Popping in to say hello

I know, you were expecting a Sunday Afternoon Tea? Well, it is coming but on Monday. :)

Today is our actual anniversary and for a treat, I brought home our favorite salads from the grocery store. We'd already eaten out breakfast on Friday morning but this was inexpensive and kept me from having to make lunch. My husband's army buddy is going to stop by this evening even though hubby can't go with him to their Viet Nam reunion with other men they served with. Since I'm not certain if he will have time to stay for dinner, I have a stew in the oven which will serve for our dinner tomorrow evening, too.

Since the decision to make this meal came at the last minute, I had to stop for stew meat at the grocery store (and NOT on sale.... yikes!). I usually cut up my own but I needed something very quick today. I also bought a nice London broil on sale for later, though. When I arrived home (and after assembling the stew and getting it in the oven), I cut the London broil into three sections and then sliced each of them for stir fry meals later. That way I'm getting three meals from one rather expensive piece of meat. Everything is so expensive these days, even on sale. I would have normally cut this into two pieces but it is now going to stretch for the THREE meals! All three of those Zip Lock bags are now in the freezer to be used later.

I stopped by Goodwill this afternoon on the way home, something I rarely do on Sunday. They had the most beautiful 2 cup teapot and matching creamer & sugar bowl in the glass display where they keep nicer items. It was such a reasonable enough price that it came home with me. I did some research online and I believe it is Sheltonian of Staffordshire's Purple Pansy design. Very nice and at a Goodwill price! Happy anniversary to me!!

The phone ring around 1:00 this morning and it was Christopher who was in the midst of an allergy attack. He needed to know my recommendation as he had just taken two allergy pills. I had a hard time understanding him. When I asked if he had eaten anything (as sometimes he forgets to eat and that doesn't help the situation), he kept saying something like ooochi. Finally, his friend that was with him got on the phone and said he was trying to say sushi!

As we talked, his air passages began to open so I told his friend to help him back to the hotel room (they had been up late for the last night of the convention) because he would be quite weak after such an attack and after taking two allergy pills. Also, in case he needed it there was an inhaler in his luggage. They were to only call back if he didn't get well and I'm taking his silence as a good thing. :)

All he needed was to hear my voice and have that assurance that we've gone down this road many times before and he would be fine. I was thinking of that this morning and how God does the same thing for us when we are going through difficult times. He keeps us looking at the path in front of us and reminds us He has been there with us before and He will take us through again. The mothering side of God. :)

Now I need to do a quick decluttering of the dining table (my worst "hot spot" for stacking things). Otherwise, the house is fine for company. I'll put some of the brownies baked yesterday on a plate for our guest. Even if he doesn't want to stay long enough for stew, I'm sure he'll enjoy dessert and decaf.

As for me, I don't know when I'll get to sleep tonight. Christopher doesn't know when they will be able to leave since his friend he's riding with is on the Board for this organization and has to help with clean up. I'll be glad when we have a regular schedule again but that may not be for a few weeks. My work at the bookstore is coming up in a week! Ahhhh, September... hopefully cooler and back to a schedule.

Note: The name of the picture from yesterday is Family Circle by Lee Stroncek.