Good morning All. Coffees on.

[Willow]

Ah, @Mmindy you are in good form today!

 

love the snow bird with its wild cousins in the background.

 

 

[Mmindy]

@Willowmy goal is to bring a smile to those I can reach.

 

Hugs,

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋💖

[Charlize]

The sun poked out here for a few hours yesterday.  I'm getting a bit tired of grey.  It has allowed me to launch into income tax preparation and i just completed the agricultural census.  If you are wondering they still don't have anything other than male or female.  Oh well at least they have never questioned why the answer changed some 10 years ago.  

It's good to be getting those chores behind me.  We never have to pay taxes as our income isn't very great.  We payed plenty when working.  Coffee got me through this morning of figures. A bit more to do and then wait for the hoped for rebate.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[awkward-yet-sweet]

I finally have internet and cell phone back. The ice yesterday knocked out all electricity, and apparently took out the cell towers too.  

 

Thankfully, my family has both generators and solar power.  A lot of other people don't, though. I don't know how long our neighbors will be without electricity.  We live in a very hilly area, so repairs are difficult and winter always seems to affect the higher elevations more heavily. 

[Mmindy]

Good morning everyone,

 

The coffee is HOT, black and strong.

The outside temperatures are down.

The bird feeders are extra active, because of the snow cover on the ground.

The snow was a wet heavy snow, that has turned to crunchy ice.

The wood stove in the shop is holding the temperature steady with little attention required.

The thoughts in my head are hoping everyone is safe, warm, and loved.

The ones who have doubt or fear of being safe, warm, and loved. Require our attention.

The limited resource I have, leave me to only sharing digital hugs.

 

Hugs,

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[Willow]

Good morning 

 

strong black coffee is done, ate two homemade (scratch) cinnamon rolls and I’m having Special K now.

 

rained all afternoon and into the night but today is sunny but cooler.  That’s the thing about SC weather in the winter, if you don’t like it today, it will be different tomorrow.

 

I took a giant leap of faith yesterday, I became an Ordained Minister.  My hopes are to eventually join forces with a newly formed church for Transgender in Wilmington and bring it to Myrtle Beach.  Baby steps,  the Christian church didn’t happen over night.  I’ve been studying Paul’s Church building and how the Bible talks about us.  But I still have a ways to travel.  This was just the first step in my reply to accept Gods calling.

 

hugs

 

Willow

[Ivy]

7 minutes ago, Willow said:

I took a giant leap of faith yesterday, I became an Ordained Minister.  My hopes are to eventually join forces with a newly formed church for Transgender in Wilmington

I no longer consider myself a christian, but did so for most of my life.  I do have to admit that I am curious.  It's not that I'm hostile to it.

[Marcie Jensen]

31 minutes ago, Willow said:

I took a giant leap of faith yesterday, I became an Ordained Minister.  My hopes are to eventually join forces with a newly formed church for Transgender in Wilmington and bring it to Myrtle Beach.  Baby steps,  the Christian church didn’t happen over night.  I’ve been studying Paul’s Church building and how the Bible talks about us.  But I still have a ways to travel.  This was just the first step in my reply to accept Gods calling.

 

hugs

 

Willow

Congratulations, Willow. That's a huge, no pun intended, leap of faith.  

 

Blessigs,

Marcie

[Willow]

@Mmindy  I have been a Presbyterian all my life from Nursery to now.  My faith did waver as a teen but came back to me.  I was ordained as an elected Deacon in 1981.  I am absolutely certain God has spoken to me several times including now. Even the current minister at the church we belong to has stated that while he felt called, he has never had God speak to him (in a voice) 

 

Several years ago he told me to minister to teen transgenders.  I have been doing that for a year now.  But I believe I need to do more, hence getting ordained as a minister in the universal church.  I do have some theories about the various worldwide deities, which I believe are the results of Jesus’s disciples scattering to the corners of the Earth.  Strick Christians never consider that, they rarely think beyond Paul.

 

This body fits better with my thinking.

 

But to me, I don’t care what you believe or don’t.  The primary thing is leading a good life whether you believe or not.  My mother did, my father didn’t.  You are free to choose for your self 

 

Hugs

 

Willow

[Willow]

Thank you @Marcie Jensen.  It’s been a long time coming but the seed was planted many years ago.  Seventies.

[Mmindy]

1 hour ago, Willow said:

I believe I need to do more, hence getting ordained as a minister in the universal church.  I do have some theories about the various worldwide deities, which I believe are the results of Jesus’s disciples scattering to the corners of the Earth.  Strick Christians never consider that, they rarely think beyond Paul.

 

This body fits better with my thinking.

Congratulations, that's wonderful @Willow

I was raised in a strict Southern Baptist Church, and appreciate the learning it provided me as a young adult. I left the Baptist Church, when I moved from Missouri to Indiana, attending a Missouri Synod - Lutheran Church. I liked their teachings, however I wasn't going to go through the requirements to be confirmed. I've settled in a Friends Church that is Quaker based, because they don't judge people and are more free will. When ask about my Faith? I say I'm from the Church of independent thinkers. I do consider myself to be Christian, and because most of the Christian Based Churches believe in the same basic tenants of Christ. His crucifixion, and rising three days later to pay for our sins. I'm more about my own personal relationship with the Trinity. I don't like how some churches spend more money on things, than people. 

 

Hugs, I know you'll make a difference.

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋 

[awkward-yet-sweet]

I grew up Orthodox... church was mostly a ritual.  I joined my current faith community and actually began to believe because of my husband's first wife. 

 

I'm strangely comfortable with my community, even though patriarchy is even more intense than where I grew up.  Sometimes you find out that you belong in a very unexpected place.

[CD Rachel]

Hello, sorry that I have been away for awhile but life sometimes has a way of getting interesting. So I have been seeing someone for the past 4 months now. We have been having a wonderful time together and I almost feel like my past life was a dream. Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family went very well. I feel so much like this is the life that I should have always had. I am totally out as Rachel and though I am not passing being fearless has led to meeting many new and wonderful people that accept me. 

 

I have been surprised that I am also now being seen as the person that I had always wanted to be. Several times over the past 2 month people have  complimented me for being brave, generous, kind, loving, honest and open. Honestly when I started my transition these are the characteristics that I had written down describing the person that I wanted Rachel to be. The one that I was not planning on was brave but apparently that is how I am seen. My transition has truly been a transformative experience.

 

I hope that it is ok if I share a couple pictures of myself.... one from work and one from home.

 

Well, I have a lot of reading to do in order to catch up.. Hope everyone is doing well!

 

[KathyLauren]

@CD Rachel, you look great!  I am glad that things are going so well for you!

[Mmindy]

12 hours ago, CD Rachel said:

I have been surprised that I am also now being seen as the person that I had always wanted to be. Several times over the past 2 month people have  complimented me for being brave, generous, kind, loving, honest and open. Honestly when I started my transition these are the characteristics that I had written down describing the person that I wanted Rachel to be. The one that I was not planning on was brave but apparently that is how I am seen. My transition has truly been a transformative experience

Good morning Rachel,

Your time away has been very good to you, and I'm so happy for you. Your ability to be who you've always wanted to be, shows in the happiness you project in these pictures.

 

Good morning everyone else too,

@KymmieLit's 16°F outside and the windchill is 6°F. After four days of working in the warm shop, today is the day I have to load my prop onto a trailer, and deliver it. I also have to pick up components, to repeat the build next week. On the bright side of things the first birds to the feeders are always Cardinals, it's to dark to get pictures of them. 5 pair each staying close to their mate or parent if it's a juvenile.

 

The coffee is Folgers Dark Silk, served HOT, black and strong.

 

Stay positive, motivated, and safe,

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋💖

[KymmieL]

Heat wave here this AM, 23 official degrees. with a gusty wind. So the wind chill sucks.

 

Congrats @CD Rachel. Way to go girl.

 

Congrats also to our resident Sister @Willow good for you.

 

I swear my wife has a Jekyll and Hyde complex. First she asks if I am going to help when we go back to MI. With her brother house. (Her house now)  Almost sounds like she is wanting it, empty and spotless to sell. We ain't got that much time  Then She complains about the stuff on the table. Then goes and takes a bath. So I go on the computer, while she is bathing. When she comes back out. I get off the computer and turn on M.A.S.H. to be with her.

 

Then all she says is, "You don't have to turn on MASH you can go back to the computer." Nothing else said. I think because she went to take a bath. I should have been a good girl and just sat waiting for her to come out.

 

After MASH I just turned off the TV and went to bed. I don't know when she came to bed. As I fell asleep and slept most of the night.

I see that I am in a toxic relationship and a Hostile work environment. Can't win for loosing.

 

Hugs, Kymmie

 

[KymmieL]

[Willow]

Well, I think I got y’all beat when it comes to having a rotten day.

 

Fight with my wife, had to go to DMV to get a renewal sticker for my Ford.

 

got home and spent an hour talking about the situation with my wife

 

went out front to put the sticker on my license plate and discovered it had been stolen.  (The license plate not the car!)

 

argh!

 

Willow

[Ivy]

2 hours ago, Willow said:

went out front to put the sticker on my license plate and discovered it had been stolen.

Well that sux

[Mmindy]

3 hours ago, Willow said:

went out front to put the sticker on my license plate and discovered it had been stolen.  (The license plate not the car!)

That really sucks. Did you report it to the police? Once you have the police report, the DMV should be able to replace your plate and update your registration.

 

I had a productive day. All the components to build my next training prop are in the shop ready to start on it on Monday.

 

Hugs,

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[Willow]

Hi, yes, first thing I did was call 911 to report the theft.  In less than an hour (it wasn’t an emergency per se,) an officer knocked on my door.  Took my statement.  Wrote it up.  I already went to DMV (second trip for the day) and left with a new plate, with a new sticker and new registration.  And I didn’t even have to wait very long.  They had a longer line to check in than it was taking the clerks to process.  So they had people combing the line for specific issues.  I never made it to check in I was taken to a window to immediately get me taken care of.  Annoying but good experience.  
 

now I just hope who ever took it gets stopped for having an expired plate. Then they should get nailed for theft.

[Mmindy]

@Willowis there a way you can use nylon self locking nuts and bolts to secure the plate? This would slow down or discourage the next thief. 
 

 

[KymmieL]

1 hour ago, Mmindy said:

@Willowis there a way you can use nylon self locking nuts and bolts to secure the plate? This would slow down or discourage the next thief.

Naw, Just weld them to the truck. Ain't nobody taking them again.

 

Kymmie

[Ivy]

12 minutes ago, KymmieL said:

Just weld them to the truck.

It just might work…  Unless they bring a torch.

[Willow]

Good evening 

 

well my thought was to get tamper resistant screws.  I figure the thieves were either illegal workers from the construction going on around me, or a group of teens that were caught on camera trying to enter unlocked homes and cars.  Several of them have been arrested.  Either way, I’m going to be checking workers vehicles to see if the plate shows up.  These guys aren’t the brightest.  And of course SC license plates are aluminum and very thin so they could just rip them off.  Mine wasn’t, they went to the trouble of removing and keeping 4 screws.  
 

the only way to use nyloc nuts would be taking the interior panels off the tailgate.  @KymmieLmy Eddie Bauer is still in good enough shape I’d prefer not to burn the paint off with a welder.  But thanks for the laugh.  Maybe heavy steel red hot rivets?

 

lol

 

until tomorrow 

 

Reverend Willow. (First last and only time I will sign off that way)