Monday, February 5, 2024

Gifts Plus More

 We were talking yesterday about gifts. More specifically gifts given with words and actions. When Roy was finishing up law school, we could not afford to send him to either Bar review classes offered. He was just about to give up going to at least one by selling so many class applications. Most of his fellow night class students surprised him on that giving up night by buying their registrations from him. He was able to attend that and a friend of his gave him all his notes from the bar review class. As per Roy style, he passed on his first time taking the test. Over the years he has mentioned several times the kindness afforded to him by those long ago classmates. 

It happens all too often in gift giving and receiving, the aside look that tells those who catch it, the delight in the gift or the snide private joke that passes between others. Saw this happen one time where the "joke" of the gift look was seen by the giver to another at the party. It was a wonderful gift and could be exchanged because it came from a generous return policy store, so the look didn't need to be used. The giver, whom I am guessing made sacrifices to afford the gift looked a little deflated for the rest of the party. You know, I wanted to go over to the person and console them but it wouldn't be right to do so cause it might be more embarrassing that someone else saw the look. 

Today will be a fine tune of the lesson for tomorrow. We are studying Abram/Abraham and his journey from UR to Haran to Canaan. We are to look at Abram and Lot as well, but think we will cover that in next week's lesson. After studying and researching I like to read Charles Swindoll's view on the subject matter. He fills in between the spaces of cultural and historical importance. He is also a great applicable teacher. 

We upped our Sam's membership to Plus a few months ago and I'm telling you that before 10:00 am shopping is the biggest asset for us. We are able to get in and out in under an hour and that includes browsing time. The main purchases are cat litter and cat food but our list included some stuff for us. We stopped by Jessi's Cakes on the way home. I have watched her on FB grow her business and a treat to come to the store. Her Banana Pudding Cake is delicious! We bought one of the smaller servings you can get instead of a whole cake. I know where my next dessert purchase will be for church functions. When we got home and got everything put up we headed to the front yard to do some maintenance. We had let the sunflower stalks and such in a pile for decomposition and easier  to get bagged up. We used some of the debris for flowerbeds but we were mainly clearing the area because the stems of daffodils and tulips are breaking through the ground. This week once or twice we heard the sound of a lawnmower. We are not at that place but wow! That's not surprising in Houston but it is here. I think we will be able to get back outside this afternoon when it has warmed up a bit. Still lots of winter gardening which translates clean up to do in preparation for the arrival of false spring, then winter, then spring and so one. Roy has been putting the eggshells in the garden beds for the calcium needed especially for tomatoes. 

I think the boys have settled down for maybe the second time this morning. We keep a close eye on GMoey and his consumption of food. Therein lies the key to his keeping his digestive system on an even keel. We have just had two accidents and clean ups on aisle 9. He has a lot more energy and is interested in playing. That is a good sign we are on the right path for his health. In a couple of weeks his teeth will be removed because of stomatitis. That should be a help as well. 

A friend recommended the Mildred Budge series of books. I started on the first one last night. Oh my goodness, fun stories of church women probably in my age set. Kind of corny but kind of fun. I am really tired of gratuitous whatever thrown into stories to help them sell. Really, maybe just having a good story is a great selling point. Probably not because I am not in the age range publishers are trying to reach. Being a boomer is kind of like being a cuss word these days. 


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