MARILYN IS SICK !!!

Marilyn is sick right now.  She is sick to her stomach and is very weak. This has been going on since Friday. She is going to try to get into the doctor's office tomorrow.

Marilyn asked me to tell you that she won't be putting anything on New York State of Mind until she feels better.

Please keep her in your prayers at this time.

Be With God,
Michael


MARILYN UPDATE:

She can't get into the doctor for a couple of days as they are all booked up.  Marilyn said she is feeling some better, but is still weak.  I don't know if I am suppose to tell you this, but her car was in the garage last week - she got it back - and it still needs to be jump started every day.  People are telling her trade it in.  The car on top of her being ill has not helped.

She called Grandmother Olive, on my Mother's advice, and she gave her some advice on what to do for her illness.  So we all hope she is feeling better soon.

Please keep the prayer coming.

Be With God,
Michael


MARILYN'S UPDATE MARCH 1st

I want to thank you all for your prayers.  I really appreciate it.  Still am awful weak.  Don't think I am drinking liquids as much as I should although I try.  You are so kind to pray for me.

Regarding the car - it is the second new battery.  Didn't charge me for the second one.  Still the car goes dead every night.  It was in the garage most of last week and they can't find out what is pulling on the battery.  The garage man, and my friends tell me it's time to trade.  That would be nice, but I don't have the finances to get a newer car.  Of course, being sick doesn't help my thinking.

God Bless You All,
Marilyn


MARILYN UPDATE March 2

Today is my day to go to the doctor.  I feel some better, but am still going to go.  A friend of mine is driving me.

Yesterday, I forgot to thank Michael for putting on the post for me.  I really appreciate his doing that.

Hope to be back with full posts next week.

MY CALENDAR TODAY:

God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things.  Right now I am so far behind, I will never die.

God Bless,
Marilyn

MARILYN AGAIN

Went to doctor.  I have the flu.  She said the worse of it is over and I should be back to myself in a few days.  Of course, sent me for a blood test.  I have an appointment for next week and she told me to keep it.  Gave me a prescription, which is down at the drug store right now, but a friend said she would pick it up for me.  Am slowly feeling better.

Wouldn't have been so bad if I had gotten a flu shot, but I can't because I am allergic to them.

Marilyn

GOD'S CREATURES - HORSES

Took these pictures of horses while I was driving around.  Hope you enjoy them.

AMISH AND MENNONITE WASH IN THE WIND

While driving, I got pictures of laundry in the wind.

AMISH FARM

I took this picture of the Amish Farm before the snow came.  I took the second picture of the house when I saw the dog and car.

ANNA IS BACK !!!

Thought I would put a post on here before you thought I was unable to.  I can not thank everybody enough for all they did for me.  Poor Elmer, I think I scared him really bad, when he realized I broke my leg.  My lesson is to NEVER get up on a ladder again.

Medical wise, I am getting the same treatment in Pinecraft as I was up north.  As, up north, they wanted to send someone to help be dress, bath, etc.  I told Olive I really didn't want that.  So Olive told them.  They said they had to do that.  Olive told them that they did not and that she had given baths to people and children since she was about 10 years old and 70 years later, she could still do it.  That ended the lady coming.

Actually Olive doesn't bath me, I can do that.  But Olive got a medical seat that fits in the tub that I sit on with my leg over the side.  Either Olive, Fanny, Emma or Elmer get me on the seat and help me out.  Albert came up with the idea and had medical bars put on the bath tub to help getting in and out.  He also had them put in next to the toilet.  Elmer and I wanted to pay him for them, but he said no,  At his and Olive's age, they should have them in there anyway.

The physical thearapy people come to help me on getting around, but now that I have that electric chair, it helps.  They tried to get me walking on crutches, but I didn't do well with them, so they are asking the doctor when he changes the cast, to put on a walking cast.  I wouldn't be going far or on long walks, but it would get me out of a chair and moving more.  So well shall see.

When we came to Florida, I thought my days would be stuck inside all the time, but I was far from wrong.  With that electric chair I go most anywhere - to dinners, crafts, listen to music, get ice cream cones, - just about everywhere.  Elmer says he wishes he had one of these we could use when we get back up north.  If I still need one when we get home, Elmer is going to see if he can rent one somewhere.

Olive, Fanny, Emma, Albert, Amos, Eli and Elmer have done so much for me.  But, they know if it was reversed, I would be there helping them.  Also, Olive does not let me sit around all day doing nothing.  She lets me help with meals, and makes sure that I get outside and go places.  Also, she makes sure I get a nap in the afternoon.  Naps are hard for me, as I am use to working most of the day at home.  Olive says that this break needs healing and rest - more rest that I would normally need.  When the break is all healed, I will be back to my old self doing chores I normally do, but for now I need an extra rest during the day.  So I try to take an hour or so nap in the afternoon.

Elmer and I are so glad that I am under Olive's supervision.  She doesn't let me do anything I am not suppose, too, but again she doesn't let me sit around all the time.

Fanny, Olive, Emma and I started a quilt.  We thought it would be a nice gift for one of the local charities.  They can auction it off and all the money goes to the charity.  The men set up a table for us on the porch and we use the dining table when we work inside.  Usually we do it inside as the porch is kind of small with all of us working at the same time - the dining table gives us more room.

Also, am glad we gave our tickets for that tourist trip to Eli's parents.  So glad that they will enjoy it.
We are planning on staying longer and thought we might be putting Jean and her family out.  Olive said they can come anytime.  Well, most anytime and not to worry.  Even Jean and David told us to stay as long as we want.  Elmer and I know that they won't come during planting season or harvest.  Still they tell us not to worry.

Eli is again, trying to get Elmer and I to buy the cottage he has.  Actually he has two, the one his parents live in and this one.  Elmer and Eli are having a contractor come and look at it to see if it would be more reasonable to remodel the cottage or tear it down a build a new one.  The cottage Eli's parents are in, is a fairly new one.  They torn the old cottage and built the one that is there now.  Eli said he would sell it to us for what he paid for it.  Prices have gone up, but, as Eli and Elmer are close friends, he wants us to buy that one.

On the other hand, Elmer said we paid so much for the farm we built up north.  He doesn't want to cut our money short.  We really don't need a cottage for what little we stay, but on the other hand, we can rent while we are not there, once we get it fixed up.  No one will give us a better deal for a cottage than Eli will on this one.  So we are going back and forth here.  I think the contractor coming out and looking at it, will probably make the decision - I hope.

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts.  Even though we have not met in person, we are like family.  Elmer and I really appreciate them and you are in our prayers.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna

ELMER TELLS OF PINECRAFT

We were suppose to go on a bus trip while down here this year.  Anna and I booked in a month or so before we came.  Eli and Emma were going also.  Well, with Anna's broken leg, we thought it would be hard on her getting on and off the bus even though the company said they could make arrangements for her.

We tried to give our tickets to Olive and Albert, sort of a thank you for what they are doing for us, but they said their scenic traveling days are mostly over.  Eli and Emma were going to cancel, but we felt that they shouldn't cancel their plans just because we couldn't go.  So we gave our tickets to Amos and Fanny, so they could go.

It is a tour of some of the historic and tourist attractions of the state.  Not really the whole state, but several of the places.  If they offer it again another year, Anna and I would like to go on it, but this doesn't seem the year.

Anna and I aren't leaving here for a few weeks, but when we do go, we are stopping at Porter's house on the way north.  His house is in Florida.  Eli and Emma stopped on the way down and we were suppose to be with them, but because of Anna's fall we came behind.  So Porter is going to see that we see his house on the way back.  When he was up north he saw both of Eli and my train collections.  Well, now he wants us to see his.  Eli said you wouldn't believe it when you see it.  You think we have big collections - they are nothing compared to Porter's.  Porter started collecting when he was a child.  He wanted to work on the railroad, which he does in a way, as Porter.  Some of the sets he bought as a child are worth a lot of money today.  He also got some at auctions, estates, etc.  So I took forward to see his collection.

A couple things you might find interesting is  first they are expanding Pinecraft in an area here.  More people are coming and they are running out of room.  Also, there is a company that wants to build a hotel near here for people who come to visit, don't have cottages - it would give them a place to stay.  There are some hotels near here, but not as close as they are proposing this one.

City of Sarasota sort of thinks of us as a somewhat historical site and want to preserve Pinecraft here. They are working on a proposal that would allow things here that are not allowed in other sections of the city - like renting bicycles, selling baked goods and crafts in front of our house and more.  Eli  and some of the other men went to the city meetings.  

I had to laugh when Eli was telling us about it.  Never thought of myself as a historical site.  Even though I dress different than the English world.

All of us that come here do spend a lot in the city, too.  We eat at their restaurants, buy groceries at their stores, use their buses and taxis, and lots more. Also, I think we are a bit of a tourist attraction to many people who come to visit the city.

Heard about the big snow storm that happened up north last week.  We are glad we were down here.  Called to make sure everything was taken care of and it was - including Anna's greenhouse.  Also, heard there may be another next week.

We really need the snow, though.  It helps our crops grow better.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

SNOW STORM - FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The snow did not seem to bother the birds or the squirrels.  After their pictures is our maintenance man plowing our sidewalks and the village truck pushing some of the snow.  Next pictures of the snow design in the back yard.  You can see how deep the snow was around our picnic table.  Last picture is of Pierre, not very happy that he had to go potty in this stuff.  Sorry if pictures not clear, but it was snowing as I was taking them.


Off my calendar:

WORRY: THE SENSELESS PROCESS OF USING TODAY TO CLUTTER UP TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES WITH LEFTOVER PROBLEMS FROM YESTERDAY.

JEAN'S HOT CHICKEN SALAD CASSEROLE

JEAN'S HOT CHICKEN SALAD CASSEROLE

2 cups cooked chicken *
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup cooked rice *
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 can drained and sliced water chestnuts
1 can creamed of chicken soup (undiluted) Homemade soup can be used.
1 tsp chopped onion
1 tsp salt
3 hard boiled eggs - cut up

Mix together, put in greased casserole.  Bake 15 minutes and 350 degrees.

TOPPING

1/2 stick butter or margarine or oleo
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup sliced or shaved almonds

Melt butter in fry pan.  In this fizzle add crushed corn flakes and almonds.  Spoon over top of casserole and bake 30 minutes longer.

*1 whole chicken breast is 1 cup cooked chicken

* 1 cup uncooked rice is 2 1/2 cups cooked

TROUBLES COME TO PASS; THEY DO NOT COME TO STAY.

BELOW ZERO WINTER PICTURES

Pictures were taken last Saturday and Sunday behind where I live.  It was below zero and the battery was dead on my car, so I didn't get to go far.

Tomorrow is Jean's recipe and Friday will be last Tuesday's snow storm.

On my calendar today is:

WITHOUT JESUS WE FACE A HOPELESS END. BUT WITH JESUS WE HAVE AN ENDLESS HOPE.

JEAN'S WINTER POST !!

Hope you enjoyed Ruth's post. It was difficult to get one of them to do a post.  Told them you are not talking into a computer, but to a person, Marilyn, but they still were nervous.  Finally Thomas got Ruth to do it.

I am giving this post on Sunday morning.  Usually we got to meeting on Sunday, but Bishop Joseph decided to cancel it today.  He felt this wasn't the weather for seniors and parents with little ones to come  - it is just too cold.  It is -9 right now.

After chores, Michael, Edward and Thomas have been out plowing driveways and cleaning sidewalks.  Reminded whoever went to a home that has a green house to clean the snow off of it, especially Anna's since they aren't home.  I know Elmer and Anna's sons are taking care of their farm, but some men don't think of things like cleaning off the greenhouses.

One of the widow ladies that stores food at our place called to make sure we were home.  She was going to come and get some, but we told her we would deliver as she is up in age.  Thomas had stopped at our house to warm up after his plowing.  As she lives by him and Ruth, he took her meat with him.  When he delivered he also cleared her driveway and sidewalk.  The lady wanted to pay him, but Thomas refused.  She has been added to their list.

They have a list of people who can not clear their own driveways and sidewalks.  When they go around to their paying customers, they do the people that need help, too.  Like Thomas said, he couldn't charge an elderly lady there all by herself.  It just wouldn't be right.

They divide who does where, when so they aren't all going at the same time and same places.  Yesterday, all three of them went out about 3 or 4 times plowing as the snow was coming down.  This is in addition to their daily chores and jobs.  They got permission from Bishop Joseph to plow today as it is the Lord's Day.  We are not to do unnecessary work on the Lord's Day.  Bishop Joseph said this is necessary work, but they are not to receive payment on the Lord's Day.

David has told Susan, Katie and myself to stay inside.  They will do our chores.  So yesterday, we baked cookies, and pies for desert.  The men really enjoyed the smells when they came into the kitchen.

Today Ruth, Thomas, Michael and Edward want to go skiing today.  Now that the snow is finally here.  They are using the hill behind a friend of ours house.  Katie, Susan and David Jr. wanted to go, too, but we decided they should wait until Monday, after school as it should be warmer then.

As there is no meeting today, David had a reading and prayers this morning.  Thomas and Ruth did the same at their house.  We can have time with the Lord in the meeting building or in our homes.  The Lord is everywhere.

Even though there is snow and it is cold, it is pretty outside with the sun shinning down.  The birds are coming to our bird feeder, which the men are keeping filled up for us.

Be With God,
Jean

RUTH TELLS OF HER AND THOMAS MISSIONARY TRIP TO MISSOURI

I tried to get Thomas to tell about our missionary work, but he said he didn't like talking on computers.  In teasing him, I said it didn't bother him when he wanted people to suggest names for me.  He said that was different.  So here I am.

We packed up our clothes and what we needed with us.  Thomas' parents prayed with us and wished us good by the night before we left.  We had a driver drive us down where the bus was.  To our surprise, my parents were there to send us off.

Kevin and Bridget were with us, so it helped us to know what to do.  They had been on missions before.  We sat across from each other on the bus.

On the way, we all talked, sang, prayed and slept.  Us new people were a little nervous on what we would do and what we would see when we got there.  Those that had been before told us what to expect and stories of when they had been before.  We had a good time.

Our bus pulled into where the Mennonites had set up there.  They had taken over a building in the area.  When we got off the bus, we went inside to where we checked in.  They had our names where we checked in.  They also gave us papers that told our schedule, what we would be doing, etc.  Then we went into another room, where we met other people that come in  on other buses and other areas. Not everyone was Old Order Mennonite - there were people of other religions there.  Once everyone was in, we were given a welcome, lecture on our work there, what we could do, what we couldn't do and more. We had dinner there and prayers.  Kevin had made arrangements with a local driver to take us to our hotel and bring us back here during out stay.

When we got to our hotel, we read through the papers they gave us and saw that both Thomas and I would be working on construction.  Kevin and Bridge and Thomas and myself had separate rooms, but we met for Bible reading and prayers.  Thomas and I couldn't wait to see our work the next day.

We had to be back to the Mennonite Site at 6:00 AM for breakfast, prayer and then we were off to our job sites.  It is hard to describe the homes.  You could see the line where the water came up too.  Some houses still had peoples belongings inside - destroyed by the water.  Everything they had was gone.

An interesting factor was that we could go into houses where the soil had been treated.  I don't clearly understand why, but it has something to do what could have been in the water that flooded the area that could make people sick.  So all the ground around the house had to be treated before anyone could work there.

When we first went into the house, we cleared anything inside the house out.  Then we started tearing down walls, ceilings, etc.  Some of the houses were completely gutted and then we started putting it back together again with all new.  There were people that did plumbing, electric, insulation, and more.  Then we started putting the walls back up again.

Our schedule was:

6:00 AM Breakfast
7:00 AM At our site and start working
We got a break in the morning of about 15 minutes or so
Noon Lunch
1:00 Back to our site and work
We got a break in the afternoon about 15 minutes
Between 5 PM and 6 PM we left our job
6:00 PM Dinner

They also gave us a talk on how our work was going.  Anything special we should know.  Then there was usually some entertainment.  We had prayers and then about 8:00 PM we went to our hotel.

If we had slept at the Mennonite Building, the men slept on one side and the women on the other.  There were eight cots per room.  If husband and wife wanted to meet, it had to be in the dining room.  That's why Kevin told us to get a hotel.

Back the hotel, several nights, Bridget and I had laundry to do because all our clothes were covered with dirt or mud.  We did have change of clothes, but you can't leave that mud or dirt on long or it wouldn't come off.

We thought we would change jobs after the first week, but they asked everyone if they would continue on with what they were doing.  Very few asked for a change - we didn't.  Whatever was our job, that is what we did.

Bridget's jobs were different than mine.  Her job was in the main building.  The first week, she cleaned the rooms and helped cook the food.  The second week, was full time in the kitchen helping with the cooking, serving, cleaning up, etc.

On our last day of construction and their house was done we met the people whose house we worked on.  They were so gracious, kind, happy and thankful for what we had done.  It made it all worth while and glad we could do it.  While there we worked on two houses.

Also, the last day, we had a final dinner.  The Mennonites thanked us so much for all we had done.  We had final prayer.  Also, we changed addresses with some co-workers.  We had become friends during our weeks together.  The next day, we were up and on the bus at 6:00 AM to head home.

The only problem Thomas and I had was we hadn't brought along enough money.  We tried to decide which parents to ask to send some.  I called my parents, first, but they weren't home when I called Thomas called David and Jean.  They wired us some money.  We will know better next time.

Although we were tired, we enjoyed what we did.  We hope that we get to go on more missionary work in the future.  Not only are we happy of the work we had done, but we met lots of different people, different religions and all working for one cause - to help others.

Be With God,
Ruth

PIERRE'S - "THE BARK" - HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.  It was four years ago today, that my Mom and I met.  I moved in with here the next day, but we count this day as our special day.  Time has sure flown by.  It seems like yesterday we met, but four years have flown by.

I am sure Mom has gotten something special for me today - she always does.  Bet she got something for me to give to my girlfriend, Lily, too.

Hope you all stay warm in this cold winter.  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to EVERYONE.

Love,
Pierre and Marilyn