He Didn't Know He Was Going to Get Tofu

I'm still here and the birds are singing, there are bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover. Oh friends, it's been one attack after another lately on our entire family...Clearly attacks of the enemy, and we're trying to learn lessons from it all....Photon missiles as my friend Gwen calls them. So many families suffering with husbands not leading etc. and worse...I had committed to pray and fast for some suffering families at a church we are privileged to attend when we are able. Is it any wonder the attack of discouragement I was suffering? As my friend Gwen pointed out.

Also, you know? Blogs. Blogs can be misleading to many. Many think lives are just so perfect and no one at our homes ever shed a tear. So I'm thinking maybe it was good I let my hair down once again.

Okay, enough of that, ; ) You all who take the time to read here, dear friends who caught the last blog and left the sweetest comments ever are blessings to me! Things just need to be real sometimes and it starts with me. Real life coupled with discretion.

Without further ado here are pics from life fresh off the press! I'll be out of pocket next week so I thought I'd put these up this evening.

Here are some pics from last night date night. Do you like Fernando Ortega? We do! My hubby, Jem likes the song California Town about Fernando and his wife Margi traveling the roads of their loved town for a date time. Now Jem and I? We eat at sensible restaurants with good food and a nice ambiance. It works and it's just a good time to put on a cute skirt and a spritz of good perfume.

The pic here is of my trusty black cotton layered skirt with my new bargain shoes with the enormous roses on the toes...black shawl too. (Notice the cracked ground?) The drought here in Texas is very serious. Serious indeed. Another prayer request. (Many have lost their homes in wildfires) Animals are suffering.



You can play the Fernando song, California Town HERE and come along on our date
night!
I just had to run over and get this shot of the evening sky as Hubs was going to the car. So you've got the above, upward view of God's handiwork in the sky and the bottom view of my feet! ; )







"You ready to go?" Hubs (Jem) was in the car wondering whatever I was doing over there taking pics. Yes, normally he opens the door but time was a wastin'...I hopped in and away we went around those trees down the long bumpy driveway.

Little did this man know he would be eating tofu for supper. LOL I was so tickled, I told him I loved a certain dish and he was brave and tried it too!

We even saw an Elvis impersonator there at the restaurant! He was a very authentic one too! Elvis likes Asian food! So does his wife! (I would have gotten a shot of him but I did not have my camera in my purse!) I would have asked permission of course. : )

The Drive to the outskirt of Midtown, enjoy!

Back Home! A spider had done her art here...Neat?

THIS MORNING! Back to the nursing home.

Do you remember my nursing home friend? I was able to see him again this morning...Hubs even came too for a few minutes to meet our friends at the nursing home. So many stories to tell...This little guy is a darling though. His family member who is in charge of his room has taken special pains, a darling stuffed Christmas moose on his bed, several pictures of Jesus too. This sweetheart can't talk well, he can't hear well of course, oh he is so precious. I offer to walk him down the hall in his wheelchair, he sweetly says no, I lift my arms up in a muscle man position he laughs so cute...What a love. He had been on my heart and I was relieved to see he was okay.

One of our special friends, born in 1924 showed us this photo of he and his big sister and little brother. Is this not beautiful? He also shows us photos of his adventures in Africa in the desert with camels and such, it looked like a scene from the movie, Lawrence of Arabia. A darling man, he used to be an archeologist, never married. A sweet man, he does not brag at all, Michelle brought him a Bible recently. He wears a cross around his neck. He was so darling, he tells me when I expressed interest in seeing his photos, and was concerned perhaps he may be late for his lunch.. he whispers "It isn't very good anyhow" I thought it was so funny the way he said it with his nose wriggled
up.

Our sweet thirdborn daughter Michelle and our adorable sweet friend.


That's the latest. Praying for all and we always, always covet your prayers too.

xxxooo ~Amelia

A Poopie Misunderstood Day but the Birds Still Sing

Do you ever feel pooped out and unpopular at parties? (Think I love Lucy commercial for vita-meata-vegamin) Oh woe is me day....Think Eyore.

Today is a bummer day, jezebels and witches flying around on their brooms velvet claws ready to sink in. Scary. It's been that kind of a day for my daughters as well, it's like all hell let loose today.

Hubbies that are too buy looking for a styrofoam cup to take to work for their coffee to listen to what that manipulating creep woman did to me (again). Thoughts flying around my head like...Should I call my friend who I really don't talk to that much anymore and ask her about this seemingly creepy person we both are acquainted with and how do we handle such person? Or should I stay smart and shutteth uppeth. Something tells me to husheth and stay smart until further notice. Usually the messenger gets shot yes they do.

All in all, I have a lot to be very thankful for. Maybe if I would stop talking and listen I might hear the birds sing. Isn't God bigger? He knows it's been a poopie-misunderstood day for me and my girls. But God is bigger.

I do wish some of the local homeschool support groups would write back soon. (Edit 5:56pm: Oh yay! one did and they sound so very nice. Halelujah!) It seems gone are the days when we would sit around picnic tables and talk about sweet subjects, perhaps decluttering and the latest homeschool magazine. A glimpse of an English homeschool girl running up a hill barefoot with a guitar as my daughters were clearly amused back then.

There was no talk of degrees and such. That was not the thrust or heart of homeschooling back then 22 years ago, even just ten years ago.

I first noticed things were changing when I sat on a panel with three other homeschool moms at a homeschool workshop and one (unbeknownst to me) liberal one turned and attacked me in front of everyone because I was too homie and Jesus talking for her. Yep, think of a homie Sarah Palin being attacked by a mean suburban Blondie.

Time went on and another year I was attacked publicly online via our homeschool "support " group loop while over 300 families gawked. There is nothing worse than mean women they say and I believe it. If you ask me those attackers should be sent to help fight the war. The terrorists would run screaming to their mamas. Just kidding. Our soldiers are doing a fine job with very little appreciation or perks it seems to me. Yep, that season of the internet attack deal put me in a depression of sorts...Who wouldn't be? My oldest daughter Lea even took me out for Chow Mein lunch one day it got so bad. The birds still sing, and there were some who came to my public rescue including my hubby, yep, the same one who was looking for that styrofoam cup this morning...not listening. I'll always remember those who came to my defense and I do tend to have remembrance of those who sat on their hands and lips as well. My old pastor always said..."Those who remain silent might as well be on the other side."

But the birds still sing, and the next year the Lord used our family to speak in front of the broad assembly on the big fat podium platform. It was funny. About the time they were announcing our names, I look down as I feel something swarthing about my ankles. Hm. Horrors. It was my black half slip that had fallen down. Yep, a potentially rather embarrassing moment there. I was standing in the back of the huge room and took off to the back exhibit hall and hid behind a display and pulled that baby up and went trotting up to the front! Wow. I wonder if God did not allow that to happen to take the edge off of my nervousness. There were a couple of the attackers present as well as many encouragers there that day. The birds do sing and laugh too. God is faithful. I still receive blessed reports usually every year of mommies who tell me they were in the audience, and some of later years who were in our classroom, they tell me what we say sinks in and stays on their backburners. Some buy it at first and some don't but God finishes the speaking gig I have found. I love Him so. *tears*

God is faithful, He has allowed our family to share at this workshop in a classroom for over ten years. This year? We were edged out for a class from a community college on how to double credits. We were asked and then edged out. Who knows what went on...It could have been pure disorganization...They wanted my girls on a panel so I couldn't complain much because our girls have the same hearts we do but boy did it sting, it hurted. The younger homeschool mom who has homeschooled around 3 or 4 years or so years tell me..."maybe in the future"...."I didn't know how long you have been sharing"....That was the month this summer when I felt like a poor pitiful horsie put out to pasture. Hubs even had a message too that was not given. The birds still sing, and it did rather give me a stress free summer. I think God calls us to hide in the Kerith Ravine to rest. And I better rest in that if I know what is good for me!

At our home in the burbs we've had a Vessels of Honor Bible study that Marianna or one of our girls would teach Bible and then a homemaking lesson. We moved here to the country and for many reasons it would not be do-able here. Mar instead has it at a burb french bakery restaurant in their meeting room...a very homie place ...gee, they even have french lessons playing over speakers in the bathroom for pity's sake. Mar asked the families to please write her mom thank you notes to thank (me) for opening our home for those years. It broke my heart, we received one. Two complaints. The birds still sing, God knows my heart and He knows how it feels to be treated in that way too. Anyone remember the nine? How about the one who did give thanks to God? May we be that one!

Well, that goes for me today. I've been wanting to get some of this off my chest for a while, and today seems like the perfect poopedie doop day to do so.

I'll be fine, I just do not like manipulative people, some women think they can go stick their fingers in people's eyes and then lick their lips and ask what they did wrong. Some of them are plain mean. Unthankfulness and ungratefulness are also just too prevalent in today's society and church from what I'm experiencing lately. I suppose it has to do with the epidemic of busyness? Let me tell you, I grew up in a home, where thank you notes were written and written beautifully by all. I have boxes of letters written by my father throughout military school to his parents with the "V for Victory" stamps on them. I also recently came across a letter from my grandma written to my mom and dad upon marriage. Today? I cannot even expect a thank you note for a graduation or wedding gift half the time.

I'm thinking these nutty people can just shadow box by themselves and the rudies, ungratefuls and busies can just whirl in their busyness like flying durbishes. God can handle them, why should I bother?

Praying for the country, the nation, what is called the church.

If you've read thus far you are a friend in need indeed.

This post may soon be erased as I come to my senses. ; )


My Greatest Friend by John Drysdale
(I love this print, I saw it in a hippie pizza place restaurant bathroom in an old two story house in midtown.) I'm going to get me one of those prints to put in my bathroom by George! I love black and white. I love this message.



This could be me today...Sometimes we just need a hug.

Michelle is cooking dinner and hubs came in and says, "What'r you doing?" (That's Jem's way)...I half smile saying "nothing"...I don't want to toss my curls. I'll hide in the Kerith Ravine and let it go...The birds sing beautifully there.

40s Night and Favorites Galore to Share

Our little family decided to have a last minute informal 40s dress up party and then watch a good ol' 40s movie. The movie? Well that was quite a feat to decide because we have quite a collection of 40s movies. Now the perfect choice would be The Best Years of Our Lives but we just saw that one. So, the next one that happened to come to our minds was...Kitty Foyle. See trailer. I get tickled with Kitty Foyle. The voice in the theatre of her mind is played as she looks in the mirror. Kitty reminds me a bit of myself...Yes, if you could be seated in the theatre of my mind on many a day...You may get a kick out of it, that is for sure, for sure. And I love to see her tell those snobs off in the trailer above...Oh wow, how I would so love to say some of the same things to people in various arenas! In the movie, Kitty Foyle it's so nice the way it opens up with the fallacy of women's rights, even back then in the 40s the enemy was at work in homes, men overstepping what should be gentle leadership and women taking huge bites of Eve's apple. Kitty is perhaps going to marry a doctor, a rather nice doctor, the kind of doctor that is treating people to actually help people...She is swayed this way and that way, tragedy and triumph...There are some major twists in the movie that I should not tell. I will say the ending is a nice one, I breathed a sigh of relief. (I just love those doctors) ; ) So the above was my outfit for our little 40s party. Pearls, pearls and more pearls with a black ribbon in my hair with a red and white every day frock from Eva's blog and as you'll see below my simple black flats. Janie has her black cloche hat even in the kitchen, even with rubber gloves mind you! I see a pretty reflection of Grace too. Joycie above has her flower in her hair true to vintage 40s hair style. Zuzu? She had already gone upstairs to change back into everyday clothing. (We'll get her another time) : ) A walk to the back of the property after dinner of course. And the sky is lovely back there, so very lovely, this sky reminded me of an old fashioned western movie. ......................... A cup of coffee? Do you have favorite coffee cups?  Joycie brought this one home to surprise me a couple of years ago from the resale shop, it's someone's nice china cup leftover from an old, old set. Perfect for me to enjoy a nice cup of afternoon coffee with some whipped cream on top... What afternoon is complete without an order of wonderfully real retro fabric delivered to your door? This fabric is from the 40s or early 50s, I just love the print and have already made an skirt out of it with enough leftover to make a blouse. The fabric is 36 inches wide and is called "Old Rose", a regulated cotton. "Never Misbehaves"! (That just really tickled me!) The quality of this material is so very nice. It has been perfectly preserved. Into the washer it went, oh this pained me to put this beautiful material in the wash. Poor material. I washed it twice, it's amazing how strong the coating on this fabric from years ago was. I wonder what they used back then? This is my skirt I made paired with dark brown faux suede flats. The skirt went well with a casual knit top I already had; belted with a dark brown soutache belt that had been sleeping through the summer. Okay, ready to go out. Do you like my outfit Jem Speaking of date night...Do you have favorite outfits? For outings or at home? I thought it would be fun to post our favorite outfits. Leave me a comment if you want to participate. I got this idea from the Opulent Poppy, Eva and thought it sounded like fun! Would you like to join me? I hope so! : ) This is one of my favorite tried and true date night outfits. I love this basic black v-neck ruched neckline top with printed skirts or even a solid black skirt with a scarf belting the top. My tum looks like it's pooching here but I do think it's the sash attached to the skirt! : P Oh well such is life, photos have a way of doing some strange things do they not? ; ) This is one of my favorite beginning of fall outfits for everyday. I love these vegan Earth shoes, they were a blessing. i needed some earth shoes, vegan. I cannot pay the amount for new earth shoes right now. I found these on ebay almost like new for a fraction of the price. God sure knows what He is doing! I had a ball the other day in Smalltown by the way...I have had a lack of fellowship lately. There have really been some surprising lack-of it seems (people behave so strangely, just plain weird). Sometimes I feel like the old movie director Frank Capra, he would be so very hurt by people misjudging him to be conceited etc. so he would retreat, and then when he would try to be friendly people thought he was eccentric! Poor Frank Capra. I'm not sure if I'm eccentric but I love to laugh, talk and ponder...Do you know Frank Capra was from the same village as my Grandpa? Bisacquino, Sicily. Frank Capra and my Grandpa even looked alike, they were born three years apart. ..But the Lord is so good. I went to our sweet little smalltown tinyWalmart and it was like walking back into time... I almost teared up there in the store I did as I was standing in the baby department scoping out cloth diapers I buy from time to time for various things. It was just such a perfect picture of yesteryear in so many ways...I was loving it there. I moved on over to the canned goods and there was my Master Chef coffee. A large can for only $5.29! It's just like Maryland in case you're wondering. A lady my age came and talked and talked with me. We talked about the drought and how she was saving food and how awful the now tv programs are...and she also warned me there are fish dying in the river by the thousands! We are not hearing about this on the news! The fish are not getting enough oxygen! This is going to affect our food chain, things are not good folks. Pray hard, I do believe God is trying to get our attention! All in all, the lady was precious. Then I mosied on over to the vitamins and lo and behold I see a lady built much like me on a Dr.Scholl's foot machine. I couldn't resist. I asked her what that machine was for? We had a lovely conversation. Both conversations from these Christian ladies were so uplifting for us all, and the Lord was paramount. Fellowship at Walmart in Smalltown. God loves me and He loves those ladies too. Divine appointments... And here is a great shot of the huge-huge longhorn cow and the horse behind the drive in we stopped in for some good ol' iced tea before our grocery expedition. Yes, expedition. We walk out with two filled carts and lots of amused looks. : ) Notice this Longhorn is larger than the horse! So here are some closing shots, these are from our date night last night...Hubs took a pic from his cell of me across the booth from him in the dim lights. We went to a wowie green restaurant in Midtown. The food and atmosphere were GREAT, the people were so sweet there. I couldn't resist going back into the lady's room and getting this shot of the painting of Ray Charles, this made me *smile*. My husband was amused, I told him "Oh this is fun!". I'm a little girl at heart. <3 He is a little boy at heart... Jem. The above is from the back of our property...Nearby wildfires. Our smoke alarms went off several times that night. Pray for the great state of Texas. Wildfires and drought. So many have lost their homes, animals are also suffering greatly. A deer coming to our pond in the middle of the day for relief. That is all, the underline is sticking so I think it's the Lord's way of whispering to me It's time to get going on some other projects. : ) Bless you All, let me know if you're posting outifts or coffee cups. I know clothes and cups are not the most important thing but it is fun to do and it may just help us simplify some things too by finding out what we truly like and use. Joyful fall blessings, ~Amelia (Jem & Scout) P.S. Looking for a sweet family movie? See The Story of Will Rogers on my VisionForaGodlyHome.blogspot An authentic Italian Soup Recipe? Vegetarian at that? See my thats-italian.blogspot