Friday was our last day at the ranch and we enjoyed every minute of it!
Our Sweet Sherry was up and at 'em with her new 'toy' bright and early Saturday morning!
She was a busy girl hauling dirt out of the small tank and dumping it in the rutted road to level it after all that terrible spring flooding!
Hard to believe how wet this all was last spring! The tank overflowed onto the road and now it is as dry as a bone!!!
She's our little Bam Bam!!!!
While SHE worked, WE finished up the very last of Season One of LOST!
We watched every last bit of the 'extras' included on the 8th DVD.
I will be looking for the other seasons but we may save them for when we are down there.
Louis Dean hasn't hooked the TV up to do anything except use the built in DVD player.
It just doesn't seem right to watch regular TV when we are at the ranch!
Too many other things to do!
We grilled our final dinner Friday and it was delicious!
I think anything grilled outside and eaten in the fresh air taste wonderful!
This time we started earlier so we could eat in the daylight!
Saturday morning we had our coffee and then started closing up the camper.
I like to leave everything clean and tidy so it will be a pleasure to return!
You can see the piled up covers on the bed in the background.
We have been using a queen size air mattress since the rains from back when the camper bedroom leaked ruined the mattress. The air mattress was wonderful and worked great - unfortunately, it started losing air on Wednesday night and for that night and the next two, he had to air it up several times before morning. He's decided to buy a full size mattress to fit the full size platform instead of getting a queen that hangs over on three sides! YES!!! This will make getting out of bed SO much easier!!!! I have little upper body strength and let me tell you - getting out of bed is no easy feat!
I feel like a weak crab scuttling along and I tend to drag the bed covers with me.
A full size mattress will mean Louis Dean has to hang his feet off the end but he thinks he can live with that! Praise God!!!
There's the kitty box with Maddie inside!
We did NOT forget her! Actually, we have never forgotten Maddie!
Now - we DID forget MAGGIE! Twice! But we always went back for her!
Ready to leave and it looks sad with no one home!
I'm never just QUITE ready to go......but I knew it was time.
We will be back!!!
Maddie has been ailing the past two weeks.
She limps along with her right front leg, although she doesn't seem to be in any pain when we pick her up nor has it bothered her as we felt along the bones and rubbed on it.
The whole 10 days we were in the camper, she literally ate and slept!
I think she must be feeling better as she was happy to stroll around outside in the gardens and sit in the sun.
We slept well last night back in our regular bed!
This morning it was Sunday Morning coming down! Louis Dean always plays Tennessee Ernie Ford while we get ready for church! We were the least late than we have been in some time!
Great service on Stewardship! I am and always have been a tither and I also believe whatever gifts God has given us should be used for his glory. Do you know YOUR spiritual gifts?
I'm not sure if we keep the same ones for our entire life or if there are seasons where we use a certain gift more than at other seasons in our lives.
I used to have the gift of teaching but I don't think I do any more.
Hospitality, giving and helps seem to be the gifts God has given me.
Our pastor is offering a three week class starting in January to explore more fully what our gifts are and how to use them. He is restricting each class to 12 people only. First 12 to sign up get to be in the first class. He will conduct classes until the entire church - or at least those who wish to learn - have been taught. I can't wait!
This Sunday has been a leisurely one.
After church we stopped at the wallpaper store and my saga continues.
It's a long story but I am still trying to get wallpaper for the dining room. This YEAR, I hope!!
Late this afternoon I started working on a baby quilt for my friend, Jutta's, granddaughter.
Whacking up the jeans, tracing the squares and cutting them out takes longer than sewing the actual quilt!
It is to be a fairly simple denim quilt. It's COLD in Finland and I am sure this will be used.
I'm still trying to decide how to trim it up 'little girl' fashion.
That's it from the Chapmans tonight!
I have been looking forward to watching Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone in Lost in Paradise on the Hallmark Channel!!! Louis Dean just called and said I had 7 minutes so I am heading to the den!!
I think you have a great gift of storytelling and sharing your beautiful stories with people. It's so nice you have a home away from home!
ReplyDeleteI most definitely see your gift of hospitality, serving and helps. You didn't mention serving, but giving is serving and giving is more than money. You give so much of yourself to others.
ReplyDeleteI remember an air mattress that kept losing air when we went camping years ago and we were sleeping in a tent. The ground is mighty hard and doesn't give at all. Take good care of yourself. I hope your cat gets better.
I have been watching some Flintstones - love me some Bam Bam and Pebbles! Cheers from Carole's Chatter
ReplyDeleteLumi (Snow in English) will love this precious quilt so very much!! And I do love it already! Thank You Linda!!
ReplyDeleteThe ranch time you had indeed was a great break from a busy city life. When reading I almost felt like I was there with you.
I wish our church offered such a program. I've had something on my heart lately and I'm not real sure how to execute it. I think I know what my gift is but putting it out there has been hard for me. I'm so excited to hear more about this program!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you all had safe travels home. If I had all that grilled yummy food I'dd probably never want to come home!
Hope you enjoyed your movie. Have a blessed week friend!
You have a wonderful home at the ranch and a wonderful home in Irving. I know you love both of them. I have the same trouble climbing in and out of bed because it is pushed against a wall. Not fun. We are working on this. Glad you got to church. I believe our gifts change with what is needed. I used to teach kids but now I'm more drawn to adults. Used to entertain all the time, now take people out. God will give us what we need when we need it. That class sounds really good. I hope you get a chance to take it.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry, does get out there and get it done. I know you think the world of her and I can see why. I'm happy you , Louis Dean and the critters are back to city life for a while. I do hope Lucy got to spend a little time with Dean and Rufus.
ReplyDeleteI know you must have had a lovely week down on the ranch and now are safely back home. Hope you sweet Maddie feels better. Looks as if we are going to be able to enjoy some fall weather finally! Have a glorious week Linda...hugs!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo hard to leave but so good to be home, right?
ReplyDeleteI made a baby quilt out of cut up jeans once, for a baby boy. It turned out really cute. I'm sure this one will be darling for a little girl!
Deanna
you really have "2" home sweet homes!!! i love seeing your sewing machine, and dreaming about what it will create next!!!
ReplyDeletethe camper set-up is really nice, that's a real rags to riches story. i remember!!!
It really is soo wonderful that you have TWO wonderful places you call home. Soo cozy and warm and wonderful both of them are. And! you have a Bernina nine thirty I see! I DO too! It was my machine for years and years and years and I still LOVE it. When I bought my new Bernina I just couldn't part with it even though they were offering a thousand dollar trade in for it. It's been the perfect second machine now and I intend to pass it down to one of my grand daughters when she gets old enough for it. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteYour camper does look cozy! I would have a hard time leaving it, too.
ReplyDeleteI think our actual spiritual gifts don't necessarily change over time, but I think our way of using them might change. One commenter mentioned teaching kids previously, now adults, and that happened to me too. I used to teach preschoolers, then older kids, and now teach ladies. I think that has come about as I've grown and stretched in the use of that teaching gift. And hospitality -- we do have people in, but very often will take them out instead, and again, that has changed over time with our circumstances. Year ago we could never have afforded to take people out as we do now. But it's still hospitality!
And yes, I can definitely see through your blog how you have the gifts of hospitality, giving, and helps. Serving, too!
Linda, You just jump right into work when you get home...Making a jean quilt. Of course you are making it out of love, so it's not so much work. Glad you had a fun time on the ranch. What about the Lucy , did she come home too? Blessings for a great new week. Love you, Susie
ReplyDeleteSorry that you had to leave and glad that you are home! I know that you enjoy the country life and the "city" life. Hope that Maddie is back to her normal self.
ReplyDeletei would love to drive that tractor and i loved your laugh... we will be watching Lost in Paradise at 5:30 this evening. we have it on the DVR... can't wait. i love those movies and Blue blood.
ReplyDeleteSad to say good-bye...but good to back safely back at home too! Smiling about Maggie being left behind. I must check out Tom Selleck 'Lost in Paradise'...we so enjoy him on Blue Bloods.
ReplyDeleteWelcome home, Linda. What a good time you had at the ranch.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are home safely and had a great trip! I will have to tell my mom about that show, she has always loved Tom Selleck ;-) Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Jill
How's the ranch now after the past few days of rain. It's a beautiful day today!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how you made the quilt girly! I know it will be fabulous.
hugs