2023 Share Your World – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

2023 SYW: Special Share your World — Christmas Edition

1. What will you be eating today?

What did I eat for Christmas dinner? I’m going to answer this in two parts. Part One, entails what we ate for Supper on Christmas Eve; that included Baked Chicken with Knorr Chicken flavored Rice with Pillsbury Biscuits. We have all been sick with a bacterial respiratory infection so, needless to say, I did not feel up to cooking a major dinner. My daughter did have her daughter with her for a few hours, but she could not stay long enough to eat with us.

Next is Part Two, I was feeling a little better but still under the weather. I managed to fix our supper mid-day (and yes, I do 99% of the overall cooking fir the household.) I fixed homemade ground turkey enchiladas with black olives and diced chili peppers. My grandson (at this time) will not eat anything that has a slight kick to it (even making it super mild is too much for him). Therefore, I cooked him some veggie chicken dinosaurs.

2. What was your favourite gift?

I do not have a favorite gift from this year. For several years now, I have only received a Christmas gift if I bought something and gave it to myself. My most favorite gift I have ever given myself is my Canon EOS Rebel T3I camera.

3. What is the worst bit, if any, about celebrating (Christmas or otherwise)?

The worst bit of any celebration is having family that chooses not to celebrate with you. It is also feeling alone whether or not you are physically alone. I have not been surrounded by much of my family for any special occasion (except my daughter) in an extremely long time. It is also a time when I reflect on past times with my dad and wish he could have lived longer.

4. Do your pets get to join in with the fun?

Growing up my mom always got our dog a Christmas gift and placed it under the tree. As an adult most of the places I have lived have not allowed pets, so it was no issue as to whether or not to buy a gift for a pet.

Gratitude:

I am grateful for the opportunity to write whatever I want, upload photos I’ve taken, and participate in blog post challenges here on WordPress. I am grateful for all of you who follow, like, and or comment on my posts. I am grateful for the friendships I have made over the years. I am grateful for my family and the times we do share.

Share Your World – Christmas Special Edition

God Bless. Thank you for sharing in my world. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2023 SYW: Week of December 18

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Do you enjoy or get frustrated with the run up to the festive holidays?

The older I get the holiday festivities are not important. I do not do a lot of extensive shopping or engage in any festivities anymore. My family no longer congregates together for holidays. I wish it was different, but it’s not, so no point in getting frustrated over it.

2. Do you like family gatherings on a regular basis?

When I was growing up family gatherings happened often with extended family, however, that seemed to end after my maternal grandfather passed. Nowadays, each part of the family unit tends to do their own thing and are not interested in gathering for large family get togethers. I miss them, but I don’t stress over them.

3. What is your favourite family memory?

I’m not sure I have a favorite family memory. I treasure the memories I spent with my dad, sharing a common interest in stamp collecting and photography. We took a class through adult education on the local high school in photography where we learned how to develop 35mm film. The time we spent together was what was memorable.

4. Do you prefer to be a host or visitor for a special occasions?

I would have to select visitor. I have never had a suitable place to host a special occasion.

Gratitude :

Share Your World

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of 11.13

Here are this week’s questions:

1. If you can, how often do you exercise every week?

When I am able I exercise in the form of walking and/or hiking two to three days per week. I would hike out in nature more when the weather is warmer if I had my own transportation.

2. Do you belong, or have you ever belonged, to a gym?

I belong to the Gastonia County Warlick Family YMCA. With my Medicare advantage plan the membership for myself is included. It is not free for my grandson, however, so we mostly hike on the YMCA hiking trails whenever we go. He is also allowed to play in the outdoor playground if YKids (Paid membership after school program) are not using the facilities at the time.

3. Do you prefer to exercise alone or in a group (ie. aerobics)

Since 2020’s pandemic and the ongoing global occurrences of COVID, I only rarely hike (exercise) in a group. The majority of the time I am not alone during my hiking adventures as my grandson is always with me whenever I go hiking out in nature.

4. Do you enjoy it or feel it’s something you ought to do?

If I were to do regular work-out exercises I would feel it to be a chore and not something enjoyable to do. When we hike, wherever we hike, it is always a joyful experience.

Gratitude:

Gratitude empowers us. It makes joy and love possible. It rearranges the way we see and experience what is all around us.
Gratitude makes all things new. It transforms how we understand what is broken and gives us the ability to act more joyfully and with hope.
— Diana Butler Bass,
Grateful: The Transformative Power
of Giving Thanks

Share Your World-Week of November 13

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of October 23

Here are this week’s questions about shopping habits:

1. When food shopping, do you prefer to shop online or in person?

Since 2020 I do most of my shopping online and have my items delivered including groceries. I rarely into any kind of store anymore and when I do it’s because I need something sooner than I could possibly have it delivered.

2. Do you take/stick to a shopping list?

Considering I do the majority of my shopping on line, I go through the pantry and refrigerator/freezer and order those items I truly need and not want I might desire.

3. Do you shop around or are you store loyal for convenience?

I order mostly from my local Harris Teeter (Grocery Store) and from Walmart. I shop what is on sale at Harris Teeter and other items, which may be cheaper, I order from Walmart. There are a few cleaning supplies I order online from Home Depot and have the delivered the same day.

4. Roughly how long does it take you to do a weekly shop?

When ordering online, it takes me less than an hour. However, if you count when I periodically add items to my shopping cart before ordering it could vary dramatically.

Gratitude:

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~ John F. Kennedy

Share Your World

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts and allowing me to share a piece of my world with y’all. I appreciate y’all very much.

2023 SYW: Week of October 9

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Do you prefer a duvet, quilt or sheets and blankets on your bed?

I prefer to use sheets, blankets, and Quilts on my bed. The Quilts I use were lovingly sewn and stitched together by the skilled and talented hands of my beloved maternal grandmother.

2. Do you sleep with one or two pillows?

The only time I ever used only one or two pillows was as a child in my parents home. Now I use at least four pillows on my bed. I currently have six pillows on my bed.

3. Do you prefer a single, double, or kingsize bed?

I have never had a king size bed, not even when my spouse & I shared a bed. I have slept in a twin as an adult ( my husband was an over-the-road truck driver and hardly ever home). So upon moving, I slept in a twin and saved money for a larger bed. I have also had full-size (double) beds and queen size beds. The Queen size was nice, but since it is only me now, a queen would be more room than I really need. Therefore, I currently sleep in a full-size bed with my six pillows, top & bottom sheets, four blankets and one quilt covering me each and every night.

4. In the winter, do you have a hot water bottle or an electric blanket?

Many a winter I have used an electric blanket to keep me warm at night. Even while living in campgrounds for six months out of a year, I had an electric blanket over me while I slept on an air mattress in a tent through 30° winter weather. I mostly used it to keep my feet warm throughout the cold winter nights.

5. Fun question: have you ever slept in a hammock?

I have never slept in a hammock. Slept on the ground or on an air mattress in a sleeping bag, but never in a hammock.

Gratitude:

Share Your World-Week of October 9

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of September 25

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Do you remember your first teacher at school?

Remembering my first teacher at school is not something I can do at the present time. However, I can remember a few of my high school and college professors. I remember one of my high school English teachers being named Mr. Watson. I remember him more for his name than any of the lessons he taught. His last name, Watson, is my mother’s maiden name.

2. What was your best and worst subjects?

Best: My best subject in school was mathematics, at least while I was in high school. In college, the math classes were of a more advanced level and of greater difficulty than any I had ever taken previously so I struggled somewhat to the point of needing a tutor to help me better comprehend the principles being taught. Worst: I always had a harder time in my history classes than any other subject. Today, I enjoy history as it pertains to my ancestral heritage.

3. Were you encouraged in class or did you just muddle along?

I think some teachers were encouraging while others I just muddle through the classes. One of my junior high teachers encouraged me to do research as a means of improving my grade in my history class. I loved to do research and write reports on what I learned regarding the requested topic.

4. Would you like to be a student today?

Would I like to be a student today? Not in the formal sense of actually having to attend classes, take tests, or turn in assignments. However, I believe we are all students in life, ever learning and growing in wisdom and knowledge.

Gratitude:

Share Your World – 2023 September 25

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of 18 September

Here are this week’s questions (my apologies if I have used any before):

1. How well do you know your immediate neighbours?

I do not know the neighbors directly next door to us. The apartment to the left of us ( if you’re looking outside) is currently vacant and only see the ones on the left occasionally as the enter or leave. I have met a few of the other neighbors when Coleman and I go out walking.

2. Do you notice changes in your neighbourhood : ie. new car, new dog, home improvements, etc.

I really do not notice changes in the neighborhood, not dogs, cats, cars, or home improvements. I sometimes notice when yards are decorated for a season like several in the area are now decorated for Halloween.

3. Should new neighbours move in next door, do you introduce yourself once they are settled in?

We recently (just this week) had neighbours move in next door. The new neighbors are a single woman with three girls and one son. The youngest, a girl, is only a year older than Coleman, my grandson. They also have a very lively dog named Asha. Introductions have been made and they are still in the process of settling into their apartment.

4. Have you ever had to complain to your neighbours?

As of yet we have not had to complain about any of our neighbors. Hopefully, we won’t ever have a need to do so.

Gratitude:

Share Your World – Neighbours

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of October 16

This week’s questions I’ve needed to think about prior to answering, the last two especially. Anyway, here are my responses to the questions. I’ll be looking forward to seeing y’all’s responses to this week’s Share Your World questions.

Here are this week’s questions:

What is your favourite dessert? I’m not sure that I have favourite dessert. This time of year I do enjoy a delicious pumpkin 🎃 pie 🥧. However, if I had the time and my grandson wasn’t lactose intolerant, I would bake and eat My Grandfather’s Favorite cookies. [That’s the actual name of the cookies passed down from my maternal grandmother.] The recipe calls for using sour milk. Growing up my mom always used buttermilk instead of sour milk. With this recipe one could make two different types of cookies. One type is filled with a raisin filling and another is made using cookie 🍪 cutter and iced and decorated as desired however one might desire.
Do you still use cash to pay for goods? I hardly ever use cash to pay for anything anymore. Most of the time I’ll pay by a debit or card card. I also barely use the actual physical card to make purchases, most of the time it is a digital card to make online purchases or pay via apple or Walmart pay.
Apart from a house, car or holiday, what is the most expensive thing you’ve purchased? The most expensive thing I’ve ever purchased was my Canon EOS Rebel T3i camera and lens combination from Sam’s Club years ago. I bought it as a gift to myself as a birthday present. It’s one of the best if not the best present I have ever bought myself.
If you are going out for a special occasion, what is your favoured outfit? Currently, I do not have a favored outfit. I do not recall ever having a favorite outfit I would wear. I haven’t been out for any special occasion since Covid-19 began in 2020.

Gratitude:

***Brave Humble Breast Cancer***
***Awareness Sunflower***
***by Simply _Fashion***
***Zazzle.com***

Share Your World 🌎

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: Week of August 28

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Do you have a favourite time of year?

My favorite time of year is Springtime. I love to watch everything come back to life; the flowers beginning to bloom, the leaves 🍃 appearing all green and glowing, the birds returning singing their beautiful songs, the bees 🐝 feasting on flowers everywhere (except I don’t like them on me, I’m allergic to them). Autumn isn’t bad with all the fall colors as the leaves are turning red, orange and yellow. The fall colors make for beautiful landscape begging to be photographed.

2. What is your happiest memory?

I have many happy memories; not sure which memory I would select to be my happiest memory. I have happy memories of family vacations, visiting my dad’s family in the Carolinas (We lived in San Diego and would travel by car every three to five years to visit them.) Fun times at church summer camps; spending time at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park (It is now called San Diego Zoo Safari Park). Giving birth to my children; the list could go on and on. How can I choose just one to be my happiest memory? I am sorry, I just cannot.

3. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?

If I could change something about myself; what’s the point I know I could never change anything about myself. Not really, only the Lord Jesus Christ can change me from within. He has the power to make be a more compassionate, understanding, and loving person from within allowing His spirit to shine through me.

4. Are you a tidy person (ie. everything in its place), or do you prefer a bit of clutter?

I would not consider myself to prefer clutter, but then again everything isn’t spotless and super neat. I know where everything is, and everything is in its rightful place (at least according to me).

Gratitude:

This week let’s focus on the kindness skill of gratitude. I am grateful to be able to share kindness with you. I am grateful.
Claudia Hall Christian; Everyday Kindness

Share Your World

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.

2023 SYW: 7 August

Here are this week’s questions:

Does your kitchen have a pantry or utility room? Our present kitchen has a pantry closet. It’s not very big but it suffices for now.
How good are you at DIY? No, I am not too good at DIY’s. However, my daughter is very talented at DIY’s.
Does your home lack something you wish it had? (ie. an open fire, second bathroom, garage, etc). My home lacks being a house. It is an apartment and doesn’t have the same appeal or feel to it when we lived in a house. Other than that, it does not have an area where I can set up my sewing machine to work on projects I’d like to do. It also doesn’t have a garage, but as an adult I have never had a garage. It would be nice though.
Are you an early bird or night owl? I am definitely a night owl. Despite that fact my grandson wakes me up early every morning. I tend to be awake late at night when our place is extremely quiet and peaceful. That is the time when I am able to accomplish most of my thinking, blogging, reading and relaxing.

Gratitude:

It is always good to receive, but so much better to give.

Share Your World

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with me and sharing your time and thoughts. I appreciate y’all.

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