And Then We All Had Tea: A Day Book

Tuesday, 5 May 2026

A Day Book

FOR TODAY, May 5th, 2026

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

Just a random photo from my front window picture folder. I love the way the sun is shining through the front of the house at sunset. The trees across the way are not fully out yet, but they have that flush that tells you something wonderful if happening. Glenna's daffodils are dancing. Her forsythia bush is dancing as well. Beautiful.

I AM THINKING ...

I watched Alan Osmond's funeral on YouTube yesterday. It was really lovely. He was more than an entertainer. He was a very well loved and respected man, and a wonderful Disciple of Christ.

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

About how what doesn't kill you actually DOES make you stronger.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ...

The gift of prayer. I don't know where I would be without it.

I AM ALSO GRATEFUL FOR ...

The gift of faith. It's what has kept me going all these years. Faith . . . don't leave home without it.

IN THE KITCHEN ...

Five Tasty Tacos for Cinco de Mayo. My favorites are the Crispy Two Potato ones. But I also love the Crispy Chicken ones. Oh, and the Thai ones . . . heck, I just LOVE tacos!

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Copycat A & W Whistle Dogs from Noshing with the Nolands. What can I say. I hold my hand up. I love hot dogs.

THIS I BELIEVE ...

We need to learn to be better at forgiving ourselves.

SOMETHING THAT IS NICE ...

This is my favorite saying . . .

SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

I am a lover of simplicity and ordinary things . . .

I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...

(source)

Pretty crochet bookmarks . . .

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Embroidered jar caps . . .

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A beautiful table runner . . .

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Hats for cats . . .

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Vintage caps . . .

SOMETHING I ENJOY ...

This particular flavor. I don't dare bring them into the house.

SOMETHING ELSE I ENJOY ...

(source)

My sister could make these. They would be so cute.

I AM READING ...

THE FROZEN RIVER, by Ariel Lawhon

A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community.

Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen-one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon's newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard.

The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Reading this on my kindle

THINGS THAT CATCH MY FANCY ...