A Slow and Easy Eve to New Year's Eve....

It seems to be cold over much of the country right now and Texas is no exception.

It's now 36 degrees and may go down to 19 tomorrow night.

We meant to be tucked into the camper down at our son's ranch by now but we decided to wait until next Saturday when the weather starts to warm up again. It seldom stays cold for long in Texas!

I painted this canvas when Benjamin was just a baby - nearly 30 years ago.

It continues to be one of my favorites and especially so in the winter time.

It hangs in our dining room.

We won't be getting weather like this snow scene but there is a possibility of patchy freezing drizzle tonight and tomorrow. I bundled up (meaning I put on a jacket!) and filled all four bird feeders up.

The candles have been burning all day.

We have kept the fire going in the den. Not once have we turned the heat on today and yet it has remained very comfortable in the house. Outside it is 35 degrees and a cozy 73 degrees in the house.

I've spent the day doing a little of this and a little of that.

I stayed in bed until nearly noon! Reading, playing Scrabble and Words With Friends and visiting blogs - all while sipping hot coffee while propped up on pillows in my warm bed! Ah, the luxury of it all!!!

I took Christmas debris out of the laundry room and packed it away.

Our washing machine broke a couple of weeks ago and I think Joe is coming to check it out in the next day or two. 

I also changed out all the Christmas CD's to Andean Fusion, Kenny G, and The London Symphony Orchestra. I've been using my new Echo named Alexa, too. Just not at the same time.

Louis Dean took a nice long hot bath and when he went back to the den, he fell asleep.

I took a hot shower, fixed us some hot chocolate and we watched a little TV.

Still figuring out the new Direct TV. We like it - just trying to get used to it now.

I'm wearing my new Granny gown from Summer tonight.

(This photo is for you, Sandra aka Mad Snapper!)

Speaking of Summer......she had a follow up doctor appointment Friday regarding her MRI.

This is from her Facebook page.....

MRI & CT do not show the source/cause of the pain I’m experiencing. Next step is an myelogram. This will show the nerves and any blockages/or areas impeding the nerve. Once done, I should have a diagnosis and a plan of action, praying to have my old life back.

We are so grateful for the prayers being prayed for her.

This was the last stop. Thankfully the doctor is doing everything he can to find the cause.

IF the myelogram is good, he said it will confirm his diagnosis. However, we can't remember the word he used for it but it has something to do with the brain and the pain being on a loop.

There are options to treat that if it turns out to be what it is.

*source*

I am getting our 'Bible Basket' ready for 2018.

Tomorrow will be our last day  for what we are currently doing.

We have one more reading in Revelations and then we will have read the entire New Testament this year as well as Psalms - twice - and Proverbs.

I put the Bible, Prayer Book, devotional book and such in a basket that we can pick up and carry to the gazebo or the den or where ever we want to have our coffee and read.

I will close with a bit of good news!

Louis Dean and I go through life looking for things!

BOTH of us do this!

He lost his camera months and months ago.

Not really lost it - he just couldn't find it!

He thought he had packed it away or left it at the ranch.

Finally, on our way to the beach last August, we stopped and he bought a new one. Not as fancy or as expensive as his old one, but he wanted a camera!

This afternoon, I sen him to the post office to mail some things and I set about looking for my prayer book and our out loud reading book we were doing before Christmas. While I have not found them yet - I DID find his camera!!!

HE didn't put it anywhere! I did!! It was tucked under the table in here in the sewing room - right beside my desk where I sit writing now!

I was so excited to tell him I found it that I was waiting outside on the porch when he got home holding the camera behind my back.

And that's all I have to say about that.