February 23, 2025: More Sunday Thoughts

 Another Sunday and more thoughts from me that are mostly discombobulated.  With everything that's going on in the world, can my thoughts be anything but?  So on the 23rd day of February (one day after Washington's Birthday), here is some random crap that is rolling around in my mind:

  • Today marks my maternal grandmother's birthday.  I'm not sure how old she would have been as her birth certificate was destroyed in a fire and she didn't like to talk age.  I was told that the year of her birth was wrong on her driver's license and she chose not to fix it.  Doesn't really matter now.  I keep hoping I will see a robin today because that was her/our thing.  Who would see the first robin of the year, my grandmother, my mother or me?  Since I'm the only one left...I have seen some birds flying around today, but no red breasts.  I also heard a bird (or birds) singing this morning, which gives me some hope that spring is on the way.
  • Temperatures moving up the thermometer also give me hope that spring is on the way.  Last Sunday, a huge branch sheared off of one of our trees.  It was really big and it was so cold that the smaller branches on it froze to the ground.  It made getting in and out of the garage challenging.  (With this cold winter I have come to realize how much I like having an attached garage even as I try to come up with a plan for doing something better with the space.)  Yesterday temperatures were warm enough (upper 30s!) for hubby and I to go out and saw off parts of the branch and drag them to the "island" in front of the house.  (Explanation:  there is the road and then our driveway which has two entrances, one on the west side and one on the east, which connect in an "arc".  Between that and the road is a plot of land with trees and rocks, which makes up the "island."  The branch is still there and I will need to have the landscaper take care of it in the spring, but for now I can navigate out the garage with a little more ease.

  • I physically went to church today for the first time in several weeks.  The snow, and particularly the ice, had kept the physical building from opening here in the Poconos.  (Thanks to technology I can still "visit" church in NJ AND here in PA.)  Although the lot was still a bit treacherous, it was good to go back.  Though I am not quite settled in to a new church home, I have found this particular congregation to be welcoming, which is what we all need.  Readings of the day included Psalm 37 (which brought me hope) and Luke 6:27-38, which can be challenging. (Particularly verses 35-36:   But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.") Again (as I said in my thoughts last Sunday), this is why I am a practicing Christian.  Being a Christian (again in my opinion) requires work.  I intend to keep working.  I was also reminded that Lent is coming soon.  Do I give up chocolate and/or alcohol as I have done in the past?  Or do I try something else this year?
  • When I got home, along with coffee, I decided to give the scrapple I purchased a try.  I prepared as recommended, although I think I sliced a little too thin because the pieces fell apart when I turned them.  As recommended by two people, I tried a little maple syrup on them.  The verdict?  Its okay...like breakfast sausage without the casing.  I am definitely more of a pork roll person, but a person's got to try new things, especially when my food allergies limit me.
  • Some other new things that I have tried recently (but NOT with breakfast and definitely not with scrapple) is Coke Zero orange cream and Dr. Pepper blackberry zero sugar.  The coke is too creamy (I'm not a cream soda fan) and not orange-y enough.  The Dr. Pepper blackberry is another story. 

    As far as diet sodas go, this might be my new go to.  (Like it so much that when I saw it on sale at Family Dollar, I bought three more "sleeves.)
  • Another new thing (that is not edible), I DID buy the chair (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2025/01/one-down-eleven-to-go.html) and it arrived on Friday.  The delivery guys actually followed my directions (so they didn't get stuck in the snow/ice on the other end of the street) and one of them actually was the one who delivered and did some assembly work on my dining room table.  I really like the chair and thus far nothing horrible has happened. (Knock wood.) 

  • Tomorrow after (remote) work I have to head back to NJ so I can be in the office.  I am NOT looking forward to that drive.  If you didn't know:  https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/i-80-sinkhole-crews-find-up-to-90-voids-closure-extended.  My first trip back after the closure took just under 2 hours, but last week took even longer.  This is a bad time of year to do repairs (due to weather and temperatures) and this needs to be done right.  I'll try to be patient, but that is a virtue that I sadly lack and need to work on.  

And that’s what I’m thinking about on Sunday, February 23rd.  That and the fact that there’s only 25 days till spring.  (But who’s counting?)

Oh...and one more thing that I'm thinking about...tomorrow marks 3 years since Russia invaded Ukraine.  Three years...  "According to figures released by Kyiv, U.N. statistics, and open-source data published by BBC Russia, the total death toll of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers, as well as Ukrainian civilians stands at 148,359 as of Feb. 13."  That's something to think about...

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