Fa la la la la and Yipee!

The choir director and I breathed a sigh of relief yesterday afternoon.  The children's Christmas musical production during both worship services and the youth spaghetti lunch and dessert auction fundraiser (not to mention the youth lock-in the night before) are over! Yipee and Fa la la la la, Falafel House!

My sister-in-law came down from Up Yonderland and provided the "professional" to our youth dessert auction.  She is a professional auctioneer and she has a wonderful sense of humor...Come on, you know you only heard "rum" in rum cake!  Quit looking at her, you know you want it!!!)

I have to say, my ankles and back are killing me.  Getting old and feeble is not for sissies!  I saw a video clip of me hobbling along and thought Sheesh!  Who is that old person?  Definitely not for sissies.

I am so thankful to the parents and grandparents and friends of the youth.  My gosh they came and stayed and served and cleaned and washed.  I am truly humbled by their generosity.  I would still be at the church clearing and washing and....crying!

Whew, what a weekend!

crossing fingers and toes and eyes, hoping this video comes through.

The Story continues

Ever have one of those days when you are just sure your name is on the universe's shit list?  Yesterday was my day....most horrible....most irritating...just a shit day....thus no blog.  (It doesn't sound like it's much better today, does it?  But it is....it really is!!!)

First I'll just start out with all the house photos.  Here's my house.  It doesn't look much different than it did when the workers first started over a week ago.  

December 3

December 8

December 10

I kept thinking maybe there would be some difference....nope the whole house is a mess and we got word we would be back in the house by December 18th.  I'm not holding my breath on that one! But, we have a roof over our head and all is well.  Thank you, Lord.

More about yesterday.  I woke up and my phone was dead.  I plugged it into the charger thinking the battery died in the night.  Nope.  Used Boy's new phone charger (remember Boy and I got new phones right before Thanksgiving....this blasted phone isn't a month old), but still no luck.  Decided to go back to Sprint, but they were closed till 10.  I was at their door looking at the hours sign at 8:30. Hmmm, Career Girl said I might have to go to the Apple Store so I googled it before leaving and found that in my SOTX area, Apple Store is at some Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (Big HMMMM) or Best Buy.  My best guess was that Best Buy was the best place to go although I could have had a fun time showing my phone to the chocolate factory employee.  I didn't want them to think I was some senile old fart and make fun of me. Poor old woman is getting her eating and talking mixed up!  Can't you just hear it now.  Sorry, can't help you with your phone but why don't you run over to Sprint and ask for a pound of fudge.

Well the Geek Squad couldn't help me and suggested I come back at 12:30 when the Apple Store rep would be in.  I had already waited for 10 a.m. at Hobby Lobby and I wasn't about to wait it out at some other fun Strawberry shopping excursion.  So I headed back to Sprint and guess what?  They have the magic touch....that damn phone turned on for that young good-looking sales boy like a cheap whore.  WHAT!!!  What did you do, Eddie?  He smiled and said don't go to Best Buy- always come here!

I'm letting you in on Eddie's secret.  First of all he held the side bottom and the round button on the front of the phone down at the same time (as if he were taking a screen shot on the phone).  Secret is out!  Next he told me that Apple phones need to shut off at least once a week like you shut down the computer.  If one does not power down the phone at least once a week, the phone shuts down itself.  Ah ha.

And now you know the rest of the story!

living in a virtual world

I'm feeling a little cultured (to quote a friend!).  I recently joined a book club and have been reading something other than religious educational books; not that THAT doesn't make me feel cultured, but you know, I don't have to read for a grade or a Bible study!

Our last two books have spanned either years or centuries.  I have to say there's something about being able to flip a book to see what generation you are reading...just in case you get lost.  Not so easy on a Kindle!  My fingers were flying back and forth on my Kindle searching for the chapter title and then back to my place.  Back and forth.  My fingers got dizzy; my eyes got dizzy.  I had a major hand workout!

In my de-cluttering phase, I decided to give away the physical books and rely on virtual reading.  oh hell no.  I want physical, page turning books.  In seminary I loved highlighting and writing in the white space all around the perimeter of the page.

I guess I'm not a virtual girl.  I prefer holding a book.  I love turning the page.  I tried a virtual calendar years ago.  Hubby got a Palm Pilot from his former employer.  Save a tree!  Get techie!  I'm not sure the slogan but the first time he let his Palm Pilot battery go dead and with it ALL the contacts, appointments, etc. then I became the proud owner of the Palm Pilot.  I did the same thing and                         phooey...so much for keeping up with the times.
                                                                                                                                          

Our "smart" phones have the capability to schedule meetings and ring an alarm to remind us.  But I really love the feel of paper. Do you think it is generational?  I am so thankful I do not work at an office supply store, Grainiacs!  I think I would spend every cent I made on purchases there.  Keep me out of Staples and Office Depot!  You would be frightened to see me-- 

Security, crazed female on aisle 2...no wait...aisle 10, oops, she's on 6, yikes she's back on aisle 2!  ...look out she ran over customers on aisle 11-20!!! Call for back-up.

I joined a planner kit subscription.  Do you know what that is? A box filled with matching paper, washi tape, stickers, unique paper clips, charms, pens, paper flags,..... oooo la la....a dream come true!

Come to Momma!!!!!

Now my calendar can be all dolled up....I can't close the blasted thing and it doesn't fit in a purse thanks to all the doo-dads in it, but it sure is purty!!!

More about that later.

Happy Hump Day, Grainiacs!

Your ever faithful Strawberry signing off

One week down

November 30, a Monday, was Day 1 of the Great Strawberry Patch Electric Make-Over.  Big Puppy, Garbage Gut, 3 cats, a Hubby, and a Strawberry moved over to the church office for the day.  I decided immediately that the 3 cats would continue living at the church office because quite frankly I didn't want to get mauled each morning trying to crate them!  Cats do not like being shoved into a box.  Imagine!

At the office the dogs barked constantly; I fell asleep on Rev. Hubby's office couch (I tend to do that when I'm sick) and workaholic Hubby worked....all day and pretty much into the night.  For three days we continued this routine until the electrician said "Stop!"  Seems he needed to turn off the electricity so he could get some work done.  Imagine!  

An email was sent to the church officers and it was suggested we move into a motel.  A wonderful church lady offered her empty home (she's on vacation up north) and Boy came home from college!  Life is hectic and I don't think I would want it any other way.

I am so thankful to have a roof over all our heads.  I am especially thankful that I won't be getting electrocuted for Christmas.  We have transformed the lovely Garden Room into my craft room and Boy's computer lab.

Okay, so Garbage Gut claims part of it too!

My Happy Place is paper crafting

Not much has changed at the Strawberry Patch except for massive amounts of holes in the walls and the ceilings.

We have new lighting in some rooms and new ceiling fans in others.

The 1950's dark paneling is gone and the bookshelves are getting a paint job.

Good-bye 1950's

Hello Strawberry Patch Beautiful

Big Puppy wants you to know he has claimed a spot too....the Pastor's Study!

Mine, all mine!!!!

I Can See Clearly

Ahhhh, the fog has lifted out of my head and I'm beginning to feel like myself again.  Hallelujah!

Did I tell you our deep freeze and refrigerator have moved over to the church?  I tell ya, put up a few beds and we could live at the church.... Save the church some money having a house!

When we first moved here, please forgive me if I'm repeating myself, I'm prone to do that...old age and all, I took Boy to the local high school.  We could not prove that we were residents.  The clerk gave me a renter's agreement to sign.  It began "I,______________, am at least 18 years of age, ......"  I said yes, the church is 105 years of age and not a person.

Clerk: "Oh; you mean you LIVE at the church?"

Me: "Never mind."

See how easy it would have been and I could have said "Why yes, I do live at the church!"

Do you remember my fantastic kitchen paint job?  I think I bragged about it and posted pictures here.Kitchen redo

Ta DA::



loverly, isn't it?

All I want is a room somewhere... blah, blah, blah.

The good news is, it will NOT remain this way....I hope!

So, that's what's happening in the Strawberry patch.

Hope your day is full of a lot less holes and is truly Holy.

Toodles, 

Your ever optimistic Strawberry

Smash Up

What would you get if you smashed up Little Rascals and Betty Davis?

Whatever Happened to Baby Alfalfa!!




That's what I looked like this morning trying to rush out of the house before the workers got there.  My curling brush blow dryer was packed in a suitcase at the church and my hair was stuck on a Little Rascal's rerun channel.  Hey Hair!  


If you want to channel something, why not Farrah Fawcett???  

My eyebrow brush is MIA and I didn't notice till I drew a nice arched brown eyebrow on each eye.  I scared myself this morning.  I look like a mess. The dogs ran away from me.   Honestly, how do people live while their house is being "purtied up?"  

I am so thankful to this congregation.  They saw a need and got right to work on it.  We will be homeless (once again....flashbacks to after seminary life) for a week, hopefully not any more than that, and several members have graciously offered their motor homes (it's great living in a retirement city!!!!).  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Enjoy your Thursday, Grainiacs.  I'm off to make a shake.  I got off my routine on Monday with all the packing and moving to the church and being sick. Yuck.  Still finding my "happy," I am always your

Baby Jane Alfalfa, Strawberry

P.S.  Pansy, you were right!  It is Alfalfa.  Sorry I doubted.  ;)

Finding Strawberry

Just keep swimming.....just keep swimming...

Where, oh where has Strawberry been?

Packing and packing and (sigh) packing! Renting a storage unit. Hauling the packing over to the storage unit.

First we had to pack up the breakables so the electricians and workers wouldn't be responsible if anything broke.

Then they told us they would work on one side of the house and then the other so we could move stuff from one side and then over to the next.  I stopped packing up because hey, who wouldn't want to shift it from one side of the house to the other versus packing it and hauling it.

Now they say they have to work on both sides of the house at the same time so back to packing.  keep on swimming keep on swimming

All this packing had me a little depressed over the Thanksgiving weekend.  I felt like we were on the move....again.  Now for those who know me well, spontaneity is my middle name....but remember, I don't have to pack up the china when you call and say "meet me at the Island" or "let's go have a margarita!"

Now it's time to pack up the fridge.  

keep on swimming keep on swimming keep on.....