I sense a project coming on!

Just call me Wheezy

And no, it's not because I finally got a piece of the pie. (Don't know what I'm talking about? Look
here.

For a couple of years now, I've been taking Singulair for my asthma. It has helped in the control department, but I've had leg cramps that just keep getting worse and worse. As I'm sitting here, my left calf is protesting life in general. All I can think of is my mother's famous chant of, "I sure hope it's not a blood clot!" Me too.

Doc placed me on Advair this last trip (with Singulair) and it seems to be really curbing the attacks. I'm thinking that perhaps it is time for Singulair to go bye-bye. I'm very tired of these cramps and would like a little relief.

***End of health-related whine/rant.***

Tired of PayPal's Fees?

Think PayPal.
Without their blue million fees.

How it works:
MoneyExchange is an easy, secure, and reliable way
to send and receive money online between accountholders for FREE.
FREE to register for an account
FREE to add money from your bank account
FREE to send money
FREE to receive money
FREE to request money
FREE to transfer money to your bank account

Account issued by First Bank & Trust, Brookings, SD, Member FDIC

and part of the Fishback Financial Corporation.

Looks Good! Right now they're even depositing $25 into new members' RM accounts. Mine was deposited yesterday. And, should you promote them on your blog/site (like above) you will receive a $10 referral fee. I'm going to give them a try. I've been dissatisfied with PayPal's monopoly for some time now.

Menu Plan Monday

I always menu plan, yet I actually remember to post to this meme once in a blue moon. So enjoy that beautiful blue moon!

Today:
Breakfast - Cereal
Lunch - Amish Pie
Supper - Salad and Pasta

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Grape Juice, country ham, eggs and biscuits.
Lunch - Build your own tacos, refried beans and spanish rice
Supper - Soup and sammies.

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Pancakes & Bacon
Lunch - Pinto beans, rice, cornbread & grilled pork chops
Supper - Loaded baked potatoes

Thursday:
Breakfast - Fried potatoes, sausage, eggs & biscuits
Lunch - Salmon patties, pinto beans, mashed potatoes
Supper - Homemade pizza with carrot sticks

Friday:
Breakfast - Oatmeal, toast
Lunch - Corn, green beans & meatloaf with rolls
Supper - Leftover meatloaf, mashed potatoes and leftover green beans

Saturday:
Breakfast - Muffins & fruit
Lunch - Meatball Subs, slaw and chips
Supper - Chicken Rotel with peas

Sunday:
Breakfast - Sweet Rolls
Lunch - Crockpot Chili and Hoagies
Supper - Grilled hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans & chips

Now, if your eyes are popping out at the huge lunches and skimpy suppers remember - hubby works 2nd shift. Therefore, lunch is our main meal of the day. And I'm much better off for it - both weightwise and indigestion wise. When we eat our main meal at supper I almost always have a reflux induced asthma attack.

If he goes back on first shift, I suppose I'll have to actually take my Prevacid, LOL.

I sought out information about "Seeker Churches"

I'm constantly amazed at how to "do" church right these days, there must be a jazzy kids' club complete with microphones, rockin' music and nightclub-esque decor.

How there must be screens everywhere with song lyrics superimposed over streams or beaches so people can be more comfortable just looking up at the screen instead of fumbling for and using a hymnal. (Never mind that the music is never on these - so if you don't know the tune you're left to mouth the words 2 seconds after everyone else. Never mind that the kid that runs the Power Point got distracted by a text message on his cell phone and forgot to forward through the lyrics 3 verses ago. I could go on and on - do you sense a soap box here? ;-) )

Golf scrambles and talent shows and raucous applause after each performance, er, song. How if you don't raise your hands and sway at just the right time, there must be something wrong in your spiritual life. (No, I'm just fat and don't feel like subjecting people to that. If the Lord tells me to sway, I'll sway.)

As more and more churches turn to the "Seeker" style, I find myself becoming more and more uncomfortable with it. It seems to me that the church is being set up as a sort of spiritual wal-mart. That those who are seeking will come for the egg hunt and leave with Jesus in their heart. And don't get me wrong, that does happen. But I am having trouble justifying it with our imperative to "Go ye therefore..." - and when I can't justify actions with scripture, the actions lose.

I found these on youtube and liked what Mark Driscoll had to say. What say you? (Edited to add: I've looked around the net a lot this past hour at what makes Driscoll tick. I've come to the conclusion that while I agree with a lot of his theology, I probably wouldn't care much for his methodology. Like I said, though, I do agree with him on this:

It's deadline time!

Some of you know I'm a graphic designer. One of my clients is a monthly sports publication. Monday is deadline. That means (a) I will be only limitedly available and (b) I will be, well....

Except for the whole the guy in the cartoon is a guy thing.

This cartoon was found on the web. I was unable to find original atribution for it. If it belongs to you and you don't want me to use it, let me know and I will remove it. I just didn't have time (or this much talent!) to do one from scratch.

You say tomato, I say tom-ah-to...

What a fun time we had! Mrs. L and I chattered like a couple of jays. The chatter was replaced with squeals of delight when we saw the prizes below. And no - that's so not all of it!

I steeled myself to be strong before going by relaxing in a tub of hot water with coffee and my sadly worn copy of The Complete Tightwad Gazette. (Here is the link to their web site, but most of the info there now is old: http://www.tightwad.com/ ).

I was good, but my frugal self could only stand so much. At least I kept it to vegetables and herbs. Only one ornamental. Okay, two. But they're the same kind and going in the same pot so it counts as one, right?! Right?! We saw so many wonderful, lovely plants. Like these:

See the chamomile? And asparagus fern? Oh, and the English Lavender to plant beneath my clothesline so my sheets will drape gently across it and lull us to sleep with its perfume? And the Big German tomatoes for BLTs? And the hot peppers that my son so loves to harvest?

And this absolutely adorable "Micro Tom" Cherry tomato plant. The tomatoes will be 1". And YES, it is FULL of blooms!

What? can't see the blooms? Of course you can. Look a little closer.

Of course, I couldn't leave out my own babies...planted lovingly by hand a couple of weeks ago. Introducing (drum roll) my baby brussles sprouts!

Brussels Sprouts...um...sprouting! ;-)

And last, a scene from my kitchen. And no, I don't have a problem. Lots of people are addicted to herbs. And gardening. And tea pots. I can quit any time. For a while.

Pots, Herbs and Kindred Spirits

I'm as excited as a kid on the first day of camp! Giddy as a schoolgirl! Happy as a lark! Okay, so you get it. I'm so excited I'm smiling despite only having had 1/2 cup of coffee.

Today, my new friend and I will head over to the Mennonite Gardens about a 30 minute drive from here. I've never been, as I didn't know the best places...or times...or..............okay, so I didn't have anyone with whom I could go. I do now!



Mrs. L's children attend the same gymnastics center as my son. We started talking and I found out she's Christian. Then I found out they homeschool. Then we got to talking about gardening, homesteading and chickens. We talked and talked and talked...and she and I are definitely kindred spirits! So Mrs. L and I are venturing forth.



I'll share the herby goodness of it all later.

Spring Cleaning in Progress...

When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along

written by Harry Woods part of "The Jolson Story",

and recorded by Al Jolson has also been recorded by Mandy Patinkin

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob bobbin' along, along,

There'll be no more sobbing when he starts throbbing His own sweet song.

Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head,

Get up, get up, get out of bed,

Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red,

Live, love, laugh and be happy.

What if I've been blue,

Now I'm walking through fields of flowers,

Rain may glisten, but I still listen for hours and hours.

I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song,

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob bobbin' along.

Yes, I've been gone.

I'm sorry. I've been battling a deep dark blue-funk. Depression. Not the most severe of cases, but enough that I just wanted to sleep. I won't go into the reasons, but the night sky was absolutely impenetrable. It was bad enough that my husband brought me flowers. For no reason. (I really did frighten him!)

About 2 weeks ago the stars began to wink reassuringly at me. Hinting that Mr. Moon was just behind a cloud. Then out he popped and my world was a little brighter. Here lately, the moon has reclined his sleepy head and I can see a hint of the sun just over the horizon. It was there all along. HE was there all along. I just needed that earthly healer - time. The sun is coming up, and here I stand to face another day.

My question for you today is this: "Have you ever wanted to leave your church? Did you? If not, why?" Mind you, I'm not talking about leaving the faith...just the particular group with which you have affiliated. I'm muddling through some things in my brain and would really love to hear about your experiences. Then we'll discuss.