It truly felt like Monday today, anyway first off, the breakfast didn't turn out quite like I envisioned!!! 😒

Hello... my enthusiasm to be starting a letter @ 4:20 pm, with plans for the evening.... seems about zilch, but I guess when I tackle it later, at least I'm started!

That is as far as I got on Monday! 👆So it's Tuesday morning and another beautiful sunshiny day! ( As for my Monday feelings, those are gone!! For breakfast, my menu was Dutch Babies, bacon and scrambled eggs. Well the Dutch Babies never made it to the table!!! I melted the butter in the pan, made my batter and stuck them in the oven! I would open the door to observe and they looked strange!! It dawned on me, when opening the door to the microwave to warm up the syrup.... there sat the rest of the melted butter!! They didn't poof over the pan, stuck on the bottom and looked heavy!!! Then late afternoon, Ethan came into the apartment from upstairs to announce that there were many tiny miniscule red bugs crawling around on the jeans hung over the banister! I took Papa up with me for moral support and to investigate!! First thought was bed bugs ( small heart attack) ....but with zooming in on the fast little creatures and consulting Google, we came to the conclusion they were clover mites!!! I sprayed with bug spray, dead and rewashed the jeans. So far, they are gone!! ) 

Tim and Jamin are back from their early morning jaunt to Bowery to help serve breakfast. After awhile, the 4 of us will head to Lincoln to sing! Ethan and Carson are already there! This evening is Ethan's turn to cook! I know it involves chicken!! It is/was Papa and Mama's day/ morning to take it easy, so that has been delightful! 

Last Tuesday, Darrel and Darla drove to Yonkers to buy flowers....I have been enjoying the fruits of that effort!! 💐

6 of us were at Lincoln to sing to patients again. We only got started after 2:00, because the guys were first supposed to watch some videos and sign some papers in Simona's office. I reckon they were training videos. Had some nice touches while singing. Ron and I walked over to the Carvel ice cream shop, before we walked home and enjoyed a cold treat! In the evening was Bowery men's service. So us 8 journeyed there. The attendance number was somewhat smaller, but had good Bible study anyway. Tim led the discussion, picking a lesson on Blessings. We learn so much from those men! Judah, our friend... only walked in when we were singing the closing songs. Had forgotten about us coming and had only then got home from work! We caught a subway train and went into Brooklyn for supper. The restaurant was called LORE, a modern Indian restaurant! Our waiter was a friendly guy from Bombay. We all took the Prix Fixe Menu. It was a appetizer, main entree and dessert. My appetizer was fermented dosa with potato masala in it, with dipping sauces of tomato, coconut and dal, gun powder. Quite yummy!!! My main course was butterless butter chicken, with Pulao rice, papad and cashew creme. ( Let's just say that butter chicken is nicer!! ) Dessert was Semolina pudding, which was caramelized banana's and rose ice cream!! A very interesting dining experience!! 

Wednesday afternoon, Ron and I took Thomas and Kaci back to LaGuardia to fly back to Kansas! We enjoyed them so much and glad that Kaci got to experience the city!! Bible study in the evening....all of a sudden later afternoon Kendon's showed up at Sugar Hill! Nice surprise! Darla gave them supper, Ron fixed them a coffee drink and they stayed for Bible study! Kaitlyn and Dana had been with Berniece during the day.... reason for being in the city! Others to join us, were Laurence's, Peter and Simone. Ethan led the Bible study...the lesson on Believing in God. In the afternoon, the decision was made to cancel singing. Tim had a cold and about a non functioning voice! But Kendon's, Ron and I and the other 3 did sing awhile and streamed it out! Sorry you missed it!!!! 😂

Thursday morning breakfast is at 6:30... Guys off to 109 pantry to help serve breakfast. Said there were more people coming through the line this time. Ron and I left shortly after 8 to go shopping. We buzzed through that one!! Darla joined us and we walked to Lincoln for 12:00. We volunteered at a Mother's day tea party event. It was to honor Mothers and ladies...held down in the employee lounge. It was beautifully decorated, awesome color choice of balloons, tea pots, flowers and candles. Every lady got a rose.... Darla and I each got a long stem off white rose. First a competition on who was dressed the prettiest!!! Can border on vain!!! 😁 Quite the hats and dresses! A guest speaker and then time to eat! I served the spring rolls and Mac and cheese bites! I've never heard of Mac and cheese bites...look like chicken nuggets!!! Supper was at home, guys left to go walk the George Washington bridge! 

We are back from Lincoln.....take aways today were: God has time for each sparrow that falls and He has time for me....God is bigger than all the mountains that I can or cannot see....I will abide in thy dwelling place forever....big smiles on faces, tears on faces, a what appeared to be a demented lady....but her legs bouncing up and down and yay, she says! It is well with my soul and a resounding Amen from the bed!! And so another afternoon is slipping away! We met Stacy, our lady in HR, in the intersection of a busy street and as we passed...she I love you guys!! 😍

Ron and I did the usual on Friday.... laundry and house cleaning.... In the afternoon, I stirred up French bread dough and got that baked. 2 were cinnamon loaves and 2 loaves had sesame seeds on. I cut some of the cinnamon for supper, was rather gobbled up!! Guys were back early...in fact, 3 of them picked up food at Golden Empire, right across the street and ate lunch on the front steps. The 1 wasn't interested in Chinese and stopped at a deli. Later the guys drove to Yonkers to Stew Leonards for steaks. Ron made us smash burger tacos for supper. Later evening, Darrel's invited us all down, if the guys whipped some ice cream! So we chit- chatted down there.

Saturday, we started the day off lazily...talking long at the breakfast table. Then the guys jumped up and headed to Riverside church, wanting to take the 11:30 tour to the bell Tower. They were on their way, when Ron got a email and a phone call from the tour guide saying that he couldn't make it. His neighbor had a fire in their apartment, which resulted in broken windows and water damage in his. The guide would refund the tickets and reschedule. So the guys headed instead for Roosevelt Island. @ 1:30 we met them on 50th Street at a restaurant called Kausa. It is Peruvian food. Really good food!! I remember when we were in the city for CDR work, following hurricane Sandy, Abe and Rose and us would eat in a Peru restaurant in Brooklyn and we would snack on roasted corn! We had the very same thing on Saturday!! 😊On our way home, we stopped to buy some flowers. Guys were busy cooking, once they got home. Tim is head cook and other boys all helped along...it was suggested that they make Mother's day lunch on Sunday, but they felt like that was out of their league, so instead they made Saturday evening dinner!! Laurence and Berniece and Darrel and Darla were invited to join us! So the guys grilled steaks, fried homemade fries, both white and sweet potato and grilled asparagus! Then get this...Tim made 2 pies.... strawberry and peanut butter!!! We were royally treated to scrumptious eating and a delightful evening!! I set the table with PW place mats, white china plates, PW glasses and pink tulips. 2 laid across each woman's plate and 4 laid across the teal PW glass cake stand...

Berniece brought lovely Mothers day gifts for Darla and I....you know those crocheted flowers? Those in a bouquet... sweet!

Sunday....it was Poughkeepsie Sunday, also had company.... Kendon's brother Terrol, his wife Bethany and little 3 year old gal, Naomi! Was so good to be with them!! Bethany of course made me think about Errol and Linda for some of the day!! Clay and Dana had company from Kansas. Clancy, Dana and baby Echo! Clancy had the introduction and Rueben brought the sermon on Fear. Lunch was with a Brazil flair!! Grilled Brazilian chicken thighs, rice and beans, cheese buns and green salads. Dessert too....of course! Kendon's and Clay's did their own thing...us remaining went to Forest Hills in Queens and walked around. The train station there is so quaint and cute!! So Forest Hills is this neighborhood that is not very city like...it reminds me of Europe, I'm not sure why, never been to Europe!! 😊 Some single residence's, out number the apartments...nice yards and loads of flowering bushes and flowers!!! We walked by this Grace Baptist Church and the members were out in the front yard, sitting around, eating and drinking. They waved and said Hi, welcome , join us!!! So we peeped inside their church.... helped ourselves to some soda pop.  They gave Darla and I each a carnation! One of their members asked us a bunch of questions.... found out about us?? A good experience! We walked on, after awhile, Laurence's split ways with us....we found a bakery/ Cafe. Named La Boulangerie! Ron and I each got a macaron and a drink. Chai for Ron and matcha for me! On home, we got on the Long Island railroad and buzzed into Penn station. ( Back to lunch, Darla had little vases with flowers for each table and we each could take a vase home! Women this is!!) Supper was in our apartment, us 8. I quickly made French bread pizza, using canned chicken and jalapenos. Tortilla chips with guacamole and leftover dessert. Darla brought veggies and dip. Kendon's and Terrol's came back for the evening! 

Monday....I talked some about it.....Ron and I went back to Lincoln again... volunteered from 11:30 till 2 or later. This time a celebration for nurses!! Nominees had been handed in from different departments and then a winner picked! Many hand claps and pictures. Those who graduated from nurses School were there....a meal...dinner rolls, rice pilaf, lasagna, penne noodles, chicken Marsala, salmon and green salad. Cookies and water!! I served green salad with plastic tongs, which didn't open well enough to appropriately pick up any too much lettuce!!! In the evening was Tribeca.....had 7-8 attendees, but for the most part, they were attentive!! We sang 10 songs and Ethan brought good thoughts. Darla and I both visited with 2 ladies after service. They both were so both genuinely glad for some Bibles we found. The one was sending air kisses heaven ward. For supper we walked to this restaurant called 1803 Tavern. Cajun/ Creole cuisine was the name of the game. A neat place....cozy setting upstairs. I actually didn't eat Cajun...had a delicious bacon cheeseburger!  Ron and I came home from there... guys walked down Broadway for awhile!! ( I asked the waitress, why the name? Seemingly Louisiana was purchased in 1803. ) 

Okay, this letter has gotten far too long....I guess some weeks are more " busy " than others!!

Love from Mama Carol