Mundane Monday Things.....

I failed. I was DETERMINED when I went to bed last night that I would get Louis Dean to the doctor first thing this morning. I failed. When will I ever learn? He totally convinced me that he was so MUCH better!!! And he was - until later in the afternoon. My first clue should have been that he felt better - but he wasn't WELL! We really and truly believe it is allergy induced asthma. Been there and done that SO many times. Still.....he is still sickly and NOT anywhere NEAR his normal self.

Tomorrow!!! Without FAIL! I am taking him to the doctor if I have to hog tie him or call an ambulance!!!

Now, on to other things!!!

Penny Miller of The Homemade Heart put me on to this amazing writer!

Jenny Joseph is an English poet and her poem 'Warning.'

WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN I SHALL WEAR PURPLE

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other people's gardens

And learn to spit

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

I was not surprised to find out that this poem was Sue Ellen Cooper's inspiration in founding The Red Hat Society! 

Thank you, Penny, for telling me about this amazing poet and woman!!!

I am inclined to think I should go ahead and 'practice' a little bit myself!

As soon as I was good and awake this morning, I put on a vegetable beef soup to simmer on the stove. Last night I had cooked the stew meat so I only had to heat it up and add the veggies.

Somehow I thought it would make Louis Dean feel better. He did eat some and proclaimed it delicious - but normally he would have asked me to bake some cornbread to go with it.

There is enough for tomorrow night's supper - and I WILL bake him up some cornbread - whether he asks for it or not! Cornbread always makes him smile.

As I was working in the sewing room today, I opened up the French doors to let in the beautiful 70+ degree day complete with sunshine and birdsong! As I carried a few things out to the gazebo, I looked down and saw the BLUE on this Monkey Grass. I immediately began to wonder WHAT in the WORLD Louis Dean had spilled or sprayed on THEM???

Upon closer inspection - it was the sun shining through the cobalt blue wine bottle 'planted' close by!

No, so far it has NOT taken root and produced other wine bottles!

My sewing room had stacked up with mending and projects and piles of STUFF!

I made order of most of it and even worked on my Birthday Quilt.

I have backed it with a luxurious beige sheet and it is going to feel lovely - once I get it done!!!

Little by little - I am getting there! Even if I just sew half an hour a day - it WILL get done!!!

In between projects - all day long - Louis Dean and I have been practicing the four duets we do together. In a moment of weakness - on my part - and in an attempt to put a smile on his face - I agreed to sing with him at our Valentine Music Jam Session/Dinner Party this Thursday evening.

It does NOT sound pretty, folks!!! I am so NOT a singer - but it did perk him up!

We would practice one song - with both of us hacking, choking, coughing and gagging - then I would go back to my chores for a little while and then we would practice another one.

The songs are 'The Far Side Banks of Jordan', 'Cause I Love You', 'While I've Got it on My Mind' - all three Johnny Cash and June Carter songs. There is one more but I can't remember the name of it.

If we can pull this party off - I will be MORE than impressed with US!!!

It will either be a lot of FUN - or extremely painful! Painful to hear, that is!!

This 'Dog Collar' is another project I found last week on Facebook. The shirt was in the sewing basket so this is the one I used. Waste not - want not! I try to reuse as much as I can!

It would look better if I had used a colored collar since a white collar on a white dog doesn't show up very well. Still, Lucy is one well collared dog! Is that even a word??

Louis Dean had promised me he would go for a walk with Lucy and me IF I didn't make him go to the doctor. He kept his word and while he walked slowly - I walked double time and would loop back and meet him at the next corner. We live in a neighborhood where the streets 'snake' around.

This walk was what triggered his promise to call the doctor's office as soon as he wakes up in the morning. He actually got scared. I was about to leave to come over here to Quadville to spend the night when he asked me to stay until he had his bath and was feeling better.

After our walk I turned on the outside flood lights and trimmed back more rose bushes.

This whole bed has rose bushes in the center flanked by honeysuckle and lantana in the back and rosemary, liriope, and mums in the front.

One last photo of my Valentine porch. The red of Christmas morphed into the red of Valentines.

Next weekend I will take out ALL of the red - from the porch, the den, the foyer, my bedroom - wherever I find it! I think I am soon to be DONE with RED for awhile.

I can't go back to my much loved fall colors so I will have to find something else I like!

I am such a night owl. Here I am over in Quadville. The house is asleep. The dogs are in their kennels and the babies are quiet in their beds. When I arrived Amber had already had them bathed, fed and tucked in for the night. She was upstairs in her bedroom when I got here. I could hear Trystan and Logan talking to each other so I got my camera and sat down in front of their door to listen.

I  heard Trystan say, "I'm okay! I'm okay, Logan." Then I heard Logan ask Trystan, "Can you help me?" About that time Amber came out into the hall and as I went in to watch the monitor, she went in to get them back to bed. What was Logan needing help with? She was taking her mattress off of her bed!

You probably can't make out much of what they are saying but I got a kick out of sitting in the dark holding my camera to the door trying to record them! I KNOW!!! I am ridiculous!!!

Well, I am successfully writing Monday's journal entry while it is still Monday!

At least for a few more minutes!