Making Beds and Painting Boards.....Our Country Wednesday!

There's just something special about putting fresh sheets on a bed.

I changed the sheets on the Girl Bunk - where I sleep part of just about each and every night down here - from the red plaid flannels to a set of  gray dorm size T-shirt jersey knit sheets that we bought Amber when she was in the hospital for 52 days before the quads were born. They fit great on the camper bunks!

Clean sheets and a fresh pillow case!

Instead of lighting a candle, I gave it all a spritz of my favorite perfume - Red Door.

Louis Dean gifts this fragrance to me often as it is his favorite, too!

Except he calls it 'BARN Door!'

Last night, as I lay in bed saying my prayers, I looked out the open window and gazed up at the stars and a sliver of moon, and praised God for allowing us to spend time down here in the country.

I don't think the 'new' of being out here will ever wear off.

I've loved it ever since our very first visit several years ago.

I'm going to go back in my Country Diaries and see when that was and read my first impressions.

Sometimes what we remember deepens what we recorded about a special time.

This needlework hangs above the pillow in the Girl Bunk.

I stitched it over 30 years ago.

It is one of my favorite verses and remains my goal in how to live and love.

We don't have but a couple of days left here so we were up and at 'em!

Both Louis Dean and I had a set of goals we wanted to achieve for the day.

The very first thing he did - after coffee, stupor and our devotional time - was set up the new printer he bought for me.

While we have been here for two weeks, I have not written one single word on my book.

The first week was because I had left my book notes and some old photos from the time period I'm writing about at home. Dean and Sherry went by the house and picked them up and brought them back over the weekend. This week I've been busy doing 'things.' Sometimes I think I am putting off writing and yet I know I really do want to write this book. But I'm also thinking it may need to be two books. Life before and Life after.....

Tomorrow I have promised myself I will at least work on the changes and additions I need to make to the first five chapters. I read them out loud to my siblings on our way to Galveston last month. Out loud reading is important in going back and 'listening' to what I've written.

I'm grateful for the faith Louis Dean has in me writing this book.

It makes me love him even more.....

I was finally able to help Louis Dean in his work on the new room.

Alas, in the process, I killed my phone.

See that apron I'm wearing? I always wear one that has pockets so I can carry my phone.

Normally, I sew deep denim pockets but not so on this one.

I was painting along on the front of the house - where the truck parks - when I looked down in the big can of paint and saw something black. That would be my iPhone!

I freaked out as I plucked it out of can and I tracked streaks of paint behind me as I ran in to wash it off. I cleaned it and took the cover off and cleaned it some more and then put it in a bag of Jasmine rice from Trader Joe's and was glad I had it. Sadly, I think all hope is gone and I will have to replace it next week. Thank goodness, I still have my iPad!!

While I painted, Louis Dean worked on the sewer pipe he had accidentally cut ,and he had to go to Waco to get a part to repair it. Since I didn't  - and don't - have a phone - I insisted on going with him.

We will be together until I get a new one.

He often says the only reason he even HAS a phone is that I insisted he get one when we first started dating back in 2005. He has had a phone ever since.

We saw our first bluebonnets of the season on our way......

and Louis Dean made a point of stopping on our way back so I could take pictures.

You can tell these are new because there are no red spots at the bottom.....

And we saw these! Indian Paintbrushes go hand in hand with Texas Bluebonnets!

I love a man that will pull off the road for wildflowers!

We drove back country roads to the paved highways and then back again.

On the gravel back roads, we saw one car as we went towards town and four vehicles on our way home. There are lots of cars on the paved roads but nothing like the traffic you have in big cities!

So this is where I am blogging.

I meant it print off a copy of one of the critter photos I've taken while we have been down here as well as a pencil sketch of it using my edit program.

But the day has been long and we are tired so I aim to do this first thing in the morning.

Louis Dean bids you all a good night!!

And so do I!