Resurrection Sunday

 

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  

Matthew 28: 1-6

Double Trouble

Today is double trouble day.  

"And why is it double trouble day?" you may ask.  

Well, I'll tell you...because you get two blog posts!  The first one was the history post I published this morning, which I still stubbornly do every year even though those types of post draw very little traffic to the blog.  Since I didn't post yesterday, I felt I needed to catch you up on what's been going on -- which doesn't make sense because the stuff I'm telling you about happened today.  

But that's the way my crazy brain works. 

First up, the good news.  We did have today off from work.  A few people had to go in, but I wasn't one of them.  The first thing I did this morning was to sleep past 4:30 AM.  OK, the cat only let me sleep until about 5:45, but hey, we take small victories where we find them. 

I spent a leisurely morning with a cup of coffee and a few loads of laundry -- I washed my new allergy pad before putting it onto the bed, so that created an extra load, then I decided to wash the blanket, too -- and I went outside to sit in my chair for a bit, but didn't stay long before the mosquitoes found me, so I came back in and caught up on some DVRed TV shows.  

What I hadn't planned on doing was mowing.  What I ended up doing was...mowing. 

I started out weed-eating, but then the weed eater broke.  It would seem when I changed out the gas tank last year, I didn't get the bolts tight enough, and the vibrations must have loosened them enough that they fell out.   There I was, just a weed-eating away when the tank fell off, the motor quit, and gas was spraying everywhere.  Well, phooey.  

I'm sure I can find some bolts that fit.  I just need to figure out size.  If I can find an online breakdown of that model, it should be pretty easy to do just that.  I'm thinking about selling that one anyway, and buying an electric model.  I know there are downsides to them, but the gas one I have is just too heavy.  Ten years ago, I could handle it.  Today, not so much. 

Anyway, with the weedeater out of service, I cranked up the ol' lawnmower, and this time I did the whole yard, including the back.  I even threw in the towel and cut down all of the wild garlic after deciding that the ground had gotten too hard, and it was starting to die back anyway.   

One of the landscaping websites I was reading said that if I hoe them down when they first start showing up in the Fall, the lack of sunshine will starve the bulbs.  I'm going to try that, and see if I can stay on top of them that way.  But first, I'll need to buy a hoe.  Believe it or not, I don't have one. 

I was able to mow around my biggest and healthiest patches of clover and my daisy fleabane, 

and the little yellow flowers I like so much.  Everything else got cut down. Well, except for the day lilies and spider lilies I want the landscaper to come dig up. 

I figure it'll be easier for him to do that if he can actually see what it is I want gone.  I'm determined to contact one THIS WEEK.  But Monday, after Easter.  

By the way, I did some research and found out Basil is an annual, so the one from last year wouldn't have come back anyway, even if I hadn't pulled it up.  But at least now I know. 

While we're on that subject, my little seedlings are getting their first true leaves! 

I know it's hard to see them in this photo because they're so tiny, but they're there.  That means that soon, I'll have to pick the strongest one in each pod and cut the others down.  I always hate that part, but it must be done. 

Now for a bit of bad news, my last little bluebonnet has gone to that great Texas in the sky. 

I think maybe I overdid it with the direct sunlight, so I brought it back into the house and put it under a fluorescent lamp.  Maybe it'll perk up.  Maybe it won't.  I know I've gotten them to grow in the past.  Just click on the bluebonnet label in the right sidebar and you'll see them.  You have to scroll back a couple of years, but they're definitely there.  

Oh, and look what I found in the shed when I was getting the lawnmower out!  An empty pot, and it's definitely big enough to grow a tomato in.  

Next time I go to the store, I'll pick one up, along with a cage, and we'll be in business.  Once I finally get my raised beds in place, I do want to save two for tomatoes and banana peppers.  I'll have one pollinator garden -- at least -- and the rest will be herbs. 

After spending much of the late morning and early afternoon doing yard work, then taking a nice hot shower, I settled in with some knitting and Easter shows. 

 That is some yarn I got at a past Fiber Fun In The 'Sip, back when my friend Leann was still vending at that show.  It's called Toasted Marshmallow, and I love how it's knitting up.  But it is making me hungry, so I think I'll go get myself something to eat. 

Laters.  

Resurrection Sunday

 

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  

Matthew 28: 1-6

Quiet Saturday

You know you live a dull life when the highlight of your week is getting a new phone case.  Yeah...

I've had that phone for 2 1/2 years now, and the case I'd bought for it had the screen protector built in.  Alas, it was plastic and after a couple of years of use, it had gotten so scratched up as to be unusable.  Naturally, I did what any red blooded American would do.  I bought a new one, and a new case to go with it.  

Heh, I was standing in the electronics section of Walmart, reading the package where it says the case is rated to 8' drop protection...whereupon I promptly dropped said case in its packaging.  "And that's why I need drop protection," I said to no one in particular.  

I came home and put my phone into its new case, which is so much slimmer than my old case.  

Along with the bright new screen protector, it's almost like having a new phone.   And look!  It fits into my selfie stick!  

I can make vlogs no one will watch now!  In fact, you almost got one today.  It was such a beautiful day I decided to get dressed and go walk the Bottomland trail at the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. 

Unfortunately, I was all the way up there when it occurred to me that I should have brought the selfie stick.  Ah, well, maybe next time. 

In other news, I got two more of my sunflowers planted this morning.  

I put them into the Southeast corner of my back yard, and I hope it's not too soggy there for them.  I have three left to plant, and I'd love to put them here on the East side of my carport.  

The only issue with that is the previous owner's obsession with rocks.  Still, I think If I dig down a bit, sift out the rocks and fill it back in with topsoil, the flowers might thrive there.  The weeds certainly are. 

Speaking of weeds, I ground up and bottled the Purple Deadnettle I'd dried last week.  I got about half a jar, and I'm not even sure I want to collect any more.  It smells and tastes a bit like dirt.  The bees and butterflies love it, and I think I'll leave it to them.  

Oh, and a bit of bad news, my hummingbird feeder broke.  The loop you hang it from snapped off, but I don't know why.  It was fine when I put the seedlings out onto the porch this morning.  Oh well, they're pretty cheap at Walmart.  I'll run in and pick up a new one after work Monday.  And maybe pick up some Easter candy on clearance while I'm there. 

That reminds me, I was going to get a ham for Easter dinner, but the smallest one I could find was $11 and something.  At that price, I may just have to open up one of those canned hams from my pantry.  Ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, and that'll likely be it.  I have some sweet potatoes in the freezer that I considered getting out and making a pie, but I didn't.   

You know, being allergic to eggs, I don't usually keep them on hand, but a couple of weeks ago, I picked up a half dozen.  Just in case I got a wild hair and wanted to bake something or something.  Well, today, I got that wild hair and decided I want to dye them.  Who cares that I'm fifty-mmmfmfmfm years old?  I wanted to dye eggs so I did.  Wonder of wonders, I even had some old PAAS dyes in the craft closet from back when I was into dying my own yarns, and after all these years, they still worked pretty well, doncha think? .  

And of course Peep and I had to follow that up by watching an old classic, which I still never miss. 

And finally, I know I haven't really been posting about my piano progress lately, but I am still plugging away at it.  Today, I was able to finish the last song in this book and put it away. 

I'm going to stick with doing just the Alfred's courses for now, but I may go back and get some more of these eventually.  One of these days, I might even give you another concert. 

Maybe...

Friday Post

Easter has kind of snuck up on me this year.  Oh, I knew it was April 1, but in my mind, April was still in some far and distant future.  The way I discovered it is not is as follows.

I got to work bright and early this morning, and since they were opening up a C shift version of the line I normally work on, I headed upstairs to run off some production schedules.   While I was up there, I picked up the clipboard to sign up for next weekend. 

C shift production manager was in his office, so I asked him why they'd changed the policy.  Why could A shift people no longer work on Saturdays?  He said it was because they had lots of people signing up for Saturdays, and hardly anyone signing up for Sundays.  They were trying to get more people working on Sundays. 

That's kind of what I thought it was.  He told me if I wanted to work Saturday, to talk to my production manager, but no, I'm OK with working Sundays.  I asked him, "Why can't I sign up for next Sunday?  See, they have it marked out." 

He replied, "We're not running next Sunday."

I said, "Oh, yeah, next Sunday is Easter.  I forgot."

Wait, what?  Next Sunday is Easter?  Easter is next Sunday??????

I immediately dropped the clipboard and rushed around the office in a panic, screaming, "I've got to buy the candy!! Candy!! Easter candy!  Got to buy the candy!!!"

OK, I didn't really do that, but I guess when your kids are grown and gone, you kind of forget about these things.  After work, I went to the store, and I picked up a bit of Easter candy.  I wasn't going to buy Peeps, since I'd gotten that plush Peep last year,

but as I was walking down the aisle, I saw them.  "It just doesn't seem like Easter without Mammaw's Peeps."  So I bought a package of them.

For those of you who may be new to this blog, when I was a kid, every year my Mammaw would buy us all a package of marshmallow Peeps.  I don't really like Peeps, but I always ate them.  Now that I'm an adult, I still don't really like Peeps, but I buy a package every year, thinking of my Mammaw.  It makes me feel closer to her.

OK, back to where I was before I got distracted by candy...

Upstairs...production office... right.  I hung the clipboard back on its peg and began running off the work schedules.  B shift production manager was in his office wrapping up his shift, and C shift production manager was in his office preparing to begin his day.   Suddenly, the radio crackled and both men got up and rushed out the door.  I went downstairs, and here comes a B shift supervisor and a C shift supervisor flying up the aisle.  I asked a coworker who had a radio if she knew what was going on.  She said there was a fight in the parking lot. 

I didn't go out there, figuring it would be all over by the time I got all the way to the parking lot.  Someone told me out later it was a father and a son going at it.  As one of my coworkers said, people can't just discuss their problems calmly, and now they've both just lost their jobs.

Speaking of calm, since it is almost April, I've got to do my taxes this weekend.  Funny how when you know you're getting that big refund, you want to do them early.  But once your kids are grown and gone, and you no longer file Head of Household with dependents, you put it off later and later. 

So, basically, if you hear someone's head exploding some time tomorrow, it'll just be me. 

Long Hours

You know you work a lot of hours when you get your paycheck for the week you were sick, and you still have more than 50 hours on it.  Suffice to say, I work a lot --and I mean a lot --of hours.  The good thing is, this year, I won't have those major outlays like I did last year.  You know, paying off my son's college tuition.  Cutting down a huge old tree.  That sort of thing.  That means I can spend my money buying things I want.

I guess I went a little crazy at the store this evening.

First thing I bought was the last shower curtain masquerading as a closet door.  This one for Cody's room.  I only went over to that department to look for a curtain rod.  While I was there, i figured might as well check out the shower curtains, too.  I found this one that goes perfectly with what I'm trying to do in that room.

Now, I just need to find him some curtains -- actual window curtains for his actual windows-- and that room will be pretty much done, except for hanging things on his wall.  I'm thinking of making a run up to Batesville to Lowe's after work tomorrow, or maybe Sunday afternoon.  They're having a pretty good sale on garden stuff, and I can look at the curtains they have while I'm at it.  Maybe.  If I can get moving, that is.

Back when I was a kid, my Mammaw always bought us Peeps at Easter.  I never really liked them that much, but I always ate them anyway.  Because Mammaw bought them.  I've carried that tradition on into my adulthood.  Each year, I buy one package of Peeps and eat it, for my Mammaw.  Since I was in the store already, I headed towards the Easter candy aisle, and thought, "Might as well buy the Peeps and get that over with."  When I got there, I found this

 package of Peeps with a plush Peep toy. 

I picked it up and thought to myself, "If I buy this, I'll never have to eat another Peep again."  So, I bought it.  Now, every time I see that Peep, I will think of my Mammaw and how she always bought Peeps for us. 

And my final purchase of the day.

Which may override my desire to go to Batesville this weekend. 

Eh, Lowe's will still be there next week. 

Yeah, OK

Remember how I posted one day last week about how the other brazer for my line was out and Former Group Leader Rod wouldn't loan us one of his brazers for an hour?  Well, you know what they say about karma. 

That's right.  Guess who had a brazer out today.  And guess who they tried to send over there.  Um hum.  I told Supervisor Ronnie, "I'm about to say something very smart alecky." 

He said, "I know what you're going to say." 

Then I asked him, "If I go over there, who is going to help [the other brazer on my line]?"    That's when he told me to run back and forth between the two lines all day.  But I spent most of the day on my line, because Karma's a...well, you fill in the blank. 

It didn't help that my stomach was giving me troubles this morning.  I think it may have been that I've eaten way too many egg products these last few days -- holiday and all, you know. 

After work, I had to run into town to pay some bills, so I ran by the store to get more milk.  You know how they say not to go grocery shopping when you are hungry?  Yeah, well, really don't go down the half price Easter candy aisle when you're hungry.  And really, really don't go down the half price Easter candy aisle when you're hungry, tired, frustrated, and sick.

I won't mention the candy I ate before taking the picture.  And the cookies. 

I'm pleading the 5th. 

And going to bed.

Easter 2015

Just a few pictures from our Easter.

Cody in his new suit:

After eating dinner, Cody and Shelbi headed out to hide eggs: 

I think they had more fun hiding them than Cory did finding them. 

Look!  I found one!!

I find eggs, too, Mama? 

We've found them all; now, let's see what's inside.

Wednesday And Stuff

I was going to post something yesterday, but by the time I got home, I was so tired I forgot what it was.  I was at work, and the other brazer was out.  You know how every time Former Group Leader Rod needs a brazer I have to go work on his line?   Well, when little brother Fernando needs a brazer, Rod miraculously doesn't have anyone to spare.  Somehow, they couldn't find anyone anywhere in the entire plant who could help me out. 

Basically, what that means is that I did a two person job by myself all day.  Needless to say, I was plumb tuckered when I got off.  Then I had to go to the post office.  Since I was in town already, I figured I'd run by the store and get another bag of dog food.

Them crazy dogs of mine think I'm supposed to feed them every day.  What's up with that? 

Anyway, I wandered back into the electronics department and they actually had some iPhone 5 cases, so I got one for Fred.  It's just a plain camouflage color, but I feel a lot better now that he has some protection on.

Today was a much easier day at work.  They announced that we would be working both Friday and Saturday.  My co-workers are clamoring for cookies, so I came home and mixed up the dough and put it into the refrigerator.  Not sure when I'm going to make them, but I will.

This afternoon, I saw a video on Facebook about coloring eggs.  This guy puts a little bit of rice in a cup, and adds food coloring.  Then he puts an egg into it and shakes it up.  The effect was really cool, so I had to try it with my remaining fake eggs.  This is the result:

The top three are pure yellow, pure green, and pure blue.  The bottom two are a mixture of blue and green.  To my dismay, I didn't have any red left, so this is all you get.  I think it turned out well, and the colors are certainly brighter than using the Paas tablets.   I'm thinking when I get some more red, I'll overdye the one on the bottom right and see how that works out. 

Easter Eggs

I tried to dye my fake eggs yesterday, and was a bit disappointed.  They did not take dye well at all.

They are even paler in person, now that they are fully dry.  I'm thinking they might work out better if I use some craft paint.  I think I still have some around here somewhere.  I may get one of those spongy things and do that thing where you speckle paint with the sponge.

I call it spongeling.  I don't know what the real term is. 

I was going to make the cookies, but I decided against it.  Rumor has it that we are going to work not only Friday, but Saturday also.  I won't know for sure until probably Wednesday. 

Whatever happens, I'll let you know. 

Weekending

The phone and I are slowly getting used to each other.  For some reason, this phone has decided that he wants a name.  I've never had a phone with a name before, but this one wants to be called Fred.  Since I have been known to lose arguments with inanimate objects before, I decided to just go with the flow.

The phone is now named Fred. 

I went to Wal-mart after work yesterday to see if I could find a case and a car charger for Fred.  They were all out of cases, so that was a bust.  I looked on Amazon, but there were so many choices that I started to get overwhelmed.  I didn't order one yet.  I can't decide whether I want a Doctor Who, or Sherlock, or Walking Dead, or Dallas Cowboys....

They did have some car chargers, but I didn't want to spend $30 on a new one.  They had an adapter that I could have used with my iPhone 4s charger, but it cost just as much as a whole charger.  I ended up getting this:

It cost 1/3 as much as the charger, and I can use the cord that came with the phone.  I can also use it to charge my Kindle, if I take a road trip or something. 

A couple of weeks ago, a coworker asked when I was going to bring some more cookies to work.  The ones I brought in for Valentine's Day went over really well, so I figured I could make some more around Easter.  I had some Easter cookie cutters around here somewhere, or so I thought. 

I searched high and low, but couldn't find them.  Eh, I thought, I'll just buy some new ones.  They're cheap.  I started searching the stores for Easter type cookie cutters -- not just eggs, but anything Easter related.  I couldn't find anything.  I found butterflies and flowers, but nothing specifically Easterish.

Next step, check online.  I checked Amazon, Ebay, and Etsy.  They had some cutters, but not the ones I remembered.  Not the ones I wanted.  I was about to give up, when I wandered into one last vintage bakeware shop on Etsy.  Lo and behold, there they were!

Naturally, I ordered them straight away -- fearing all the while that someone else would type faster than I, and would beat me to them.  But no...I got them, and they arrived today.  Yippee!

While I was waiting for them to get here, I bought some colored sprinkles to decorate the cookies I plan on making. 

I also dug out my Easter cookie stamps. 

Now, I just have to wait and find out if they give us Good Friday off.  Some years they do; some years they don't. 

Either way, we're going to have cookies.  It's only a question of when.

One last thing:  it snowed today.  In Mississippi.  So, how's that global warming working out for ya?

An FO Of My Own Design

Well, sort of.  I finished the current iteration of the Roundabout Hat.

I'm pleased with the way it came out, except for the crown. It still needs work.

I like this one a little better than the last one I knit, but it still isn't quite right. The next time I knit it, I will tinker with a bit further. Once I come up with a finalized pattern, it will also get a new name.  I already know what I'm going to name it, and why, but I won't reveal it until I get the decreases the way I want them. 

One last thing before I go, the Easter Bunny was so grateful that I didn't squish him in the road, he left me a little basket!

The football basket will be just right to hold a small knitting project, say a sock or a scarf.  And aren't the little football eggs too cute?  Now, that's a rabbit that knows what I like!

Squishing Easter

I was driving to work yesterday morning, when I came around a curve and there in the road was a little bunny rabbit. I stopped and waited for him to hop on across the road and reach the safety of the bushes on the other side, because you know, rabbits are kind of spastic. You might think they've hopped out of the way, then they'll turn and dart right back in front of you.

I've had many a heart seizure from this happening.

Anyway, I waited for him to hop all the way across, and was thankful that I was the only car on the road at that ungodly hour of 5:45 AM. Somebody else might have squished him and not even given it a second thought.

Then the thought hit me. Whoa!

What if that was the Easter Bunny? 

I'm so glad I didn't squish him.  I'd have hated to be responsible for millions of children going without candy on Easter morning.

All right, then...

While I was walking the dog this afternoon, I ran across some mighty strange tracks.  They looked like Procompsognathus tracks.   I took a photo with my phone, but haven't yet figured out how to get it from my phone to my computer.  I tried to post it to Facebook as a message, but it hasn't shown up yet.  Maybe it will, soon. 

In better news, I got one of my credit cards paid off, so what did I do? I loaded it back up again. I finally broke down and ordered myself a Kindle. I'd been wanting one for a while, now, and decided I'd just go ahead and get one.  Then I went on to the Amazon website and put a whole bunch of free e-books in my basket.  And I made a Kindle specific wish list of books to buy. 

Last night I cast the Roundabout hat back on with an additional 8 stitches. It fits much better now. I have just about made it to the crown decreases, which I still have to figure how how to do so that I can maintain the pattern as long as possible.

But I'll do that tomorrow. Now it's time to go curl up with a creepy murder mystery--right before bed. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to sleep alone. Yeah, why do I do this to myself?

The world may never know.

Happy Easter

Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, for he is risen!

An Easter Story

Back when I was coming up, we didn't have spring break in our schools. We had Easter holidays. We were off the whole week before Easter. I didn't even know what spring break was until I got to college.

Every year, my aunt and uncle, and my four cousins from Alabama would come visit us at Christmas. Every year, my parents, and us four kids from Texas would go visit them at Easter. We always came home before Easter, though.

One year, my grandparents decided that they were going to go, too. Now, when my parents drove, we went about half way then stopped and spent the night. My grandparents drove straight through. It was only a 10 hour drive, but my mother couldn't stand being in the car with us for that long. Well, that year that my grandparents went, it was decided that my brother and I were old enough to go with them. I was 8 or 9, and Rus was 10 or 11.

So we did. My parents and younger siblings came later. They also left before we did. I think they left on Thursday, and Grandma, Grandpa, Rus, and I stayed through Easter Sunday. Our mother told us that our Easter baskets would be waiting for us when we got home.

That Saturday, the day before Easter, my Aunt Shirley called Rus and me into the kitchen with her. She had something to tell us. Our mother had sent some candy with us to Alabama (which we didn't know), but Aunt Shirley had forgotten to get it out of the back of her car where she had hidden it. She had called us in there to tell us our candy had melted. Once she reassured us that we could still eat it, it just didn't look like a rabbit any more, it was all OK.

That Sunday morning, there amidst our cousins' baskets, with their lovely dyed eggs, jelly beans, and chocolate bunnies, were our two misshapen blobs with their little candy eyes staring up at us.

But you know, of all the Easter bunnies I've had throughout my life. Those are the ones I remember.

.

Easter Sunday

Oh, boy! We're going to hunt Easter eggs! Oh, boy!

Cody and Zach Moore

 

Hide them really well. We don't want it to be too easy.

Dennise and Johnny Moore

Waiting to be found.

Purple egg.

I've got my bag. I'm ready to start.

Annie

Now, where are those eggs?

Brittani

I'll sniff them out and find them all!

Annie

Ahhhh! Where are those eggs???

Cody

I'm never too busy to pose.

Shelbi

Mama, where did you put those eggs?

Brittani and Dennise

I think there's one in here.

Cody

Don't you see it, Uncle Mike?

Cody and Mike

And the surprise is what's inside.

Cody and Zach