I will be glad...

when my contract with Hughesnet is up. besides the cost, it's getting really old to have uplink issues and web acceleration issues... ARGH. Half the time it seems when you are trying to do something it won't work. It's just very frustrating.

Where will I go when it's up? Haven't a clue... but somewhere with GOOD internet at a CHEEP price. :)

Well I made bread yesterday... not Salt Rising, but just simple white bread and cinnamon bread... it's pretty good even if I do say so myself. It's not as good as Mom's but it will have to do. She makes the best bread...sourdough, honey whole wheat, and then healthy bread... you know the kind that is good for you but some of us just can't take the taste... Yup that's me. She does her bread without yeast... :-/ I need all the help I can get. :)

OK I have a tiny rant here... last night I had to go and get dog food. Some how I managed to forget it earlier in the day. I also needed to get some blinds, some spray stuff to help the tractor start (at the moment it's eluding my mind), and some crackers. OK so all went well got most of the stuff I went for. Came home got one pkg of mini blinds ready to go. I measured TWICE before I went.. 31" ... I buy the 31" blinds... come home...get ready to replace the old ones with the new. Would you believe that 31" blinds are no longer 31"... yup they are 30"'s being sold as 31". I checked the other pkg and it's the same way. This means I'm going to have to back into town and exchange them. ARGH!!!!! Now it's another wasted trip back into town that could have been avoided had they just not had false labeling. I know it's not that big of a deal but dag gum it all... isn't my time important? Wasted gas... sigh  

I'm pursed of lip...

Well the bread was a dismal failure. The "starter" never started. I guess the Lord knew what he was doing in not putting me in pioneer times. I personally have always thought I would have made an excellent pioneer. HA! I say again HA! I detest hand sewing (my thinking is... if God gave someone the idea and know on making a sewing machine then that means I'm to USE that machine, besides I love gadgets!), I like Air Conditioning, I think central heat would be utterly delightful (having never known life with it I can imagine) ! I LOVE heated seats in a vehicle :-) ... and how would I live without my laptop and internet?!?! Yes I know I could... but do I really want to??? NAH...

Anyway today has been a cold and nasty one. The wind just wouldn't lay, and even though the sun shone all day the wind just made it miserable to be out side. It feels more like a January cold than a December cold if that makes any sense what so ever. I some how thought it would be like that. This year the months seem to be switched.

I was thinking though... a great free gift is a simple smile. Have you smile at a random person today? I try to when I'm out and about, well if I'm not grieved of mind, body and soul. You can get some of the funniest expressions in return and every once and a while a smile in return... So get out there and smile! Raise your face value.

I'm atempting....

to make Salt-Rising Bread... Why???? Seemed like a good idea 45 minutes ago... :) Right now we are waiting for the cornmeal and milk to bubble bubble boil and trouble. :)

checking the forecast

I can't help it, I don't like winter... I think if I lived somewhere that there were winter sports or at least the thought of be able to do something fun during the winter months besides tripping, sliding, falling or frozen ruts, cows paths or all of the above except being glazed in ice I would be a much nicer person. :)

Around these parts winter is just blah... I'm sure if I lived were there was snow for most of the year I wouldn't like that any better, nor if I lived where it was mild in winter and roasting in the summer... I guess I'm just NOT happy in extremes... Is it really to much to ask that we don't go from the 60's for highs to the low 30's all in one day? OH well...

I'm hoping the water hose will thaw with some sunshine on it... just read the forecast... the cold is here!!!!! I know that's breaking news... :) but on the up side... no rain or snow for today. Yesterday saw our first snow coming down. It melted instantly, but according to folk lore (ya gotta love this one) the day you get your first snow fall is how many snows you'll have... HEY 2 isn't bad... :)

Gotta run...pray the tractor starts without have to put the battery charger on it... I just hate having to do that...

Hope...

Today I would have to say that HOPE is a great free gift...  Hope means so much, and it's such a little seed when it begins it's life. It's easily encouraged to grow, however it can be snuffed out in a moment. And all it takes to do either are words... good words, encouraging words, words said in anger, words that come and either disappoint or throw you for a loop. Words written, heard and said can shatter your hope. But thankfully we have God and his son, who are always there, ready to pick us up and if need be carry us until we can walk in confidence and hope again.

Hope is... Hope... Faith , hope and love... all linked. If you have hope, you have faith, if you have faith, you can love, if you can love you have hope... and the never ending circle will continue. It's always there, I don't care how low you might feel (trust me... I know LOW and believe me I've been in the depths of despair lately) and yet I hope... I have faith in God that all is and will work out...

Yes I'm giving myself a little pep talk... we all need it now and again... :)

Gifts...

They say the best things in life are free... some days I would beg to differ. Other days, I totally agree. In pondering what gifts I've been given that cost nothing (at least monetarily wise), I would have to say today's would be UNDERSTANDING.

I can give this to someone by just trying to understand where they are coming from, what they are going through, having compassion. Which in it's self is another gift. How much does it mean to someone when we just listen, understand, and have a tiny bit of compassion. How much better would this world be if we truly had understand and compassion for others? Real honest to goodness understanding of a person or situation... taking the time to find out and not run away if it's hard or not pretty.

OK I've rambled on enough... hope this makes sense... it does to me... but I well... I'm UNIQUE! One of a kind... (thank goodness... I know I'm wonderful, but goodness 2 of me... lol ;-)

It's cold and cloudless...

It's a cold and cloudless start to the day. Supposed to get into the 60's today. We'll see I suppose... Right now I'm just cold and slightly grumpy, a morning person I am not. And soon the neighbor will be coming, honking his horn to call up his steers and feeder heifers. Some morning that sound just grates on my very last nerve. It doesn't help that my nerves are already on point and I try NOT to let things bother me, and in trying it makes things worse if that makes any sense.

Oh well, life and the days march on...

In continuing with the theme of the 30 days of Thanksgiving... I'm going to try to find at least one "gift" I've been given every day this month. Something not bought with money, but true gifts.

I'll get around to this later in the day. Right now getting something warm on and starting in on chores is calling my name... Sara SARA oh dear Sara... calves, cows, and goats aren't going to wait forever... or will they :)...