Saturday:) Some Awesome Sunsets and Skies

“I can’t help but stare in awe at the sky and soak in all the colors and hues that God painted in the heavens. Perhaps a preview.”

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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Wow, another steamy day here in north Texas. I got up early to beat the summer heat and trim my crepe myrtle tree. I was guilted into it, not being much of a horticulturist, I’ve said this many times. ” I can paint a tree or flowers. I just can’t grow trees or flowers.”

My friend Allison, and avid gardener invited me to go to Home Depot with her yesterday, and she bought a carload of trees and dirt. She talked me into one little tree. When she picked me up, I was chastised for the sad shape of my crepe myrtle and also that it was infested with aphids. Yuk! How would I know? I don’t look at such things,

So, I went out there this morning with those tall snippy cutter thingies, and trimmed the tree. I also trimmed back a few man-eating bushes that were over taking the flower bed. Then, I sprayed the tree with some buggy stuff that she recommended. I was sweatin’ bullets. I do love nature and plants and such, I just wished that God could take care of all that like he does the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Here’s my crepe myrtle all cute and trimmed. It was about twice the size before,

Some of my recent sunsets…

I guess sometimes even Mother Nature needs a helping hand.

Friday:) Finest Friends and a Few Firemen

“If you only have a small circle of friends, make a bigger circle.”

~ Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”

-William Shakespeare

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I always feel so blessed to share my many adventures with new and old friends. This week has been filled with adventures. Dinners and lunches and a concert. Every Monday is the country dance at the senior center and lots of new friends there. And, Thursday night is karaoke at Delaney’s.

Look who came to karaoke last night…Frinchie and Lynn, my church friends.

Then, an impromptu lunch with the TOTS (Table Of Talented Sisters) is always a blast. I need a selfie stick or a longer arm.

Now, last but not least, my special firemen friends. Miss Pat always tells me to take her cookies that she brings to karaoke over to my fire station if there are any left over. She always brings a ton, so there are usually plenty left over. They always appreciate the sweet treats and thoughts that go along with the visit.

Thank you Station 9. Thank you Miss Pat…aka the Cookie Lady.

Happy Friday, my friends.

Theme Song Thursday:) Lend A Helping Hand

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I had breakfast with a few friends yesterday, then stopped at Walmart on the way home. There are a lot of jokes about people who shop at Walmart, and most of them are pretty funny and pretty true. I’ve seen people in their pajamas, people talking out loud to themselves, and other strange sights. Yesterday, there was a tall slim man pushing a cart, and he was dressed in a very short black frilly nightie and wearing high heals. A little unusual, but who am I to judge? In a way, I thought, wow, he has to be very brave and bold.

I walked up and down the aisles, not in search of anything in particular, just browsing. Hmm, aluminum foil, waxed paper, garbage bags. Ooh, they had some big fluffy towels on sale. My bathroom towels are looking a little shabby. I picked up four grey and two beige.

When I was checking out, I heard the young man swipe and ring them up. Ding, ding… I counted the dings, and I thought I heard seven. When he was finished, I asked, “How many grey did you ring up?” I told him I only had four and he looked at the receipt and said that was right. Well, I got to my car and looked at the receipt closely. He rang up five grey, so I turned right back around and waited while the young cashier rang up the next order.

I didn’t interrupt, but waited patiently. It was an older couple, and the man was hooked up to an oxygen tank, sitting in the scooter, and the lady had her arm all bandaged. I helped her lift the heavy things from the scooter and I put them back in the cart. She thanked me profusely. When they left, I showed the clerk the receipt and asked him if he remembered that he said there were only four grey towels, but I was charged for five. He apologized and he said I could go to customer service. I said that I’d just run over and get another towel, seeing as I already paid for it. That was easier and they were nice towels.

When I scurried back to my car, the older couple, parked in the handicapped zone, was struggling to get their groceries in their car. I walked over and said, “Hi, let me help you with that.” They had a heavy 24 pack of bottled water, detergent, and several heavy bags. I loaded up their car and was thanked again. I introduced myself and we exchanged names and hugs. Larry and Laura told me that I was an angel for helping them, not once but twice. All I could think of is, wouldn’t everyone help someone in need? I would hope so.

This is Larry and Laura. I told them I was sorry that I couldn’t help them unload when they got home, but they assured me that their son would help them when he got home from work. Then I said, “Selfie time.” Sweet couple.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wednesday:) Words of Wisdom From Facebook

“All the wisdom and wonderful quotes on life I’ve learned on Facebook… just today. Really! Ha!”

~ Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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I am a self-confessed Facebook addict. Do they have a support group for that? Maybe I should start one on Facebook. Ha! My favorite part is keeping up with friends and relatives, and photos of new babies and old grandmas, and long lost cousins in China, (Hi Michael), and don’t even get me started on the fantastic artwork posted by my artist friends.

Then, there are those great quotes and words of wisdom. So many of them speak out to me, and I tend to answer back. Today, I decided to glean and copy a few of my favorites that I read just today. (I have a lot of deep friends.)

There were so many that I put 4 in a collage, times 4, with my own personal reply or thought that I had when I read each one. I’m sure you might have a comment or two of your own. Feel free…

That’s a lot of wisdom for just one day. Isn’t it?

The post that touched my heart the deepest was this one, and I had quite a few people comment on this. All my friends and family know that after being with the man that I loved for over 43 years, that he was able to walk away five years ago without so much as a single word, and now I am just a stranger to him. I commented that there was nothing stranger than that. Now, that’s pretty sad!

But, the other quotes above are true. I’m writing new chapters, I’m on plan Q in the alphabet, and God has provided many Angels along my path. And, now that I’ve walked through Hell, I walk like I own the place.

Happy Wednesday, my friends.

Tuesday:) Toe Tappin’ Tunes and Terrific Friends

“Sharing a great meal and some good music with wonderful friends is my idea of happy.”

Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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The Hot Club of Cowtown performed at MPAC on the Square this past weekend, and some girlfriends got together for a delicious dinner Saturday night at Miss Pat’s, then off for the concert.

The Hot Club of Cowtown is billed as an American hot jazz and Western swing trio that formed in 1997.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urk9BMaHE1g

I must admit, I wasn’t sure what kind of music Western swing was, and it was nothing I’ve ever heard before. The trio played their hearts out for their audience and a lot of toe tappin’ could be seen. It was a fun evening with friends.

Montage Monday:) A Week In A Peek

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”

~Mark Twain

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Another good week, busy and rainy, storms and family and friends, dancing, singing and music, baking, sharing and caring. Life is good,

Happy Monday, my friends.

Sunday Sermon, Some Lemonade, and Smiles

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and set up a lemonade stand. Make it count.”

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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A sizzling steamy Sunday, but the impending rain held off. It’s always wonderful greeting at the door before Mass, with lots of smiles and hugs.

Today’s Gospel was the story of Jesus talking to the crowds and healing the sick. When it started to get late, the Apostles suggested that they send the five thousand people away because the crowds were hungry after a long day. Jesus said that they should be fed, but only five loaves and two fish were available.

16 “Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd.

17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps left over were collected they filled twelve baskets.”

My take on it…sometimes you think there isn’t enough or things couldn’t possibly work out. With a little faith and a lot of determination, not only is anything possible, but sometimes the outcome is better than you could have ever imagined.

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After Mass, I stopped for coffee with Miss Mary. We barely get to talk while greeting at the door, so we had a lot of catching up to do. Then, a quick stop at the grocery store.

On my way home, I saw a lemonade stand by the entrance of my neighborhood. I remembered seeing it advertised on our neighborhood Nextdoor app. The children were raising money for Scottish Rite Hospital. I stopped by and just made a donation. I said I really didn’t need any lemonade, but maybe if a couple kids passed by later with no money, perhaps they could offer them a glass of lemonade. Pay it forward.

Storms are expected tonight…again, so I changed clothes and went for a walk. Wow, it was still hot out there. The heat index was around 105.

The best part of my Sunday is always my FaceTime with my adorable grandchildren. Sophie was already in her crib, so Belle kept me well entertained with stories of her two socks and daddy has two socks and mommy has no socks. She went to the park and went on the swing. Isn’t it funny how those trivial stories are so adorable? I love that little face. She looks so much like my angel mother.

Ah, the skies just opened up and I can hear the rain pelting down on the roof. The Directv is scrambled and sputtering, as usual. Oh well. Here we go again.

Happy Sunday, my friends.

Saturday:) Some More Baking, Storms and My Silent Sanctuary

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”

― Ansel Adams

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I stayed up till after 2 am baking my mini cupcakes. I like to do the baking part the night before, but I prefer to frost them right before I need to deliver them, so they’re fresh. I hate dry crusty frosting, don’t you?

I was baking for St. Gabriel’s big Casino Night fundraiser tonight. The Women’s Club sent an email requesting baked goods. Say no more. But also, as is my tradition, when I bake for one thing, I also make extra for my firemen.

I didn’t set an alarm or have an early agenda, so I woke up, and took a short walk, less than two miles. It was already pretty darn hot. Google said, “The temperature in McKinney is 95, but with the humidity and heat index, it feels like 105.” Yikes!

I came home, drank a lot of water, then proceeded to frost and package up the mini cupcakes. These are my favorite. Chocolate with a cherry from pie filling hiding inside.

My first stop was Fire Station 9. They really appreciate my sweet treat drive by visits.

Then, off to church with two containers. When I got to the community center, there weren’t too many cars and the inside looked dark. But, the door was unlocked and I saw four men sitting at a distant table. All the other tables and chairs were set up and ready for the big event later. One gentleman came over and said,”Thank you,” when I said I had some cupcakes.

The bottom of the foil pans didn’t feel that sturdy and the plastic covers kept popping off. For some reason I said, “CUIDADO!” when he picked up the containers. I’m not sure why? Maybe he looked a little Hispanic, it just slipped out. And that means “Watch out,” or “Be careful,” in Spanish.

Without skipping a beat, he responded while juggling the flimsy aluminum pans, “Muchisimas gracias.” OK! He spoke Spanish. Phew!

I decided to stop in the adjoining sanctuary just a few feet away. It was Saturday afternoon and no one else was around. I love having the entire silent sanctuary all to myself. And, our beautiful new church is like an amazing old European Cathedral. It’s very quiet and peaceful and I feel like I’m alone there, talking to God, and He’s listening to only me. I’m pretty sure He is.

When I got home, it was a little overcast and they were calling for big storms, so I figured I’d try and get a little more walking in. When it’s hot, I prefer to take several short walks instead of a long one. A couple of times, I over did it and had to sit under a tree to catch my breath when I got light headed. Not good. I managed to get 3.5 miles total in today.

I barely got home when the skies opened up. A nice refreshing rain. The temp is 78 now instead of in the 90’s.

So, a very nice Saturday so far. I have dinner plans at Miss Pat’s and then we are off to the Performing Arts Center on the square for a concert at 8. What a perfect day.

Happy Saturday, my friends.

Friday:) Find Your Passion, Share Your Passion

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

~Maya Angelou

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I love this quote from Maya Angelou. There is so much more to life than making money and only looking out for yourself. And, what better way to live life than with passion and compassion.

I have many passions… art, painting, writing, baking, dancing, singing and sharing. The first thing I wanted to share today was my no-recipe recipe for Clean Out the Freezer Fruity Upside down Cake,

My freezer is always jam-packed to the gills with fruit, vegetables, left-overs and ice cream, of course. I tend to buy more groceries than I need, mostly because I buy food, then end up going out to eat all the time. Thus, I have food to freeze, not to mention left overs from all those lunches and dinners to freeze.

So, when I want to use up a few things in the freezer, I bake a cake. I went into the freezer and took out several different packages of frozen fruit. I had strawberries, blueberries, mango, and peaches. Then, I mixed in a can of apple pie filling.

First things first. I like to make a funny face with the mix before I start blending. It’s a goofy tradition I have. Humor is important.

I melt 1/2 stick of butter and add about a cup of brown sugar (I don’t measure) into a foil lined pan, stir that around till the pan is coated. Mix up the defrosted fruit with a can of apple pie filling and pour on top of sugar/butter mixture. Then, I use a yellow cake mix following directions and pour over fruit.

I bake at 350, but you can’t really time it. It takes a lot longer than a regular cake because of all the gooey fruit, so, I just keep testing doneness with the touch cake with your finger method. It has to bounce not sink. Bakers know that. Once it looks done, I actually turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven a while longer.

After it cools, I put a platter on top and flip it over. That’s what the foil is for. It peels away, leaving a beautiful fruity topping. Yum!

Then, share with your favorite local fire station.

Well, that was last week. After I’m done posting this, I have more baking to do tonight, as I volunteered to bake a mess of mini cupcakes for the St. Gabriel’s Casino Night tomorrow. A baker’s work is never done.

Sharing is caring. My mission in life…

Theme Song Thursday:) At Last

“Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.”

― Edward Bulwer Lytton

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I always look forward to Thursday night. It’s karaoke night at Delaney’s Irish Pub. We had a small group of regulars tonight because quite a few people were traveling this week. But, we also had some new folks join us. One lady, in particular, said that she was just visiting with friends and never sang karaoke before. Oh my goodness, Johnnie has an amazing voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikXCaIGwxvg

Our fearless leader and DJ tonight, Justin, sang a few songs. One of our favorites is “A Boy Named Sue.” It’s a tough one to sing, but he does a great job. I didn’t get a chance to record it. Maybe next time.

I sang a duet with Miss Loretta, “Unforgettable.” We hadn’t practiced it, so I was pretty bad. She has a lovely voice. Then later, I sang “Walk on By.” That was pretty high for me so I squealed and squeaked a little here and there. I always say, “I sing loud and proud and off key, but I love to sing.” (Thank goodness for friends who applaud and don’t boo.) I don’t plan on quitting my day job and going on the road. Wait…I don’t have a day job. Lucky thing,

Still with a song in my heart and on my mind, I came home and was singing a few more songs with YouTube. I liked this one.

Yep, not gonna quit my day job quite yet,..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoB1I5QBD-c