Friday, June 12, 2015

We May be Old But We Still Know How to PARTY!!!! and Fort Worth Friday!

We have all been young once. Perhaps YOU still are! I married at 14 and was always the youngest in my social groupings at church or in my neighborhood for SO many years. I was THE youngest mother when my first two children were growing up and it wasn't until I was pregnant with my third child (Amber) that I began to realize I was not 'young' any more. I was 36 and considered a 'risk pregnancy.' I suppose that was the end of my 'youth!' 
During the years Amber and Ben were growing up, I was one of the OLDEST moms.
Now at 66 - soon to be 67 - I realize that sometimes what people call 'old age' is even better than youth. It has been so for me, at least.


Last night we hosted a party of 15 Senior Citizens.
The lady back there in the white pants and blue shirt is the youngest of us all and is still considered a 'Senior.'


We gather each season here at our home for music, dinner and MORE music!


Everyone brings a dish and it is like a holiday meal!!!


There is a family represented that has 14 siblings! 
Half of them were here last night.
Mary Catherine and Georgia are the oldest and still SO active and delightful.
Mary Catherine married her third husband when she was 78 and he was 84. He lived for three years and she said they were so in love. I believe her. You should have seen her expressions when she spoke of him.


This is Benny!! His wife doesn't like to leave the house. They haven't been out together in over 3 years. While he remains a doting husband, he loves to come over to our house to party and play music!!
He loves sangria and I always buy a special bottle just for him!

My point - if I indeed even HAVE one - is that we will ALL grow old. Someday.
Youth doesn't last forever. Thank God!
It is not only the young people who know how to celebrate life....how to party.....how to make music.
It's true that OUR way may very well NOT be THEIR way - but we DO continue to celebrate!


Louis Dean and I retired to the gazebo after the party was over, put our feet up and declared it a good night! We ALL had so much fun!!! Of all the parties and gatherings I host - these jam session/dinner parties are THE most fun for ME!! 
It's a ton of work but everyone loves it so and that makes it worth it all!!!

We called it an early night - for us! - since I was heading to Fort Worth this morning!


I took Mother shopping for her birthday gift!
A size 8 pair of slacks!!!
This is the smallest Mother has ever been!!!


Lunch at Olive Garden!
It's a long walk up.....


In keeping with our tradition - our selfie!!


Mother may be 89 but she can still clown around!


We laughed and talked and ate and had a good time together!


 I left her smiling at the door!


Then I hopped over to Saltgrass Steak House to visit with my sister, Deanie, and her husband.
Charlie was such a good sport to take SO many pictures of us!!!

 

He took THE very best one of the day of us trying to decide WHICH photo to post that looked good of BOTH of us!! Vanity! VANITY!!!


I stopped at McCart Thrift on my way home and scored three great shirts for Louis Dean.
He has really LONG arms so as I was looking at these I noticed a man about his size looking through the shirts too. I asked him, "May I borrow your arm?" He held the shirt up and said he thought it would work. I told him to tell his wife a strange lady asked to borrow his arm and he said his wife was long gone and wouldn't care!!
I found a nice cami for me.....


AND this Battenburg lace pillow sham......


which I am using as a footstool cover - of course!


My last stop before coming home was Lowes. 
I am going there instead of Home Depot because they put their ailing plants on 'Reduced for Quick Sale' prices. While there I spied this super cool gazebo! Our super cool neighbors have one of these and I told Louis Dean WE need to get one when the one we have bites the dust!!


You can even put a fan in there!!!


Home to plant my discounted flowers and enjoy an outdoor fire.


I don't know if these are weeds or seeds I planted.....


Louis Dean brought these 'Canas' as he calls them,
from his wife's grandmother's old home place.
They are treasures!


It was high time for a hair cut!!
He said, "Mama sent me!"
Isn't he adorable????


Louis Dean said to caption this picture -
'Burning the evidence!'
No juicers around here - as his son would say!!!


My blogging spot for tonight!
Two hours later - with a dinner break and changing out laundry and letting the cat in and out -
I'm done!!!

I've loved every minute of this day and am now going to the FRONT yard to sit and water plants out there. The night is yet young......





13 comments:

Blondie's Journal said...

Your posts are so full of life and happiness...you make me smile, especially your trips out with your mothers. "

Love and hugs to you!

Jane x

Linda said...

I am so happy to see some photos of your dear mother, Linda! :)

Susie said...

Linda, As usual you have great pictures of your fun times. So good to see your mother back to her old self...smiling enjoying her lunch with you. LD is the cutest "little boy" getting his hair cut. ...I'll have to get a picture of me using a flo-bee on Ted's hair. LOL... I saw a wonderful outdoor backdrop in our Lowe's store...it hangs at the back of one of those tents. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, love, Susie

MadSnapper said...

your mother always makes me smile when i see her, she is so full of joy, it beams out of her face. you had a wonderful day and evening... bob and i have not been out after 1 pm in years... we do all our going before noon... what little we do, but then we are up at 4 and in bed at 8. our day is backwards or upside down with yours... but fun is fun not matter the time of day

Linda said...

Love your post....I like how you ramble on (no criticism intended) you just write like you talk (I imagine). It's so nice to see you out with your mother and she is so cute. I'd love to have people over here but hubby and my friends are such party poopers....I think the music is what does it for you!!! I haven't even planted my 'good' flowers, much less found any sickly end of season ones. I am going to the local garden fair today and hope to find some great plants. Happy weekend!!!!

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Hi Linda, such a great thing to do. I know everyone had a wonderful time. Lovely to see your Mom smiling and enjoying herself. Happy weekend.

Vee said...

Your zest for life is infectious! Louis Dean's meds must be working. (Now that sounded bad, but you know what I mean.) I love the pictures you paint with words...the stories you share. Nice to see your mom and Deanie again!

Jan said...

Always enjoy reading your posts-you're right, I enjoy the age I am now! I wouldn't go back to being a teenager or young mother for anything!

Stacey said...

Linda, I love that you gather with your friends like that. My husband and I love to do stuff with friends quite often. I want my mom to read some of your posts. She turned 71 this past week but she's basically a shut in. She doesn't leave the house for much of anything and it makes me sad. I try to get her to go out with me but she won't. I can't explain it or understand it. I just keep trying...

Your posts are always uplifting even when your house is flooding and life is overwhelming!

Nita said...

It looks like the jam session & dinner party was a good time. Doing events like this is what keeps you and Louis Dean young. I truly believe that I have more fun being in my 60's than I did in my 30's. We have lots to look forward to.

Wanda said...

Talk about one super day and I love learning more about you and your life. Your party sounds wonderful and your guests delightful. Age is truly a strange animal. I'm 74 and loving my life. My dearest is 77 but slowing down as he has had his share of medical issues over the years. But Life is Good, and I count every day a bonus. Sending love and hugs.

Penny said...

Great post Linda, and I admire your friend whose wide no longer leaves the house for continuing to socialise, that must be quite hard. Your party looks like the best fun. Louis Dean's expression is priceless in his haircut photo! X

Carla said...

You were only 14 when you got married. Wow brave girl. I can't remember if it one or the other or both but either Lowes and/or Home Depot will give you your money back it the plant dies before a year is up with a receipt. David has returned a few dead plants/trees. LD is right those are canas. Your mom has such a good spirit. I know what you mean about always being the youngest and then some how we step across some imaginary line and we're the oldest in the group. How does that happen? LOL