Where's She's Rebuilding Her Life (And a Few Movies, Books and Videos for You)

"... weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."   --- Psalm 30:5

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Remember when I slept on the red couch for 8 months? 

Oh my, hardest months of my life--not because of the couch part--but because satan kept saying (and saying), "The best days of your life are over. Nothing will ever be the same for you."

And yes, I knew those were lies, but during cancer treatment months, you tend to feel oh-so-weak, foggy-headed and exhausted, making it hard to shoot holes through non-truths and blow them away, even while using the name of Jesus.

Man oh man, what I didn't tell you! 

Like, how much of what I experienced felt like satanic attacks, mental ones coming through loved ones, strangers and odd happenings. Scary stuff. And from November through June, it's like I fell way back to the starting line and lost all of what makes me unique (like you reading this are unique. You know, that part.).

But Jesus reminded me how much He'd invested in me for decades.

And this time He pulled me through that mess, encouraged me via His Holy Spirit and through friends and memories of how He's grown me up these past 30 years, especially. All that effort (and patience) on His part!

And now? Over on the other side? Slowly, gratitude has energized and restored my mind, strength, and my everyday hours. No longer is my mind consumed with problems and medical issues and how to fix them. Whew.

And I am loving rebuilding this life:

My quiet morning times. Reading under my sunlamp in silence. Praying and thinking.

The painting touch-ups inside our house. The garden harvesting.

Overseeing workmen out in our yard with the pruning of huge trees, the placement of sidewalk and the new dirt poured beside them, the awning placed over our trash cans, the railings and grab bars inside, etc.

The cleaning of our upstairs which sat empty all those months and the reorganization up here.

The getting out and about more often.

The stocking-up on food and supplies for winter.

The watering of the new grass seed along the sidewalks.

The purchasing of some creativity supplies and the sending of some surprises in the mail to friends.

Oh, how good to feel restored! To care again. To rebuild one's life from what once felt like ashes. And if you had a part in my return to Life as God designed for me? I do profusely thank you. 

Your encouragement means far more than you'll ever realize.

Truly, these past couple months have felt like starting over from scratch. I'm trying to think of them as rebuilding something better than before.

An example of how weird things were around here during my 'off months': for one whole week straight, the only show we watched on our tv was Blue Bloods. Anytime morning or super bleary-eyed late at night, it was only reruns of Blue Bloods. Yikes.

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In my last post I didn't mention how, after dropping off the old paint and cleaners, we stopped at Salvation Army so I could look through their books since I'd not done that in perhaps 2 years, maybe?

Yet in those hundreds of books(!) I found nothing, only heard this old song playing in my mind, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through." So many books I never wish to read. And it was ok.

(Besides, I can go book shopping anytime via Pinterest or alongside Youtube creators and that's just as lovely for me these days.)

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The books I'm reading during my morning quiet times?

The Bible

How to Age Without Growing Older by Joyce Meyer. I'm using those little color tabs-with-removable-tape with all these books and this one has the most so far, followed by this one--

The Gift of a Letter by Alexandra Stoddard. Go here to read it online.

Simple Abundance by Sarah ban Breathnach

Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Forever, Erma by Erma Bombeck. Read it here.

And I just finished the short middle grade book called The Sod House by Elizabeth Coatsworth. You can read this one online at Open Library here. If you enjoy The Little House books, you'll like this one.

The reading tabs I'm using are basic ones like these, below, on the left. For me, they make reading more fun.  ジ

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Does anyone know what's happened to Mitzi from Mitzi Reads and Writes at Youtube? She's been missing many months. I miss her. Hmm, just now thought I've not checked with her over at Instagram.

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For months I'd searched for books with a similar feel to Winterbound by Margery Williams Bianco and I finally found some! They're the Jean Craig series which you can find on Kindle for just $2 here. I enjoyed the first one so much that, halfway through, I bought a reasonably-priced copy online so I could hold it in my hands.  ツ

(Jean Craig Grows Up is the first in the series, unlike the way Amazon has it listed.)

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Movies we've enjoyed lately--

The Runner

Donovan's Echo (2nd watch)

Accidental Texan (also 2nd watch)

Legal Action

Rocky Road (fun one to watch)

The Sandlot

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Have I shared any of the Rudan Brothers videos with you? They're the nicest workers, ever. They go around their area of Canada and replace peoples' gutters and roofs for free. Go here.

It's sad how often folks tell them, "No, we don't want free gutters. No one does anything for free these days. Sorry, but we can't trust you." And then close the door. 

Again, how disappointing that we live in a world where trust is rare. Often they stop by 15 - 20 houses before a homeowner will accept their offer of free gutters.

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This Swedish Bakery is Hidden in the Forest  A very cozy video, indeed. I love best the scenes of the lovely dining room.

Why Introverts Buy Books They Will Never Read. Interesting.

Quiet Backroads, Barns and Bridges

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And such wonderful news!

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Where She's Fixing Her Life By Looking Backward (?!)

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."   --- Jeremiah 6:16

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So this gorgeous, color-filled-and-blue-sky weekend we drove over to our former town, the one with Autumn Cottage. 

We'd signed up for the big drop-off-your-old-paint-and-cleaners open air event and wow! We didn't even have to step out of the car, for they removed our items for us. How organized and nice the folks acted.

And you know? While driving around that vintage-looking town, I recalled my myriad days of just plain happiness, almost a giddy kind, those nearly 15 years.

And that bothered me. 

Why aren't I that happy now here in the town next-door where, frankly, we've got it better? I mean ok, I'm 18 years older than when we moved away. I've experienced cancer, covid (twice), fibroid, thyroid and walking issues and various non-ailment, emotional stuff, but still.

When I recall our 15 years here at Hobbit Cottage, they're not heavily frosted with an equal amount of joy.

And what's up with that?

Well, later that afternoon at home I wrote a list called, Ways I Lived Differently In ________ (our former town) and oh my. Seventeen+ items popped onto that list! Gee, that's quite a lot. Just a few of those? --

We went to movie theaters more often.

I was waay more creative.

I took far more walks through old, picturesque neighborhoods.

We did lots more countryside drives and estate sales.

I spoke to many folks while out and about.

I read more books.

I often drove to the river's edge, read, and drank decaf while looking at the water.

There's more, but you get it.

And then I remembered; years ago, Joyce Meyer said something like, "If your life now feels wrong, go back in your mind to when things felt right. Recall what you were doing at that time, then do it and move forward."

Good, hopeful advice.

Now, am I meant to do all 17+ things on my list? Nah, not all of them, for changes do happen (as they should). But some, yes. These past few days I've returned to a handful and wow! Already I'm noticing a difference in my attitude and you gotta love that.

And well, to start checking things off the list, we actually, after 5 whole years(!) drove to our local movie theater. No stairs anywhere so Tom easily used his rollator, we got a senior discount, we shared a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup pack, just the two of us sat in the theater so we chatted freely, half the previews appeared promising and oh yeah, Tom said it was the best dog movie he'd ever seen which is saying something since he's watched them all.  ツ

(More about the movie, below.)

Anyway, we returned home energized. Felt different mind-atmosphere-wise, thankful our legs held out ok, and glad we'd made that decision to get out amongst our fellow townsfolk. 

For as Jesus would have us all remember, 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."   --- Matthew 5:14, 15

And it's important to Him that we recall the lost ones and get out and spread that Light so they can live bright, joyful lives, as well.

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And the movie at the theater?

We saw Heart of the Beast and I'll always feel grateful we did (such gorgeous Alaskan scenery!), but I'm not sure I can recommend it due to 'language' (perhaps 5 - 7 instances?) and many scary parts, like the one with the obviously-CGI-wild-wolves (kinda horror film level, that scene).  But the one great thing? Not a spoiler, but in the first minute of the film you see the dog standing in the road kinda 'flagging down help.' 

Then the movie goes back to how things started.

And that was reassuring right off the bat because Honey, I can't stand movies where you get oh so attached to the dog, then he goes and dies. Heh.  😕

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This kept taking my breath away with its autumnal decor beauty, both outside and in. Wow, reminded me how I hope my heavenly home was built in the Autumn section. Lovely music, also.

Gorgeous, old-fashioned decor. Peaceful, too.

If you've ever wanted to visit Hobbiton, go here.

The cutest tiny (tiny-tiny!) house I've ever seen.

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And in returning to some of my old creative ways, I purchased this along with some pastel paint pens and colored pencils, as well:

Completed one page yesterday and enjoyed the calming peacefulness of it!

Don't you just love Autumn?

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

But What I Forgot To Tell You Was ...

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken..."   --- Hebrews 12:28

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So my last post felt a bit Pollyanna-ish to me. I didn't mention some stuff.

Like how, since taking Keytruda injections every 3 weeks (rather than infusions), I arise from the red couch like a 99-year-old granny. You know, all bent over, slow-stepping-wobbly, and thus worrying Tom. But at least I can, in 2 minutes or so, walk that off.

Whew.

But then 2+ weeks ago, my up-from-the-couch worsened(!) because of, I thought, sciatica. Then I self-diagnosed piriformis. Now though, I'm thinkin' it's bursitis, for it fits the symptoms best. (Oh, and at times,  laying in bed feels actually painful. Gah.)

Youtube University (don't you love that?) says to rest, use ice, do gentle leg lifts while standing. (And avoid sugar and dairy, but everybody says that about everything.)  シ

Yet not walk around after my energy returned and it's so gloriously autumnal these days? So disappointing. This slow-motion life is beyond annoying while your energy inside bubbles and you wish to accomplish everything before Winter.

So there's that.

But figuring I needed a reminder not to moany-complain about my woes (making it worse), I purchased this--

There are no lines on the actual(so pretty!)sign and it's especially lovely leaning against the wood tones of our fireplace.

--so I can stare at it. Memorize it. Improve my life because of its truth by practicing it.

And you know? I think it's already working. Since yesterday the pain has calmed waay down as long as I walk slowly. So. Slowly. I'll take it!

But dealing with semi-chronic pain, right? Some of you know the challenge of that, of staying sweet and not switching every conversation into a grumbling complaint fest.

Seriously, who wants to live daily hours allowing the bad thoughts to shove down the grateful ones? So instead, I will choose to think about what's going right. The blessings, the trusting that everything will be ok, the loveliness of Life with Jesus even in the midst of setbacks.

And oh Honey, with Him I can do anything He places in my heart, even at a slower pace.

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing ..." --- Philippians 2:14

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So let's switch gears here, ok?

Did you know you can still order LL Bean catalogues via snail mail? I seem to remember they have lovely outdoorsy photos, especially during Autumn. Go here if you'd like a free old-school LL Bean catalogue.

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This weekend Tom and I watched Toy Story 5 and thoroughly enjoyed it And yeah, they went a bit heavy on the problems-of-too-much-tech lessons, but don't we all need it? Yes. Yes we do.  シ   Here's the trailer.

Oh, and we saw Young Washington. Though not for everyone (lots of battle scenes), it was interesting discovering more about Washington's early life. The young actor who played him (born in 2004!) did an excellent job, we thought.

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So when I began using our dishwasher as an extra cupboard instead, I bought a too-large plastic dish drying mat and lost nearly all the counter space next to our stovetop. It's wild how long we put up with things, right?

Well, finally I bought this:

The rack part is expandable and fits over less than 1/2 of the sink. The small dish drainer sits on the countertop for extra dishes and has returned to me my beside-the-stove counter space. Color me grateful, indeed. (Go here to see photos of it over a sink.)

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... and also finally, I bought a helpful storage solution for our 'skinny cupboard' (as it's known 'round here). Most likely it's a cupboard for baking sheets, but I turned it into Debra's secret gluten-free treats space (you know, so snacks don't mysteriously vanish. heh) 

I searched for pullout-shelves on a track, but it's too skinny even for those, so I bought this:

Fits just right! Now rather than pulling items out and watching them cascade and collapse upon one another, there's order. The chaos is gone. Whew.   ツ

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Oh, and can anyone recommend cozy mysteries where the protagonist returns home to a grandmother, aunt or parent? I've decided those are my favorite cozies. I already have the Farm To Table Series and the Apron Shop one and the first Bee Keeping Series book, but I'd love to hear more suggestions. Thanks!

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And as I wrote at Facebook:

"Small rituals kept the world from changing too quickly. At least, that is what she hoped." --- copied

Found the most gorgeous video this morning with that quote. It's as though the narrator was reading from an essay about his old, homey recollections as the camera panned each beautiful pink-and-book-touched room. Wow. This one was different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkrTRWYsfxY&list=WL&index=4

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be.

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

So How's Your Wonderful Life Going?

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."   --- Romans 15:13

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The older I become (which happens speedily lately), the more I realize it's my responsibility to create a wonderful life. That is, if I want one.

And I do.

For me, it doesn't work to wait for anyone to give me a wonderful life. Oh, sometimes that happens, but it's occasional. No, usually it's up to me to create a life I especially love, me and the Holy Spirit who's the most creative person, ever.

Seriously.

So lately--to make up for 8 months wilting on the red couch--He and I have celebrated health and summer and books and gardening, cleaning house and mornings reading with my feet up on the sunny front porch.

And bookshelves in need of reorganizing and Pinterest and imaginative folks on Youtube. 

The ability to do laundry and climb stairs, flowers in pots and newly-poured sidewalk. 

Stocking-up on winter groceries, bottles and jars of food on glass shelves, trying new recipes. 

Groceries arriving at the door, snacks and drinks on the porch for delivery people and weekend meals carried right to our red door.

And Autumn's birth on Tuesday!

Sending gift cards or trinkets or books as surprises 

and praying for friends recovering from illness or discouragement or shock of losing loved ones. 

And still having this blog after 22 years when some have--whoosh!--lost theirs in a dreadful moment. **

Mine (and probably yours) is a simple life, but oh, the never-ending list of what is ours to celebrate, that is, if we always watch for the good.

What remains is for us to keep our steady balance when this world would shake us to the ground in a sad, worried heap.

And we need not go anywhere but to that straight road at whose end is a Heaven waiting with the most wonderful life of all.

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Well, it was a hot summer (big surprise, right?). My leggings felt too warm, so I bought these, below, and love them and do not wear them to bed as designed, but rather, around the house, porch and yard for all to see. heh.

They're part of my creative, repurposing projects and they look nice given the fact of all the weight I've lost due to intermittent fasting, cancer and hyperthyroid issues. Alas.  シ

Oh, and on cooler days they also look good with leggings or capris underneath. Highly recommended.

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** Oh dear! Kim's Daisy Cottage blog is gone. All those gloriously colorful posts showing her creative genius using primary reds, yellows and greens with a 70's flair. And the posts of the tours she photographed of her friends' homes, vanished as well.

Typepad is no more, that's why. Darn.

With wild eyes (well ...) I contacted Kim at Instagram, hoping with all my heart she'd downloaded those hundreds of posts elsewhere, but no, she hadn't she sadly told me. I felt so bad for her.

But at least we have her Instagram photos from these past few years as well as some of her older photos online here and there. I was able to gather some into a Pinterest folder here. (You're following me there, right?)

Life goes on, yes. But the place in mine where Kim's blog lived will always remain an empty, much-missed spot, indeed. Though yes, I'm grateful for the years her blog remained online whenever I felt like visiting her special, colorful world.

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Oh. My. Goodness. This man's home library! Give me one like that and probably I'd never come up from the basement for air.  ツ Unbelievable, .

truly. (And like one guy wrote, "The way my jaw dropped at 4:28." Yes, mine, too.)

A tiny house filled with beautiful antiques and paintings. Wow.

Have you ever watched Wise Living After 50? Her money-saving kitchen ideas are awesome, but I really love her vintage-style drawings. Fun and nostalgic!

If you prefer old-fashioned, soft-color decorating.

A Little Library That Time Forgot

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" ... recognize the fact that Life is a circle around you, tiny when you're a child, wider and wider ... as you grow older, and narrowing again when you're frankly old. You can keep it from shrinking for a long time, perhaps, but there comes a day when it's better to look on it as a small but enchanted circle and make it as pleasant a spot as you can."

-- from Bubbly on Your Budget by Marjorie Hillis

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September around here, so far, has acted very Septemberly. Oooo... love these cooler temps, school busses, musky scents and the occasional floating leaf.

Keep moving forward, one creative step at a time. You can do this!

... and I'd love to hear how you're making your life beautiful.

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. *** "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

For Gardeners Only (But Kinda For Anyone, Also)

" ... their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more."   --- Jeremiah 31:12

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So this past Springtime, like most, I planted my garden seeds late. 

Like, mid-June. Really! Always I clean-up my yard's leaves and twigs first, prepare soil (takes a month+), then, this year, planted cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, even, and marigolds, dwarf zinnias, sunflowers, purple coneflowers and blue sage. 

Also lettuce, but everyone knows that grows fast.

Youtube told me planting late was ok and you know? It was. I'm pretending it's Autumn already and oh, how pretty the at-peak oranges, reds and pinks of marigolds, tomatoes and zinnias in the Fall.

I've not told you in ages that my gardens are container ones. I plant seeds in gallon pots then either transplant them into larger containers or let them remain on our porch. Or carry them out to my 'farm garden bed' out back.

The heftier pots are sunk into the ground halfway after replacing last year's soil with 2/3 new soil, homemade compost, and bits of fertilizer crystals. In the ground like that they, (ideally, anyway), don't dry out as quickly.

Now? Everything looks lovely these cooler days. I sit in our porch's sunshine beside lots of greenery, reading, and feel like I've traveled to an exotic place.

I did make one mistake (at least), though. In one of those sunken pots too near the porch, I planted 3 sunflowers. An annoying squirrel, over 3 days, reached over and snipped each pretty flowered head, ate a few seeds. Then scurried away with each decapitated sunflower.

Note to self: next year plant the sunflowers farther out in an unreachable area.

With plants in containers? Anyone can have a garden. Anyone. Even an older lady who went through chemo and radiation, slowly recovered, then came out the other side feeling healthy and bubbling-over with gratitude.

(Not my porch. Not my plants. heh.)

I accidentally ordered two packages of one-gallon pots from Amazon. Yikes! Each pack contains 50 pots so if I know you in Real Life and you'd like some of these, let me know. I'll happily give you some if you're willing to pick them up.

And usually I order seeds from Ebay, but a couple weeks ago I bought a set of assorted seed envelopes, 50, for a good price at Walmart. Non-GMO. And of course, I'm also saving seeds from what I planted this year.

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Over at Pinterest, I had to start over. Long story. But whatever, I've had a pleasant time creating lots of new boards filled with favorite things.

Are you a member over there? I'd love to have you sign-up with me! There's something for everyone. Clothes, books, autumn, movies, decorating, quotes, tv series, etc. Go here.

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We have all new sidewalk! 

We'd placed ourselves on the city's need-new-sidewalk list 14 years ago, but tired of waiting with those nearly-all-broken-and-cracked-disgusting concrete pieces. So we hired a crew and paid for it, ourselves.

Besides, it had always been a possible danger, one where we could get sued if someone tripped, even though, technically, the city owns the sidewalks.

Anyway, it's beautiful. They'll come to remove the forms today, then we'll need to have our lawn guys fill in the side parts with new dirt and grass seed.

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Oh my. Many of you will love this woman and her home and garden.

Gardening After 60

I've been binge-watching this young woman's videos and this is my favorite one so far.

I Built a Tiny Library on my Stairs

Go little Wednesday, go!   ツ

And as I wrote at Facebook:

What will they think of next? The 'Mornings With Granny' woman showed us laundry detergent sheets she found at Amazon. I'd never heard of those! I think she bought 80 for $5. Eighty loads of laundry for just $5 or if she tears them in half (she said) that's 160 loads for $5. Wow!

So I rushed over to Amazon and found 160 unscented laundry sheets for $9.99. They arrived today and get this: often I do just one load of laundry per week (hey, it's just 2 of us) so that's, like, only $10 for 3 years of laundry! If I considered cutting them in half, it would be even better, but these seem smaller than Granny's so I'll probably leave them alone. (Oh, and one reviewer said to place the clothes on top of the sheets so they don't just cling to the side of the wash barrel.)

Anyway, I've not used any yet, but they should work fine. It's not like Tom and I are ditch diggers with filthy, ground-in-dirt clothing. Haha!

Just had to share this money-saving idea with you all. They had tons of varieties if you wanted to use something a bit more organic, etc.

Go here to visit with Granny.

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15