Monday in Dallas and Tuesday Treasures!

Summer returned from several weeks in Puerto Rico and she came back in good shape.

She is making some progress and that's good news.

I picked her up at the airport and we came home and had a visit in the gazebo before heading to bed.

She was pretty tired after a 4+ hour layover in Orlando.

We enjoyed our late morning and early afternoon together and then she headed back to Rowlett and I headed to Dallas.

It was so good to get some Mother/Daughter time!

Our gardens are looking good in spite of needing some weeding and trimming.

 I left Louis Dean 'home alone' while I went over to help Amber in Quadville.

I arrived before they got home so I decided to go for a walk.

There's a huge green belt behind where they live and it is so pretty in every single season.

Reality Check!

Coyotes roam this area at night.

A good place to walk, think, meditate and pray.

It's nearly as pretty as the meadow area I love in the country.

I was always just across the street from the housing area.

I went up to the corner and was walking back to Quadville when I noticed the very pretty house that Amber says is the only one she's ever seen that looks like mine. Mike always slows down when they drive around the corner when it's dark and the lights are on. The lady has gallery walls much like mine - filled with things from floor to ceiling. And the gardens! Oh, my! She has such a green thumb and everything is lush and gorgeous.

I decided to take a chance and walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

The nicest lady came to the door. Of COURSE she was nice! Anyone living in such a beautiful home was bound to be a kind and lovely person! Sweet, petite and fascinating!

Her name is Annmarie and I told her that, while she doesn't know me, we are kindred spirits!

And we really are. We had a wonderful visit and I can tell you - I have been bested!

She graciously gave me a tour of her fabulous home that makes mine pale to insignificance and then we went out to her gardens. I lingered much longer than I meant to and was about to leave to walk back when she offered to drive me since she was leaving on an errand anyway.

I love this lady! We are now friends on Facebook!

How fun is it to meet up with a kindred spirit??

The girls and I prepared the dinner I brought.

These are carrots my garden friend, Tamara, gave me.

She has the gift of a green thumb and an abundance of carrots.

Tamara knew the quads would get a kick out of seeing and eating them.

She even left the tops on some so they could see them.

Trystan was my little helper!

She and I set out appetizers while dinner was in the oven.

While I was finishing up the meal and about to plate it, I started feeling light headed so I called Louis Dean and he got there faster than I thought possible. I was lying down and the girls were so sweet to me I nearly teared up. Kailey gave me a cold cloth to put on my head and Trystan rubbed my feet.

Louis Dean helped serve the meal and the kids enjoyed having him at the table with them.

Amber had taken Harrison to a practice so we had finished dinner and was just about done with their showers by the time they got home. AND they were all in bed by their normal time. Plus Louis Dean washed all the dishes before he went back home.

By the way, nothing was seriously wrong with me. I'm not able to eat well until I get back in to the dentist tomorrow plus a couple of test came back from the bloodwork one of which is my thyroid medicine. I've been on the same dose for the last 20 years but it now seems I need to reduce it. I picked up the new Rx today.

This morning I slept in until 7:00. Amber had been up for an hour or more.

The kids were off to school before I had even finished my first cup of coffee!

Amber and I both love movies and we watched this favorite with High Grant and Julia Roberts.

Hugh Grant was in Paddington 2 and he has aged considerably. Julia Roberts hasn't seemed to age at all!! What a coincidence that Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley on Downton Abbey) was in both Paddington 2 as well as Notting Hill! Guess both Hughs like working together!

Since it's Tuesday I decided to hit up the Goodwill in Dallas before coming back to Irving and hitting up a couple here.

It's been a couple of week since I have been to the thrift stores.

I got a nice haul.

These Jolly Ol' Snowy are plain red bowls - nice size for cereal and such.

They will go back to the ranch with us.

I use a lot of red down there.

This Ricardo Beverly Hills laptop carry on will come in so handy for our cruise.

Have I mentioned that Louis Dean and I are going on an Alaskan cruise in September to celebrate my 70th birthday?

This book caught my eye.

Said it is in the same vein as Eat, Pray, Love, Julie and Julia, and The Year of Living Biblically.

I have read the first two but not the last.

Two nice boxes that now hold CDs and slides under a chair in the living room.

I love a good basket!

This one came in handy tonight when I clipped roses and honeysuckle to make a couple of new bouquets. Three green spatulas will be used.

I hit the jackpot with two other purchases.

Louis Dean was too fast for me and I didn't get a photo before he had already dismantled and loaded it back in the truck to transport to the ranch when we go.

What is it?

A small scale table and four chairs for the front room!

They are all in good condition and will be perfect for down there!!

Now!!! This is the Buy of the Day!!! 

I found this super comfy chair AND ottoman at Texas Thrift Irving up on Beltline Road.

I could NOT believe the price tag!

The beautiful detail and lush upholstery.....

There's some cleaning, tweaking and a bit of repairing to do but nothing major.

The ottoman fits snugly up to the chair.

I just love it!!

As a matter of fact, I'm sitting in it right this minute with my laptop as I write and listening to Andean Fusion music. Ah....such comfort!

The kicker to this great buy?

It only cost $15! For chair and ottoman!!

I know! Unbelievable!

I called Louis Dean and, once again, he was Johnny on the Spot and was up there loading table, chairs and this awesome piece!

Once I got home and put everything up, I went out to the front gardens to weed and water.

We are hoping to not let the yard get out of hand this year.

Going back and forth to the ranch makes it hard to keep up this place but we aim to do it!!

A proper finish to Tuesday is ART!

I  thought I was ready to put on the pattern for the Paris, Texas Eiffel Tower but discovered the background needed to be deepened.

Art will stay out until after next week or eben until we pack it up to go back to the camper.

That way I can keep working on it a little at a time.

It's been a wonderful day and bed is going to feel good tonight!