His Heart, My Desire – Page 2 – Loving Llfe While Striving For A Heart Like His

Dry Cleaning Tips

We have been in the dry cleaning business for 22 years. We just recently received a notice from our local newspaper that our business was voted #1 Drying Cleaner for the 22nd year. This is a program that most local newspapers do for various retail establishments in the city and the community will vote for their favorites. They then announce it with a large ad in the paper. So, how fun to see our now 6 stores listed in the “list of favorites.”

I’ve received a few questions about how the dry cleaning world works. I’ve shared a few details before in previous posts and so I thought I would write a fresh one for you.

Laundry is an important issue as we wear clothes everyday and we spend our hard earned money on clothes. We want them to always be cleaned and looking nice, right?

I love this quote…

“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak!” – Rachel Zoe (fashion designer)

And I say… “You might be stylin’ but if you have stains and are all wrinkled, that might be speaking louder over your amazing style!” – Beverly Dillow (that’s me!)

How do you like the way I made my own quote as if I am somebody!

Well today, I’m going to give you my tips for your dry cleaning!

*Try to be loyal to your dry cleaner. If you hop around and try different dry cleaners, you will get confused on who, what, where and how things are done. Also, you may forget where you leave your clothes. So, if you can find a dry cleaner that you like the way they do business, be loyal to them.

*When you are a loyal customer you will know the employees and can build a relationship with them. There is nothing better than pulling up to the window or walking in the front door and you are greeted by your name by the employees. I know for our stores we have managers at each one and a district manager. These ladies know their customers and take care of them. We also live in a community that has a large turn over of employees, so when you see a new person, introduce yourself and get to know them. Granted they may not be there for long, but, then again, they may end up being there for the next 22 years! You just never know. We have some ladies that have been with us the entire time. For me, I still introduce myself to those waiting on me if I can’t remember their names or I’m sure they don’t remember me. They see hundreds of people each day and whew wee…I can barely remember my own name sometimes. So give the workers much grace when dealing with them.

*Stay on top of the business hours and anytime a holiday is coming up, make note of any changes in times that the store will be open.

*Look for cleanliness. I get tickled when I see dry-cleaning businesses that you would be afraid to leave your clothes in due to it being unkept and not clean. But, they are out there. The thing I love about our stores, is they are top-notch and clean. My husband and brother do not let anything go undone. Everything from the parking lot in front to the curb behind the store is in perfect condition. We have a maintenance man who stays busy keeping everything in perfect working order. Not only are my husband and brother business partners, but I have another brother who retired and has moved back to our area and he makes sure our properties are always in great condition! My mom is our office manager and bookkeeper. She can go in any store and everyone knows her and can talk to her about anything. She has helped many ladies throughout the years. I wish I had the room to tell you so much more. Me? I don’t work at the stores in any way. When we first started this business, I worked one day because someone was sick. Let’s just say…..I’m leaving it to the professionals!

Okay…back to my tips!

*I put all of my dry-cleaning and laundry in a bag that has my name and contact info on it. Our stores give these to you free of charge. We call them “Happy Bags.” I guess because they make everyone happy that you are so organized. I’m not sure. Anyway, this will keep all of your things together and makes it easier on the employees. If you don’t have a bag, no problem, many people don’t use them.

*I also make sure all of my pockets are empty. You would be surprised what people leave in their pockets. Our employees are trained to go through every pocket. I’m sure you can only imagine what happens when someone leaves an ink pen or a tube of lipstick in their pockets and it is overlooked. Yes….disaster in an entire load of laundry! Much more work! So, always empty your pockets.

*I make sure buttons are unbuttoned. Someone has to unbutton everything, so I just make it easier for them. Speaking of buttons….buttons are replaced when they are noticed to be broken or missing. Every now and then, they will be missed. This is probably the worse of the worst. When someone picks up a shirt and they leave town and get to an important business meeting and then they have a missing button. Not good. Accidents happen and everyone is a human and no one is perfect. Again, much grace….but, oh my…..I know that feeling when you are in a hurry, out of town or whatever….and you notice something is not right with your garment.

*If you have a stain or missing button, be sure to point it out when you take your garments in.

*Make note of what can and can’t be dry cleaned or laundered. The employees are trained to know the difference. They also go by the label that is in the garment. Sometimes things go wrong and the garment has been cared for by what the label says. That is when it is a manufacturer problem and will have to be dealt with through them. That is always a sad day, too. But, it happens. Know your clothes! When shopping you might make note of things like that, especially if it has lot’s of embellishments. I love clothes that are different and unique, so, I’m always watching out for how I clean my clothes.

*Here are a few things that that I have learned to do. * I travel with a small sewing kit. *I make sure that when an event is coming up, I plan accordingly with my garments and pick them up way before the time to be at the event just to be safe. *When I get my clothes home, I unbag them, inspect and put them away. *I always know exactly what I drop off at the cleaners each time and when they need to be picked up.

*This is important…..If you get your clothes home and find that you have a garment that isn’t yours….take it back immediately. Whew, I could tell you some nightmare stories on that one. Did you know that some people will keep their clothes in the bag for months before discovering they have the wrong clothes. Yep….bad on both ends!

*Make note of the store policy for garments left longer than usual. We have same day service if you get your garment in by a certain time in the morning. If it is a household good, it takes longer, usually the next day. As you can only imagine that comforters, etc. take much longer to process. Anyway, we also have a 60 day policy that you have to get your clothes or they will be donated to a local charity. You will receive several calls before they are donated. We can only assume you no longer want your garment if it is over 60 days and you don’t respond to phone calls. Money is lost on the time and labor over many garments that are just left all alone to fend for themselves. It’s sad, but not enough space would house all the left clothing. All that to say, don’t forget your clothes!

*Last but not least, be kind and friendly to the employees. They are hard workers and they have a hard job, especially, in the heat! I admire each and everyone of them. They love life, work hard and go home to their families. You can only imagine how they are treated sometimes. Some people are rushed, rude and hateful sometimes. But, the customers who show grace, gratitude and kindness outweigh the rude ones. I think that is par for any business out there.

*Always remember that there are a lot of people in the workforce who just don’t know how to make it in the working world. They can’t be trained to even smile. You never know where someone is coming from or what they have been through. You might even add some folks to your prayer list and witnessing list. We do our best to train our employees to be kind, courteous, smile and do a good job. All I can say is…..parents teach your kiddos how to make it in the working world someday. *I think I just gave myself a new blog post idea!

*If you have an issue, talk to the manager of the store. They will do all they can to help solve the problem. They are there to help and make the business better and they are on your side. One hint, if you have a problem and it takes a while to solve, I would be patient and work with the manager. Trust me, she wants it solved as well. I can’t count how many times someone has sworn they didn’t get one of their garments and they have been paid for it and then weeks later they come and say they found it in their closet. I have to share this…it’s my favorite of all times. When someone brought in a mustard stain on a shirt. It had been there for quiet some time. The stain would not come out. She insisted on being paid for that garment. So, can you imagine, you stain your clothes, and then if it doesn’t come out, you get paid for it. Amazing! That would be a great way to build a new wardrobe, wouldn’t it? I don’t think so…

I hope that helps a little bit in making your dry cleaning trips a bit easier and more pleasant.

We are extremely grateful for our employees and especially our customers. We have the best customers ever. I try my best to be a good customer when I go anywhere! I want people to smile when they see me coming….not, “Uh oh, there she is!” If I get bad service somewhere, I quietly go elsewhere. I’m not out to demand that I be treated like a queen…..I just move on. But, you treat me like a queen and I’ll be back!

Thanks so much for being a reader of my blog, His Heart, My Desire. My blog is hopefully inspiring and encouraging somehow…someway. You never know what will be on my mind each day.

As you can imagine, Dry Cleaning is in my blood….so to speak….here is a link to another post I did on this subject. Be sure to visit the links on that post as well….lot’s of info for sure! Click here to read more.

40 Days To Fabulous!

Hi Friends! I’ve been taking a summer break from blogging…but, I had to let you know about 40 Days To Fabulous! I’m excited that 40 Days To Fabulous is continuing with their third season on August 20th! You will want to sign up today! Okay, maybe you don’t get as excited as I do….you can wait….but, not too long. Registration will cut off soon!

I have loved being a member of 40 Days To Fabulous. Shari Braendel who is an author, speaker, fashionista and of course an amazing Fashion Stylist. Shari has made it her mission to share faith along with fashion. I love her message and her heart for women and I know you will too!

Today is the first day to sign up for the new season and I so hope you will join me. I’m already signed up and can’t wait for the first class.

This year is packed with some great speakers! Shari will also be sharing the latest trends in fashion and how to develop your own style. I heard that we will be making our own personal style notebook. I can’t wait to hear more about that!

If that isn’t enough! When you register, your name goes in a drawing for a $500.00 gift bag filled with books, jewelry and clothing and more.

Here’s what you get:

6 Faith Speakers with 6 life-changing lessons to lead you
closer to Jesus

1 Fashion Speaker to lead you toward confident style and beauty
this fall season

40 days of faith and fashion study guides

6 weekly LIVE video training sessions (50 minutes each)…sessions
recorded in case you can’t join us LIVE

Guidance on how to build a personal resource titled “My Fabulous
Fashion Notebook”

6 Weeks of becoming your very best YOU!

Energizing and encouraging private FB community like none other
Less frazzle, more freedom!

Up close and personal with well known Christian authors and
speakers to ask them questions and have community with them

If that’s not enough… EARLY BIRD BONUSES!
Register in the next 3 days and you’ll be entered 15 TIMES to win the amazing Grab Bag Bonus Gift Pack valued at $500!!! Included are signed books from the authors, a $100 clothing piece from Natalie Attired, Jewelry and MORE more, more!!!!!….in fact, there are a total of 15 things in the Bonus pack!!!! In addition, EVERYONE who enters in the next 3 days is invited to a POWER PACKED goal setting workshop in October called Ready, Set, Shine! led by two AMAZING Military spouse leaders!

The cost is $40.00!

Click here and register today!

I hope you will join me as we are encouraged to walk with Christ as we learn all about fashion.

My two favorite things…….Jesus and…..fashion!

What fun it will be to do this together!

Wednesday Medley – May Day

I had so much fun participating in the Wednesday Medley that is hosted by Terri from the blog, Your Friend in Florida, last week, that I wanted to participate again. I’ll attempt to answer the questions but first here is an explanation of what May Day is all about. She said the description is taken from the National Day Calendar.

Hope you enjoy….I wonder what the questions are…..I’m a bit nervous. I so don’t want to bore you. 😉

MAY DAY

May Day is observed annually on May 1. In many ancient calendars, May 1 was the first day of summer. This was a cause for celebration. One of the more popular rituals was harvesting flowers and giving them to neighbors and strangers in cone-shaped baskets. These “May Baskets” become more commonly known as “May Day Baskets”. The current tradition is observed by hanging a cone-shaped basket full of flowers or other gifts on the outside doorknob, then knocking or ringing the doorbell and run away.May Day has been a traditional day of celebration for centuries, with some of the earliest appearings in pre-Christian times. In English tradition, May Day is celebrated by crowning a May Queen and dancing around a maypole. The Finnish tradition is a carnival-type celebration in the streets that includes a special type of lemonade that is made with lemons, brown sugar and yeast. In France, it is correct to give people either dogwood or lily of the valley to celebrate May Day. In Italy, a seasonal feast is held to celebrate the arrival of spring.While different countries have different ways to celebrate May Day, it is truly a celebration of spring.

HOW TO OBSERVE –Use #MayDay when posting on Social Media. Participate in the May Day tradition of hanging baskets of flowers on doors.

1. Ahhh… May Day!! Happy May! Did you celebrate this when you were a child by dancing around a Maypole or leaving flowers on someone’s porch? Will you be celebrating a special occasion in May?(There are so many other things being celebrated today that I think we need to give them some attention, too!)

I remember one time in elementary school doing a Maypole. All I remember is a tall pole on the playground and we all took a ribbon that was attached to the pole and we went around the pole in a circle. That is all I remember. When my daughter was young she wanted to put flowers on someones door. She made a paper cone and put some wildflowers in it and we put it on a neighbors door.

I never hear much about May Day these days. I have a feeling it’s a dying holiday.

There are a few birthdays happening in the month of May and one of them happens to be mine! It’s going to be the big one!

2. National Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987. Can you name a nursery rhyme that would fit your life as it was in 1987? HERE is a list of nursery rhymes.

Oh my….where was I in 1987?

I was a busy pastor’s wife in a small west Texas town with a 4 year old little girl and a 1 year old baby boy.

As far as a nursery rhyme that would fit my life, I’m going to go with, Rock a Bye Baby. My cute little red headed baby boy wouldn’t sleep. I would rock him until he was sound asleep and the second I put him in his bed, he would wake up crying. So, I held him a lot so he could sleep and I would nod off myself. Our sweet little toddler girl was busy as a bee and was such a sweet big sister. She was too busy to rest herself. I just got tired all of the sudden remembering those days.

This picture was taken at a later date than what I was sharing , but, it gives an idea of our little family. Naps eventually became a regular part of our day.

3. National Chocolate Parfait Day is also honored on this day. Parfait means perfect in French. Tell us about a perfect day, in your mind, and would/could it end with a chocolate parfait?

I haven’t had a chocolate parfait in forever. I’m thinking that would be a great way to end the day.

A perfect day? Whew, that is a hard one. I’m going to have to say that any day is a perfect day when everyone is happy and healthy and I feel loved and accepted by those that I love. Throw in spending a morning in my quiet time with the Lord without being rushed. For the rest of the day; doing exactly what I want to do for the rest of the day! Is that too much to ask? -wink

4. National School Principal’s Day was founded to celebrate these school administrators who support and guide quality teachers and staff to provide productive learning environments for our children. Did you have a good Principal when you were in school? Do you remember his/her name?

Oh my…..If I told you how many schools I was in as a child, you would be scratching your head wondering how I’m even here. I don’t remember names except for one in Jr. High. His name was Mr. Monroe. I was bullied in jr. high and he watched me get beat up across the street from the school. When I got in my classroom after the terrible incident, he called over the speaker to send me to the office. I went in to his office and he shut the door and began brushing the dirt off of me. I was basically in shock. I began to cry as he told me he saw the whole thing and wanted to know what the story was. I asked him why he didn’t come and stop the fight. He said, “because you were off of school property.” That’s all I remember. It was extremely traumatic!

I just remembered one more incident with this same principal. I was sitting in homemaking class one day and our teacher left the room for a few minutes. As soon as she left the room everyone went nuts. Kids were running around throwing things, screaming etc. I was sitting at my desk and I had my hair in a long pony tail that day. This one girl that was running around the room like a crazy girl…..grabbed my pony tail as she ran behind me. She pulled me out of my chair and drug me on the ground. I was in shock. I got back up and sat in my chair. Remember, I was extremely shy. When the teacher came back in the room everyone was sitting all nice and straight in their chairs. Then the teacher called me up to the desk along with the girl that grabbed me by the hair and told us that someone saw what happened and she sent both of us to the principal. I had to walk with this girl all the way to his office and then stand in his office with her staring at me as he asked me what happened. I explained and he scolded the girl and sent us back to our class. I went all through high school with this girl and I dodged her every chance I got as she would try to pick fights with me. It wasn’t fun!

So now you know why I didn’t like school and especially jr. high. Those were the worst two years of my life. Let’s move on to a different subject.

This is proof that I did graduate and all in one piece! 🙂 But, by the grace of God! Trust me!

5. And perhaps the most important one is Silver Star Service Banner Day which honors the sacrifices of the combat wounded, ill, and dying service members from all branches of the military. Do you have family members who have served this country in uniform? Tell us about them, if you will.

My husband served in the US Navy. I met him when he got out of the Navy. He served on a Nuclear Power Submarine. I’m thankful for his service and I love to hear his stories of where he was and what all he did while serving in the military!

My brother served in the US Marine Corp during Desert Storm. He has some amazing stories. It was a very memorable time as it was a very scary time. He is a strong and proud Marine!

My father and grandfather both served in the US Navy.

This is my dad’s Navy picture. I should have cropped it better!

6. It’s Hump Day! How is your week going so far?

My week is going great! Hair appointment, dinner with our kiddos, two concerts coming up with Celtic Woman and Piano Guys, an art exhibit of a friend and then a play as well as my regular duties that I do each day. Life is good!

Thanks so much for reading along.

Until next time,

Beverly’s Favorite Things

How are you doing? Can you believe that April is just about over? I can’t! Time is clicking along, isn’t it? I do hope you have had a wonderful 4 months of 2019. We have so much to be thankful for….even when things don’t go smoothly. A good example is my moms recent accident. I wrote about it on my last post. I thank the Lord everyday that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. She had seven stitches above her eye after a bad fall. But….no broken bones, no skull fractures, no pain! You read that right…no pain! The doctor ordered her a couple of medications and she didn’t even get them filled. She has some strong bones and a strong head. -wink

I thought it would be fun to do a quick little post of some of the latest things that I have purchased or ordered online and fallen in love with.

I love purses….but, it is so hard to find a really good purse that feels good as you carry it and doesn’t weigh too much on my arm. Plus, it has to look really cute.

I purchased this bag when we were in Hilton Head, SC a few weeks ago. I made my first visit to a store called Spartina! Yes, I fell in love with their bags and jewelry. I even bought a scarf that has pictures of Texas landmarks on it, not to mention a few pieces of jewelry. I’l share those another time. Click here to go to their site.

As I was walking through Dillards in Austin last weekend, I spotted a purse on the sale table. I couldn’t leave the store without it and I’ve really loved carrying it. It is lightweight and holds everything I need and the size is just right….as in baby bear’s comment in Goldilocks. Anyway…here is a link to the purse. I’m not able to copy and paste the picture from the site, so you will have to go check it out. Sorry about that! I got it in hot pink! 🙂

I am not a huge fan of salads. But….when I do eat a salad, I like it to be chopped as much as possible. I found this fun little gadget on Amazon. It works really good. You put all of your lettuce and veggies in the bowl and then just cut through all the little slits and voila….you have a chopped salad. Easy and no mess!

Also from Amazon, I purchased a digital scale. I’m ALWAYS working on weight loss issues it seems and when I read about this scale, I thought…this might help me stay motivated with all the bells and whistles. I used it first thing this morning. You set up your bluetooth and you will have all kinds of charts and graphs of things I have never even knew about. Let’s just say that after I weighed this morning…my eyes were opened to a couple of things that made me think…..I need to be more intentional and serious about this little project of mine. Or should I say, hobby. Does anyone get so tired of having weight issues hanging over your head? I sure do! The scale readings made me think more of health than actually losing weight to look better. Okay enough of that…we can talk weight issues later. Here is a link to the scale I purchased.

I’m always buying books. I read them and if I really loved them, I keep them and if I’m ready to say goodbye, I put the read books in a large basket designated for just books. I usually take them to the library and donate them and I recently was told that I should take them to a used bookstore and sell them. I may try that next time my basket gets full. Here is the last book I purchased. I haven’t read it yet, but I can’t wait to go through it. Click here to check it out on Amazon. I love organizing and I’m always attracted to organizing books!

I’m also a fan of beauty treatments. I know, you can’t really tell, but, I am! I’m always trying the latest when it comes to skin care, hair care and make-up. This is the last thing I purchased. Still trying it out. I’ve noticed that the older we get, our neck looks different. Or is it just me? Anyway, I purchased a neck serum off of QVC forever ago and my neck looks the same and I keep thinking, “when is this stuff going to run out?” I gave up and purchased this item. Click here to read about it. We will see how my neck looks when the jar is empty. -wink

A couple of years ago, I ordered a few things from this company. I was excited to hear that one of my favorite speakers in women’s ministry, Debbie Stuart, is doing an online Bible study with one of this company’s products. I ordered the book from Daily Grace Company and I look forward to doing the study.

Thanks for following along with me and reading about my latest purchases! I only share the things that I like. I don’t give negative reviews….if I don’t like something, I do away with it and never mention it again. Except for the never ending neck serum. It smells good and feels good….I just haven’t seen a difference. Maybe I’m not using enough and that is why it’s lasting FOREVER!

Until next time,

Fabulous Living in the Empty Nest Years

I have the honor of having new friends and lifelong friends who are my age or older. I thought it would be fun to share some of the amazing people that I know who haven’t let the empty nest years slow them down. Some have reinvented themselves after all the cuties have flown the nest and some have just kept on keepin’ on doing what they have always done.

I know that some people enter this season of life without a thought or care and then there are some like me who think….”Oh my, now what do I do?” “What’s my purpose?” “Does anything I do make a difference?” “People aren’t interested in what a 50 plus woman thinks or does.” “So much for 20 year goals…I may not even be here.” Sounds like a pity party, doesn’t it? Well, I refuse to have a pity party. I want to embrace this season of life with all that God designed for me with all that I have…. and I know you do, too!

My husband and I are enjoying our season of empty nest as much as possible. We have been traveling and seeing things that I only dreamed of. We enjoy our kids and grandkids and love being around them. I don’t take anything for granted and I know where my blessings come from and because of God’s amazing grace am I able to do the things that we are able to partake in.

I know I have some young moms and even singles that are readers of my blog. That makes me happy. I want to encourage you that someday, you will enjoy life after you have raised your children. I always struggled with that thought as I couldn’t imagine living without my children close by. Yes, I’m one of those. I love being a mom. Now I have the joy of being a Mimi and watching my children in their marriages and as parents. My heart smiles when I think of my children as adults and I will hold the memories of them as little ones that depended on me for everything in my heart forever. Seasons of life are sometimes hard to get used to, but, if we are prepared, it will make it easier. Personally, I wasn’t prepared. I’m still learning.

All that to say….I really hope these articles of introducing you to some amazing ladies will only inspire and encourage you for the future. Also, for those like me….it’s never too late to be inspired and make any changes that need to be made. Are you ready to meet my first inspirational friend?

I met Rhodema 4 years ago. She and her husband were moving to our area from East Texas and the leader of a writer’s group that she was a member of, gave her my email address to see if there were any writer’s groups in her new city. Rhodema is a writer. She has been published in a few magazines and is working on a historical fiction book.

When I received her email and answered her questions, I also told her to contact me when she made the move and we would go to lunch. Once she got moved and all settled, she contacted me and we attended a writer’s group and also went to lunch and became instant friends. We were the same age and had a lot in common.

Rhodema had recently lost her father whom she loved very much. She has four grown children and 4 grandchildren who are basically all around the world. Rhodema homeschooled her children through graduation. Her oldest is married and has 4 adorable children and she and her husband are medical missionaries in a far away country. Another daughter is a nurse at a hospital in another city. Another daughter is a Moody Bible Institute graduate and is in the process of moving to another country as well. Her youngest is an aspiring actor in Hollywood and has been in several television shows and movies.

Rhodema is also the wife (38 years) of a busy doctor who has his own practice. So, you can see she has a busy and full life. Once she moved to her new city and oh, so far away from family, friends and church, she found herself in the throws of the empty nest world. She loves writing and she loves gardening and that kept her pretty busy, but, she felt something was still missing. The quietness was still hard to get used to. So one day, she picked up a paint brush and gave it a whirl. She loved it! She enrolled in some painting classes and joined a painters club.

Long story short…..

This very week, she is a featured artist with over 40 pieces of her work on display and for sale at a local venue. She is now known as a local artist of our city.

If all of that isn’t enough, she is also a tutor for some college age students and she volunteers for a mission in our city.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know my friend, Rhodema! If you would like to follow her on some of her social media, here are her links:

Website

Instagram

A couple of years ago, I shared in a post, a friend of mine in Oklahoma who is also an artist. She is another one who picked up a paint brush one day and is now a well known artist. Click here to read about my friend, Karin and follow her work. She is amazing!

Yes, I picked up a brush and tried to paint. It didn’t work. I just don’t have it, evidently! I know many artists and it seems everyone has their own style and what fun it is to watch them in all of their creativity. I can do a stick figure and that is about it.

Thanks for being a reader of my blog and I hope you will subscribe and receive updates in your inbox each time I make a new post. I’m trying to build my reader list. If that isn’t your thing, that is okay. I do hope you will come back and visit again. My desire is that you will be inspired and encouraged by something you read.

Until next time….

Wednesday Medley – Pigs In a Blanket

I have a dear friend who I met at a blogger/writer’s conference a few years ago. I always enjoy reading her blog, CiCi’s Corner. She participates in “Wednesday Medley.” Each Wednesday she and other bloggers receive the same questions and what fun it is to read the answers. I have so much in common with my blogger friend that I’m always thinking…”we have to be sisters!”

I decided to give it a whirl. I made today the day I would begin Wednesday Medly and the questions are about Pigs in a Blanket. I then thought, maybe this is a mistake, this isn’t for me. But, I said, “Beverly, get out of your box and answer these easy questions about…. Pigs in a Blanket!” So, here we go…..hang with me!

1. Typically served as an hors d’oeuvre, have you ever made or had a Pig-in-a-Blanket? Do you like Pigs-in-a-Blanket?

I have for sure had Pigs in a Blanket! I think they are a staple at parties….at least in Texas they are!

I have also made them several times. When my kids were young, we would get a can of crescent rolls and put a Lil Smokie in them and bake. Sometimes, I would put an actual hot dog in the crescent roll with a piece of cheese. Pretty good and kid friendly!

2. Pigs-in-a-blanket are also known as devils on horseback, kilted sausages, and wiener winks. (Seriously.) Please make up another name for this fun little appetizer!

I’m thinking…….

Well, I can’t think of a thing! I’ve called them Pigs in a Blanket forever, so I feel bad renaming them!

3. In the UK, pigs-in-blankets are small sausages, or chipolatas wrapped up in bacon. Which country’s version is most appealing to your taste buds?

Image result for sausages wrapped in bacon

I think they sound fairly good. They don’t look as appetizing to me as the crescent rolls though.

4. The first written record of pigs-in-a-blanket occurs in Betty Crocker’s Cooking for Kids in 1957. In this digital world, do you still have a favorite cookbook you use most of the time? Is there a recipe you can share with us from that cookbook?

I LOVE cookbooks of all kinds. Matter of fact, I collect them! I know, you think I’m an amazing cook, right? Well, I collect cookbooks, but, I don’t like to cook! I read cookbooks and dream of cooking, but, then when it comes right down to it….I don’t want to! Secretly, I picture myself getting back into the cooking routine and baking some amazing pies, cookies and cakes. We will see what happens. I’ll let you know if the cooking bug hits me soon!

I adore reading through the old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I have memories of my aunt making recipes out of it and she had notes all over the pages. When she passed away not too long ago, the first thing I thought of was her cookbook. How I’d love to read through that again and see her hand writing on her favorite recipes.

I have made the potato salad that is in the Betty Crocker cookbook several times and it is delicious! I would share the recipe, but, I’m out of town and I don’t have it with me! But, trust me, it’s a good one!

5. What is your favorite cooking show on TV?

I enjoy watching the Pioneer Woman. She amazes me! She seems down to earth and cooks normal things all while smiling the entire time. I’ve bought some of her cookware and dishes hoping that would inspire me to get to cooking…..hasn’t worked yet. She has a fairly new magazine and it is so much fun to read! I also have all of her cookbooks! I’m even thinking I would love to have decals on my kitchen aid mixer like she has on some of hers. Maybe that’s the answer to getting in the kitchen to cook….decals on my red mixer!

6. Tell us something random about your week, please!

Well, we came to the Texas Hill Country to our get-a-way home. Our grandchildren live around the corner, so it is alway a treat to see the family. We enjoyed Easter services together and a brunch at the country club. A couple of evenings ago we were watching the two young ones while the rest the family went to dinner. We had the evening filled with a shopping trip to Target for Lego’s and burgers and a movie. I then got a call that my mom had fallen at the movie theater. She had taken her granddaughter to a movie. My niece and her friend had ran on and my mom was walking up the hall alone and she tripped and fell. She fell into the wall and hit her head on a door jam. It happened so fast, she said she remembers thinking to herself, “this is going to be bad!” She was bleeding horribly and couldn’t get up as her knee hurt awfully bad! She yelled for help and some people came to her rescue. They found my niece and she called her dad. (my brother) Long story short….an ambulance, 7 stitches and blood everywhere, I was a nervous wreck! I was 300 miles away and couldn’t do anything but pray! Our sweet little grandsons prayed with my husband and I and were very concerned. Needless to say, I wasn’t much fun for the little boys that night, but my husband took over as I was on the phone most of the night. So thankful for my two brothers that beat the ambulance and were there for her and took care of her. My niece was so sweet to help out in anyway she could. I’m sure she was scared to death! I received pictures of everything. If you know me, I am a very queasy person and I can’t take the site of blood, stitches or anything, but, I was able to handle this….it’s my mom! Bless her little heart! She is a strong lady in so many ways and obviously very strong when it comes to a horrible fall. She didn’t break anything and all was clear with her head as we feared something worse than a horrible cut on her forehead! It’s a miracle…. that’s all I can say. If you saw her face, you would be amazed. But, there is no way I’m going to share those pictures. My pet peeve is when people post pictures of horrible accidents on social media. I’m not doing that! I can’t wait to get home to see her and take care of her.

One more thing about this week. Yesterday, we drove a couple of hours to see my aunt and uncle. I haven’t seen them in quiet some time. My uncle is 91 and he and my aunt are amazing! We took them to lunch and visited for a few hours. I have so many memories of them as a little girl. We lived around them for a couple of years when I was about 6 and 7 years old and I loved being around them. I wish you could meet them….they are precious. I’m sure I’ll be sharing things every now and then about some of my memories about them. I have a feeling my aunt probably made pigs in a blanket when I was at her house. She was always making fun little things like that!

Now this has definitely been an eventful week! I’m also wondering what next Wednesday’s questions will be about!

Until next time….

An Over 50 Girl and Social Media

Social Media! Is it just me or does anyone else have a love/hate relationship with it?

Where It All Began

It all started in 2004. I went to my first writer’s conference. If you haven’t been to one, trust me when I say this….. your brain will explode! I just wanted to write a book and BAM! So much information, I didn’t even know where to start! Business cards, followers, writing, more conferences, books to read on writing, books to read in your genre and other genres to learn writing styles, online courses, blogging, facebook page, instagram, on and on and on. The Facebook and Instagram came later as those platforms became more popular. You come home from the conference with a bag full of notes and worksheets and new books that you bought at the book table. I think I put everything aside and didn’t touch them for a couple of weeks.

I had always homeschooled our two children while they were growing up and our son had just graduated from high school and that left me without a “job.” I figured writing that book that I had dreamed of even before I was married all those years ago was about to happen. I took an online writing class.

I then started a full-blown women’s ministry at our church from the ground up and oh, what fun that was. I loved every minute of it and that kept me busy for the next 9 years.

In between women’s ministry and family life, I would work on writing, but, I kept pushing it back further and further. Social media became my writing platform. I had a blog for women’s ministry and then my personal blog. Facebook became a huge platform as well. Then Pinterest and Instagram came along. I tried Twitter and didn’t even have time for that one.

Do you see where I’m heading?

I have come to the conclusion that FOR ME……social media is a time taker upper! Is that a correct phrase?

Remember when I said social media was a love/hate relationship?

Here is what I love about social media:

It’s quick and easy to get answers; faster than texting or calling sometimes.

You can see pictures of friends and family that otherwise you probably would never see.

Great articles on subjects that interest me.

Lot’s of encouragement in areas that I need encouragement.

I love to laugh and there is always something cute or funny that bring a smile.

You get to share parts of your life with others and get feedback.

When you look at your friend count, you can say, “Wow, I have 850 friends?” Who knew! Some have over a thousand….double wow!

Here is what I hate about social media:

*Note: It’s hard for me to say the word “hate.” When my kids were growing up, I didn’t allow them to say the word hate…..ever! One time I was talking to our son and I used the word hate. I have no idea what I was talking about….probably something like, “I hate brussel sprouts!” Anyway, that cute little red headed boy said, “ummmm…..you said hate, you aren’t supposed to say that!” So let’s change that word hate, to dislike!

Here is what I dislike about social media:

Time! Once you get on and you begin reading one thing, it leads to another and another and another….when you look up it’s an hour or two later.

Our society is addicted to social media. You see it when you get out. People are on their phones 24/7 and not talking to the people around them. Kids are growing up seeing mom and dad staring at their phones and talking to someone else other than them. I’ve seen groups of young people and they are all on their phones.

Did you know that there are exercises to help you not get a neck problem from looking down at our phone so much? I just read that yesterday. So, yes…bad posture is one of those things.

Out of all those friends, who can you call if you have an emergency and they are there for you in the flesh. 850? Don’t think so. All that to say…..what is a friend? I’ve known people who check their friend count, their likes, comments regularly. But, are they really friends? Have you ever read into someone that is on your social media and they don’t give you the time of day. And you just conversed with them over Facebook recently…now that’s funny.

I talked to a lady who said that she is only on Facebook so she can see her grandchildren’s pictures. Evidently the parents don’t “share” pictures or details of their lives unless it is on social media and the entire world gets the pleasure of seeing the pictures before the grandparents.

I think the worst is when you realize someone unfriended you that you thought was a friend. Then when you run into that person and it’s a bit awkward as you wonder what you did to make them drop you like a hot potato!

Here is my disclaimer. I can count on one hand how many people I unfriended. I know each reason. One was for foul language that I didn’t want to read, another was a person said some really mean things about me and my family, another was because I heard something that this person did to try to hurt my feelings. I was hurt and the only thing I could do to get back was click….unfriend! This was all before I knew you could actually unfollow instead of unfriend. Oh well. I don’t think they missed me as I haven’t ever heard from them. I have asked a couple of people if I did something when I saw they unfriended me. Awkward again!

That is probably the worst about social media. Feels like grade school. Friend, not a friend, like, don’t like. Do we really have time for all of that?

This is something to remember while on social media.

So, where does this over 50 girl draw the line on social media? I can say over 50 now because I have one month to go before I have to say, 60. Yes, I’m in mourning, but, I’ll be okay.

Where do you draw the line on social media? Do you set a time limit? Do you only check once a day?

Now we have insta-stories and videos. I’ve sat and watched people that I don’t even know tell me their life story and I don’t even have anything in common with them. I’ve watched young moms give tips on raising children, decorating, organizing. But, I watch because I’m intrigued and amazed. When I was a young mom, there is no way I would have ever had the time to make a video of myself showing my day, or putting my make-up on or modeling my outfit for the day. Oh, or cooking our meals, now that would have really been hilarious! It actually makes me laugh out loud to think of it.

We definitely live in a new day. A lot has changed in the last 20-30 years.

I read a report that even with all the social media and all the many followers, and likes and comments…that by the year 2020, more women will be depressed and on medications for depression than ever before. Hmmm….makes you think a little bit about that doesn’t it?

Disclaimer #2 – If you love and manage your time with social media, I am thrilled and I in no way am criticizing anyone that has it wired when it comes to social media. I envy you and would love to learn from you. I’m just sharing my thoughts today on something that seems to be an huge part of everyones lives these days. For us older folks, we know what life was like without it and life was just fine…so we are having to work it in and make it as normal as life was before. Oh, I also heard this the other day. Young people are flocking to Instagram because all the old people are taking over Facebook…..yep…that’s what I heard. Who knew!?

Social Media……do I love it or dislike it today? It’s a new day. I think I will go see what my friend in Alaska is up to.

Until next time….

On The Road Again….Hilton Head Island

I had great intentions of taking pictures and journaling our entire trip. That’s always my plan when we travel. The problem is, I get caught up in enjoying everything that I forget to take pictures. So, I’ll just share a few of my random pictures. I hope they make sense and give you an idea of how beautiful and fun Hilton Head Island is. I have always heard of Hilton Head and I love anywhere in the East. I wasn’t disappointed!

We traveled with a sweet couple that are dear friends of ours. Traveling with friends is always fun and this couple is so easy to be around and oh, so much fun. The guys golfed several times and us girls….shopped! I know, you are shocked! The week went fast. We dined at delicious restaurants, shopped, golfed, rode bikes…..yes, you read that right…rode bikes. I can’t even remember the last time I rode a bike…..needless to say, I was a bit nervous about that as everyone was very excited about riding bikes and I secretly was worried I would ruin their time by not being able to stay up on a bike! All was well…..I rode around the parking lot a few times and I did it! Hallelujah! I had to keep my eyes on the road because if I looked up I would go all over the place. It got easier after the third hour of biking. What a beautiful place to ride bikes, that is for sure! My only catastrophe was when the riding path narrowed and went between two trees; a young man was coming my way and he went off the path so I could squeeze in between the trees. He crashed. I looked back and said, “so sorry!” He was riding with a young lady and they were having a fun time….I think he was okay….at least he was laughing. Guess what? I think I like riding bikes! I’m now looking at bikes to buy and deciding what I want. It must have a basket and a bell….very important. The bell will come in handy instead of saying “coming through!” I’ll keep you posted of what I decide on.

Okay, enough of that….here are a few pictures of our week. Remember, I didn’t do too well in the picture department.

I found this map of Hilton Head. It is about 2 hours from Charleston, SC! We flew in to Charleston and rented a car for the week.

This was our first stop for dinner! Delicious and the atmosphere was so fun! They had a huge aquarium that was very intriguing. I saw Nemo and Dory. They looked happy.

How can you not have Key Lime Pie! This was one of a couple for the week. What diet?

We were out shopping and found a great place for a salad. My friend, ordered a Mango Tea! The glass was so pretty, I had to take a picture. I thought it turned out great! She looked very pretty and matched her drink. This could be an advertisement for them!

I love the ocean! There is something about watching and listening to the waves. So peaceful to me! Except for the jelly fish laying around.

Jim and I strolled down the beach. Yes, my hair is huge….in humid weather, my hair gets bigger and bigger. I don’t know what I’d do if I lived there!

There it is….the bike path…..my favorite was when the path was very wide and no people.

This was like a boardwalk where the boats were….so beautiful! Looks like we are all taking a break!

We were posing for this picture to look like we had a rough 3 hours biking….my rough look was a bit more rough than my friend!

There they are! Our little golfers! Aren’t they cute? Especially the one in the orange jacket. By the way, they had an alligator on one of their holes by the water. Fortunately, they weren’t eaten.

This is the sign next to were we stayed. Not very comforting.

This is the drive up to one of the golf courses. What a view. I can only imagine how beautiful it is in the summer…..and the fall.

Beautiful flowers everywhere and it wasn’t even in full bloom yet.

Love this view. We dined at a restaurant in this area.

What is this!? Oh, this is my view as we flew in to our part of Texas. Oil fields as far as you can see. Back to reality!

Thanks so much for following along with me on our trip to Hilton Head! I can now mark it off my bucket list! Have you been there? What was your favorite thing to do while there?

I wonder where to next? We will see.

National Beer Day!

Who knew? National Beer Day! We have special days for almost everything, don’t we? Not too long ago, I noticed it was National Doughnut Day…..and I missed it. I love doughnuts. I have one every now and then. They are awfully sugary and also fattening…which I don’t need in my life. All that to say, I was catching up on some news this morning and they announced it was National Beer Day and they shared several brewers who have developed their own brand. The newscasters were telling all about each one and at the same time made it clear they were not allowed to drink any. I wondered why not? If it’s so wonderful and amazing, why can’t you drink it while sharing with the world how amazing it all is. I think the only good thing I gained from the report was the entrepreneurial spirit of the “brewers.” I love seeing people that have a dream and develop it and then are passionate about it. They were definitely passionate about their “brews.”

I thanked the Lord that I wasn’t passionate about beer. I know so many are and they live for the end of the day to sit down with a “cold one.” Thank you Lord, that I had the thoughts (wisdom) to not make that a part of my life. I can honestly say, that I have ZERO curiosity of how it tastes and obviously about making it a part of my life. I try so hard to have an open mind and respect those that have a taste for it and have made it a part of their lives. I don’t shame people and I don’t say anything as they sit and sip on their alcohol. But, I have been shamed many times for not partaking. When you don’t consume alcohol you are often left out of the loop on certain get togethers, etc. Snide remarks are made in your favor of how crazy you must be to not want to sip and take in the effects of alcohol. I’ve had things said to me such as:

“Oh, you are just a good Baptist girl!”

“I guess you can’t eat Rum Cake, it has Rum in it, you know.”

“How can anyone not drink, look what you are missing!”

“Oh, a little wine never hurt anyone!”

“Beverly! Jesus turned the water into wine!”

“I get it, you don’t drink because you are afraid of being an alcoholic since it’s in your family!”

“You are such a dud!”

The list goes on and on….

But, let’s talk about National Beer Day!

From 1920 to 1933, the Prohibition was in effect. Click here to read more about it. Those pesky Protestants! -wink Seriously, it’s a quick read and explains a bit about the Prohibition.

And then, thanks to President Roosevelt….

“On April 7, 1933, President Roosevelt took the major first step toward ending Prohibition and signed a law allowing people to brew and distribute beer in the United States. Upon signing the legislation, FDR famously stated, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” For the first time in thirteen years, beer drinkers celebrated and were happy to be able to purchase beer again. On that same day, 1.5 million barrels of beer were consumed, inspiring the holiday celebrated today. For all you beer lovers out there – remember, always drink responsibly and never drink and drive. So, take a toast with us by celebrating National Beer Day on April 7, Cheers!” (This is the opening article on the site for the National Beer Day. Click here to read more if interested.

You, my readers, probably know why I stand firm on my personal beliefs of alcohol. My only goal is to prevent others from the heartache that I’ve experienced first hand and the major heartache I’ve seen others go through. All I can say is, you don’t want that heartache…..trust me. It’s not as pretty as they make it out to be. Like I have said many times, no one says to themselves, “I think I’ll become an alcoholic!” “I think I’ll kill someone today while driving while drunk!” “I think I’ll abuse someone today, because I drank too much!” Those are just a tip of the iceberg of the things that happen in someones life because of alcohol.

I know, I know…it looks very cool and most importantly, it looks like so much fun! You do know that if you want people to know that you are the life of the party and are having a super good time, it is important to hold up your glass or your bottle of your drink in your photos. Now, that is proof that you are a fun person! -double wink

If you missed my recent post on this subject, you can read it here.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and I promised to write more on the subject during April and what better way to get me motivated was to hear that it was National Beer Day. Again….who knew!? I obviously didn’t!

If you would like to read some stories of people who have lost loved ones in tragic accidents due to alcohol, click here. Mother’s Against Drunk Driving is an organization that is doing an amazing work to bring awareness to the problem.

I do hope that my writing on this subject doesn’t offend anyone, I only hope that it makes you more aware of the dangers and effects that alcohol has on us and our loved ones, especially, our children.

I heard this a few years ago. When the basketball team from Utah, that is comprised of mostly those of the Mormon faith is playing in the championships etc., the alcohol sales are way down. The alcohol companies and their vendors don’t make as much money so it isn’t their favorite event. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if eventually that is how it would be everywhere…alcohol sales are way down…..beer companies going out of business……..I can almost confidentially say, that will never happen. For some reason alcohol is something that so many will never give up regardless who it has hurt. That’s just the way it is. So, I will just keep on keeping on sharing with whoever will listen of what alcohol did to my family and to so many other people.

My last statement for this post:

Alcohol must really taste great to take such a high risk of so many tragedies. I wouldn’t know……I’ve never tasted it. Well….wait a minute….when I was a little girl, my dad gave me a sip of his beer. He drank Coor’s. I can still see the cans of it in our refrigerator and sitting between his legs as he sat in his chair and yes, driving! It tasted terrible! He thought it was funny! I laughed that day too, as he laughed at me. That was the last time I laughed at alcohol….

Always remember, if you are a partaker in alcohol and we are friends, I will never disown you, I will just pray that the next drink you take tastes like something you would never want to taste again! -triple wink! I have sat at many tables while someone is drinking and I don’t think less of them….I just pray that they will eventually hate the stuff……all with a smile!

Thank you for being a reader of my thoughts today! Blessings on your Sunday and until next time…..

Drink responsibly! Whatever that means! -yes, I’m winking again!

Do You Bounce The Ball Back?

When my kids were young I taught them how to bounce the ball back. No, I’m not talking about a real ball or even the game of basketball. Although, Nathan was a good little basketball player when he was growing up. I loved watching him play. I’ll have to share with you sometime soon about me starting a basketball team. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a hilarious experience. Well, it wasn’t hilarious at the time…..but, now when I think of it…..I can’t help but laugh. But, for today, I wanted to talk about bouncing the ball back to others.

Several years ago I was attending my first writers conference. I didn’t know a soul there. During break, I was sitting on a sofa in the lobby and a lady was sitting close by. We started chatting…..just small talk. I could have easily, just said, “nice to meet you” and gone on my way. But, between this sweet lady and myself, we ended up in a deep conversation. Today, she is one of my very dear friends and someone I look up to for wisdom. On another occasion, I received an email from someone I didn’t know. She had been given my name from someone that knew of me in the Dallas area. She took a chance and sent me an email to ask if I knew of any writers groups in my city since she was moving here. I could have easily just forwarded her the information. Long story short, I wrote her back and asked a few questions and made it a point to contact her when she made the move to my city and we went to lunch and from there, we became close friends. She is an encourager in my life and an inspiration to me.

That is what I mean by bouncing the ball back. When someone reaches out to you…..reach back….bounce the ball back. When someone says, good morning as you are out shopping or sitting in church, tell them the same and add something to maybe get a conversation going. You never know what could become of that.

How many times have we sat in church waiting for the service to start and everyone is just sitting there staring straight ahead not speaking. Reach out and strike up a conversation with someone. I know….there are many people who don’t want to talk and they aren’t interested….you just go to the next person. Or, how about maybe not even a conversation. How about a smile or a pat on the shoulder and say something positive to them, such as, “I love your shoes.” Maybe you don’t love their shoes…there has to be something about everyone that would be easy to compliment.

A smile is the easiest. I just got in from doing some shopping. I passed a lady on the way to my car. I smiled at her and she said, “What a beautiful smile.” Isn’t that sweet? I don’t think I have a pretty smile, but, she was so kind. I want to be like that, don’t you? When you pass people who are in a hurry, just smile. If they don’t smile back, that is okay. When they smile at you, smile back and say, “hi!” So easy.

A few years ago, I was leaving church and a lady stopped me. She had her arms folded and looked down at me with a look that seemed she wasn’t too sure of me. She said, “Who are you… and where did you come from!” I proceeded to tell her my name and that my husband and I had moved back to the area, blah blah blah. She never changed expressions. She wasn’t impressed. I then excused myself and left. A few days later, I was walking through a department store and I saw this same lady checking out at a counter. I walked over and patted her and said “Hi, how are you doing?” She looked over at me as if I were bothering her and as she looked me up and down she then said “fine!” and turned around and walked away. From that day forward, I kept my ball from her. I was no longer going to try. There is something about me that I don’t like too much and that is, I have a tendency to give up on trying to win people over. Especially, people that are rude and mean spirited. Granted, I know that if I keep trying, someone may come around. I have tried working with someone in ministry purposely that I knew without a doubt didn’t like me…..I never won them over. It’s hard work and it takes a lot of humility. I’m a very discerning person and I usually know when someone is purposely rude, is shy, is going through a hard time, or just doesn’t have any manners. It’s easy to be patient and keep bouncing the ball back to them except for the purposely rude ones. They take much patience and prayer. Then there are always the genuinely kind and happy people. They are a piece of cake! We all need people like that in our lives, don’t we? WE can be that type of person for others.

With this day of social media, it’s interesting as well. Have you ever been friends with someone on social media and then when you meet them in person, they have nothing to say or they don’t really want to acknowledge you. But, on Facebook you know everything about them; what they ate for dinner, where they went for vacation, who their friends are, what they like and don’t like and even when they can’t sleep. If we were that interested in talking face to face, we would probably have some really “true friends” wouldn’t we?

Then we have texting and comments on your social media. If someone goes to the trouble of looking our name up and then taking time to type out something or share a picture with us, we should always respond. Not answering a text or a comment on your social media pages to me is like just not answering someone if they were talking to you face to face. Or turning your back on them. We would never do that, would we? Well, there might be some people that would. -wink!

On my Facebook, memories from up to 5 or more years ago will pop up. I love looking at pictures and reading what was going on years ago. A couple of times I cringe when I see that someone left a comment and I never responded. All I can think of is that I never saw it. I’m so tempted to comment back, but, this particular one that I recently saw was from 6 years ago. If I comment, the picture will start circulating again….how embarrassing. So, I just learn from that and I carefully acknowledge anytime someone takes the time to connect or comment now.

You may be saying….”Beverly, what makes you such an expert on this subject?” Well, I’m not….I’m learning everyday. I blow it too many times in this area and I can probably recall each time I did and regret it horribly. I was extremely shy growing up and I basically still am….I just work at it really hard. When I was about 15 or so, I had a man at church shake my hand as I was walking out and he he called me “stuck up!” It hurt deeply and I was determined to not let people think that of me ever again. I’m sure they did as I was shall I say, “painfully shy!” So, I’m a work in progress and I’ve worked hard at it. No expert….just a crazy girl trying to be all that God created me to be!

Bouncing the ball back is hard sometimes. You may be humbled or you may make a new best friend. Who knows, you may be able to share some good news with someone who is going through a hard time or is in desperate need of a Savior. Even though it’s hard at times, the rewards are worth it.

I have a challenge for us today:

Bounce the ball back……….or better yet, you bounce first!

Until next time….

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