WRITING AWAY Well, not really, but I'm getting there. Time has been a problem lately. And energy. The no caffeine, no sugar, no carbs phase of our diet had Tom and I dragging. We're feeling much better now, though, and also feeling slightly lighter. We're also walking almost every day. Tom has me doing 3 miles, and he does 4 or 5. Yesterday I went to an author book signing at Barnes & Noble. I found out some people in my church had a book out, so I wanted to meet them. It's always a risky thing--introducing yourself to strangers--but my feet got me in the store, and then they walked me right up to the display and that was that. I meet a delightful, encouraging couple, Bryant and Cindy Heflin. Turns out they have a connection to the writers group I've attended a couple times, too. Here is their website for your perusal: www.ProclaimHisGlory.org Here is the website of the author I heard speak last month at the writers group: www.WayneHolmes.com These are for my r...
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DEPRESSION Hi Everybody! How do you like the uplifting title for today? Don't worry, you don't have to read about it here. Our pastor has been doing a series on depression, so I want to give you access to it. If you can't use it, maybe you know someone who would. Go to www.apexcommunity.net Click on "gathering." Click on "listen." Click on "subscribe to RSS feed." (I'm assuming you don't have an iPod or whatever. If you do, you're beyond me and know what to do with the "iTunesPodCast" option). Underneath "Downcast, Part 1" click on the sermon title, which is "behindthedarkness." Pastor Rob will start speaking, so make sure the volume is up on your computer. Subscribing to the RSS Feed is free. If any windows appear with subscription costs, just x out of them. You do not have to pay to hear the sermon. And you don't have to sit there just listening to a sermon. I'm listening to it as I'm wri...
I'm Baaack! Yes, it's been a month, but look at all the excuses. First, we were at Mom & Dad Hardy's for a week (that's them with Aaron at the top left picture). We saw a magnificent ice castle, I built a "wild child" snowman, drove that big blue snowmobile all by myself, and --(last picture proves it)--lived to tell about it! We drove the entire 750 miles home in one day to practice for our trip to Seattle in June, and then the next day picked up Lisa and Joe from the airport and had a great time with them for the next several days. I then drove them to Joe's folks for the rest of the week. I spent the night with Brooke and Chris, and then us girls--me, Lisa and Brooke went for lunch and shopping the next day. As I drove myself back to Dayton late that afternoon, I cried most of the way. I think it finally hit me--it's been a grueling year: I've moved, my kids have moved, Tom changed jobs twice, I've started four different part-time jobs, ...
HARDY HOTEL This week our first international guest is with us. He's an exchange student at Aaron's school. His sponsor family took an emergency trip to California to see their grandfather. Aaron heard about it and extended the invitation to Kwan. Kwan's from South Korea. He and Aaron are having a great time-- busy, busy, busy --so I don't know if I'll get to know him too well. I just hope he feels at home and welcomed. We live right across the street from the school and are happy that this location is a help to Kwan and some of the other guys who come over after school to wait for their rides, or just hang out. Right now everyone around here is holding their breath to see if we'll be covered with snow or ice when we wake up in the morning. That's it, snow or ice. "Neither" isn't an option, I guess. A number of dinners, concerts and other events are already cancelled. Such are the delights of winter. Thanks for checking in on me.
Happy Birthday, Mom! Feb. 7, 2007 Today is my mom's 77th birthday! I'm celebrating with amethyst ink and the fanciest font available. I hope she has a great day, and that this year is full of blessings. She deserves the best. I'm very proud of her, and think it's especially cool that she is studying biblical counselling. She has a lot of wisdom and common sense to share, and I believe God can really use her counsel in my life and the lives of the rest of our family. You go, Mom! I love you! Aaron is celebrating his third day off school this week. Our weather temps are in the single digits, windchill bring them about 20 below zero. The 1 - 2 inches of snow predicted on Tuesday turned into over 6 inches. It's good hibernating weather, perfect for a long winter nap. . . zzz
HARDY HOTEL OPENING FOR BUSINESS THIS WEEK! My long-time friend Sandy is flying down this week from Wisconsin for a little R & R. Last week I found the best pizza in the world --right here in Dayton! And tonight I tried a new cinnamon roll recipe that makes two 9x13 pans of cinnamon rolls that are incredibly light and fluffy and mmm mmm good! So I am ready for business! At the end of February my daughter, Lisa, and her wonderful husband, Joe, are coming from Seattle for the first time (Yippee!). We've also got Muriel booked for May, when her granddaughter graduates from Miami U, and Tom's brother Jim might make it out here, too, to check out the Columbus area. What dates can I reserve for you? We'd love to have you! If only I could get Elmer & Fudd to carry the suitcases to your room. I've made some good progress on the book, so I appreciate your prayers for that. Email me if you want the cinnamon bun recipe--it uses a white cake mix, plus the usual yeast and fl...
Oh, Beautiful, for Spacious Skies, for Amber Waves of Grain . . . That song has been playing in my head all day! I finally took all the tour books from AAA, Mapquest mileage, and a calendar and started putting together our trip to Seattle in June. I'm getting excited! Maybe a little too excited, as I see 2 or 3 days of 800 miles. Hmmm . . . Maybe I should rethink some of those. Yet, they are miles through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa . . . If you've seen one cornfield you've seen them all, right? And we'll have 2 or 3 drivers . . . I hope Tom can go over this with me sometime in the next few days. Do we want to go through Denver on the way out, and Yellowstone on the way back? What's the difference between the Badlands and the Black Hills? Do we drive? Do we fly out and take a rental car back? How long can Lisa and Joe and Brad stand to have us around? How long can Tom, Aaron and I be cooped up in a Ford Explorer before somebody (probably me) POPS! And what's it goin...