Thursday, October 19, 2017

God is Good and I'm so Grateful......for so many things!

Yesterday we 'got out of Dodge' as Louis Dean says when we leave town.
On our way we stopped in to visit with Reaoma.
I bought milkshakes at Big State Fountain and Grill on our way to her place - a chocolate shake for her and a strawberry for Louis Dean.
He likes to leave Irving the back way to Mart - by Loop 12 to Spur 408 to I20 to I35 to .....I had to Google Maps it from the Lone Star Cafe to Mart.


We kept with our tradition to stop at Hillsboro for dinner and a margarita for me before we drive on in to the ranch.


It was all so good! Enough for two meals and that's what we had tonight for dinner....the leftovers!


Last night's sunset.


Our first campfire of this trip and we sat gazing into the flames while we sipped our evening glass of wine before going to bed and sleeping like babies.

Thursday

The first message I saw when I woke up this morning was from Summer and Sabrina.


They had been up since 3:00 AM and saw the sun rise over the plane that would take them to Disney in Florida! 



They were excited!!!
What a blessing it is to me to see them so happy.
The last time we were here in the camper - we were praying they would survive Hurricane Maria and then prayed they could get off the island of Puerto Rico.
I much prefer praying they stay safe and have fun at Disney!

After our morning routine, I went down to visit Sherry and she gave me instructions for Critter Care while she and Dean will be gone for a few days.

Then I left Louis Dean working on the electrical outlets for the new room and I went to 'town'.....Mart!


I drove the back roads ....and they look dry, brown and dusty.


Falls Road is so rough I can't see how a car could navigate it.
Glad I was in the Big White Truck!


Lots of abandoned houses on this street.


Once they were homes.....now just empty dilapidated houses.
All with a story - which I wish I knew.

My first stop was the Dollar store where I bought 10 pair of  garden gloves for $0.10 a pair.
Also spring flower seeds for $0.10 a box and I bought 4!
I love the Dollar Stores!

Second.....and last stop - Read's Grocery.





 This grocery store has a history!




I love that I can shop here!

Home to check on Louis Dean!
I unloaded and put up everything - keeping separate the things I will take back to Irving - like the seeds and garden gloves.
Before I knew it - time for critter chores!


I drove down to Dean and Sherry's place because I had a load of laundry to do.
I put the wash in and had a bag on my arm to put the flowers I picked in. 
The horses thought it held treats for them.
So here they came!


First one and then the others......
I did my chores and headed back up to the camper......



This one was just coming up from the now dry small tank.


As soon as I got back to 'our place', I went inside and grabbed a few carrots.


And here they came!
I do so love all the critters here!


Thumper.....


She is so pretty!


Can you see the baby peacock behind the chickens?
They seemed to be protecting him.
The quads FaceTimed me as I was doing the evening Critter Chores.
I showed them all the critters.......
3 goats, 25 ducks, 1 goose, 3 horses and lots and lots of chickens and roosters!
My phone was showing red so I headed back to the camper to plug it in.
I was Facetiming with Kailey and she said she would 'walk' with me.
I walked and she walked in place - which sounded to her mom like stomping!
Kailey said, "I'm walkin with MeeMaw!!" I  said, "We're walking here!"


Shades of Miss Congeniality!


It was a wonderful first full day here!
I am so looking forward to getting the siding up on this side of the room.
In the mean time - I keep on decorating.

My movie of the day was.....


I admit this was my very first time to see this film and I found it a bit hard to follow but it was entertaining. I may have to watch it again without distractions and interruptions.

Louis Dean is already in bed and has been for an hour or more.
He worked hard and long all day.
What he has done here in building a new room beside the camper is pretty impressive for a soon to be 81 year old man and he's done this in monthly visits down here since April. He planned it in April and started in May. I have always been so impressed with Louis Dean from the first time I met him!
We are still 'under construction' but someday we will have a place that will be so comfortable and we hope to host MiMi, Bella and MeeMaw Camps next summer for our grandchildren.


I close tonight with this sweet pic of our Rayne in the Aladdin pants Summer and I made for her!

I am going to bed now counting my blessings.......
I have so very many!



11 comments:

Kathy said...

Love hearing about your life on the ranch. I haven't seen the movie, but I read the book "Memoirs of a Geisha". I think it would be hard to make it into a movie. Rayne is cute in her Aladdin pants.

Bluebird49 said...

I've always been impressed with Louis AND you! Your posts always convey your joy for country life. Mimi Camp---sounds like heaven.
Good to see the girls all smiling!

I'm sure Louis will get a lot done, but y'all will come back home for trick or treating.
My 13-year-old Facetimes with me/Pop so much---it would take much worse times than these to get rid of my iPhone 6! I love it when he calls from the fishing pond, or from his room to talk before bedtime. I know at his age, it can't last forever, but I'll have his pictures he sends me and good memories to last a lifetimes. He confides in me things that sometimes take me off guard a bit and are so endearing. He knows he can trust us.
God bless grands and great-grands and our children who gave them to us!
And God bless you!

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

A wonderful home away from home. Love seeing the creatures and hear how things are going.
Hugs.
Joy

Susie said...

Linda, What a big meal...I can see why it made two. LOL LD and you are workers . You get a lot done in one day. Glad you got to see pictures of your family while there. Yes, praying for our kids to have a safe trip is more enjoyable that worrying about hurricanes. Blessings to all, love you, xoxo, Susie

Estelle's said...

I so enjoyed this post Linda....hope they have a ball in Disney..it's impossible not to feel the magic! Have a wonderful time....it's your haven!

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

No doubt about it, you both keep busy. Those critters would be hard to resist and taking care of them a joy! The Aladdin pants turned out really great! Nice to do something fun like that. Hope you have a fantastic Friday! There was frost this morning but the sun is out and it's looking like a beautiful day here !

MadSnapper said...

my eyes got stuck on the fire photo. LOL.. that tail fin in the sunrise is gorgeous and they picked a good time, we have been hot as you know what, but cool air started today and it will be more comfy that last week. not cold but not killer hot. you know I love the critters

Ginny Hartzler said...

I hope Summer is able to have a blast, and really enjoy herself. I love the plane wing in front of the brilliant sunrise! The first picture of you and Louis Dean is wonderful! We have a Reids about half hour away. You are sure brave to head out on those bad roads to shop!

NanaDiana said...

Well, I am glad to see you finally got those pants to fit Rayne.
We had some of those rutted old, bad roads where I grew up in PA.
You are so fortunate that LD is so handy. My hubby is helpless and hapless when it comes to anything to do with handy work.
Have a wonderful 'vacation'...although it sounds like a working vacation to me. xo Diana

Carole said...

Memoirs of a Geisha is even better in book form, I think so anyway. Cheers

Anonymous said...

Your love of the ranch jumps right off the page! You can tell how much it lives in your heart. How sweet that the horses see you and come for their treats. And, what a happy time for a Disney trip to see them all smiling!