Time to order PEO Nuts!

 And now for a commercial....Nuts for sale, delicious, salty, tasty, even sugary nuts for sale....you don't want to miss the chance to order your PEO Nuts! Your order helps fund important PEO scholarships for women!  Our local chapter sells nuts each year and the proceeds fund philanthropy and education.  

My life on Newark-Granville Road really is about these two things and family, friendship and faith- all aligning with my sisters. Want to know more about PEO: https://www.peointernational.org/about-peo  check out the international organization and let me know if I can answer questions.  And please let me know if you would like an order form for the PEO nut sale- hopefully you can read below to see our offerings!  I do need to place the order this Saturday 10/17/20!!

Thanks to all that have ordered in the past, placed their order this year, and buying from other PEOs! I enjoy ordering these items to have on hand for my family, to give as gifts and take-along when I need something fast to offer at a gathering.  They are always a hit and appreciated!

Oh- did I mention these are Krema Nut Co nuts- yummmm and snack mixes!

Talk, Text, Schedule, Sigh- Communicating on NG Road

 How do you know where you are supposed to be when?  How do you decide which event to attend?

Who takes who where when? I added a calendar event- every morning- Who Takes Sally to School? and invited Joe.  Who goes to which game.  It was almost easier when we had three kids and had to rotate and spread the support.  COVID limits some of it, although how many invitations can I have for  Tuesdays at noon on Zoom?  Two again today!  And yes, silly me sometimes tries to attend two with each lap top and two zoom accounts "up".  I know I know I'm not actively listening to either, but I'm there.  I'm showing up. I want the coordinators to know I am trying and I want to get a bit of both.

I'm not asking for answers here.  FYI- the paper Mom agenda still is our preferred scheduling tool and Sunday planning helps keep me happy.

The answer in our life on Newark-Granville Road always comes back to one word...Communication. Communication is not just one thing. It isn't talk, phone, text, sigh, bang a door, cheer- it is all of the above. Its complicated, it is involved, it is frustrating, it is beautiful. Communicating is being in relationship and sharing and helping.

Thanks for reading and communicating with me! The blog is one of they ways I sort things out, extrovert, share. My communication style has always been to "put it out" and let it evolve.  COVID has curtailed that interaction and changed the way all of us are communicating in more places than home.  Work, school, church, with friends and family- we're all experiencing it, we're all in it together. Lets talk about it.

So much more I could share or explore with you here today. Duty calls. More blog topics for future days...just what am I watching on Tuesdays at Noon? What books am I ordering and where am I going! Social Media...ahhh a hot one...Joe and I need to watch the Social Dilemma. Social media as a communication tool fits into all of this...see so much more I could share and communicate about- but now I choose to stop and say- have a great day.

And why not share a fall picture of the past....my sister took this one, the pumpkin in front of the sally baby bump- 2004!!

I know it is October because....

We celebrated Clare!  Yes, our oldest had a birthday...a big one- 20!  She is so happy.  I did see her...for 5-10 minutes? I hugged her and delivered a Hershey's chocolate cake and a few other deliveries. Thank you to everyone that made her feel special. Her amazing roommates that made her Mac n Cheese and Broccoli!

It was time- we brought in the flowers from the window boxes and now the green house if full.  I kind of wished I kept the grass and put pumpkins there...oh well.

Pumpkins- yes the volunteer crop is a good one for 2020. The back 40 has been producing small orange, white and some little bumpy ones.

I am craving college campus activities.  Last year I went to Clare's Wooster game later in the fall and she did not understand why I wanted to come. I had missed Black and Gold weekend to support Peter's College Search.  I'm craving this type of visit all the more with COVID and 2020.  Honoring directives and staying away.  Wabash is open so we may make a very careful trip. Peter is doing great, Sunday calls mean so much.

Bookclub is back! Just had our Oct discussion about the September book- The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George.  We had such a nice discussion- the book was well liked by most of the group. We were pleased to have this light read that took us to Paris and river cruise to Provence! One member shared that it was a book for the sense- recipes, descriptions of sights, scents, tastes and feelings. I read it last year...did not have time to reread but I think I will.

School is in session and midterms are approaching...for me and Peter and Clare...we're all doing okay. I'm loving my History of Philanthropy Class. Learning, thinking, finding ways to express what I am learning!

Family Leadership Council- our meeting was a success! Big thank you to coworkers for assisting, coaching, practicing, supporting.  HUGE thank you to the parents that were able to log in and engage with us.  It was not the meeting we like to offer, but we made it work.  HUGE thank you to parents catching up with me over zoom and calls and even a few safely outdoors over coffee?!!

The colors- I do love the change of leaves.  I need to explore more what is happening with leaf placement on NG Road- signs, fence....where else....

Chili- da-da-da-da-don don don dnt.  Chili!  You have to be a Bluejackets fan to get that.  I made my first batch the same night we had Taco Tuesday on NG Road. The next batch will be better- I bought chili powder.  I made a way to make it work.

Wishing other great October friends/family HBTY-you know who you are- love you!

The uggs and sweaters are out, I'm holding on to open toe shoe and loving my new open toe booties....why did I wait! I also love my LLBean shearling (faux) flip flops. I do not consider them slippers...they are warm flip flops.

It is now truly Fall and I can embrace it.  I hope you are finding joy in October and the beauty, comfort and warmth it brings.

Lucy Says Vote

 

Life on Newark-Granville Road- we put a yard sign in our yard.

We put this sign up to:

-make sure people that go by know our darling pup's name- Lucy.  She really is nicer and does not bark as much when you use her name. Hmmm, life lesson.

We love hearing stories about how folks do engage with her. COVID home time allows us to witness the engagement. THANK YOU to the mailman that sits down with her, rubs her belly and gives her treats. SORRY amazon driver that can't get out of the van-appreciate your calls.

-encourage an activity we feel strongly about- voting! https://www.boe.ohio.gov/licking/  In our area- here is where you can find the ballot to be a prepared voter, voter registration- OCT 5 deadline and so much more.  You can even track your absentee ballot application!  Note from here- check out this site: https://www.vote411.org/ and do it now, please!  Proud to say Peter sent for his ballot in August- shortly after moving in at Wabash.  

We'll take this moment to share that we don't put many yard signs in our yard. If we know the person running well we may place a sign.  If we're working on an issue we'll put a sign.  It is unfortunate how not-positive this all can be and is another reason we place a picture of sweet lucy on a yard sign! We hope people will respect differing opinions and value freedom of speech in our beautiful country.  It is not perfect and there are problems. Our freedoms allow us to continue to be inspired, to say thank you to all that care and work and run and lead.  Voting is a key component of these freedoms.

There is so much more I could say about politics on Sept 26, 2020, but I won't.  I will talk about it carefully when there is a good time to do so.  I am glad when people do talk and share and we listen and value the differences.  It isn't easy to do that.  

Life on NG Road loves Lucy and those that love her too.  And we truly do hope you will vote this year.

Church Day- FPC 9/20/20 This is the Day

This is the Day the Lord has made......Let us rejoice and Rally in It.  Yes we'll be glad and rally and meet.

11:30  Rally day at GHS- come learn all about happenings with focus on faith formation at Granville First Presbyterian Church.  All are welcome.  (This is the new date- rain date!)

6:30 PM Senior High Parent Meeting- FPC Parking Lot!  Like we attend sports and arts meetings it will be good to gather to learn and unite to support our high school students faith formation.  (This is a new time due to Rally day move.)

 I'm home from the 9 am outdoor worship- ahhhhhh- we were given kudos for being out in the "colder temps"we are not "fair weather christians".  It was beautiful and wonderful to be there and bundling up is just what you need to do. I think of all the sporting events - field hockey, football, soccer- for little kids and college...even the pros (Joe tells the story of prepared fans bringing wood for their feet in real winter temps- insulation from the cement's chill.  Thank you to all that make the Bryn Du service happen!

(BONUS- took a few minutes to take in some of the beautiful sculpture on the back lawn at Bryn Du! https://www.bryndu.com/about  And art was everywhere I looked...the barn, the parking lot...

Now watching on-line so I can listen to the beautiful harmony of Carol and Hugh- thankful to Facebook for the reminder so I could tune in.....want to hear this music AND a great sermon with important lesson about God's Grace...find the replay here: https://www.granpres.org/

The work we are doing at FPC is not easy. It is frustrating but things worth having take work and work is not easy. The not easy part is where the growth is and we are growing and evolving in COVID times, in the social network world, in the world of being pulled in so many directions.  I am called to this role and excited to be with others even when it is not easy.  In my life on Newark-Granville Road I'm grateful for Sundays- church days, catch up with Peter and Clare days, planning meals days, thinking, reading, loving and being loved days.  I hope you are feeling God's Grace today and if you are called, curious, interested, have time- join us at FPC!

Fall's Arrival, Thoughts on Faith- FPC RALLY DAY is SUNDAY!

 Fall is here....the pumpkins prove it!  Truth: we've had pumpkins in our volunteer patch (this year in the back along the fence, created from last year's discarded pumpkins) since early August- too early for me.

Fall means back to school and that too was August for us- Peter continues to love Wabash and we appreciate the match; Clare is happy as can be in her house at Wabash and anxious to start in-person classes and practice for field hockey and lacrosse; Sally is doing her thing at GHS and acclimating to the change in social time- thank heavens for field hockey here.  And Denison back to school continues to provide a great deal of rewarding work for me.  The labor day weekend is another signal that summer is ending and fall is to be embraced.  Transitions are fascinating times- hard, beautiful, freeing, opportunities, and of course inevitable!  I love love summer and am always sad to see it fade away. I do love fall and what it provides. More about these signals and season transitions in a future blog- I wanted to get the pumpkin posted and start the transition in post.

Faith....on Sunday I was installed as an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Granville.  I accepted the call to co-lead Christian Education Faith Formation a few months ago by joining the committee to help navigate what our senior high students needed/need. This led to co-chairing the committee and joining our session.  I can only do this because of the incredible staff member Ellen, our small but mighty committee and lay leaders, the families engaged, youth, pastor support and God's love.  I welcome and need the engagement of others to execute this call, gain its rewards, and meet our youth and adult faith formation needs. On Saturday we Rally for FPC. 

If you are an FPC member- PLEASE COME- if you want to learn about ways to engage at FPC as a nonmember, person in our community- PLEASE COME 11:30 am Granville High- in your car, bring lawn chairs, let me know if you have questions.  Granville FPC Website!  ALSO Senior High parent meeting- next Sunday, Sept 20...Worship with Centenary on the lawn at Bryn Du- Sundays at 9...so good to have this option.

Life on Newark-Granville Road is ready for fall..holding on to some summer and grateful for all of God's bounty and love delivered through family, friends and the beauty of our world.

Life real life on Newark-Granville Road Labor Day Weekend 2020

Wedding, marriage, celebration of life and a milestone birthday: a full weekend of joy, laughter, tears sustained by faith.  Faith on my mind these days.  In 2020 we need our faith and commitment to traditions. Faith we can carry on, faith we'll be okay, faith we'll care for one another, faith we'll find a way even when we can't find away or it goes wrong it doesn't and we are grieving, God is with us.

God was with Karen and Roland on Sunday.  Congratulations to Karen and Roland- a beautiful wedding celebrated with a ceremony centered around scripture, family and love. The bride and groom glowed while taking their vows before God, immediate family, the Holy Spirit and the youtube audience.  The FPC parade was called to action to provide in person cheers, honks and well wishes.  And it gave me the chance to wear a hat or two...as it was Derby weekend...in September!  Traditions with a COVID twist.

We were going to try to do a modified party to watch the derby and it was not to be.  Instead we shifted to the Oaks and watched the race to toast a beautiful couple who postponed a wedding but said I do. And while the world was cheering for the 146th Run for the Roses and Authentic to cross the finish line we were were watching Beth's sunset with a toast.  The Eckels/Barton family with dear friends did a beautiful job  to say farewell to beloved Beth and celebrate her life and legacy.  The stories and messages showed us God's love and promise and life everlasting. All with masks, outdoor beauty and social distance.  It isn't going to be easy for Beth's family- join me in keeping them in prayer for faith, comfort and peace.  Of course Beth's passing has me thinking of my father's death and my own family. Faith has been important for us and we're doing okay.

Friends that become family are a gift from God,  We are meant to share the good and the bad together on this earth. We and others did that this weekend in so many ways. Oh the planning, brainstorming, dreaming that happened for a dear friends 50th birthday- London, Chicago, NY but in the COVID year we ended up in Lancaster, Ohio and it was beautiful. A wonderful adventure to the Rock Mill Brewery for live music, good food, drink and friends in a fantastic outdoor setting. God's hand in all of it.  

It was a long weekend- a weekend with work in the morning on Labor day, school work (graduate school has me in a history of philanthropy class) and wrapped up with pool time...ahhh pool time. Friends that are family, traditions and pictures to wrap up a summer season.  A season that had ups and downs, challenges for sure but we did it together. Sad to see it coming to a close but grateful for the comfort of traditions, special places and people in our world.  Life on Newark-Granville road was as real as it gets this weekend.