Monday, October 2, 2017

Finding Comfort at Home....




This has been a sad day in America.
It was good to find comfort in staying home today.


This gave me plenty of time to pause and pray often.


When the President and First Lady led in a moment of silence,
I bowed my head in the kitchen and prayed.


I have thought about finding comfort at home ever since I saw the photo my friend, Dawn, posted on Facebook. I love her house - all full of warmth and books and her beautiful and entertaining cats.
Home and comfort go hand in hand for me and I am thankful for my home.


I decided to make Louis Dean some potato and corn chowder for a late lunch today.
That's something he could eat without hurting his mouth which is still healing from 6 hours in the dentist chair last week. Since it was such a beautiful day, I took the vegetables outside to peel.


Our once beautiful elm tree is dead now.
I have lived here 51 years and the tree was big even back then.
Both of my sons climbed this tree and Jesse, Jr. nailed boards to make a stair step up the main trunk. Those boards are still there but much higher in the tree now.
Back last year a big section fell destroying the gazebo.
Louis Dean frets about the danger of a branch coming down and injuring someone - and he's especially concerned about the grandchildren. We will have to have the tree people out soon to take down anything that can fall. I'm hoping to leave the huge trunks in place. I saw where a man uses a chain saw and creates a beautiful work of art with tree trunks.


While I can't do that, I believe my blogging friend, Arlene, told me about fixing a trunk up to look like a trolls house. Or maybe we can just let the English ivy and the Asian Jasmine grow over it.


The soup turned out good!
I don't know why I am just now thinking of soup when he had the dental work done last Tuesday.
Oops!

I worked in the kitchen all day cleaning. The refrigerator was a mess and everything needed a good scrubbing. Louis Dean worked outside repairing a big pair of clippers to cut tree branches. Then he would come inside and work on cleaning up his music room.
We met back in the gazebo for a tea break and read. We finished a book about an Amish family this afternoon. Usually we read biographies and such so this was different. It would have made a good movie.


We will go back to General Schwarzkopf, Jr tomorrow.


On our next break we watched a new show I recorded.
We really like it and it may become a regular one for us to watch.

Our last break was after we had been cleaning up the mess the squirrels leave every day on our side decks. They are chewing the pecan crop up before the nuts even get a chance to ripen and fall.
Then they drop the shells on the deck and it's like trying to walk on broken glass!
He blew it all off yesterday and I did it today.
I used to like squirrels. Not anymore!



Louis Dean had a wine glass in the freezer and used it for his beer.
Reminded me of Benno's on the Beach in Galveston. When I order wine there, they serve it in a beer stein. They said they tried wineglasses but kept breaking them! I love it!

It's not midnight yet and I'm not nearly as tired as I was last night.
My feet feel much better. The problem is I have severe arthritis in both of my feet. I was diagnosed with degenerative joint disease 17 years ago and it does get worse every year. That's why I have had surgeries on both of my big toes. Now it's in the ankles and I get spasms that are like Charlie Horses.
Wearing good shoes helps. I put those pretty sandals in the Goodwill bag along with others that will only cause me grief if I wear them. I take Celebrex if I'm going to be on my feet all day.
Everyone has something and I'm grateful it's not in my neck or back. I have it in my hands as well but they don't hurt as bad as my feet do.

I remember back when I was divorced and my feet hurt so bad. Once I was lying in bed and in too much pain to be able to get to sleep. I thought, "I would marry someone if they would rub my feet!"
We think crazy things sometimes!
Still, I have a lot to be thankful for!

Louis Dean has been asleep for hours now and I am about to head outside and turn off the pretty lights on the front porch and just leave the porch light on.


Goodnight from the Chapman's!

Earlier this evening I got a phone call from Rayne.
Summer said she told her she wanted to talk to Bella (that's ME!) before she went to bed.
She told me all about her first day back at her old school and how happy everyone was to see her.
She asked about our day. I told her I had pumpkin muffins left from the reunion and had put them in the refrigerator to keep for her. 
That phone call was a real blessing to me.....a comfort.


I copied the quote on the chalkboard I have in the living room.


12 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

One of the worst days ever for our country. the world really is getting more and more evil. I am so sorry about your feet. You have such a great attitude! I am in pain most of the time, but I just think I am so grateful that I don't have cancer or something else as bad. I love that raccoon tree! I know you will do something artistic with the stump. Around here, people put flower pots and seasonal things on them. The soup looks great!

Linda said...

Our days are now running in the sixties, which makes my mind turn to winter soups. I included the ingredients for 3 soups when I placed my home delivery order with Safeway today. I'm not much of a Soup eater but I do enjoy thick, rich, winter soups. A pan of hot cornbread makes a perfect meal, veggies are in the soup. Bob has medical appointments the next two days so it will probably be Thursday before we can have a Soup day. These cooler days have also sparked a severe urge to get back to my knitting. Nothing better than hand knit wool socks.

Carol said...

Oh, there is nothing that I can think of that makes life more miserable than your feet hurting. I suffer with plantar fasciitis and some days are just a complete struggle to get through the day.

Arlene G said...

That Jane Austen was one talented lady wasn't she Linda? I love that quote as well. But hey, now we both have two homes to stay at!!:) Hope LD is feeling better...dental work while appreciated is often painful. I need to do some fall cleaning as well but it is so tempting to sit down with my stitching. Marvin has problems with his feet and his podiatrist gave him a vitamin that has helped. it is a RX but most insurances do not pay for it....Marvin paid out of pocket and he said it has helped him. I will try to remember to get the name of it for you Linda.

MadSnapper said...

I agree with you and with Jane Austen, there is nothing like the comfort of home... I am like you, my home comforts me and I love it. I love to see the sun come in the windows and shine on any and all things, like you love the candlelight and cozy darkness. our homes should make us feel good when we are in them.... that soup has jogged my mind and I will be making some next time I shop. my mother called soup like this Leftover Soup. she and I used to put a container in the freezer and each time there were veggies of any kind left over, we put them in the container. when it was full we made soup.

Phoebes World said...

It was a very terrible, shocking and sad day yesterday and I found myself getting quite emotional..even tearing up during the minutes silence. I pray that those involved will find peace and comfort
You are so right.. there is no place like home. Its where I feel safe and cosy. I love seeing other peoples homes and get inspiration for my own. Its not being nosey...its called taking an interest ;)
Im sorry your feet hurt so much... Its a real pain..pardon the pun,, when you want to do so much
Glad to see LD looking better.. love the Raccoon tree and the soup looks amazing
Have a great Tuesday
Phoebe x

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I can relate to hurting feet. I broke one of my feet in a fall several years ago and arthritis promptly set in. I cannot wear any heals at all and yes good shoes do help. I had a shelf full of shoes that went out to the Salvation army. It's getting harder all the time to find any that are comfortable. Around the house I wear crocs and my feet love them. I agree that home is a place for comfort. It's my shelter in the storms of life.

Susie said...

Linda, What a sweet ending to a busy day for you. I love that you take good care of LD and others....but you must care for yourself also. I have arthritis in my feet and ankles too. If I walk or stand too much one day, I have trouble the next. I just take Tylenol for it. I had a tree man tell me once, every kind of tree has a life spam...disease or insects can shorten that life. So that elm needs to go. I like the idea of keeping the stump for someone to carve . Yes, squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, rabbits and possums are big rodents, digging, chewing, invading every thing and any thing. LOL. Off with their heads !!! That's if I were Queen you know. LOL I have to redress my scarecrows, cause the mice ate their shirts to pieces in the shed...I am going to toss some moth balls in there. :):)
I hate what has happen in Vegas. This seems to be something right out of the blue...too scary . Praying for all those that lost loved ones and or got hurt.
Blessings to you and LD. love you guys, xoxo, Susie

Vee said...

There is always so much to chat with you about from the horror of Sunday to soup, which I will be considering for supper for the same reason, minus five hours, that you made soup for your Sweetheart. So glad that Rayne had a good day back to school. That’s a blessing. Yes, home is the coziest place of all to be and visiting your home from my own is always a joy. Take good care of your feet. My dad told me that I should get a good pair of diabetic shoes even though I am not diabetic. Supposedly, the have no pressure points and provide a lot of support.

NanaDiana said...

You are such a good soul, Linda. You never complain even though you are hurting and you are a caretaker of others- physically and emotionally.

It was a horrible day yesterday. Almost too much sadness to process...and today the heartaches sets in and continues as the shock wears off.

God bless you-xo Diana

ps-So glad Summer is doing so well. It sounds like she is not having as much pain as she used to have.

Carole said...

the Sketchers you recommended were just fabulous for me - I've never had such comfortable shoes - will have to get another pair. So sad about Las Vegas. What a scary world we are living in now. All the best

Cloudia said...

Sending you my best healing wishes