Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Life in the Creek and Wednesday Medley

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Wednesday, January 16th, is National Do Nothing Day!! National Nothing Day was proposed in 1972 by columnist Harold Pullman Coffin. This day has been observed annually since 1973. Of course, the way to celebrate it is to do nothing! 

1.  To commemorate Do Nothing Day in SOME way, tell us something about your life (or the life of someone close to you) in 1973!! 

 1972, as close as I could find to 1973.
We lived on a farm in Wisconsin, out in the middle of nowhere.
We still live on a farm in Wisconsin, out in the middle of nowhere, but a different farm and different nowhere.

December 2018.
Not a farm, definitely not the middle of nowhere.
London

On the left, that curly-haired toddler (in the photo above), and what he looks like today.
Along with his youngest son. See the family resemblance?!!
Advent, 2018

2.  Now that we are thinking back, please tell us what your favorite past time was as a child.
It would be a toss-up among the following: baseball, riding horse, climbing trees, playing football, building forts, swimming in the creek (crick in those days).  

 Everyone likes to play in the creek!



3.  What is the best way to cheer you up on a bad day? 
Remind me of Who God is and Who I am, and let me ponder that for a while. That's the absolutely best way, as long as it's done in love.  After that, make me a Full English Breakfast, but never ever at breakfast time, only ever at dinnertime. 

Mine would be nitrate-nitrate?-free bacon and gluten-free bread.
And Mr. C usually cooks the tomatoes a bit longer.
And a few olives would be a nice addition.

4.  How old were you when you first started dating? Do you remember your first date?
I don't think there was a 'dating' thing going on in my life. I was still doing all those things mentioned in the second question's answer when I was 15 or 16. But I do remember going to a movie with a neighbor boy after getting permission (a very reluctant permission) from my dad. Both the movie and the boy were quite underwhelming. I was far more interested in professional baseball and horses.

I think that's Queen Anne's Lace just under the fence.

5.  Today is also National Fig Newton day.  Do you like figs/Fig Newtons?
I actually do like Fig Newtons, not any other kind of fruit in them, but figs, and I never ever buy them. I think it would be too easy to eat the whole package of cookies, and besides, they're not gluten free. I tend to have an issue with cookies. The word 'nemesis' fits here. Even my own delicious double-chocolate gluten-free cookies filled with extra chocolate chips and lots of chopped walnuts. See what I mean?

It's been a year and a half since I had help making cookies!



6.  Tell us something random about your week.
I wasn't going to mention this, but the whole nation knows that a 13 year old girl who lived not 20 miles from us escaped her captor last Friday and was reunited with her extended family after her parents were murdered and she was kidnapped 87 days earlier. The whole story was all over the news and Facebook (which I'm not on), but I just wanted to say one thing about it: Do not ever stop praying for someone. Don't ever give up hope. The fact that this girl is alive and was held captive within an hour from her home is nothing short of incredible. I think everyone was shocked that this was a single perpetrator and that all this time he and the teenager were in the general area. Praise God that she managed to escape. And this girl will need the prayers of all who are willing to pray for her as she moves forward - having heard the murder of her father, witnessed the murder of her mother, and lived with the trauma of captivity for three months. Lord have mercy.


Three boys, one toy
But they were nice and shared.
Most fascinating were all the noises it makes!
Least interesting were the darling fleece footie pajamas 
that probably got thrown out with the wrapping paper. LOL
Late Christmas gift opening last Saturday
(grandson)


*** 
Lastly, these two are often in the same room where I'm working (or playing). I have a conference table set up in the library where I'm starting to work on my England journal. What a project! At least I kept daily notes on my phone, so I have text to go with the photos and ephemera.

Tommy & Smokey

 Don't ask me why the rooster napkins are in there.




***



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Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!
Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning
Judy

25 comments:

  1. Judy... I got misty-eyed when I heard that that poor girl was found. I didn't realize it was so near you. Have a good weekend and stay warm!!

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  2. The men in your life sure do look alike!
    I am still praying for that poor girl. My first thought when I heard she'd escaped (after 'Thank God') was what a long, difficult road she still has to travel to recover from so much trauma. I'm praying, too, for her family and also for the family of her captor....I can't imagine the heartbreak of having a child/sibling/etc. who could do such a thing.

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  3. he he he on 3 boys one toy... men and their toys, my boy is 82 and still loves toys. of course my toys are tech toys, so I guess I am the same. love all the photos of family and felines... you are right about the girl still need prayers and help. we can't even imagine what she went through. I did not know it was that close to you...
    I can't remember anything from 1973 except I had two boys 6 and 8 and both parents working 2 jobs to feed them. I don't need a do nothing day because I do them all the time. I do what I want when I want. and mostly I want to do nothing but READ which is what I did as a child. the only date I ever had was not really a date. at 16 I asked a friend to take me to a birthday party... my first date would have been going out after church with the man I married, and I was 18 and working.

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  4. The story of that young lady just broke my heart. I hope God will grant her peace and healing in the days to come.

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  5. That poor girl! Yes, I had heard about her story because one of my cousins live in that area and she kept me updated.

    Your summer memories sound lovely!

    Blessings~

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  6. Judy, I can't imagine doing absolutely nothing. I'm with you on the breakfast.... my favorite meal to eat out when someone else cooks all the bacon! Lots of activity in your neck of the woods at the moment from Jayme's return. Had to imagine the mind of the kidnapper.

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  7. That story is absolutely horrid!! What is society coming to?? UGH! Sending so many prayers for her and her extended family! Your cookie baking helpers are absolutely adorable!!!!

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  8. Can't believe that horrid event took place so near where you live. I have thought of that poor child and all the trauma she is going to have to overcome. Yes, she needs all of our prayers for sure. Love the looks of that breakfast, it's my favorite meal for sure. Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. Love your pictures!! We have to thank God for watching over the girl. So happy she is safe and back home, but like you said she will need lots of prayers to continue to recover from this horrible situation she went through.

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  10. Hi Judy,
    Prayers for J. Closs and family. Goodness! Her Aunt Jennifer lived at the end of Arlington. When we took Molly for walks J would stop and say Hi. Of course, it was just in passing.. then when this happens. Goodness!!
    Praying for her and the family. And for the family of the young man who did it.

    Good luck with your journal.
    Carla

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  11. Oh my gosh I love your photos as usual. Tommy and Smokey sure are friends there.
    I don't think I have ever had a do nothing day. I think I would go crazy. I can see the resemblance in grandpa and grandson. You two are a very handsome couple together. I like to start and end the day with God. too. So do you grill the tomatoes before you eat them? I love cookies and figs too. I hope you have a wonderful day. Sandie

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  12. I enjoyed your medley answers and other information, too. Your family before and afters are great. Ugh about that poor girl. I can't imagine...Lifting her up in prayer right now.

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  13. Well, I like those rooster napkins and they look just like the sort of thing that pops up around my house. Lovely family Christmas photo, at the end of the post.

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  14. Amen to never giving up on prayer! What an amazing story! Crazy it was so close to you! I loved your answers! Have a nice week!

    https://lorisbusylife.blogspot.com/

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  15. We often have breakfast for dinner too! Yours looks really good! I've seen that story on the news here in Seattle and you're right, it's absolutely heartbreaking what that poor girl has lived through. Praise God she is safe now and can begin the healing process.

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  16. I did not know about that poor girl and she certainly will need a lot of help and prayers now. I love your tow study companions

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  17. I'm late making the rounds again but I thank you for joining in the Medley yesterday! I always love the photos you share on your blog and those that go with the 1973 question are so great! And yes, I do see the family resemblance there!! Happy Thursday!

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  18. Yes, I do feel inclined to pray for that precious girl and confess that I had given up on her. Her story is, alas, not the only one. We have many such incidents around the world and human trafficking is often in the news, though I don’t see the stories given the time they deserve. Perhaps local media does better. Thank you for the reminder to pray.

    Yes, some of the men in your life do have striking resemblances. Very cool.

    Love that photo of you and Mr.C in London. Was he happy? 😉

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  19. I have been praying for that young girl as well. So thankful she was able to escape, yet know she will have so much to process and overcome. God is able.

    Loved your answers and photos old and new.

    I especially liked your answer to the "cheering up" question. The first part is a lot like mine. And if I'd thought of the second ... yes, food is very cheering as well, especially breakfast food like that.

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  20. Tommy and Smokey look sooooo business-like and ready for a conference! What a lovely photo of you and Mr C in London. I've been kind of overwhelmed lately and need to catch up on a few posts--love reading about the trip.

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  21. I sure enjoyed reading these...I somehow missed it that that poor girl was kept there in the neighborhood. You are so right...she is going to need a lot of prayer.

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  22. Incredible that this girl was able to escape, and how true it is that prayer can truly make a difference, we will need to keep praying for her heart to heal after such unspeakable tragedies in her life! It is terrible to hear things on the news, but for it to happen practically in your backyard is so unsettling! You and your husband have aged beautifully! Lovely picture of the two of you both as newly married and then sitting together enjoying the delights of London! So fun to have such precious moments with the grandkids! A London journal sounds delightful, you must share it when you finish it! Have a blessed week :)

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  23. This was a "feel good" post, looking back on childhood memories and seeing happy faces of today:) I agree that we should never stop praying or give up on anyone. I followed the story about the escape and Jayme's return to to her family! Prayers answered all over the place! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

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  24. What a warm and cosy post... I love before and after memory pictures... Such happiness that has extended throughout the years in your happy home with your grandchildren...What a blessing to pass the joy forward to a new generation. Thanks for sharing.

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  25. I enjoyed reading this! And seeing the old photos! How young we were. I just did something with old photos for hubby's retirement and my mind is really full of memories and God's faithfulness over the many years. I also figured out my comment problem so think I'm back in gear again! Stay warm! We are having some rigid weather and I'm loving it (because I know it won't last long.)

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