Oops! I got Behind!

I was doing so well in writing my journal every day there for awhile.

Then I got behind.

Wednesday was a Home Day - my favorite kind!

It took all day but I cleaned the bedroom and lit the candles in celebration!

The reason it took so long was what's behind these mirrored closet doors!

I changed out my spring and summer wardrobe to fall and winter.

I have many more cold weather clothes than I do hot warm weather ones and I have no idea WHY!

We seldom even get cold weather in Texas.

 Early in the day, I took a step ladder and pulled down all the stored clothing from the top of the closet. I was now at the point of no return.

I ended up with a full white trash bag to take to Goodwill.

I am also going to make a plan to wear everything in my closet.....if that's possible.

I change some things out year after year without wearing them even once.

I wish I had someone to come sit on the side of the bed and say, "You really need to toss that!"

Or, "No, that is NOT becoming on you! Get rid of it!"

As I wear things this next season, if it doesn't FEEL good or if it doesn't LOOK good on me - I'm putting it in the Goodwill bag which I keep handy.

I did make a happy discovery in the course of going through the closet.

I found this little magnetic holder for my glasses.

Nita gave it to me and I put away a Halloween sweater last year with the clip still on it.

I wondered what I had done with it.

I left art out on Tuesday so Wednesday night I painted a bit and Louis Dean played the guitar and sang to me.

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You is always the last song he sings before he puts the music away.

Look what Harrison sent me that night!

I was painting and my phone dinged.

Harrison needs to teach me how to do this!

Thursday morning I got up early and was picking Ruth Ann up before 10:00.

We were heading to Fort Worth to spend the day but we wanted to visit Reaoma first.

She loves chocolate milk shakes so I decided to get her one from Big State Drug Store on our way to the retirement home.

Guess what??? The unthinkable happened!!

I got there before the store OPENED!

That almost never happens!!

No worries!

We popped over to McDonald's and got a shake there but next week I'm going to go to Big State!

The TV stays on all the time in Reaoma's room to keep her company.

Ruth Ann and I will sit and watch it with her as we visit.

I was holding the milkshake for her to sip when Charlie Pride came on.

I turned the volume up as he sang 'Kiss an Angel Good Morning.'

We all got a kick out of that.

Last week I changed her TV channel thinking it was on the wrong station....but it wasn't and I had to get help putting it back where it was. I did not make that mistake again.

We had a good time looking at the photo album Pam had put together for her mother's 77th birthday.

I combed her hair and gave her sips of water - this time without dripping it all over her - and then had a word of prayer thanking God for her life and our friendship.

Reaoma laughed when I told her to be good and not get into trouble as we were leaving.

Then we were off to Fort Worth by way of Bush Toll Road and I30 taking the Hulen Street exit.

Some weeks we start at one end of Hulen and the next week the other.

The way to Mother's nursing home is even off of Hulen.

First stop - Central Market!

I picked up some of this inexpensive Chardonnay from California.

 Louis Dean and I shared a bottle that evening and really liked it.

While I could afford that bargain priced wine........

there were lots of other things I enjoyed looking at but could not afford!

I have never spent $31.99 for a candle and doubt I ever will!

I was intrigued with those gourmet marshmallows but I couldn't bring myself to buy a bag.

I left with wine and flavored water as my only purchases.

On to Trader Joe's!!!

I just love walking into that place! I get the same good feeling as when I step through the door at a Starbucks! Instant happiness! Kind of an 'Ahhhhhh' feeling.

I always get a small cup of the featured coffee.....

and the sample being offered here was seriously good.

The chocolate chip cookies were what I came for but the eucalyptus and cinnamon broom were must buys! My car smelled so good! Now my house does!

Driving on down Hulen, we started looking for a place to eat lunch.

We are trying to eat somewhere different every week.

Bravo looked good!

You can't go wrong with Italian food!

We each ordered the Insalata Della Casa (house salad) which was really good and we liked the fact that it was cut up fine enough to eat easily. No poking a big leaf of lettuce in our mouths!

I had the Italian Wedding Soup while Ruth Ann ordered the Black Bean. However, Ruth Ann traded with me so I ate hers and she ate mine.

We lingered long at the table sipping our lemon water and talking.

I love that we have the luxury of time and opportunity to do that.

Moving on down Hulen......

Tuesday Morning!

Louis Dean loves shortbread cookies and we both like Panettone!

Add the Pumpkin Spice Coffee (which I will take to the ranch) and the candle melts - 

it was a Win! WIN!!

Our last stop was at the nursing home to visit Mother and Lillian.

They had just settled down for a nap when we arrived but they seemed glad to see us.

I was so busy showing them photos from the quads visiting on Monday and of Summer at the Arboretum on Sunday that I forgot to take photos of them!

Mother was sporting a brand new hearing aid and she was so proud of it. 

She had only used a Pocket Talker before so she was happy.

Mother has been doing well in her therapy and I practiced the orange cards with her.

The only word she could really say was 'eat.' The others she acted out.

She's good at that. Mother's always been a bit of a Drama Queen.

Lillian has been so good to her. She told us she didn't know what Mother would do without her. 

Mother asks her to put her earrings in and hook her necklace as well as help her with her hearing aids now.  Hmmmmm......

You really should not do things for others that they can do for themselves.

That's what we had been told back when Mother was recovering from her stroke - a dozen years ago.

I told Lillian a little story.

Mother was living with Nita.....she lived there nearly 8 years.

 One day as Nita was in the bathroom getting ready for work, she heard Mother whimpering and sounding all distressed. Nita dropped everything and rushed into Mother's room to see what was wrong. Mother was holding out a pierced earring and whimpering 'please. please.'

She was perfectly capable of putting these on herself and Nita knew that. 

Mother likes to have people do things for her but that's not always a good thing.

Mother smiled all the way through my telling the story to Lillian.

We don't want her to be a burden to her room mate but apparently Lillian doesn't mind.

Summer was at my house when I got home Thursday afternoon.

She had been to see a neurologist and he suggested she see an orthopedic surgeon as he thought there was something wrong with her hips since that's where the pain is. First they thought it was the piriformis muscle and now something else. Summer has more than one health issue to deal with. The fibromyalgia is one thing. Being diabetic is another. But this back pain has been ongoing since September 19th of last year. The back surgery was successful but the pain continues.

So she made an appointment with Dr. Crawford - the surgeon who operated on my toes last year and to whom Summer had referred me. He is in Irving so she spent the night since she had an appointment early this morning.

We had a good time watching more of the Chesapeake series and eating popcorn!

It's always nice to have one of your children back home in their own room.

This morning when I woke up, Summer was already at the doctor.

She got some good news!

Her hips are good. Excellent, even! No arthritis in them and they are level and look fine.

No problem there. So Dr. Crawford said, "Now we know what it isn't. Let's see what it is."

He proceeded to push and poke and at his first try on each hip - hit the spot that caused her so much pain she came straight up off the table!

He said, "Now we know what it is!"

Bursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs — called bursae (bur-SEE) — that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed.

Apparently, when her injury happened back last year, this became inflamed and hasn't calmed down yet. He gave her a set of steroids and said it may take another round but that she should start seeing some improvement within a few days.

All very welcome news!

She spent the next several hours here at home with me.

My project was to make a pair of Aladdin pants for Rayne.

Summer had stopped at a thrift store and purchased a nice white sheet to use as the fabric.

She found a pattern a lady had recommended on 

Craft Girl Live Journal!

The first pair was too small!

Rayne wasn't here to try them on.

I sent them home with Summer and she called me with the new measurements.

I'll try the second bigger pair on Rayne Sunday. We will make this work!

The pants will be part of her Halloween costume.

I have spent a lot of time today doing the odd and end thing around the house.

I watered. I signed up for our new electricity plan for this year. I balanced the checkbook. I paid bills. I cooked a pot roast.

I need a few more at home days before we leave for the ranch next week.

It's a good thing to come home to a clean house!