Visit With Mother, Music, Back at the Ranch....

Thursday Summer and Rayne packed up their things as they would be spending a night or two with Amber and we packed up our things as we will be spending three or four nights at the ranch.

Before we parted ways, we met up at the nursing home to visit Mother.

Summer is her first grandchild and that's s special relationship.

I'm the first born of seven so that's a special relationship.

Four of us grew up together, one died, and two younger sisters grew up separately.

But Mother is still the biological mother of all of us.

I know they are part of the bigger picture, but as I told my sister, Luann, I can only tell our story.

I can't tell hers or Shari's because I wasn't a part of it but for a very short time.

I cannot relate to the trauma they went through and, rest assured, they did go through trauma.

And theirs was just as painful and left just as many scars - if not more - than ours.

But I can only share the story of our lifes I know it. Perhaps someday they can share the story of theirs.

Families are usually complicated and some more than others.

We have all honored Mother.

Not one of us have been unkind - either to Mother or to each other.

We are all doing the very best we can and it's just as hard for Luann and Shari as it is for us.

Summer and Rayne arrived with chocolate milkshakes.

That's always a big hit!!

Mother was asleep when we went in.

I gently woke her up and she recognized us all right away.

She didn't make an effort to get up and in her wheelchair so I helped her prop up in bed and then I got in beside her. Summer wanted a four generation picture and she got it!

It was a good visit.

I'm not sure how much of the conversation she actually followed but she seemed to enjoy us all being there.

 There are a few things she says at every visit:

People don't know.

I try.

I love you.

We didn't stay too long as we didn't want to tire her out.

And I wanted to leave on a good note.

It was as good a time together as it could be and we were all very thankful for that.

We all met upon arrival in Lillian's room first.

Summer had brought her a milkshake, too.

We left Louis Dean and his guitar there and went to see Mother and then returned to Lillian's room for a nice visit with her.

LD did some music - as in over a dozen songs!

I debated on bringing Mother down for the concert but I thought I would leave well enough alone and not push things. Next visit it will be just Louis Dean and myself and a little music.

Lillian really enjoyed listening to him and she sang along on some of the songs.

He really is a man among men!

'Oh, Darling, will you love me when I'm old?'

Yes, I will!!

We do love our Lillian and I'm so glad she lets us headquarter in her room when we visit the nursing home. She is a lovely lady and we have totally adopted her!

All in all it was a great visit and it was a Win! WIN! all the way around!

Summer and Rayne headed their way and we headed back to the Ranch.

Although I wanted to make one tiny little stop at Hobby Lobby to pick up some patriotic decorations at 80% off! And then we needed to eat......

We made a good choice at The Mexican Inn!

I was about to take a pic of Louis Dean when our super cute and super good waitress stepped in!!!

Delicious food......

Great service and a good beer!

After all the energy he used in singing and performing.....

the least I could do was drive us home to the Ranch.

We settled in and called it an early night.

We were both exhausted.

I slept in the girl bunk and at 2:00 in the morning I was stripping off the sheets and throwing the covers around! ANTS were in bed with me and they were biting!

I sprayed and put the white comforter down - where I could SEE if there were any more ants - and went back to sleep. I was tired.

It was after 11:00 this morning when I got up.

Then I made a HUGE mistake that affected the whole day.

I decided to print off travel documents for our upcoming cruise and cross country road trip in September. The printer is in the front room. I could not get it to work. Then it got hot and the flies were a bother and pretty soon I was steaming.

Then Louis Dean took over and he did no better.

By now.....we were tied up in knots when we should have been relaxing and unwinding.

We cried STOP!

We came in and regrouped.

We decided to go into Mart to pick up a few things and calm down.

And so we did. We shopped Virginia's Vintage Flea Market and the Dollar Store before stopping for lunch at Pizza Pro.

My sweet husband!

I got a salad big enough for three meals!

Louis Dean's pizza was huge and enough for him and me and leftovers!

It was one of the best I've ever had!

On the way back to the ranch he spied some sunflowers and stopped to get them for me.

Then he put them in a rub of water by the front deck so they wouldn't wilt in this intense summer heat until I has a chance to put them in a vase.

I wasn't quick enough to get a pic of the cows as they were cooling off in the water.

Here they are coming up out of the tank.

This was at a ranch on our way back.

My bouquet courtesy of my hero!

Makes ordering a dozen roses sound easy!

He watches for the flowers by the road, stops and picks them. puts them in water!

Melts my heart and smooths all my ruffled feathers!

In other news.......

Summer has been knocking off the things on Rayne's wish list of things to do while she's in Texas!

Target! Done!

Dunkin' Donuts! Check!

Cane's Chicken! Yes!

 And tonight they attended a Sugarland concert!

This was our view as ventured out of the air conditioned camper and onto the front deck.

It was very pleasant out by this time.

Dean and Sherry didn't leave until tonight so we will begin Critter Chores in the morning.

Hopefully the tensions will dissolve as we sleep and tomorrow will be a peaceful country day. Yes, it will be hot - terribly so - but Louis Dean is going to get the AC installed in the front room and then I will be able to do some art out there.

I close with today's reading in 'The Language of Letting Go' by Melody Beattie.

Good night from the country.

I hope you sleep well tonight......