A new YouTube video!

Hello, all! Pierce and I have put up another video. We mostly discuss some children's t.v. that Pierce recalls and some books that I would like to record and read purely for the entertainment of my friend, Kaidyn, Hope you have a beautiful day! It's a nice on in Atlanta! High of about 80 degrees. Enjoy it now! The heat is on the way...

via GIPHY

Any way, here's the video! Grab a cuppa!

Coffee & B.S. with Pierce & Sue 062920

I have not been on this page in ages! My son, Pierce, and I have started recording our coffee sessions for anyone's entertainment. Grab a cuppa and join us!

https://youtu.be/17j4mg46ZfQ

Inclusivity

  So, last summer after so many years of not playing Dungeons and Dragons, I am back at it. I run two games and  play in another. I play 5th Edition.
  I have a quandary.
  In the game I play, there is a Tiefling rogue, alignment Neutral. He has been with this group, in game, about 2 weeks. Last session, we found a lovely hoard of goods (coin, gems, paintings, magic items) and he offered to go in and check for traps. Three of the characters decided to insight him and found out he was lying and that he wanted to pocket some of the goods for himself. So, they attacked him to kill him.

1. Tiefling - In 5th edition Tieflings do not have an innate tendency towards evil, though many usually end up going down that path. Tieflings have a fierce independent streak and are inclined towards being chaotic. This Tiefling wants to start a community for Tieflings, since they have such a hard time getting along in the world.
2. Rogues might be ruthless criminals, sly tricksters, deadly assassins, or good hearted thieves who steal from the rich and give to the poor. Whichever way you decide to play one, you're guaranteed to have a number of tricks to help you achieve your goals. This rogue generally steals from the rich or bad. However, he is getting a bit frustrated after a few years of working to achieve this. The urge is strong to accomplish this goal.
3. Most of the players in our group, including the DM, do not like this player. He's new to the game. Too much TV and too many video games have falsely colored his view of what is acceptable in this real world and his social skills are as stunted as a malnourished child. Because of this, the DM squashes his attempts to do things and he allows the other players to meta-game this guy.
4. These few players decided to insight this guy, our trap-finding rogue, when he offered to check for traps on a very large pile of loot. Because they don't like him. Because they are meta-gaming about things that he has said to the DM. Because they thought he wasn't acting like a team player. To be fair, one of them was Chaotic Evil that day. But that's ok.

How is this one get better? As part of the D&D Community, I want to help this person be a better player and a better PERSON. What even does "inclusivity" mean if we don't include everyone?

So, I don't feel ready to become a food blog.  But, I started making jams and pickles about a couple of years ago.  And, I want to share my experiments.  And, I wonder about making a living from them.  So, Spring Break is nearly over.  I've made Candied Pineapple Jam,

Pickled Peppered Okra,

Peach and Mango Preserves,

Peach and Ginger Preserves,

Spiced Blueberry Jammin', Sweet Beer and Onion Jam,

Orange Shandy Jelly,

and Cola Jelly.

It's been fun! 

We went with the Pierce girls for a fall outing to N. Ga. to get some apples and have some fun.  We went tour favorite orchard.  Fun day!

Hillcrest Orchards 2012 - slide show

Keeping it real.

Speak things into the atmosphere and then trust God..."He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ever think, ask, or imagine"

I have a friend who posts regularly on Facebook. She is someone I work with and tho we do not see each other outside of work, I consider her a very good friend. She is funny and blunt and moves in the realm of the fearless. I look for her posts because they always make me laugh or think or remind to remember God is always present in my life.

And this is something, amazingly, that I forget that last bit so easily. Get me to a nunnery, or a first century church. Life bogs me down. Right now, it's the HEAT. Oppressive in Georgia these daze. Then there's money. Where does it all go? And time. I'm off work for the summer so you'd think there would be plenty. But I look around my house and there's so much to do.

As I write these excuses, because that's what they are, I look at everything thing and say to myself, "Don't be such a lametard."

God is always present in my life. I just have to invite him to come along. And I forget that that is precisely what he wants. Just to be an active part of my life.

Come on then, Father. Let's hang out together.

working together...

So, I'm diggin' working with Christina. Rosa worked with us last Sunday, too. We had SO much fun! Tomorrow, I'll be with Christina in Decatur. Y'all stop by...

On the home front, I need to pick up my writing again. I was working on a story about an old lady with an alien dog... Where DID I put my notebook?

Voila! Our booth at Grant Park! Christina is a genius in the jelly making department. She sold out of the apple butter that fast. But she had plenty if her wine and cocktail jelly collection. Left to right; burgundy wine, appletini, margarita, and pina colada. And they all taste just like the drinks! DELISH! She also had carrots, spring onions, radishes, blueberries and purple asparagus. My caramels are on the top shelf and they sold pretty well! I was very happy. We had a lovely time.

A New Venture

O.k. The Grant Park Green Mkt. is opening today and I am to join a new friend there at OUR booth! She will be selling her vegetables and jellies and I will be selling my caramels. Thumpity-thump goes my little heart. Here comes the fear.

Why is it I can trust God for anything else except for myself? Why should He want to make me happy? Of course I can find any number of verses in the Bible to read on how He loves me and wants the best for me. But sometimes it feels like just a lot of words battering up against the World's Perpetual Beat-Down.

So, I'm walking out on it this morning and trusting for all the best that the good Lord has for me. Oh, and by the way, if you want some delish caramels, just let me know!

Molly's Day

Molly turns 13 tomorrow. Her friend, Jory, flew in from TX for her birthday. We picked her up this morning from her aunt's house. Then we headed over to Decatur for the green market and breakfast at Chik-fil-a. Left there to head to my school for the spring carnival. Molly and Bella and Jory went to elementary there, so many teachers and friends to see. Stayed from 11:30-3:30. Then we headed home to get Bruce. Out to dinner at Enzo's. Met Keith with Em and Lyds. We kept his girls and sent home for a quiet evening. After dinner we went to Kat and Rosa's new place to help them with their move to a new apt. Home from there for birthday cake (chocolate w/ raspberry cream frosting) which I made last night. Who can say exhausted?

I am the sleepy zombie.

What's what

Gotta keep up with what's what in my life. As a follow up to my last post, my mom passed away last August . Next time I see her, she'll be perfect. I did not go to FL for her cremation and for putting her ashes in the Banana River. I spoke with one of my sisters re: this and she said not to worry about coming, as we had no $$ for the trip and school was about to start. No Worries! Now my sisters are not speaking to me. Crazy.

I'm trying to start a business making and selling caramels. They are very good. If you'd like some, let me know. I make chocolate, orange, salt, cinnamon roll, honey-almond, vanilla, coffee, vanilla-bacon and cinnamon-bacon. 10 for $4. Trying to get them started at some of the green markets that have popped up in and around the city. I'm much better at making the caramels than marketing them.

Well, that's enough for now. Peace out, roomies!

What up?

My mom is dying.

Holy mackeral! Such a day. The eggs were against me and Molly lied to me. I did make some lovely banana bread. Grumpy. I'm going to bed.

Delivery from my cat this morning. One half dead chipmunk. I think I'll have the scone instead...

Nice! A picnic at Stone Mountain Park with Bels and Molly and Roo. Roo tripped Molly and she fell in the water and soaked her pants and sleeves. Unfortunately she did not wear a shirt under her sweat jacket and of course she had no extra pants. Bels did not bring a jacket after a couple of suggestions that she should so she ended up wearing my sweater. Nonetheless, we all had a good time. It's pretty becuase it's spring. Some parts are scary due to our flood last fall. I love SMP. So glad it's almost my backyard.
The girls and are are planting a veggie garden , so we are in the process of clearing a patch of land. Always the toughest part of building a garden and I don't think the younger girls had this in mind when I mentioned "garden"...
Ah well, live and learn.

Snow has been falling most of the day in Atlanta. I stayed home with a cold and got to see the robins going nuts in the snow. I had no idea they would be so excited about it! From tree to tree and all over the yard, it was like a party! Now that the snow has stopped (temporarily?), everything is quiet...
Crazy weather in the south. But isn't that always the case in the winter and spring? Crazy wind at the end of February. Snow on March 2. Coming in like a lion. How will it go out? Can't tell 'til it gets here...
Bruce and I drove up to Asheville one spring break (April). As we were driving thru Peace Valley, I looked up at the mountain in front of us and asked Bruce what the white stuff was all over. I thought my eyes were malfunctioning. Within minutes we were in a Christmas card scene. Bizarre! We were just laughing so hard. It was so strange.

Just for fun!

Caption, please!

Why Do I?

I'm sitting in Borders once again instead of Sunday School. Why? With good reason, I assure you. I get one hour when I'm alone and no one knows me. The baristas recognize me, sure. But I'm some place where the only ones who know me are me and God. And I can just be me. Just me. Why does this mean so much?
Why do I hide me away from people. I don't let them know what I'm thinking. I show them a veneer or a painting of me (not a Vermeer...) And when something slips out, people are surprised, shocked. And that always bumps my balance a bit.
And why not? Have I not cultivated this distance? And when a tendril of me slips across, I should not be surprised when people act surprised. They thought they were talking to someone else.
I do not have much of a filter too speak of. I have my own autobahn from my brain to my mouth. My best friend assures me that she loves this about me because she knows I'm real. And I have a couple of friends like her. And my kids get this too, and sometimes Bruce.
The reason is simple my friends. Fear. Fear of rejection. Of ridicule. Of misunderstanding. Of losing myself. Of finding my self.
And the answer is simple, too. Walk into the fire. And let go.
Right. Time for me to pack up and head over to church to meet my lovely girls.
Painting in place?

I wanted to post this because I think it's amazing. My two oldest use Photoshop for drawing, but this is Rosa's first go at photo editing. She took the pictures of Ysabel. I really love it. And I'm so proud of them, both. Rosa has a fan page on Facebook. I think you can find it under Leigh Rainey's art... Bella is trying to get into a high school next year that focuses on the arts. She's wants to study drawing and creative writing. I think that's very cool!

A New Thing

Well, Ive been wanting to learn upholstry, as I believe I mentioned. Baby steps, but at least they are steps. I re-covered our NASTY breakfast room chairs, and now they POP! I love them. When I brought the material home, I could tell they were all sceptical. But now, they love them, too.
I WIN!