Getting Caught Up.

Happy New Year to all!

As we crawled into the car for church this morning, the thermometer read -9 degrees! By the time we arrived at church about 25 minutes later it was 4 degrees. Of course, it is January in Western Pennsylvania. The trip to church was a pretty one, with the trees all frosted from the clear night air. There are plenty of icicles on many homes that seem to be growing and growing. It is supposed to warm up to above freezing this week--it will feel like a heat wave! The weather guys are saying that there may be a storm hit next weekend so we will see what we get.

With the temps being so low last night, it meant that our kitchen got pretty cold. It was 53 degrees when I came downstairs this morning. When we arrived home from church we put on a pot of chicken soup that I started yesterday and fired up our "Rayo" oil lamp. The Rayo gives off great light and plenty of heat. As of now, it is up to a toasty 64 degrees in the kitchen.

The chicken soup went well with toasted cheese sandwiches on home-made bread. Together they warm the soul. All that is needed is a fireplace or wood burner...someday, I hope.

The vegetable catalogs are arriving. These colorful beauties are a feast for the eyes. This time of year I am tempted to try all sorts of new varieties of vegies in the garden. The pictures make everything tempting to try. I haven't started my list yet, but I'm thinking about all sorts of fun garden goodies. Lord willing, I will be on both feet this year and able to get my hands dirty this summer.

We have been blessed with a new granddaughter, Ada Christiana. She was born on December 9th. We were able to visit her and her mom and dad in Chicago for a week and a half. It was wonderful to spend time with the kids in their new place and help mommy get some rest.

The grandsons were able to have Christmas in Atlanta with the other grandparents this year. They are due to return this week with their mom so we can celebrate a second Christmas with them soon.

"Forgive me if I have tried to add anything to the one foundation, if I have unconsciously relied upon my knowledge,
experience, deed, and not seen them as filthy rags, if I have attempted to complete what is perfect in Christ;
May my cry be always, Only Jesus! Only Jesus!
--from "The Life Look" from Valley of Visions


“It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”-Samuel Adams

Reorganized

When we first moved into this home, I was determined to get on a schedule that would help me keep up with the cleaning. This house is considerably larger than what we came from--three full floors--so I needed to get my act together. It worked great...as long as I kept to the schedule. Now I am at the point of needing to be back on a stricter schedule.

It seems that most folks work best when there is a regular schedule--a rhythm, if you will, to life. So here is my attempt at getting better organized and becoming more godly (since cleanliness is next to it).

Each day: clean up dishes
make bed
devotions
excercise


Monday: Dust and sweep second floor

Tuesday: Any ironing
Clean the bathroom
Burn paper between 9-1--don't get me started on the intrusion of our local government that tells me what day and during which times I can burn paper so it doesn't fill a land fill...ACK!!

Wednesday: Market day (spring-fall months
Catch-up day

Thursday: Sweep porch--spring/summer/fall
Feed plants
Burn in the afternoon

Friday: Dust and sweep first floor

Saturday: Market day
Burn between 9-1

Weekly chores:

Week One: Clean fridge

Week Two: Clean oven (if needed)

Week Three: Sweep down stairways

Week Four: Clean bathroom and sweep on third floor


Spring and Fall: Curtains, Windows

Fall: Carpet cleaning


Since there is just the two of us, laundry can be done as needed and according to weather conditions. It leaves time, too, for breadbaking and other baking. My hope is that, if I have cleaned the bathrooms and the rugs are swept, that if there is company coming, I just need to do spot cleaning. During the months that the garden and the yard consume a great deal of my time, this schedule allows for time to weed, cultivate, plant, harvest, mow, etc.

If I can get my chores done by noon each day, then I have time to quilt or sew or read without feeling that I am being neligent in homekeeping.

I'm open to your ideas and suggestions. Do you see something I've missed?


While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. --Samuel Adams