Random Musings

Back in February someone posted a recipe for strawberry cookies with white chocolate chunks. I printed it out, but never got around to trying it until this week. They're a little sweet, so if I make them again I might cut back on the sugar some. I also doubled the recipe so I didn't have to cut a bar of cream cheese or butter in half. :)  And it called for a bar of white chocolate, chopped or shredded, but I adapted... 1 1/4 c flour 1/4 c unsalted butter -softened 4 oz cream cheese -softened 3/4 c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 c chopped strawberries (I had a small bag of frozen strawberries in the freezer that I had thawed and drained) 1 bag of white chocolate chips Preheat to 350. (It says to line pans with parchment paper, but I didn't have any so just lightly greased by cookie sheets.) Beat butter and sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add flour until well combined. Stir in chocolate. In a side bowl, t...

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need . ~ Hebrews 4:16 I learned when I was twelve that God does not always answer our prayers with a yes. When I was 19, I experienced that again at a very monumental time. It's not an easy lesson when you desperately and fervently pray for something only to get a no for an answer. This week has me timidly approaching God. I know we're commanded to ask boldly, but I so struggle with that. I know He hears me, but I still doubt that He will answer the way I expect. It's almost like I anticipate that He won't. Misty lived across the hall from me in my college. We were in the same prayer group, and were both Alabama girls. We watched the important football games together. She was (and still is) a firecracker of a personality. A few weeks ago she had a seizure while teaching her high school English class, and discovered that she has a benign brain tumor. ...

Life right now is a lot like a kid with the remote control. We advance forward, pause, live a little, pause. Ventured out to Target last night to pick up medicine and a few things we needed. I was only  able to get some of the things, so stopped at Food Lion this morning on my way home from an errand and was thankfully able to get everything else we needed. But I was amazed that a four days after the craziness posted all over Facebook I was still seeing so many empty shelves. I will say employees at both stores were stocking as quickly as they could and were being as helpful as they could be. Living in the south and in a hurricane zone, it's not uncommon to see certain shelves go bare before a hurricane or snow storm, but never have I seen so many rows or shelves bare at one time. I mean, honestly, when have you ever seen the canned vegetable aisle, pasta aisle, fresh/frozen chicken , frozen vegetable, eggs, or soup aisle 90-100% empty? My biggest surprise was last night when I...

I know if anyone starts to read this today there eyes will glass over and they'll pass on to something else. And that's okay. What I'm writing today is to help me remember years down the road. One week ago today, I would have never imagined the things that are happening now. One week ago today, Covid-19 was something we discussed and anticipated. Then it became an issue for two counties. Today it is in 14 counties with 32 cases. Nationwide there are 1694 cases with 41 deaths. Worldwide it is a rapidly changing situation with staggering numbers. Since Thursday, March 12, the following things have happened: The ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament were cancelled. This has no impact on me whatsoever, but in all of my life, I have never heard of a nationwide sports event of this magnitude being cancelled. Professional basketball teams have cancelled all games and public activities. Universities are closing the campus for the semester and going totally online. Duke ...

I know it's not officially spring according to the calendar, but... I cut grass today. There is pollen all over the top of the pond. The turtles are coming up. The geese are laying. The hardware stores have chicks. The irises are up and daffodils (which in the south bloom in Jan usually) are dying Goldenrods, crocuses, peach and pear trees and the kiwi plants are all blooming. Amaryllis plants are poking their heads out of the ground. I'm calling it spring.

Last night was the monthly "gathering" (the name and meeting of one of the quilt groups I belong to). It is usually a very upbeat group, with interesting discussions. Last night was a little more somber. We had a LOT of discussion about COVID-19. No matter what else we discussed, it seemed to always rotate back to that subject. A few interesting tidbits - one read a text from her daughter in Switzerland with the list of things everyone should buy or have on hand in case of a quarantine. The daughter is a therapist at a hospital, and she reported situations of people bringing water bottles into the hospital and pumping out all the hand sanitizer into their water bottle. I've heard reports from the US of people stealing face masks and it makes me wonder if these people have a brain. Why would you steal from the very people who might eventually be taking care of you? If you take their supplies, what will they use when everything they have is gone and you come in and truly ...

Covid-19, also known as the newest coronaravirus seems to have everyone in a bit of hysteria.  It is disconcerting. It's a new virus with (currently) no vaccine and limited means of treatment that has a longer lifespan than influenza and the common cold.  From the CDC's website: "The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Everything I've read about the illness from the CDC or medical sites state it is an upper respitory disease whose symptoms cause fever, cough and shortness of breath. Yet the media gives symptoms for the flu in all of its reports. Because of the length of time the virus can survive on a surface, the quarantine for a person with the disease is 14 days AFTER the virus is gone. Because of this, the media has suggested people be prepared to be quarantined at home for a month (An estimated two weeks with the illness, then two weeks afterwards for the contagious ...

I survived my 19 hr day yesterday (with only 5.5 hrs of sleep from the night before).  I strongly believe in our electoral process, so I think such days are worth it. Granted, I was rejoicing this morning that Bobby is retired so we could crash this morning, and I was constantly reminding myself that many of my coworkers got up early this morning and headed into their regular jobs. I guess that makes me spoiled that I was able to sleep until I woke up today.  So much of the last two weeks have been trying to get ready for the next thing that I've enjoyed resting today. I know tomorrow is back to schedule and routines, but I so needed a day of rest today. Updated my project list for March. I'm only carrying over two from February...the cleaning list (I cleaned light fixtures and deep cleaned most of one bathroom instead of doing what was on my list in February) and my Bible study. I have learned some very helpful and insightful things as I trod through this study, but it...