My Sitting Room

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Sooo Easy and Sooo Good

Strawberries & Cream No-Bake Pie Filling and Topping

1/3 cup water

1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

4 oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

3 containers (6 oz each) Greek Fat Free strawberry yogurt

2 cups frozen (thawed) lite whipped topping

1 ½ cups large chopped fresh strawberries

½ cup sliced fresh strawberries

Crust

1 graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz)

Directions

Sprinkle gelatin over the water; let stand 10 minutes. Microwave 15 seconds.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add yogurt and gelatin mixture; beat on low speed until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Gently fold 1 ½ cups strawberries into the mixture and spoon into crust. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Before serving, garnish pie with additional whipped topping and remaining ½ cup sliced strawberries.

*note photo doesn’t show strawberries in pie – that was my idea. Can be made in a 9” spring form pan.

Try it, you and your family and guests will love it!

I'm linking up to TOHOT with the following blogs:

Laura of White Spray Paint

Laura at Decor to Adore

Jemma from At Home with Jemma

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Phew...

I've been one busy lady here. Since I work alone on my Courtyard Garden Wall, I don't have anyone to take a picture of me working. And to take a "selfie" - well, you'd never be able to see more than my face and my BIG hat! So, a wheelbarrow filled with dirt and a shovel will be it today. When it's not too cold or too rainy, I have been outside [and that hasn't been much]. But I have gotten some things done. The "Puppy Pen" I built

in the Garage, is not there any longer. After 2 weeks of trying to get the Pups to "go" out there...they absolutely REFUSE to. They stand there and look at me...wondering "why does mommy want us to "go" out here? We always go in the Puppy Pen outside." So, I dismantled it and moved 70 blocks and caps to the drive-way...put out my FREE sign and within the hour...they were all gone! Yippee!!

Then I thought I would use the wheelbarrow to move dirt to the Wall Garden in the front. That didn't go too well. My knee [which has had 7 surgeries] hurt almost immediately...and then my back and shoulders got too sore to do anything else. Just 2 wheelbarrows full of dirt made it there. I had to quit.

I ended up having 3 back to back rainy days to try to recover. While I did, I tried out different shoes to find some that were more sturdy than others...and I ended up with a tie-on pair of sneakers. I also practiced the motion of digging the dirt up from the fallen wall...turning and throwing it into the wheelbarrow, filling it up...rolling it to the wall and taking the dirt, turning and throwing it into the wall. It was both the action of digging the dirt from against the wall and turning that created the problems. I've dislocated both shoulders a few times over the years so shoveling into a firm wall of dirt didn't feel too good. But I found a way around that.

So the next time I tackled the dirt, I went on the other side of the wall and used to shovel to loosen the dirt from the wall. It worked! Looser dirt, less pressure to shoulders. I also found a good way to stand that kept my right knee more stable...preventing it from turning too much with every shovelful. Remembering that I had only been able to do 2 wheelbarrowsful of dirt the last time...I figured I would set a goal of doing 5...then stopping for the day.

When I was finished with the 5th wheelbarrowful of dirt...I felt fine and continued. I wound up doing 15 that day! No pictures to show...because it doesn't look like much was done. But, believe me, having that front section filled with dirt...is BIG to me!!

Then more rain came...and stayed. So, I've been busy inside the house.

More on that and Jury Duty, another day.

I am joining TOHOT today...stop by and see who else is.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

What a Surprise!!

My son, Stephen, surprised me with a box of these incredible, mouthwatering creations for Mother's Day! What a wonderful surprise!!! Thanks! Love you!

Each strawberry was dipped and covered with nuts, chocolate chips or additional drizzle. The end result is a heavenly combination of flavors.

4 Strawberries Dipped in Milk with Chopped Almonds
4 Strawberries Dipped in Dark with Chocolate Chips
4 Strawberries Dipped in White with Dark Swizzles

Shari's Berries

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Live One Day at a Time by Joyce Meyer

So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. —Matthew 6:34

Most of us have enough to handle today without worrying about tomorrow. God will give you grace for today, but He will not give you grace for tomorrow until tomorrow arrives.

So often people worry about something that never happens. When you begin to think about the “what ifs,” the door opens for fear and worry. Some people worry so much that their worries become fear, and often the things people fear manifest in their life.

Do not allow yourself to dread tomorrow. Just know that God is faithful. It is comforting to know that whatever tomorrow may hold, He holds tomorrow. His grace is sufficient to meet the need. Do not waste today’s grace by worrying about tomorrow. Live one day at a time and you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish for Christ.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Come Join Me...I'm Celebrating!

SURPRISE!

Yes, 8 years ago May 3, 2008 I began blogging. In the early stages of blogging, I just blogged about anything, at least I think I did. I don't remember my first post and I don't have it here on this blog. Some time ago, when I changed my Blog Name and started a new blog, everything was supposed to be added to the Blog, but wasn't. That's OK. That doesn't upset me.

I've had many blog names...and finally in late December [actually New Year's Eve] 2014, I decided to start this blog. I transferred everything I could from the old blog and started 2015 with Jan's Place.

Over the years...things change...and change they did.

I went from a No-Dog household to a 3-Dog Household. Love them all. Still miss Benny.
I started out with a small garden that grew and grew and eventually built a Garden Wall/Courtyard to grow pretty flowers, herbs and veggies in...and it worked out keeping the Pups in the yard.
I posted mostly about interior design then began posting about domestic violence, my home tours and even posting recipes.

But, 2015 brought the biggest changes to my life and to my blogging...

First off, right after the new year, my husband was mistakenly diagnosed with cancer, but we didn't know it was a mistake for about 7 weeks.
Meanwhile, during that time, many tests were done and many hospital, testings, doctor visit bills mounted up.
Found out that when hubby retired, he didn't take Medicare Part B...so there was no co-pay, we had WE-PAY-ALL!
Hubby's alzheimers got worse and he got depressed and mean. I was under siege in my own home.
Then surprisingly and with no notice, he moved out. He has never called, we haven't talked about anything more than taxes and a bill or some piece of mail and then it's only about that. He never came back home, like he said he was planning to do when he left.
I forgave him, almost immediately after he left...because he certainly wasn't anyway, shape or form the man I had married 9 1/2 years earlier.
I've learned to do everything around here by myself. The Pups and I are healthy and strong and get along well.
I've lost a total of 69# since April of 2015.
Although I feel widowed, I know that I am not - and neither am I divorced. So, I feel a bit "stuck". I don't fit into singles groups...I am uncomfortable in Olden People's Groups...I don't fit into married groups...so...I'm still looking for a spot for ME.

Let's see, if I blog another 8 years, it will be 2024...and I'll be ~~?how many?~~ years old. We won't go there. It won't be toooooo old. LOL!!

Thanks for stopping in today to help me celebrate 8 years blogging!!

Saturday, April 30, 2016

God’s Boundaries, by Joyce Meyer

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of
the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received
[as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought
with a price [purchased with a preciousness and
paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God
and bring glory to Him in your body.

—1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The word stress was originally an engineering term used to refer to the amount of force a beam or other physical support could bear without collapsing under strain.

In our time, the word has been expanded to refer not only to physical pressure but also to mental and emotional tension. As human beings, you and I are built to handle a normal amount of stress. God has created us to withstand a certain amount of pressure and tension. The problem comes when we push ourselves beyond our limitations, beyond what we were intended to bear without permanent damage. But like so many people, because I have things to do, I just keep pushing myself even though it is causing me physical damage.

Of course, when sickness tries to come on Dave or me, we immediately pray for healing. But if you become sick as a result of running your body down by pushing it beyond the limits God set for you to operate in good health, you need rest as well as prayer to restore your health. The boundaries He has set for us are for our own good.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Remember the Hairstyles I Showed You?

Finally, I went and got my hair styled and cut. I did that about a month ago. I loved the stylist and the hairstyle [which I had pictures of], but decided that the next time, I would have it cut even a bit shorter. Well, today was "next time". And it is shorter. Just to refresh our memories, I'll share a few of the styles I was choosing from and then show you what I look like today!!

It was really difficult deciding on a "look" and I didn't have the time to even make an appointment until last month.

This is the style I chose last month - not too long and not too short...just right.

But, today I got a bit bolder! Look...here's the cut I got today!!

OK...not totally. I didn't get my hair colored like the picture shows. And the sides aren't quite as short...And....

Well, here's what it looks like today!

Quite a difference from when I first had Bell's Palsy in 2014, isn't it? I can certainly see the weight loss in my face...and how everything works so well!!

Fear Leads to Worry by Joyce Meyer

And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life?

—Matthew 6:27

Fear and worry are closely related. You might say fear is the parent of every kind of worry because every worry starts as a fear. The Bible clearly teaches that God’s children are not to worry. When we worry, we rotate our minds
around and around a problem and come up with no answers. The more we do it, the more anxious we feel. When we worry, we actually torment ourselves with a type of thinking that produces no good fruit. Worry starts with our thoughts, but it affects our moods and even our physical bodies.

A person can worry so much that it makes them feel depressed and sad. Worry places stress on your entire system and causes a lot of physical ailments like headaches, tension in muscles, stomach problems, and many other things. It never helps, and it does not solve our problems.

We can worry about hundreds of different things, from what people think of us to what will happen to us as we age. How long will we be able to work? Who will take care of us when we get old? What happens if the stock market crashes? What if gas prices go up? What if I lose my job? Quite often, worry does not even have a basis or a nugget of truth to it. There is no known reason to even think about the things that worry and then frighten us.

The only answer is to stop worrying by placing your trust in God. He has the future all planned, and He knows the answer to everything. What we worry about frequently never happens anyway, and if it is going to happen, worrying won’t prevent it. God’s Word promises us that He will take care of us if we trust in Him.

Trust in Him: What are you worrying about? Cast your cares on Jesus. He wants you to trust Him with every thought, burden, and worry that you’re carrying because He’s fully capable of taking care of you (see 1 Peter 5:7).

Thursday, April 28, 2016

123 Concrete Blocks Later

This past weekend, I was once again, very busy working on my fallen Garden wall. Between Saturday and Sunday, I moved 123 Concrete Blocks/Caps, which each weigh approximately 45#. That's about 5289 pounds of concrete blocks!! I carefully put 2 at a time, into my wheelbarrow and walked 140 large steps pushing the wheelbarrow...to the Garage, where I decided to build a

Pen for my Pups, so I don't need a gate to keep them in it, while we sit out there!

Before I began working, this is how my yard looked, many stacks of blocks and caps - and even pieces of blocks. I couldn't stand it anymore! Luckily the weather cooperated and it was cool and semi-sunny.

This is how the yard looks now, with all of the blocks moved.

This is the new Pen I built in the garage. When I dig out and move the remaining blocks from the wall, I will be expanding this...to the expansion crack you see - it will take up 1/4 of the garage...and be big enough to put a lounge chair in there for me!! Particularly nice, since I had to get rid of my patio swing, it just fell apart over the winter...and I wouldn't have been able to use it without alot of repairs. I kept the seat cushions for the Pups in their Pen and also kept the canopy from the swing, which I can hang from 2 hooks I put in in the garage door opening, to shield us from the western sun.

Now...I have several more steps to work on, to finish the wall - build the new connection from the side wall to the inside wall in the corners [front and back], remove all of the dirt from the 60 foot wall, straighten the inside 50 foot wall and moving alot of those blocks to do that and remove several in the middle of that wall to install a gate, so I can go out that way to pick tomatoes and whatever else I plant in the back of the wall garden, without having to walk all the way around!!

If you've missed any of my Garden 2016 posts - especially since the wall fell down, you can ready them HERE.

Oh...and Jury Duty is coming up soon!

Then, I will be having some work done on my house by professionals after that. Busy, busy.

Thanks for stopping by...have a lovely day!

Joining Thoughts of Home on Thursday [TOHOT] Here. Please stop by and see what others are up to!!

Monday, April 25, 2016

God Answers the Prayers of the Righteous

Devotion by Joyce Meyer

...The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. — James 5:16

When people struggle in their prayer lives, they often think it is because they are unholy and unrighteous so they try to behave better, hoping that then their prayers will be answered.

The truth is that if we are born again, we are righteous. We may not do everything right; but we are 100 percent righteous through Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him (NKJV).

There is a difference between righteousness and “right” behavior. Righteousness describes our standing—our position or condition before God—because of the blood of Jesus. We cannot make ourselves righteous; only the blood of Jesus makes us righteous, as if we had never sinned at all. God views us as righteous even though we still make mistakes. Because He sees us as righteous, we have a God-given right to pray and expect God to hear and answer us.

Always do the best you can to behave properly and do it because you love God, but remember that He hears and answers your prayers because He is good, not because you are.

God’s word for you today: You have been made righteous by the grace of God.