Thursday Visits.....and Fruitcake Cookie Dough!!!

Thursdays are our 'Visiting' days and on this one we purposely started out later than usual.

I had baked the Salted Caramel Brownies and Summer's recipe for Sour Cream Pound cake last night.

This morning all I had to do was package the brownies up and give the pound cake a light dusting of powdered sugar.

The first thing we did when we left the house was to have lunch at Uno China - Louis Dean's favorite Chinese buffet. I haven't been cooking a lot lately and he was hungry so it was just easier to take him to a buffet! Win! WIN!!

We visited Reaoma first since I knew we would be staying late in Fort Worth.

I visited with her and told her all about our week at the ranch and then Louis Dean started playing some music.

She was awake through much of our visit today.

Helen - Reaoma's next door neighbor - heard the music and was hovering outside the door.

We invited her in and assured her she was more than welcome.

Louis Dean does love an audience, you know!

Louis Dean is packing up his music which he had put on the bed.

In the morning they are bringing in a hospital bed for her.

It is the next stage in her disease.....

We next drove the 40  miles or so to Fort Worth just ahead of rush hour traffic.

Stopped for fuel and - well - you may have seen my post on Facebook but I had to take it down.

Louis Dean asked me not to say anything about it publicly - but I had already posted it!

It was rather funny and perfectly harmless - although there was a police car and city workers around when we left - but I honored his request.

However.......send me a private message and I will tell you all about it!!!

He didn't say anything about PRIVATE conversations!!

Hahahahahaha!

We picked up the malts at Braums and I went down the hall handing them out.

Louis Dean hauled all his music stuff in and set up in Lillian's room.

I took Mother her chocolate malt just as they were leaving her dinner.

I sat with her while she ate - although she didn't really eat.

The dementia is increasing and it was an uneasy visit for me at the beginning.

Then I showed her some pictures from my phone.

Pics from messages from Amber and Summer and some from my blog.

This seemed to capture her attention and she calmed down and the visit became much easier.

Louis Dean was already down there singing so I asked Mother if she wanted to go listen to him.

She did and I do believe she had a good time.

We all had a good time in the end.

Roberta wasn't feeling well - she's our 100 year old friend - and said she regretted it but she was going to bed right after she finished her dinner. I was sitting in Mother's room a little later when I saw both Roberta and Brenda wheel their way down to Lillian's room.

When I brought Mother in, Roberta said she decided it was a pajama party - and she had her pajamas on! As did Mother!

We all loved this song!

Meet the cook!!!

She calls Louis Dean 'The Big Guy!'

We laughed and took pictures and I sent them to her phone.

She was so much FUN!

It was after 8:00 when we left.

We pass this old police car on our way and I finally stopped and took a pic!

Pretty cool!

Traffic was light until we reached the Bush Toll Road exit and Louis Dean was in a lane that could go straight or turn onto the Bush. He drove straight. There had been an accident AND construction work so it took a good long while to get off, go down and under I20, get back on I20 going West and then get on the Bush!

It was after 9:00 when we got home and I immediately started making the Fruitcake Cookie dough.

I was out of rum so I opened up the bottle of Texas Bourbon Whiskey and gave the dough a healthy splash!

The dough is done and ready to bake on September First!

I got confused last night! Counting days to the first and counting days to the cruise!

I am going to close now and go in the living room and get the Neil Diamond CD out and set it on the stereo. I have lots of pumpkin and fall things to get together - from my new dish soap to coffee to my special cup to room fragrance, candle and body spray.

I plan to be home all day Saturday so if you are in the area, stop by for a cup of coffee, glass of tea and a fruitcake cookie or pumpkin muffin! We will celebrate together!!

I'm going to do my best to......

Make it a September to Remember!!