We are leaving this morning for a two-week vacation. First with my sister and her family in Atlanta, then with Gunny and his family in Tulsa. ( I envy people who have their siblings and children all in the area!)
I doubt that I’ll be able to post during that time, so I’m leaving you on your own. But here’s the plan. I’m going to leave an old post that I like on each of the days that I’m gone and you can read that. But, only read the one for that day, okay? That way you will have something to read here everrrrry day. How hard can it be to come up with thirteen posts I like and would like for you to read from the “old days,” right?
Okay, I’ll be back to posting, hopefully, on the fourteenth. So, here are 13 “oldies but goodies.”
Update: I decided you need an “oldie” for today too, so go here for a post I wrote at the beginning of my fiction writing class a year ago.
Be safe tonight, and may your new year be blessed in ways that you havn’t even thought of! Happy 2009!
Thursday, January 1: A lesson I learned when I was applying for a job I reallllly wanted is in here.
Friday, January 2: The story of my arrival into a family who I’m pretty sure weren’t expecting me is here.
Saturday, January 3: Can you be too nice? Here’s my argument that you can!
Sunday, January 4: When I finally found one, here’s the story of my first job.
Monday, January 5: Would you put that label there, if you knew it was going to be permanent? Read here.
Tuesday, January 6: Dieting. The best way to do it is with a sense of humor. Read here about the differences between how I do it and how Hubby does it!
Wednesday, January 7: A fable with a great lesson we can all profit from is here.
Thursday, January 8: Hubby’s birthday! Do you know who he shares it with? Read here.
Friday, January 9: My mama was an interesting person. Here are some of my memories of her on ironing day when I was little.
Saturday, January 10: When we were at DD’s house last year, she and I wrote a story together. She would write a paragraph, and then me, and then her, etc. It was fun, and the result came out surprisingly well! You can read it here.
Sunday, January 11: I was having a bad morning, and it was raining too, then I had an unexpected encounter that made the whole day better! Read it here.
Monday, January 12: It was just a business trip to visit some truck dealers, but I had more of an adventure than I had bargained for! Read it here.
Tuesday, January 13: And finally, read here for my memories of sharing a hospital room with a “blonde bombshell” when I had DD.
If you paced yourself, you should be arriving here on the 13th. If you did, here is a bonus for you. It’s one of my favorites. I hope it makes you laugh.
I’ll be back! Hope you enjoy these old favorites of mine. May God keep you safe until we meet again.
Sandra
Posted by Sandra 
for a layered salad,
or a fruit compote,
Posted by Sandra 
I can just imagine all that green stuff saying, “Ahhhh, finally!” By the way, FYI, the brown isn’t dirt (they weren’t that dirty!). I guess designers of green stuff do that for people like me. No one would ever believe I would have plants in my house without some dead leaves on them. The brown makes them much more believable!
After the tub was full, I turned on the jets for about 30 seconds. I was afraid to do it any longer than that, and I watched the jets very closely to make sure none of the vines got into them. I think that could be bad for the jets and the vines too! 
After their bath, I layed towels on the bathroom floor and spread them out to dry.
When they were no longer drippy, I moved them to the edge of the tub to complete their drying time (and to get them out of the way). I kind of liked this look, but I suppose if I left them there, it would be a little tricky to use the tub. A leap over greenery into a bath tub isn’t a good idea even for children, much less grandmas!
A few hours later when they were dry, we returned them to their “homes” on top of the cabinets. I really can’t tell much difference in the way they look, but there is some satisfaction in just knowing that they are clean. (And, while I was giving the greens their “bath,” Hubby vacuumed the tops of the cabinets and the lights. After 43 years, we work well together.)
Posted by Sandra 
Mama reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas”
There were many trees bent down like this one in our own neighborhood. Luckily, we don’t have any trees in our yard big enough to cause this to happen.
It’s sad that some didn’t just bend — they broke.
As we got out of town, everywhere we looked, the icy landscapes were beautiful.
But, much damage too.
Funniest thing. When we pulled up in front of the restaurant, there were some of our neighbors, who also happen to be Hubby’s brother and sister-in-law. That’s one trait that runs through our whole family — we are verrrry good at sniffing out food!
This isn’t a great picture, but it makes me smile. Because this young guy, who looked 12 or 13 years old, was pretending to throw snow balls at cars as they went by. So, when we approached, I just raised the camera and took a picture of him. THAT stopped him dead in his tracks. It was fun to make “cool guy” maybe wonder who had taken his picture while he was “teasing” drivers, and whether a copy might get back to his mom!
We were in Amish country, but we only saw a couple buggies on the road.
I know the Amish are used to it, but it chills me every time I see them in these open buggies in really cold weather.
Then we probably found out why we hadn’t seen many buggies on the road. We don’t happen by an Amish school too often, but I don’t remember ever seeing horses and buggies out in front. So, I assume, most of the time, Amish children walk to school. But, the weather must have made many Amish parents allow their children to drive the buggy to school that day. That’s the nice thing about buggy driving — no age requirement. And, besides ”Dobbin” may know the way!
LOTS of buggies angle parked along the side of the road, all with their “slow-moving vehicle” orange triangle on the back.
A few minutes later, we passed another Amish school, and there were many buggies there too. They may not have telephones in their homes, but word obviously travels fast in their community.
We came upon a young Amish couple walking along the road. As we passed them, we could see that he was carrying a bundle that was obviously a baby! So, we turned around and went back to offer them a ride. Would you believe they turned us down? They acted very appreciative, but said they were only going “up there.” I assume that meant that farm up on the right. I guess they are not only much younger than me, but also of much heartier stock — “up there” would have been far enough away for me to accept a ride if it had been offered! In fact, the last thing the young man said to us, was that the walking was good exercise for them. That kind of cheerful humbleness, humbles me! The Amish, like all of us, are not perfect, but there is much to admire about them.
Well, of course, when you’re in “Amish country” you will see horses. Sleek ones like these, who pull the buggies.
And, big, powerful ones like these who pull the farming equipment. 
That was just the look on their faces — expectant!
I know Pioneer Woman posts pictures of horses regularly, but this is the first time since I have started my photography that I’ve had the chance to get close-up pictures of horses. Very exciting for me!
Sorry, guy. No matter how much you try to charm me with that sweet face, I don’t HAVE an apple!
It was a little harder for this smaller guy to “turn on the charm” since he was partially hidden by the icy fence, but who could resist those eyes. I do wish the dark brown horse hadn’t been standing right behind him because this picture makes him look a little like he has four ears and a huge brown tumor on the side of his head! So, you’ll just have to take my word for it — he was a cutey.
A pretty drive home.
But, frequent reminders of the damage ice can do.
When we pulled in our drive, the little reindeer in the yard next door were still peeking out at us from among the boughs of the tree bent low by ice.
Then the power went off at about 6:30 a.m., as I was in the middle of making the dip. Luckily it doesn’t involve too much reading, because I know the recipe pretty well.
Hubby first helped me with my lighting dilemma with this flashlight aimed at the ceiling to diffuse the light. It helped, but very little.
So then, he brought in this bad boy as a reinforcement, again, aiming it at the ceiling.
It certainly was better than total darkness, but really not ideal conditions for “cooking.” Luckily, the recipe didn’t require any actual “cooking” because our stove is electric.
Of course, when I use the flash on the camera, it gives a false impression of how much light there is.
So here’s a picture, without the flash, of the kitchen with only the light from the two flashlights. It was starting to get light outside — that helped too.
I had the refried bean layer, the guacamole layer and the sour cream/mayo/taco seasoning layer already in the dishes.
Luckily, I have this nifty difty really automatic can opener that is battery powered, that my sister gave me, so no problem opening the can of black olives.
Now it got a little trickier. While the black olives drained in a strainer in the sink, I began chopping the tomatoes and green onions with a knife. Have I mentioned that Hubby keeps our kitchen knives very sharp? Usually a blessing, but in semi-light, dull knives would have been more reassuring.
Fortunately there was no accidental severing of digits, and the next layers were successfully drained and chopped.
I added each of them in order.
And then topped it all off with more cheese than the recipe calls for, because we really like cheese — so we assume anyone eating this will too!
