When Marydon Throws a Party...

...and you are invited,
you should definitely
BE THERE!

Some time ago, I received
a comment or an email stating
that there was going to be a
Blog Meet to celebrate Sherry's
Birthday and visit to our coast.

Sherry writes Country Wings in Phoenix. I began following
Sherry as her niece was fighting a
desperate battle with cancer. Through
this time I grew to love Sherry's heart
and attitude. It seems that while we
had never met in person, praying with
and for someone creates a bond.

So, when Marydon, of Blushing Rose, said that Sherry
was coming, I purposed to go and
meet her.

Warren, being the awesome husband that
he is waited and watched this develop
and told me on the way down that he knew
he would end up taking me....

I admitted that I would not have wanted
to go alone. He knew that. Bless his heart.

I am so glad he drove. We set the GPS
to avoid the highways and wandered through
the most gorgeous countryside.
Only vanity kept me from rolling down the
window to take about a million photos.
But, I had visions of all of the hairspray
getting blown out of my hair...sigh.

So you'll just have to take my word for how
stunning the trees, horse farms and rolling
hills were.

Turns out, after I saw the pictures from the
day it probably wouldn't have mattered.
Windblown would likely have been
an improvement.
Hence, if you want to see any photos of
me you'll have to find them on one of the linked
blogs from this day.

O.k. just let me say right up front that time
flew. Our meeting time was 12:30. We were to
have lunch together at The Mt. Airy Tavern and
then everyone was to go back to Harold and Marydon's
for dessert and more time to chat.

Since Saturday is our "get ready for Sunday day"...
(did you follow that?)
there is so much to do on Saturday!
It was a two hour drive to Mt. Airy
so we decided we could only spare
the six or so hours that it took to drive there, enjoy
lunch and come home.
Thus, we didn't get to go back to the Ford's home.
I arranged for Warren to pick me up at 2pm.
He spent time on his laptop in a Dunkin Donuts
with a yummy cup o' coffee.
Isn't that love and devotion?
Kudos to Warren!

We were still eating lunch at 2pm.

This was after meeting everyone,
exchanging gifts with our hostess and
the birthday girl.

Several of us ordered a most fantastic
Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad.
I have been thinking about that salad.
I must make it.
It was truly wonderful.

Marydon had informed us early on
that lunch was going to be her treat.
Amazing, that woman.
I love her.
She is so no nonsense.
You would never have to guess what she
is thinking. Don't you feel so much
better around ladies like that?
No cattiness, no games.
That is the stuff best friends
are made of.

I was blessed to sit beside her
wonderful husband, Harold.
What a treat.
So kind and gentle.
A real gentleman.

To my right was a genuine author.
Kelly Harmon has written and published
a novel called Blood Soup.
To be honest, with that title I probably
would have passed the book by, but after
meeting Kelly I find that I am now very interested
in reading it.
I am planning to download it online.
It is less expensive for me and
Kelly actually makes more money that way.
Hmmm...who knew?
Technology!

There was very interesting discussion about the
publishing field and how it works.
I was listening very closely.
Jonathan is writing
a book you know!

Across the table from me was a darling Southern
Lady. Andrea authors Arise 2 Write as well as
two other blogs. Her passions are prayer, devotionals
and pets. She and her husband have therapy dogs that
have an amazing ministry to the mentally handicapped.
Andrea and Doug had come
all the way from
Virginia.

Carol (Buttercup Counts her Blessings)
stole my heart straight away as
she reminds me of another dear friend
from New York. I am definitely going
to be a follower of her blog as I am
intrigued by city dwellers. Being a
country girl I don't get the whole
city life thing...but told Warren we should
do it for a year when he retires. Just to
see what we have been missing.
I don't think he is going for it.

The other ladies were just too far
away for me to really get to know
but they appeared to be very lovely.

There was Bunny, from The Paris House, Jill from Of Lemons and Honey,
and of course Marydon and Sherry.

When Marydon and Harold arrived they
brought the most delightful flower
arrangements for the table.

I had to snap a couple of pictures.
You know I did...here is one.



Thank you, to everyone who made this
a wonderful experience.

From left to right - Front Row: Sherry and Carol
Back Row: Andrea, Marydon, Bunny and Kelly. This was taken before Jill arrived...bummer!

I hope to get
to know all of you better through your
web spaces.

And most of all....A HUGE THANK YOU
to Harold and Marydon for your amazing
generosity and loving hearts!

You are a wonderful part of
the blogging community!

I Love Joseph!

My husband knows.
He is happy about it.



There was an employee premiere of Sight and Sound
Theater's newest show, Joseph. (Click on the links
to see more about
the theater and the show)

To know why this is so special you would have to
know that Sight and Sound employees and their families
live with each new show for at least three years before
the public gets to see a thing.

For the past three years when Warren and I would
escape for dinner together I would gladly listen
as Warren brainstormed ideas for technical effects
that were needed. Oh, how I love this!

Watching his creative brain at work.
That is a very good thing.

So, as the show unfolded last evening I nearly
burst with happiness for him as the most
challenging of projects worked perfectly
and looked simple.

While the show has a lot of technical
aspects the beauty of the sets takes
your breath away. Again, wishing we
could have taken pictures....

And beyond that...

It is the story!

So beautifully told and brought to life by
a cast that is talented beyond belief.

Joshua Keefer, who plays Joseph, is amazing.
I cannot say enough!
His voice is so pleasant to listen to.
No oversinging, or overacting.
He is so amazingly consistent in this
role. I realized when the show was
over that he had been on the stage for
most of the two hours that the show runs.

The men who play his brothers are also
very talented singers.
There are several group songs
that are so technically awesome that you
cannot believe they are in a play.

One song literally brought me to tears with its
beauty. I am not going to tell you which.
You'll have to see the show and then we'll
compare notes.

So, now all of you across the country.
Your assignment is to schedule your 2010
or 2011 vacation for Lancaster County, PA.
You must let me know if you are coming!

This is something that you really would enjoy!

With its setting in Egypt there were several
opportunities to bring out the camels.
Yes, real camels.

There are many animals in this drama.
There is humor in this drama.
In the most unexpected places
you find yourself in a full belly laugh.

I must stop.
Really.
But, I am in love!
With Joseph.
His story of God's Providential Care,
Forgiveness and Love.

I am smitten!

Understand that I have seen all of
Sight and Sound's shows since the
early 1990's. I am not speaking
lightly. This is an amazing show
that I cannot wait to see again!

If you want to see more...click here for a video of the writers and directors. Toward the end you get a sneak peek at some of the sets in process.


Now, for a bit more about our evening.

Our silly boys opted not to go last
evening. They said they would wait
and go later....

So we had two tickets to share.

Chelsea was able to invite two of her
very dear friends, Lindsay and Emily
Rabe....you know, of Creekside Cottage.
Their names are links that will take you
to each of their blogs. Their mother
writes beautifully at the
Creekside Cottage Blog.

They had just a bit of fun in the lobby.
Lindsay took these shots.







I also asked Lindsay to get a picture of the
hanging centerpiece in the lobby area.



I took this one of a gorgeous display.


I was tempted to take photos in the
restrooms as they are so pretty...
but the nerve escaped me.

Just driving up to this building is an
experience. Being inside is like stepping
into another world.

As we were headed to the car there was just
one more opportunity for pictures.

Aren't they precious?

Now, I had to get gas.
As I pumped the stinky
liquid into the van the
girls asked permission to
go and get pictures with
this....





The interesting thing about this was that
as they were playing around a worker at the store
came out and locked the door to the store.
We knew it wasn't closing time so we weren't
sure what was up...but we decided to go ahead
and leave.

After I got home I popped on to the internet
and found out that there had been two armed
robberies in that area while we had been at
the theater. Oh my. And there I was with these
girls, just playing.
Thank God, for His hand
of protection on us.

Finally, I want to share my very favorite photo
from the evening. You see, before showtime
we were permitted to take a behind the scenes
tour with Warren as our guide. This post is
so long already I'll just say that it killed
me to not take photos from the stage or shops.

BUT...in his office I took this one of him
and Chelsea. I love their expressions.



AND... I am tempted to steal that
picture back to go over the Entertainment
Center....It has been in our home, at our church
and now in his office.

Warren rescued it from the trash one day.
It has been with us ever since.

So anyway, enough about that...
suffice it to say that
last evening will go down in my
memory as a very bright spot.

Praying that God uses this drama
about a true man of God to reach and
encourage many around the world.

Maybe even YOU!!

There was a Mystery...During the Dinner

Well, I admit to not enjoying the
feeling of being out of control.

It makes me "cranky".

We had made a last minute stop in at
the church on Thursday Evening to set
the heat to come up at 2pm on Friday
so we could set up without freezing.

When I arrived on Friday...there were
lights on in the building and it was
55 degrees cold. Since it was dark Thursday
evening, I know we turned all of the lights
off. Someone was just a tad too helpful
thinking we didn't mean to have the heat on.
They must have turned it back and forgot
to turn off the lights as they left....sigh.
I could not figure
out how to override the programmed
thermostat. So we set up quickly...




and left.

After talking to Warren, I thought I
knew how to get the heat to work, so
I headed back over. While I was able
to do it...It didn't really get warm
enough....frustration #1.

When Sue and Georgia arrived to help
set up they decided to plug in a large
heater. I went in another room and plugged in
a hot plate. Poof! No power in the room
we were using as a base to serve from.
Everything was already in this room.
There was no where better place to set
up.

I thought it was just a fuse and that we
would be able to simply re-set it. Nope!
Therein lies the mystery. All during the
dinner that part of the building remained
dark and we served in the dark. We did have
to run from one end of the building to the
other to various crockpots to complete the
orders.

After the dinner...the guys worked on the
problem a little more...lights! I don't know
what the problem was other than a test to my
sanity. So, while I tried to arrange this
whole evening so there would be no mystery
for me...no go. Big mystery!

Anyway...the meal was a hoot!

Kelly and her family provided great entertainment
while we compiled the requested menu items for
each diner.

It was painful sometimes. There
was one poor soul who ordered a knife, a napkin,
a fork, two drinks and a chocolate cookie. It was one
of Mrs. Rabe's Youngers. I was so glad we had
already decided to put everything out when we had
finished serving.

Everyone else was so happy for that as well. They were
all comparing what they had. Someone else's Battery,(Asian Salad)
looked better than their thermostat,(Peppered Beef Jerky).

It was fun.

I am glad we did it, in spite of the issues with the
heat and lights.

This was Chelsea yesterday making flat tires.





I had found the cookie part of an Ice Cream Sandwich made of a huge Oreo.
We mixed up a filling for it from Cream Cheese, Peanut Butter,
and Confectioner's sugar. It was so scrumptious!
These became our flat tires.
The Fudge Cookies filled
in the same way were "good tires".

Other menu items were...
Bucket Seats - Cheesy Potato Soup
Transmission - Fried Chicken Tenders
Bugs on the Windshield - Banana Pudding Dessert
Sludge in the Oil - Pecan Pie
Defroster - Chili
Hub Caps and Lugs - Hot dog in a bun
Jumper Cables - Ham and Cheese Sub
Lube and Oil Change (synthetic)- Pork BBQ
Lube and Oil Change (conventional) - Chicken BBQ
Coolant - Flourescent green gatorade
Washer Fluid - Water
Wrench - Fork
Wiper Blade - Napkin

So you can get the idea anyway.

Chelsea and the Rabe Girls were our servers.

Using Georgia's large trays they carried the orders to the
Fellowship Hall.

The flash doesn't allow you to see how very dark it was in this room
as Sue and Georgia filled trays.


Here Emily waits for her next delivery.
So far I see a Grease monkey and calipers.

I was the runner.
Getting anything that was hot from whatever part of the building
we had been able to plug it in.
Sue, in the red, is recuperating from knee replacement surgery.
This was the biggest thing she has done, other than her
therapy since the operation.
She was definitely tired and hurting by the end of the
evening.
It was nice of her to care enough to be sure she was
there...but...she would not sit down. Stubborn Woman!

I am sure that at some point during the next couple of
days Mrs. Rabe and Kelly will post some of their pictures.
While we were busy, I know some pictures were taken.

Have a blessed Saturday...

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

I Was a Wild Woman....not!

I felt a little crazy, though.

It was dark and cold.

No one else in the car.

I was headed...bowling on a Sunday night!
Yes, I was!
And it was FREE!

No one else in our house was willing
to go with me, but my friend Jana and
her family were going, Grandpa Bob, of
Creekside Cottage fame, and
a couple of Grandgirls too.

In Warren's defense he is recuperating
from a cold and wasn't feeling up to going.

So, we met up at the local bowling alley...
just a half an hour from here...I drove in the cold
and the dark...all alone in the car.
The radio played what I wanted it to play...
This never happens when the kids are in the
car with me...

I guess you could consider the evening fun.
The friends were great.
My bowling was absolutely terrible.
So sad.
So very, very sad.

However Grandpa Bob had a very good game
and Miss Lindsay made sport out of bowling
very well. Hmmmmph!

It was all fun and games until it was time
to drive home at 11-ish! Somehow everything
seems more ominous when you are alone... and the
temperature is in the low teens. When you have
left the cell phone at home. You begin praying
that the tires won't blow out and that the engine
stays happy!

I learned that this is one time of the
day that the Amish buggies don't even attempt
to get off to the side of the road for you.
Not much traffic...
you can go around, they must be thinking.
I don't blame them...the edges of the road are
rough...but I do wish the buggies
were better lit.
I get afraid for them.

All was well.

Before I know it there will be more of these times
where I flit off by myself for this or that because
the kids will be happily living their lives from
some other base...but until that happens I think
I will enjoy their presence...a lot!

Not their music, mind you...
but their presence!

We all watched Prince Caspian Saturday evening.
I loved it!
Even so, though, I just kept looking around the
room soaking in the togetherness!

Ever been there?
Gotta love it!

Just a few short years ago it seemed the parenting journey and
the frustrations of little ones would never end. I know, they
are not supposed to be frustrating but sometimes they are...really.
When you have passed the stomach bug around and around...or the
creativity and scissors meet in really bad places.

Fleeting!
The time we have with them.
Fleeting!

But for last night...I was a Wild Woman!
Almost. Not really.
Sigh.
♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Big Weekend!

This was a fun weekend.
It started on Friday evening with
our regular Small Group Bible Study.

As is often the case it was held at
our home. It had been arranged that
four teenage girls would be spending
the night after Small Group. We kicked
my boys out to Grandma's house and the
"fun" began.

We made tea, got into jammies and then
played Catch Phrase until 2 am.
It was fun but pointed out how much I
have aged. I got tired...

Our original plan had been to make chocolate
chip pancakes for breakfast...but someone
mentioned funnel cakes and I thought that
sounded like fun. After looking up a recipe
on the computer it didn't sound bad so we put
that on the agenda for Saturday morning.



This was soooo fun! Liza gets the blue ribbon for
her flower funnel cake. Isn't that cool?

Yes, that is chocolate and whipped topping...isn't that how you
eat your funnel cake? LOL

Another round of Catch Phrase...



Then...
I took the girls back to their parents, dropping
some at home and for others meeting at a local
shopping center. I came home to prepare the
house for Warren's return, after three weeks.

I'm not sure but I think there was a bit of a
nap that happened Saturday afternoon...yawn!

This is the longest time Warren has been away since we
have been married. It was a bit strange in that we
were fine...but missed him like crazy.

We had our incidents, if you'll recall...
Broken water pipe, Broken van.
But God was faithful and we made it through.
Gives me a tiny bit of understanding of what
our military families go through...but without
the fear. I am very appreciative for these men
and women who serve our country.

It was wonderful to see Warren!

He was so glad to be home!

Yesterday we thought we would spend a couple
of hours at Longwood Gardens to just relax.
After lunch at Applebees we arrived at the
Gardens to find they were having their wine
and cheese jazz festival...there were cars
everywhere...
Since we had been there on New Year's Eve and
walked shoulder to shoulder with people we decided
to take a rain check and just enjoyed our Sunday
drive to Kennett Square and back.

Our friends came over last evening for the usual
food and fellowship. A good time was had by all.

Now back to a regular week so I can catch up with
sleep and housework.

I want, so much, to get a couple of flower beds planted
before my surgery on the 16th.

Blessings on your day!