Happy Birthday to Me on Tuesday!

Saturday was a quiet day.  Ted worked a shoot for a pre-school for hearing impaired children.  He has so many organization T-shirts from all these charity shoots.  I need to go through his drawer again but he isn't into getting rid of any of them!

In his absence I worked on my three planters that needed redoing, two in the courtyard and one in our bathroom.  Then I looked into my sister-in-law's tax return because she received a letter from the IRS.  I took a look, asked a few questions of her daughter-in-law who prepared them and I knew what was wrong.  I told her to file an amended return and she asked if I would do it.  So next week I will have that on my to do list.  It won't take long.

We went to church and then to Landry's Seafood restaurant to celebrate our birthdays.  We try to go between the two dates that are just one week apart.  We ran into neighbors Wilson and Gail who had just finished eating.  They came to sit and visit while we waited for our food.  Ted had shrimp and fish while I had pan grilled mahi mahi.  It was really good and Ted's came with dessert.  He chose bread pudding and I took two bites.  We went home to watch ... Football!

Ted went shooting early Sunday while I did my morning things.  Irene called and asked if she and John could stop by around 2:00.  Ted was home by then.  She brought me a birthday gift that she felt was just perfect!  And it was.  A beautiful glass shell/bowl.

It is beautiful and the colors are just right!  She has excellent taste and decorating skills so I always appreciate her input.

When they left we went out to buy a deck plant and a new umbrella.  The sun just plays havoc with the extreme sun all summer.  I made a pot of tortellini chicken soup for dinner and we ... watched football!  At least Ted did.

Monday evening Terry and Carol took us to a family owned Italian restaurant for our birthdays.  It was a perfect evening and we enjoyed the meal, time together and our gifts.

Tuesday was my birthday and I was up at 7 to be at Good Shepherd Episcopal church for the senior outing.  Now I am a senior and have been for years, but I don't "attend," I work.  I had to make a German chocolate cake to take and I took 4 bingo prizes.  My table of 9 came dressed for the Octoberfest theme. 

After bingo, The Old Geezers Trio had them up dancing in the aisles.  The other ladies and I even got in on The Twist.  Such a fun day.  

Lunch was "wurst mit senf" (sausage with mustard), hot German potato salad, coleslaw and our German chocolate cakes.  

From there I stopped at Hobby Lobby to pick up basket cellophane and then went to a meeting at the Forum office to put our 35th Anniversary gift basket together.  It took forever because there were too many opinions plus two attempts at wrapping the darn thing, first in shrink wrap and then in cellophane.  The jury is still out on the last attempt!

It was 4:45 by the time I came home and I was pooped.  After a rest we went to Chik Fil A for a quick dinner, using the gift cards that John gave Ted.  We came home so I could open my stack of cards.  I so appreciate everyone's thoughtfulness in making my day great.  I talked to all three girls in the evening.

Wednesday we picked up the RV with all the repairs finished.  Our extended warranty paid $1100 of our $1600 bill.  The hydraulic pump and labor was about 2/3s of that total.  While we had it out we took it to be inspected.  All was fine except our VIN did not match the insurance paper.  Our Mobile Suite and TX registration matched so I have no idea where the disconnect happened.  I called and with no problems had the correct VIN put in and new papers emailed to me.  We put the trailer away and it should be ready to go in December.

We received a call from our Memphis friends.  Their brother-in-law who lives in our town has died and they asked to stay with us while in town, so they will arrive on Thursday.  I don't know how long they will be with us since no arrangements had been made when I talked to them.

I received the envelope containing what my SIL received from the IRS.  The Schedule D was missing.  I prepared one including the worksheets used to prepare it, a letter of explanation, put it back in an envelope off to Louisiana.and mailed it later in the day.  She just needs to sign the letter, make copies and mail it.  I am sure another one for 2015 won't be far behind.

I have so many irons in the fire because I have to do double duty to be gone as much as we are.  Sometimes I think I should back off some but I praised God on Tuesday for my continued good health, the ability to be relevant in so many people's lives and thanked him for the means to continue to be there for others.

James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.