Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Life! The Sorrows and the Pleasures.....Our Tuesday and Wednesday

Tuesday morning we were about to head into Waco for a day of adventure.....
We still had that adventure but Summer had called me with sad news of her situation regarding her health and treatment.

From my Facebook post yesterday....

Please say a prayer for my Summer Dee this morning. She is in great pain and the doctor said he can't help her. She doesn't know what to do or where to go for treatment.

My Mother's Heart ached for her all day long and I prayed as I went through the day.

Louis Dean and I shopped one Goodwill, Home Depot and had lunch at El Chico before heading back to the ranch.


Knowing my heart was sad, Louis Dean stopped by the side of the county road when he saw a pretty batch of sunflowers and asked, "Don't you need a fresh bouquet?"
Yes, I DID!!

We found some treasures at the Goodwill!!


I bought 6 dinner plates and two salad plates of the Tracy Porter Octavian Hill Collection at a Goodwill earlier this summer. It was not a surprise to me to find the other four salad plates to complete my set for just $2.25 - for all four! Replacement prices are around $12 on eBay!
The napkins were $2 for eight! 
Finding a lamp for my bathroom was my main goal! WIN!! Win!! For $6 I scored a great ome.
It is heavy! I could use it outside and the wind wouldn't even blow it over.
I didn't need the shade that came with it but I'll take it home with me just in case.


Louis Dean found these two treasures!
We brought our roaster from home but now we can take it back since he bought this one!
A simple portable chair is always handy! 

I admit to having a heavy heart and when we got back to the camper I crawled into the girl bunk to rest and pray. I say 'crawl' and that's exactly how I get in there. I sit down and then lift my feet and swing them up and into the bunk. To get out I have to lift my legs and plant my feet on the wall beside the bunk and swing myself out. I love that bunk. I hope I can get in and out of it for a long time.

Dean and Sherry cooked dinner and brought it down to us.
It's such a blessing to spend time with them.


It was a beautiful July evening and we ate outside at the picnic table they brought down here for us long ago. Dean cooked ribs and Sherry fried potatoes. I fixed corn on the cob and sliced up tomatoes from home. I picked all the green ones and they have ripened up on the window sill.


A meal to remember.
Good food really and truly does help a sorrowful heart.

After dinner, just as they were about to leave to do the critter chores......


....we spied a snake!
It's called a racer! It posed for me and then raced away!
I'm not sure what the flower is but it's pretty.
I didn't bring my wildflower book back with me this time......

I rode my bike down to do a nature hunt before it got dark.


I was looking for feathers and such to mail to the quads.
Dean and Sherry helped me and I have quite a selection now!
I hope to put these in the mail tomorrow so they will get them before we get home!
We were in bed last night before 10:00.
Nearly unheard of for us but we were not in the mood for sitting out with wine and enjoying the evening. I went to sleep praying and continued every time I woke up.

This morning's Facebook Post.....

Even when my heart is heavy with concern overSummer, Life continues and we still need to eat and stay busy! Louis Dean was especially happy when I remembered to fix lunch earlier this afternoon! I've been battling an invasion of sugar ants in the camper and barely rescued the vanilla wafers before they marched in that direction! So I'm going to make a homemade banana pudding and then clean, sprayand organize my pantry. Life goes on. Every big and ant is getting the full impact of my cleanup no vengeance.
As for Summer, she is among phone calls and trying to find a plan and a way to move on in her search for her health problems. She still has no firm diagnosis as to why she is in so much pain. The surgery was a success for her birth defect but she had another issue that presented itself at the same time and that is the one that is crippling her now. I am praying as I work.....


He looks happy, doesn't he??


He always plays 'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You' to cheer me up or to end his mini concert to me. He will be 81 years old in November and a more romantic man you will never find!
I'm still so very grateful to be married to Louis Dean!

It was hot in Texas today and it was hot in the camper!!
Normally, I turn the lights out and manage to keep it cool during the heat of the day.
Not so this day. I was hunting and killing ANTS and cleaning and organizing as I did so.
The pantry light is pretty bright and I burned it all afternoon.
Amazing what LIGHT does!

I was working in the pantry and needed a tub to load the pantry stuff into when........


I discovered this spider in the bottom of a nearly empty tub.
Turns out it is a wolf spider and not the brown recluse I thought it to be.
I won't go into detail about how sad I was when my knight in shining armor delivered me from what he thought was imminent danger.
I got a spider bite last Thursday shortly after we arrived and it is still red. Doesn't really hurt but it still looks as fresh as it did nearly a week ago.

I did about as much work as I was willing to do and will save the rest for tomorrow.
LD promised to add a shelf to the lower portion of the pantry and that will make it so much easier to store things!

By the time I was ready to cry uncle - the shade had covered the deck and we took a glass of wine and went outside.

Here we are....


He's swatting flies - and there are LOTS of them! .....


and I'm sipping my wine!
Win! WIN!!!


This is our view!
Not bad! Not bad at all!


This is supposed to be a panoramic photo - 360 degrees.
Not sure but maybe it will work.


I wish I could have recorded the horses as they were running along the fence line. 
They were magnificent!

We had an easy dinner of Chinese Food - love Trader Joe's!
It's not midnight yet so we are going out for one last sit on the new deck.
Did I mention Louis Dean added another 8 feet to it?
Plus he put in the bathroom window today!

We are loving it here and making progress on the room.
Soon we will be heading home and life is good there, too.

Mother is still doing well in the nursing home.
Lillian, her roommate, is in the hospital with a high fever and we are praying for her.

*Source*

I'm closing this journal entry out under midnight!
And now for some serious star gazing.....

13 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ginny Hartzler said...

Summer has had so much suffering for one so young.But she cannot loose HOPE!! Many are praying for her. Your plate of food looks so good!! Oh, that spider and snake!! You gave me such a huge laugh...it stopped to pose for you, then raced away. And I bet that is exactly how it happened, too. I believe Racers are also called harmless Black Snakes. Recluse bites can have serious consequences, but wolf spiders are just painful. Be careful!! LOOK before you do everything. Louis Dean's bouquet is gorgeous!! When you return, you and the Quads should make Indian headbands with the feathers!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Praying for your sweet Summer Dee!

Linda said...

What a great idea!

Arlene G said...

I am so sorry to hear this about Summer. After Marvin's bout with pain, I know it is hard to see someone you love, suffering so. I hope she can find some relief. Loved seeing all your pictures and what bargains you found. We are off to Grimmwood today and both of us are excited to get back there.

Estelle's said...

Your poor dear Summer....pain can absolutely wear you down..physically and emotionally...I do so hope she finds someone to listen and help. Stay safe in this hot weather darling girl.

Susie said...

Linda, I will be praying for Summer. I hope her dr.will help locate someone who can find out what is happening. I know those days of praying all day for our loved ones. I am so glad you have a wonderful husband who tries to sooth your heavy heart.
You are finding plenty to stay busy there..ANTS...you know they make me crazy, I mean hair pulling crazy !! Get to Lowe's or Menards and get some Ortho"Home Defence"...that's what the bugman told us to treat our house with....heavy rains drive the ants inside too. :)
Blessings to you and LD...we love you guys too. xoxo, Susie

Kathy said...

I and my church are praying for Summer. There must be some answer. I am glad to be getting to know her. She is a sweet girl and it breaks my heart that she is in so much pain.

Glad you are having a relaxing time on the ranch. I think you need it right now. Those feathers will be great to give the quads. They will have so much fun with them. As a child I found a pigeon feather in our yard and made a quill out of it. Of course it wasn't very good, but it was fun.

So sorry to hear about Lillian. I will be praying for her too.

We are overrun with ants. The only thing I have found to really work is Terro liquid ant traps. Maybe you could try that.

MadSnapper said...

all spiders die if they come near me. and wolf spiders JUMP really far. thanks LD.. prayers for Summer and her pain... if you ever get short on cash, you can sell the deals you find in thrift stores on line and make extra cash

Nonnie said...

I'm so sorry to read of your Summer's pain. To hear there's nothing to be done is quite a helpless feeling, but you are right that life must continue on. You are blessed to have such a sweetheart of a husband. The sunflowers are beautiful. Eeeek! Spiders and snakes! No, no, no!

Beth said...

I am praying for summer. Maybe there are some alternative treatments that would be helpful? For example, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy.
You cook the best meals! Fresh corn and tomatoes - YUM!
Blessings, Beth

Gypsy Heart said...

I cannot tell you how sorry I am about Summer. Pain can absolutely work your last nerve! I will definitely keep her in my prayers. It hurts a mother's heart to see a child in pain or distress. Take good care of yourself and be careful amongst the ants, spiders, snakes, etc.

xo
Pat

Carole said...

Hi LInda, so sorry that the doctor didn't have anything positive for Summer. I'm sure you've had a whole lot of unsolicited advice so I'll be brief - have you thought of non medical options such as Pilates or a class on proper posture/breathing. Sometimes I think that the medications and physio etc just gets in the way of the body healing itself... But then I'm just an ordinary person so what would I know? Best of luck to her and to all of you. Kia Kaha