Time travel

I'm time traveling back to yesterday, or today depending on how you look at time-space continuum.

I made this apple pie for the dessert I took with me to deliver dinner to friends who just had a baby.

I like long, run-on sentences. I can't help myself.

I like apple pies too.

This one turned into upside-down apple pie though. It was heavier than the salad, and when I turned a corner, over it turned.

I quickly pulled over and righted it. It seemed to be mostly intact. A bit of the juicy filling managed to leak out of the foil that was covering it and covered the inside of the grocery bag. The friend sent me a text later saying that it tasted good, so no damage was done. Thankfully the aluminum foil did its job. Next time, the pie goes in its own bag.

Don't worry, the salad wasn't harmed either. It was in a plastic container. Plus a little apple pie filling could have made for an interesting salad dressing.

Lost and Found

I don't remember if I told the story a few weeks ago how my earring broke. I had worn a new pair of earrings to church. I bought them in Chicago and they were handmade. They matched a necklace that was given to me from Pat. She brought it back from China. The necklace matched a bracelet I was given from Jen in college. Both are made of black pearls/beads of some kind.

I had gone into the building that Sunday morning and had delivered the attendance sheets. Then I went into the bathroom which is when I discovered I had the hook of my earring still in my ear, but the beads were gone! I retraced my steps through the building, but couldn't find them. I sent Bill a text, he had stayed home because Heather W. was visiting, and they both searched the house and the driveway.

When I left church to come home, I searched my car. Sure enough, there it was. The tiny loop had opened enough for the beaded part to get hooked on my scarf and fall out.

Guess what happened today? I realized I was missing my honeybee earrings. These were given to me from Jenny.

I had just worn them this week. I remember taking them off. I also remember putting them in a place that I noted was not where they belonged. Typically I keep my earrings in a jewelry box. Cats can't get to them, and they are easy to find.

I started searching when I realized I didn't know where the bee earrings were. I looked through the jewelry box and on the dresser where the jewelry box sits.

I looked through the bags I had taken on my short trip to visit Bill.

I looked through my purse.

I looked through my workbag.

I looked through the bag I had taken on the retreat, even though I know I saw them more recently than that.

I had to leave to go to youth group. Which was fun. Even though it's spring break, there were five youth. We walked downtown and got Jimmy Johns. We ate in the new Monument Park. Then we went and got ice cream at Jersey Junction.

It was a good night. Except for the missing earrings.

When I came home, I had sent Bill a text asking him to check the house in St. Joe. They weren't there.

He asked if I had prayed to St. Anthony (the saint that helps you find things when they're lost). I actually had, three times while I had been looking earlier.

Bill told me I needed to pray again and tell St. Anthony that Bill sent me.

I tried it again.

I kid you not, the next thought I had was that I put them in the Advil sinus box. I went and checked the box, and sure enough! Not only were my earrings in there, but so was the necklace I had been wearing that day.

Thank you St. Anthony.

Lunch and our Goddaughter

Lunch at Panera. This is Miss Addison. She's our Goddaughter. I went to lunch with her and her mom. No matter how many times I see them, each time I'm thankful. We sent this photo to "Uncle Bill" because he was working.

I should have taken another photo of her raincoat and boots. They matched and they had Hello Kitty on them. Too cute.

Addison has learned the songs to "The Sound of Music". She loves to sing. She also knows that "A" is for Addison. And "M" is for Michigan (as in U of M). She's very smart.

Right, left, right, left

I know that not everyone feels the same way about running/walking as I do. I think it took me time to build up the endurance and the endorphins, or whatever it is, and that patience was the key. Now that I have worked up to a 5k, I can't stop. I also can't stop because, as I learned this winter, exercise will be the only way for me to maintain my weight. I like to eat too much.

As I was out on my walk (still working back up to running) this morning in the 34 degrees, with a light rain, spotting turkeys who weren't happy to see me, I felt at peace. My route is a routine. Ha, go figure. And if you know me at all, you know that I function best on a routine.

I stopped to take a picture of the wild turkeys. This one appeared to be trying to scare me. Since they are easily three feet tall, and I was very much outnumbered, I didn't linger. 

The entire time I was out, even though it was chilly and damp, it felt good.

You know, it's like that favorite sweatshirt. You take it out of the closet in the autumn and it smells clean. You pull it over your head and it warms you right up. It's familiar. It's comfortable. 

That's how I feel on my walks. I know the neighborhood. I watch the seasons change. It's comfortable, even when it's not. My hip and my foot hurt this morning. But I kept on going. I knew how much further I had to go, and it wasn't far. 

That's why I'm not interested in gyms or tracks. The monotony of both of those things doesn't motivate me. Going outside in 30 degree weather to walk through our neighborhood does. Maybe I'm strange. Maybe I'm normal. At any rate, I'm so thankful to be back out in the 'hood. Angry turkeys, hip pains, cold weather and all.

I will say, I am looking forward to warmer weather when I don't have to wear four layers.

Glass slippers and happily ever afters

I don't remember when the first time I saw Disney's "Cinderella". I must have been young. As a teen, I owned it on VHS and watched it a handful of times.

I'm not going to get into Disney's version of fairy tales and other stories. You may believe what you want to and choose whether or not you want to expose yourself or your children to these stories. I do believe that "Saving Mr. Banks" gives an explanation behind Walt's mindset.

I happen to enjoy a good cartoon.

Cinderella was on the Disney channel tonight, and I just happened to catch most of it.

I won't point out the ridiculous nature of a glass shoe, animals that help do chores, and other oddities that go along with a cartoon.

It's Cinderella. And they lived happily ever after. Which has brought more fun stories into our homes and televisions.

I'm thankful for those fun stories that stretch our imaginations.