Edifying one another and not gossiping

About 16 months ago, God used some wonderful verses to challenge and change me.  

Proverbs 27:17  - "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man  sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."  

I love this word picture.  Iron is strong.  One piece of iron is capable of sharpening another piece of the same substance.  Do I sharpen others with my words, actions, and presence?

I Thessalonians 5:11 - "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."  

I am a recovering "Selective Edifier."  I'll be honest I like edifying some people.  Other people not so much.  God began working in my heart to edify the "hard-to-edify" people.  He, also, asked me to step away from un-edifying situations.  This was the hardest thing I've ever done...but when I asked God for help, He provided a beautiful way.  Honestly if you heard the particular way He worked this out, you too would have a WOW moment.

Proverbs 20:19 - "Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler."  {ESV}  "He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips."  {KJV}  

I struggled with the "do not associate" and the "meddle not" because if I am honest, being in the know back then felt nice.  Once I stepped back from the "know," I realized the beautiful gift of not meddling.  It's restful.  It's peaceful.  If someone wants to share something with me, I count their trust as a precious gift.  

Proverbs 11:13 - "A talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter."  {KJV}  "Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered."  {ESV}   

I want my friendships to be a place of trust and rest and peace.  I want friendships where I can ugly cry and share and know that it will stay between us.  

I want to edify and build people up.  

I want trust and compassion.

I want friends who are genuine.

I want non-talebearing friends.

I want a purity in friendship that is a balm.

I want Jesus radiate in and through my friendships.

Adventures in Knitting: Hedgehog Mitts

I love knitting.  
I love knitting for others.

Earlier this Fall, I knitted a mermaid tail.  Feeling pretty confident in my knitting accomplishment of the gills, I decided it was time to learn something new.  By accomplishment, I mean my ability to email the pattern's creater, wait for her response which contained a tutorial, to watch said YouTube tutorial and follow along.


Columbus Day weekend JoAnn Fabrics had a 60% off one item coupon.  Since I had learned several months ago that JoAnn's removed the book purchasing with a coupon restriction, I decided to use my coupon on a knitted animal hats, scarves, and mittens project book.  

I chose Fiona Goble's book titled, Knitted Animal Scarves, Mitts, and Socks because of the cover photo of hedgehog mittens.  I know someone who LOVES (L-O-V-E-S) hedgehogs.  

The pattern called for wool-blend yarn and size 8 straight knitting needles.  I purchased two skeins of wool-blended yarn that looked hedgehog-ish.  The size 8's were already in my needle collection.  At this point I was super excited about the straight needles...not that circulars or double-pointed needles (DPN) scare me anymore.  I was just nervous about using DPN needles to shape the thumb.  That part seemed tricky but not so much with straight needles.

My first attempt to knit the mittens was so-so at best.  Something went amok when I lost track of what row I was knitting.  Upon noticing my mistake, I happily removed the yarn from the needles and undid the stitches.  No worries.  There's a first time for everything.

My second attempt made it all the way to the thumb-forming which made no sense to my brain.

My third and fourth attempts were noble at best with a dash of frustration.  After the fourth attempt, I put the pattern book and yarn and needles in a project time-out.  I hid my knitting bag in my craftroom.  I did not think about the hedgehogs.  I did not talk about the hedgehogs.  The hedgehogs (for a period of 2 weeks) remained dead to me.

After 2 weeks, I pulled out my bag and began again.  

My fifth attempt - my new co-worker was kind of worried about my sanity.  I asked him to read aloud the row that confused me.  He, being a non-knitter, offered words of encouragement but not words of how to help a knitter.  I was on the verge of swearing off knitting...but something inside me kept telling me to finish what I started.  Also the little voice began suggesting an email / mail correspondence to the author. 

My 6th attempted mitten got me all the way to the hedgehog nose before I realized the thumb was knitted on the wrong side.  Since there was a bit of a knot in the yarn during this unraveling, I cut the yarn and threw the messed-up hedgehog mitten in the trash.  So long $2 worth of yarn and so long to my sanity.  What would I do if I quit knitting?  What about all those fun patterns that I still want to make?  What about the loss of dishcloths for my family and friends?  What about knitting circles worldwide?  I cannot quit.  I must persevere.

At this point, I informed my non-knitting co-worker that it was time to pull out the big guns.  I searched through the book and found the publisher's email.  I, then, went through the book to the author's note where she gave thanks to so-and-so for knitting and trying out the patterns.  Once I had obtained the pattern-checker's name, I opened Gmail and sent an email with a subject line "Please forward this to the knitter _______."  

Less than 24 hours later, I had an email from the publisher saying she forwarded my email to the actual author.  THE AUTHOR!!!!!  I love it when I can correspond with the author.  I should note that I had asked the publisher - now author - to explain the thumb-shaping to me like I was a third grader.  

Less than 12 hours later, I had a response from the fabulous Fiona.  Due to my lengthy email explaining what was happening (or atleast what I thought was happening) to my hedgehog, the author was able to figure out where I was confused.   With straight needles, at the end of each row, your needles switch hands.  At my bad spot, the pattern said to knit x-number of stitches & turn to cast-on 1.  Next row do this ____.  Because the pattern said, "NEXT ROW" after the turn & cast-on 1, I turned it where it should NOT have been turned. 

Fiona even offered to knit the pattern herself to see if that would help me.  I cannot believe that she would take the time to help me.  the very confused hedgehog mitten can't-knit-a-mitten knitter across the Pond.  (Did I mention Fiona lives in England?)

Yesterday ( 12/16/16 ) I pulled out my size 8 needles and I once again cast on 34 stitches and began the 8th hedgehog.  When I got to the thumb-shaping row, I re-read her email response and it totally made sense.  An hour-ish later, I had a completed sans-eyes and nose hedgehog.  I played 2 more episodes of Gilmore Girls while I finished the left mitten.  

Sometime around midnight, I had both mittens done.  

Looking at them - you can tell I was more relaxed when I knitted the left one.  It's a little "bigger" due to a looser stitch.  

I'd like to knit another pair now that I kinda-sorta know what I'm doing.

Tag #772

For the past couple months, Rosie's brakes have been making a noise.  It started out with I-should-think-about-getting-brakes to I'm-going-to-make-the-appointment-soon.  

Today was the big brake day.  

When I go to schedule Rosie's appointments, my only options are:
1. Drop Rosie off at 7:00 a.m. and get shuttled to work
or
2. Use a few hours of vacation and wait while Rosie gets worked on.

Since brakes take almost 2 hours, I opted for the 7 a.m. drop off.  Plus I really didn't think I would be able to be away from the office that long today as tomorrow I am going to Rescue Mission shopping for our employee Christmas project.

Grant, the shuttler, delivered me to my place of employment in record time.  Mulford is such a lovely road to travel at 7:10 a.m.  We encountered minimal traffic and the roads were lovely as the windblown snow had been plowed.  

Rosie needed new front brakes and rotars.  She also got her back brakes cleaned which I am sure has to feel good.  Since they were checking out her underside, they said for $4 per clip, they would replace Rosie's missing 3 clips.  Where did those clips go?  Perhaps those clips are like Bobby pins.  Where do Bobby pins end up?  There must be some magical place with millions of Bobby pins.  It's probably next to Missing Sock Avenue.  

As the day progressed, I waited to find out if Rosie was done.  No call.

We had our department Christmas lunch-out.  That event came and went.  No call.

Finally at 2 p.m., I called.  Rosie was done and Grant, the shuttler, was able to come and fetch me.

I love the service guys.  They are always very friendly and helpful.  I appreciate so very much that they do not talk down to me.  

When I went to the cashier station, the gal handed me Rosie's paperwork and keys and said, "You're all set!"

"No, I still have to pay," reaching for my wallet.

She, then, proceeded to tell me that Santa had paid my bill.

"Santa?  Santa Clause?" I questioned.

"Yes, Santa."

I stood there shocked with tears streaming down my face.  I remember saying, "I don't understand.  Who would pay my bill?  Santa?"

The cashier came around the counter, hugged me and said, "You're going to make me cry.  Yes, Santa paid your bill.  Merry Christmas, Angie!"

Even now...it's been almost 5 hours later, I'm still amazed and thankful and totally in awe that the Lord would put this on someone's heart.  He impressed someone to pay my bill.  He choose this very thing to bless me with on this very day.  

I do not know who Santa is.  Well, I mean, I KNOW HIM!!!!!  But whoever this "Santa" is - thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You have been a huge blessing to me.  

 

I'm regretfully declining lunch...

Dear ______,
I regret to inform you that I won't be able to attend the lunch presentation today.  In my quest to get out the door to vote this morning (and then getting trapped behind someone who wanted to vote for BOTH Donald and Hillary thus rendering her ballot "Spoiled" and the volunteers trying to determine what to do with the compromised ballot and waiting for my turn)...and then realizing it was raining and I forgot my umbrella thus causing me to return to my apartment to grab said rain protection equipment and then stopping at Starbucks because I can't believe today is Election day and the 2 clowns running are on our ballot - and the strongest beverage I consume is a cafe mocha, I did not infact bring a lunch today. 

I do not trust the food that is being brought in. 

I do not want to be sick because I am already super stressed out with something that went out to bid today and we (I) have to put together 301 page spec books and guess who many I have assembled?  ZERO!  Zero because our consultants are total crackheads.  {I do not know if they actually do drugs but their submitted document is enough to bring me to tears.}

*Sigh*

I'm sorry I won't be there today.  I'm going to have sushi and get away from this 301 page document.

I hope ___________ will forgive me.
Me

My Post-October 15th Personal Policy

I LOVE FRIDAY NIGHTS!!!!!  There.  I said it.  Friday nights have become my I'm-not-making-any-plans night.  Why?  Because the first 10 days of October drove me to tears.  After working all day (in an intense office setting), I had something every single evening and on the weekends.  It honestly about did me in.  Maybe over-scheduling is not your thing...but I just wanted to quiet my heart.  Quiet my life.  During those ten days, I did some real soul searching and what I found was an empty, sad version of me.  Me.  The girl nicknamed "Fun Angie."  I was drained.  

Around mid-October, I decided it was time to say, "No" to some things that were not my very best YES.  I do worry about people being disappointed when I am unable to help them.  I prayerfully set that aside.  My faux yes to something that should be a big fat NO is not beneficial to me and my spirit...nor will it typically cause me to a fountain to the person (or people) I am serving and/or ministering too.

When I started saying, "No" to those ho-hum things, I had more time and energy to say YES to those God-assigned homework assignments.  The first being a tutoring club.  I get the opportunity to work one-on-one with a sweet little hamster-loving 5th grader.  

I signed-up to make a meal for my dear friends.  

I visited my friend in the hospital.

I bought yarn to knit a baby gift.

I, also, got to take time for things that I like to do.  During the October 1st through the 10th stretch when I was all out of sorts, I did not do a single thing that my soul wanted to do.  I'm not neglecting that anymore.

It's not selfish.  In one circle, you will hear that it's all about God and others...and yes, it is...however when I neglect me, it really does effect the other two.  I'm done being that girl.

I'm done yes-ing away my life.  

I realize my not yes-ing is going to cause people to bawk and probably have dizzy spells.  But I can't.  I can't be everyone else's superhero and lose me.  

Sooo back to my Friday evenings...  My post-October 15th Personal Policy regarding Friday evenings is as such:

1. I skip the gym.   It's Friday.  Ain't nobody got time for that!
2. I let my crockpot slave away all day making soup.
3. I allow myself an evening of leisure.
4. I try to go to bed at my normal worknight time.  
5. I mentally put a gigantic "X" through Friday evenings on my hacienda because I respect them.

My Fridays are stressful.  I stay late at work to print out payroll stuff so my Mondays are not as stressful.  I wrap up the week's work and try to mentally prepare for the upcoming week.  Even thought I plan for the following week, when I skip out the door, I do not give sewer another thought until Monday morning when my alarm clock chimes at 5:25 a.m.  It's beautiful.

I wish the bawkers of my new-found no license would ask ME why I'm saying no.  Why don't we ask why?  Why don't we search out what the reason is behind the why so we can be a blessing to others?  This is what I've been praying...

Lord, Thank you for assignments you give me.  Help me to know Your peace for the ones I should accept; help me know the ones I should decline.  Fill the assignment-asker with patience and understanding when I do decline.  Open up another assignment-taker's heart so that they may fill in on their assignments.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

I love that I am sitting in my living room at my computer blogging.  The last couple of weeks I've been posting from my phone.  It's not the same. 

Happy weekend-ing!!!!

For 8 days...

...I said, "Yes!" to everything.  Yesterday morning I woke-up and said, "YESSSSSS TO MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"  I said yes to the Apple Butter Festival and spending time with my brother.

My cupcake conundrum

A Dunkin Donuts has opened up around the corner from my place of employment.  It's literally less than a mile from my desk to a warm cup of DD coffee.  Oh, how happy this makes my coffee-loving heart.  For 8 quarters, 1 nickel and 1 penny, I can get a medium coffee with creamer and a splash of mocha.  

Last week my department was cold due to the fact of the fluctuating temps - cooler in the morning and then afternoon warm-ups.  I really do love Fall.  Our copyroom is always cold because our new fandangled copier jams if the humidity gets above 3%.  Maybe that is a smallish exaggeration but it's close.  

So last week not only was the copyroom a tundra but our actual department was cold.  Cold as in I'm-so-glad-I-have-an-emergency-sweater-in-my-cubicle cold.  Due to the chilliness, I went to DD on Friday and ordered a DECAF coffee with my two favorite fixings.  The cashier and I got talking about gluten.  She washed her hands and donned a pair of gloves and made my coffee.  In between the time of her hand-washing and the actual coffee making, a little voice in my head said, "You should remind her about the decaf part" but another little voice said, "That might come across as condescending.  She's an adult.  She can remember."

Fast forward an hour or so, my co-worker asked, "Are you SURE you ordered a decaf?"  Oh yes, I stated decaf thrice, I assured him.  He mentioned something about me and laughing and maybe talking more to myself than usual.  Phish - he doesn't know me. 

Around 11:45 that same evening, I knew FOR A FACT my decaf coffee had been compromised and it was not truly decaf.  On a totally happy note - I did manage to sweep and mop my kitchen and bathroom.  I cleaned my kitchen and did 3 loads of laundry AND I finished the mermaid tail blanket.  (Photos later after the birthday girl opens her present.  I will also share with you my yarn conundrum.)  

I'm not too upset about the accidental caffeination of Angie Good.  It was bound to happen.  I mean, really, if that's the worst thing that happened to me last week then it was a good week.  I did, however, wish that the Lord would cast the caffeine into the swine - much like He did with the demon-possessed woman. 

I did treat myself to an hour power nap on Saturday...due to the late night Friday night.

Sunday morning was full of church and then chocolate cupcakes.

It was a total cupcake conundrum.  You see - Woodman's grocery store has carried a particular brand of mini-gluten-free cupcakes for who knows how many YEARS.  Said brand offered chocolate, zucchini and carrot mini-morsels of yumminess.  A package of 12 mini-morsels was circa $5.  Several weeks ago I signed up to bring birthday treats to the October 3rd Bible study.  It's our favorite pastor's wife birthday.  She loves chocolate...I mean, who doesn't?  I know there are people out there who do not.  I do not trust them...but I know they exist.  How sad would life be without some form of chocolate?  Whether it's white chocolate or dark chocolate or milk chocolate.  High cocoa content or low.  

Anyway...after years of carrying these lovely treats - which were going to be my birthday treats for this special meeting - Woodman's stopped carrying them.  And it's not just MY Woodman's.  It's Randall Road Woodman's and Janesville Woodman's.  The snobby Randall Road store could not be bothered to walk to their gluten-free frozen section (which let's be honest - is like the length of my apartment with ONLY a handful of frozen baked goods) to even check to see if they have them.  Janesville checked confirmed a negative on the treats.

I, then, caved and called a hipster grocery store in Schaumburg.  (Can you tell I really didn't want to bake?  I get nervous baking gluten-free baked goods for people outside my "comfy circle."  What's a comfy circle?  My comfy circle are those friends that will eat not-so-pretty baked goods.  It's not that I cannot bake - it's that gluten-free sometimes isn't pretty...my gut loves gluten-free so my gut wins every single time.)  

The hipster store had double chocolate gluten-free cupcakes.  They named their price.  Meh.  When I inquired on the quantity (and I needed 2 dozen), they said they had 5.  Five.  Wow - talk about a criminal amount.

At this point, I stopped making phone calls.  I stopped looking and I sucked it up and went to Meijers where I treated myself to a new cupcake pan (I think they are called muffin pans but I really like the "cupcake pan" notion and think I'll spread that around), King Arthur's gluten-free chocolate cake mix, and a lovely jar (yes - a glass jar) of allergen free frosting.  

I came home and whisked up the cupcakes.  Baked them...all the while having to endure the chocolatey scent wafting through my apartment.  I managed the binge-read quite a bit of my October 4th Book Club book.  

Tonight we partook of my fine baking skills and I must say, they were deeeeelish.  I don't want to brag but King Arthur and I made some yummy gluten-free treats.  

And now it's Monday night.  It's 2 hours after said Bible study.  All but 5 of the cupcakes were consumed.  Three were sent home with Rhonda and I kept 2 - one for me and one for my sweet co-worker.  

I love it when I surprise non-gluten-free people with my tasty gluten-free treats.  It seems to me that people equate gluten-free and free of all the crap to mean that it will taste horrible.  Do not get me wrong - some of it is bleh.  I bought some crackers once that looked like corrugated cardboard.  Note to self:  If it looks like cardboard, do NOT purchase it cause it may very well taste like cardboard.  Otherwise - I really haven't ran into much gluten-free that tastes too bad.  I know that these cupcakes will not make me have a migraine, an upset tummy, other issues.  I can indulge and not worry about brain fog and feeling not Fun Angie-ish.  

Embrace the gluten-free life.  And when you do - I will totally bake chocolate cupcakes for you!!!!!!  :) 

Disclaimer Request

I would like to make a formal request of church retreat planners.  If your retreat is going to speak only to married women / men, please put a disclaimer on your retreat brochure.  This way singles (whether divorced, widowed or single because they found Mr. / Miss Right-for-them) will know what they are walking into.

Since my disclaimer request will probably be taken with a grain of salt, I would ask for your forgiveness when pre-retreat, I inquire about the speaker’s audience.  And should I decide to attend another retreat, mark it down that I will inquire.

Asking me to sing a song about giving my hopes & dreams to Jesus (leaving them at His beautiful feet) and then spending the next 45ish minutes speaking from Titus 2 to married women about how to love on their husbands and use grace & discipleship to win them Jesus tramples on all the encouragement retreat in and of itself offers the single person.

As I listened to the last session about discipleship and woe-ing your unsaved husband to the Lord, it made me see with fresh eyes that we have almost “glamorized” the verses that talk about how a woman’s quiet spirit and sweet testimony can win their unsaved spouse to the Lord.  Yes, the Bible says that…but when you glamorize this truth, do you know what it speaks to my single heart?  It makes me almost believe a lie that well, he’s nice but not fully saved (it’s either saved or lost…there’s no “not fully saved”) so maybe I should marry him so I can win him to Jesus.

I can see how girls (and let’s be honest – guys too) can fall for this. 

All I ask is for the disclaimer.  If you are going to talk to marrieds, please just put a little note on the brochure.

"Eye of the Storm" by Ryan Stevenson

I first discovered the song "Eye of the Storm" this past Spring and every time I listen to it, I am reminded that in the very middle (the eye) of the storm - God is in control.

The title got me thinking about the 2 hurricanes and the tropical storm I got to experience during college.  They are pretty scary ordeals - me being a Midwest gal.  I remember the news telling us not to believe we were safe during the eye.  That the eye was just a break from the madness and that the storms following - directly westerly from the eye - would be more powerful.  

 

Trials are kind of like that.  It seems like you are being hit from every direction and even a moment in the "eye" of it can be refreshing and we (I!) tend to let down my guard. 

When my guard is down, I forget WHO really is in control.  Some days I want Angie Good to be in control.  Let me tell you - that is NO BUENO.  

No matter the trial / the storm, God's got this.  He's got the big things.  He's got the little things.  He has a divine plan that keeps leading us Heavenward.  

Won't Heaven be lovely?  I was thinking about Heaven yesterday.  Thinking about the people I have known and loved who are now HOME in Heaven.  It's so reassuring and comforting that our goodbyes are not for forever.  In Heaven we will be reunited.  We will be with our Heavenly Father.

He has a good plan.  His plans are perfect.  He is in control.  When He guides and moves you, follow His leading and trust in His goodness.  He's so very trustworthy.

 

I am choosing to trust HIM during this prompting to make changes.  I'm a little nervous...not even going to lie but I know that HE wants me to do this.  He's got this.  He knows what I need and for this moment I am choosing to trust HIM and to not question.

Here are the lyrics to the aforementioned song....

When the solid ground is falling out, from underneath my feet,
Between the black skies and my red eyes, I can barely see
And when I’m feeling like I’ve let down by my friends and my family, 

I can hear the rain reminding me

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When my hopes and dreams are far from me, and I’m running out of faith
I see the future I pictured slowly fade away
And when the tears of pain and heartache are pouring down my face
I find my peace in Jesus' name

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When they let me go and I just don’t know how I’m gonna make ends meet
I did my best now I’d scared to death that we might lose everything
And when a sickness takes my child away, and there’s nothing I can do
My only hope is to trust You, I trust you Lord

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

Hats

I wish I was brave.  Change is inevitable in life.  I get that.  

Several years ago, a couple of my close friends encouraged me to make a kinda drastic change in my life...I wasn't ready but now I am.  The Lord has been nudging and nudging and maybe He was nudging me back then but I was soo consumed with myself and my comfort that I didn't want to acknowledge His nudging.  Or maybe I just needed to come to THIS place...a place where I know this is what I need to do and now I am willing.  

I wear so many hats that have to be removed...and I'm praying replaced with different hats.  I know the Lord will give me those new hats and He will guide me to what He wants me to do.  He will light the way.

In the meantime, I need to lay down these comfy hats that I really do like but they aren't the hats I need right now.

I am ready, Lord.  Please help me put 

down these hats and follow your path.  

When it seems lonely, help me to trust YOU 

and nothing else.  Help me to lean on YOU and 

nothing else.  Help me to not pick-up hats that 

I'm not meant to wear.  Help me to remove hats 

with grace.  Help the keepers of those hats to understand and 

extend grace to me.  I would ask that You would bring 

other individuals to pick up my hats and wear 

them.  Enthusiastically wear them!   

In YOUR Son's beautiful name - Amen.

September

Last night...

An usher came up to me and said, "There are some new kids here and I am not sure where their class is located.  Can you take them there?"

Me:  "It should be downstairs cause it's summer."

Usher:  "Tonight starts Kids Club."

Me:  "No.  That's not until September."

Usher *looks at me like I'm 3-kinds of crazy.*

Me:  "OH MY GOODNESS - IT IS SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

True story.

Penguins

I would love a pet penguin. 

Are you completely shocked that I, Angela Good, would like a pet penguin?  I mean penguins are in the bird family.

Tis true.  I would like a penguin.

I blame the book "Mr. Poppers Penguins."  This book romanticized penguin ownership in my once upon a time 3rd grade love-to-read brain.

Thanks Mr. P. 

On Sunday while at the Toledo Zoo, we walked through the coolest penguin display.  The penguins were literally feet from us.  We had to keep our fingers out of the fence slots because a very monotone zoo worker announced, "the penguins will bite." 

I wanted to smuggle this penguin home with me.  I, however, did not plan well because I wore a crossbody purse.  This penguin would not have fit into my purse.

And so next time...

...which this means my smuggling will be premeditated.

Danger!

These are few of my Fallish favorite things...

1. Pumpkin everything!!!!!

2. Trips to the apple orchard.

3. Football

4. Warmed up apple cider

5. Hoodies and jeans

6. Sleeping with the windows open

7. Flannel shirts

8. Tights, boots, fallish dresses with cutesie sweaters

9. Decaf coffee on Sunday afternoons

10. My favorite library is open on Sunday afternoons

Bryan and Charlotte

My brother is super laidback.  He goes along with whatever sisterly shenanigan I throw at him.  He is truly the best.  I love that guy!!!!

As he read the "Feed the giraffes" sign, I could tell this was something he really wanted to do.

Did I mention it was his birthday?

How can any good sister say "no" to her brother on his birthday? 

In the history of siblings worldwide, has there ever been a sister to deny a brother's birthday request???  ...I mean, especially since said request was FABUUUUUULOUS!!!!!!!!

We went ahead and fed the giraffes while mom kept a close eye on our water bottles.  No beverages were allowed near the giraffes.  And the shaded area was calling mom's name.

The wait line moved along pretty quickly. 

As we approached the available giraffe, we were informed that he name was Charlotte.  She is the oldest giraffe at the zoo celebrating her 15th year.  Lastly - my favorite Charlotte fact - she loves her some food.  She's a foodie!!!!!!!!

We fed her Romaine lettuce leaves.  The 3 giraffes eat approximately 5 to 7 coolers-full of lettuce every day.

Oh and we learned a giraffe's heart weighs 20 pounds.

Bryan's birthday zoo trip pics

In no particular order...

Labor Day weekend...Kinda plan B

My brother's birthday is September 4th.  When I inquired about what he wanted to do - which was a text saying, "Want me to bring SugarJones cupcakes and Boggle?" - he was noncommittal and not really wanting any company.

And then Friday happened and my top secret informant let me know that perhaps Bryan's noncommittalness (which is a word, right?) was totally a cover. 

Plan B commenced.

Friday night to throw Bryan off of my plans, we played online Boggle.  Meh.  We had two uninvited people join our game which would not have happened in REAL life.  *sigh*

Mom called Bryan and asked if she could come up and see him for his birthday.  He liked that idea so she rented a car in Georgia and drove up on Saturday.

Meanwhile, yours truly connived out of Bryan that what he really wanted to do for his birthday is go to the Toledo Zoo.

Saturday night at 7 pm there's a knock-knock-knock on his apartment door and his charming sister announcing she is here for the birthday shenanigans.

Mom rolled in around 11ish.

Sunday dawned a lovely day for a birthday.

We headed to T-town around 10ish.

Spent the day at the zoo...then went to Red Robin for lunper (lunch + supper).  We hit Costco and Meijer so Bryan could get groceries while we already in town. 

We returned to Bryan's around circa 9 pm.

The following morning Bryan got up bright and early to go fishing with his work peeps...this meant I had to arise from my slumber to bid him farewell.

I left Michigan at 6:03 CST and arrived back in the 'hood at 10:49 CST.  Traffic moved along nicely and I really only NEEDED one coffee break.  :)

What a fun whirlwind weekend.  Bryan loved it and that is ALL that mattered.

3 Now Essential Oils

First let me go on the record as to having said I love the Now Essential Oil website.  You can search every single essential oil and read a detailed description.

Second I am sad because I discovered my Now frankincense, lavender and peppermint are "made without gluten" but not gluten-free. 

Wouldn't you assume that if the bottle reads "100% PURE ESSENTIAL OIL" that it would be sans-gluten?????  :(

It's a happy-sad because it's one more (and I am praying THE FINAL) piece to my puzzle.

I surmise you are wondering how glutenous essential oils could bother me, right?  Well...I spray my pillow and sheets with my homemade Pinteresty-delightful linen spray.  Who doesn't love a relaxing whiff of lavender?  Surely not this girl.

I am a tummy sleeper.  If my pillow is covered with bits o'gluten, surely you realize our skin absorbs what we put on it and there's a chance the gluten could get into my system.

The good news is I learned that my Now grapefruit essential oil is made without gluten AND is gluten-free.  Hip hip hooray!!!!!!!

3 random thoughts

1. Flavored dental floss weirds me out.
Why do you need to flavor this?

2. Scented toilet paper.
It's a real thing.  I accidentally purchased lavender scented toilet paper.  The scent oozed out of the completely sealed package.  It should be noted it was ICKY lavender scent.  Cheap, icky lavender.  Not the good stuff...like the fields in England or Seattle, for that matter.  I returned the t.p. which made for an awkward trip in to Meijers.  Who returns toilet paper???  This girl.

3. Dental floss has an expiration date.
Why is this?  Does it ever really expire?  It's string.  Albeit wax-coated string.  How does that go bad?  I was totally a rebel and used my floss well-past its expiration date.  Thankfully there's no such thing as the floss police.

Progress

Inbetween taking it easy and not rushing through my day, I am on laundry load #9 with only the hallway left...  Talk about progress!!!!!

I also have the Kombucha brewing. 

I changed my countdown to feeling fabulous to December 17th.  It's 120-ish days.  My prayer is that now that I changed my laundry soap and hand soap that maybe I will feel better before mid-December.

My Ah-ha Moment

Yesterday marked day #4 of a gluten-ish headache and quite frankly, I was done.

I have narrowed down the culprits to three suspects.

My workplace changed dispenser soap.  Last week I noticed large clear containers marked "Soup."  :)  The container held the same pale shade of soap that is now in our dispensers.  Unlabeled.  Suspect #1 "Soup."

Yesterday in my quest to Google every possible thing in my life, I learned my beloved Woolite laundry soap now contains crushed pieces of hydrolyzed wheat.  I, then, Googled when was the wheat added.  No date.  Suspect #2.

Last week I was given a bottle of Mrs. Bronners lavendar hand soap.  In times past this has not bothered me...however my gluten search lead me to find this particular fragrance may or may not contain gluten.  She has others that have it so her facility is not gf.  Suspect #3-ish.

After work I drove straight to Meijer to buy clearly marked gluten-free laundry detergent.  Yeaaaaaah 7th Generation brand.  I do not even care that it was $1 more.  I, also, purchased the same brand * clearly marked gluten-free* hand soap.  3 bottles.  One for work and 2 for home.

In my quest to figure this all out, I learned that some nail polish can have hydrolyzed wheat.  Not. Even. Kidding.  I have purged the gluten from nail polish.  I shall now be an Essie, Wet-n-Wild, and Piggy Polish gal.  I did send an email to OPI as I want to confirm one of the gluten-free blog posts about certain OPI being gluten-free.

Call me paranoid.

Call me crazy.

I hate having a 4 day migraine.  Plus I know exactly what this gluten is doing to my poor digestive tract.

So much for 2 weeks of gluten-free.  Now I must reset the...4 months 'til I feel fabulous clock!!!

It looks like it'll be December 17, 2016.  Just in time for Christmas!!!!!