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We went to Zumba this morning and had a good workout. We came home, showered and walked Danny Boy. Then it was back to the church to help in the Kanal Kitchen. Once a month, we serve lunch to the homeless people. Erin and I were on clean-up duty. I washed, she rinsed and a couple others dried. Some people prepared and served. The young people help with preparing and serving and putting up the tables and chairs and taking them down. The high school has a program that requires students to do so many hours of volunteer work for their graduation.
The lunch was excellent. A choice of beef barley soup or chicken corn chowder, grilled cheese sandwiches, and home made bread. The desserts were provided by the ladies from the zumba class and there were lots of them. I chose the chicken corn chowder, the grilled cheese, a slice of bread, Ree's (the zumba instructor) pumpkin cake and chocolate cookies. The homeless people are all so very grateful. They looked happy and we were happy to help them.
I adjusted my timer for the Christmas lights. I have it in the shed with a long extension cord coming out and over to the east side of the house. The globe arborvitae, the Alberta Spruce, and my new little driveway tree lights are plugged into an outdoor outlet and that is plugged into the extension cord.
The other side has the driveway tree lights and the lights I wrapped around the spruce tree. They are plugged into the outdoor outlet near the front of the house.
After zumba, we went to the library and got three movies for tonight. The librarian picked up one and said, "This is blue ray." I said, "Oh no, I don't have a blue ray player. Do you have that in regular?" The other librarian looked around and pick out the new Pirates of the Caribbean. So I took that one. I tried to find movies that neither Erin or I had seen before. I was thinking about going to the movies tonight but it is too expensive. I get a senior discount but Erin doesn't.
Not long before this year is over.
Happy New Year to my blog reader buddies.
News from the Vorlon Wife
My red and green tree that I have in my bedroom.
My Blue, white, clear glass, and silver tree in the livingroom.
This lovely flower arrangement was given to me by Don's friend, Barbara who owns a Flower Shop in Pennsylvania. She made it of red and white carnations in the shape of Danny Boy. It is surrounded by greens, pine cones, Christmas balls and ribbons.
Tree lights alond Bethel Road across from the Marina at the Chesapeake Inn. I posted more of the walking tour of lights in Chesapeake City. The first two are drive by photos on the way out of town.
Yesterday was a rainy, nasty day. I had to take Danny out wearing his rain coat and carrying an umbrella so he could do his duty. I did some laundry and moped the kitchen floor. I did some work on the computer and that was it for the day.
The Chesapeake City Town Hall window display.
Pookie Poo's is a guest room at a Bed and Breakfast on Bohemia Avenue. It is a little house next to the main house.
The stage at Pell Gardens near the Chesapeake Inn.
Neil's Art Studio on 2nd Street across from Trinity Church.
A gazebo with festive lights in ack of the shops on Bohemia Ave.
Chesapeake Inn with all the boat docks lined with Christrmas lights.
More pictures of our walking tour to view the lights in Chesapeake City.
It was a quite day yesterday. I didn't do much except walk Danny Boy and put away the dishes and take the leaves out of the table. I took a nap in the afternoon. I was exhausted.
I put the batteries in my weather station that I got myself for Christmas. We had one in Vineland but when I went to take it off the wall, the wall paper started coming off with it so I left it. This one is wireless and at first it didn't work. The transmitter wasn't transmitting. I tried different batteries and it is working now. I have it sitting on the railing outside the front door so I have to mount it today. I guess I'll mount it on the shutter as it can't go on metal and I don't thing it will mount on the vinyl siding. I also got myself some new towels and rugs for the master bath. They are dark blue to match the blue stripes in the wall paper. They look pretty in there. New gloves and shampoo were in my stocking. My brother, Don gave me some CD's and DVD's that I had on my wish list. My brother, Rick and Sylvia gave me a nice warm fleece vest with a fur hood to keep me warm when I walk the dog. My niece, Tina and Sean gave me a Cinnamin Bun scented candle, and my niece, Cheryl and Ed gave me a pretty light blue and fleece throw blanket and a red hat, scarf, and glove set. The blue throw looks pretty in my living room which is blue and the red scarf set will look nice with my red coat.
Danny got a new soft harness that is advertised on TV and some Zanie plush bones that he likes to play with. They are not made by Zanie but they are the same. They are the only toys he plays with except for a little pluch Beany Dog. I bought him a few so when he chews them apart he will have more. It takes him a while to chew them apart. He bites off the plush part.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
We took a walking tour of Chesapeake City to view the lights on the houses in town.
It was a busy day yesterday. I was up before 6am, chopping up vegetables to cook in the crockpot before getting ready for church. My niece, her husband and their baby came to the service and we all went up to light the advent wreath. The church was packed once again. It was a lovely service. Pastor Mark was very happy to see all the people on Christmas morning. Some of the members told him to expect maybe a handful of people and what a big turnout there was.
After church, I had to get the ham in the oven, and then get Erin's stuffed shells in the oven, and get everything ready on the table with all the trimmings. It all went well. My brother and his lady friend were the first to arrive. Barbara brought a lovely floral arrangement of red and white carnations with greens. The white carnations were in the shape of Danny Boy. It is really cute. She also brought a big tray of browniew. Don brought a Marie Calander's cherry crumb pie and a casserole of baked apples with cranberries. My niece and her husband brought the sweet potatoes and my brother and sister-in-law brought the green beans almondine. Erin had made a pumpkin roll that was a big hit and I had baked a pumpkin pie. We are well stocked on goodies and even with my guests taking food home, we won't have to cook for a week.
After dinner, we opened our gifts and then had tea, coffee, and dessert.
It was a Merry Christmas and after a long day, it was good to turn in and call it a night.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Another view of the Blue Max Inn.
The Blue Max Inn Bed and Breakfast.
The Bayard House Restaurant.
Trinity United Methodist Church in Chesapeake City. Christmas candles are in the windows. Christmas Eve Service was last night and the luminaries were lined along the sidewalk. It was a beautiful candlelight service and the church was packed. I sang in the choir and we had several speacial music sessions in the program: the bell choir, liturgical dance, a duet singing "Mary Did You Know", a duet singing "O Holy Night", and the choir sang "While Sheppards Watched Their Flocks."
We will be having another service this morning. I will be lighting the Advent wreath. I hope my family attends to help me.
News from The Vorlon Wife.
This is one of the Christmas light displays on a house in Elkton. This house has many displays all around the house. It is quite spectacular. People come from all around to look at it.
Michigan winter barn #4 taken last January in or near Lake Odessa, MI.
This holiday helecopter sits atop the computer store across the road from where my niece lives.
I did some last minute shopping today. I still have a few more things to get like gift bags and some Christmas cards I got from people who I hadn't gotten from before. Also a couple gifts from people I hadn't recieved from before.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
This is an Orthodox Church in or near Woodland, MI. I don't know if it is Russian, Greek, or what. There are many branches of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Yesterday started with Zumba class, then lunch and then off I went for my Christmas traditions.
I stopped in at my nephew's. His wife was getting ready for their daughter's 4th birthday party today. Her little friends are coming. They will be having some kind of make-up table. Michelle set it up in their living room which has a white rug. I don't know how that will work out. It might be better in the children's play room in the basement.
I went on to my brother, Don's. He and I went to the cemetary to take the greens for the graves. I got grave blankets for my parent's and for Ted's grave. I also got a wreath for Ted's grave for his mother.
Don brought a wreath for my parent's grave and decorated it with holly from a bush that I had given my mother. The bush came from the Holly Farm in Millville, NJ. They were known for their Holly. The bush is one that doesn't need a male or female to produce berries. It is self pollenating. It was loaded with berries. Hollies did very well in south Jersey. They loved the sandy acid soil. The one I gave my mother did well in the clay soil. Since a lot of trees grew up in the yard, the soil has turned acid. My mother had beautiful rose bushes at on time but they are gone now because of the shade and change in soil. Danny went with us in the car and was so quiet, I forgot he was there. I asked Don if he were there and he was. He usually looks out the window to back at people.
Don got a new Christmas Tree. It was good to see his house decorated again. He hasn't put up a tree since my dad passed away in 1997. He said someone accidentally threw his tree out when we cleaned out the basement. I wondered what happened to his tree. He didn't bother to put one up because the only one who came to visit was me. Now he has a lady friend who helped him decorate the tree. She brought a pretty angel for the top and some pine fragrance diffuser. Don had a star on the top so now the tree has both. He got a lot of new ornaments as he couldn't find them either. We both looked the last time I was there. We found only a few red ones that he used. The tree is done in mostly red and gold with multi colored lights. It is 7.5 feet tall.
We watched the Night in the Museum part one. I left before it was over and got home to see the end. Part two came on at 8pm and we watched it but I fell asleep in the middle and woke to see the credits rolling. I'll have to get it at the library to watch commercial free. The commercials made the movie last until 10:30.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
I don't remember where I took this pretty holly bush covered with berries. I may have been at my niece, Tina's or maybe in town during the dog parade. It is festive for the Christmas season.
Yesterday, I worked around the house. I raked the east yard and still have to do the back. I put a molding on the wall in the blue room to support a mirror. It had to be screwed to the studs. It will work fine but I either have to screw the end next to the adjoining wall first or saw a sliver off so it will fit. It is a rounnd mirror so I chiseled a rounded slot for the bottom to fit in. Next, I have to drill some holes to attach the mirror to the stud at the top. I plan to get a fat piece of white rope to frame the mirror to give it a nautical look that will go with the theme of the room.
If I am successful with that project, I will do the same with the brass mirror I plan to put in the livingroom.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Michigan winter barn #2 taken last Janurary.
I did some more hunting around my shed today. I found my buffalo snow for under the tree and put my skating rink, houses, and train on the buffalo snow. I found my mother's Mrs Santa Claus that plays jingle bells as it turn on its music box. I found a lot of other decorations that were gifts over the years. I don't have my fireplace to display them on so I crammed them in here and there. I still have to put the lights in the Thomas Kincade houses. Tonight, I discovered that the light in the skating rink went out. What a bummer. I either have to take all the skaters, people and trees off it to see if it can be fixed or just leave it until after Christmas. The skaters don't skate anymore because the mechanism broke but it lit up and looked pretty under the tree.
I baked the pork chops that I bought yesterday and also the giant sweet potato that my neighbors, John and Carol gave me. I cooked up the broccoli and we had a nice dinner. I froze three of the pork chops and the other two, we will have tomorrow.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
The Cecil County Choral Society getting ready for their performance in Elkton, MD. I'm the first one in the front row on the left. My cousin took the photo using my camera but I arrive late and didn't have time to show her how to zoom in.
It was down to 20 degrees this morning and went up to about 41. It has now dropped down to 29.
We ran around doing some shopping today. I put up my old tree and the new lights I got for it last year. After I got the lights on the tree, one string went out. They are LED lights and shouldn't have that problem. They are a Rite Aid brand so I went to the Rite Aid in Middletown. They didn't have the blue and clear blinking lights. I got a phone call and my grapefruits were in that I ordered from a young girl in the choral group. I drove from Middletown to Elkton to pick up my grapefruits and to go to the Rite Aid there. They didn't have the blinking lights either. I got some clear ones that don't blink. When I got home, I plugged in the set that was out and it came on. I put it back on the tree and hope it stays working. I also put the new set on the bottom and you can't even notice that they don't blink. I put the blue, white and silver balls on the tree and the little plastic icycles. Now to find my garland. I'll have to tear the shed apart again.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Christmas lights on a house in Elkton. It is a large corner property with lights in the front, on the sides and in the back yard. We stopped by to take the photos after my concert. When we got home, I took Danny out and then we went to Maria's for pizza.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
A little church in Michigan that was taken when I was out there last fall.
I didn't do anything today. I had one of my allergy spells. I used to get migraines but sometimes I feel all the symptoms of a migraine without the headache. I thought I was coming down with a cold or virus but it has passed and I'm feeling better. I watched a couple movies in my bed. I watched White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street.
I'm glad I'm not coming down with anything because I have my last concert tomorrow. I would hate to miss it.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
This pretty gladiola was taken in September.
I finished my Christmas cards and took them to the post office. I got a box out of the shed to send a package but it smelled like stink bugs. The clerk at the post office got a box for me. It was filled with something and unopened. She emptied it and gave it to me. I was able to get all my mailing done except for the one card I got today from the head lay reader. I will have to be adding more to my list as they come in.
After the PO, I went to the Apple Barn and got the grave blankets and a wreath. They were more expensive this year but they look really nice and are well made.
After lunch, it grew dark and cold so I stayed in and vegetated.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
MI winter barn #1
A winter barn scene in Michigan. This photo was taken last January when I was in Michigan.
I did some shopping today. I went to Boscov's, Michaels, and Barnes and Knobles at the Christiana Mall. It was mobbed and it was a weekday morning. I would hate to see it on the weekend. I saw a lady from church at the book store. I'm getting to know and see more people in the area.
I'm still working on Christmas Cards. I'm on page 3 of my labels. There are 30 to a page. I see where I am missing some names so I'll have to send more than I thought. Also, I don't have anyone from this area on my list. I don't know who will be sending to me.
Cheryl and Ed had us over for dinner tonight. Ed made baked zitti, stewed tomatoes. brocoli, salad, and texas toast. Everything was excellent. I brought some snicker doodle cookies for desert. I bought them in the store. My mother used to make them. They were good but my mother's were outstanding.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
Michigan barn #40
I had another concert last night. My firend, Dottie, came to see it. She thought it was beautiful. It was held at the Cherry Hill United Methodist Church. It was near Dottie's daughter's house.
I started writing my Christmas cards yesterday and this morning. I have over 100 to send out. I may be half way throght the list but it keeps growing. I don't have any from Chesapeake City on it yet. I guess that's what happens when you live in different places over the years.
Such gloomy weather. It rained yesteday and is still raining. It is so dark that the solar lights did not get enough light to come on last night.
Poor little Danny. He doen't like rain but has no choice but to venture out in it to do his business. I put his coat on him but his head and feet get wet. I have to take him to the vet this afternoon to get one of his shots. Urg!
News from the Vorlon Wife.
I had my concert yesterday. During the intermission, I sat in the choir area and looked over and saw what looked like my cousin, Bob, the lady next to him was not his wife. So I figured it wasn't him. Then his wife, Jane, came in and sat down on the other side of him. So it was him. Meanwhile, they were looking at the program and saw my name. Jane said, "No it can't be her." Bob said, "Who else spells their name with a K?"
They were serving refreshments at the church where the concert was being held. I knew they lived in the area but didn't know what church they went to. We all went to the Presbyterian church years ago. Now we go to Methodist churches. The Presbyterian church was the local church where I grew up and in this area, the Methodist churches seem to be the local churches.
I still feel beat from too many late hours on the weekend. I did some shopping in Middletown today. I went to the dollar store and Walmart. I looked around Kohl's but everything seemed so expensive. I prefer Boscov's but it is further to travel. I will need to go there to get some gifts and also to Barnes and Nobels. The rest will get gift certificates to Restaurants.
Erin and I went to see the Christmas Light display on a house in Elkton. It is awesome. I almost forgot I had a finance meeting at the church. I took Erin back home and went to the church. I didn't get home until ten. It was a long meeting but we got things accomplished.
I am best so I'm turning in.
News from the Vorlon Wife.
It was 26 when I got up yesterday and this morning. Frost covered the roofs and grass. A little girl, Abby, came up to me with a handful of grass. She was fascinated with the frost on it. I think she took it to school. I don't think the frost lasted on the bus ride. I went to the church to pick up a bulletin for Sunday Service as I am the Lay Reader. I like to be prepared but when I got home to study what I had to do, I noticed the large print out I was given was not the same as the bulletin. When I discovered the mistake, it was too late to call the church so I had to study both. I tried to scan the bulletin into my computer but it wouldn't take. The bulletin had columns and it wouldn't scan properly. I did scan it into Photoshop OK but I wasn't able to convert it into a Word document to enlarge it. I wasted a lot of time on it. This morning, I retyped the part that I may have to read.
Last night, we drove to the Airport to pick up Erin's friend. He came for the weekend. His flight got in at midnight. I wasn't wild about the hour but I didn't want Erin to go alone. She's not familiar with the area yet and the Summit Bridge is closed. We had to take the Chesapeake City Bridge. Erin is taking him to Chesapeake City this morning and then to Philadelphia. Later tonight, we will meet at Sam's restaurant near where my brother's live. We have a cousin, Scott, who sings there. My Aunt, Scott's mother, and my brother will be going, too. It will be fun, but another late night.
