It is time once again for a Thing Post, which simply means I feature a whole bunch of things that don’t make up a post by themselves but are still worth sharing.
Steve was excited to have his car used in our recent homecoming parade.
Since the parade runs right in front of our church building, we set up a table with free water and hot dogs and also opened up our restrooms to parade-goers. The guy in the white shirt is Clinton Rogers, our wonderful youth/outreach pastor.
Here he is praying with the guys of our youth group. (That’s his wife over to the left.)
Every year we have a Community Thanksgiving Service and this year was our church’s turn to host. Seven churches, seven pastors and so much joy and energy in the room. Love it! (I took this photo just as the pastors were finished praying together up front as the service got started.)
On the second Sunday night of each month, we have an unplugged worship night in our youth house. Here are Steve and our worship leader, Itsel, getting ready.
I was happy to find an apple cutter/corer to make my apple-ingesting easier. If you don’t have one already, they are quite nifty.
And if you are easily entertained, the way I am, you can even turn them upside down for added entertainment value.
We hosted the USAF Jazz Ensemble recently. Talk about a bunch of talented musicians! I was not only impressed with their musicianship but also their people skills. We fed them a meal before the concert and they were so courteous and appreciative of every little thing. It’s inspiring to get to hang around people of that caliber.
I used their logo to create the video screen on the back walls; thought it turned out well.
Our church women had a little gathering a few weeks ago. The home we met in is a little special because it’s the place we lived temporarily when we first came to Manteo and were traveling back and forth on the weekends. The owners rent it out but they were between renters so we were able to use it for our party.
The woman standing is Pastor Clinton’s wife, Adrianne.
The owner, Bibber (in the kitchen wearing orange) actually grew up in this house and has known some of the women at the party since she was a child.
She also has known her husband since they were infants; it is so cool that there is no time in her life that she has not known him.
Sarah is headed home on Thursday morning (with her roommate) for Thanksgiving.
Her coming home means two things: 1. I will be happy to have her at home. 2. She and I will continue our Scrubber Wars.
As a bit of background, her Grandma Smith makes scrubbers for all of the family and gives them to us at Christmas; we all love them and have used them for years. However, I reserve mine for harder-to-clean dishes and I use the long scrubber for everyday use, like when I am getting dishes ready for the dishwasher.
Sarah, for reasons unknown to the maternal figure in her life, does not like the long scrubber and will only use the round one; therefore, she puts the long one under the sink when she is at home.
When I told her that her dad and I preferred the long one, she presented me with the unassailable logic that since she is the one who does the dishes when she is home, the round scrubber she be the one that is left out.
This is one of the few arguments we have had in our lifetime but it is a big one and may need eventually some sort of intervention by professional interventioners.
Here are the (seemingly innocuous) causes of the argument. At least they (inadvertently) match each other!
On another (less controversial) kitchen topic I took about fifteen minutes the other day and made an Official Can Inventory.
I don’t know how many times I have been in the grocery store and stood for long moments pondering all the cans at the grocery store. I can never remember if I have black beans, white beans, soup or tomatoes and my slightly foggy, 50ish memory does me no good at times like those.
So. I pulled every can out of the cupboard and made a little list. Now, when I use a can, I will cross it off the list and can refresh my memory while I am looking at recipes before heading to grocery store.
You will notice in the top right corner it says Southwest? I have been looking for Southwest beans for about 10 years and the other day, I actually saw some! An internal happy dance commenced. (It’s the small things in life, right?)
I read recently that the little hooks on the back of the grocery cart are for hanging grocery bags. Did you know that?
I did not.
But I was delighted to find it out.
I thought you would like to see the new front door we put up last week. We are trying to keep up with the decorating minimalist movement and I think this really fits right in! (If you don’t believe that explanation, you’ll have to wait for the rest of the story.)
Steve and I have owned a tea kettle in years past but something happened to it and we never replaced it. Recently I was thinking about how much I would love to heat my tea water in a kettle instead of the microwave but I didn’t feel like going out and spending money on a kettle so I decided to never mind.
Well, last week I walked into a thrift store and saw this Revere Ware tea kettle for four dollars. Happy day!
Last week, one of our two projectors in the sanctuary went down. (Thirty minutes before our morning service, of course.)
We called a guy in to trouble shoot some wiring and connections and when no problems turned up there, Steve brought in an extremely tall ladder. It basically goes up at the normal ladder slant for a while and then at one point, it goes just straight up with no slant to soften the journey.
The tech guy took one look at the ladder and said he wasn’t going up on that thing so we called in a church member who works construction. He made it to the top, pulled out the bulb and found out it to be defective.
Steve ordered a bulb and when it arrived, another problem confronted us. Mike (our original ladder climber) wasn’t available and there was no one else to replace the bulb and replug the unit.
Steve has NEVER been a fan of heights. Even when he and I climb lighthouses, he stays way back from the edge and looks slightly queasy the whole time.
But he is not one to let something like fear guide his steps. He called me into the sanctuary to hold the ladder (even though my teeny weeny strength didn’t have much impact) and he decided to go up. Twenty feet. Straight up.
He bravely made it all the way up, put the bulb in and only when he had finally landed safely back on terra firma, realized he had forgotten to plug the machine back in. So back up he went–twice in ten minutes. Proud of him!
This memory just came up on Facebook.
Christmas 2011. Nathan and Meagan flew to NC all by themselves.
Christmas 2015. Nathan and Meagan will be driving to NC with a toddler and a baby in a mini van for 13 hours.
A peaceful flight with no children? Priceless.
A very long drive with two kids? Beyond priceless.
Love my family.
So much fun to see those two beloved people “back in the day.”
what does this week hold?
Well, the first thing it holds is me being sick! I’ve felt it coming on for the past few days and just barely made it through the last note of the last song last night before my voice left me completely.
Bad cough, horrible sore throat, no energy . . . today I have an appointment with my bed.
On Thursday, we will be having the men of Dare Challenge in our home for the 7th Thanksgiving in a row. Lots to do to get ready for that happy occasion!
I happened upon this picture from last year which was taken about 36 hours before the Thanksgiving meal was to commence. Painting right before Thanksgiving is not something I recommend!
I’ll close with a favorite photo I took of the waterfront of Manteo . . . and then I am off to bed.
What about you? What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Any particular points of the Thing Post that you especially relate to?
Are you a round scrubby person or a long scrubby person?
Becky, we went to visit a missionary friend in Africa once and I got hooked on her electric kettle. I bought mine at Walmart (it’s a Hamilton Beach) and it was very inexpensive. Amazingly fast, and you can lift it right off the base (which plugs into the socket) so it’s easy to take across the room to use. I was leery of “some-other-thing-to-take-up-space-on-my-countertop,” but I actually love it and use it much more frequently than I thought I would.
Hope you feel better soon. I’m just getting over a nasty cold myself. Happy Thanksgiving!
Jenny Jo,
Steve’s parents have an electric kettle as well, and really love it! Super fast heating certainly sounds wonderful. If I happen to see one at a thrift store, I will scoop it up! 🙂
And how great that you got to go visit a missionary friend in Africa. What an adventure!
Well, the green bean casserole would definitely have cheese in it. (Not having it. Serving steamed broccoli and carrots instead.) Our family loves cheesy potato casserole so that would be served under normal circumstances. And then, on a daily basis, it’s cheese. In things. On things. As a snack. Fortunately, we don’t have high cholesterol and I try to offset the cheese factor with lots of fresh veggies and lean meats. 😀
I looked at the new carts at our local grocery store and at Wal-Mart and neither of them have hooks. No wonder I hadn’t seen them before! We must really be behind the times out here. 🙂
LeeAnne,
Ah, yes, I forgot about the green bean casserole!
I truly understand the hole in daily menu planning that cheese creates. I’ve been working around it for 7 weeks now and it IS a challenge. (Although I do occasionally have a little.)
As far the grocery cart hooks, keep looking. Some day, in some store, you will find some! 🙂
Krista’s Thing Comments (in no particular order):
* How fun to be in a parade. I haven’t been to a parade in a lot time. I’ll have to take my 3 year old to one next year.
* I’m very proud of Steve for getting on that ladder. I would not have done it! Too high!!
* I agree with you, Becky, the round scrubber is only for tough, cooked on food on dishes. The sponge on a stick is for everyday use.
* Feeling sick the week of any holiday should be against the law. I do hope it’s short lived and you are better soon!!
* I did not know that about the shopping cart. I will have to give it a try sometime.
* I look forward to your DARE Thanksgiving posts all year. I just love the idea and it’s so great of you to open your home to them each year. And I love the stories of some of them in the future and how good they are doing.
* And that door…perfect! Goes with every color, so you don’t have to worry about a color clash!
* I LOVE your thing posts!
Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to you all!
Krista,
Thanks for taking the time to make so many Thing Comments on the Thing Post!
Yes, you definitely need to take your little one to a parade; they are the ones that enjoy parades the most!
I am looking forward to sharing some of our Dare Challenge Thanksgiving stories in a future post–and definitely hope I am feeling better then than I am feeling now!
Thought since you are from around this area you might have heard of flour sack towels. Yes, very absorbent. Apparently, umpteen years ago, that’s what they used from old flour sacks to wipe their kitchen plates, etc. Don’t think they are used from flour sacks now, but that’s what I still call them. They are all white so believe that’s why many women embroider on them to add decoration and color.
Sharyn,
I have definitely heard of them but have never actually felt one; it’s good to know that they are absorbent! I love how women were so frugal and creative back in the day and used those flour sacks for a second practical purpose beyond just hauling flour!
Interesting post. Loved reading about all the different things. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. OUrs is kind of crazy. My mother in laws family all gets together.she and her sisters cook and all the kids , grandkids and great grandkids come.we hold it in a fire hall. We live in NY and people come from a Florida, Georgia, and California. I think the count last year was 112. Should be about the same this year!
Michele,
There must be someone very organized in the family to put together a meal event with that many people. I’m impressed! It sounds like a joyfully, chaotic time. Enjoy every moment!
I am very impressed with Steve’s bravery! I’m not afraid of heights but that would have given me second thoughts for sure.
Yay for Sarah and her roommate coming home soon! Right in time to take care of the mama bear. I hope you feel just a bit better for the big day on Thursday.
So. The front door. Very intriguing.
Nice photo of the waterfront, I love all the reds. Do you ever print any of your photos to hang around the house? Some of them would be lovely in an 11×14.
I don’t have any scrubbies at all 🙂
Lesley,
No scrubbies? At all? Whatever do you when you have a baked on mess? I had actually read somewhere that you could use rolled up aluminum foil for a scrubby so if you ever get into a baked on pickle–there’s your solution! 🙂
Yes, it would be nice to have a printed and displayed copy of at least one of my photographs. On my to do/bucket list.
I always enjoy your Thing posts. Such a pleasant mish mash of information. ?
Sure hope you feel better quickly. Glad you could rest today.
Very proud of Steve for kicking a major fear in the hiney and climbing that ladder–twice! Wow.
We will be at Ruth and Arn’s for Thanksgiving. Always so nice to be there. We will miss you guys very much!
Love, Deb
Deb,
So glad you all are getting together for Thanksgiving; do wish I was there with you! Hopefully you haven’t had any snow lately and the roads will be clear. Such a lovely place to spend time.
Am actually feeling worse today and may have to bite the bullet and see a doctor. With all that has to be done for Thanksgiving, it’s a little stressful but I am just going to have to let some things slide and just focus on the absolute necessities–like making sure everyone has a plate and at least one piece of silverware. 🙂
I’m so sorry you are not feeling well. My Mother-in-Love recommended Cold-Eeze to us and it really seems to shorten “the crud”….What a great find on your kettle! I love to hear about great bargains….I got nervous just looking at the pictures of Steve and the ladder. Heights have been my nemesis since I was a child. So very brave of Steve (and supportive of you to steady the ladder)….How fun to be in the homecoming parade; I wish our town had them, but with five high schools, I guess it isn’t very practical. I’m glad you are enjoying your apples! A word of warning though – one year at VBS one of our snacks called for apple wedges and I volunteered for apple wedging duty. Who knew apples had enough juice they could splash – and stain – a shirt. I can hardly wait to hear the door story!! Meanwhile, I hope you feel better quickly and that you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Sue Ellen,
I’ve heard other people mention Cold-Eeze; I’ll have to give it a try! Although at this point I’m not sure if I have a cold, or strep, or what. I just know I feel lousy!
I had no idea apple juice could stain a shirt. So many things I learn from my readers!
Will be cooking for Jim and me. I have a 4 1/2 lb turkey breast thawing out and will cook dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, potato salad, and field peas. Rolls and gravy bought. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Ann,
Sounds like the two of you will have quite a feast! Jim is fortunate to have married such a good cook and you’re fortunate to have married such a good guy.
Hugs to you both.
Thanksgiving will be at my house. There should be 9 of us here. My prep has been delayed due to my vacation last week. This afternoon I picked up the turkey from the place that smoked it. All I have to do is warm it Thursday. I will pick up a pumpkin pie at Costco – cheaper than I can make it. I also ordered a chocolate pie and rolls from Kneaders. Now I need to finish my menu and make a grocery list, in between finishing laundry and going through a week’s worth of mail.
I heat my water for tea in my Keurig. I don’t think I even own a teakettle anymore.
I am a long scrubber myself.
I’m like Steve, don’t really like heights that much although I did take a helicopter tour in Hawaii last week and was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t bother me.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Phyllis,
I looked up the Kneaders website. Looks like they have some great food. It’s nice to have the option to order/buy some of the food for our big meals; takes some of the cooking load off and still tastes wonderful.
We did the helicopter tour too when we went on Sarah’s make-a-wish trip to Hawaii. Quite an amazing experience, wasn’t it?
I like the colors in your pier photo– rosy, blue- grays… Ruth
Thanks, Ruth!
It has a very peaceful feel to me whenever I look at it.
I use a long handled brush on occasion. Most of the time I don’t scrub the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher since it does such a fantastic job of cleaning the dishes! When I wash by hand, I use a sponge with a scrubby on one side. Easier to maneuver into corners of things than a bulky dish cloth.
I never knew about the hooks on the carts. In fact, I don’t ever recall seeing them. I’m going to have to pay better attention. 😀
So sorry that you are sick. And bad timing to boot. Ugh. Feel better soon!
We will be at home for Thanksgiving. Our daughter and her family will be here as well as my mother-in-law. She was very recently told to go dairy-free so I had to rearrange the menu to accommodate her needs. It will all be delicious, however it will be the first time in a very, VERY long time that our family will not have any cheese in our meal! LOL
LeeAnne,
Our dishwasher is pretty old so a lot of things have to be pre-washed before loading. You are fortunate to have a dishwasher that takes on the biggest messes!
Yeah, I was surprised at seeing those hooks on the carts, too. They work beautifully for loading more bags in the cart, though!
Cooking dairy-free for your mother-in-law gives you a little peak into what our lives have been like lately! 🙂
I’m curious as to what Thanksgiving dishes you normally served with cheese? I was thinking through our usual menu and couldn’t couldn’t think of any so my culinary curiosity is up!
Loved reading it all.
Virginia,
Thanks! Loved that you loved it.
Daughter bought us a black cat (with bell and ribbon) tea kettle about 20 years ago. Don’t use it that often, but it does come in handy. Never knew about those hooks on the carts – boy, the things you don’t learn after all these years. I don’t use any scrubbies. Guess I have always thought they were a waste of time. I use a dishcloth – colored ones to match the seasons and towels (for drying dishes and also one to dry the hands) to match the seasons. I also have flour sack towels that a neighbor gave to me – so nice. My husband is not a fan of heights either, but will climb ladders. If we are in a hotel/motel on the 3rd floor or up, he will go on the patio/veranda, but won’t look over the edge and stay way back to sit on a chair. Praying you will feel better soon. Not a good time is it. Know those men look forward to coming to your home for Thanksgiving. Our daughter and her family are coming for Thanksgiving. Told her what we were having and she choose which side dish she wanted to bring. A blessed and Happy Thanksgiving to you and family.
Sharyn,
How cute to have a black cat tea kettle; I’ve never heard of that!
I’ve also never used a flour sack towel before. Are they very absorbent?
Nice you can be with family at Thanksgiving. Every every morsel of food and every morsel of conversation.
No kettle? Alien concept! Ah that’s right, I’m British. Here, no home is complete without a kettle. Most are electric here but mine is like yours, a stove top. It drives my parents crazy because it is muuuuch slower than the electric, but I kinda like it!
Wendy,
Yeah, I figure most British people would break out in hives at the thought of a kettle-less kitchen!
Even though a stovetop teapot does take a little longer, it’s a nice feeling of tradition to heat the water that way. And I can always find something around the kitchen to do while I am waiting for the whistle!