really) but their voices certainly carry - at night and in the morning.

I was kind of out of sorts thinking how noisy they were, the realized they were all laughing and having a good time and I was a crotchety old woman who is tired and needs to sleep a few years.

So...now I can look at this picture with a different view and be happy there is laughter and togetherness in this world where so many are so lonely and sad.

Today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor and that certainly was not a happy time in our history.  Let us not forget.

Churches Farewell

Yesterday was my last visit at this little church I attend while here.   I go there because I love it, I love the way they worship God, the lady I work for goes there and several of the volunteers go there and I can walk there.

I knew yesterday was my last day but that has happened before with no fanfare.   BUT...yesterday at the end of the service a lady that grew up here in Baldwin and went to school here on this very campus when it was a school came out, stopped beside me and said, "Come on" and held out her hand.    I really didn't want to go but she was not to be stopped from her mission.

To tell you the truth I never thought she even knew I was there.   But...this lady took me up to the front of the church and the minister introduced me and goodness, the things they said about me were unbelievable.   I wish I could live up to them.   Then they blessed me and the work I do.   Well, those of you that know me know Good-byes are hard for me and this was no different.   In fact, I think it was harder because I don't feel like what we do here is so special. 

Then another lady came around when we Passed The Peace and she sat down beside me and said, "WHERE you goin girl?"     She is the brother of the man Ted works for and I LOVE to hear her sing and she put her arm around me and said she'd be thinking of me till we came back.

So...I may not leave part of me here but I KNOW I'll take a part of this community with me when we leave Friday.

MIXED EMOTIONS

TGIF.   Yes, it's Friday and I'm glad, yet part of me doesn't want to end this trip.   It's been a trying one with my back and not sleeping well but also a GOOD one.

I've met some wonderful people, some challenging ones, some that just drove me to the edge but all in all I still love this place.

This week I had just the craziest bunch of women in the sewing room and have shared some of the stories with you.  Last night at Vespers the lady I referred to in the New York blog gave our meditation.   She is not a minister or a lay leader but she sure can speak and everyone there loved her.

She talked about all the 18,000 school bags shipped to Sudan and how wonderful that was but she then talked about all the people that bought the supplies and the people that made the bags and the people that delivered them here and the trucker taking them to the ship and how all of us are connected to the recipients. AND...how much God is involved in this process.

The minister that blessed the elements talked to us about how we have gathered here from all over the U.S. at the beginning of the week.   We had people from Texas, Arkansas, and even Maine.   That group impressed me a lot.   But she said we came from all over the country, from all walks of life and we learned in one week to live together, eat together, work together, play together, and even pray together.  

I emailed someone afterwards and when telling them about being at Vespers I felt that my Cup Runneth Over.  It was a very meaningful service.

So...this week is over and a week from today we will be on our way home and I will be happy, but also have a very empty spot in my heart.   Part of me ALWAYS stays at UMCOR Sager Brown.

PRAYER

Every day we "circle up" before a meal and share something that has happened or what WILL be happening that day.   Then someone from the Kitchen Ministry asks the blessing.

This week we have had two shipments of School Kits go to Sudan and today a shipment of bedding will be going out to various parts of the U.S.

Yesterday morning at Breakfast we had a group from Maine doing dishes (Kitchen Ministry) and a very tall man with a very soft voice ask the blessing.

I happened to notice he was looking up during the prayer and I LOVE to look up when I pray.   Sometimes I think we just look down or close our eyes and shut God-LOVE out.   I told him I really liked that later and he said he almost asked the group to do it too but wasn't sure how they would feel.  He also asked the blessing on the shipment yesterday.

These are the times I feel God's presence here.

Sewing Room 4 - Plus OTHER THINGS

There are about 5 women in the sewing room this week on a regular basis.  These ladies are GOOD WORKERS and about the craziest bunch of women I've EVER had in there.

 We have giggled (is that contagious?), repaired over 100 School Bags that were made wrong and giggled some more.

One lady just came in to sew this morning and was very quiet at first.   Then she shared that one time when she was very young she was in charge of costumes for a company in Dallas.   The owners wife would come in when she wasn't in her department and use the fabric she had for something on a project SHE wanted to do.   One time she took all the fabric they had and made some hats she wanted without asking.

Later the lady in the sewing room was asked to make a corsett for this gal and accidentally left a pin in it.  She said that she didn't care, the gal got just what she deserved.  

Then she went on to tell us after she had worked with this company awhile she decided if she was going to make this her life's work she needed to go to New York and see a REAL broadway play.   So...she took what little money she had and bought a ticket to New York.   She had a friend she could stay with and off she went.

In the airport waiting for her plane an older gentleman sat down beside her and she noticed he had a beautiful, silk, and some other kind of suit.   She said she knew he must have his suits taylor made.   He was surprised a young woman would know that without knowing him and asked how she knew.   After she explained that she worked in a company making costumes for plays they began to talk.  

When they boarded the plane for New York she said he told her just to come up and sit in first class with him and they could talk more.

Then when they arrived in New York he got her a cab and sent her to her friends house and paid the cabbie.
We asked her why she didn't pursue this relationship and she said he was Gay and really not interested in her.

WOW!!!!  What a great way to get to New York on your first trip.