Friday, June 13, 2014

Friday: Mother, Quad Update, Memories of my House Fire.....

If it's FRIDAY then I MUST be in Fort Worth to visit Mother!
When I asked her where she wanted to eat, she said, "Wherever YOU want!!!"


The Dixie House was close and we hadn't been there in ages so that was my choice!
Easy Peasy!


We had a ball!!!
I told Mother all the funny things the quads have been saying and several funny stories on Louis Dean and a few on MYSELF!
We laughed and laughed!
There were several older men in this restaurant and I noticed a few of them kept their eyes on OUR table all through our meal! When one fellow got up to leave he stopped by me and said, "Would you mind if I told you what a BEAUTIFUL woman you are?" Of course I didn't mind! And Mother was grinning from ear to ear!! Then when WE got up to leave another stopped me and said, "You lovely ladies were having so much fun!!! I loved hearing all that laughter!!" Mother was as giddy as a school girl when we walked out!!!

On the way back to her house she pulled out a bottle of make up......I am supposing it was empty but next time I am going to check!!! She wanted to stop at the Dollar Store to get a new bottle. I make up my face nearly every day and do not use NEARLY as much make up in a year as SHE does!!! Regardless, we got her some more!! 

I stopped by to see Deanie as is my custom on Fridays after I leave Mother!
She and I are making some BIG plans for next weekend!!
As soon as I got home (about 2:30) I handed the car off to Louis Dean and he was off to Quadville for the afternoon. What did I do? I went to BED!!! Took a good nap and then woke up and did damage control cleaned house. LD has been 'Home Alone' a day or two this week!

Last night when I got home from QV I was too tired to even think about writing my journal entry!!
The babies were still sick Thursday (as well as today when Granddad was over there) but we all managed to have a little fun anyway!


I brought over an old baby gate I had. This was never used for babies but for my dog, Shadow.
Shadow tended to wander around the house at night so I confined her to my shower. I put a big fluffy towel in there and would call out the back door, "Shadow!!! Come get in the SHOWER!!!"
No telling what the neighbors thought!
Then I would put the baby gate in front of the glass shower door so she couldn't get out!
Win! WIN!!!


I think Logan is asking Kailey what their chances are of getting out!!!


The good news is that no one DID! Get out, I mean!
This gate enabled them to roam free in the kitchen as well as the playroom.


Every time I left to go down the hall to the bathroom, Logan would follow me ....with her eyes!


This Grandma had a few other tricks up her sleeve!
I brought out the two tricycles I bought on Tuesday and cleaned them up and the quads were ready to ride!


Harrison got the bigger one! I just need ONE MORE!





Before I went home Thursday night Amber, Mike and I took the quads out for a ride in the neighborhood.
Cool kids go out wearing sunglasses and winter mittens.


I am still listening for that first real locust of the summer season.
I saw the vacated shell of one on the gazebo screen.....but I haven't HEARD them yet.


After breakfast this morning Mother and I stopped at a garage sale and I now have that FOURTH tricycle!!
Plus a few other toys for next week!

Since I didn't post yesterday I will close this journal entry with a picture from 33 years ago.
My house was gutted by fire on June 11, 1983.
My husband and I were in Colorado on vacation and our two children were home. They were older teenagers - 17 and 20 years old. They had just had friends over to see a Rocky movie. They used to have 'Rocky Parties!' Remember the Sylvester Stallone Rocky movies? Summer had just cleaned the house and they had gone to bed. In the early morning hours what they thought were sirens in the neighborhood woke them up. Summer decided to get up and go to the kitchen for a drink of water. The sirens were the heat detectors going off and the living room was ablaze. Within minutes she said you could not see your hand in front of your face. 


She ran to our bedroom to use the phone when Jesse, Jr. yelled for her to come in his room where they escaped through his bedroom window. We had Vanguard Heat Detectors and praise God we did!!!
Summer and Jesse barely got out in time. The attic fan was on and the fire burned through the house horizontally. What the fire didn't destroy the intense heat melted. We lost nearly everything.
All that mattered was that my children got out.
When we rebuilt we put a back door in our bedroom where Summer was nearly trapped. The window in there was high and horizontal. I was like a mad woman back then and was desperate to get back in my house. We were out of it for 52 days. We did all of the rebuilding ourselves.
My house has undergone many changes over the years. 
Needless to say THIS was the biggest change of all!!

10 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

I can't imagine losing everything! But at least you had your most precious things, your children. You and your mom look alike, both of you so pretty. It is good seeing old things re used and the dog gate works perfectly! Have a great weekend!

Pondside said...

I can just imagine how you and your mum, and your pleasure in one another's company brightened the day for everyone in that restaurant!
I am terrified for fire - what a huge trial you went through 33 years ago.

Amber said...

An amazing thing to look back on and remember, so glad Summer and Jesse got out! Harrison will be excited about the fourth trike and that cool looking fire truck! You are such a good grandma, thanks for ALL your help this week :)

Vee said...

That was a compelling story. Fire is so scary and starting over from scratch is daunting, yet your children made it out. Praise God. It is a reminder of all that is truly important.

Loved the story of your mom and you enjoying lunch together! And yippee for the fourth tricycle! Now why were they wearing mittens? Perhaps some things cannot be explained.

Linda said...

Linda, what an amazing post, and I always love your photos. You and your dear mother had such a great time with much laughter.

Changes in the wind said...

How dramatic that must have been for you all. There is nothing more sad than a house fire. Glad you have rebuilt and moved on.

MadSnapper said...

your story of you and your mom laughing and the men loving it brought back a memory of my dad. after mom died, he had been living alone for 2 years and i drove up to visit, my friends Eunice and Kathy went with me. we all 3 slept in one room, there was a twin and daddy put a queen mattress on the floor. we went to bed and could not stop giggling, we must have giggles for an hour. soon we heard a knock on the door, i opened it and daddy said, i wanted you to know how much i have enjoyed hearing all the laughter coming from this room. it makes me happy to hear women laughing... until the day he died he talked about our laughter.
sorry the quads are still sick, the gate is a great idea... and i see the dog staring in the window like it wants to play to

FABBY'S LIVING said...

What fun and how blessed we are to have a day a week with our mom's. We laugh a lot together too, and enjoy the days we're together. Sorry the cutíes are sick, mine are too, I mean, my g'girls, so sick with a cold and caugh for 3 weeks already. So nice to hear from you sweet lady. Thanks.
Have a great FD's day with LD and the family.
FABBY

Angie said...

I love all your dates with your mother. I'm sure you two are a real hoot when your together!

The Quads are adorable in their shades and mittens! I hope they are all feeling better soon.

Scary story about that fire. Praise God for watching over your children. I imagine it was difficult to lose everything but having the two most important things come out unharmed must have made it much easier.

Carla said...

Oh wow Linda! How devastating but so glad Summer and Jesse made it out safely.. That's really scary.
You and mom are great together.